Quigleywins

I've put+this in the kit forum as it was a Great planes Tomcat Kit that was destroyed 40 seconds after I was handed the controls last Sunday. The Tomcat had its first flight about 4 weeks ago with a better pilot at the controls. After the first flight I took the Tomcat home to get the balance better which I did by the simple method of moving the battery forward. I also added a set of Eflite re tracts. I was so happy with the look and finish.It was powered with a OS 55 AX.
The second and final flight. My mate took the controls as I'm still not the best flyer in the world. The tomcat took off with only one other trainer in the sky ,it was a perfect take of ,up went the gear and the plane did about 3 laps . the plane was trimed for level filght all was going great . I was given the tx as it passed the pits it was time to do the first turn. It stood on its side I had given far to much control. I got back to level flight and contined to fly away from the pilot area as I was doing this the trainer was closing in on my air space we were now about 300 yards from the strip, I moved away from the flight line of the trainer,it followed I moved again it followed then the impact. The trainer flown by the most senior club member made it back to the field my tomcat went in under power . Nothing left motor damaged one wing was removed by the prop. I have not spoken with the other pilot as I need to kill him.
I have never felt more depressed in my life ,I just thought this might help and its better than muder over an aircraft.

soarrich

My Feedback: (98)

Bummer.

It happens.[:@]

The other guy couldn't hit you if he tried, it was an accident. Get over it and move on.

caio

Dear Quigleywins, I know how you are feeling, I´ve been there on both sides of the story. It hurts almost as losing a dear friend. Nothing will replace it, even another one just like the one you lost. Two months ago I debuted my 1/3 Christen Eagle from GP (duiscontinued) powered by a Saito 300 T TDP (brand new), wich I´d kept for 6 years (plane + engine) waiting for the perfect moment. I took off, turned 180 degrees and the radio froze, I had no control over it anymore. It hit belly on the ground and was a total mess. In this case I had no one to blame for. The radio has been with me for five years and never had a single problem, batteries were perfect, etc. What I am trying to tell you is that I believe that things in life are bound to us one way or another. In the end, there´s nothing left for us to do but to accept it and move on. Keeping this angry feelings will only poison yourself. When I lost my plane, I grived for a month, then I let it go. After that, I got involved in a new project wich helped me to focus on something different rather than my loss. I wish you all the best. Caio.

SeamusG

Very sorry to hear about your mishap. I've only had 1 similar (but different) experience where I lost a classic pattern kit on its maiden flight.

It is very difficult to create an air-to-air. Some time back a couple of us were getting involved in combat flying - the 30 ft black streamers attached to the tail. As an exercise, we took a couple of trainers up - mine had the streamer. Our #1 instructor was flying his trainer. With me flying straight-n-level at 1/2 throttle he couldn't come within 30 feet of the streamer - and he was trying hard. To imagine that there was any intent on the other pilot's part is hard enough to believe. For him to actually do it is nearly impossible.

Best hopes,

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Sorry about it too, it happens but not often at club fields, I have only had one myself. I had just finished my summer build, a Bridi Dirty Birdy pattern plane. The day before I had done the maiden and trim flights, started doing stunts with it a little. The next day I took it up, made my turn, was way high and had a mid air, my one and only so far! The other fellow was flying the wrong pattern, I saw him but thought it was just one of the full scales coming over the mountain from Vegas. Shazam, mid air!! Both planes destroyed, his an ARF, mine a kit. Blame?? I call it an accident. He should have flown the correct pattern, I should have taken a better look at it. ****happens!! It still hurts, the fellow with his ARF felt as bad as I did about it.

LargeScale88

Anyone will crash a model during their time in the hobby, I don't care if they are just starting out or have been flying for 20 years, any airplane can crash. My top priority when flying is safety, I could care less about my airplane if its gonna go down, I care more about the spectators and cars. Crashing is just part of the hobby, and I've done a good share of smashing them in myself.


Jason

fledermaus

About 5 years ago I witnessed an air-to-air collision at our club field. A small hot-dog type plane was being zoomed around, while a large scale bird (I forget exactly what it was - something like a Citabria anyhow) was in the pattern. The hot-dog climbed right up the scale bird's rear end - whack whack whack smash!

The big bird staggered in the air but kept on flying. The little hot-dog disintegrated - heavy engine dropped like a stone while the remains of the wing fluttered back. The scale pilot made a very nice safe landing and we could see there were three slashes through the right side of his aft fuselage where the hot-dog's prop cut the lower longerons and stringers, and then a crushed segment where it smashed in - but the integrity of the fuselage was not compromised.

Scale pilot was pretty pissed off, but at least he knew he could repair the damage. Your poor Tomcat wasn't soo lucky.

