Second Flying Model Airplane
A while after the final flight of my first flying model airplane, we got a second, and completely different model airplane. The difference in the planes matched the difference in the decades — the first plane was of the 70s, and the second plane was of the 80s.
The second plane was a stunt plane, and it looked the part. It had a wider plastic body, plastic wings underneath, and a gas-powered engine (like a small lawn trimmer). But the most notable difference was how its flight was controlled.
From the tip of its starboard/right wing came two strings that attached to a hand piece. You were to set the plane on the ground, start the engine, and then step back and let the plane take off at the end of the string. You then held the hand piece and controlled the plane’s climb and dive as it flew around you.
But that was the problem: the plane flew around you in a circle. My dad and I both tried controlling this thing a few times, but the circling, circling, circling, circling made us dizzy. The plane was so fast that we couldn’t really put any thought into trying maneuvers or stunts. And after maybe 60 seconds of circling flight, the plane crashed into the ground.
This plane was a sturdier specimen compared to the older, first plane, so it better took the crashes — I don’t remember any damage to this second plane resulting from the poor piloting.
But we could take the dizzying circles so much before giving up on this model airplane. The only thing really cool and fun about this second plane was the great divots it made in the ground when it crashed propeller first. The speedy impact and the strong engine made for big holes and churned up grass and dirt. And the sound of BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-THUMP! was awesome.
And so ended our attempt at fun with that second plane. BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-THUMP!
Bullgrit