Flicker

My Feedback: (1)

Hi all,

My first was the .020 powered chartreuse Cox Mini Stunt. I was 10 in '70 at the time.
It only rolled along the ground! Next was a Goldberg L'il Wizard and a Babe Bee. Once I
learned to not over control during take off and walk in a circle as opposed to turning in place, it all came together.

Flew many of the Sterling 1/2A's, all of the 1/2A Goldberg jobs. The Little Toot, D-7, and Ringmaster bipes were favorites.
A buddy and I used to fly back in high school; we'd trade start/launch duties-what fun! I've even flown two at once...not now! ;-)

Had a Cox PT-19, it was o.k. The best Cox in the 70's was the ME-109 with the light blue hollow foam wing; lightweight for a plastic RTF!

Looks like I may visit Brodak's website soon and get another L'i Wizard! Man they have a lot of stuff!

Bob
p.s.Looped the Wizard first take off. The rubber band mounted engine and L/G worked...My dad flew next, had never flown
c/l before but nailed it! Memories.

vertical grimmace

My Feedback: (1)

Here is an original story................ This was not my very 1st, but I define this as the beginning, as it is when I completed the model and flew it many many times. It was a success.

1984, mowed lawns for 2 months to earn the money to buy a Sterling Ringmaster (the newer version with photos on box) and a Fox .35 stunt. Covered it with silkspan and dope which my dad showed me how to do in the garage. He tried to talk me into a smaller engine for some reason ( I did not understand this at the time). I went with the full the .35 though! Of course.

Then my next build was a Sig Banshee. For Xmas in 1985 my dad got me an RC package set with a Goldberg Eagle 63, radio and engine. So I did RC for the next 5 years and beyond.

1994 I attended my 1st nats flying in 4 CL combat classes. Got back in 2014 and flew RC scale. 2016-2017 flew CL combat again, and then in 2018 got back and flew RC scale. I plan to attend the Nats this year again and fly 2 classes of RC scale.

My aspiration now is to make the U.S. Scale team to compete in Norway 2024. We must keep challenging ourselves, but I will never forget my roots, and how much fun I had, and the help and support my father provided.

50+AirYears

Hey, good luck to you in competing in Norway.

vertical grimmace

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks, but I need to make the team first! Heck, I need to finish building my plane! I have a bit of time though.

Tom Nied

Yeah, go for it!

cyclops2

Veco chief . 70 years ago

karolh

Wishing you all the best in your endeavours. Time can go by quite quickly so make haste while the sun shines .

Dale C.

My first built plane was the 1/2A Little Toot so long ago!

GallopingGhostler

Sounds like you had a blast with it, Dale C. I built the GB Little Toot but later in life, perhaps the best in Carl Goldberg's half-A sport CL semi-scale line up. Photo of mine is on Outerzone.

Outerzone: #4337 16-in. Goldberg Little Toot

Dale C.

Man many thanks for this.I remember this all to well I got (DRUNK) trying to fly this a few time rofl.Now I want to build this model again but I will just
hang it in my room this time.This brings back so much fun I had with this model think I built like three or four of this model before I could get this flying
but what fun I had back then.

GallopingGhostler

You are welcome, Dale C. Brodak has the kit in two versions, one called Vintage Label (limited supply)
https://brodak.com/vintage-label-1-2...-toot-kit.html

and the other https://brodak.com/1-2a-little-toot-kit.html

These come with a beam mount for their Brodak .049 and other beam mounts. For bulkhead mount for the Coxes, they recommend their
BH-801 1/2 A Motor Mount https://brodak.com/1-2-a-motor-mount.html

This is reminiscent of the Sterling Beginner series profile motor mounts, which mount directly to the 1/4" thick fuselage.

The other option of course is to use the Outerzone plans and patterns, and roll your own.

Quickster2

I can't remember exactly. 8th grade in Ohio was a long time ago. Names like Flite Streak, Ringmaster, Combat Kat, Combat Kitten, Golden Bee .049, still have an old Enya 29 with top flite prop if anyone is interested. Was a fan of Enya's over Fox I remember. May take it up again as I am just starting on Electric RC flying.

clpahodges

My Feedback: (3)

My first was a Junior Ringmaster with a Fox 15 in 1958. Learned to fly on that plane and had a lot of fun with it on the parking lot at Crookshank Elementary School in St. Augustine, FL. Wish I still had it.

Bill Hodges

GallopingGhostler

A portion of my control line air force, circa 1970, Nanakuli, Hawaii.


From top left to lower right: 1) 18" Scientific Cessna 180 hollow log; 2) 18" Scientific Li'l Devil hollow log; 3) Cox Piper L-4 Grasshopper RTF; 4) 18" profile Grumman F4F Wildcat with Cox .049 190 postage stamp engine and home made sheet steel engine mount; 5) 18" Top Flite Japanese Zero with Cox .020 Pee Wee full fuselage with steam rolled sheet fuselage shells and undercamber sheet wing.

S1Pitts

My Feedback: (4)

!967 8th birthday a WenMac P63 Aircobra. Chrome finish with optional 3rd line for firing spring load missles from the wings. When the built in tank failed to hold fuel I modded it with the next gift, Dremel Tool, to accept a perfect brand fuel tank. That thing would fly for over 1/2 hr becuse I put in the largest tank that would fit LOL
I taught virtually every kid in the niebourhood to fly. on that beast.

Chumpy77

Had Cox L-4 Grasshopper that I had limited success with. Then my dad built a Circus Prince with an O.S. .15 on it. Power was marginal for that airplane. Trying to loop it was always a scary proposition. I then inherited an old Warrior from a club member with a McCoy Redhead .29, I think, that flew quite well. I even won the first and only c/l aerobatics contest I ever flew in with it. I then wore out a Bob Palmer Smoothie and then an Sig Chipmunk which was the first flying model I ever built. Flew wonderfully on a Fox .36 r/c engine with the throttle wired open.