Quigleywins

Up date on the old Tomcat.
Still can't believe what happened.AS for Soarrich. If two aircraft are flying in the one direction 300 t0 400 yards away and you can only see the out line of one and the front one is slower than the chasing aircraft.two moves are made away from the flite line and the seciond aircraft follows each time the two aircraft are on a fatal parth. Maybe in your eyes an accident,it sounds better for the other pilot. Our club is small about 8 fliers on a big Sunday. Its strange that there was a mid air only 4 weeks ago ,same pilot now is that a little strange or what.
Gary Bead we have been on several threads before thanks for your suport and imput.
Largescale 88 where we fly there are no public present,on a private property (lots of sheep) never hit one yet ,as for trees ,there are lots,one club member arrived just after I had just hit another tree ,Norm anounced to the new arival,''See that tree over there it the only one Pauls yet to hit''.

J.Paul Saure

[:'(]
Man sorry for the mess...
Have you considered "honing" your pilot skills to ease the taming of faster airplanes?
Since this is the kit building forum, a nice Tiger2 would be the cure for your Tomcat blues!


Saludos,
Jean Paul

Quigleywins

J.Paul Saure I do have a few prop driven Jets but the Tomcat was the pick of the crop. I have a lazer cut short kit for a Crusader its the low wing model. I have on order a High wing A7 coursair in the ARFs I have a Sky Hawk and a A7 cousair. So a new project is on the cards. I have looked at the spare parts for the Tomcat on line at great Planes but I think ,if they did still have the stock,would be very expensive. I'm still looking at the plans to see if I could rebuild' As like all kit building plans more skill is required to scratch build as so many shapes are not present on the plan. Yours Paul

Quigleywins

Extra good news,I'v found a wing kit for the Tomcat on E bay here in Australia. What are the chances of that, it's in the post so come Monday or the day after it will be here.I alreday have a new camopy from the USA and the formers are made so I will be puting a few shots of this rebuild on this thread. it will be all go go go next week.
Yours,
Paul T
Ps there was a kit in the States for sale, it went in 10 minures.

Quigleywins

Well I did say photos so here is the start of the repairs. Because there are three thickness of wood in the fuselage I have steped the join of the new front. As you can see there was a fair amount of damage back to the start of the wing saddle. The wing kit will be here in the morning. (I hope) Yours Paul T

soarrich

My Feedback: (98)

@ Quigleywins

I will be following your repair with interest, but the 40 seconds after I was handed the controls last Sunday. bothers me.

This plane might be a first plane after you know how to fly, though the only one I've seen fly I though "What a dog." If you are at the stage where you need help flying I think you would be much better served by getting a real trainer like a Sig LT-40 or one of it's copies.

Quigleywins

soarrich I have a shed full of aircraft which I never take any on there first flight ,it is far safer to have some one that is young and fast and been flying for ten years do it for me. I even have a mode 1 and a mode 2 transmitter to enable this to happen. I have only been flying for 4 years and I like the simple style of flying (laps and landings) So I'm no hot dog in the air,I fly at least once a week somtime twice now I have only damaged 2 aircraft that were beyond repair. So this is my method that I use to fly new aircraft. Ive ove 90 in the shed in all stages of production and many finished and test flown. As for trainers there is no challenge any more and I do like all war birds and twins. As to why you are bothered with the 40 seconds I was given the tx as the tomcat past the pit area,the other trainer then was on my tale soon after the first turn.as I said before I went faster that was not the way out. I moved to the left so as to be flying 45 deg from the take off area .I moved again and I was now going directly away from where I was standing.At this point only one aircraft could be seen .Then my aircraft went into a dive with the left wing removed had I have had a little time to get up to speed with the handling thing may have been different I was also going in the wrong direction and was now in the area across the road in the next field.
Today ,Sunday I went out and flew my tamecat (Morld Models ARF} its very similar in flight to its look a like Tomcat I have no problems in flying it. Its faster than the Tomcat but its a lot lighter.

soarrich

My Feedback: (98)

@ Quigleywins

My mistake I thought you where a beginner, I just thought I would mention that there are better trainers, but you are past needing a trainer. I can understand you letting someone else to the test flying.

Quigleywins

soarrich Now we know each other better, I'm still not what you call a good flyer but I have seen lots the same standard and they think there great.
Now the weater is that bad here it made it near impossible to stay in the shed for long periods,anyway here is the days effort .I need to finish the sheer webs on the second spar and it wuill be ready to start the caping. There will be no work in the morning aas I'm off to Melbourne.

Quigleywins

Well its been a while since I even thought of doing any repairs to the GP tomcat,but on Wednesday I thought I should spend some time and see if I could get over the harder part of the repair. Well I have constructed a new front and this morning I glued it in place, all looks good so far. Yours Paul T