You know, from day one I had a special attraction to 1/2A and small planes. When I was six, my Dad brought me into the local hobby shop and I still remember drooling over Cox's version of Betty Skelton's Pitts. The shop owner took it down and offered me a closer look. That little Cox engine was a real jewel and I fell in love with it all, ever since.
Those were the days long before digital radios and the like but eventually, RC came into it's own but with some pretty big and heavy equipment and we didn't have throttle so we made them super light, and 3 channel and had a lot of fun for our money. Still, I wondered, wouldn't it be neat to have a 4 channel, "pattern" ship as they were called. As time passed, Kraft offered a "micro" servo and Bill Canon came on the scene. NOW we're talking especially with Canon importing the G-Mark engine.
We haven't looked back since. What was micro back then are monster servos compared to today. A fully cased, proper servo at 1.5 GRAMS? I'd not have believed it possible. We can thank the advances in electric propulsion for that. BIG market, mass produced in the Orient, VERY cheap but still high quality. 1/2A heaven these days.
There was just one problem. In the old days, our small, fast and nimble planes were generally flown up there, where the big boys were flying. Today, we have "full house" planes that we can fly at practically eye level. This was great for us, but was a major distraction for those with the bigger aircraft at altitude. I was just flying and having fun, broke no rules and generally was unaware as to what was going on around me.
Because my flying was bothersome to some, I was resented and got negative feedback that I didn't recognize at the time. When it finally dawned on me, I went out to the local park. I was always afraid that I'd get kicked out but never once did any of the usual park patrons give me grief. One day, a local gendarme comes walking up and I thought that my flying days were over. But no, he was just a guy who always wanted to try RC. Imagine that. So I gave him details about the club and the field and the usual, cost, type of plane to start with, showed him the RX, servos,,,, how it all worked. He shook my hand and left and I was positively beaming.
Can't fly your suggested creation at the park but it's inspired me to keep the engine and make it do what it's supposed to do. You learn by trying and I always want to learn something new. What the hell, with hand launching, I can think of more than a few backwoods locations. We have what are called tailing ponds, sludge from the mines that hardens and lays out like a salt flats. Lots of room to go like a banshee.
I have the wood, I have the engine, I have the radio. Have Gun, Will Travel, was a popular Western TV show WAY back when. Well, have engine, will travel has a nice ring to it.
Thanks CP, you're a gentleman and a scholar.