What was your very first model aeroplane and what year?

[Ernie]

WHATS GOING ON WITH MY POST? a keil kraft champ, a profile control liner. The wee engine was an ED bee, and of course it was difficult to start. The lines were nylon, and streached horrendously. But it flew

ernie

[Trevor]

13 hours ago, 2.4g Shaun said:

KeilKraft  Champ control liner, 9 years old back in 1965.

 

I was going to say ditto to this (albeit quite a few years earlier!), then Don mentioned those plastic deltas. I had two of them and for some reason the pale blue one always flew better than the red one. I spent a long time failing to work out why. Then before those, there was the Woolworths balsa chuck gliders. No catapult involved (although we did try!) I think I learned more about trimming and aerodynamics from throwing those about in the street (and retrieving them from less than impressed neighbours' gardens) than with any model since.

[Cuban8]

12 hours ago, Don Fry said:

Someone bought me a plastic delta, about 10 cm span, lofted by an elastic band. I was about seven. So late 50’s. Hooked. If you launched it upright, (bigger elastic band, power upgrade), it looped, and could debrain the launcher. Angle the launch, it spiralled up. I watched one, caught in a thermal, disappear forever. Magic.

Cheap. 
 

Then I entered this vale of tears, KK CHAMP.

Those little plastic deltas could be bought for 6d in most newsagents/toyshop etc. Goodness knows how many I must have had as a kid in the early 60s. They seemed to have an innate attraction for the only bit of concrete to be found in a field or park and wound up getting smashed after a power dive into the deck. 

They were potentially very dangerous if they hit you in the face though. 

North Pacific Sleek Streaks and Skeeters were good flyers though - a bit dearer at 1/6 or a ruinous 2/6 depending on the model. Printed Balsa so never lasted long in young hands.

 

[leccyflyer]

Yep - I wasn't thinking of those wee plastic deltas, Pacific Sleek Streaks and Skeeters - must have had loads of those in the 60's before ever having a "serious" model aeroplane - they were great fun.

[Cuban8]

Very much a part of many 1960's kids' journey into aeromodelling...............http://parmodels.com/north-pacific-skeeter

Guaranteed flyers - rather more so than the more complex Keil Kraft kits that we all had. Part of their problem........they did fly so well with very little knowledge or skill needed other than following the simple assembly instructions - many did head off, never to be seen again.

[Piers Bowlan]

I must have been about seven when my dad built a KK Conquest glider. It had one flight, it flew beautifully until our excited wire fox terrier trashed it after it landed! I used to ride my bike to the little park at the end of the road to fly my rubber powered Frog interceptor. Later, a control line KK Hurricane. For my 14 birthday I was given the coveted macGregor SC radio and like Windymiller in an earlier post, built a Snipe from the Aeromodeller 1970s plan. It regularly used to crash on Epsom Downs after the elmic escapement jammed and I would spend the following week carefully piecing the balsa jigsaw back together again. The little Cox Babe Bee engine always seemed to survive and in fact I have it to this day although it is a bit like Tiggers broom, so many parts have been replaced!

[Brian Cooper]

I blame my parents.  They bought me a slot-together balsa chuck glider when I was about 4 or 5.

I spent hours throwing it around the garden.  That would have been in 1958/9. . . It has been downhill all the way since then. . Lol. 

 

No end of Sleek Streaks followed. They taught me how to trim an aeroplane to perform to my various desires. 

Then Kiel Kraft, rubber-powered models from the age of about 7. 

 

My grandmother bought be a plastic, control line Aerocobra with a Cox 0.49 when I was 8.

But I never got the hang of control line flying. I got dizzy after a couple of circuits and fell over. 

 

Radio control was my salvation at the age of 9. 

Funded by myself (I probably washed every car in the neighbourhood. .lol) my first R/C model was a Mini Super, fitted with RCS single channel radio. 

There were no flying instructors in those days. . You launched it and started learning....... fast. 

 

After teaching myself to fly, a new neighbour moved in. He was Mick Charles. 

What luck. 

The rest is history.  

 

It is a hobby/pastime which I have pursued since early childhood. . . I just haven't grown out of it yet. 