Outrider6

My Feedback: (2)

In the mid 70's, when I was about 10, I had a Cox Super Sport Trainer, like the one in the picture. Being a young kid, I was completely enthralled with it, and thought it was the coolest thing ever. But I knew nothing about starting model engines, and especially not anything about starting a very fussy and difficult-to-start Cox .049. My dad knew plenty about auto and yard equipment engines, but had no real experience starting glow engines. We tried and tried and tried, but never could get it to both start and run correctly I don't recall if it ever flew (doubtful).

Many years later, my dad gave me a partially built Ringmaster with a McCoy .35. I was able to get that running, and completely destroyed the plane on the first flight, when I tried to loop it. By this time, I had already learned to fly full scale sailplanes and Cessnas, as well as some r/c.

AJ Sun

I’ve really enjoyed reading this one, could not beleave how many guys had the cox PT-19. My first plane was the Cox Piper Cub. Pop and I took it to the ball park. First time we never got it started. Took it home. Pop worked on it and it finally fired off. We bought the kit.to start flying Thimble drone. Had the lines,handle,battery clip,for the glow plug. We found out that glow plug was burned out. Pop bought a new plug and we got it running. Off to the ball park. Pop wanted to fly it first. And that was fine with me. I learned how to pit! We used that spring starter. Second pop and she was screaming. Pop got the control handle. Up and down on the elevator let her go. Straight up and straight down about second base. Pop looked mad, I thought I messed up. But wipin here comes. ( butchee, lets go get some rhubarb pie)! We just left it at second base. The following day I rode my bike to get what was left of the Cub. It was gone. I would guess I was about 8 years in late 50s maybe. I went to military school for three years after that. In maybe 61 I started Votec Aviation. I bought a Cox Thimble dRome Comanche. Just to pretty to fly.

GallopingGhostler

Do you mean the larger Comanche with this .15 engine?


Early 1960's Cox .15 Sportsman reed valve engine, used on the larger Cox Piper Comanche RTF plane.

AJ Sun

Hey Gallope e yep bought it at the Fort Lewis PX just hung it in my bed room. Never did fly it. I joined the Army in 66 went to fort Ord for a basic..spent 6 years overseas Asia. I built. And flew at every station. Got into RC and now I am back to UControl. Still chasing pistons. Don’t care for the electric stuff. I seen a Cox Comanche for sale $300.00 still in the original box, sure brought back memories. AJ.

AJ Sun

Can't quit reading these first flights. Can't beleave how many guys started flying the Cox PT-17. My neighbor had one. It was about the time I started my Ring master may be I was 13. The first experience with applying silk. First attempt was not to good. I spoke to my AF friends and they sent me to the fabric shop at McCord. With two 1 gallon cans. I got dope. Reducer, and a 6 by 2 inch piece of silver. You cut about 1/4 inch of the silver block and placed it in the reducer. Glass jar close the lid. Next morning the reducer was silver.. but first you thin the dope to brush consistency and coated the balsa frame. Wet the silk and spread it over the wing applying dope. The next morning the silk was tight. Applied a coat and it went limp. It dried and it was tight. Applied two more coats then mixed the silver with the dope. All my planes were silver. Never painted them be cause I expected to crash. Still do that today except All my wings are yellow. Still.dont paint the fuselage. I.trmember my Ringmaster, everything I crashed it broke at the wing leading edge easy fix, but after several crashes and two busted engines. I bought another kit. And a Red head.McCoy 35. Another Sgt at McCord cut several fuselages for the Ringmaster. But he made them 4 inches longer. He gave me one. After I crashed my second Ringmaster. I salvaged the wing and made a new tail. It flew really well on 58 foot lines. Looking forward to my Super Ringmaster build. And that new flying Fool.AJ.

GallopingGhostler

My first experience with silk was on an R/C plane, the 36 inch wingspan Sterling Minnie Mambo. I covered it with lightweight K&S yellow silk, first spraying a light coat of water on it and clear doping the edges down, carefully trimming the overlap with a broken in half double edged razor blade with end broken off to a sharp point with a set of needle nose pliers.

It was about as easy as a silkspan job. When dry, then brushed on 4 coats of clear dope, trimmed in a bright red color. When done, it was very light, much lighter than a Monokote job.

Not long ago, I bought 2 yards of each, lightweight nylon ripstop parachute camo (for upper surfaces) and light gray (for aircraft underside) material, did a little reading up on it through the net. Shrink with an iron. Doesn't shrink much with dope, but since dope is getting harder to find, will try one of the reasonably fuel proof recent clear finishes. I want to do this on my Brodak 52 inch wingspan profile Focke Wulf FW-190 C/L plane.

The digital camo material ought to add an interesting detail to it, when I get around to building it (lots of irons in the fire for now).

jrfreitas

My Feedback: (4)

This is for the other brazilians out there: my first u-control plane was a Manicaca with a Sassi .15.

GallopingGhostler

Outerzone has the plan if one wants to recreate it again.

Outerzone.co.uk: 1970 Manicaca I (oz6877), 32 in. (815 mm) wingspan CL Trainer


Outerzone photo.

AJ Sun

Okay 1 John 3:16 what ever you say, makes me think of an office temp with a bad attitude. Wish you well. Hope it works out for you. Thinking about my Veco Chief and using silk. I could not see my right wing flying way to heavy on my counter weight. Did that suggested balance with my stainless flying wires. Yep that wing right side dropped like a rock. Way to heavy. Recalling the first time is fun on a lot of things you do for the first time. AJ