Been catching up on my R/C Aircraft projects & flying ,, this season.

[I74]

Last couple of years I have not done as much R/C stuff,, due to Mini & Kart builds,, plus a ''freak' catastrophic weather event.

First pic. is of a 1.6m '' rare vintage'' Discus Sailplane that I got this last winter from a Buddy in Co.
It was in bad shape when I got it, from being crashed/ ground looped.
I repaired it, & also made the winglets & rudder,, plus a few mods so that it completely breaks down for transport,, plus did all the covering.
Also since I started on it @ the beginning of the horrific Ukraine war,, I decided to make Ukraine tail flags for it, plus a blue & yellow orientation stripe ''under'' the out board right wing, in recognition of the people of Ukraine.

This kit came out of CZ back in the early 90's,, & was designed in Germany.
Am yet waiting for the ideal ''fall'' flying conditions to try it out.
Note: Ailerons were not yet installed in the pics.

2nd is my new QQ Extra 300 - 3D aerobatic electric plane.

It has a state of the art Gyro module in it, to help smooth maneuvers out ect.
This sucker flies on rails !

3rd pic. is of an upgrade landing gear strut I made out of alum. bar stock.

I

 

[manchester1]

I bet that is a ton of fun. Some guys use to fly them down the street from me in a field. I use to go watch them. Haven't seen them in years.

 

[ole4]

Brings back memories, still have a lot of my control line combat and stunt planes. I been meaning to try to fly them again but would probably get dizzy and crash.

 

[Mr. Pink]

I recently sold the radio that I've had since high school.

 

[I74]

I bet that is a ton of fun. Some guys use to fly them down the street from me in a field. I use to go watch them. Haven't seen them in years.

Hi Karen !
Long time since I last talked to you ....

Yea ,, they are a real hoot,, but more challenging in recent years,, due to having eye problems & age ect..
Gott'a try & keep em closer.

I

 

[I74]

I recently sold the radio that I've had since high school.

View attachment 293679

Man,, that takes me back ...

Pretty sure that's close to the radio gear I started flying with back in the mid 70's.
Those old Craft radios are worth some coin today to collectors,, especially in that shape with the servos & charger.

My main radio is a 20+ year old JR ''XP-8103'' that was made in Japan.

I converted it to a 2.4 full rage module, plus a 9.9v ''Life'' - Lithium ion pack.

That radio with the case was almost 550 bucks back then,, & the best you could get.

It still has ''a lot'' of features that the new stuff has,, even a bit more of some things,, plus it was built ''way better'',, & is pretty much the gold standard of what the others base off of today.

You don't need telemetry and all that crap ect., that's in the new ones,, just something ''rock solid'' & comfortable.


I

 

[I74]

Brings back memories, still have a lot of my control line combat and stunt planes. I been meaning to try to fly them again but would probably get dizzy and crash.

Looks like you got a ''ton'' of them !!

I know I would get dizzy ''real quick'' !

Had a couple of Cox control line models back in the 70's.

Bet some of those would be ''great'' converted to ''4 ch.'' - R/C brushless electric, or as windy day ''slope'' gliders.

I

 

[Mr. Pink]

Those old Craft radios are worth some coin today to collectors,, especially in that shape with the servos & charger.

I even had all the original documentation.


Based on the questions the buyer was asking, I don’t think he really knew what he was buying.
I was honest about the condition, letting him know that the original NiCads were shot.
He had no problem paying the asking price.
For some reason, I'm thinking that I paid $260 new.

Had a couple of Cox control line models back in the 70's.

Not gonna get rid of this.

 

[I74]

I even had all the original documentation.
View attachment 293687

Based on the questions the buyer was asking, I don’t think he really knew what he was buying.
I was honest about the condition, letting him know that the original NiCads were shot.
He had no problem paying the asking price.
For some reason, I'm thinking that I paid $260 new.


Not gonna get rid of this.
View attachment 293688

Wow !, hope you got some good bread for all that.

I remember those Cox glow fuel cans, & know I had at least 2.

Used to love the unique smell of that stuff, especially the after burn oil residue.

Do you Guys also remember the Cox Funny cars which used that fuel, & ran on tethered nailed down straight line ?

I

 

[toomanytoys]

I was into planes and helicopters 2010ish era. It was a lot of fun. But boy did it get expensive.

 

[I74]

I was into planes and helicopters 2010ish era. It was a lot of fun. But boy did it get expensive.

