My First Radio Controlled Model. A Chance For you All To Remember Your First R/C Model And What Happened To It!

[David Davis]

Mine was something called a St Leonard's Models "Gemini," a 50 inch (127cms) trainer which could be built as a three or four channel model. Mine was built as a three-channel model. It was (over) powered by an Irvine 20 and guided by a Sanwa Conquest 6 radio. It was not a success. I managed to put it into a tree on its second flight! I did not have a buddy box option on my transmitter, it was a question of grab the transmitter before it hit the ground. Oh those delightful grab-the-transmitter days!

Finding it a bit too hot to handle, I built a Junior 60 put the radio and engine into that and learned to fly on it. It was much slower and more stable. Pictures of it below taken last year after conversion to electric power but by then it was a bit like Trigger's broom! ? I gave it to a trainee pilot at my club. We lost radio contact on its first flight and watched it free flight into a wheat field. We were unable to find it before it went through the front of a combine harvester.

 

A clubmate also had a well flown Gemini. I swapped mine, slightly damaged, for his slightly damaged Telemaster and learned to fly on ailerons. 

Years later I built a second Gemini with ailerons and powered by an electric motor just to prove that I could now handle one! I gave it away to a clubmate.

[John Tee]

A second hand Pal Joey single channe! model with RCS radio. Can't remember the motor.

 

[J D 8]

2 channel OD motor glider with DC Sabre on the the front, it had a good few flights and was more radio affected than controlled ? with flights finishing in various places. Came to an end when pushing the flight envelope and got it into a spiral dive high up, even full opposite rudder would not make it come out. I had not built enough stiffness into the high aspect ratio wing and as it came down sabre still running you could see the twist in the wing holding it in the turn.

Sabre went on to power a DB Major Rooky on which I learned to fly. 

Edited March 7, 2021 by J D 8
correction

[leccyflyer]

Keil Kraft Outlaw from the Manchester Model Shop in Deansgate and Gem 1+1 radio from Roland Scott's in Walkden. Two memorable shopping trips. Powered by a PAW diesel with a throttle, which I think came from the model shop opposite Wigan market. She lasted a few seconds from a hand launch, being dashed to pieces in a heavy crash on the waste ground near the Three Sisters slag heaps. That was in the early seventies. Wish I could find a Gem 1+1 set to do it again, but successfully.

[Danny Fenton]

It was a Tiger Moth, probably Veron. I crow-barred in a super-het radio system. The guys flying locally told me to never turn it on around them!

First proportional was a Sanwa 2 channel from Crossgates model shop in Leeds, went in a smallish foam cored model, want to say Jolly Roger, but could be wrong. Might have a picture somewhere. FUTABA M series after that.

[Neil James]

Mine was so long ago - 1968 - there are no pictures but I remember it well. I’d scraped enough pocket money together to buy a well used diesel engined model, basically a free flight design, which had an OS Pixie single channel radio installed. There was one button on the transmitter which cycled left then right with each push. It was test flown on the playing fields of our local school. A small amount of fuel was added, the motor flicked into life and a friend launched it for me. It sailed off smoothly with me clicking away like mad, performed a very wide left hand circuit and the engine cut out as it turned into wind, followed by a smooth landing.

I was impressed with my skill until the friend pointed out the the Tx aerial was still collapsed and we realised that it gone out of range almost immediately after launch so the flight had had very little to do with me! Unfortunately I didn’t get many flights out of it before spinning it into a tarmac arrival - no buddy boxes in those days.
 

53 years later I’m still flying models and I still have the OS Pixie system although only in a box, not a model.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Mercury Matador O.S 10 in, made a pigs ear of it and wings folded, hit the only piece of concrete in sight, and obliterated itself.

[Martin Dance 1]

My first R/C model was a APS Lumpers, nylon covered and as tough as old boots. Macgregor transistor tone Tx, the big grey box one, RCM&E Cotswold tone Rx, home built and an Elmic sequential escapement. First flight was from my village recreation ground. Friend launched it, the model was powered by an AM15 diesel. Flew really well flight lasted something like 10 mins and I landed under control nearly at my feet! Luck I guess. It was reported that during that flight I came under  anti aircraft fire from the nearby council houses. Someone with an air rifle, they missed. Had many flights with that model. At one time hitting a telegraph pole. retrieved the model, it looked OK until I shook the wing, I had a nylon bag full of balsa chips! Re built the wing and had many flight with the model after that. Lost it with a flyaway. Radio failure I guess.

