Remote Control Hobbies

[MrBishop]

Several years ago, I got into RC hobbies in a small way. It started innocently enough, with a RC car (Radio Shack special). It was a dune buggy, battery powered and a blast and a half. I used to race it all over the damn place, on grass, street, sidewalks, parking lots and even on snow (packed). Hell, I raced on several occasions with Prof.

Quite a few years later, I got to work at a Hobby Shop and really got my eyes opened to the hobby. High-end racing battery-packs (hand made with matched batteries – heat sealed), battery dischargers, hand-built and modified cars, expensive remotes, racing tires, real oil-filled shocks etc… Made good money building racers for other people who wanted to race but didn’t know one end of a screwdriver from another. I even built a few gas-powered cars and 4X4’s. Never did buy a high-end model for myself…my cash went for school.

I did get into RC airplanes though. Joined a flying club to watch how it was done, and took a few courses using a dumb stick (a bare-bones pipe base and foam-core wings teaching kit) and had a blast doing it. The price of motors and gear was prohibitively expensive, so I went for a glider instead. 8 foot wingspan, balsa construction with an electric motor to get it up there instead of a kite-cord with release).

I got most of the way through the construction before the wing got split in two by accident. Havn’t gotten around to repairing it…call me lazy, but it broke my heart to see hours of work go boom. Life got in the way and the glider collected dust, and still she sits

Recently, with my son getting older, I’ve thought about revisiting my long-lost hobby. Perhaps not with airplanes (he’s still a bit young), but maybe cars or boats.

I’m checking in to see if anyone else has this hobby. Perhaps we can talk shop, tell stories…help my get unrusty again ?

So?

Here’s a nice video demonstration of a RC plane in competition (inside of a gym of all places). Seriously nice!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gulv_bvZS94

 

[Sharky]

When I was a young'un a friend of mine's dad was heavy into RC planes. He built some very kewl humongous planes . . . modern planes, helicopters, biplanes, gliders - you name it. I have always had a mild interest in the hobby, but since I'm not very good with crafts, I never got into it.

It would be plumb bodacious to have a RC powerboat to run on the creek, though. As long as it was ready-to-run and powerful enough to buck the current (1-2 knots). Hmmmm . . .

 

[Sharky]

The little kid in me just found a new toy

Awesome, VERY fast and capable of handling rough water. "Systems" is a 32" long (overall including outdrive) scale model of the Gallagher/Kaiser deep sea catamaran world's champion boat. Hull is 29" long, 10.6" width (beam).

Too bad it's a kit.

 

[MrBishop]

Most of the faster boats are, unfortunately.

I've thoght about rebuilding the wing of my glider and taking it out locally. There's one RC airfield within 30 mins from my house at the tail end of a farmer's field. I've seen some spectacular flying and even more spectacular crashes going there. I'll have to type up a few and post'em.