Any free-flighters out there?

[Steve Edwards]

I keep lurking past this area looking for a good free flight flame war(or rubber band fight)but
never find anything but poor ol' rcboater's lonely
post.

So, any other free flighters lurking about?

Steve

[John E]

Hi,

I don't know about being free flighter, but I have a FF electric Keil Kraft Competitor built by a friend for rubber, I converted it to KP01 power and it flew quite often during the summer of 2000 - it all seems easy now, but getting that to fly right was the biggest modelling challenge I have ever had.

Regards, John

[petey pete]

rubbers a blast! my thing is peanut scale. i'm flying peck polymers nesmith cougar and building an air camper,also flying ama racer and a p51 mustang. i also fly rc ele.,but would recomend rubber free flight to everyone who flys. it's the best way to learn how to build, fly,and most importent, to trim an airplane. i'm also flying a f/f elec. peanut cessna. the guy at the hobby shop said "those things don't fly"!. thats all i had to hear;for 15 bucks i was up for the challenge. first i removed the decals re balanced it set the rudder and ele. for a 30' circle and after a number of scale like flights of 30 to45 seconds i was more than pleased.i guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder! hoping to join an indoor club this winter in my area. keep winding...

[davidfee]

Hey there!

Yep. I fly FF rubber... and a bit of FF electric. Here's my Air Camper from the Peck kit. I built it over Christmas break last year.

Have fun! :)

-David
http://members.home.net/davidfee/

[petey pete]

whoa!... dave, your air camper is a beauty! also an excellent picture,the best one i've seen,peck should put it on their box. have you flown it? what size rubber? the only other peck i've flown is the nesmith cougar and it's ok after a snap roll on launch with 1/8th rubber. any other good peanuts you'd recomend? i saw john malichek fly his peanut bipe rc at the neat fair, in a breeze yet,unbelievable!

[davidfee]

Hey Pete, thanks for the compliments! :)

Well, so far I haven't flown it much because the only rubber I have is for Wakefield... and that seemed like too much... so I cut some rubber with scissors (I don't have a stripper) and flew the thing with 4 strands of ~1/16th square rubber. It flies pretty well, but the Cougar is probably a little better. My biggest complaint with the design of the kit is that nose plug is so tiny that it doesn't seat well or hold a trim setting well... it tends to wobble as the power winds down. But it sure is cute! ;)

take care,
David

[Looooeeee!]

Hi

My first love was freeflight rubber, lots of Comet and Guillows kits as a youngster. By the way lovely Pete there Dave, I've built the Cub and the Nesmith Cougar, The Cub flew better, which isn't saying much considering the wind we have to contend with here.
I just traded a couple of GWS motors for a MAL Winterhawk kit, but it seems to be missing the folding prop assembly, did they come with one? I also have a couple of 3/4 ounce "yard flyers" that run on a loop old Sig 1/8", Both 18" WS. Nothing spectacular, just twenty to thirty seconds of 15' circles to the right. Real slow..

Looee

[JCastle]

I love to build and FF. My favorites are catapult glider, No-Cal and Peanut scale. My best flight times (and most lost models) are from the No-Cal models. With small rubber I get about a minute of very slow circles, if I put bigger rubber on them they will climb very quickly to 200' and then start to circle lazily. I still have lots to learn on getting the Peanut Scale models to fly well but they are the most fun to build. I am lucky to break the minute mark on those.
Since this seems to be show and tell I will try to attach a rather poor photo of a Corben Baby Ace Peanut built from Walt Moonie plans.

[Looooeeee!]

I'm in newbie piccy posting mode ;)

Here's my un-named yard flying rubber plane:

[Steve Edwards]

That's a pretty cool yard plane, looooeeee.

Two questions:

What's it covered with?

How'd you make that funky round vert. stab.?

Steve
(still building strictly from kits)

[Looooeeee!]

Hi Steve

Its covered with 1/2 mil mylar, using thinned 3M Super 77. I didn't shrink it 'cause the frame is wimpy.

