Jon H Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 This has come over from another thread about spare parts availability, the throw away nature of many products, and how some of us keep our models going for many years. I have a number of models that are getting on in years and was simply curious who else has old models that still fly. A rotting heap in the shed wont count, it must be airworthy. For me its as follows for maiden flights of my current fleet: Airsail Tomahawk - Jan 2007 La7 - March 2010 P39 - July 2013 Nieuport - August 2013 Sea Fury - December 2014 Stampe - June 2015 Small Hurricane - Sept 2016 AWXL - Feb 2019 DB Hurricane - Oct 2021 I have some other models too but cant recall their maiden flight dates so have left them off. So, how old are you models? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 If you are talking RC planes that I still fly (I did today!) then my Artech Wing Dragon 4 - Jun 2008. Although not much of the original is left. As I scratch build, 'spares' are not really an issue. If I break it I can repair or rebuild it, well most of the time. ? My oldest RC, a glider, which I still have but now firmly retired would be summer 1967, my second year at University. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 Ken Willard 'CAVU' (enlarged) - 1986(ish) KK (Flair kit) Junior 60 - 2000(ish) DB 1/4 scale Pup - April 2006 As for the rest, well - 'all flesh is grass...' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J D 8 Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 (edited) ARC Jupiter 2000 Ripmax Coyote 2006 Limbo Dancer bought S/H 2000 OD funfly [Fungus] built 1996 Seagull SNJ [avatar pic ] bought S/H 2006 Phase 3 EF16 2009 All the above are regular flyers, there are a couple of other now and then one's but can't remember when built or obtained. Now for the oldies DB Major Mannock Purchased as a heap in 1995, build date unknown. Bleriot XI built by George Swallow one of David Boddington's team who made and flew models and some ground running replicas for Yorkshire TV series "Flambards" in 1978. Gets out a couple of times a year when weather just right. And oldest regular flyer Mercury Matador built by myself 50 years ago [ still a teenager then ] and flown free flight in early 70's. An attic queen for the next 40ish years. Converted to Radio [ 3ch] in 10's and still going. Edited April 26, 2022 by J D 8 extra info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Wills 2 Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 My oldest models Precedent Hi boy I learned to fly on in 1995 Kyosho Concept 30 I bought s/h in 1997 which first flew in 1990. Both restored a couple of years ago and fly a few times a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 My oldest models which are currently in service and get flown regularly are my Beeline Models Easy Bee - I built it in 1996 and it has hundreds of flights, regularly getting an outing - started with sp400, 6x4nylon prop and 6x500ARsand several motors and battery combinations later currently flies on 3s1p 1300mah lipo, A2213/13T brushless outrunner and a 7x4" prop. Here's my boy with the Easy Bee at one of the fly-ins in the 2000's and again a few years ago at the club field - with about 15 years between the pictures. I built my Cambrian Bf109e in 1995, maiden flight in June 1996 with an Enya 25SS, converted to AXI 2820/10 and 10xCP1700's in 2002 and then to PSS in 2014. My MAF Mini Flying Machine is Peter Kent's prototype, I first flew her in May 1997 with a Cox .049 and she's one of my go-to models for a windy day - now with a Keda 2300kv inrunner and 3s1p G-Power Lipo. Those are the oldest three still in service, but I have a fair number of models (14) still in service which first flew before 2012 (so between 10 and 25 years in service). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Skilbeck Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 I have my Dads old Majestic Major that he built in the 1990s, was fitted with a Laser 75 but re-engined with a Laser 62 as the 75 did eventually need new bearings. Also got an old Flair D7 from a sadly deceased club member, probably built in around 2000, was powered by an Irvine 53, now running on a Laser 61 that I bought in the mid 1980s. Recent addition is a scratch built Tipsey Junior at least 20 years old, was fitted with an old Enya 35 2 stroke and Sanwa gear with the original Sanwa servos, re engined with a Saito 40 and 2.4 GHz is my daily flier now. I have several gliders that are 10+ years old, including a Wildthing that is over 15 years old, all in flying condition. I also have a CAP Jungmeister that I bought as a kit in the mid 1980s, but as it took 35 years to build it probably doesn't count ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Walsh Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 Graupner Cumulus 1975, recently converted to electric power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Walsh Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 Sorry, 1974! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff S Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 My oldest RC model is a Graham Bantock designed 1m model racing yacht - a Rhythm, which I built from a free plan in the early 90s after I had to give up dinghy racing. Not been sailed for years but I can't bear to part with it -the rig box is huge! My oldest RC aeroplane is a Flair SE5a which is the 3rd model I built (after a Precedent Electafly and a Global Trainer) in about 1994. It had an OS52 Surpass engine but I converted it to electric last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave windymiller Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 I built my Curare in 1981-2. In 2020 I smashed it and rebuilt it but with a new foam wing. I then repaired the original built up curare wing and built a magic fus for it. So half of my curare and half of my magic are 40 years old. Both have worn out their webras and now sports a ax65 (curare) and novo rossi 60rear (magic) The curare is in bits again but it will be repaired! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Gates Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 Plan built... IP Chipmunk 16 years old - currently being used for training and getting over 1 hours air time every weekend. IP Mosquito 15 years old IP Minicat 13 years old Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Cooper Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 I have several old campaigners. Some of them are becoming a bit tatty around the edges but they are still doing Stirling service. With apologies to any models of the fleet which are absent from the list. ? Screamer . . 1980 Middle Phase. . 1996 84" Cub . . 1990 Cougar . . . 2000. Trainer 90 . . . 2002 Tiger Trainer. . . 2006 Kyosho Spitfire 90 . . . 2010 Ultimate. . . . 2006 YT 50 cc Spitfire. . . 2009 World Models Zero . . . 