Hello everyone,
I'm new to this forum and kind of new to free flight modeling. A friend of mine got me into this and I started building just over a year ago.
I did build and fly RC models for a couple decades and designed a couple dozen models. I also designed three different, lazer cut model kits that were in production with a couple companies.
Health issues forced me to quit flying RC over a decade ago but last year I started building free flight models. I'm enjoying working with balsa again.
Cheers!
Rob
Quote from: Robert McKellar on Apr 21, 2026, 01:40 AMHello everyone,
I'm new to this forum and kind of new to free flight modeling. A friend of mine got me into this and I started building just over a year ago.
I did build and fly RC models for a couple decades and designed a couple dozen models. I also designed three different, lazer cut model kits that were in production with a couple companies.
Health issues forced me to quit flying RC over a decade ago but last year I started building free flight models. I'm enjoying working with balsa again.
Cheers!
Rob
Please tell us more of your hobby exploits. I'm curious as to learn how health issues drove you from RC to FF. Normally it is the other way around as running through the vast open fields chasing our models becomes more of an issue as we progress in age.
Welcome Rob.
from yet another Canuck
ian
Quote from: Konrad on Apr 21, 2026, 02:08 AMQuote from: Robert McKellar on Apr 21, 2026, 01:40 AMHello everyone,
I'm new to this forum and kind of new to free flight modeling. A friend of mine got me into this and I started building just over a year ago.
I did build and fly RC models for a couple decades and designed a couple dozen models. I also designed three different, lazer cut model kits that were in production with a couple companies.
Health issues forced me to quit flying RC over a decade ago but last year I started building free flight models. I'm enjoying working with balsa again.
Cheers!
Rob
Please tell us more of your hobby exploits. I'm curious as to learn how health issues drove you from RC to FF. Normally it is the other way around as running through the vast open fields chasing our models becomes more of an issue as we progress in age.
It may be possible to address such concerns by choosing scale subjects such as the Barling Bomber* and by using oak instead of balsa. ;-)
*Three wings, six engines, lots of struts and wires and too many wheels. OTOH, it might be able to stay up the way some helicopters do. They're so ugly that the Earth rejects them.
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I've noticed that long RC soaring flights make my neck hurt more than they used to. Not usually a problem in free flight, though I once watched a 6 foot, rubber powered Beardmore Inflexible fly around, high overhead, for thirty or forty minutes.
Quote from: lincoln on Apr 21, 2026, 09:38 AMIt may be possible to address such concerns by choosing scale subjects such as the Barling Bomber* and by using oak instead of balsa. ;-)
*Three wings, six engines, lots of struts and wires and too many wheels. OTOH, it might be able to stay up the way some helicopters do. They're so ugly that the Earth rejects them.
---------
I've noticed that long RC soaring flights make my neck hurt more than they used to. Not usually a problem in free flight, though I once watched a 6 foot, rubber powered Beardmore Inflexible fly around, high overhead, for thirty or forty minutes.
LOL.
That might be one perspective.
Welcome Robert.
"quit flying RC over a decade ago but last year I started building free flight models. I'm enjoying working with balsa again." 8) Glad to have you here enjoying balsa.
There seems to be a lot of guys discovering the real joy of free flight balsa, and all of the flight theory invovled. I sure have. :)
I'm looking forward to your builds and flight reports.
Lastwoodsman
Richard
Thanks for the warm welcome everyone!
Here's a link with photos of my previous RC builds:
https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/thumbgallery.php?do=showattach&u=31105
Everything there was either scratch built from my plans or built from my laser cut kits (Avro Arrow, Gee Bee Z and my Parkmaster-park flyer). Those kits are no longer available as they didn't sell well enough to make it worthwhile.
My health issue is chronic daily migraines which make me very sensitive to light so I don't like going outside during the day.
I'm now a member of an indoor flying club that meets weekly. I don't make it out very often but I love scratch building.
Cheers!
Rob
Wow!
Love the craftsmanship you demonstrate in your RC builds!
Sorry to learn of your chronic migraines. Glad you figured out the trigger. My trigger was often the flicker of indoor lights (60Hz).
Welcome Robert. What a collection of models!
John
Ouch! My wife has migraines and I know they can be very nasty. She's had significant improvement from medications, though YMMV.
It wouldn't be very scale, but have you tried flying at night with LEDs inside your models to make them glow? I haven't flown it in years, but I have a model I've flown at night with two LEDs shining on the translucent wings. I think the lights only added a gram or two, but the model already had a battery. Have also flown it at well lit parking lots without the LEDs.
There's also the Las Vegas Radian*, if you're totally shameless.
*aka Night Radian