It's mostly laminated 1/32 balsa that no normal freeflighter would use, real heavy stuff I wouldn't even use for sheeting.

I tried soaking it in water and ammonia but the stuff is too stiff, so it's not smoothly round. Wing tips and tail are also laminated.
The prop is from a 2 liter soda water bottle, with a bamboo skewer center.

I have to admit it's the toughest rubber plane I've made, on good flights I've had to rescue it from the vicious toy plane eating trees in the background. No plans, just built by eye and a whim.

Looee

[davidalan]

heres my indoor 14 inch wedgie powered by a gasparin 24. flies a treat indoors but only weighs 19 grammes so its not suitable for indoors. just built a peck bostonian pup for indoors and it flies very well. getting 45 secs on trimming flight.

[Bob Chiang]

If you are looking for good free flight conversation (and some rubber band fights) you should subscribe to the free flight mailing list.
Here's information about the list:

Welcome to the Free Flight Mailing List
=============================================

As of October 24, 1996, there has been an internet based mailing list dedicated to the sport of Free Flight Model Aviation.

The Free Flight Mailing List (FFML) has been provided to facilitate dialogue, exchange of ideas, and as a resource for FF related products. You will find many FF enthusiasts on the list, along with contact folks from various clubs in the U.S. and abroad, as well as industry related people (kits, software, equipment, supplies, etc.)

All aspects of Free Flight are welcome, i.e. sport and fun flying, hand & catapult launch gliders, scale, duration, indoor, outdoor, rubber, electric, CO2, and just about anything that else that springs to mind when modelers think of Free Flight!

FFML is hosted through the generosity of AirAge, the parent publishing company of Model Airplane News.

F.A.Q.
========

An FAQ describing list policies and procedures is available at

<http://www.sirius.com/~thayer/ffpages/lists/listfaq.html>

Please read this file, and bookmark it for future reference. Other pages and forms for subscribing and manipulating your subscription can be found through the FAQ

POLICIES
========

FFML is intended for discussions of Free Flight, not for product advertising and flame wars.

Posting of large attachments, files, images, or programs is not possible.

HTML rich text is not supported.

If email to you starts bouncing, you'll be dropped from the list fairly quickly and you'll have to resubscribe when you have the problem fixed.

SUBSCRIPTIONS
=============

This list is managed by an automated mailing list management program called Intermail Post.Office.

There are 2 versions of the list available, both containing the same info. You must choose one or the other. You can't subscribe to both options from the same address.

Option A, the regular mail list:
This option will send out the individual messages as they are received by the list server. The main advantage is that messages can be sorted and sifted within your email application, to suit your own needs and preferences.

Option B, Digest Format:
The Digest option sequences many individual messages as they come in. They are grouped into a single larger message which is then sent out at least once a day or after a digest accumulates about 30K of text. This option is prefered by many modelers getting personal email at work.

Each subscriber may choose the version they prefer.

To subscribe to option A, the regular mail list, send a message to,
<ffml-request@airage.com>
The body of the message should read
"subscribe ffml <your email address>"
without the quote marks.

To subscribe to option B, the digest format, send a message to,
<ffml-request@airage.com>
The body of the message should read
"subscribe ffml <your email address> digest"
Again, without the quote marks.

Before your subscription is complete, you will need to verify that you actually want to subscribe. This is for list and personal security purposes.

Two email messages will be sent to you.
The first will be a List Manager response needing no reply.
The second is an Address verification request that does need a response.
To begin your FFML subscription, follow the directions it contains.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And visit http://communities.msn.com/FreeFlightOnline to see my latest creation: a Cloud Buster from the Flying Models Magazine (modified for a built-up fuselage and with laminated outlines).

[keithr]

I really enjoyed my freeflight planes. My favorite is probably overlooked by most advanced modellers, the Guillow's "build by numbers" fairchild 24! It is easy to build, has a pleasing scale appearance, and is cheap!

