I don't know about the semi-minor Damage, there are many stress fractures on the Airframe being Fully Built, but it's nothing that CA can't fix. The One wing has quite a bad crack [&o]in it but none of the main Spars are damaged, But once again it should be easy to fix. You can see this in the one Photo after the spectacular event had happened. Also I included some pic's after the nose has been rebuilt.

JohnG', I did mention a slight cross wind, it was slight, I backed out of two Maidens the previous day because of gusting winds[8D], when I attempted this it was about 2kph, from the south west, this was a 08H30. The amount of runway used to get airborne was about 180-200meter's, we where using a full Size Taxi way. I did say through it all I will not force the aircraft off the Deck, which I didn't, it did everything by itself and was flying just dandy till the wind, you guessed it started gusting gently. By this time I was 2/3rdsdown the Runway, the Rudder has about 40mm of throw so that should be ample Rudder, and for the size of the Aircraft it should be fine. I'm guessing though with the lack of airspeed it becomes a Titanic and Iceberg in situation Rudder becomes too small and non-effective .

As for spectators, well I guess that's what happens when you arrive at a Fly-in with a totally unique aircraft you have loads of Pilots wanting to see, they where all well behind the spectator line, which was +/-80meters away. This all didn't happen fast there was time for everything, even the cart wheel looked as if it was in Slow motion. I had to force the turn not only because I was halfway to the spectators just to the right of the Taxi way but because of the JET A-1 Tanks and refueling station (For Full Size aircraft) right in-front of my "new Flight Line". Have a look at the one Photo, The White area is the Runway, the Red Area was the Obstacles after drifting, the Yellow area Which I was aiming for during the Drifting which Would have been safe had the Aircraft built up enough Airspeed to prevent stalling the wing. Altitude at this time was about 2.5meters above the deck.

For first Flights on any of my jets, (actually any of my aircraft) I don't Dial in any Dual Rates, with round 45% exponential, the U-2 Has 30mm down and unlimited up Travel on the Ailerons, (Flaps can do about 120 degrees if not limited) so should there have been enough airspeed I could have corrected the drifting to the right, but Knowing that this will stall the wing, I didn't touch it unless I really really had to, unfortunate I really had too. What I should have done was kill the power (or the Lack thereof) and forced it on to the deck. But then hindsight is also an exact Science I think the Aircraft would have flown better into a head wind but, at Oudshoorn the Taxiway, in the all years I have been going there I have yet to see a head wind on the taxi way.

The original Idea was to get it working on the BVM96 (15lbs Thrust +/- using a BVM T-33 Ducting set up) and then put a BVM EVF (Same Set-up 16.5lbs thrust +/- with 7500mah with Saddle Pack) in the aircraft, but at 22lbs with Fuel (The Down side of a 100% built up jet of this size), I wouldn't even put in a EVF now, Don't Risk it, it's not really worth it. I will go for 12kg turbine 120N a Jetcat or ModelMechanic's, 26lbs of thrust would be more then enough. I have seen a few Full sized U-2's fly and on take-off they display an impressive amount of Acceleration, speed and power. Something I think every Model U-2 Should have for Take off.

I think if you scratch build one of these as I have done, and it's not off plan. There is always the "it may or may not fly" attitude, and also considering this is the prototype basically it's got one chance, this bird will live to fly another day. it will make it's Maiden full Flight on a Slope, then will go back to power with a Turbine [8D]