west6008

I was following the previous thread about electrics killing 1/2A

Not sure about that, but you can be SURE its the end of rubber power.

Just look at the Flying Aces models or look at the DC Maxecuters

Fantastic stuff.....but it looks like the death bell of rubber power.

I quit flying rubber power because I got fed up waiting for calm weather.

subarubrat

My Feedback: (1)

I have had the oppertunity to fly with some of the DC maxecutors over the last few months. I feel like I build a decent model, but when some of those planes they bring hit the flightline I feel like a mut at a purebred show. One fellow, I am sorry I don't recall who, brought a Pietenpol which I think was the Dumas one that had such attention to detail it was stunning. You would swear the engine was machined out of metal.

Silvaire

My Feedback: (50)

I wasn't around back then, but when engines became widely and cheaply available, were there long discussions and editorials about gas killing rubber?

It seems that 1/2A glow vs. electric is now facing a somewhat similar situation.

scudrunner77

I can't speak for anyone leaving rubber to fly electrics...

But, my bet is that with the availability of micro radio gear + e-power, companies such as Guillow's and Dumas are probably selling more kits than ever. I'm about 3/4 of the way through a Guillow's Fw-190. I'm going to put $15 GWS outrunner in it. I would not even think about going through all this trouble just to rubber power it. Ok... I did once when I was about 13...never did fly though.

NorfolkSouthern

There still seems to be some interest in free flight endurance in rubber power, but by a limited number of purists. So I seriously doubt that rubber powered models will completely vanish from the market. It's an art form when you think about it, like using film for photography rather than going digital. And yes, film still has a following. Electric R/C is more popular by far, however. This is obviously due to the convenience it offers and its availability. It's what John Q Public desires. Just check out the amount of small ARFs available and how they're selling. Then, note the ease of their setup and how everything fits together with little or no modification. The little electrics take very little skill or education to set up, it's just an assembly process like putting together an O'Sullivan computer desk. And it they crash, then parts are easy to obtain and replace, and then you're up again with just a little time and cash spent. Repeat the cycle until you get sick of looking at the same plane all the time, of course.

NorfolkSouthern

mylamo

My Feedback: (1)

Now I wasn't around to see for myself but have met many
who saw the transition to gas. Lindberg caused a great boom
in interest and the competition was only free flight so rules
had to be written to accomodate the engines,which were not
affordable for most young boys. Actually balsa was not very
easy to come by either. We have it easy now but have a much
lower percentage of young builders than then.
Ralph

Wayne C

When I was a kid we could pick up three television stations. Picture quality depended on the weather and such. There were a handful of fm radio stations within range and plenty am stations that would fade in and out. No home computers or video games. We could play with something (actual physical object), work on something, or read a book. Many families didn't have airconditioning so there wasn't that incentive to stay indoors. We rode bicycles enough to actually wear tires out. We mowed and did yard work to raise cash. I could take apart, clean, troubleshoot, assemble, and run cox reedies without adult supervision by the time I was twelve years old. Many kids in their early teeens were pretty good lawnmower mechanics and a few were already blossoming as auto mechanics. I built many plastic models, mostly planes. Back then a monogram or revell model usually came with a fact sheet about the subject of the model so I learned a good deal about airplanes. Still have some of those old instruction sheets and occasionally scale up the three-veiw drawings for a scrath build project. I built and flew plenty rubber powered planes but never excelled in getting scale ones to fly very well. I was more into controlline because I liked engines and fuel. Electricity was for slot cars and trains. I did the train thing as well. If we had had good electric motors and decent batteries, I'm sure they would have found their way into planes. I later learned that some parts of the country guys were already experimenting with electric contolline. They could keep the battery on their person and the plane didn't have to haul it. Power came to the motor through the controllines. I think the electric vs fuel question is more about available technology that any thing else. If we'd had good affordable electrics thirty years ago we'd used 'em. As to modelling itself, any waning af interest is probably due more to cultural influence than to choices of power.

eroc144

My Feedback: (1)

What about using micro gear in a rubber-powered RC plane? My Brother keeps telling me he's going to do this someday so he can fly around in his back yard, and I keep asking him to post some pictures if he does!

EG

tangerine-jack

Dang, I thought my rubber powered planes were safe. []

I built my first Comet kit when I was about 8 or 9 and I have never stopped. I do 1/2A RC as a kind of natural growth from my stick and tissue addiction, but I've always viewed myself as a rubber free flighter. There is something facinating to me about taking some balsa sticks, a few sheets of thin tissue paper and building something that flies. To me rubber power is cheap, reliable and quite a challenging technology in it's own right.

Perhaps when ARF and electric addicts grow up and mature they will discover the challenges of rubber free flight and the craftsmanship it takes to separate the men from the boys. Anybody can buy an electric ARF and go out and fly, but few can manage a well flying free flight from stick and tissue.

As long as I can buy rubber bands and tissue paper I will build and fly those little birds. In my mind there is no need to discuss this matter any further.

