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My
first experience of indoor flying was gained during our Easter Sunday
event and I was so enthralled from the first moment I saw these graceful
models in the air that I changed my spectator badge for a flyer badge
and spent the next three hours trying not to damage any of Brian Bakers
models beyond repair.
When, soon after I heard that 'Roger and his gang' were going to the
indoor nationals and realising Lionel would not be with them this year,
I immediately put my peg on the vacant slot and laid claim to the co-pilots
seat.
On the big day, I duly presented myself at Catesby house on the dot
of the appointed 08:20, in my mind looking resplendent with my Marks
& Spencer green and white plastic bag holding my pristine electric
powered Hangar Rat. ( I never said I was a purist ) Roger, upon spotting
what I now realise was a less than practical mode of indoor model transport,
advised that it would be unwise of me to put it in the back of the car
alongside his model box ( actually more like a P&O cabin trunk )
and suggested I carry it on my knee until Merv and Vince had stowed
their boxes when we could look for somewhere safe to put my M&S
bag. ( I think he really wanted to hide it )
So, ready for the off, into first gear - CRACK - who would have thought
that first gear of an Audi was so far over towards the passenger seat?
Cautiously peeping into the bag I saw that I now had two (smaller) wings
and a detachable tail-plane. Luckily I also had some glue.
We arrive a few minutes later at our first pick-up, Merv's house and
Roger goes up and knocks on the door. Then rings the bell. Then knocks
on the door again, rings the bell again then peers through the front
window before returning to the car mumbling something about people being
'inconsiderate' and it would be the last time he volunteered to be chauffeur.
Relenting a little (he must be softening as he gets older) Roger said
he would give it one more try and if there was still no answer "we
would be off". Knock Knock ... ring ring ..... then clearly in
frustration BANG BANG. Still no sign of movement, so back to the car
(mumble mumble), start the engine, look in mirror before pulling out,
but wait ...... "isn't that Merv waving to us from down the street?"
...... "Ooops - Merv, get in quick before they find their dressing
gowns and shotgun shells" - and off we zoom to pick up Vince -
who thankfully had the presence of mind to live where roger thought
he should live.
Now, with all on board we are on the motorway and proceeding Northwards
to Nottingham at a sedate (in Rogers opinion) 85mph. That is until two
Volkswagens had the audacity to pass an Audi and off we went at a rate
considerably faster than Rogers 'sedate' 85mph for our white-knuckle
experience of the day.
Arriving at the event a lot earlier (and some pounds lighter) than we
expected, we proceeded to set up our tables in the 'also ran's' flying
room and I could not wait to show off my electric powered conversion.
Out it came, glued it back together, a cautious 20 second charge, closed
my eyes and let it go. To my surprise (and I think everyone else's)
it flew quite well, but in very tight 10ft diameter circles until it
ran out of juice and then flew in much wider and more pleasing circles
until it made a graceful and perfect landing.
Back at the table, Merv advised me that my problem was that I had insufficient
engine side thrust on the motor. As I had fixed it in position really
well, all I could think of to alleviate the problem there and then was
to add some rudder to increase the diameter of the powered circle.
Right idea! wrong application, as I gave too much rudder and the resultant
circle was so wide it flew under full power - SPLAT - straight into
the wall, which proved much more resilient than my Hangar Rat.
My problems were not over yet: When I was walking back to the table
with my bits and pieces - SMACK - a much heavier-than-air CO² powered
'thingy' traveling at what must have been close to mach 1 smacked me
straight between the eyes (really). Sufficient to draw a considerable
flow of blood and concerned questions as to what had happened when I
staggered back to the gang.
However, as is often the case, some good did come out of it as it enabled
me to elevate my status in this august aero-modelling fraternity by
announcing, to anyone that even looked in my direction, that I had received
my injury through "walking into a rotating aircraft propeller!"
Undeterred at the loss of my one flying object and being aware Carolyn
had given me my weeks 'spendo' before leaving home, I hot footed it
to the trade counter. (now resplendent in my impressive kamikaze style
blood stained headscarf) to see what RTF (as opposed to ARTF) models
they had.
Here I received my first admonishment of the day, when a woman (I think
it woman as it was wearing a skirt) behind the counter pounced on me
when I opened a box containing an ICARA Butterfly to see which of the
various colours it was, saying I should not open the boxes of this model
as I could damage then by doing so - I guess there was some sort of
message that went right over my head. Anyway undeterred I blew all but
5 pence of my 'spendo' (which hasn't increased since 1967), dashed back
to the flying room eager to get back in the air and spent the requisite
2 minutes putting it together.
