So what types (flying models) do it for you ?

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Mostly it's the aerobatic ones, Sukhoi, Pitts and the like, oddly enough a Clipped wing Cub fits in there for me.

FW 190 I would love but would have to be 20cc minimum with retracts, none about in my price range and lack of ability excludes a plan built one, I cannot do the scale finish.

Dislikes ? Non really, have built Tiggys, Se5's Nieuport 17s and models across the range and enjoyed them all. Think working long hours and some weekends drew me to the types I like now, they handle winds so my days off never got wasted.

[payneib]

I randomly fell in love with "generic British sport planes". Acrowots, Big Acrowots, the stuff from Galaxy Models. I only started flying them as a method of learning, before I got to scale WW1 projects. Now I'm stuck on them, but the builds are very "samey". 

 

My favourite builds are Old Timers - there's something therapeutic about following plans from 1946, with original notes still on the copy. But they're so boring to fly. 

 

I also love building scale projects, but I very quickly go off the flying with them due to lack of practice. I tend to want to be at my best when there's something I've poured months in to, and flying days seem to be getting fewer and fewer at the moment. 

[Jon H]

A look at my fleet gives a diverse answer

 

Seagull challenger - fly it like you stole it

Hangar 9 pulse, acrowot xl  - sport aerobatics

Stampe and nieuport - slow scale

Piper Tomahawk - Slow civil scale

WWII fighters - Warbird things

Spacewalker - slow and floaty aerobatics

 

I am missing vintage type models, and have a small 2 channel diesel model to build. I also like multi engine models but currently have a vacancy there. 

 

Dislikes are things that go fast and do nothing else, 3d/fun fly stuff i just dont find very enjoyable. 

 

45 minutes ago, john stones 1 - Moderator said:

I cannot do the scale finish.

 

? why so? 

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Just don't have the talent Jon, have built 190s and many a bipe 1/4 scale included, building the airframe and covering I'm fine, the finishing touches I fail everytime.

[Geoff S]

8 minutes ago, john stones 1 - Moderator said:

Just don't have the talent Jon, have built 190s and many a bipe 1/4 scale included, building the airframe and covering I'm fine, the finishing touches I fail everytime.

 Me too.

[payneib]

7 minutes ago, john stones 1 - Moderator said:

Just don't have the talent Jon, have built 190s and many a bipe 1/4 scale included, building the airframe and covering I'm fine, the finishing touches I fail everytime.

That's one of the things I like about WW1 subjects - because you're building a model of something originally constructed out of wood and fabric, using wood and fabric, even "sport scale" is relatively believable without too much extra input. 

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

3 minutes ago, payneib said:

That's one of the things I like about WW1 subjects - because you're building a model of something originally constructed out of wood and fabric, using wood and fabric, even "sport scale" is relatively believable without too much extra input. 

 

Yes but I wanted something special, I gave the 1/4 scale Nieuport a clubmate, he did it justice.

[leccyflyer]

Historically the model aeroplanes that have always done it for me have been funfighter sized warbirds -by which I mean 42"-48" span, 2-3,5lb, semi scale prop driven fighter aeroplanes, which will let you fit several in the car for a trip to the field. Not bothered whether they are balsa or foam, but no fixed gear allowed on aeroplanes with retractable undercarriages. I like taking off and landing as being amongst the most enjoyable part of flying, especially when they go well, so that takes us into the realm of retracts, which are challenging on grass in those model sizes. More recently I've gone up in size a little, seeking that improved ground handling.

 

With that said I also have quite broad tastes in some arenas, do like a bit of slope soaring, have a smattering of well loved sports models in my fleet but, thus far, am pretty light on EDFs, don't do 3D at all, have zero interest in helicopters and quadcopters/drones.  I've got back into vintage models recently and am hugely enjoying the wee Volantex warbirds. Used to do quite a bit of indoor flying, but it doesn't do it for me now and I'd rather fly my small indoor model fleet in the garden on a calm day.

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Usually, it’s whatever I’m flying at the time.  I had lots of fun putting a Lazy Bee through its paces for a clubmate the other week for example. 
 

