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It was faded, dented, and rusty. So I went to the Army-Navy surplus store and bought some genuine Army camo spray paints and just did a free hand camo paint job. Well, it did stand out, lol... 
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In 1974, I taught myself how to fly RC. I did not belong to a club, I did not know anyone else who was into flying RC. But I wanted to get started.
I purchased everything I needed from Hobby Shack. A little 1/2-A high wing trainer called Mini Star, by Pilot; a Cirrus 4-channel radio, Cox engine, fuel, epoxy, rubber bands, battery, starting clip, etc. The cost added up to $213.36 with the 6% local and state tax. I priced everything from a 1974 Hobby Shack catalog. With inflation, that would equal $1115.69 today! Can you imagine. It was an expensive thing to get started in RC back then, and you had to be serious about it.
Well, I don't recall exactly but I think my first 30 to 50 flights were very short and all ended up with some sort of crash damage. Mostly to the front of the plane. With epoxy, balsa, and whatever else I repaired it and tried another flight. By the time I completed a full flight, IE ran the Cox engine tank empty, and landed smoothly, the plane looked completely different in the front! And it weighed significantly more. But, it was a glorious day! I had graduated!
A few years ago, I was thinking that it would be cool to find one of those model airplanes, and have it hanging up in my hangar, just for old time sake and to remember the challenge and struggle it was. I found a Cirrus radio easily enough. But the Mini Star ARF eluded me. I did see the balsa kit version come up for sale occasionally, the 1/2-A Baby Star. But I wanted the same ARF,...Continue Reading
I purchased everything I needed from Hobby Shack. A little 1/2-A high wing trainer called Mini Star, by Pilot; a Cirrus 4-channel radio, Cox engine, fuel, epoxy, rubber bands, battery, starting clip, etc. The cost added up to $213.36 with the 6% local and state tax. I priced everything from a 1974 Hobby Shack catalog. With inflation, that would equal $1115.69 today! Can you imagine. It was an expensive thing to get started in RC back then, and you had to be serious about it.
Well, I don't recall exactly but I think my first 30 to 50 flights were very short and all ended up with some sort of crash damage. Mostly to the front of the plane. With epoxy, balsa, and whatever else I repaired it and tried another flight. By the time I completed a full flight, IE ran the Cox engine tank empty, and landed smoothly, the plane looked completely different in the front! And it weighed significantly more. But, it was a glorious day! I had graduated!
A few years ago, I was thinking that it would be cool to find one of those model airplanes, and have it hanging up in my hangar, just for old time sake and to remember the challenge and struggle it was. I found a Cirrus radio easily enough. But the Mini Star ARF eluded me. I did see the balsa kit version come up for sale occasionally, the 1/2-A Baby Star. But I wanted the same ARF,...Continue Reading
I was thinking about my very first radio, a Cirrus 4-channel from Hobby Shack. I purchased it in 1974, for a cost of $150, plus whatever the tax rate was back then. Looking at the US Inflation Calculator, that would be $784 dollars today. Plus the tax. 
4-channels. No dual rate. No expo. No servo reversing. No LCD screen. No computer. No mixing. No programming. No software. No adjustable gimbal sticks.
Yes, it cost a lot more of your hard earned money to get into RC back in the day then it does now.
4-channels. No dual rate. No expo. No servo reversing. No LCD screen. No computer. No mixing. No programming. No software. No adjustable gimbal sticks.
Yes, it cost a lot more of your hard earned money to get into RC back in the day then it does now.
I got an engine made the same year I was born. I think that is pretty cool.
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Freshly built in 2006. -
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After hard landing in 2007. -
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Just taken down from workshop. Still has broken prop. -
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Bulkhead broken and nosegear pushed back through sheeting. -
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Pulled back out and epoxied. -
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Landing gear blocks and rib broken. -
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Glued back as best as I could. -
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Crushed wingtip and split sheeting.
Japanese version of the Me-163 Komet. This one has a cool paint scheme.
