Tucson - RC Jets!

Watching an A-10, F22 or F35 flying overhead is always eye catching, that is, if you can find it in the sky.  Where we live, we sometimes get training jets overhead from nearby Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.  By the time the sound reaches us, the plane is already just a speck in the sky.

Look closely.  He missed the runway!

Not so much with this F-16.  This weekend, at a nearby 'field', a group of hobbyist remote control pilots got together for a "Fun Fly-In"for jets only. As the length of field is only a hundred yards or so, the flight pattern is small also. 

There were about 10 RV's set up and lots of trailers full of the fuselages, wings and other parts and pieces that make these things go, and go fast.  Some of theses little guys can reach speeds of 200mph!

Planes being readied for the air.  The closest one is laying on a 6 foot table......

Capt. Ralph assembling one of his four jets.

 Most are made of styrofoam, and balsa wood, or a combo of both and other lightweight materials.

One of several outfitted trailers with all the gear and gadgets.

They are also capable of some pretty stunning acrobatics.  These shots are not flipped or rotated, just cropped tight.

The jets are all different sizes, and styles.  They run on  diesel, kerosene or jet fuel, and the air around the field smelled of it, mostly 'av gas'.

The flyers spend the weekend out here pylon racing, performing stunts, swapping stories and having a good time.    Judging is also done on planes versus replicas and just how exact they are to the original, and then the flight of the same.

If you've got an itch to try one of these out, one of the vendors had some starter kits!  Only $499.00 will get you the basic.  Of course, you'd want the floats for landing on water!  Right?

We showed up on the day of set up and preflight trials.  We only watched for an hour or so, as the flights were few and far between!
They were fun to watch, but I don't see one of these in our future.  Like a lot of hobbies, and toys, they take up too much money, time and space..... the time we've got, the others, not so much!