Fun Flying at Fort Jackson, pics and eventual vids

[RknRusty]

We met up at Fort Jackson Tuesday Morning. It was Wayne  Robinson, Bob Z., and their friend Jim Stoia, me, and later Jim Malek showed up and provided comic relief. Beautiful blue sky and the temp got up into the mid 70s. Jim Stoia came with Bob with a 30 year old Ringmaster, and he hasn't picked up a handle in about that long either. I brought my Cardinal and Shoestring.

When I rolled in, Wayne was by himself flying an odd old plane of Watt Moore's, called an Akro-Bat. He and I flew it this past weekend. Wayne had borrowed it from Watt the previous weekend, to tinker with and trim, and it was only ever flown by several people one day about 12 years ago. As I'm told, the pilots that day were Watt Moore, Allen Brickhaus, and Dan Banjock, I think someone else well known to all here, but I forget. The Akro-Bat is one funny looking bird, with an upright engine, a guppy belly and stab the size of a barn door.

It's even funnier looking in the air. I took these three pics of it last weekend. It's powered by an LA46.






He flew his Primary force too, but after the first flight the tank was slipping and monokote on the LE was parting company with the wing, so he grounded it. LA25 in this one. This pic is also a week earlier. This one was built in 2001 from Mike Pratt's plans.


Jim's old Ringmaster had a Max-S .35 like my Shoestring, and considering he'd grown cold for 25 years he flew it pretty well.



Unfortunately I cut the video after he landed and didn't get the sight of him stumbling and falling down Lol. That was a missed Kodak moment. I'll get the movies up later.

Bob brought a very old plane which I forgot the name, with a loud old engine which he'll have to name for us if he checks in, as well as his twin Fox .19 powered Jezebel. I got some of his flying on video. Other than combat, I've never seen anyone fly as fast and furious as Bob does. I'm surprised I even managed these photos, it's a blur to the naked eye Lol... but really entertaining.

This is the one who's name I forgot... maybe the Excalibur??, not sure.




This is the Jezebel


I flew the Cardinal and Shoestring, and I'm flying the Cardinal fairly well. I s'pose if I want pictures of me in my reports I should get a hat cam.
See y'all later, and I'll make those movies to add to this,
Rusty

[Fredvon4]

great photos and report Rusty

where exactly on Ft Jackson is the field you fly...I use google earth a lot and am vary familiar with Ft jackson

[EddyR]

I remember going to the Ft Jackson NCO club back in the 1960's
Ed

[RknRusty]

great photos and report Rusty

where exactly on Ft Jackson is the field you fly...I use google earth a lot and am vary familiar with Ft jackson

Fred, it's on Wildcat Road. I go in at the now main gate #2 Forest drive and go way out east on Dixie rd. to Wildcat, turn north about a mile and it's an LZ on the right.
 34°04'24.5"N 80°51'11.0”W

That top square concrete pad is our CL staging area. The CL circle is at the south end, but it's sloped so the runway is where we fly.
Rusty

[john e. holliday]

Great pictures and it looks like everyone is having fun.   I was late getting to our field today and Dave Trible was flying.   He launched my Ringmaster and left as he had a hot date.   

[Shug Emery]

Now that looks like a right goody of a way to spend the day. Good you got some flights in with the Cardinal.
Shug

[RknRusty]

Hey Doc, I'm glad you've got some flying going on... and glad Dave is getting the hot dates too Lol. His handsome airplanes must be attracting groupies.
Yeah Shug, we got the good outta the day! I like the Cardinal. I'm still not awfully good, but usually manage to improve something every outing. I'll take that.
Rusty

[Mel Gray]

Hi Rusty,

Thought you might enjoy some info on the Akro-Bat.  The attached is from the AMA digital archive.

Mel

[Mel Gray]

Another page.

[RknRusty]

Well that put a grin on my face, thanks guys. I'll make sure I mention it to Watt. He gets tickled whenever we have fun with his old planes. He can still fly a little, but he loves it when we dust off something from his shop and give it a rip. The first plane designed to fly inverted, I had no idea. I'm so glad I shot that inverted picture and put it out there for one more day of stunt glory. It actually flies a full pattern very well if you straighten the rudder out, which was necessary on this one. Maybe not many AkroBats have done a modern pattern, I wonder. It's really sensitive though, takes a narrow handle spacing, but pretty solid with a modern engine. Maybe we should get Bob to outfit us with an old sparker for it Lol. He'd know the right one.
Thanks again,
Rusty

[RknRusty]

Here's a little slideshow and video