A Stricker Model Airplane Weekend, Gusty Winds, and an 'Out of the Blue' Nobler

Sorry for the duplicate post....maybe on of the admins can delete one...

So, 'my other cousin Bob' (the namesake of the 'Bob Tree') and his son, Steve, traveled down for a Stricker Model Airplane Weekend, precisely coordinating their arrival with that of some sustained, gusty winds.

Steve is a serious R/C pattern competitor (and not to be confused with the 'Steve Strickers' of golfing and fishing fame), but also enjoys backing off, and just playing some of his electric fleet around the sky.

Bob has been flying R/C since the 1960's, also competing back then, but now sport flying and running a small R/C business, buying and selling equipment and kits.



We braved the gusty winds, though they were a lot 'braver' than me with their quick-reacting pattern and 3-D planes.  I got Big Red around the field several times in spite of some wing-tapping, crossways takeoffs as the winds blasted over our vehicles and the big hangar, cranking out some impressive rotors.



Steve also brought along his electric ducted-fan 'Stinger 90', which easily handled the winds.









Bob seemed to fly only when I put the camera down, so I don't have much coverage of his adventures...though I REALLY should have snapped a few of him searching the bean fields for the canopy of his 3-D, flung from his plane at altitude.  Amazing he found it AND the failed piece of ply that turned it loose....

Bob brought me this Charlie Bauer-built Nobler, and really wanted to see it fly, so we ran some fuel through it to clear out the goop (which was deposited down the underside of the fuse).  It's Super Tigre .40 drove the big stunter through the wind like a rocket, making me wish I'd Cowboy'd Up and hung it on 70 footers rather than playing it safe with my Ringmaster's 60 foot cables.

The engine was still a relative unknown, so the two flights were pretty tame, with just a couple big loops on the second run, and me feeling my heartbeat in my wimpy arm by the time it ran out of fuel.  Next time out, it'll be on 70's, and I'll better get to know the big dog.























Can't wait to spring the Nobler on my new-found control line buds up on Breezy Hill!