Welll...

'Way back in the dark ages it was c/l or free flight. Granted, there were some nuts (like the Good brothers) playing with radio control. What they had really was more misdirected than it was controlled.

In late 1952 or early 1953 I got my first radio kit. No, not a kit for a radio controlled plane, a kit to build the radio. A very modern circuit, the rx used a "Gas" tube, no "A" battery required. Just one 67 1/2v "B" battery, and using a resistor in circuit you didn't have to have a separate set of cells to operate the escapement. It was good for its day, but what was good then would be execrable now. Still had to remember to wind the rubber for the escapement, though.

With the quality of "Affordable" r/c gear in the early 50s, c/l and free flight were still safe.

At the Nats in Grand Prarie, Texas, 60 or 61, I saw my first full proportional rig. It was the "Space Command" seven or eight channel, I had to have one. Then I found how much it cost. EIGHT HUNDRED BUCKS!! And this was when $100/week was really high pay.

With the lack of "Affordable" r/c gear in the early 60s, c/l and free flight were still safe.

When we got into the 70s, though, the numeric price of a good reliable radio set had gone down from the $800 of 1960, and the average wage had gone up, so the real price was a lot lower than it had been.

With the quality of "Affordable" r/c gear in the early 70s, c/l and free flight were going away.

And now, with a four or five channel rig, absolutely reliable, going for no more than $300, it is no surprise at all to me that r/c is taking over almost all sport flying. And the real price of the $300 rig, expressed in 1952 dollars, is about the same $10 I paid for the POS single channel rig with the gas tube back then.

Consider it another way.

Your r/c park flyer is in the back seat. Lunch time. Want to fly? Just park, get it out, start the engine, and fly. Wipe the plane off, put it in the back seat again, and go get a cheeseburger for lunch. Then back to work.

Your u/c plane is in the back seat. Want to fly? Get the plane out, run the lines out, (including the third line for the stooge) and anchor the stooge. Start the engine, run to the handle and pull the stooge wire. Now you're in the air for a nice time. Fly again? No, remember you're on your lunch hour. Wind up all the lines, clean the pegs for the stooge, wipe the plane, put everything back in the car, rush back to work. No time for a cheeseburger.

The convenience. Real or not, r/c just seems to be a lot easier, in addition to the true freedom from the hemispheric possible flight of control line.

Don't misunderstand. I still have some u/c planes. But 99% of my flight time goes to r/c. And when it's building time, I have to admit I'd rather build to have no strings attached.

Bill.

>>edit: misspelled word. wr.