A few of what some think are toys, R/C style.

I shot these a week ago at an IMAC event. It was a 3 day competition but unfortunately the final day (when the freestyle event was going to be judged) was rained out. When you see the size of some of the planes you quickly realize they aren't cheap toys.

The owner of this one wasn't taking any chances when starting his engine. from the looks of the glove it's done it's job several times already.

Nice series of shots. They are indeed very big models, I assume the engines sizes are to big for the use of electric starters ?

So very true. I fly smaller versions of these and they are certainly not cheap.

Great range of pics there - well done and thanks for sharing.

I expected to see some using electric starters but none of those with the bigger planes did so my guess is that too much torque was needed for a rubber to spinner grip. I guess that the rubber nose of the starter simply couldn't turn the engines over against cylinder compression reliably with just a friction grip. Most engines started with just a few flips of the prop but there were a few very stubborn ones. Thanks for the comments, I'll add the links to the 2 albums for those into such things, and need to explain that as an aerobatics competition the flying was done well away from the flight line plus a lot of it was at quite an altitude so flight shot opportunties were limited. Most flying shots are take offs or landings with a few low & slow passes when a landing was aborted. The event itself was very well run, but day 1 was very overcast.

http://picasaweb.googl​e.com …/IMACInTheCapit​ol2009Day1

http://picasaweb.googl​e.com …/IMACInTheCapit​ol2009Day2

The event was billed as the Canadian Championships and hosted by a local club which allows me full access to the flight line but I knew in advance that I wouldn't likely get a lot of shots while they flew their patterns. Pilots were supposed to take off from right to left, but many simply launched with no warning in whatever direction they felt was clear of another plane (if they had that kind of power). I guess they weren't too interested in supplying photo ops, just in getting up in the air & trimming out their planes ready for judging.

haha - you be careful now - that's how I started - I went along to practise my panning techniques for birds in flight and aircraft at airshows - before long I had full flight line access and the guys would pop a few low and slows for me - and then build it up from there - before I knew it I had paid a full membership to the club and was the proud owner of my first plane... I have 5 aircraft now - and still visit the flightline - but rarely with a camera in hand...

Seriously though - you have some lovely shots - see if you can get a couple of links to the organising body and ask if they would pass the links on to the pilots - you could probably generate some sales

Good coverage of the flight line. Nice in the air shots, too?

And I used to think a Webra .61 Blackhead could hurt!

Actually I built & flew for many years, using Heathkit radio systems which became obsolete, but I still own one plane I never got around to flying. A friend is going to lend me his simulator to start back into it and I may buy something decent that's electric to fly here in my yard, which was my flying field years ago.
As for sending the clubs my photo links I've done that since I started attending the events, and made several friends because of it. IMAC has the links on their home page and I also sent them to the different local clubs.
Frank. I remember when a .60 was the biggest common engine size, and most people flew with a .35-.40. The times they have a changed, and the new engines have tremendous power. There was a call over the PA system looking for a 32" X 10" prop, which puts it all into perspective. Very few engines seemed to have any problems turning a big prop at a rather good RPM, and several of the planes could leap off of the ground in about 2 car lengths of take off roll, and immediately climb at about a 60 degree angle. I would have loved to see these pilots doing their freestyle event.
I've been invited to another event on the 22nd which will be for similar sized planes & maybe then I'll get some really good hovers etc. Hopefully that event will see some decent weather.

I built those, too.

I wish we had had those back then. But there were "Buddy" dual controls.

PhotosGuy wrote in post #8438275
But there were "Buddy" dual controls.

My R/C "Instructor's" idea of the Buddy Box:

"HERE, GIMME THAT"

My instructor (who had been my next door neighbor a couple of years before needing the instruction) just got the plane up high enough that I had plenty of time to give him the Tx after a screw up. It changed hands a few times that first week but all in all I got brave enough after that week to do things without him here. I'm looking forward to trying the simulator, and may have a lot of time on my hands to play with it once they operate on my torn achille's tendon. It's not at the top of my list of things to do but at least it will kill some recovery time in a fun way.

I laugh at people who call them "toys." I guess in a way they are, but at what point does all that work go from a toy to something more? It's like a second job.

Nemesismachine wrote in post #8445492
I laugh at people who call them "toys." I guess in a way they are, but at what point does all that work go from a toy to something more? It's like a second job.

If it doesn't pay the bills it's a hobby

If it's a hobby, it's a toy

Price has nothing to do with it.

YMMV...

^^^so says the IRS too

those planes are awesome and so huge. Takes some pretty good pilots.

Nice pics