After flying electric motors for several years, one day I decided to try my hand with a gas engine. Built a really sweet Cesna to put the expensive gas engine in. Spent 6 months building, sanding, glueing, breaking in the engine, adjusting controls, everything.
Got to the park for her madien voyage. Spun the prop with the chicken stick, got her running, took off like a dream.
Then the nightmare began. None of my controls worked on my radio. Couldnt adjust throttle, turn it, rudders, nothing! So there I stood, crazy look on my face, as I watched my plane fly over the trees destined for where no man has gone before. Full fuel tank. I still don't know where she landed, but you could hear it for almost 10 mintues. Someone out there got a really nice engine, servos, and reciever.
Man that sucked.
Oh yeah, cant forget about the P51 Mustang that I built. Put the elevator servo on backwards. Hand launched this one first time and she did a straight nose dive. Styrofoam plane, broke into a million pieces.
My buddy Corey has a picture of me in mid-kick when my bi-plane's wings got ripped off by a huge wind gust. Drop-kicked that plane across the football field.
Yeah, the stories just go on and on and on... Yet I still miss doing it.
Sean Kelly