Tell about your first RC Plane

[Dangerous Dan]

We all remember our very first RC Plane. Typically they didn't last very long, but we learned a lot of lessions with it. So I would like you to post what your first plane was, how you paid for it, and what happened to it.

I don't know what the name of my first plane was. It was a glider that I ordered from the JC Penny Catalog aka Wishbook. It had a single rudder channel and the servo receiver etc was all built into one circuit board. It was foam came with a high start and lots of decals. I bought it with money I got for selling my 4H Hog.

I believe I was 12 years old. I was so exctted that I started putting the stickers on in the car before I even got home. As soon as I got home I installed some newly purchased NICD's. With much dissapointment I returned the plane because it didn't work. When the replacement plane arrived I promptly installed the stickers(much lesss wrinkles this time) and again installed the batteries again it didn't work. I had my Dad drive me to a guys house where I had seen him flying planes behing his house. His first question was. "Did you charge the Batteries?". Humbled my Dad drove me to Walmart where a new charger was purchased. You would think they would charge those things before selling them. With freshly charged batteries the rudder moved when I moved the stick. I was ready. I streched the high start out as instructed, attached the plane and turned on the transmitter and let her go. She went straight up. At about 100 feet I thout it was time to do something so I gave full rudder, and she went down just as fast as she went up still attached to the huge rubber band. The fuse was broken in 1/2 and the circuit board was cracked. Back to JC Penney, this time they told me that this was the last time I could return the plane. A couple of weeks later the 3rd plane arrived, I installed the freshly dented and charged batteries and was off to the pasture. This time my plan was to wait until it came off the ruber band before I did anything, So I turned on my transmitter hooked up the plane and let her rip. Once she released from the high start I started giving rudder, but nothing happened. Guess I should have turned the plane on. I watched as the plane dissapeared over the hill. The search was on I looked every day for over a week, the plane was finally found floating in a creek about 1 mile away, one wing was missing and nothing worked. Saddned I temporarly gave up. Last weekend I flew My 42% Dalton in that same pasture...

It was about a year later that I got my second plane an Goldburg Eagle II. The gentleman that reminded me about the batteries helped me to build it and put me on a buddy box, where I learned to fly.

"Dangerous" Dan

[JimC-MD]

Ok, I'll play.

My first plane was a Sig Kadet MkII. I was 19 and had started my first full time job, so it was time to get into the hobby I was interested in for years. I had free-flight stuff for years. I purchased the kit from the local hardware/hobby shop. I built is and covered it with monokote. I purchased a four channel Kraft radio and Fox 40. I ran the motor to be sure it was running well. I put a cover over the wing cradle and ran it around the parking lot at work like an air boat.

I arranged to meet Glen, a local pilot that was the helper for all the new guys in the town. No buddy box or anything. He took the plane off and trimmed it to fly at half throttle. (It needed some right thrust but said we would fix that when we landed) He handed me the radio. I flew the plane around for about ten minutes and never had to hand him the controller back. He was shocked but I did not know any better. We added a penny to the motor mount to add a little right and fueled it back up. He re-trimmed the plane and handed me the Tx for another ten minutes then he landed it again. It was getting dark so we made plans to meet again that Saturday at a neighbors house to continue my training.

I showed up and he did not. Turns out he had to work that day. Harold (the man that owned the field we were on) said "I heard you did great! Just take off".............

I hesitated for quite a while hoping Glen would show up. Then I fueled it up, pointed it into the wind and off I went! I instantly thought OMG, what have I done? When I quit shaking I figured I better learn how to land and QUICK!. I started flying patterns around the field trying to line up with the runway. Every circuit I made I was reducing the altitude and speed. On about the fifth pass I cut the throttle to idle and worked the elevator to a main gear touchdown! I did the happy dance...........twice! I flew for two and a half seasons before I wrecked my first plane, then a dumped two in a week. Humility was firmly reinstalled

My first plane was sold complete to replace another person's wrecked trainer. He learned to fly on it as well and it was not until the third owner that it met it's demise. That plane must have been charmed.

That was 1985.

[JoeAirPort]

It was a Flight Star trainer with an OS 40 FP, AM Futaba transmitter all for $100. I glued a quarter, a dime and a nickel on the tip of the wing for lateral balance. People loved that and used to give me lots of $hit. It was a nice flying trainer. After trying to knife edge it, someone came up to me and told me I was ready for a more advanced plane. Well alrighty then !!!!!

[Pro1Foam]

First was a Nikkio single channel push button controler Cessna. Right, right, right, left. right, left, left, left.........

[Toro]

Dan that single channel glider was a COX eagle sailplane, That was "my" first also. MY dad and I had been flying before that though with a hobby shack spirit of 76 and a Hobie Hawk. I Was 8 years old. I flew the crap out of that thing

[Dangerous Dan]

That is what it was, Never really got to see how it flew

[wizard]

I got my first RC plane for Christmas when I was 15. It was a 2 channel Cox Cessna Centurion. All foam with an .049 engine. I first tried to learn on my own how to fly.

After a couple of replacement wings and rebuilding the fuse a few times, We found a distant relative that flew RC. He said that he would help me learn to fly.

The first day we went to the field, he looks the plane over. It has a new wing. The repaired fuse looks OK. He tells me to take the landing gear off. I thought he was nuts. Then he tells me that it will do better hand launching it, and just belly land it in the grass.

