Anyone here into DIY hobbies besides slot cars?

ARUP · 3rd-Dec-25, 05:17 AM

Yessir! I used to race bicycles thirty years ago and still ride. I'm not the mountain goat I used to be but at 68 I can still outrun ebikes! I have a full tool chest of Campagnolo tools so can do the most mundane repair like clamping a cable to more difficult tasks like threading bottom brackets, removing stock from head tubes and building wheels. I have restored a few rare vintage bicycles. Freschi, Girardengo, Monterosa, Alan, Colnago, Gios Torino, Fiorelli, Vitus, Mercian, Faggin and Torelli marques are in the stable. I draw my own plans by hand and make my own parts by hand for scale RC models. Vintage scale sailplanes, WWI and Golden Age racers are my favorites. I have some builds on the RCGroups dot com forums. I have two air cooled VWs and an MGA. I'd like to get a Series 1 XKE coupe, Lotus Elite or Alfa Romeo Sprint Especiale. The XKE is what I lust after! Opalescent blue with dark blue leather... sigh... what beaity! I still work full time.

KensRedZed · 4th-Dec-25, 01:34 AM

When RC aircraft started to become electrified in the early 2000's. I designed a line of WW2 fighters called "FFX Park Fighters". 6-different fighters all with a 31" wingspan.

I made 200+ kits in my basement in the first year.

RC Groups has the complete history of FFX Park Fighters. But I can't access RC Groups due to the "error 406" message nonsense.

Here's a pic of one of my Mustangs (and an award I won for it that year. Contest Director's Choice).

ARUP · 4th-Dec-25, 02:33 AM

That's pretty cool with the RC airplanes! About 15 years ago I had a patient who was a crew chief for RedTail pilot. I was able to gift a Red Tail puzzle to him as he and his buddies liked to 'do' puzzles. He was a very nice fella!

DPJ · 4th-Dec-25, 05:05 AM

(14th-Nov-25, 12:34 PM)ePilot Wrote: ...At my model flying club, I try to keep my model helicopter in the air...

And lately, I've been too much of an armchair hobbyist...

Nice! Is that a SAB heli?

I too fly, and build, not so much lately though-it's on a back burner. I have this Synergy E7SE that I never maidened...yet! I need an ESC for it, then I can fly it.

Once it's dialed in, I'll shoehorn it into this fuselage and start from scratch with the weight bias and stuff!

If I wanna burn some fuel I'll take this modified old Hirobo SCEADU out for a challenge!

KensRedZed · 4th-Dec-25, 09:11 PM

It seems RC Groups is allowing people to log on again.

This is the snowflake that started the avalanche.

None of the links work anymore. Seriously Fun Models and FFX Park Fighters are in the history books. The entire world market has changed to pre-built/painted aircraft. Very few people scratch build RC aircraft anymore. But it's fun to look down memory lane.

Link below.

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthre...m-Fighters

ARUP · 5th-Dec-25, 02:20 AM

Those were neat airplanes! I wasn't and still am not much of an electric motor flier. I like noisy, messy and smelly engines on my airplanes! I'm one of the few 'scratch builders' around. I draw my own plans by hand not CAD and make all of my own parts again no computers.

ePilot · 19th-Apr-26, 05:08 PM

(4th-Dec-25, 05:05 AM)DPJ Wrote: Nice! Is that a SAB heli?

No, it is an old Henseleit TDR helicopter from 2011.

It was a 700 type model back then, a limited series. From the beginning of the electric era. It was and still is a very fast electric model. Nowadays it is difficult to get hold of spare parts. So I am still careful with it. And I don't fly it too wildly...

If you are interested: https://www.henseleit-helicopters.de
There are still very nice models to see, unfortunately no longer for sale. Only parts remain.

Nice projects you are working on! Good luck!

Gerrit