Hey guys.. Thanks for the compliments on the save. It was an interesting few moments to say the least! Not one that I would like to run through again in a hurry. Let me try and explain what went on from my view point...

I have had maybe 25 flights with the T bird so far, and am pretty well aware of how they can depart. I used to own a heavy P60 powered BVM one back in the day, and that really kept you on your toes when it came to slow speed stuff. So far this Skymaster T-33 has never once bitten me, or even given the slightest suggestion that it would. However, I do try and keep the slow speed element of my flight restricted to low bank angles and smooth inputs. When the model departed as it did in the video I was travelling at a fair rate, and with considerably more power than I would normally carry into a knife edge or slow roll with the same plane. The reason for this, was also the only real variable with this flight, and that was the extended gear. It appears as if in the hot weather ( Well hot for the UK) I blew and airline on the upside of the nose gear. This resulted in my gear dropping on the first curcuit of the flight. I decided that I did not want to land with full tanks ( even though I hate flying a jet with the gear extended ) , So I would try to burn some fuel off. One of the first passes I thought that I would try was a banking pass ( we call it a Farnborough pass ) As it would hide the gear being out. I noticed that I was having to carry lots more power into the curcuit and factored this down to the extended gear. Thinking back on it, I now know why I need so much power when I am fully dirty with the T-bird on landing.
As I rolled onto the desired bank angle and applied a small amount of rudder to hold, I straight away noticed that the model wanted to roll with rudder. I do remember thinking that this was odd, as normally the T-bird is a super precise model that requires zero mixing. Before I knew it I noticed that the model was climbing on knife edge, and looked as if it was starting the first quadrant of a knife edge loop.... Not a manoeuvre that I would ever try with a T-33!
Before I knew it, the first of the flicks ensued. From there on, I was a bit of a spectator for the first and second flick. I said to my caller Stevo that I was sure the rudder had jammed hard over to the right ( Top rudder) and that was what was causing the flicks.
I remember thinking to myself " Give up on it, and shut the turbine off as it was in the second flick going for the third" I knew I had control and that it was not a radio issue as I could see my ailerons moving, so I thought I would try and fight it and at least get it down as softly as possible ( I remember thinking just put it inverted in the grass and maybe save some of the internals ) Full opposite control stopped the 3rd flick going for a 4th and thats when it stopped inverted and flew away... I am still amazed that it did not drop a wing again, as it was pretty slow and damn low. As I was flying away inverted, I was looking for the big yaw that would be associated with a jammed rudder. That never came, so I rolled it upright and made as good a job of the landing as I could.
On closer inspection, all systems were working as expected. The rudder was tested vigorously, and centred every time. The more I think about it, the more I am sure that whatever happened ( I am still not fully sure, and I have watched the video a few times now) was a result of the extra drag of the gear being extended. The T-33 gear is pretty stout. It has big main wheels and the gear doors are quite a size, and the mains are heavily angled outwards. Looking at it, the surface area of the main doors is actually larger than the rudder and elevators combined. I think my over spirited flying with the gear down caused the flick to occur.
It is interesting to read that the full size has such limitations. Thanks for that feed back guys.

I can assure those reading that what occurred was almost certainly pilot error on my behalf. It had nothing to do with Gyros ( As the model is not fitted with any) Nothing to do with the down wind turn ( As I was heading into wind at the time) [:-] and nothing to do with me showing off... I only wish that I could do that manoeuvre on demand... Although never with a scale classic like a T-33!

Regards Al