[Spitball]

People and planes??
I'm rather sad to see the fall-off of interest in posts on this topic; being an old timer myself I was enjoying all that was written on the subject and was instrumental, along with others, in persuading Jason to create it. I'm not able to be very active in this facet of modelling but love old timers and swear I'll build my favourite, the Brigidier (not really spelled wrong, that's the way the original plan spelled it, I believe!) even if (heaven forbid) I have to electrify it. Replica kit is up in the closet! But I would have loved to have put in it my pristine old Ohlsson 23 ignition I acquired for it many years ago!
So please let us hear a bit more from all those who enjoy Ol' Timers, even if they're not ol' timers themselves. Amen.

[williame3590]

Lots of guy's flying the oldtimers Spitball just not many online to discuss it. RC Groups has a very active Nastalgia forum, anything and everything you need to know.
I'm hoping it will pick up here in the future but who knows. I will try and do some video this year but flying alone most of the time makes that a little tricky. After a hectic day or week at work there's nothing like an 8ft oldtimer floating around with a vintage four stroke puttin along.
You only land when you get tired, have to take a leak or fly a different one

regards Bill
ps if your ever in the Caledonia area drop in.

[TLyttle]

I noticed right away that "Old Timers" seemed to be restricted to gassies, and that rubber models need not apply. I had a Long Cabin for some years, enjoyed it immensely, ran some old diesels in it.

However, I really enjoy building other stuff as well. At the moment I am building a Boeing B9 from a 1932 UMAN magazine; it was originally rubber power, now converting it to electric, as a freeflight model. I really don't think those on this site would have any interest in such a project, as "r/c" would seem to be the qualifier...

[williame3590]

Free flight with the old ignition motors would be great if you had a place to fly them. Just sport flying these old designs is alot of fun and you can kill your motor when ever you like. Everything changes and generally for the better.
Mr. Lyttle we would be very interested in anything vintage you are building and flying including rubber. I have a Long Cabin ready for a test flight and I'm hoping I have not underpowered it with a 26fs. Should be fun


Bill

[Spitball]

Thanks for the responses, guys. Actually 'Old Timers' and 'R/C' is a bit of an oxymoron (is that the right word?) but R/C assist to keep your craft in the same field is a good idea.
But surely any model that can be thought of as vintage is of interest to all of us who care where it all started? Please continue to share with us all your projects, be they PlayBoys, Brigidiers, Comet Sparkies or even Megow Spitballs!

[TLyttle]

My Long Cabin never had any more than a 3.5 (.21) in it, and it was fine; most of the time it ran a 2.5 diesel. It was no skyrocket, but it made a great trainer. It would thermal easily, keeping up with quite a few of the contemporary sailplanes. My next move will be to build a smaller one for Speed400, but I am torn between the Long Cabin and the Weathers Westerner...

Here is a pic of the B9 under construction; ruler gives an idea of scale. Power is a pair of Mini4s, and three 110mA batteries. Didn't get covered before flying season hit!

[TLyttle]

Wow, hard to get a word in edgewise here... Everyone is out flying, I guess.

On another site, far, far away, the subject of beginners not wanting to build came up. I mentioned that the recommended first model for Air Cadets in the 40s was the Junior Commercial. Can you imagine handing a teen the kit that built up into this, and the reaction you would get?

[Denmac]

Originally Posted by TLyttle

Wow, hard to get a word in edgewise here... Everyone is out flying, I guess.

On another site, far, far away, the subject of beginners not wanting to build came up. I mentioned that the recommended first model for Air Cadets in the 40s was the Junior Commercial. Can you imagine handing a teen the kit that built up into this, and the reaction you would get?

Absolutely great. Boy , that little plane ,(rubber Jobby) bought back some great memories.
I was in the A.T.C. for many years, and we used to start our Kadets off, with Ist, the Kiekraft achilies, about 30 inch span,(something like the one you show) then we moved on to the larger 36 inch "Ajax" also by Keil. After that, it was anything goes. All with a view to moving up to "Wakefield " Class.
Then this really sorted out the keen flyers among us. I can remember my 1st Wakefield plane, built from Aeromodeler plans, called the "IBIS' All made from "Obechi" wood framing, Balsa was very , very scarce, almost non-existant, in those days. When you did manage to get some, it was as Hard as rocks as well. Called "Solarbo", brand name. It was junk for many years, because of W.W.2. going on. Hope the quallity came back up to par.
Rubber was the other very scarce thing too, very poor quality. I can remember putting about 400 turns onto the prop winding, but when I let go the prop, it never moved ??, the rubber had stretched so bad. Yes just a few challenges in those days. I bet there are few Modeller's out there still, that can relate to what I have said. Those were the days.
Then later a company named "Caton" started selling rubber that was very good stuff. Expensive, but really made a difference.
Hope My rambling has stired a few good memories up. Keep this nostalgia stuff going boys.
Take care everyone. Dennis.

[TLyttle]

I guess this c/l model is not really an "Old Timer", but I don't know what the cutoff is for c/l. My first model after I learned to fly on a Firebaby was a Joy Products (now Balsa USA) Stunt Runt. I spent some time looking for plans without success, then I noticed that Blackhawk Models was offering a "Navy Fighter", based on the Stunt Runt; I ordered one immediately. Once I got the kit, I notice some differences, such as a plastic cowl etc. Reshaping the fuselage was easy (using an old ad for the 'Runt), and here's the result. 1952 is just a few hours away! This time I will use my PAW55 instead of my all-sound-no-fury OK Cub...

[valhalla]

I ordered two sets of plans for the Cleveland Condor glider, if that counts for anything. Hoping to build one over the winter.

This is the plane my Dad used to describe to me when I was a boy. When he was a lad, he and his friends built them and launched them over a gravel pit. The gliders would catch thermals and the boys would run across the countryside. Sometimes they would get the glider back, somtimes the glider just kept on going up there.