RoyR
Posts: 153
Joined: 11/28/2006
From: Nederland, TX, USA
Status: offline
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Hi all. I have a question, but first let me give you a brief history:
I began flying RC in the early 70s. I had flown CL for years and maxed out with the .35 size CL models. So for my first RC I started with a .35 size model, the Sterling Fledgling. At the time .35 was the most popular size, with the 'large' planes going up to .60. Over the years I moved up progressively. I still flew my .35s, and bought some .40 engines, and one day I was finally able to afford the coveted .60. I put it in the original Ugly Stick. (or was it Stik?)
Planes kept growing and I kept changing jobs and finally finances improved enough for me to grow with the sport.
I liked the .60s, but I also liked the small fast airplanes, my favorite being the HOTs 35. Small, quick, maneuverable, but as I grew myself, increasingly hard to see. I knew, for me, the Hots was on its way out.
Many people were getting into Giant Scale Gas powered models. I wasn't ready to invest in a new inventory, but about this time I discovered the GP Supersportster 90/120. I got it, along with a YS 1.20, and fell in love. It was the perfect size (For Me) Large enough to see well, able to do maneuvers I could handle, and the 4 stroke sounded so sweet. I decided this is the size airplane I wanted to fly for the rest of my life.
I read they were about to quit making the Supersportster 90/120 so I bought another kit just so I would have it (in the slight chance I may crash my first one)
Well, about the time I crashed my first sportster, my job was keeping me busy and I laid off building and flying models for a few years.
I retired in 2006 and wanted to get back into the sport. Hurricane Rita had thrown water into my workshop while we were evacuated and my Sportster kit got wet, some of the wood was molded, but salvagable. I built a Slo Poke 40 to help me get back into flying, and then built the Super Sportster kit. It was good to be back.
I joined the local club and began to notice all the changes since I had been gone. They were talking about ARFs (dog barks?) and electrics. (they put those in airplanes?) and foamys (I didn't ask)
OK, I'm not that naive. I had been reading up on the hobby for a few years. In fact I bought my first ARF and electric, the Brio 10 and love it.
But my problem is; I still love the size and look of my Super Sportster, and want that type to be my main airplane. 2, the lifespan of any RC airplane is limited. if you fly it, something will happen. So I began looking for a replacement for my Super Sportster 120. What I found is they are few and far between. Most kits are ARF and scale. I have been and will always be a sport flyer. I am not concerned with how 'real' my airplanes look, as long as I like the way they fly. I don't fly pattern. I don't want to follow rules every time I fly, just go out and have fun. After 40 years and 18,000 hours flying full scale helicopters of all shapes and sizes, I have had enough of rigid rules and doing things by the book or by some FAA officials interpretation of 'the book'. (I am not referring to club or field rules, safety, and all that. I do follow those rules) I am talking about flying spur of the moment. fly the way I want to fly, so I want sports planes to do that.
I see the Super sportsters are ARF now, but guess what? They are small and electric, or Giant scale. Nothing my size.
I have looked up other airplanes online and found some 90/120 size and guess what? They don't make them anymore. they now have smaller versions. I have seen that happen to a lot of models. Some I would read about here in the forums and when I researched, they no longer make the 120 version. It seems on the whole the hobby is going in reverse. Of course they make the giants and all, but for the average sports flyer everything is shrinking. Where 60 to 90 size was the norm, and 120 size was the newest rage, we are now back to 30 to 40 size the norm, and smaller electrics the newest rage.
Where I would add extra epoxy in the tail and compensate with some lead weight in the nose and make up for it all with loud popping mufflerless 4 strokes, we are now drilling holes and worrying that adding an extra inch of covering may be too heavy. and yes, some modelers even complain of noise pollution.
OK, I'm not knocking electrics and lighter airplanes. I will be building and flying them soon too.
I can understand if I had been out of the sport 15 or 20 years things would change, but we are only talking a few years here and I had just gotten used to the ideas of my mid size 120 airplanes. Waaaaa.
Now I will make you mad. You could have avoided reading all that drivel above and just skipped down to my question.
Does anyone know of a good flying, and good looking, 90/120 size sport model still available either kit or ARF?
Thanks
Roy
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Printable Version
All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> Sport Flying >> Where are the 90/120s? 
Where are the 90/120s? - 
Too much coffe? 
I have been known to ramble on these forums. Sometimes, ya just want to talk, right? 
Didn't do a lot of research before ya posted that, did ya? 