Am think'n that the Heli's probably were the ones that mostly nickel & dimed you to death.

Little parts on those generally break pretty easy, & are expensive.

 

[toomanytoys]

Am think'n that the Heli's probably were the ones that mostly nickel & dimed you to death.

Little parts on those generally break pretty easy, & are expensive.

very true. And once you got into CP helicopters you want to push the envelope more and more.

I never had any big boy planes. The ones I had were foam body. One was really fast and was 4 channel vs 3 channel. It was a lot of fun to fly.

I sold my expensive helicopters. Planes are some where. I still have a nice blade coaxial helicopter. It’s easy to fly. My 8 year old son flies it around the yard.

 

[I74]

very true. And once you got into CP helicopters you want to push the envelope more and more.

I never had any big boy planes. The ones I had were foam body. One was really fast and was 4 channel vs 3 channel. It was a lot of fun to fly.

I sold my expensive helicopters. Planes are some where. I still have a nice blade coaxial helicopter. It’s easy to fly. My 8 year old son flies it around the yard.

Very cool that your 8 year old son can fly Heli's !

 

[I74]

Thanks Guys for all the likes & positive replies !!
Really means '' a lot'',, especially in these trying times ….

Here is some more pics of 2 ''vintage'' Slope ship fuses that I streamlined & refinished this last winter.

 

[toomanytoys]

Very cool that your 8 year old son can fly Heli's !

these are easy to fly. Up down on right stick. Left stick left and right rotates it that direction and up down is forward and backwards.

You lift it off the ground and it just hovers. then spin it around and go the direction you want to go! His first reaction was to move the levers as fast as possible and he crashed it multiple times.

 

[I74]

Yea,, that's usually how most initially want to work the sticks ect. when leaning to fly,, plus moving them all the way,, regardless of age...

I had one of those neat ''little'' Heli's that I used to fly in the house.
It had a bunch of cool LED lights on it that flashed & changed colors, & flew really well for a ''cheap'' little thing.
Ended up selling it @ an R/C swap meet about 6 years ago,, to help get a plane.

 

[f4radar]

I picked this 1998 Kyosho "Nexus 30" a couple years ago. The guy got to page 27 in the instructions and quit. I’m saving it for when my 5 yo grandson gets older.

 

[I74]

I picked this 1998 Kyosho "Nexus 30" a couple years ago. The guy got to page 27 in the instructions and quit. I’m saving it for when my 5 yo grandson gets older. View attachment 293739

That doesn't look like it was ever flown !
Really like your Chinese Pinball machines also !

 

[I74]

Think I might of shown this F4 ''PSS'' -''unpowered Slope Jet'', that was given to me a couple or so years ago for Christmas, & was a pretty much destroyed 64mm EDF, that went into the ground @ around 100mph!

Anyways,,
I completely redesigned it for unpowered Slope soaring.
PSS means ''power scale slope''.
The nose I rebuilt with rocket nose cones, EPO foam,, paper towel ''roll'' pieces,,, & fiberglass
The canopies ,,I made from a baby oil bottle. lol
Back seat hatch, I also made out of balsa.
The wings,, I made with adding balsa root wedges, to increase the wing area,, & to also sweep them forward.
Also added carbon rods to the wing leading edges, to make a bit of leading edge droops, for more lift,, added wing area,,, & some protection,,,, when landing in weeds ect.

The airframe I stream lined,, with slicing the inlets back a ways,, & tucking them in a bit.
You will notice block offs in the inlets.. That is for keeping turbulence out of the inside fuse,, & to make it fly better.

Wing loading is ''only'' around 11oz. sq/ft.,, due to all up weight now,, plus around an added 17% of wing area.

It has not been flown yet,, as we haven't had the ideal Slope conditions the last couple of years to try it out.

Our 900ft. Slope spot, we need ''at least'' 15mph winds from the NE,, to fly stuff like this,, plus the big heavy Ships.

Generally in the late fall is when these conditions become favorable.

Hope that happens yet this season.

I

 

[I74]

We are ''very'' blessed & ''lucky'' to have our 900ft. ''Mt Trashmore'' here in Cedar Rapids.
Slope spots like this are a ''rarity'' here in the mid west.
Guys come from all over Iowa to fly here once in awhile,, plus even a Guy from Chicago.
Here's some pics....

Note:,,
Last 3 pics. are of ''4 meter'' comp. ships.. That's wing spans of over 13 ft. !