Lets go down memory lane Part 4

In the early 70’s we flew off 27 megs. Unfortunately everybody else used the same band, Winchester Hill gliders, Citizens Band and the whole of the south coast boating fraternity with their cheap ship to shore radio’s. This often caused more than a little excitement on the flying field. We devised a system of checks before take off as follows :-
Having secured the Peg you stood over your model with the aerial down and switched on the tranny followed by the receiver. Checked that all servo’s were performing, walk 20 ft away, aerial still down, to ensure that signal strength was still OK.. Tranny was then switched off & we waited to hear any glitches and/or twitters came from the model. If No! it was OK to fly. Simple, Yes ???
We had heard on the club grapevine, as you do, a certain modeler was building this scale, class 1 1930 low wing monoplane and it was going to be the acme of perfection. We waited and waited, about 10 months from memory, and then it appeared. In the words of Pop Larkin, it was perfic. The most classical model I have ever seen, it took your breath away. The proud owner, deservedly so, went through the above procedure, fired it up, a 40.s engine, I think. A member held the tail, we all held our breath, the owner nodded and the model made a text book take off. A slow, straight climb towards the trees at the end of the field. We were all waiting for the turn but became more aware of the owner running after his model, desperately trying  to extend his aerial. Needless to say, the tree collected the model and we all helped, with tears in our eyes, to collect the bucket of bits.
And now for the Grand Daddy of all!!! I mentioned in Part 1 that my first fly was with Don Eades Mirakardo, it was love at first sight. He  decided to retire it a couple of years later but it took very large levers to prise it from him and some cash, I might add.  I bribed the wife to re-finish it in a two part epoxy paint job and fitted my HP Hintenberg 40 engine and futaba servo’s identical to Dons original installation. We tried a field near Bordon Camp that Sunday. All checks were made and for old times sake I asked Don to trim it out. As usual it did 4 low fast passes, climbed out, half roll of the top and back at full chat. In the groove, you might say. Hand over, thanks Don, and I proceeded to do low fast passes, climb to, say 50/60 ft half roll and barrel back down for the pass. After 4 passes, rolled off the top, headed for the strip, and she kept coming and coming and coming. No amount of  “UP” worked and she buried herself and left a 25 ft swath across the patch.
She did’nt need a bucket for the bits, a sandwich box was big enough. The engine had to be dug out of a 6″ deep hole moistened by Don and my tears. It makes you wonder about ownership and the forces around us. The only consolation I had was all the gear still worked and the engine after a total strip down.
Thats all for now. the next one will be the last one!! Thank God I hear you all say.