Free Flight Models — A great way to help grow our hobby and have FUN!

Free Flight Models — A great way to help grow our hobby and have FUN!

Model Airplane News - RC Airplane News | Free Flight Models — A great way to help grow our hobby and have FUN!

(Above) Some happy Free Flight winners at Rhinebeck

With today’s high pressure world, RC airplanes are a good way to relax and forget your day to day worries. But RC in itself can also be a bit complicated and demanding to the newcomer. One of the greatest ways to rediscove model airplanes is with free flight! Rubber powered scale planes are maybe of of our hobby’s best kept secrets. If your club is looking for an activity to get members together, especially during the colder “building months” try a build night at the club meeting hall or even in conjunction with a local hobby shop. You’ll be surprized how much fun it is! Many RC car types look their noses down on the actual building of models with balsa and tissue, but really, they don’t know what their talking about and are missing out on a whole lot of fun.

Model Airplane News - RC Airplane News | Free Flight Models — A great way to help grow our hobby and have FUN!

We know of three local model airplane events that also include free flight. The first is the WW1 Jamboree at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in September.

Model Airplane News - RC Airplane News | Free Flight Models — A great way to help grow our hobby and have FUN!   Model Airplane News - RC Airplane News | Free Flight Models — A great way to help grow our hobby and have FUN!

The next is a June event in Red Hook, NY called the Cole Palen Memorial Free Flight event hosted by our good friend Tom Polapink.

Model Airplane News - RC Airplane News | Free Flight Models — A great way to help grow our hobby and have FUN! 

The third is my own annual Big Biplane Bash also held in September hosted by the Central CT RC Club in Farmington. Everyone agrees these special non RC, non motorized events are the greatest and everyone has a lot of fun!

Model Airplane News - RC Airplane News | Free Flight Models — A great way to help grow our hobby and have FUN!   Model Airplane News - RC Airplane News | Free Flight Models — A great way to help grow our hobby and have FUN!

Give it a try, you’ll be happy you did.

Model Airplane News - RC Airplane News | Free Flight Models — A great way to help grow our hobby and have FUN!    Model Airplane News - RC Airplane News | Free Flight Models — A great way to help grow our hobby and have FUN!

Model Airplane News - RC Airplane News | Free Flight Models — A great way to help grow our hobby and have FUN!    Model Airplane News - RC Airplane News | Free Flight Models — A great way to help grow our hobby and have FUN!

Leave a comment and let us know what you have that’s rubber powered.

Updated: July 16, 2015 — 4:42 PM

8 Comments

  1. Now we’re talkin’, Gerry. Here’s the challenge…..get some of the newcomers to flying to build, cover and successfully FLY a free flight model. It’s a lot tougher than they might think but they’ll be joining a large fraternity and develop skills that will serve them well whatever path they choose in the aero world. That, in itself, is a huge payoff!

  2. Hey Rich! Great to hear you here! I agree. I started out with my Dad doing the stick n tissue build. It was great fun and a valuable learing experience when it came time to flight trimming. Hope we can re-ignite the building passion
    GY

  3. IT IS NICE TO SEE THAT AFTER YEARS OF PUBLISHING A CATALOG AND A KIT REVIEW SOURCE YOUR EDITORS HAVE DECIDED TO RETURN TO BEING A CRAFT MAGAZINE. ARTICLES ON 2 OUNCE $10 AIRPLANES? AN ARTICLE ON HOW TO BUILD FROM A PLAN? ARE YOU AWARE OF THE FACT THIS THIS MAY BE AN INSIDIOUS WAY TO LURE YOUTH FROM THEIR MINIATURE VIDEO SCREENS ON THE IDIOT BOXES THEY ALL CARRY?? BE CAREFUL, YOU YOU MAY TRAIN A NEW GENERATION IN MANUAL SKILLS, AND USING THEIR MINDS; THEY MAY HAVE TO THINK MATH AND PHYSICS AND SPEND TIME QUIETLY CREATING THEIR OWN FUN! iTS UN-AMERICAN! – AND CHINA WON’T STAND FOR IT!
    RCD IN CT

  4. I built my first rubber-powered “air-something” at age 8, that was in 1938. It was a 5 cent kit financed by my newspaper route. It was an ROG, and lots of you remember them. I was lucky, the little plane flew right off the makeshift piece of cardboard it was built on. It was papered with white paste Mom made from flour and water. Used sparingly, it held the tissue paper on and miraculously there were no warps.(Luck!) It flew in circles above me and glided down almost from where it was launched. The bug had bitten! Over the years, I progressed to flying scales, naturally free-flight.
    Some flew beautifully, some didn’t. I never quit.
    The hobby and me were wedded, except for a few years in the service of Uncle Sam.
    Now, I build park-flyer sport scale RC’s, but flying sites are hard to come by where I’m located. There are always free-flights that I can trim to fly in smaller areas.
    And, the joy of building, creating, still goes on. I’m 81 now, eyes are still good, legs are still good, I can even chase an errant free-flight! I can keep going with this! I wish the younger guys would get the same kick I’ve had out of researching, drawing up plans, securing the materials, and building something special only to its creator.
    That’s something that can’t be bought, ready made, in a box!
    However, whatever your flying pleasure, keep ’em flying!

  5. Free flight modelling is enjoyable and fun embracing all types of models. Your article has stimulated my interest and revived memories of earlier days using several models including the Keil Kraft Luscomb Silvaire, Veron Cardinal, etc.
    Other models included Jetex 50, and now their is a hanger under house with approx. 40 maily electric models of all types, even converted rubber to electric models. The relaxing pleasure of building and flying is unbeatable !

  6. Thankyou for the opportunity of contributing. Keep sending out news items of interest, ranging from model tips, flying model types, events, etc.

  7. I live in Mansfield Ct and find a club for rubber powered model airplanes…any suggestions?

  8. Where do you guys fly?…I am interested in getting into rubber powered model airplanes but can’t find a club in Connecticut

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