Are there still any line contorl model pilots?

[Bill Greenwood]

When I was a kid there were a lot of flying model planes and some were a lot of fun.There were a few soaring gliders, a few free flight models, but most were line control or U contrtol where the pilot stands in the mddle of the area and the plane which is on the end of a fine line flys a circle around the pilot , perhaps 100 ft radius. The line is connected to a U shaped device so that as pilot tilits it up you get up elevator and tilt down for the opposite. Some of these are pretty sensitive especially the fast ones, and they can make you really dizzy quickly. They sound like a real airplane, not an electric one.
I have 2 brand new planes fully assembled, still in the original boxes, never opened, just a little dusty, and I am not sure where is a good home for them. They have some sentimental value to me, I dont want to see them just wrecked, They are COX .049, one is a Spitfire and one a P-51, I think the Red Baron maybe. Im told they are fast , espcially the 51 and therefore need an expert pilot. I have flown a little line control with a basic traineer , but a long time ago and I m not up to these though it woud be fun.
Any offers to buy or otherwise good suggestions? Does EAA still fly the model behind the museum at Pioneer Airport during EAA? These are probably too fast for kids, but might be fun for demos?

[Timgineer]

I saw this group at the Milwaukee Maker Faire (https://milwaukee.makerfaire.com/) a few years ago...

http://www.circlemasters.com/

They are a Milwaukee area group of control line flyers.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[rwanttaja]

Was just at the Northwest Aviation Expo today, this group has a booth there.


Ron "My old Firebaby is around here somewhere" Wanttaja

[champ driver]

Yes, it's still alive and well.
Although it's not as popular as RC and the dreaded drones. CL has a real following within it's core group.
I'm a member of a control line club in MN, the Minneapolis Piston Poppers which has been around since the 50's.
I think my first plane was a Cox Stuka with an .049 when I was around 15. Back then you could fly from a school yard or park, until someone complained about the noise. Most of the plastic Cox planes were heavy and not very good flyers. I then built a Carl Goldberg Lil Wizard, also with a Cox .049.
I do a little flying with the club now and then, but I really should be working on my Champ instead.
Here's a photo of one of our latest January frozen Fun Fly's on January 1st.

One of our members is a Ringling Brothers trained juggler and banjo player and he puts out these videos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYiFrYG2x2g


http://www.pistonpoppers.com/

[CarlOrton]

Back in the 60's I had a Cox-branded .049 Stuka. Not once was I ever able to start it.... :-( I had the right fuel, and I'm assuming the battery was good, but had no one to watch and advise. *sigh*

[Mel]

Flew control line as a kid. First trophy I ever won; 1956, Diamond Jubilee, Abilene, Texas, second place Precision Aerobatics, Jr. division. 13 years old. Thunderbird, Fox .29.
Went on to place in AMA Nationals the following year. Flew Precision Aerobatics (Nobler, Fox .35), Combat (Sweet Sweep. Fox .35), Indoor and Outdoor Hand-launch Glider, 1/2A Speed (Own designs), etc.
Built and flew a "Squaw" kit on TV, Fox .29. Program called "Texas In Review".
Old Memories. Been a while!

[martymayes]

The best place for a Cox RTF .049 powered, molded plastic airplane models is in the original box on a collector's display shelf. Not something that you'd want to fly. It's like trying to swing a brick around your head on a string, except the brick is more controllable.

The Sterling Beginner Ringmaster and Baby Ringmaster were great 1/2A general purpose planes and Carl Goldberg had some real 1/2A hotrods like the Lil' Satan.

[stinsoner]

Boy, this thread brought back some memories. For many of us, plastic model airplanes and line control/U-control airplanes are what ignited the flame. I remember getting started in a group when I was in junior high school--we were mentored by some local adults who brought us along into the hobby. I ended up building and flying many of the same models previously mentioned-- a Baby Ringmaster/with Babe Bee .049; a Baby Flitestreak with the Golden Bee; Junior Ringmaster and Jr. Flitestreak with Fox .15; and a Yak 9 powered with a Fox .35. I also had one of those Cox plastic models, a yellow and blue Tri-Pacer. I don't ever remember ever getting it to fly. For me like a lot of you this was the beginning of a life long love affair with airplanes and aviation. I moved on to private pilot, degreed in Aerospace engineering; Navy pilot; corporate pilot; and now, R-E-T-I-R-E-D!, and a Stinson pilot for the past 25 years. Yes, my wife knows it; I have a one track mind!

[proplock]

When I was a kid there were a lot of flying model planes and some were a lot of fun.There were a few soaring gliders, a few free flight models, but most were line control or U contrtol where the pilot stands in the mddle of the area and the plane which is on the end of a fine line flys a circle around the pilot , perhaps 100 ft radius. The line is connected to a U shaped device so that as pilot tilits it up you get up elevator and tilt down for the opposite. Some of these are pretty sensitive especially the fast ones, and they can make you really dizzy quickly. They sound like a real airplane, not an electric one.
I have 2 brand new planes fully assembled, still in the original boxes, never opened, just a little dusty, and I am not sure where is a good home for them. They have some sentimental value to me, I dont want to see them just wrecked, They are COX .049, one is a Spitfire and one a P-51, I think the Red Baron maybe. Im told they are fast , espcially the 51 and therefore need an expert pilot. I have flown a little line control with a basic traineer , but a long time ago and I m not up to these though it woud be fun.
Any offers to buy or otherwise good suggestions? Does EAA still fly the model behind the museum at Pioneer Airport during EAA? These are probably too fast for kids, but might be fun for demos?

Show up at EAA, bring your stuff, I'm sure someone will answer your questions. Control line is alive and well at EAA, working with the kids.