Aw, let's face it: for most of us it began with the AJ-74 glider. ("How much are your ten-cent gliders?") Remember those? Wing forward for loops, etc. .... wing back for long glides. Once I discovered the "wing back" - plus a bit of help from Dad regarding wingtip washout - I was hooked!
Later (c.1950) saw some guys flying large, noisy, smoky models on wires. Things haven't been the same since.