!Reflecting on our Beginnings


None of us were born with a love and passion for airplanes, it's something that's instilled in us through our family, friends or a general curiosity in aviation as we grow up. Airplanes have always filled us with wonder and awe and that leads us to a desire to fly for ourselves. Our passion for radio controlled airplanes started somewhere and I certainly remember the airplane that started it all for me. Maybe you can remember too, and we'd love for you to reply and share your stories about the airplanes that kick started your hobby.


For me it was the Multiplex Pico Smiley. I was attending college at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC and one day I went to our tiny local shopping mall and a cool looking new store had just opened up. It was a HobbyTown USA. I walked in and was amazed to see an array of radio controlled cars/trucks and yes even airplanes. I had plenty of rc cars as a kid, but I had no idea that radio controlled airplanes existed. I went home and got on the computer and started researching and when I came across the Multiplex Smiley I stopped. There was just something about it that spoke to me, I thought it looked cool and I could picture myself controlling it as it gracefully carved turns in the sky. Now when something speaks to me like that, I dwell on it, I dream about it and I MUST HAVE IT. I couldn't shake the feeling and I knew I had to buy a plane.

In this case, I never actually owned a Smiley. I didn't know anyone who flew and I'm sure I would have destroyed that plane immediately. My dad and I met some sailplane pilots at the Lump Overlook off the Blue Ridge Parkway and I ended up with a Great Planes Spirit sailplane as my first plane and that was a great choice, but I'll never forget the plane that got me hooked even before my first flight, the venerable Pico Smiley. Thanks Smiley for starting a lifetime of fun!



@1.jpg
@2.jpg

Goldberg Electra was my 1st RC plane.
Built it in 1990 & still have it.
My wife took the flying pic in December, 1992

Prior to flyable models, my first that I can remember was a die cast Avro York, (still remember the almost square fuselage), then came the cheap toy chuck gliders, rubber powered models, control line models, and eventually into radio control, (single channel), starting some 60+ years ago.

And I still feel I have only scratched the surface of what is available to try and fly.


Ray.
http://www.eflightray.x10host.com/

.

The Goldberg Ultimate was that plane. There was a fully assembled one hanging in the local hobbyshop that nobody was ever willing to pay the price asked for. It sat there for at least 10 years, hanging on the ceiling.



I later went on to start this hobby with a Midwest Aerostar 20.

Goldberg Electra.

Still remember spending three months building it at the age of 14. First trip to the flying field and it was time to fly with the instructor and he said "throw it". I thought he was crazy. Flew great and I was hooked from there.

The original Hangar 9 P-51D Mustang PTS got me into the hobby. However, the Hobbyzone Super Cub was my first flights and the Sig LT-40 was my first glow engine trainer. The PTS flights came a bit later but was what got me into the hobby. Flew the heck out of it, upgraded it, and one day I took off into a stiff head wind and on climb out I went into my turn too quickly and it stalled and nosed in. Lesson learned....

Gentle Lady 2m sailplane.

GWS uSS ; followed by various scratch built planes

For me it was the Parkzone Slo=V and Airhogs Aero Ace. I can't remember which one I got first. The Aero Ace taught me flight orientation, The Slo-V was hobby grade and the flying was more precise. That thing really flew well with the old heavy battery technology. These things opened the door to this hobby for alot of us. You did not have to learn to run IC engines, have starters,
and planes that had a 60" wingspan.

Goldberg Gentle Lady and then Goldberg Ranger 42 (who remembers that one?? ). Would love to get another gentle lady one day to fly and bring back memories.......
You know, now that im looking at it, that Smiley would make a great FPV plane!

I don’t have any pictures of it but it was a Carl Goldberg Eagle2 trainer with an O.S. .40FSR and. Futaba FP 4 channel radio.

Originally Posted by witstick

Goldberg Gentle Lady and then Goldberg Ranger 42 (who remembers that one?? ). Would love to get another gentle lady one day to fly and bring back memories.......
You know, now that im looking at it, that Smiley would make a great FPV plane!

Gentle lady plans are on Outerzone for download

My first RC airplane was a Goldberg Sr. Falcon.
Before that I was flying control line - airplanes like the Top Flight Flight Streak and a few Veco kits.

Hobbico Duraplane!

A 2m Goldberg gental Lady as for power planes m any sure flight 50 inch cubs. Had 10.