RC planes

[HobbyMan]

completely off topic but,
I was just goin through the site this evening and got to thinkin. Out of curiosity, how many people are into RC planes for a hobby? WHat do ya got? Bikes are a lifestyle for me. Planes are my hobby.
For me-
-63in Top flite p-47 OS120 4stroke w/pump, pneumatic retracts(almost done)
-an original Jensen Ugly Stick with KB motor
-Newer smaller ugly stick with an old fox 40 (mid 80's airframe)
-Wild Hare RC Edge 540T 73in wingspan (free, some guy ran it into the ground and stuffed it a trash can, its fully repaired and ready to fly (-)servos$$$)
-unknown trainer from the 70's with an antique OSmax.35(silk covering)
-scratch built airframe for a DC-6(barely started)

[showtime]

I've many times stood in the hobby shop looking over the planes and kits. I really want to get a plane and get into flying but....I know almost nothing at all about the hobby and it seems everyone has a different opinion about: big vs little planes, starter kit vs buying components, electric vs gas, what kind of controller is best etc. And considering the pretty HIGH cost of getting started I've just never taken the leap. Still want to though.

[LoserShoes]

Been doing it off and on since '58 and pretty much obsessive since '88. Got too many to mention, but my current direction is 1/4 scale with the new 26cc gas motors that are light enough to really make them perform.

Getting started nowadays is easy and cheap. Start with a simulator on your PC to learn the basics, some are free. Places like Tower Hobbies offer complete packages with quality pieces for a decent prices. To start any decent .40ci ARF trainer will get you started.

Steve

[TADracer]

Many years ago (not going to tell ya how many) friends and I used to fly U-control planes quite a bit and started to do a few competitions. One thing led to another and before I knew it we were competing with speed planes powered with Dynajets that took a three man crew to start, burned gasoline, magnesium frames, short wingspans and 60' mono-line controls. These things used to get up to 165 mph. We flew these for a couple of years until one day a line broke and a plane went through a chain link fence and almost hurt a spectator. So, I quit that and went dragracing instead.

[Pat Kelly]

I dabbled in RC planes.
Built (but never completed) an Eaglet 50.
Built and flew an RC glider.
Built several balsa/paper free-flight rubberband=powered planes.

The RC planes fly because they have a motor and RC to keep them flying.
RC gliders have the radio to keep them flying.
Free-flight flys because it was built well. My longest free-flight was about 12 minutes.

Also flew the model rockets (still have them in the garage somewhere).

[Dads11special]

Got addicted to r/c planes a few years ago. Had Sig .40 trainer, .20 Barnstormer, Greatplanes Sportster Biplane powered with OS .60. Three years ago lost everything in a house fire. Total loss and have not gotten back into it. I miss it.

[BrianB]

I have been flying RC Planes for just over 3 years. Unlike others here though, I am strictly into electric. You do not have to have all the accessories you need when flying gas or Glow and no mess to fuss with.

I started out with the Parkzone Decathalon RTF (ready to fly) but the plane was underpowered and I did not have a lot of success.

Since then I have aquired a Parkzone Stryker, Ultrafly Cessna, GWS TigerMoth, Eflight P-47, GWS P-38, GWS P-51, Hanger 9 Cherokee with electric conversion from the stock gas setup, and a few others (RIP)

I have since bought one of the $6 chuck gliders and made it into an RC plane by carving out areas for servo's, battery and motor.

Also been building my own lately out of Depron or Fan Fold foam. Latest build with my son was a Raptor.

Been trying to fly RC helicopters but I do not believe God intended me to do so. Spend more time fixing than flying.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v1...tric%20Flight/

[chip]

rc planes

I got a raptor 30 r/c heli awhile a go. Cost about six hundred to get flying, spent almost twice that in replacement parts. I'm getting pretty good at reinacting crash scenes from the movies though.

[planedick]

Helio's

Some time ago a coworker said he was gonna get a helicopter. I tried to warn him and get him to learn to fly first, but he wouldn't listen, said he saw a friend do it and it was so easy anyone could do it! Well, he went and spent around $900 for a really nice one and paid someone to set it up and test fly it. After that he decided to take his first flight in the driveway beside his dad's truck and he lived in a trailer park in Anaheim. With a group of friends and family watching he got it fired up, but his first flight lasted only nanoseconds and luckily into his dad's truck and not into some bystander. He found out that it would take about $700 to repair it, so it's in a cardboard box on a high shelf in the garage and he's not interested in anything RC anymore.

[planedick]

From another thread (Big mess)

I'm getting out of the RC plane thing. I've got lots and lots of RC goodies if anyone is interested. Everything a man might need or want in his pursuit of flight, from .o49 size to Giant scale, engines, radios, servo's, tools and special equipment all priced to make more room in my garage for more motorcycle stuff.

[Ken Talbot]

Having only a paper route for earning cash when I was a kid, I never did get into RC like some of my buddies did. I stuck to .049 control line stuff, mostly home-built. Even then, we would take the motor apart and shave down the block so the exhaust ports on the cylinder would line up directly fore and aft for better scavenging. This also increased the compression just a wee bit and really made those motors sing.

A buddy of mine, with a real part-tiime job, had one of the early RC helicopters. It is a wonder none of us were killed the day one blade of his tail rotor came off just after lift-off.

Ah, the good old days....

[BrianB]

Since I fly Electric with our group ( and by the way electric can be faster than Gas. We have a speed record in our group of 137 Mph with a Hobby Lobby Lynx) I do not know if I could use any of the parts. Here is a link to a great site. About 3/4 of the way down there is a section to list items for sale or wanted. You could post what you have there and most likely it will sell so you can buy more XS parts.

[BrianB]

I was also going to mention that my TREX has a head speed of just over 2400 RPM's. When that thing is ready to start taking off, It scares the poop out of me. Carbon fiber blades.

I bought realflight G3.5 to better learn Heli's but I can not even fly them in the Sim.

Sorry forgot to add the link:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/index.php

[HobbyMan]

I have a few old u controll .049 models but no place to fly them. Heli's scare me and they are too difficult and expensive for me to fly. planes are straight forward. Ken-I see that you started early. I can remember the days of tearing down those old engines making a few modifications here and there.
one more thing BrianB, electric may be faster than nitro/gas, but jet turbine is faster than electric
I have often times wanted to build a small trailer to put my planes in to tow behind my bike. THat would be cool.

[Geezer]

I haven't built or flown model airplanes since highschool but I'd like to play with it again someday when I'm not spending all my funds building a business.

I would like to get one of those tiny 4 stroke airplane engines for a desk toy. They're cute as hell but to pricy for what I want it for.

Geezer