von_Hammer

well, this tale begins with me working in a retail R/C hobby shop back in the late 70's. To gain perspective, the largest airplane you could buy was a Bud Nosen Trainer, and the largest engine at the time was the .60. Giant airplanes were unheard of. But, one day this older man stops in the store, and starts to ask lots of questions about model planes, and how big are they, and seems intent on having a plane of a very large size (back then) that seemed like a pipe dream more than reality. He wanted a 10 foot wingspan or better, and we could not deliver. So, after several trips to our store, and studying several model plans of kits, he starts buying wood. Casual conversations got better over time, however, every time I brought up the fact that our current radios (like Kraft and World Engines) didn't have the capability to power such a large plane. He always avoided the radio conversation, and really spent no time on talking about it. He must have been one of the pioneers of modifying a chainsaw motor to swing a prop, and of course, he had to make his own prop as none existed for the size engine he had come up with. He got the prop book from the EAA, I believe, and did a beautiful job. But, again, he refused to discuss the radio. He got lots of wood, over an 8 month period and talked all kinds of control, engine, aerodynamics of CG, etc. Finally, he just kinda vanished for a few weeks. Then, one day, he comes in. One could tell he had done whatever it was with the plane, and was pretty much finished with the hobby, but I guess he had to tell someone what he had done, and having delt with me all the time, he told me when I asked how his project turned out. The reason he built this abnormally large plane, and the reason he never talked radios, was because he had the notion to train a small monkey to fly. (man, no joke!). He said the monkey actually did real good in training, but he was so nasty he had a love/hate relationship with him. But, his determination was rewarded. He built a small training box, like a Link trainer in real aviation, and taught the monkey to move a joystick the right way to stay level. He had lights in the box, and in the plane that would come on when the plane was level. The monkey supposidly did real good in always moving the stick the correct way to make the light come on, and get a food reward. The gentlemen was confident this was going to work. He was going to launch the plane, and let the monkey fly it. Well, the big day came and he had the monkey all prep'd and fully comfortable with strapping into the plane. Everything went fine, but he negleted one thing. The monkey had never heard the engine run before, and when he started it, the monkey tore the plane all to pieces getting out. And that was the end of his project, and he sold the monkey as now he said the monkey kept throwing his poop at him. Reality is funnier than fiction for sure.

Strykaas

Well, i just can't believe it, or this man was crazy ! How the hell would this Monkey have landed the airplane ? Where would have this plane ended up ?

And that's also strange this man has given up so easily ??!!! He had done the most diffcult part, the point was just to re - train the monkey with engine on !!!

However, terrorist organizations have already done that (remember september 11th ? Monkeys were on board...)

ballgunner

My Feedback: (1)

Too funny !! It doesn't surprise me one little bit. Takes all kinds to make a world and modeling has its fair share of innovators. Only one thing missing. I would give a few bucks for a tape or even still pictures of the event. What a hoot.

Mudsurfer1234

smells like a big fable as much as the munky poo smells like munky poo poo

Geistware

My Feedback: (16)

Is this one of those only in Texas jokes?

BaronSchwab

Thats a redneck joke.

Balsa Master

no, i think this guy either needs a shrink or has a serious ego problem.