I stuck a mini-6 motor in one and I've never had a better model. Then I bought another mini-6 and put it in a Sig Monocoupe. This beautiful kit is a must-have. With the electric mini-6 it flies smoothly and predictably. With both the F24 and the monocoupe, I could actually predict where the planes would land after a 3 minute flight. I even put little skis on my Fairchild so it can land on the lake. I've had both planes for over 5 years and they both still fly after hundreds of flights each.

[Paul]

keithr,

I'm very interested in your last post. What is a mini-6 motor and where do you get one? What props do you use? What size batteries, and how many cells?

I assume you charge the batteries for only a minute or two for free flight flying. The models you describe sound like lots of fun. I fly a foam P-40 electric FF with my son, and have wondered what motors, props, and batteries could be used to convert rubber FF planes to electric for both indoor and outdoor flying.

[Bob Chiang]

Hi Paul,

Mini 6 motors are available from
HiLine
P.O. Box 11558
Goldboro, NC 27532

and from

Sky Hooks & Rigging http://www.microrc.com/HLine.htm#anchor186236

I just bought a couple and they are little gems. They operate on two to four cells, maybe 50 to 250 mah and use about a 6" prop. I've mounted the two motors on an enlarged Akro (plans available here: http://www.mindspring.com/~thayer5/ffpages/plans/baxter.html ) for rc. Haven't test flown it yet (too busy flying rubber free flight).

I've wired them in series, and will try using 120 mah "9 volt radio" (8.4v) batteries for power. I must admit that with Gunther push-on props (the only ones I have that fit right now) it feels underpowered.

PS. While you're visiting the free flight web page above, print out and build a Big Pussycat. You won't be sorry! I had a 2:36 flight last Sunday.

[Megowcoupe]

Yup

Given the onset of cold weather, I'll be heading to some indoor venues for mostly rubber flying in the next couple of months. I tend to enjoy the mass launch events- I hate peanuts although I continue to build them- so far my best is a Micro-X Stinson- (you guys should check out the indoor versions of these kits- nice light wood- blows the pants off the Peck stuff) Stinson's seem to fly well for whatever reason, but my favorite stuff is the WWII heavy iron- I've been flying a P-39 and a Hellcat with some success. My Tiffie flies, but it's not going to win any contests.

Petey Pete- do a search on the web for dannysoar That'll bring you to Glastonbury Modelers- which is next meeting Sunday, Dec. 16 in Glastonbury High School Gym- Flying is from 8 to 12. Come down and bring what you got.

Sam Brauer
Stamford, CT

[cavier]

i have flown freeflight for over48 years.
i have a 1300 sq inch sattellite with a nelson 65 in the nose.
now that is a hand full.
have to chase it on a four wheeler and any good freeflighter worth his salt will have to have a walston retreval system in it.
thx cavier.

[gossie]

l love Free Flight.

[Tony Oliver]

Cavier - what got you to resurrect this post? Fascinating stuff!

Like gossie says - freeflight just gets to you like nothing else.

[gossie]

Free Flight does have a problem though----if ya don't understand it you get a 'funny' look when you tell people what you do.

Sunday last l took my 5 year old Grandson for the first time to our big field and he loved it----maybe he will be the savour of our 'strange' hobby.

lt was just so nice to fly in a comp (FIJ), help Jack fly his Madcap in the 'Jim Moseley' and to get the ducted fan Lavochkin flying well---very very nice indeed.

[speleopower]

I enjoy indoor rubber while it is cool out so the airconditioners can be turned off.
Scott

[cavier]

well all modeling all over the world started out as free flight a number of years ago than came all the rest.
rc
uc
indoor
and anything else that could be thrown i9nto the air.
including foamies.
every time you turn loose a freeflight there is a chance that you might not be taking it home with you when you leave for home.
i have lost many of them.
freeflight is still the best but when you get old and mother nature comes up behind you it dosen't seem to be fun any more.
a year ago last june i went to a freeflight contest in pensicola fl.
it was so hot out on the field that by 10.00 in the morning i got a heat injury and had to quit.
juat barelypacked up the car and four wheeler and made it to the corner store and stayed there for about half an hour than drove the two and a half hours back to dothan al and my car did not have a ac that worked.
that wound it up for me with freeflight.
the only real good field to fly and trim is 90 miles from my house and in the last year and a half i have been there twice.

