Thanks for the very even-handed response. As a new special-interest section, we need to make very sure everyone understands there is no "right and wrong", as to what's "best"--it's just a question of where each of our individual interests lie. Personally, I have definite leanings, but I honestly am interested in aerobatics in general, and can relate to all the planes covered in the "Classic Pattern" section. I'm sure I would even enjoy watching, (or maybe competing in), 2M pattern also in time--but I have just gotten back into R/C the past 2 years, and have never been to a modern patern event---I just don't know enough about it right now.

For nostalgic reasons, (and I'm sure that's why all of us are interested in the "Classic Pattern" ships of one era or another), I am glad there is so much interest in these planes. I competed in the early to mid'80s era, so I can sure relate to the fast, huge maneuvers mentioned above. On the other hand, I was an early teenager when the pioneers of pattern, (Lowe, Brett, Kazmirski, Kirkland, De Bolt were flying the Taurus, Perigee, Phoenix 1, Beachcombers etc). Our club, (RCCD--Detroit area), used to host an invitational meet in the mid '60s, and I personally saw most of these pioneers and their planes up close. It left a deep impression The first plane I built was the Phoenix 1 from RCM plans---I wasn't good enough to fly it at the time, but I didn't care--those swept wings were sooo cool. Every month, magazines like MAN and RCM, (I wish we had kept that 1st issue of RCM), would come out with a new exciting plane on the cover. Like you say, this WAS the golden age of pattern popularity, when the average guy could build and fly the same plane as the big boys. Except for the early proportional radios--the cost to fly the state of the art plane wasn't that prohibitive.

Anyway, for many reasons, I'm drawn to this era of aircraft, and I'm excited about the interest in this new forum. Please add your own thoughts/reasons for your interest, and why you're here.

Thanks