What did you fly today?

[davegee]

This morning I finally had the chance to recreate the recovery of Alan Shepard's Freedom 7 Mercury Capsule with my RC UH-34 Choctaw over the water at the Southern Scale Helicopter Challenge. The helicopter was modeled and painted in the scheme of the real Mercury Redstone 3 recovery chopper, so it was tons of fun to actually sling load a capsule underneath it.

That is Awesome!! What scale is the helicopter and the Freedom 7 spacecraft?? Were you actually able to hook the cable onto the spacecraft somehow while it was floating on the water, or did you do that before the flight and flew it down to the water before pulling it up? Either way, very well done! I remember that paint scheme of the retrieval helicopter through videos and photos of the event back in 1961.

[davegee]

davegee beautiful photo of one good-lookin' "Jug". Bravo Zulu, Sir. Best, Steve

Thanks, Steve. It took some effort, but whatever was going on with it the past couple weeks seems to be settled down, now.

Cheers

davegee

[Hugh Wiedman]

This morning I finally had the chance to recreate the recovery of Alan Shepard's Freedom 7 Mercury Capsule with my RC UH-34 Choctaw over the water at the Southern Scale Helicopter Challenge. The helicopter was modeled and painted in the scheme of the real Mercury Redstone 3 recovery chopper, so it was tons of fun to actually sling load a capsule underneath it.

Very Cool! Thankfully it wasn't the reenactment of Gus Grissom's recovery.

[f4u ausie]

Did not get out over wend but thisarvo tuesday flew the p51,, no sighn of probs.. so i think that hard join btween fuse wing is troublesome. Made aileron part a loose floating wire.... got my new bats from china,, hrb 5000 50c 2 of them.. 120 grams lighter than 50 c 5000 heavy duty turnagy cool.... have fun

[F106DeltaDart]

That is Awesome!! What scale is the helicopter and the Freedom 7 spacecraft?? Were you actually able to hook the cable onto the spacecraft somehow while it was floating on the water, or did you do that before the flight and flew it down to the water before pulling it up? Either way, very well done! I remember that paint scheme of the retrieval helicopter through videos and photos of the event back in 1961.

Thanks! Both are roughly 1/14 Scale. I had the helicopter hooked up to the capsule prior to flight and then dipped it in the water before lifting it out. I tried some retrieval methods to pick it up the other way, but the empty oscillates too much to be of any use in a hover. Even when perfectly aligned over the capsule, the large 1” rare earth magnets (1 embedded in capsule, 1 on a puck at the end of the line) wouldn’t make contact no matter what I tried. So I settled for what I could reasonably complete.

[davegee]

Thanks! Both are roughly 1/14 Scale. I had the helicopter hooked up to the capsule prior to flight and then dipped it in the water before lifting it out. I tried some retrieval methods to pick it up the other way, but the empty oscillates too much to be of any use in a hover. Even when perfectly aligned over the capsule, the large 1” rare earth magnets (1 embedded in capsule, 1 on a puck at the end of the line) wouldn’t make contact no matter what I tried. So I settled for what I could reasonably complete.

Totally understand. There is a famous photo of a crewman (named Cox, if his helmet lettering is correct) hanging out over the open door and taking a long pole to help attach the hook onto the Freedom 7 Mercury spacecraft. Without a little man to help you there in your helicopter, it would be pretty tough to snag that spacecraft! Well done, nonetheless. I love how accurate your paint scheme you did for your helicopter, and just the "thinking outside the box" idea of simulating the retrieval of a famous Mercury spacecraft in 1961.

Cheers

davegee

[JohnVH]

Another excellent flight on the King Twin!

[jasmith41]

You should change your name to Smoothie Smooth Wiedman... :)

[Hugh Wiedman]

You should change your name to Smoothie Smooth Wiedman... :)

"Wildman" suits my landing style much better (or better yet "Gear Cruncher"), anything but Smoothie Smooth!

[Hugh Wiedman]

Anyone else noticed the slash in prices of about $50-$100? I guess the "off season" is almost upon us, but sure could use a new release or 2, especially from Flight Line that hasn't seen anything for several years since the Corsair!

[jasmith41]

"Wildman" suits my landing style much better (or better yet "Gear Cruncher"), anything but Smoothie Smooth!

sorry - I've got a lock on "Gear-Cruncher'...

[ridgerunner]

After a flying hiatus, took the Skynetics Shrike out for a pack...

[Coconut]

SHHH!!!! A certain person might say you hiding under a rock if you think Flightline hasn't release anything in years.

[ridgerunner]

Took my Shrike out for two sessions today. Two 2200 3S packs yielded just over an hour of airtime.

[sfcfury]

Put some flights on the AH1W today:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs4K3qXI1Jo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhKKOnpl-4U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8_nyXVbt0c

[DCORSAIR]

Put some flights on the AH1W today:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs4K3qXI1Jo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhKKOnpl-4U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8_nyXVbt0c

Woohooo, glad to see you got her up and flying, looks sweet, wish you were closer, we could fly them together....

[sfcfury]

I know DC! we need get those snakes up in the air together!

[DCORSAIR]

I know DC! we need get those snakes up in the air together!

Yes sir we do, I haven't flown mine in several months, time to get it down and do some flights with it, it was just to hot here in Ca. for a few months, but its finally cooling down now so no excuse for me, took the 800 size Hughes 500D Magnum PI out yesterday for a flight, little rusty at the controls but it flies so good that it makes me look like a good pilot.....

[paulrkytek]

Autumn is upon us but I hit lucky this week with a good flying day with the Avanti, edge 540 and my T34 taildragger version

[JohnVH]

More fun with the Reno Aces Corsair!