12TH ANNUAL GIANT SCALE SPRING FUN FLY

It's April the 8th and I'm rearin' to go. Today I'm off to the airfield, on my Harley of course. It's about a 25 mile ride from my house to the airfield. Ok it isn't a hard butt ride but some rides are just for fun.

Just a few miles down Hwy 13 and there is a road that cuts off to the right (Hayfield Rd). Down the road a piece and the airfield is on the left. The wind is blowing like there is no tomorrow and rain is in the forecast for late afternoon. I seem to do my fun rides on days that forecast rain. What's with that?

If this sign is any indication of what is ahead. Look around, overgrown weeds, an old truck in the distance and a dirt road. Even I was a little skeptical at first.

When you get past the sign and old truck, a huge, open, well groomed field is ahead. Radio Controlled airplanes along the strip, smoke coming from the BBQ cooker and lots of folks. The airfield is freshly mowed. It looks better than many yards I've seen. Between the dirt road and the airfield is a fence with the pits on the other side. A small shelter with a wind sock stretched out straight from all the wind is the meeting place and registration for the flyers.

Here is an idea of the planes along pit row. There are some real beauties here. As I walked around and talked to some of the flyers I was fascinated to hear their stories.

This ME323 "Gigant" is a scale model of a German transport plane. The original had a wingspan of 181 feet. This one has a 15 foot wingspan and weights in at 50 pounds. Six engines, count em (6). Larry Stenhouse from Jacksonville, NC built this one. It's not a kit. He had a few line drawings and some pictures he found. The rest is history. Larry built the plane in about five months. There is eight pounds of lead in that little wooden cargo box in the front of the plane to balance things out. The cargo doors open by remote control too. It has ten wheels under the belly.

This is a Russian TU-80. Donald Conway from Kinston, NC built this one in about six months. It has a 17 foot wingspan and weights in at an impressive 65 pounds 8 ounces. Donald built the TU-80 from scratch too. A closer look at the plane reveals detailed rivets and cockpit detail that could be functional. The rivets are made from individual drops of glue. He has built planes for movies and had to watch them get blown up. That's got to be a heart breaker.

The transmitters are kept out of harms way here so there is no interference to the flyer and plane flying on the field.

If you think this sport is easy, have a look at one of the transmitters up close. There are more levers and switches here than anybody should have to worry about. Throw one the wrong way and bring your plane home in a bag. Ya gotta respect these folks and the skill required to build and fly one of these babies.

Met several Harley riders at the fun fly. Thanks Piedmont Aeromodelers. The clouds started to roll in and it was time for me to head home. Another forecast for a rainy day and another great ride. If I had listened to the weather man, I would of missed another ride on my Harley. Ya just gotta go for it sometimes and enjoy the ride! Ride Safe, John