this dosen't help ether.
oh to be 20 years old and have a field 10 miles from my house again.
one thing you can't loose is the memorys and i have lots of good ones with freeflight.

thx cavier

[Applehoney]

Appreciate your thoughts, Cavier. I'm 70, with 61 years in F/F (if you could actually call my earliest efforts as free flight, more like freefall ...) but I consider myself lucky that I'm still fit enough to fly virtually nonstop all day when opportunity permits - even in 90-100 temps at the last two meetings - and retrieve on foot. My problem is lack of flying fields - over 100 miles to a military base gained three/four weekends a year, plus 250 e/way to Geneseo three times a year. At these time I do as much flying as I possibly can, power, rubber and glider.

Sadly, nobody flys 'Big D' in these parts so I have no reason to build a .60/.65 ship. Maybe it's just as well.... Don't give up - fly that 1300 again.... JM

[TLyttle]

Only saw Ds fly a few times, never tried one (no money), but they do get your attention alright!!

... but ya fly where you can, using models that fit...

[jay flay tway]

Only saw Ds fly a few times, never tried one (no money), but they do get your attention alright!!

... but ya fly where you can, using models that fit...


I agree. I fly in my tiny 8-foot bedroom (Ikara prop, 10-inch span 2.2 gram rubber planes...35-second flight max so far with an 8-foot ceiling), my office, and a baseball field. I guess I'm not much into going for max flight time or altitude so that helps. My biggest FF plane is 24-inch span.

p.s. still waiting for that rubberbandit.com to get in the air (human carrying rubber powered plane) :)

[Pat Daily]

Been flying free flight for 55 years--mostly scale--started electric rc in 99 and love it--small ff scale jobs enlarged a bit make wonderful subjects. Here is my American Eagle rc at 30 inches. Next are a bunch of
Wildcats at 32 inches. Then my rubber DVII and finally my Jimmy Allen parasol (both rubber).

Pat

[moon]

Hi Pat
Nice stuff. I especially like the Jimmy Allen. I like your use of that logo. :)
Which plan did you use for the D-7? GAR?

Jim, You're 70! I would've lost that bet. Your Walking Shoes glider is something
to see. I hope you get some photos of it in the air.

km

[Pat Daily]

Moon

The DVII is my own plan with correct thickness in the wings--they taper from a 15% thick section at the center or root to 7% at the tips. Always wondered why Fokker designed it that way--each rib was different and it must have caused a nightmare in production. A tapered wing like the DVIII would have been easier.

Pat

[Bob K.]

I've flown FF rubber thru the years. Haven't glued two sticks together sincethe early 90s, but the spirit still burns within.
Along the way, I had input from two GREAT mentors - The late George Perryman and the late Walt Mooney. In both cases, I would be having fun with my scratch-built models and then one of these guys would step in, tweak something and explain why and my reward would be a 10-fold increase in performance!
Not many folks understand the feeling of mastery when you confidently launch your hours of work and watch it fly as you had hoped. R/C is fun - and it's easier on aging limbs - but to build something smart enough to fly itself....... That's rewarding!

[jay flay tway]

Well put, Bob. And watching the flight is not stressful but still exciting, sort of like cheering for your favorite team.

[Pat Daily]

My favorite view of the Jimmy Allen Parasol

Pat Daily

[50+AirYears]

Made a great impression with a new VP engineering one day. After work, I visited our Engineering garage, 18' ceiling, and got a couple trim flights in with my Micro-X indoor job. Then got in a nice flight just under the rafters. Turned around and standing in the doorway was the VP and two of the Engineering Managers, one of whom later became my boss for for about a week. The VP enjoyed watching it. Turns out he had a Cessna turbo 210RG himself.