Learning from my earlier mistake, I decided to test fly it first without
power, which proved to be a wise choice as it was clearly tail heavy,
having not pushed the tail boom far enough into the small plastic tube.
Simple to correct, just push the adjustable 1/16" square balsa
tail boom in a little and -SNAP- I had broken the b---y thing. Believe
me, I can tell you that these indoor flying jobbies are nowhere near
as resilient as your 60 powered glass and foam pattern ships. Whilst
I am waiting for the glue to dry, I decide I would walk to the other
end of the room to where the NMAC 'elite' were ensconced, to watch Brian
Baker flying his Junior 60 and Spook. (with wheels - Bill) What a pleasure
to watch such beauty (sorry Brian I was referring to the models) and
admire the modelling skills required to create them - I stood there
for several minutes in envy and truly mesmerised.
Whilst down at that end of the hall, I looked up in amazement to see
a 12" wingspan, rubber powered Cessna looking 'foamie' towing behind
it a realistic looking glider on a gossamer thin 1-metre towline. This
sight became even more wondrous as, when the tugs rubber motor ran down
the glider overhauled the tug and slipped the towline, resulting in
the two aircraft circling gently and independently back to terra firma
to make two perfect landings. Just as I was getting over this, up goes
a rubber powered helicopter. Yes a rubber powered helicopter that circled
the room, with it's tail boom straight behind it all the time. When
it ran out of power it landed as gentle and natural as can be. I am
sorry, I cannot tell you how the owner engineered this feat because
just as I was going to have a look up goes an immaculate 6" wingspan
scale P51 Mustang, later being informed it weighed only 3 grams, that
flew around the room perfectly and so fast it was difficult to keep
up with it. But fascinatingly, when it ran out of power it slowed and
remained stable enough to make a gentle and perfect landing.
And there's more. Being not too far from the Nationals room I popped
in just in time to see the pylon racing. Yes rubber powered free flight
models in a pylon race. Zooming around 4 tethered balloons, stood right
on their wingtips describing 20ft diameter circles, before flattening
out on loss of power to make perfect landings. Only to be grabbed by
the two man team, rewound and thrown into the air again and again. And
we think we can trim aircraft.
Anyway, enough of 'the truly gifted' and back to the more mundane reality
of the rest of us.
When I was watching Brian fly one of his creations, I noticed a 'winder'
on his table was a 15:1 ratio, when ours (ok Rogers) was only 5:1. So
I grabbed my re-glued Butterfly and sneaked a wind only to receive my
second admonishment of the day, this time from Mr Groves. It would appear
I was turning the (his) winders handle too fast and as a result I would
wear it out. So duly admonished back I went to our 5:1'er.
With the C of G now sorted out, I gave the Butterfly prop 200 turns,
let it go and off it went in a very gentle spiral using all the width
of the room, right up to the rafters. Just before it went 'a rafter
too far' the motor exhausted and it spiraled down just as gently to
make a perfect and safe landing - pure joy. But not for long. Before
I could retrieve it a big-footed Goon who was walking backwards admiring
his model fly, stepped back right onto it and -CRUNCH- for the third
time that day, and now I was out of models.
However, Roger saved the day and me having to ask Steve Jones, my private
banker, if I could (again) borrow some money to buy something to fly,
by just at that moment declaring it was time to head off home which
was fortunately passed without further incident.
Do you believe that? - "No I don't believe that" I hear you
shout - and you are absolutely right.
Dear old Roger loads the car, with the remains of my Hangar Rat in the
proverbial 'safe place' only to hear yet one final -CRUCH- as his P&O
size cabin trunk tipped over when we took the first bend, ensuring that
I returned home with more pieces of Hangar Rat than I had when I first
opened the box.
So all in all an eventful day and on spite of my little problems and
mishaps, one I would not have missed for the world. If you have not
yet had a go at this indoor flying side of our hobby I warn you to think
long and hard before you do. It may prove to be 'Addictive and Hazardous
to your health'
PS
I trust you will be pleased to hear that the Hangar Rat & Butterfly
are now restored to their former glory and are hanging on my workshop
wall (out of harms way) - alongside two new creations, ready and waiting
my next sojourn into the fascinating and captivating world of indoor
model flying.
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