What don’t I like…?  Zagi type flying wings hold no interest for me and 3D helicopters - I don’t have the dedication or talent to reach any sort of competence there and 3D slots at air shows are the best time to go for a wee or an ice cream…

 

Most satisfaction seems to come from scale flying - aerobatics with my Christen Eagle/Extra, warbird display type routines from WW2 models, low energy WW1 combat manoeuvres and high energy EDF flying - with particular fun recently from formation flying with like-minded clubmates. 

[Adrian Smith 1]

Bigger the better suits me so that at least I can see 'em! 😀 Seriously though, I know it sounds boring but I just love aerobats.

[PDB]

Recently found my sweet spot, small IC models. 👍 Having limited storage space, a small car, flying mainly from small grass strips and liking the sound of an IC engine they suit me perfectly.

 

Having loads of fun with a 32inch foamboard model powered by an OS15 which screams around the sky and handles the turbulent wind at my nearest strip well. 

An Acrowot powered with an OS55 is the largest model I own and can't see myself getting anything bigger. 

 

These are closely followed by small belly landing EDFs.

[Murat Kece 1]

I am still trying to find out.. I built with foam and balsa. I like the larger 50inch plus models. I am now drifting into acrobatic models.. I like Extra200, YAK54 and SU26. FW190 from Richard has also increased my interest in warbirds.. Iam building the Tempest and planning electrifying of  an Airacobra and Hurricane. And I still have the JU88 to build.. Maybe I will give you a more definitive answer in a couple of years..😃

[Brian Cooper]

I embrace broad church of aircraft. 

I have big ones and small ones, fast ones (some very fast ones) and slow, dawdly ones. 

Smallest is a BMFA Dart converted to take ultralight R/C. . Largest ones can have 100+cc engines. 

Scale; 3D; Sport; Fun fly; gliders; bipes; formation; precision aeros; water planes; combat; indoor flyers; slope; fast-and-low;  slow-and-high; Unconventional;  Own designs; Multi engines;  etc., etc., etc.. 

Some are serious, and some are silly. All of them are good fun. 

Basically, if it's got wings on it, I will fly it..... and enjoy flying it. 

 

I have been in this fabulous hobby for about 65 years. . . I just forgot to grow out of it. 

 

However, one thing which has been prevalent with R/C flying during ALL of those years is the vast number of people who never tire of saying, "If you aren't doing it like I do it, then you are doing it wrong."

It seems that that fine, time-honoured, intolerant tradition is, sadly, still alive and well.  🙄

 

We are all in the same hobby.  It is a hobby with many different avenues to explore. None of these avenues is any better or any worse than any other.  We are all individuals and we go where our interests take us. . And we all have our individual styles of flying to go with it. 

Long may it continue.  

 

[GrumpyGnome]

Just about anything that flies really....... but some things do it less for me.

 

I understand these may be exactly the things that are other peoples favourites - good on them! I don't decry then, or the models they choose to fly. I do shake my head and cringe inwardly if models are flown in what I think is in conflict with their type but I try and keep silent - their model, their choice of how they fly it.

 

My log shows that by far the most flights has been on sports 'hacks' - Wots, Double Trouble, Riot. That'll be because they are reliable (I suspect others would be too if actually used more often), and typically easy to fettle and fix.

 

But in my fleet, I have most other stuff, some of which I like more than others... sport, sportscale, monoplanes, biplanes, warbirds, aerobirds, 'pattern', helis, multi-rotors, electric, petrol, glow, gliders.....

[David Davis]

Pretty well anything I've built myself. I get greater pleasure from seeing my Super 60 plod around the sky , defying gravity, than I get from trying to perfect my aerobatics with my ARTF Calmato, fine flyer though it is.

 

I also enjoy restoring old models and reviving gummed up engines. I'm currently working on an OS 40SR.

 

Electric flight does not interest me much but I did enjoy flying my WOT 4 Foam E.

Edited August 12 by David Davis

[Albert Ace]

Se5a, Panic, Wayfarer, Fokker D7,. Pulse , leccy Slec Funfly. Hanger 9 big cub.

Mostly plan or kit built.

We have members in our club who buy a foamy: crash it. But another foamy: crash it. etc etc.......

I would have give up years ago......

[Jon H]

21 hours ago, john stones 1 - Moderator said:

Just don't have the talent Jon, have built 190s and many a bipe 1/4 scale included, building the airframe and covering I'm fine, the finishing touches I fail everytime.

