France in Focus

Anyone into model aircraft, I have been flying them for about fifty years and full size for about thirty, from rubber powered and gliders to Turbines, thought it may be an idea to start a thread on them?

My cousins used to build huge modal aeroplanes, they built the engines as well and the remote controls - we used to go up a mountain, I can't remember the name of it now but it's near Forchheim in Germany, to fly them. They wouldn't let me fly one though.

I think they got into it because my Uncle had his own plane and they wanted to be like their Dad.

As it was up a mountain I assume they where ridge soaring gliders? reminds me I have a kit for a 4m Algebra in the loft somewhere, only had it for about twenty five years, plenty of time to get it started.

Only built a couple of gliders, would like to get into powered flight sometime, but have always built R/C boats, subs etc, but lost everything in the fire so on with a new project now, bought a fiberglass hull of the "Bismark" then filled in bits and extended it to 2.1mt built deck and superstructure and turned it into a gentleman's yacht circa 1880s, still lots to do yet. There seems to be Aero clubs in France there are two within half hours drive of us, but they don't seem to advertise when they are flying.

Like most of my age started with making kites, progressed into making balsa wood glider from kits.
When grown up got into dingy sailing then purchased a fibreglass sailing yacht hull, fitted it out sailed round the Solent for a number of years.

Mike wrote: ↑Sun Oct 17, 2021 2:25 am As it was up a mountain I assume they where ridge soaring gliders? reminds me I have a kit for a 4m Algebra in the loft somewhere, only had it for about twenty five years, plenty of time to get it started.

I don't know what they were tbh - The mountain was used by enthusiasts because of it's thermals, they used to come from as far as Nürnburg to fly their planes - hang-gliders ect. There was a little runway on the top and the remote control planes used to take off and land on it.

I'm looking for a photo of them but I can find lots of photos of Uncle's plane I haven't yet found a piccie of the models.

Only pic I can post at the moment, the other pics are too large?

It called a Boomerang Elan sadly no more as I pancaked it into the flying strip at full throttle, bits scattered over the whole field, surprisingly the turbine and the electronics survived to fly another day.

Mike wrote: ↑Sun Oct 17, 2021 1:09 pm Only pic I can post at the moment, the other pics are too large?

It called a Boomerang Elan sadly no more as I pancaked it into the flying strip at full throttle, bits scattered over the whole field, surprisingly the turbine and the electronics survived to fly another day.

Oooh Mike that's very sad. Lovely photo.

I am in awe of that.

Not a model plane enthusiast, but as a model railway enthusiast, I certainly relate to the kit set aside to the day when......