2011 Chuckie. . . 2009. Yak 55 (90") . . . 2010 . . . (my avatar picture). Mahers Thunderbird. . . 2007 ATS Kite . . . Ancient. . The trainers and the Thunderbird are used regularly during the warmer months for giving goes to kids. ? . . Lol. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Cooper Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 Here's some I prepared earlier. . . . Lol 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 Love the FW 190. ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 I have had loads, but don't keep them forever they get moved on to pastures new, Glens cap is my oldest going on for 20 years, only model I regret letting go is Cermark Pitts, got fed up of rigging it so sold it cheap. ☹️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 My oldest model? My first RC model...Sterling Cessna 180 from around 1974. Actually, it's a bit of a tenuous claim as the only original part is the pressed metal cowling piece that survived the couple of seconds that it took to annihilate the front end - and that was because it was still in the box! It was too nice to throw away so I had it squirrelled away in a box of old modelling stuff in the loft. A downloaded plan from Outerzone and a lot of balsa bashing resulted in the"rebuilt" model taking to the air last year. Build blog here Otherwise, and more realistically, my oldest regular flyer is another Sterling model, a PT17 Stearman, dating from around 1982. This has had at least 3 owners so I feel that I'm more its keeper than its owner. It was re-engined from a Super Tigre to an RCV91 by the previous owner and is a delight to fly on a nice summer's day. The first model I built on my return to model flying is an Airsail Chipmunk. First flown in 2003 it remains a favourite and has flown as far away as Germany - transported there by car, I hasten to add! My 1/4 scale Cub was part built many years ago and I completed it in 2010 after buying it from the estate of a deceased club member. I bought what was then a very old looking Pegasus Hurricane at the 2003 Watford Swapmeet - must have been at least 10 years old then...and probably a lot older. It still gets an occasional outing and is even more weathered. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin b Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 I still have the box for the KK Outlaw I built in 1970. Does that count ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 If it flies. yes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Manuel Posted April 28, 2022 Share Posted April 28, 2022 I wonder who'll be the first person to mention Trigger's broom..... My first model from 2005 is still active. Can't say the same about Norbert the pilot unfortunately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Blandford Posted April 28, 2022 Share Posted April 28, 2022 I have a model based on Wolfgang Matt's Superstar that I built and flew before 1982 with a HP61 for power. It is now electric powered and I still fly it. I have a "Unique Models" spitfire that I built in 1974. I never managed to fly it then I was trying to do it electric but an Astro Flight 25 (Ferrite) with 16 NiCd cells was too heavy. I have now flown it with a brushless/lipo setup. As I didn't like the foam wings with a straight leading edge (it just didn't look right), it now has a correct shape, built up wing, but the fuselage and tail is original. My WOT4 pre-dates 1997, first flown with an OS40 4-stroke (when I returned to model flying after a break), it is now electric and is still flown. I also have a scratch built model of 52" span, based on the Superstar design, that is regularly flown, I have pictures dated 2002 of that, and a scratch built electric glider, also with pictures dated 2002, that is airworthy, although I haven't flown it for a couple of years. Also an even smaller Superstar based scratch built model dated 2005. I had to build that one to replace a similar model that suffered a mid-air with a Laser powered Corsair. The collision was almost head on and the Laser just chopped my model up until the prop hit the NiCd power pack. Curiously the current model also suffered a mid-air, although this time it only lost half a wing panel and I managed to repair it. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted April 28, 2022 Share Posted April 28, 2022 Oldest model is my favourite, certainly built last century, IIRC about 1995 - Goldberg Super Chippy with its original Magnum 91FS although now on its third set of bearings. Goodness knows how many dozens of gallons of fuel have gone through that motor and it's never missed a beat. Model converted to 2.4 about 2012 and all original Hitec worn servos replaced with Futaba. Faded paint and now showing its age through regular use it's been a lovely, comfortable and reliable flier since new. Hope to give it an airing this weekend. Several other models all in flying trim about 12 to 20 years old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hangarqueen Posted April 28, 2022 Share Posted April 28, 2022 I built my first RC model in 1985 in a model stored owned by a very old man. I was looking for a trainer model, so he helped me choosing something appropriate. We settled for the "Ginca" from Mantua models. He recommended a Super Tigre motor for me, which I ran in patiently before attempting a maiden flight. This maiden flight ended in a stall. I repaired the model, but it never flew again since there weren't any clubs nearby that allowed IC powered models. I'm still considering to convert it to electric, just to get it in the air again, for old times sake. After training on a small motor glider, I then flew a Graupner ASW22BE vario glider in 1993, which I still fly today. Around that same time, I bought a 2m span hotliner glider for which I never found the right motor-prop combo, until recently. A fellow club member crashed his Robbe Amplitude, which is roughly the same size and weight as my nameless model. I bought the motor from him, and now it goes like a rocket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted April 29, 2022 Author Share Posted April 29, 2022 Clearly you guys are way better at avoiding the ground than many i have flown with. A chap at my old club never had a model more than 6 months! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel R Posted April 29, 2022 Share Posted April 29, 2022 Well that would keep the hangar size down, I guess. As for crashing... Quote “The Guide says there is an art to flying", said Ford, "or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” My oldest is a Bi Fly. My dad built it for glow probably 25 years ago, been through a few owners, now has electric drivetrain, a few patches and repairs, and has had around 150 flights with me since I got it. Doesn't owe anyone a thing at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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