 

The best thing about warbirds is they tend to look better the worse they are finished. The full size were hardly perfect to say the least. As many of the others have said there are neat tricks to getting a decent looking finish. How you quantify decent is up for grabs mind you, as some want to see every rivet head modelled. I salute those who do that work, but i am not entering comps so its simply not required for my stuff. 

[Chris Walby]

Likes

DR1 of WW1 scale flying.. the slower the better

Balsa USA cub ..group flying all doing the same thing...not a lot slowly

Mossie/Tigercat, scale with more energy that fits the model

WooHoo plank and foam models for fun/low cost if you get it wrong

Nice big aerobatics with a sports model

 

Dislikes 

Noisy models for the hell of it

3D with all that blat blat blat throttle pulsing..go electric!

Models flown un-scale something last year at Weston that had a model that looked scale until the pilot kept prop hanging it..Now the hanging turbine with his mate high alpha circling it was a nice touch as its takes real coordinated skill of both pilots

 

Just back from Elvington, some really nice turbine scale flying with none of that scream around the sky trying to see how fast it will go, but some nice big aerobatics. Like the full size! 

[chris collis]

Mainly slope soarers and thermal gliders.A couple of artf’s and from plans,scale gliders but mostly ww2 pss such as 136in Lancasterx2,ov10 bronco,A37 dragonfly,wellington and some others. I try to design some of the prop airframes to be dual purpose so if I fancy flat field I drop in electric motors,takes maybe 30 minutes and go fly. I always build all the wiring in on the assembly of the model so they are plug and play.May as well have as much fun out of the same airframe,save building two of the same model.My only problem now is having a flying buddy to take over the tranny if I lose sight.Had a stroke last year and now partially blind on my left side.hay ho!can’t stop modelling,designing and building.

[Andy Gates]

For me it is a variety.

 

So gliders, 1950, 60, 70's models, WWI, WWII, some fun-fly and some experimental stuff.

 

Most of all, flying these as appropriate to the machine.

 

[Richard Acland]

Anything that I can take home that is stiĺl in one piece.

[Cuban8]

On 11/08/2024 at 21:03, john stones 1 - Moderator said:

Just don't have the talent Jon, have built 190s and many a bipe 1/4 scale included, building the airframe and covering I'm fine, the finishing touches I fail everytime.

I'm the least artistic person that you can imagine, but by sticking to simple themes, copying others, getting the right tools and equipment and using various dodges and tricks (Youtube is youŕ friend here) even I get a few nice comments on my projects.  My new Dennis Bryant Chippy is finished as a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight trainer......all black with RAF roundels and badges printed from the Internet - easy and looks the part even if I say so myself........stand about ten feet away and better still 😀 

Important to not to be too self critical - only a very tiny percentage of us come anywhere near the skill level of the scale comp experts so do one's best and don't get overly hung up on a bit of duff paint that tbh, nobody else is likely to notice.

One of my very best friends whom I've known for years agonises over getting as close to perfection with finishes as he can, it drives him mad when even a tiny fault that he might have missed is there. 

 

Edited August 13 by Cuban8

[Andy Meade]

Usually anything out of the ordinary. Most of my fleet are gliders, so canards and big deltas etc feature heavily.  On the PSS side, I prefer stuff that's rarely modelled and flown in the genre - i.e. F104, Hawker Typhoon, SBD, C17 etc.  There are some modern jets I do like the look of, but mostly my juices get flowing for anything from British WW2 to British Cold War.

 

[Ron Gray]

14 hours ago, Jon H said:

they tend to look better the worse they are finished.

Yup, just look at some of mine!

[Eric Robson]

10 hours ago, Ron Gray said:

Yup, just look at some of mine!

A chap brought a Park zone Hurricane to our field, he bought it 2nd hand. The underside was a horrible light blue gloss colour, I said that looks awful, his reply was " you should have seen it when I bought it, it was almost white underneath and all scruffy, I  couldn't get the marks off it wasn't mud, it was paint." Looking in the retract Wells I asked if that was the colour when he bought it, he said it was to which I pointed out that was the correct colour and the marks were weathering,  he had also repainted the top as the paint work wasn't immaculate.