What is the strangest thing that you have ever seen with these C/L airplanes?

[Jerry Leuty]

I will start it off. Back in the mid 70s the city of Fort Worth had put in a C/L flying park on the west side of the city. Prior to that we had been flying near the FTW Zoo. But in the mid 60s soccer took over our flying space. There were several clubs in the FTW area at the time and a few old time hobby shops. Now there is just one left now (old time that is) in Grand Prairie, Texas (Wild Bill's). Anyway by the time I got back from the army we were flying at Z. Boaz park located just west of FTW. We were all in our 20s then and real men. We flew mainly combat with the Super Tiger Combat 35s. It was simple in those days. No safety what so ever. A fly away was just that; a fly away. Which brings me to my story. We had a fella that was just getting use to flying and could do a few loops and wingovers. Someone talked him into tying a streamer on the back of his Buster. A disaster waiting to happen. All was going well until the lines got tangled a bit. The Newbee released his handle and off his plane went with the lines and handle in tow. The lines untangled and the plane started doing small loops as it was headed out of sight. It was getting higher and higher and farther away. Someone jumped into their car to go chase it down as it was headed for a traffic circle. Trouble on the horizon for sure. As we watched it nearly out of sight it appeared sort of strange. The darn thing was coming back toward us. The owner of the plane stopped his car and got out to watch like the rest of us. All we could do was to stare at it and wonder what would happen next. As the plane got closer to us the loops were getting bigger. He could see the plane coming right at him like a rabid dog. He took off running for the trees for protection. That plane chased him into the trees before it crashed into some branches breaking the prop. The engine screamed it's last breath as the handle swung lifelessly from a branch. It was all too funny and I would not of believed it if I had not seen it with my own eyes. True story.

[Russ Danneman]

WOW

[Wynn Robins]

I had a line clip semi detach and catch so the plane was in "full up" mode - it flew loops continuously and was dropping in altitude after each one - what happened next nobody could believe - the last loop pulled out exactly when the wheels where on the ground and the motor quit..............the plane slowly raised off the ground and then landed in a slight stall - didnt even break the prop.

changed the line clip and continued flying for the day!!!!! 

[Will Hinton]

In the late sixties a friend, Larry, received a biplane from an old buddy from high school.  We were in our late twenties so you know that bipe was OOOLLLD - Larry called me to tell me and we were so excited to have a bipe to fly!  Out behind the local school we started the old O&R 60 glo and I launched it.  That black bipe looked awesome in the air - for about five laps.  When it came around over the release area it suddenly did a complete, yes, and I DO mean complete, roll in on the lines.  Looked so cool doing that, but then it rolled back out until it hit the end of the lines and just, literally, exploded into nothing but balsa dust.  The top wing fluttered to the ground in two pieces, the bottom wing didn't even resemble a wing, and the old O&R only missed me by a few feet! 
Larry and I laughed so hard we rolled on the ground until we suddenly realized we no longer had a bipe to fly.  However, we agreed the short time we had it was well worth the time spent!
True story.  Yes, Larry still flies, but all R/C, and no, he doesn't have the O&R any more, we just talked about that at the club field last summer.

[De Hill]

I am most embarrassed by this episode, but it bears telling. At my second meet in Texarkana, TX about four years ago, I was set to go up on my second official with my new profile Cavalier.  A young guy from New Jersey picked the running plane up while I went out to the handle. The grass was not cut very short and dandelions prevaled. You can see it coming, right. I signaled for a launch, he set the plane down and released it. It went about five feet and jumped straight up in the air, came down suddenly and turned towards me on the ground. Now five thoughts went through my mind all at once.  "What in h#$$, Sh(**, must have caught a line on something, oh *&*&&, it's coming right at me, got to get this handle loose, no wait, there are people all around, here it comes at me again, do I go left or right, break the lines, cut the lines you stupid plane, whoa it's in the air again, ahhh, damn thing finally crashed." Whew. And that is now known in Texas as the Marcucci two step.  

Ty,

I was one of the Judges watching you that day. It was hilarious; I tried not to laugh, but couldn't help myself.

It was kind of scary.

De Hill

[PatRobinson]

Hi Jerry,
Check out the amazing model stories section for more interesting stories.
                                                                                              Pat Robinson

[Greg McCoy]

It was a summer night in Fargo, probably mid 1970's. A kid shows up with an uncovered, Ringmaster or something like it, when he set it at the circle and started hooking up the lines. We had to ask what was he doing? "I'm going to test fly it to see if it's worth finishing."

We laughed, he packed up and we never saw him again.