Edited March 7, 2021 by Martin Dance 1
RX instead of escapement

[Dickw]

After about 20 odd years flying control line, I decided in 1984 to have a go at 'electric flight'. I built a 60" span R/E powered glider type model from a semi kit and plan supplied by my local model shop. It was his own design and I don't think it even had a name.

I fitted it out with Fleet radio gear and a "Mabuchi" motor powered from 6 x 1200 mAh nicads, and learned to fly it with  help from various "RC Flyers" in my club.

 

It must have worked OK because I still have it in my attic!

Might be fun to get it out again and see it fly again now that I know (sort of!) what I am doing.

 

Dick

[maurice northcott]

After many years of free-flight, first radio model was 1974 Tru-Line Senior Executive, 54-inch span, 3-function OS25, Skyleader radio which never let me down.  

Edited March 7, 2021 by maurice northcott
Added a few details

[Rich Griff]

I started aeromodeling with cl.

 

My first RC model was a galaxy minow 2 channel motor glider, pod powered with a Cox 049, which was a tad underpowered.

 

I fitted from memory a DC sabre which was much better.

 

After several "repairs" the DC was replaced with a Cox 09. I flew the socks off the thing and had a few more heavy "arrivals".

 

It's wieght increased and needed a paw 19 on the front. That was great but further repairs made it so heavy that it did not fly very well at all.

 

I got fed up with repairing the now weak "boom" so it was scrapped, with the wings being made into a cl model that flew well. I certainly got my money's worth ( I didn't have much ) from that model and it taught me lots.

 

I had a cruisader glider that was a good slope soarer, and I flew the socks off that as well.

 

Then I got a hiboy which was great, even inverted. I flew the socks off that as well. I still have the hiboy wings.

 

My 4 channel shadow is about 25 years old now and will be flying again when ready and we are allowed out to play ?.

 

Would I recommend a minow now, no, the boom is too weak.

 

[John Lee]

1 hour ago, John Tee said:

A second hand Pal Joey single channe! model with RCS radio. Can't remember the motor.

 

Snap! Also a Pal Joey for me with RCS single channel & DC Merlin.

[Cuban8]

My first was a Graupner Dandy glider and power pod built just after I had some money of my own after starting work at age 16 in the mid 1970s. Cox engine and Futaba two channel radio hence mode 1 ever since. I remember the colossal cost of it all and it easily took several weeks' wages to get all the kit. Joined a local club and found them stand offish and self absorbed, offering absolutely no help despite being quickly relieved of quite a bit in the way of subs out of my meager earnings at the time. Eventually, after several uncomfortable visits, a couple of chaps offered to test fly the model for me, and just being a kid and knowing no better, I trusted the model to them. Unfortunately, they turned out to be the club clowns who proceeded to start and launch the model for me, but with the receiver switched off! After years of dreaming of R/C I was now back into the realms of free flight.

I must have made a good job of the build because the model flew off nicely on its maiden, albeit a little out of elevator trim, but survived after a couple of minutes circling around until the motor stopped and it landed unscathed. I left that particular club shortly afterwards, disappointed and frustrated at the experience, but luckily came across the Fairlop club who had a display at the RAF museum when I was visiting, and one particular chap who taught me the ropes of R/C via gliding and I never looked back from then on, moving on to IC power and clubman scale types as finances permitted.

I never forgot the bitter experience of that first club, and after a while I found myself drawn to helping and getting others into R/C as easily and enjoyably as I knew how until I stepped back from it a few years ago.

Edited March 7, 2021 by Cuban8

[Dave S.]

44 minutes ago, leccyflyer said:

Keil Kraft Outlaw from the Manchester Model Shop in Deansgate and Gem 1+1 radio from Roland Scott's in Walkden. Two memorable shopping trips. Powered by a PAW diesel with a throttle, which I think came from the model shop opposite Wigan market. She lasted a few seconds from a hand launch, being dashed to pieces in a heavy crash on the waste ground near the Three Sisters slag heaps. That was in the early seventies. Wish I could find a Gem 1+1 set to do it again, but successfully.

My first R/C model was an Outlaw as well, powered by an OS Pet. Radio was an ABC Mini-Sonic super regen - it never really worked. My Outlaw's first and only flight was also a matter of seconds, from launch to heap of wreckage in Lyme Park.

I also 'progressed' onto a Gem 1+1 - special offer of £25 from Roland Scotts. It worked well enough for me to get some successful flights with a 6ft glider I built (it was never designed, I just made it up as I went along). The radio often stopped working, but as I lived about 5 miles from Stockport, I was a frequent visitor to the 'factory' that made the radios. Nearly 50 years years later, I reckon I could still find my way to Hallam street, in the dark, blindfolded - and I haven't been to Stockport since the late 70s!

