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How about you RC'ers?

Southwind

Well-known member
One of my other hobbies is RC planes and helicopters. Started back in the late 70's early 80's then took a long break. Back then everyone ran gassers/nitro because electric was not up to par. Today electric works very well and all my RC's are electric. Below is a few pictures of my hanger.

Most of my bigger planes and helis.

All-RC-9.jpg


Out for a fly with my ParkZone T-28 Trojan(bigger one in the rear) and 3 ultra micros a Champ, Sbach 3D and a 3D Beast.

all-12-11-2012.jpg


Me and my MX2.

HK-MX2-9.jpg
 
I have been reading, reading and reading on the RC sport for over a year, I don't jump too fast! A good friend has been flying for many years... still trying to get me involved. Was happy to see your post here,please keep it up!
 
Very Nice collection
 
I'm like SE-5 -- been thinking about getting into RC for a while. Did some model rocketry when I was younger, still think that's pretty fun, too. Wow, that MX2 is almost big enough to commute in! What kind of airtime do you get on a charge?
 
As a VERY dedicated motorcycle guy, which takes me away from home often and for extended periods of time....metal detecting which is time consuming for a day, I can just see my wifes expression when I get into yet another hobby!!!!
 
What kind of airtime do you get on a charge?

If I fly normal I can get around 10-15 minutes if I get aggressive about 8 minutes. But it is a real exciting 8 minutes LOL.

I have several big planes. I can see them much better than the small ones. Here is my Cessna 182. It has flaps and a gryo.

Lanyu-182-3.jpg
 
One of my little electrics a bit over 100 mph .. Really hard to see !!
 
Thanks, Southwind, that's about what I thought. Are the batteries interchangeable or does each one have it's own proprietary setup? Maybe we'll get to the point where they'll have solar cell film built into the wings before too long...
 
I dont fly model planes myself but just seen this video on YouTube of a guy fly his RC Helicopter.

RC Helicopter

This takes years and years of training... Hand and eye coordination to a very high level.
If anybody has ever picked up a heli and tried.. There is a great feel of accomplishment just to hover one of these.

Really amazing what he can do with it.
 
Are the batteries interchangeable or does each one have it's own proprietary setup?

Most have different sized batteries although most of my ultra micros use the same battery.

WOW Mega B that is some crazy flying. I've got 5 helicopters and only one has the ability to do those types of maneuvers. It has the ability, I don't LOL.
 
Yep, electric is the way to go these days with RC planes. With dirt cheap and high power/capacity very light lipo batteries, the advent of brushless motors with super high thrust and torque (dirt cheap too), just no going back to gas for many. I never flew gas/nitro. Got into the RC electric planes about 7 years ago or so.

I also don't mess with balsa. I built cheap/easy hot wire cutters and garbage pick contruction foam. Easy to make any design in my head from scratch, and with a wing jig (once again, easy to make), I can also hotwire those out a dime a dozen too real fast. I put a carbon spar in my wings for strength, or in the case of a ultra thing 6 foot long motorized glider wing, I glass the foam with fiberglass cloth and you could knock a bear out with the thing.

All in all I can build a design in my head in a few days for zero cost, and then throw in about well south of $40 worth of electronics and it's off to the races. Best part is if I wreck the plane, which is hard to do since I strength mod mine real well...Besides carbon tubes I'll sheet the bottom of the foam fuse with a single sheet of balsa glued on with Gorilla Glue- indestructable for the most part then...But if I do wreck it bad somehow a little Goriall Glue and she's back in the air within 20 minutes usually. Gorilla Glue foams up with water so it's very light weight and squeezes into the foam pores for a strong bond. Just have to tape tightly over and weigh down the build or repair so the foam doesn't push things apart or escape.

If I do wreck a plane so bad it's beyond repair, I just yoke out the electronics and off those go to another build. I sink all the electronics and wires by melting chambers and channels into the foam, and then cover the plane in Econocoat you just iron on. They end up looking as good as store bought usually.

I've got one plane that is a delta wing that will do close to 100mph. Custom brushless motor wind for max thrust speed while only drawing about 25 amps if I remember right. Maybe it's south of 20 amps. Been a while since I measured it. That plane makes me nervous though. I end up landing with my hands shaking. I prefer my homemade motorized glider most days. Get it up there, find a thermal, cut the motor, and ride the thermals all day. We watch for buzzards as they tell you where the best thermals are. So relaxing, and an all day flight if you keep finding thermals. That glider though has a heck of a motor on it. Even as big as it is it will go verticle and climb out of site with no stall. Tons of torque too.

My other favorite plane is a dual boom pusher. Being a pusher and with large control surfaces and dual rudders/big h-stab, it'll grab the air and get good traction for maneuvers even at a ultra slow speed. It almost seems like I can stop it in mid flight, and kick it around in a complete turn around in one spot. Of course that's not possible, but darn if it don't look and feel that way. It will spin around on a dime to head the other way. Saved me a few times from hitting a tree with it I hadn't noticed.

Yes, RC planes are great. Electric is so low hassle. Flight times of 7 to 20 minutes depending on throttle usage and battery size.

If anybody out there is considering getting your feet wet, look up a plane made by Parkzone called the Ember 2.
[attachment 256289 31jFkhOosCL__AA160_.jpg]
Tiny little plane that fits in your hand. Not quite that small, but small enough to fly in your front yard/street. Great for getting a few lazy flights in when you don't want to leave the house. Very durable because it's so light. Parts are cheap and readily available as Parkzone does a good job with that. Get props/shafts as you'll need them on occasion if you nose into the cement. It comes with the portable charger and remote control and a battery if you get the right package for a pretty cheap price. Great way to cut your teeth on the hobby. Simple rudder/elevator controls, yet she'll stunt and do loops and such. Pick up a spare battery while your at it and get a higher capacity that is still small enough for it to carry. Fly one battery while the portable battery powered charger charges the other. It's a great setup. One tip though for anybody new to RC- Don't mob the controls! Easy small little "tick tick" type inputs or you'll mob it out of control while learning. Also, don't fly a plane this light/small on a day with any wind, even a slight breeze will give you major headaches until you learn to fly it in such stuff. Believe me, if you do fly in any wind you'll regret it big time. Good luck...
 
Count me in on the R/C planes !! Been flying them about 28 years, I can remember when I started it seemed like I would never learn to fly (used to be happy when I could see where they HIT the ground LOL!!) now I have several 30% and 40% planes and love flying airobatic competions. Also have the privalage?? of flying a 18 foot indoor arena blimp for the local university basketball team. Hopefully I will learn Metal detecting like I did the planes. But my V3i has alot more to learn than my radio transmiter LOL!
 
WOW those are some nice planes !! Most of mine a home built foamies.. I just purchased all the electronics, motor and batteries for a 55" - 60" biplane that I have a urge for...
 
They have come a long way since I was a kid. It was free flight or round and round in a circle attached to a line.

I was detecting in a field and came upon a guy flying a helicopter similar to the one in the video, I watched with dropped jaw, never seen anything like it.
 
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