Are these trends that died or are you keeping any of these alive? This video from YouTube channel Tail Heavy Productions has everything from supercharged 4-stroke and fuel-injected glow engines to snap roll switches on a transmitter and other RC related items you may have long forgotten about. Check the video and let us know what you think!
26 RC Plane Trends That Died!
Some comments – #1 Hobbico – totally agree. #3 Hi-Starts – this is still popular. And very rarely does anyone get hurt. #6 Funfly 3Ds – this type of aircraft are still fun. And they are not designed to do everything, only 3D flying. #11 Diesel engines – these engines actually were very popular in 40s and 50s. #19 – Trainers with no Ailerons – the idea was never for the aircraft to “self level”. The dihedral in the wing made the model more stable and easier to fly. #24 – Prop Jets – these models were flown as planes that look like jets, enough said. #25 RC Forums – not everyone is a Facebook member and many of the sites listed are still very active. Understand the opinions above are my own, but obviously many facts in the video were misleading or just not true.
Fully agree with you
I agree with you 100%
Not the same fun, innovative hobby.
Video did not mention park flying or backyard airfields.
Hobby demise MHO
1. Lazy hobbyist
2. China manufacturers
3. Horizon Hobbies
4. HOAs
5. Karen’s and Ken’s
6. Local and Federal Government
Per the creators of this video after digging through the comments, “died” = dead to the mainstream. AKA very rarely ever seen at any modern flying field and not sold by the masses from big name suppliers. They didn’t mean everything mentioned is literally nonexistent anymore.
Interesting video and mostly accurate I guess. I do wish ARC’s were still offered since it made them easier to modify or customize. While Facebook may be popular, it’s a lot more prone to flames and snarky remarks than the forums were. I’m glad to see RC Groups still going strong. We owe Jim Bourke a huge debt of gratitude for starting that and Jim Graham for keeping it viable. Happy that I’ve been in the hobby to see all of these things…the good and the bad.
Rudder control with lots of dihedral began when single channel systems were the norm. It had its beginnings in adding minimal control to a free flight plane. Then progressing to rudder with elevator, then ailerons etc. The large dihedral had little to do with automatic stabilization for radio control and everything to do with the free flight beginnings and the need for an inherently stable platform. Then there’s the need for dihedral to make a rudder controlled plane more responsive. A plane with little or no dihedral will exhibit slow roll response to rudder input. Lots of dihedral was required for rudder control, although it did create a self righting plane in spite of what the author claims.
Prop-jets were popular because, at the time, it was the only economical way to get jet like performance in a model plane. They worked as designed and were quite popular.
While most of the things mentioned in the video have gone out of favor or have essentially been replaced by modern technology. The authors reasoning is incorrect in many cases. Maybe he should stick to subjects he knows something about.
Totally agree Bob!!
Likewise. Has the author ever flown a plane?
He sure is. The person who wrote this video has designed many airplanes for Twisted Hobbys and Extreme Flight and is a grand champion aerobatic and 3D pilot as well. It should be noted that in this video, “died” = dead to the mainstream. AKA very rarely ever seen at any modern flying field and not sold by the masses from big name suppliers.
Regarding item number 6, Fun Fly planes, my observation is that their prodigies have bifurcated. The advent of micro servos, lithium battery powered electric motors and carbon fiber bracing materials enabled “foamies” which are flown in relatively small spaces such as parks and indoors. The other half remained outdoors at regular RC flying sites, generally got bigger and more scale like as shown in the video. However, both continue the “Fun Fly” legacy by flying essentially the same “hoverbatic” maneuvers. The tech to fly like that didn’t exist until the mid to late 1980’s.
The video author missed some much more obvious “tech” that has gone away, or is at least greatly reduced. Silk covering, scratch building, Top Flite nylon props, and non Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum radio systems immediately come to mind. Perhaps the creator was born after those had already disappeared. Or, maybe he was too consumed with measuring thrust from mouse farts to recall those.
I got out of the hobby in 2001 after 20+ years, due to life taking over. The video brought back a lot of smiles. ” Swizzle Stik” 3 channel trainers, “Goldberg Eaglet” trainer, Sig ” King Kobra”prop jet all these and more. Tried my hand at ducted fan with a Byron F-16. Ended up mostly giant scale. The video was fine, the voice over was condescending…
The author of this video (different from the narrator after having seen one of the channel’s comments clarifying this) is a very experienced and accomplished RC aircraft designer and pilot. I doubt he meant for it to come across as condescending. The author also left a comment that Tail Heavy tagged at the top, take a peek. Seemed in jest and more so an opinion piece.