 

[Cuban8]

My very earliest memory of becoming involved with flying models is getting a free giveaway in one of my comics - I think it was The Valiant, and the freeby was 'Ranger Redwing's Flying Model Aeroplane'. It was a cardboard fold together model, that you collected over three weeks or so. Week 1 fuselage, week 2 wings, week 3 rubber band and pressed tin propeller.

unsurprisingly, it didn't fly at all, and if my memory serves, spent most of its short life scuttling across the kitchen floor, but it was enough to spark a life long interest. I've Googled the little model before, but can't find any reference to it - I know I didn't imagine it, so does anyone else recall it? - probably around 1963 to 1965.

No end of failed Keil Kraft models followed,  that offered so much, but delivered so little in my impatient and clumsy hands, but the seed was sown. I also blame 'General Jumbo' for my early facination with remote control - control line never held any interest whatsoever.

For the young folks among us..............https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Jumbo

Edited August 7, 2023 by Cuban8

[Cuban8]

16 hours ago, leccyflyer said:

First model aeroplane was, I think, a Monogram P-51B Mustang, 1/48th scale, which my Uncle Dave bought for me when I was on holiday visiting in probably 1967-68-ish. First flying model aeroplane would have been a Cox Stuka plastic control liner, probably Christmas 1970. Like Paul's Skyraider, I don't think the Stuka ever flew successfully -one went on eBay for £103 last week. 😮

When I was about 10, my parents bought me a control line Chipmunk. Not sure why because I'd never really shown any interest in CL as far as I can recall.  It was moulded blue and white plastic and I think it might have been a Keil Kraft item - perhaps just sold by them under their name. It had an .049 engine, a McCoy I think. A lovely looking item that they got from Lathams Toy Shop in the Royal Arcade, Norwich.

Another project that didn't amount to anything I'm afraid. 

[Ace]

1964 aged 9 - first powered plane was a Sleek Streek. Loved these rubber powered aircraft and must have had 3 or 4 that summer.

 

The following year a neighbour gave me a Jetex 50 so I built a stick and tissue Hunter which flew 🤫 about 4' before disintegrating doing a brilliant impression of a law dart  😭

 

Roll on 4 yrs to 1969 and I was given a DC Spitfire for Christmas along with a handle, lines and a KK Champ trainer (I think). After mmmmmmmany rebuilds I and 3 mates manage to master controlled flight. By now they to had also become proud owners of a DC Spitfire engine each.

 

So then we all built Splat combat wings covered in Polyester dress lining and attached streamers. All this flying took place after school on the playing field un supervised - like that would happen today. (Nanny state taken all the fun out of life)

 

Fast forward to 1985 aged 30 and bought a Futaba 4ch radio and OS30 engine from a S/H shop. Built a Tyro Major for it to go in. How had could it be to fly RC? Well a lot harder than a cocky me anticipated. In a field, full power with full up elevator resulted in a numerous tight loops just 3m above the ground when I let go of the stick at 180' at the wrong moment left we with the largest piece being 6 inches long. Racing offroad Enduro motorcycles followed for 25yrs until age started to get the better of me.

 

Now aged 55 I decided to take up the hobby and do it properly so joined a club which I am still a member of to this day and still enjoying it every bit as much as as I did back as a youngster with my Sleek Streeks.😁

 

 

 

[Geoff S]

I had a few model aircraft when I was a child.  They were mostly what might be described as toys like the 7d balsa gliders that needed minimal time to assemble and of course the paper darts I used to fly down the stairs and even experimented with aerodynamic mods by folding the tail to make them loop or roll.  I also had a toy helicopter which was on a 1 metre semi-rigid cable attached to a hand-winder which rotated the main blades and it actually flew. I've never seen another; it was a Christmas present.  I also had one of the Frog models that had a built-in winder in the box.

