Chasing Tornados With an RC Plane!

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SleepyC · 11-25-2009, 12:50 AM

How many of you are avid Storm Chasers fans?
(The series on the Discovery Channel that follows around several sets of professional storm chasers)

Well, to prove my nerd status, I never miss an episode. I simply love the show!
The most animated chaser Reed Timmer has been my favorite since he briefly appeared on the show last season.
To me, Reed appears to be "one of us". And by that I mean, a guy who is passionate about his hobby/career.
But instead of being stoked about RC planes, he is stoked about sneaking up on Tornadoes, filming them, and then collecting important data!

Now if all that isn't cool enough, when I turned on my favorite show this week, what did I see?
Reed's crew has enlisted the help of a giant scale airplane!

WHAT?!!
You heard me correctly!

Reed's crew fly this purpose built RC aircraft in front of developing tornadoes and drop little parachute probes. Once deployed these probes get caught in the updraft of the tornado, and get carried high into heart of the storm so that Reed's team can measure wind speeds and temperature and get vital data that no other team in history has been able to produce.

No matter how you slice it, this project is a really cool use of our hobby technology.
Kudos to all who are involved.

Also.. A big FG shout out to Robert Vess and Vess aero!!
I noticed the VESS logo and distinctive shape on the Vess prop used to haul this plane into the twister!
Congrats Robert you made us all proud!

And let me add that a Futaba 10C transmitter was used to guide the plane as well! Nice work Hobbico another proud sponsor of FG!!

The airplane used by Reed's team was designed and built by Bruce Tharpe Engineering, and was completed in eight short weeks. You can find out quite a bit of information about this plane by going to the BTE site: http://www.btemodels.com/sh-tvn.html

It is always nice to see our beloved hobby promoted on TV in a positive light, and this time it's even an actual giant scale plane! VERY COOL!

For more information about Storrm Chasers on the Discovery Channel, please check this out: http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/storm-ch...m-chasers.html

SleepyC · 11-25-2009, 12:59 AM

Few pics from the BTE site:

Also a Video showing the plane in action!

YouTube- Broadcast Yourself.

SleepyC · 11-25-2009, 01:03 AM

Best line ever....
"We pretty much kicked ass on this one"

Sly3D · 11-25-2009, 01:10 AM

Thats awesome! Thanks Sleepy for sharing.

RustyTumbles · 11-25-2009, 01:16 AM

That's is awesome.

columbo · 11-25-2009, 01:20 AM

Supercells and RC planes. It doesn't get any better than this!

pipercub123 · 11-25-2009, 01:43 AM

Sweet, nice craftsmanship too.

Cobra_03 · 11-25-2009, 02:46 AM

At least they used a Vess prop!

rnav · 11-25-2009, 03:14 AM

Great stuff.

Pakratt76 · 11-25-2009, 04:18 AM

Very neat!!!

**Boulder** · 11-25-2009, 06:20 AM

Very cool!!!

Craven · 11-25-2009, 07:14 AM

Now that is cool!

cliff600 · 11-25-2009, 07:16 AM

I guess they don't mind flying in a little bit of wind.

Edge_Pilot · 11-25-2009, 07:16 AM

No room for "wind wennies" there!!!!!!!

JoeAirPort · 11-25-2009, 08:34 AM

Total cross wind landing. Cool.

11-25-2009, 12:50 AM	#1
SleepyC Thanks for the Support! Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: USA, OH, Aurora Age: 40 Posts: 22,039 Awards Showcase Total Awards: 4	Chasing Tornados With an RC Plane! How many of you are avid Storm Chasers fans? (The series on the Discovery Channel that follows around several sets of professional storm chasers) Well, to prove my nerd status, I never miss an episode. I simply love the show! The most animated chaser Reed Timmer has been my favorite since he briefly appeared on the show last season. To me, Reed appears to be "one of us". And by that I mean, a guy who is passionate about his hobby/career. But instead of being stoked about RC planes, he is stoked about sneaking up on Tornadoes, filming them, and then collecting important data! Now if all that isn't cool enough, when I turned on my favorite show this week, what did I see? Reed's crew has enlisted the help of a giant scale airplane! WHAT?!! You heard me correctly! Reed's crew fly this purpose built RC aircraft in front of developing tornadoes and drop little parachute probes. Once deployed these probes get caught in the updraft of the tornado, and get carried high into heart of the storm so that Reed's team can measure wind speeds and temperature and get vital data that no other team in history has been able to produce. No matter how you slice it, this project is a really cool use of our hobby technology. Kudos to all who are involved. Also.. A big FG shout out to Robert Vess and Vess aero!! I noticed the VESS logo and distinctive shape on the Vess prop used to haul this plane into the twister! Congrats Robert you made us all proud! And let me add that a Futaba 10C transmitter was used to guide the plane as well! Nice work Hobbico another proud sponsor of FG!! The airplane used by Reed's team was designed and built by Bruce Tharpe Engineering, and was completed in eight short weeks. You can find out quite a bit of information about this plane by going to the BTE site: http://www.btemodels.com/sh-tvn.html It is always nice to see our beloved hobby promoted on TV in a positive light, and this time it's even an actual giant scale plane! VERY COOL! For more information about Storrm Chasers on the Discovery Channel, please check this out: http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/storm-ch...m-chasers.html Attached Thumbnails 155.4 KB · Views: 6671 __________________ Get the most current up-to-date R/C modeling news: www.flyinggiants.com www.rcgroups.com www.crackroll.com www.rccars.com

