How old are yours?

[Jon H]

I am sure this has been asked before but i cannot find the thread.

I was doing a stock take of my stuff and was slightly disturbed by the fact that i have 9 airworthy models and another 19 waiting in the wings. This lead to me an appraisal of the current fleet/back stock to see if anything could be retired, sold, or sent to the great hangar in the sky.

It was then i noticed just how old many of my models are getting and was wondering how old everyone else's models are.

My Fleet and their age:

La7- 9 years next may
P39 - 7 years next feb
Seafury - 4 years in December
Nieuport - In its 6th year now
Hurricane - The new boy at 2 years
Stampe - in its 5th year.

I have only included models regularly flown. My Tomahawk is 12 but it spent 8 years in storage so i am not counting it

[Peter Jenkins]

Jon, you should be proud of the fact that your fleet has reached those ages. This means that a) you maintain them well and take your pre-flight checks seriously and b) that you can fly them well.

My newest model is an Irvine Tutor, bought earlier this year as newly built because I'd always wanted one and a trainer is handy when giving friends a taster of flying models. The youngest of my other models is 2 years old and after that the oldest is probably 13 years old (Top Gun Bucker Jungmann). I do have a Gangster 75 in build - been going about 5 years and two other kits unstarted - one of which has been hanging around for almost 10 years (Taurus).

[Paul Marsh]

I have a few models, some going over 20 years - and having many flights behind them.

The most flown and best condition-for-age would be my Seagull PC-9 Tuccano - bought in the 90's, which is still made today, and spares still available!

 

Edited By Paul Marsh on 14/10/2018 12:27:31

[Bob Cotsford]

I had a clear out of my IC models recently so many of my older models including my 1984 Acrowot have been sold on. My oldest are now those I'd already converted to electric, a Veron 1 1/2 Strutter that I first built in 1980 or 81, a Baronette from the early '90s and a Jungmeister also from late 80s or early 90s.

[Jon H]

Posted by Peter Jenkins on 14/10/2018 12:20:43:

Jon, you should be proud of the fact that your fleet has reached those ages. This means that a) you maintain them well and take your pre-flight checks seriously and b) that you can fly them well.

Thanks Peter, i certainly try!

In my early flying life i simply had to keep them in one piece but at 15 i didnt have the money to replace them. Now, if i have a model i like why not protect it by flying carefully? Not that most consider my flying careful.

I also try to make each flight as perfect as i can. I just get satisfaction from a nice flight.

Paul, Bob. I thought i was doing well. 20 years is a serious innings for a model flown regularly

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[J D 8]

My most flown and go to hack is an ARC Jupiter now about twenty years old.

My limbodancer is of similar age.

Major Mannock I bought s/h twenty five years ago but as for it's actual age,late 70's early 80's ?

I have at present 18 flyable aircraft the largest being the Mannock down to a micro bee. some are out regular others now and then but the actual oldest is my Mercury Matador built in 71 / 72 as free flight but a few years ago converted to radio assist, however before that it was a hanger / loft queen

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

I can't match Bob's amazing collection but the oldest model that I built after coming back to model flying in 2002 and still fly regularly is my Airsail Chipmunk, which maidened in spring 2003 so is over 15 years old now (where has the time gone?)

I have custody of a venerable Stirling Models Stearman which I'm led to believe was built around 1982 - so probably over 35 years old - and comes out regularly on nicer days - always a pleasure to fly and watch in the air. It's had a variety of engines over the years but currently flies behind the RCV90 which was fitted to it when I bought it from the gentleman that used to give me the privilege of flying it for him.

I recently exhumed the Pegasus Hurricane that I bought at the Watford Swapmeet in 2003, for BoB day this year and enjoyed getting it in the air again - it was very well patinated (read old and tatty looking) when I acquired it and I flew her regularly for several years during which time she picked up even more battle scars before doing a stint as a hangar queen.

Like many of us, I have far too many models (if that's really possible?) but many of them come out regularly and the majority are in the 10 -15 year old range. I also have a loft full of "longer term" projects.

And before Peter is tempted to add any complimentary words like he did for Jon - I'm well practiced at making repairs...

Edited By Martin Harris on 14/10/2018 14:08:35

[Stephen Jones]

Boy now you`re asking LoL .

Some of my models are quite old and i will have to try and work out just how old some of them are .

But the easiest way to work a couple out is to look at my posts on here.

So, My Fantrainer is 9 years old ,

My silver Sipa is 8 years old ,

And i still fly them.

Steve

[eflightray]

My oldest, and still gets flown, is my scratch-built B-25 Mitchell. First flown on 26-6-1993. (25 years old).

She's nearly all in balsa, (could afford balsa back then), and always been electric powered.

Started with Speed 600 12v motors, belt drives, and 14 Nicad cells, eventually got converted to brushless and Lipo, shaving 2Lbs from her original weight.

Current colour scheme, (was silver originally).