 

The first RC model I built in about 1994 was a Precedent Electra fly glider because it (theoretically) only needed a 2 channel transmitter.  I already had a Futaba 2 channel 27Mhz transmitter I used for the 1 metre racing yacht I'd built so it seemed the obvious choice.  The 2 channels controlled rudder/elevator as normal but there was a complicated (and very unreliable) mechanism which relied on an extreme movement of the elevator control (IIRC) to switch on the 600 size brushed motor.  It didn't last long but it got me started. I built a second and then a Global SST (Super Sport Trainer) with an MDS 40 glow engine (which probably cost me a year's learning delay).  I also built a Micron 35Mhz transmitter/receiver.  Yes, I really made things difficult for myself.

[Cuban8]

Ace's last paragraph shouts volumes........

[Jon H]

I had a variety of models before it but the first model i had from new was an arc carosel. Great model, built like a tank and it flew it to death. Eventually scrapped as the fuselage was cracking around the tail mounts and it was not really safe any more. Still have the engine though. 

[J D 8]

About 1965, KK Hurricane only flight when hauled out of my hand by half a gale to destruction 50yds away. KK Ajax exploded in my hand on first wind up. Not done rubber power since.

KK Cadet glider first success just launched down slope.

KK Ladybird some flights many crashes but learned a lot.

Big help was a book prize at school I choose " Your book on Aeromodelling" by Robert R Rodwell. any one else have this one?

First CL Frog Talisman, after initial crash destroyed tissue the recover was like Ace above polyester and I got the hang of CL with it.

Ladybird and Talisman had Frog 100 which I still have, you can see the price on the box.

[leccyflyer]

Posts above about unsupervised flying after school on the playing fields reminded me that I was lucky enough to be a member of the school aeromodelling club - yes, such things did exist.  The science technician at school whose job was supporting the chemistry, physics and biology labs was a keen modeller and formed the club. There would have been about half a dozen of us all interested in modelling and it was a great help in getting those early free flight and even some control line models working. No radio in those days though, but we did have a pilgrimage down to the Model Engineering Exhibition in London, as an official school visit, in a Commer van. I doubt that there are too many after school aeromodelling clubs nowadays. WE were simultaneously in the ATC at the nearest squadron, so had great fun with 10 Air Experience Flight at RAF Woodvale, at summer camps and visits to the local shooting range, interspersed with weekly parade nights. The squadron had a DH Vampire - which was a bit incongrous just parked there behind ASDA  - Happy days 🙂

[Geoff S]

46 minutes ago, leccyflyer said:

Posts above about unsupervised flying after school on the playing fields reminded me that I was lucky enough to be a member of the school aeromodelling club - yes, such things did exist.  The science technician at school whose job was supporting the chemistry, physics and biology labs was a keen modeller and formed the club. There would have been about half a dozen of us all interested in modelling and it was a great help in getting those early free flight and even some control line models working. No radio in those days though, but we did have a pilgrimage down to the Model Engineering Exhibition in London, as an official school visit, in a Commer van. I doubt that there are too many after school aeromodelling clubs nowadays. WE were simultaneously in the ATC at the nearest squadron, so had great fun with 10 Air Experience Flight at RAF Woodvale, at summer camps and visits to the local shooting range, interspersed with weekly parade nights. The squadron had a DH Vampire - which was a bit incongrous just parked there behind ASDA  - Happy days 🙂

 

At my grammar school in the early 1950s there must have been an aero-modelling group as well because I recall seeing control-line flying. The RAF section of the CCF had both a primary glider in which they catapulted pilots on the sports field and an old link trainer.  All we had in the Navy section was a small dinghy 🙂  I was more interested in saving up for a motorcycle as my 16th birthday approached and I got a super powerful 98cc 2 speed Excelsior Consort eventually which I rode for miles and miles (no idea how far as it didn't have a speedometer, which wasn't (isn't?) required for under 100cc bikes)

[MattyB]

DB Rookie 72, ~1985/6 maybe? It had a hard life on the slope, but is still in one piece today at my Dads! Summat like this... 

 

[John Lee]

Lots of rubber powered KeilKraft models in my pre teen years.

 

First Control Liner a Phantom Mite with a WenMac .049.

 

First Radio Model a Pal Joey from Aeromodeller plans with second hand RCS single channel

 

First proportional a home built Remcon Versaplex in a Sorcerer slope soarer.

