Mitch Cronin Posted June 13, 2004 Share Posted June 13, 2004 Not sure what success this machine had in the real world, (I guess it's long since outdated by now?) but it sure has been an enduringly popular design among the remote controlled aircraft crowd. Something about it's design that the guys who fly them find very appealing. "Crisp response" (among other things), they say.... ...at least they're not all still covering them exactly as shown on the box with "BlueHawk" on the side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Cronin Posted June 13, 2004 Author Share Posted June 13, 2004 For aesthetics in a biplane, I prefer the rounded features and smoother lines of this a/c myself: A Skybolt... For those who scoff at these toys... how many airplanes have you "flown" that can stand still (with some torque roll) with their noses pointed straight up, and then accelerate? (all of those pictured here, with the possible exception of that smaller Ultimate, will do so... My little Black Beast there is the most powerful of the bunch, powered by a little 4-stroke 2.5 hp 1.5 cu/in (25cc) engine ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Coastwatcher Posted June 13, 2004 Share Posted June 13, 2004 Where do you fly the wee beasties? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Cronin Posted June 13, 2004 Author Share Posted June 13, 2004 Any wide open field will do... but there are "clubs" who teach and arrange "fun fly" events and what-not... I learned the hard way without instruction (over a period of a few years and several crashes and rebuilds) on a gravel road in front of where I lived... then migrated to a friends field. Lots of people find sod farms and make arrangements with the owners... Some folks add floats and then any lake or pond works. It's good for a yuk. Interesting range of folks that find an interest in the hobby... from rich to poor, ...older retired everybody's to the very young and anyone in between. All seem to have a fascination for airplanes in common. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sustainable Posted June 13, 2004 Share Posted June 13, 2004 A much less expensive way to learn, and sooooo much fun. http://www.realflight.com/ sustainable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canus Chinookus Posted June 13, 2004 Share Posted June 13, 2004 I'm guessing here, but maybe the popularity of the biplane is because it's so much slower than a monoplane. It doesn't take long to have trouble seeing what your plane is doing if it's fast... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Cronin Posted June 13, 2004 Author Share Posted June 13, 2004 Reasonable guess, but in the rc versions, the biplanes are more of a handfull... I think they're popular mostly because of their behavior... They respond exceptionally well to all input, usually doing exactly what they're told. (which is what makes them a wee bit of a handfull for the lesser experienced folk) Most are well powered and usually almost as fast as similar sized monoplanes. They do slow down, right-now-like, when throttle is chopped, so that can be a bit challenging for some during landing... especially with a three blade prop (most use 2 blades). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest StuckinTO Posted June 14, 2004 Share Posted June 14, 2004 Thanks, Mitch ... this is just what I need, something to spend more money on! Well, now that you caught my attention, is that "Black Beast" yours? I used to fly R/C and I loved it ... then I bought a computer and since my finances couldn't support two bottomless money pits, I stayed with the computer. I would, however, love to get back into the R/C models again though. Where would a guy have to go to find a field from the Woodbridge area? Also, what is the majority type of flying in this area ... sport, scale or pattern? I always wanted a Pitts Special but got caught up in the pattern and never got around to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinnaker Posted June 14, 2004 Share Posted June 14, 2004 http://airraceaddict.tripod.com/airshowpg2.html That's a link to Joann Osterud's Ultimate Bi Plane. I had the chance to hold the ribbon bars with another airshow voulenteer who didn't get danger pay either. The best seat in the house that day was watching the Ultimate go by, inverted, cutting a ribbon 10 feet above the runway. The sad part is, no Airshow has impressed me since Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Cronin Posted June 14, 2004 Author Share Posted June 14, 2004 StuckinTO, If you give me a sec, I'll find a web forum for RC nuts where you can learn where all the clubs near you might be... http://www.rccanada.ca/bb/index.php There, try that. Yessir, that little beastie be mine... I haven't flown it in a little over a year now, but she's tempting me.... (way "overpowered", if you believe such a thing is possible... I don't, untill I'm flyin' it!) I'd guess, from what I've seen in this area, that sport flying and just having a gas is the most popular sort ... but I have seen some scale and pattern nuts around too. Spinnaker, I tried about a dozen times to fly these little buggers... got discouraged after about the 12th crash requiring about the 6th major rebuild of the second airplane... gave up for a couple years.... then a friend of mine took me to an rc airshow! I was hooked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Cronin Posted June 14, 2004 Author Share Posted June 14, 2004 Alt*.... Something gives me a hunch there might be a fellow right here who's flown that very machine in that last picture.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest StuckinTO Posted June 14, 2004 Share Posted June 14, 2004 Thanks for the link, Mitch. I just browsed for a couple of minutes and I found a name that I used to fly with 18 years ago. I'm sure I'll find a few others. Maybe we'll meet up at a field one of these days soon. I'd love to see your "beast" take to the air. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ram_Man Posted June 14, 2004 Share Posted June 14, 2004 Thought I'd make mention of the full size Ultimate, the brainchild of Air Canada DC-9 Captain and Canadian aerobatic champ of the 80's Gordon Price. Bit of an article here on the full size aircraft by well known aircraft photographer and pilot Budd Davison from Model Airplane News. Ultimate Bipe Had the pleasure of meeting Gord several times in YQT when in command of the DC-9. Cool guy. Even have an autographed poster of him flying his Pitts Special (before the Ultimate) inverted past the CN Tower in the early 80's. Cheers, Tom Fly R/C at North of Superior Flyers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Cronin Posted June 14, 2004 Author Share Posted June 14, 2004 My initial post was an attempt to draw someone into the conversation... I never met Gord Price... (heard he was flying 47's last?) Though I've seen him fly, and I have met his son... nice guy. Now where else have I seen that name, "Bluehawk"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alt* Posted June 14, 2004 Share Posted June 14, 2004 Alt*.... Something gives me a hunch there might be a fellow right here who's flown that very machine in that last picture.... Uh, nope sorry not me Mitch. Wish I had though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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