11-25-2009, 01:03 AM	#3
SleepyC Thanks for the Support! Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: USA, OH, Aurora Age: 40 Posts: 22,039 Awards Showcase Total Awards: 4	Re: Chasing Tornados With an RC Plane! Best line ever.... "We pretty much kicked ass on this one" __________________ Get the most current up-to-date R/C modeling news: www.flyinggiants.com www.rcgroups.com www.crackroll.com www.rccars.com

11-25-2009, 01:10 AM	#4
Sly3D Bad-ass Super Contributer! Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Woodland Hills CA Age: 16 Posts: 968	Re: Chasing Tornados With an RC Plane! Thats awesome! Thanks Sleepy for sharing. __________________ AeroWorks 35% Extra 260-DA100 JR X9503 2.4 DSM2

11-25-2009, 01:16 AM	#5
RustyTumbles Time for something New...... Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Newcastle NSW, Australia Posts: 4,819	Re: Chasing Tornados With an RC Plane! That's is awesome. __________________ It's hard to soar like an eagle when you are surrounded by turkeys.. www.extraaircraft.com www.scaleaeros.com.au www.desertaircraft.com.au www.theprofilebrotherhood.com www.booma-rc.com

11-25-2009, 01:20 AM	#6
columbo Just one more thing... Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Norman, Oklahoma USA Posts: 195	Re: Chasing Tornados With an RC Plane! Supercells and RC planes. It doesn't get any better than this!

11-25-2009, 01:43 AM	#7
pipercub123 Bad-ass Super Contributer! Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: NY, USA Age: 25 Posts: 387	Re: Chasing Tornados With an RC Plane! Sweet, nice craftsmanship too.

11-25-2009, 02:46 AM	#8
Cobra_03 DLB B!tch!!! Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Bellingham, Washington Age: 31 Posts: 91	Re: Chasing Tornados With an RC Plane! At least they used a Vess prop! __________________ Team Caribou Lou™

11-25-2009, 03:14 AM	#9
rnav Bad-ass Super Contributer! Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Napoleon Ohio Age: 43 Posts: 236	Re: Chasing Tornados With an RC Plane! Great stuff.

11-25-2009, 04:18 AM	#10
Pakratt76 ~Ken Shaffer Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Clyde, OH Age: 35 Posts: 3,649 Awards Showcase Total Awards: 2	Re: Chasing Tornados With an RC Plane! Very neat!!! __________________ Higher Plane Productions *TNT Landing Gear (& More!)* *WrongWay RC*

11-25-2009, 06:20 AM	#11
Boulder It's official, thanks Verne... Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cleveland, TX Age: 52 Posts: 11,086 Awards Showcase Total Awards: 2	Re: Chasing Tornados With an RC Plane! Very cool!!! __________________ Ken Thompson Fellowship of Christian Modelers http://www.fcmodelers.com

11-25-2009, 07:14 AM	#12
Craven Bow to the King! Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Amelia, Ohio Age: 50 Posts: 10,838 Awards Showcase Total Awards: 4	Re: Chasing Tornados With an RC Plane! Now that is cool!

11-25-2009, 07:16 AM	#13
cliff600 Bad-ass Super Contributer! Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Palmyra, Va. Age: 39 Posts: 1,226	Re: Chasing Tornados With an RC Plane! I guess they don't mind flying in a little bit of wind.

11-25-2009, 07:16 AM	#14
Edge_Pilot Bad-ass Super Contributer! Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Lagrange, Ohio United States Posts: 414	Re: Chasing Tornados With an RC Plane! No room for "wind wennies" there!!!!!!!

11-25-2009, 08:34 AM	#15
JoeAirPort Obsessed Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Milwaukee, WI Age: 47 Posts: 5,479	Re: Chasing Tornados With an RC Plane! Total cross wind landing. Cool. __________________ Videos: 88" EF Yak http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynkFiYZOS7k 88" EF Yak http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1SD21qAJoA 110" EF Yak http://www.youtube.com/user/Vortran?.../5/UyaC9xGFKTk

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