 

Then first 'modern' digital proportional, a Waltron 4-5 in a Micro-DB Kestrel

 

First helicopter Micro-mold Lark

 

Edited August 7, 2023 by John Lee

[Frank Skilbeck]

Lots of chuck gliders, but first real build was a Kiel Kraft Dolphin, probably when I was around 12, it flew really well, then a few more FF gliders and rubber models and a diesel.control line, but we never got the engine to run.

 

on starting work after university, I bought a Cambria Capstan to go with my 4 channel 27 meg Futaba set, quickly followed by a Cambria Instructor with a HB25 which I learnt to fly RC in the early 80s with the Woking club.

[John Muir]

KK Eaglet my Dad built in the early to mid sixties, then a Mercury Magpie glider I built myself. These both flew quite well. Then I tried free flight power (Aeromodeller Golden Wings club free plan Humbug), control line (Phantom Mite) and S/C (Veron Mini Robot) with no success at all. Then somewhere around 1973 I bought a Kamco Kadet, OS25 and Skyleader Clubman radio which was built quite quickly but then languished in various houses until the mid eighties when I finally got around to joining a club and learning to fly it. Never looked back after that. Really liked that Kadet.

[john davidson 1]

Age ten built a rubber power Spitfire, painted it with Humbrol enamel and wondered why it woudn't fly. Later came a largish Keilkaft glider which got doped properly, actually got into a thermal once and chased it into the next field  wondering what had got into it. Happy days.

Edited August 7, 2023 by john davidson 1

[Nigel Heather]

A Yamamoto high wing trainer in 1986 or 1987, can't remember exactly.

 

I went to the shop (somewhere near Altrincham) with a list of things I wanted to buy - Yamamoto 4 channel trainer, OS 40FP motor, Futaba Challenger radio kit, glue, covering, wing joining kit etc.

 

But I let shop talk me into two mistakes

 

1. Convinced me to buy the 3 channel version and then buy the aileron wing when I became more confident
2. Convinced me to go for the OS 35FP - they said the 40 was too powerful for beginners

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel

Edited August 7, 2023 by Nigel Heather

[Simon Chaddock]

I too built a KK rubber powered Spitfire aged 9, 68 years ago. Went together well well the balsa was much to hard and heavy for it to fly with the single loop of rubber.

The plane that followed was the KK rubber powered Auster 5. That did fly or at least maintained height for first 10 second of the rubber power which I considered a significant success.

Annoyed at the Spitfire's failure I increased the size by 1.5 and turned it into a control liner with my Mills 75. Never flew that either although I do still have the 65 year old airframe.

At about the same time my Dad drew up plans for a 36" long R101 'stick and tissue' airship which I entered it into the school model making competition. Did not win but later found out the head simply did not believe I could have made it unassisted. It was indeed all my own work but having the advice of a Dad who could and did build almost anything probably gave me an unfair advantage. The episode did rather put me off entering competitions.

[Michael Barclay]

16 hours ago, Paul De Tourtoulon said:

Like the 'Talon' ?, I used to make a couple at a time as they didn't last long, a Russian diesel up front.

The First Bat-wing I built was from a kit like the one in your post. After that I built one a week from the plans and bought in balsa from a model shop in Leeds on Merrion Street. Had to build one a week as we always crashed them on Sunday morning. Used to fly at Burley Park or the playing fields opposite Kirkstall Abbey. Fast and furious flying and building, and great fun. Always drew a small crowd of interesting folk.  Now they would probably be complaining.

Edited August 7, 2023 by Michael Barclay

[David perry 1]

On 06/08/2023 at 19:46, Don Fry said:

Someone bought me a plastic delta, about 10 cm span, lofted by an elastic band. I was about seven. So late 50’s. Hooked. If you launched it upright, (bigger elastic band, power upgrade), it looped, and could debrain the launcher. Angle the launch, it spiralled up. I watched one, caught in a thermal, disappear forever. Magic.

Cheap. 
 

Then I entered this vale of tears, KK CHAMP.

I had one of those. Red i believe...used to fly well or thwack your fingers.  I had a few from the local "bike shop".   Dont really count them.tho