I have not followed this thread, in fact this is the first time I have come over and looked at the RCU cl forum. But the topic got me. I have to say, I disagree. I last flew CL about 20 years ago. I flew it as a kid, up to .35 planes like the Combat Streak and my last was a Stuka Stunter by Don Still. Then in my 30's I found some guys flying competitve stunt here in the Detroit Area... still had been since the 40's in fact. Rolland and Bob McDonald mentored me and Frank Carlise coached me. Art Adamission did my motors. There were only about 5 people flying cl stunt in Michigan at the time. I drove as far away to contests as Kentucky and never saw more than 8 or 10 guys.

Fast forward 20 year. I moved and my new neighbor flew RC. I told him I couldn't, I just kept rekitting them every time I flew. He said he could teach me, I said no he couldn't...... he was right, I was wrong. Been flying alot of RC for 3 years and is it easy! No buying wood from a mill in Equador to get wood light enough to build a plane from. No cutting your own 1/20th in sheeting from blocks for the same reason. No spending an entire winter to build and paint one plane to competition standards. Go get an arf and learn to fly and have a pretty plane! I loved it. Still do. Then this spring I was surfing and what to my eyes should appear on the screen but an ARF stunter... and a plane I knew was competative! Long sotry short, I am back to flying competative stunt here in the Detroit area and what happens first contest I go to? About 15 fliers show up! Second contest I go to......two in SE Michigan in one year?!! its at Remote Control Club of Detroit's field and the RC guys closed the field for us to have it for the contest! Over 20 fliers show up! And now there are contests for profiles, 4 levels of stunt competancy, old time stunt, classic stunt..... a whole new world....! Third contest... yes in SE Michigan again and about 20 fliers and a zillion combat guys including the Canadian and Russian Teams!

Oh, and in August there is another CL stunt meet in SE Michgigan and I know of at least one more on the west side fo the state that is for only solid body half A planes like Scientific models used to kit.

There is a thriving cottage stunt industry, 4 different forum groups I have found, Brodak has brought some very nice kits and very competative ARF's to the market...... CL ain't dead. From what I can see it is really barreling back!

bob branch