Some RC History

[brettbrandon]

I just came across this and found it very interesting and informative.
Could you picture wearing vacuum tube powered goggles...

 

[RadioFlyerMan]

I just came across this and found it very interesting and informative.
Could you picture wearing vacuum tube powered goggles...

Maybe you're not old enough, but do you remember tube powered single channel Min X transmitter, superegen receivers and Bonner escapement powered by a rubber band? That was me. Rudder only!

I was thinking of setting this antique radio equipment on a display stand and get it going. Only problem is that it will receive today's extraneous signals that weren't around when I was 14 years old.

 

[old man mavic]

when i see the old stuff it makes me feel so lucky to have had digital proportional radio what a leap that was

 

[scott rand]

I just came across this and found it very interesting and informative.
Could you picture wearing vacuum tube powered goggles...

Wish I could like this 1000 times. This is just the type of radio controlled planes/drones type of history that I absolutely love !

I remember seeing a video on youtube about 10-12 years ago, of a model plane with a camera attached to it, and I thought, man I'd like one of these one day. The video was obviously prehistoric compared to today's camera drones, but the point of view is what interested me. LOVE drone or radio controlled plane history, just find it fascinating.

I never had a radio controlled plane, my flying started with drones in 2016, but who here remembers when the model planes were powered by gasoline ? Pre-lithium batteries. I never had one, but always thought they were cool.

 

[Thomas B]

Wish I could like this 1000 times. This is just the type of radio controlled planes/drones type of history that I absolutely love !

I remember seeing a video on youtube about 10-12 years ago, of a model plane with a camera attached to it, and I thought, man I'd like one of these one day. The video was obviously prehistoric compared to today's camera drones, but the point of view is what interested me. LOVE drone or radio controlled plane history, just find it fascinating.

I never had a radio controlled plane, my flying started with drones in 2016, but who here remembers when the model planes were powered by gasoline ? Pre-lithium batteries. I never had one, but always thought they were cool.

Had a 1/30 scale combustion powered and string controlled P52 in 1959... a lot of fun, but I’m still dizzy!
Now back on topic....

 

[scott rand]

Had a 1/30 scale combustion powered and string controlled P52 in 1959... a lot of fun, but I’m still dizzy!

Man that's extremely cool. My mom always said drones are just modern day kites. And if you remember flying kites as a kid, it sure was fun.

 

[RadioFlyerMan]

but who here remembers when the model planes were powered by gasoline ?

Got a couple in the attic. They were my dad's... Society of Antique Modellers (SAM). Spark ignition, oil and gas mixture.

 

[Dave Maine]

Grew up flying control line acrobatic aircraft, free flight gas powered, aerial combat, and others. It was all wonderful, as are the drones now. The biggest best addition for me was the 4K video camera with esc modulated camera gimbal.

 

[Dave Maine]

Ps many more crashes then than now. An airframe was very lucky to last a season. Winters were spend repairing or building new ones.

 

[Gindra]

Glow plugs. Balsa wood. Dope (when dope was a kind of paint!). And as @Thomas B said, Dizzy!

 

[Bobvt]

Wish I could like this 1000 times. This is just the type of radio controlled planes/drones type of history that I absolutely love !

I remember seeing a video on youtube about 10-12 years ago, of a model plane with a camera attached to it, and I thought, man I'd like one of these one day. The video was obviously prehistoric compared to today's camera drones, but the point of view is what interested me. LOVE drone or radio controlled plane history, just find it fascinating.

I never had a radio controlled plane, my flying started with drones in 2016, but who here remembers when the model planes were powered by gasoline ? Pre-lithium batteries. I never had one, but always thought they were cool.

My dad had a plastic p40 flying tiger gas plane tethered to the 2 lines and went around in circles,this was 1958,I was too small to operate but I helped start it with a battery and alligator clips.Thought it was pretty cool.

 

[Bobvt]

Had a 1/30 scale combustion powered and string controlled P52 in 1959... a lot of fun, but I’m still dizzy!
Now back on topic....

Do you mean a p51 mustang?My dad flew them in ww2,actually got shot down in one.

 

[Thomas B]

Do you mean a p51 mustang?My dad flew them in ww2,actually got shot down in one.

Yea P51... I fat-fingered that.