Ok, we fire it up he launches it and does some trimming. Hands me the transmitter and I fly for a little while. When it dead sticks, he lands it in the grass. I finally get to see the first good flight and even got some stick time.

Time for the second flight. He starts it up and tells me. "I'm going to launch it and you fly." He points it into the wind gives it a toss and it is climbing out nicely. It get about 75 feet up and I decide that it is time for a nice left turn. I give it some left stick and it makes a nice sweeping turn to the left. I let it continue for a while and decide it is time to turn again. I give it some left stick, nothing, I give it more left stick, again nothing. Finally I have the stick all the way to the left and still nothing, I try right no good. I look at him and say I don't have any control. He asks, "is the transmitter on?" I look and yep I have a green light. I look back at him and ask, "Did you turn the plane on?" He just said I thought it was still on. At that time I was using regular batteries for power and was turning the plane off between flights to save batteries.

We watched as the plane was on it's way t being a fly-away only to be stopped by a very large tree. I mean this tree was huge. The plane was about 75 feet up in the top of this thing. No way to climb the tree.

Finally I came up with the idea. I got out my bow and a fishing arrow. Tied a long string onto the arrow. Shot the arrow over the branch the plane was stuck on. Used the fishing line to pull a nylon line over the branch. We tried shaking the branch with the line. No luck. I finally decided to tie the line onto the trailer hitch of the pickup. I thought we might be able to break the branch. We took off with the truck. About the time I thought the limb would break the the line broke. When the limb snapped back it launched the plane out of the tree into a 75 foot spin. After a brief inspection I found that the only damage was a dent in the leading edge of the wing.

I went on to fly that plane many times. It was rebuilt with a fire wall made from a piece of paneling glued and pinned with tooth picks. The engine was switched out to a Black Widow.

A couple of months later my flying buddy sold me my first good plane and radio. It was an H-Ray with a 4 channel Futaba radio. That plane lasted me many years. I finally stopped flying it after the Frequency change went into effect and The radio was out of date. I still had the wing to that thing until I moved the last time.

That was 27 years ago. I can still remember watching that plane fly away like it was yesterday. The man that taught me how to fly is still my flying buddy we were at the field together yesterday. Things are a little different now. Yesterday I flew 5 different planes everything from a sailplane to my 30% Yak.

Dan, Thanks for starting this thread. It brings back a lot of good memories.

[rede2fly]

my first plane was a,, if i remember correct eaglet 40?? it was a kit as the hobby store had no arf's if they were around. i was 28 years old and was like a kid. i had that thing built in 2 nights and covered with my wifes clothes iron. and i did ruin the kitchen table with ca. she never got over that one haha its was a wedding present from her parents. anyway as soon as it was done i was off to markem park in ft lauderdale. this was the old field for those of you that we flying there at that time. i waited for someone to show up and asked for a little help. i had been watching for several weeks and figured heck i could shirly do it. well the guy said he would try and show me. and as he was looking it over he told me the ailerions were put on backwards. haha. so i took it home and redid them and was back the next day. (worked at night back then). he again looked it over and started it up and took off. man o man was i proud of what i had done. it really flew. so i was waiting for 2 days until he was at the flying site again. but before he had showed up i decided i would taxi up and down the runway. (mistake) it for some reason took off and i was flying. when he showed up i was almost crying for someone to help. some how i did get it down but it wasnt pertty. he was at that time standing next to me talking me down. no damage whew. so he buddyboxed me for the rest of the day. i went back out the next day and he wasnt there so i figured i could do it myself. again (mistake) this time it was the last time that plane flew. it took a nose dive and then toothpicks. i bought another cant remember the name but i haven stopped yet going strong 1986 to 2007. and wont quit until i die or cant get anymore

[YNOT]

Flew Dad's Das Lil Stick with an Enya 19 on a EK 6 channel radio around 73. We flew at the club at NASA. There were these guys by the names of Armstrong, Lovell and Slayton who would fly with us.

The first plane I every built alllllll by myself was a Sig Scamp in 77. I'm pretty sure it had the same Enya 19 on it.

Now that I think of it, that same Lil Stick is still around in my dad's shop.

[flybye]

right flyer 40. i started when i was 6 or so. i think it had like 12 repairs and something like 32 patches. we gave it away to a spectator i always saw at the field.made his day.

[invert0914]

I had a couple at the same time, see if any if you salty dogs remember these in the early 80's, Robbie Progo, Robbie Cessna, Scout 15 and then an original Bud Nosen Cub when I turned 8. My father and I flew it forever till some butt head turned on in Binghamton New york. No it wasn't John Kohler though he had his hours on that plane. Days when your choice was quadra 35 or a G38. G38 all the way baby. I had my favorites over the years. Phaton 40, Ez Laser arf, Hots bype, Model tech Cap 21 and great planes cap 21. And the the MRC Cherokee, and if I could find one now I would by it in heart beat. Of course the EZ arfs were fun in the 80's to till they got fuel soaked and fell apart. And for all around fun, summer and winter, on the ice or in the snow a Senior Telemaster. Those were great days.

[pitviper51]

well, first True rc plane was a spirit 2m. and im the 4th owner i think.. i got it 3-4 years ago it seems, and guess what it flys still , flew a good 30 minits last sunday, now i did have a cox aerocomander POS about 7 years ago... if i had a 5 arce feild it would maybe make a turn around me... hahah, other then that iv been flyign free flight since i was 6 or so.. first nitro plane wa a thuder tiger lazy p51
mike,