Gollywock

Gosh- and to think that just this past week I bought a pound of 1/8" tan Jim

SquirlNutZipper

My Feedback: (9)

Cool, it's ok with me man. No matter what you power your small bird with it's the passion of the flight that makes us 1/2a brothers. I'm just as interseted in a band powered, free flight aircraft as I am in a "modern" 200w LiPo powered bird. Controled or non-controled it's all about the 1/2a scale modeling experience to me and that's the point I'm trying to get across to everyone.

Come on throw the bricks already...

Alex

Raymond LeFlyr

My Feedback: (2)

I agree with everybody (I've found that to be the best policy with women too). Actually, I find I use 1/2A and small birds (sml brds) interchangeably. I have flown diesel, glow, gas, lekky, rubber, rapier, and hand-launch small models this year. I intend to continue to do so for a long as I can. Yep I calls 'em all small birds.

SquirlNutZipper

My Feedback: (9)

As a very much published photographer I still gotta say hey now, wait a minute, I still practice practice both forms according to what is needed and wanted in the finished product. LOL. BUT Digital IS the future for all in photography as is the electric vs. nitro discussion were having today.

Such a trivial thing don't you think?

Alex

NorfolkSouthern

True to some degree, as long as they stop making film. As for nitro, I am sure somebody will make the fuel themselves in some form or other if it were taken off the market.

NorfolkSouthern

tangerine-jack

Well said, my balsa brother, well said! That is exactly my point.

Andrew

Well, that explains your user name.

Demon-Leather

My Feedback: (10)

I blend the old with the new. I suppose that would make the "Pureist" wretch, but for me, it works pretty well. I started in rubber powered models, moved up to 1/2A U/C. I got pretty dizzy doing that, so went to 1/2A freeflight, then 1/2A r/c, then medium sized r/c, then giant-scale r/c. Now, I'm falling apart... knees aren't good enough to chase free flight, can't lug heavy giant scales to the field anymore. Did that stop me flying? >BLANK< NO! I went back to my roots, and started building old rubber scale designs and used r/c & electric power. I can do what I dreamed long ago about. I can build a 40" rubber scale Joe Ott Avenger, and make it full-house r/c, and even drop the 8" torpedo just like the rubber job did... AND get it to almost land at My feet (ALMOST) I can build a 50" 1939 Scientific Mercury Jr. ignition job and fly it, thermal with the best of them, and bring it back home. Or I can have a 6ft span 1938 Scientific "Impala" tow line glider with a small motor & r/c. I can make a Ken Willard Roarin' 20 out of fan fold insulation foam, and power it with a home made/ converted CDROM motor, and make it look like it was the "real thing," or a Topflite Top Dawg that has a Thunder Tiger .07 and wieghs in at about 10 oz. Currently, I'm planning a move to giant scale again with a 82" Hughes H-1 "clipped wing" version that hopefully weighs around 1.5lbs and will swing a 2ft prop. Will I ever quit 1/2A? Nah,.. I got a draw full of Cox, Cubs, Wasps, Andersons, Hornets, and of course, My diesels. Heck, everyone says kits are dead, and ARF's are the rule. I haven't seen a thing in ARF that I'd want to fly... besides I can go back 60-70 years, and find some of the nicest kits & plans on the planet. Things a kit cutter or ARF mfger wouldn't think of putting out there. It all boils down to how dependent you are on trends I guess, and what you will settle for. I'm on the 3rd Ole' Lady now after raising 4 kids, and have a 6 year old Son...again. Guess I'm on the way back to rubber power, yet again.. With that, I lift up My sack, and fly off in the night.. MERRY CHRISTMAS to ALL,.. and to ALL a GOOD-FLIGHT! Bob

Demon-Leather

My Feedback: (10)

The Possibilities from the past are endless!...Ho Ho HooOOOOOooo!

chevy43

Nice planes but seriously: an electric motor turning through a Cox crank shaft?!?! Thats funny but wrong!!! Do you have a loud speaker in there making Cox noise too? Maybe you could get some concentrated Cox smoke oil that you could pump out electrically, ha, ha,.

Maybe I have it all wrong and that cox is turning a dynamo and you have made the first hybrid airplane?? Maybe you just run on the Cox and add power with the electic to hover??

Is there still room in there to wind some rubber behind the cox and the brushless so you could have 3 types of power??? Or heck tap the side of the head for CO2

Merry Christmas!

Demon-Leather

My Feedback: (10)

>snicker<... The Cox Baby Bee, isn't REALLY a bee,.. it's a dummy, made out of balsa, bamboo, and milk jug plastic rings punched out with a hot brass tube for cylinder fins...With a high-pitched prop on a 3cell LiPoly, the blade noise actually makes it sound like a Cox Q-T muffled engine. I was accused once before of skewering a Cox with an electric,.. I'd never do it...honest! Bob

chevy43

Pretty good job on the fake. I would take that plane with a bottle of fuel and a glow starter to the snoby electric only flying park. I can just picture them getting mad and lecturing you about not being at the right field and how Cox engines are way too loud and oily and outlawed etc. Just ignore them and fly anyway ha ha.