Thoughts from the workbench of Radical RC. The online retailer of electronics and kits for radio control aircraft. Dave Thacker shares his thoughts and knowledge of electronics, batteries, kit design and overall enjoyment of the hobby.
Any time you think what you seen in your world experience is new, you should probably sit back and think again. Few things are new. Most things are just repeated visits to old idea’s. Sometimes the technology has changed making something simpler or better.
The VZ-7 flew from 1958 to 1960, however it failed to meet with Army standards and was returned to the the company. Apparently you can see this machine at the the Fort Rucker United States Army Aviation Museum.
I wonder when the description “Quad-Copter” was coined?
The following photo and description is from Frank Beafore of Select Tech GeoSpatial. Frank has become a modeling enthusiast and UAV manufacturer as well. It appears to be an example of the first ever electric powered RC helicopter that was manufactured for general sale to the public. It’s an interesting unit. If you know more about it or the history of hobbiest early electric helicopters, please stick in a comment.
First Electric Heli
Dave/Lisa
Attached is a photo of the first electric RC helicopter offered to model builders back in 1981. It was manufactured by Ishimasa Co, LTD, Tokyo. It used NiCad batteries with less than a 2 min. flight time. To train on it, you needed a 25 foot umbilical to supply current to keep it going. The tail rotor was coupled to the main drive via a fragile rubber belt that broke in mid flight. I do not think that it was 3-D capable.
I was lucky to get all the spare parts and the original instructions.
Cheers – FB
Below is a link to a website dedicated to Vintage RC Helicopters with lot’s of photo’s of this kit.
Hear and see two classics flying together. Great demonstration and audio of radial throttle by ignition. I think I could find a better way to remove the wheel chocks, how about you? 😉
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Now what self respecting modeler hasn’t wanted to build a pulse jet? What a fun power system that would be. Video is an entertaining primer on the subject. Lots of fun video’s follow.
Looking down the throat for a real one running with modern video and sound equipment.
Below is a video of a Dynajet running. I’ve heard these on control line models at the Dayton Buzzin Buzzards speed dash contest. They make the loudest sound I have ever heard in my life. Imagine this whirling around your head at 200mph!
Below is a film from the 2008 UK Nats. Notice the pole he’s holding on to.
Paul Maddox Jets:
And of course, no coverage of pulse jets would be complete without an amphibious kayak race against a world class Olympic athlete. I am wondering if this pulse jet was the last thing this athlete ever heard. No hearing protection!
This is an astonishing 15 minute video. However, took me longer than that to watch because I had to hear and see a few things over. It’s beautiful. It’s a real lesson on what a WWI could do, size of maneuvers and everything. Take heart next time you get to fly a model of one of these beauty’s. Enjoy!
A company designed a flying car called the Mizar around a Ford Pinto and a the wings, tail and pusher engine of a Cessna Skymaster.
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Here is the promo video for this intrepid product:
The designer Smolinski and his associate, Harold Blake, were killed in the resulting fiery crash. See the wiki page HERE. It’s reported there were 2 completed and 3 others under construction. I wonder if under some dusty cover somewhere there is another the Mizar Air Car?
The Aircraft/Car dream has been attempted many times, maybe you remember the Moller Skycar. Like so many others, it offered great promise to investors yet is reported to have never done anything but tethered hover tests in 2003. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against this or any other concept. In fact, I have some “kook in the garage” sketches of my own ideas for a garage-able flying car. I don’t doubt any nut-crackers* sincerity here, just recognizing the useful and acceptable shape of a car isn’t a very friendly shape for an aircraft.
At this moment I’m watching the Discovery Channels 2 hours of coverage for Felix Baumgartners record atempt. Evidently to set many records including first mach 1 jump, highest jump, highest baloon flight and longest free fall. I’m just wondering why they don’t have some interesting characters to add commentary. Imagine a round table with a pro jumper, NASA astronuat, SR-71 pilot, high altitude expersuch as an Everest climber. What a round table that would be discussing all the problems and technology involved in a record attempt like that.
I hope it is a success. I can’t help but wonder wahy the capsule turns slowly up at such high altitude. There must be an air movement difference from top to bottom of the rig? Looking out, it’s not blue, it’s black form this altitude. That’s pretty high. 104k feet at this moment, over 31 miles. Getting clost, he’s jumping at about 120k.
UPDATE
MISSION COMPLETE!
During free fall Felix seemed to be comoplaning his visor was fogged up. I think he was wanting them to give him more altitude updates. Might have been too high to open the visor at the them time. There was no forthcomming info from MIssion Control, so he popped the chute about 10-15 seconds short of the the free fall record. However, still a super successfull record attempt with many other records sure to be moved up. At this moment, the Capsule is still floating down under it’s chute. I”m sure all this will find it’s way to the Smithsonian soon.
To my question about why the balloon turns in such a thin atmosphere, I’ve thought of my own answer. Depending on the time you were watching, the balloon was rising from 10-20 feet per second. So, in effect it’s rising vertical into a wind of that speed. The balloon being an odd shape would be effected by that much air moving around it. As it got higher and higher, the air got thinner and thinner, the balloon getting more regular in shape (less lumpy more bulb like) the balloon/capsule unit twisted about less and less. So there you go.
I’ve often thought of a bucketlist project of making a slow indoor flyer out of the worlds most improbable subjet, the F-104 Starfighter. There is this problem of driving past one every day on the way into Radical RC.
Capt. Joseph B. Jordan, flying a Lockheed F-104C Starfighter set a new altitude record when he reached 103,395.5 ft over the Edwards AFB. Flight Test Center California. During this flight, Capt. Jordan reached 98,424 ft 930,000 m) in only 15 minutes 4.92 seconds. This was the first aircraft taking off on its own power to reach the 30,000 m and 100,000 ft altitudes.
Great Planes Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
Sounds Of The F-104 Starfighter
The Vikings” F 104G Starfighter German Navy’s Demo Team
Any time you think what you seen in your world experience is new, you should probably sit back and think again. Few things are new. Most things are just repeated visits to old idea’s. Sometimes the technology has changed making something simpler or better. 
