mad web tv scientist

Accipiter Badius Dogfights!

It was a beautiful, deceptively peaceful day when my graceful flying WARBIRD AB took to the sky earlier today. Normally with my first of two or three "small" batteries I try not to do anything that might get me into trouble on my first flight of the day so as to gain a little confidence for the rest of the day's adventures. The ship climbed so effortlessly to soaring altitude and everything seemed to be going so well that I thought that just few "safe maneuvers" would be nice for a little useful practice.

I first checked to see if the plane would roll by simply applying full side stick. No dice - it is necessary to either push the stick forward to a corner (full elevator/flaperon/rudder) for an outside barrel roll or back to a corner for a normal barrel roll.

Four of my last five crashes have been associated with my attempts to fly outside maneuvers. Yes, flight Sims are really easy for me, but when it is my "real airplane" out there doing something a little "funny" (like tip stalling in inverted flight) I tend to behave neurotically instead of rationally for the split second needed to save the plane from impending doom.

So, after barrel rolling and a little inverted flying I thought flying a simple loop would provide a nice finish before the end of the flight. As the plane was coming around about two thirds of its way through the loop I got this urge to pull out inverted -BIG mistake! I was too low! Its hard to say just what went wrong but this time my carbon fiber reinforcement on the fuselage in front of the wing was finally damaged. Should be able to make repairs and be back in the air soon - providing I get over the trauma like I should.

After loading the damaged AB into my "aircraft carrier," it was so reassuring to go back out to the field and enjoy flying the peaceful, mild mannered undercamber airfoil AB. Suddenly, without any warning at all, an angry hawk swooped in on my six! The ensuing air combat engagement was so intense and exciting that it is all a blur right now. Fortunately, this AB can turn really tight on inside maneuvers. The hawk was faster than the AB and made a number of slashing attacks but was unable to damage the wily AB. He finally gave up, but the fight was not over!

Seeing an encroaching black boggy moving in on my six, I violently stood the AB on a wing tip in a ninety degree banked turn and proceeded with a head on attack! The terrified crow chickened out and flew away. But wait! There are two more bandits at three o'clock high! Sharp climbing turn to the right, stalled out, recovered, and had to break off the fight because of low "juice." Yes, I am looking forward to my next call to glory!

The included urls might be useful for some fun new flyers.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_60...tm.htm#6126801

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_61...tm.htm#6176513

Come on! Get in the fight!

madwebtvscientist [sm=lol.gif][sm=cry_smile.gif]

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The key to victory for modeling is cultural relevancy. Esoteric, "better felt than told modeling" is obsolete, truth is triumphing - there is no escape.