I can't believe...

plasticjunkie

 

 

The Drifter

Great looking bird Scott! That is one area of RCing I stayed clear of because of the cost. Individuals that fly 1/8, 1/6 and 1/4 scale have to have deep pockets LOL.

 

 

 

 

Not really. All my stuff was purchased on sale and mail order which is WAY cheaper than walking into a LHS. Again, it's been a while that I haven't flown and big mail order places like Tower Hobbies is no longer around but I'm certain other newer online shops are. 

 

In regards to cost, cars and boats can really get expensive. I tried my hand at racing nitro hydro boats and I had more wrapped up in one boat that a whole fleet of planes, and then I hit a log at 40mph and the boat practically exploded never to be seen again.

Nitro planes are really inexpensive because so many poeple are going electric or getting out of the hooby.  I have collected a bunch of engines that are given to me.  That big yellow cub cost me about the same as what I had put into my plastic models.  And the risk is about the same.  My plastic models crash too due to cleaning accidents or a loose cat.

Blue Devil Destroyer, I had that one too as a kid, and it also met its demise to the neighborhood kids.  I left it in the front yard one afternoon and they took it, set it on fire, and let it loose on the pond we used to hang out at.  

I still  have a Sig 71" Piper Cub J-3 kit sitting on the shelf. The body and the wings are all framed out. That's as far as I got with it about 20 years ago. Also have the 50/800 Soling sailboat that I used to race. 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/pZvWjYqoDtT9rEjHA

Have the electric Nascar I used to race also.

The whole R/C hobby started to get just too expensive.

Jim  

plasticjunkie

 

 

Back in the early 90's my buddy had a 70" wing span with fiberglass fuselage 109G. I remember it was made in Germany and had scale mechanical aluminum gears with offset retraction time as in the real ones. The wheels were scale with aluminum hubs. That thing was a monster of a gorgeous kit.

 

That sounds like it was really something. But as I mentioned, I think yours is extremely nice, Ernie.

scottrc

Blue Devil Destroyer, I had that one too as a kid, and it also met its demise to the neighborhood kids. I left it in the front yard one afternoon and they took it, set it on fire, and let it loose on the pond we used to hang out at.

Geez, was there an evil spirit cast against all these kits or something?

It's crazy we have three similar stories about the same model!

Bakster

Hey...if you are inclined can you say more about the launcher? How did that work?

It sounds complicated until you see it.

You drive a stake into the ground. We use to use an auger style stake....they need to be able to withstand quite a bit of side-tension. Attach 100 feet of UV rated surgical tubing with another 200-300 ft of nylon line tied onto that. At the end of those 300-400 feet, attach an eye of some sort to attach to the launch hook on the glider.

You grab the end of the line and start walking to stretch the line, best to have the wind to your back. You walk, and walk, and walk and finally attach the end of the line to the hook on the belly nose of the glider, hold it up over your head and let 'er go. They sort of launch themselves.

There are youtube videos out there, just search for "hi-start". If I could have found one that gets to the point in less than 10 minutes, I'd have posted a link.

Here is a high start "kit".

I remember when my old buddy "Tiz" was explaining the launch to me, I could not visualize what he was talking about and didn't get it 'til I saw one. So you might want to take a valium or two and watch one of the youtubes afterall.

Hey Greg, thanks for the explanation. I get pretty good visual by how you explained it. I will see what I can find too.

Thanks again...

fox

I still  have a Sig 71" Piper Cub J-3 kit sitting on the shelf. The body and the wings are all framed out. That's as far as I got with it about 20 years ago. Also have the 50/800 Soling sailboat that I used to race. 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/pZvWjYqoDtT9rEjHA

Have the electric Nascar I used to race also.

The whole R/C hobby started to get just too expensive.

Jim  

 

Hey Jim, the sailboat looks really nice! Thank for posting pics. It is always cool to see a picture. 

It's cool to see how many of you guys are into RC. 

Hey Greg-- I am sure you have a pool by you. You can chase swimmers around with an attack sub or something. :)

Hey Fox!

 I have a sailboat too. I don't recall it's name. BUT I can't sail it here in town. They say it'll disturb the Wildlife! It's about the size yours is.

You know T.B., it takes all kinds. We used to sail at a lake that was about 1 city block square and there were houses around 3 sides that were raised about 10 feet above the lake. One sunday, the police showed up. The officer walked down the bank and asked to talk to us. He said to just hear him out before we say anything. He said one of the ladies living in one of the houses called the police and complained to them that the sails on our boats were obstructing her view of the lake. Before any of us could open our mouths, he said it was rediculous but he was told to inform us of the complaint but he was to do nothing about it. He said if she called again he would take care of it. If she came to us and started trouble, we were not to provoke her but call him immediately and he would come down and take care of the situation. We never heard from her again. As others have said we also had kids throwing rocks at the boats too. Then it was our turn to call the police. We stopped sailing there.

I'm sure the guys who fly R/C have had people complain about the noise. That's why I switched to gliders and then to sailboats. We lost a couple of fields for that reason.

Jim  

Bakster

Hey Greg-- I am sure you have a pool by you. You can chase swimmers around with an attack sub or something. :)

There's an idea!

I'm mostly surrounded by other retirees in the pool, they would stand only a slight chance from escape.

But talk about displaced aggression!

Greg

 

 

Bakster

Hey Greg-- I am sure you have a pool by you. You can chase swimmers around with an attack sub or something. :)

 

 

There's an idea!

I'm mostly surrounded by other retirees in the pool, they would stand only a slight chance from escape.

But talk about displaced aggression!

 

Oh ! I want one of those !

My brother just sent me this link. Unbelievable. TB... you should build one of these.

WOW and WOW!!!

Another one my brother sent me. Awesome models.