[Cuban8]

42 minutes ago, john stones 1 Moderator said:

Mercury Matador O.S 10 in, made a pigs ear of it and wings folded, hit the only piece of concrete in sight, and obliterated itself.

On the old Fairlop field in Hainault (not the original one on the airfield) there was a small area of concrete among the acres of grass football pitches and it's amazing how so many models were attracted to that little spot of hard stuff and were damaged.

[Don Fry]

First radio model, about 1964, 65, a DB Tyro, free plan in RCM&E, OS Pixie single channel, FOK 1.5 cc diesel up front.

Poorly built, covered in tissue, it worked, taught me a lot, didn’t last long. Then I did single channel flat field soaring which did teach me to fly.

Paid for by raising chickens, and selling the cockerels for meat, selling hens eggs, and selling year old ex layers for casserole birds. I hate chickens. When I eat them I always think it’s a bit of revenge for the grief they caused me.

[Phil Green]

Just a heads up, I heard from Nigel that RCMF forum will be closing next week, the Golden Age, Vintage and Antique Radio section there is a treasure-trove of nostalgia, fill yer boots while ya can: https://www.rcmf.co.uk/4um/index.php/board,319.0.html

[GrumpyGnome]

@Phil Greenthat's a shame - it used to be really active and, at times, entertaining.  Hopefully, most members have made their way over here.

GG 

Edited March 7, 2021 by GrumpyGnome

[Tom Gaskin 1]

A KeilKraft Outlaw, Enya 09 with a 3-channel Sprengbrook radio. With the patience & courage of the guys at the thirty-nine acres club in Brighton, the combination took me from tyro to solo!

 

I still have the Enya in a drawer...

 

Happy days,

Tom

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GrumpyGnome]

First RC plane... DB Tern, RE only, with a Cox .049 (I think) on an overwing power pod. MacGregor 3 channel Digimax radio.  Built up balsa, with my first experience of heat shrink film. Learnt solo. Plane lasted about 20 flights. Flew Mode 1 in those days. 

 

That was followed by a period of slope soaring off the Gower peninsula, where I was taught to fly properly, and also switched to Mode 2, on a very expensive 4 channel Skyleader set. Happy days.  

 

GG

Edited March 7, 2021 by GrumpyGnome

[Eric Robson]

My first model was the Mercury Galahad under powered with an OS 10 Sanwa mini 2 control. It flew well until I launched it into a strong breeze and went into a great loop. It did not have enough elevator to pull out and it was written off . 

[Cuban8]

,Funny how when you start to think about things like this topic, how memories start to flood back after so many years.

Going back to my Fairlop club days as I mentioned, although I found gliding fascinating, power models and scale always attracted me but as Fairlop was silent flight only, that was going to be a non-starter. Eventually, electric power began to be a practical option in the early 1980s and a lot of us got into that side of the gliding hobby. With nothing in the club rules other than to say that IC motors were not allowed, I think I can claim to be the first in that club to build an electric powered model that was not a powered glider type but a scale model of a power 'plane. The model was a Piper Cub (Jack Headley design IIRC) about 50" span and with a cheap 540 brush motor, electronic on/off switch of DIY construction and what seemed to be a ton of Nicad batteries. The 'mini' Futaba RX and small coreless Futaba servos  cost me a fortune back then (around £100, I still have them). Unbelievably, the model would ROG and fly fairly well and quietly for several minutes and really looked the part floating around in calm conditions and for such a heavy model would land back on its wheels nicely. 

I had quite a few positive comments from members about how nice the model looked in the air, but I got the impression that the few glider purists weren't over impressed with it - nothing was said though but I'd only fly it when things were quiet just in case.

Eventually, the efficiency of the batteries began to fall away and ROGs began to become a bit dicey, eventually hand launching being the only way to get her away. After a load of flights, falling power, and a bad hand launch, she flick rolled to her doom into the deck and that was that. Might be nice to build another but with modern gear.

Edited March 7, 2021 by Cuban8

[Bob Cotsford]

A second-hand plan built Rhoma with an ED Hunter 3.49 and ED superhet valve gear so it probably carried more weight in batteries than balsa.  That crashed into the school craft block on the first attempt at a flight.

[David Ashby - Moderator]

Bowman's Super 100, a 2-channel glider, in 1979/80. Tissue covered, so plenty of patches after the first season. 

I entered a few thermal soaring comps with it... let's just say I didn't come last. 

[Dwain Dibley.]

Veron Impala on two channel Macgregor radio.

 

D.D.