| It was time, I couldn't put it off any longer, the Scratch built CORSAIR that I had spent so many hours on was finally finished. (Even though it took only three weeks to build, I spent all my spare time in the shed and away from the family to complete it). The day was calm at my club the Hinterland Model Flying club and my stomach was full of knots dreading the impending test flight of the corsair. Had I built it properly, was it balanced, is the engine running properly, you know what I mean. After a few cigarettes I couldn't put it off any longer, I handed a video camera over to one of my fellow club members and I was off. Kicked the .61 Magnum Pro engine in the guts and it turned over first go, not a bad sign, a litte bit of tuning and the time had come. Taxied my baby out onto the field ready to take off, but whoa, whats this, the ailerons were loose, mission aborted. The aileron clevaces had come loose being the wrong thread. That would have been really messy. Day 1 test flight scratched. Never the less back home to repair. Two days later, everything screwed up tight and camera in tow. Same again taxied out all clear, on the strip, full up elevater to start, increase throttle, release elevator, tail rises slowly, little bit of up and we're off. The corsair flys straight and level off the runway, still waiting to put in some trim whether it be up, down, ailerons or rudder but nothing, the bloody thing was flying straight and level, Holy Hell I actually built something that flew straight off the plan without any problems, whats going on I thought. I couldn't get the grin off my face. Other club members were very impressed. Not bad for a set of plans bought off (ebay). After a perfect take off it was time for a landing and guess what it landed perfectly too on the runway. No flaps needed, lucky because I didn't build any. Any way I have pictures and a short movie to show if anyone cares to look at it. Ken Duthie |