Still an impressive sight in the sky, but starting to look a little tatty on the ground.

Ray.

[Bobby]

Hi Tom, cannot do this copy and paste thing for your post. Just to say 100% agree, see my post on this sometime ago.  Bobby

Edited By Bobby on 14/10/2018 14:51:28

[fly boy3]

I fly my BB, Super Scorpion. (Photos on forum somewhere). when weather is suitable. and it was built some time in the seventies lol. It is a wonder full flier and I can recommend it. Cheers

[Paul Marsh]

Two of my original 3 models are still in existence. A Dynaflite Spitfire and my original Mascot. The Spit was the 3rd model I'd built and the models I had/have and flown in the early days of my rc model flying were:

MFA Yamamoto
Chart Mascot
Alley Cat (Radio Modeler free plan) .
Dynaflite Spifire. (built 1994)

Steep learning curve, the Alley Cat was fuel soaked and eventually I crashed it on a last flight as it was a wreck, so did a roll at 2 feet. The Spit still in my collection with a Enya 60.

Edited By Paul Marsh on 14/10/2018 15:04:07

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Ron Gray]

I only have 1 model 'left over' from when I used to fly, 'back in the day' and that's a Galaxy Models Foxjet. Originally powered by a Cox TD Medallion, but I converted it to leccy when I got back onto this sport 3 years ago. It gets flown on the odd occasion and is fun for an elevator and aileron 'plane. Now comes the embarrassing bit, since coming back I've managed to accumulate over 40 models, all of which have been flown and most of which are ready to fly.I find it hard to get rid of any of them, in fact I've only sold 3 over the 3 year period but find it very easy to get more!

[Peter Christy]

My wife bought me my Micro-Mold Lark for Christmas 1975, and its still flying:

I would concede that its a bit like the "Original Woodman's Axe" (4 new heads and 3 new handles!), but some significant bits of it are still original!

I also still have my Morley Bell 47:

Built around 1985 IIRC, and still flying well!

Perhaps the oldest is this Schluter DS-22:

OK, I didn't build this one! It was given to me for fixing some radio gear, some years ago - but I believe it is the model built for the kit review in the May '74 issue of Radio Modeller!

Its still in flying order, though I haven't flown it for a couple of years. There are issues with the engine! However, I've recently converted a HueyCobra of similar vintage to electric, and plan to do the same with the DS-22 in due course....

--

Pete

[John Stainforth]

Stik 50, Revolver 50 - 10 years

Aviststar, Spitfire60, Funtana125 - 9 years

Twist40 - 8 years

Beaver40 - 7 years

Katana50, Macchi72 - 6 years

Revolver70 - 4 years

Turbobeaver - 3 months

Not counting...

1 unbuilt, 1 under construction

Several electrics foamies

5 written off in crashes

[fly boy3]

Edited By fly boy3 on 14/10/2018 15:59:35

[fly boy3]

Here you go,my Super Scorpion Cheers

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

She's 62, covering has a few wrinkles, u/c has stiffened up and a bit hard to start early mornings.

Aeroplanes I don't get attached to, usually move them on, my oldest is a Glens Cap 68 inch,15 year ish, why this one's still with me I've no idea, not a mark on it but not flown for a while.

[ChrisB]

My dad has a Magnatilla which was built by a clubmate in 1988 and my dad acquired it about 2003. Since then its had 1100 flights, so the total number of flights so far will be over 2000 in 30 years and apart from the covering and various different engines its all original.

[ken anderson.]

my oldest is a Flair JNR 60 that I built in 1991...last century.... has become a bit of a hangar queen,since the arrival of the super convenient lipos/electric power ….

ken anderson...ne.....1....oldest model dept.

[extra slim]

I have quite a few models 20yrs plus, still flying, island hobbies capiche 50, Sigma signs freestyle etc, but the oldest model I am currently flying is approx 65yrs old.. yep.. some may have seen my very vintage vintage thread.. but here she is flying just yesterday..

[Nigel R]

I'm regularly flying a 90s Precedent Bi Fly 25. It's nearly 25 years old. I don't know the exact build date and my dad can't remember, and between him building it and me flying it, it has had another two or three owners. The Solarfilm and Solartrim is all a slightly different colour to when it went on. These days it is 2.4Ghz (of course) and electric, rather than a cooking 25. A couple of repairs have kept it in good order but it is essentially exactly as was when built. For added oldness, it uses JR 505 (1980s I think) servos, still going strong. I've put over 100 flights on it in the past year or so, but I have no idea what kind of airbourne hours it now has under its belt. Quite a few, I guess.

[Ben B]

My oldest plane is a Precedent Hiboy. I started building it just after completing my GCSEs- that was 28 years ago.... I know people like knocking Precedent planes but I think 28 years of regular flying including flying through a few trees is quite good going! Compare that to my latest ARTF which already has ripped covering and I haven't even flown it yet!