Today is my birthday.  I turned 63, and spent some time today thinking about how lucky I've been.  I lost my job and career due to that woo hoo flu thing, but it all worked out better than I expected, turning into one of the best decisions I ever made.  I've been blessed with an amazing wife and family, who put up with my aviation shenanigans for a lot longer than they should have.  I'm also blessed with good friends, both here, and all of you out there in Fubarland some of whom I've met, and the rest that I hope to sooner than later.  We came together due to a shared love of airplanes and aviation, and ended up having more in common than that.  Thanks for always being there!

I've also found that I finally have time to spend with the model airplane hobby the way I should have been doing all these years.  Gotten involved in a lot of neat things, am learning all sorts of new stuff and will be headed off to Top Gun next week to hopefully learn even more.

Here's the challenge....build a model airplane.  Not an ARF or a foamie but one of those old fashioned kits that when you open the box, you see a set of plans and a bunch of wood.  No time limit, any kit you want and if you don't feel like it, that's ok as well.  If you do, post pics and let us know how you're doing.  I'm in the middle of two builds right now - a 60 size Cambrian Direct Spitfire 24 from England that's been in progress for about 20 years; and an old Great Planes F-4 Phantom prop jet.  That one is personal.  It was sent to me by a friend who is suffering the onset of Parkinson's, so he can't build or fly any more.  He told me if I finished and flew it, he'd send it to me.  It's older than the Spitfire.  But I'm having a ball with both of them.  I'd forgotten how (sometimes, anyway) much fun it was to be turning balsa into an airplane.

So what do y'all think?

Man I would love to, I would like to replace my poor Hogbipe, and finish the kit bashed flybaby.  But there is just no way I have room to do that anymore because of other 'hobbies' and collected bits of life have taken over the 'plane room'.  At some point that will be sorted, but for now best I can do is grouse at the mess.   

Quote from: Onepoint on April 16, 2021, 05:35:04 AM
Man I would love to, I would like to replace my poor Hogbipe, and finish the kit bashed flybaby.  But there is just no way I have room to do that anymore because of other 'hobbies' and collected bits of life have taken over the 'plane room'.  At some point that will be sorted, but for now best I can do is grouse at the mess.   

I've been in that 'plane room' the man ain't lyin'...

I have several kits that I've been thinking of selling before the government makes the hobby illegal. The Musyak is still there, along with a Nobler, a "Laser 3d" electric, and a small .049 water plane I won in one of the guessing games we used to play at Flightlines. Yep, that long ago.

The desire is there, but these sausages that used to be my fingers just aren't up to it. I have trouble holding a butter knife...

Happy Burfday, Jaime! You're a year and a half older than me, and here I thought you were just a pup...

He is a young pup!! Happy Birthday Jaime!

Welcome back to the hobby! That Top Gun trip sounds pretty darned exciting! 

I'm going to accept your challenge. I have been building / assembling / repairing ARFs for other people for years......and I have fallen into the same trap - buying a few for myself so I would have something to fly while my workbench is occupied by other peoples projects!

But I have this Balsa USA float kit that I started about 10 years ago.....and has been sitting ever since! Gonna dust that off, and get it finished.

QuoteHappy Burfday, Jaime! You're a year and a half older than me, and here I thought you were just a pup...

QuoteHe is a young pup!! Happy Birthday Jaime!

Thanks!  I don't feel a day over 62!

Go for it Nony!  Got a Cub to attach those floats to?

Honcho and Stetto, please give it a shot.  Make some room and make some time, what have you got to lose?  Something about balsa scraps and sawdust always brings a smile to my face, probably to yours as well.  The Hog Bipe and the Musyak would look a lot better in the air...

Quote

Go for it Nony!  Got a Cub to attach those floats to?

Actually, yes... I picked up a Sig 1/4 scale cub last fall, and spent most of the winter creating a scale cockpit for it ( a first for me)

QuoteHoncho and Stetto, please give it a shot.  Make some room and make some time, what have you got to lose?  Something about balsa scraps and sawdust always brings a smile to my face, probably to yours as well.  The Hog Bipe and the Musyak would look a lot better in the air...

There are some quite small laser cut kits out now that don't require a whole lot of building space...

As an example, check out minimum rc
https://www.minimumrc.com/

Heh, but then to try and fly those little beggars.

Unfortunately, unless I come up with a whole other room for either the 'stuff' or the planes, nothing is even getting repaired unless its on the kitchen table. 

You still got that trailer out back??

Yeah, but the roof leaks and its full of 'stuff' as well.   

This is what happens when you don't move in over 25 years.

QuoteThere are some quite small laser cut kits out now that don't require a whole lot of building space...

Man, those are cool!  That's some flying inside Wally's hangar or out in my front yard there!

Honcho, time to move into the spare bedroom.  Vicki can move some stuff, right?     Or you can come down here and I'll share the sheet of plywood that's on my daughter's sofa out in the garage that I'm using as a workbench since I can't get to mine!