My last Ringmaster flight was in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. My Ringmaster had a Fox 35 engine and I’d flown, crashed and patched it up for several years. I’d just done a loop when suddenly the engine pitch went up, then the sound receded. The plane stopped in mid-flight and fluttered to the ground. I’d flown that old plane so much the wood of the motor mount had gotten saturated with gas and eventually rotted. My trusty Fox 35 had gone screaming off into the woods. I never found it. That was the last time I flew a control line plane. The year was 1965.
Nice video. Great "Taps", too. I still have a Candy-Apple Red Ringmaster Jr. that hasn't flown for 54 years, but it might still fly. It's boxed up now down in the cellar. It has a .19 Veco on her. Used to love to fly, but I lost my flying buddy in a car accident, and for some reason never flew again.
Still have my Dad's Ringmaster from 1957, Fokker Red and Cub Yellow with a Fox .29. Don't remember any flights back then but I do have a photo of me sitting on the front porch with the Ringmaster on top of me. Fast foward 10 years dad restored the Ringmaster and got my brothers and I involved in modeling. We built several 1/2A models before I graduated to a Sterling P-51D Mustang. Dad built a Jr Flite Streak and we would make a day of it flying several planes at the local park. Fifteen years later I have a photo of the same Ringmaster on my folks front porch with my son holding it. I would fly the Ringmaster several years later along with the Stuntman 23 my son built. The Fox .29 is gone now but I'm looking into converting the Ringmaster to electric to fly with my grandsons.
I was about 12 years old in the mid ‘60s and my 18 or 19 year old big brother showed me how to assemble and paint up a Ringmaster. Layers and layers of Dope on the wings. I worked on it for months and it looked great. We attached a Fox 35 and got the handgrip cable control and he was going to do the first flight to demonstrate to me how it’s done. Well he took it pretty much straight up and then straight back down into the ground. Completed maybe a quarter of a circle. And that was the end of it. Disappointing and unfortunate, but I never really blamed him too badly. I still enjoyed the build, and messing with that scary little Fox 35. We didn’t have an electric starter. Started it with our fingers on the prop or using a wooden clothes pin against the prop. Glad the only damage was to the plane.
That was great! Built my first Ringmaster in 1970 as a kid, we had a blast with it. You two guys redefined the old adage of old pilots and bold pilots to read two old pilots both to bold to know the difference. Whoever’s wife that was is a hoot! At least Ed didn’t break a hip! I’m 56 and got me a new hip and ready to fly UC again!
HINT : If you dont have all them trees that are all around you to make you dizzy as they pass by with the plane.....its much easier to fly a u kie in a open area with no passing by trees...I hope i explained this right...I enjoyed the video But not the fatal crash.
That was awesome. My first thought is if you guys can do it my Ringmaster will fly. And then as I was watching I was thinking you’d over filled grandad. Lol. She flew so nicely.
Bloody good stuff , I was looking at my old 4cc OS MAX just recently , many funny days and spectacular impacts , bird strikes , even an angry golfer scored a direct hit on the wing root of a P 40 . i might just build a new one , have not smelt burnt Shell A and oil for so long . But clearly my memory of how fast they went is spot on . I went straight from 049 to the OS 4 cc , bright yellow ME 109 / 3 ft span ,, jeez it was quick ! i STILL HAVE THE PLANS , Not flown since late seventies so should be fun .
When the dizzies come on, I plant my left foot on the ground and imagine there is a long steel spike nailed through my foot and all that foot can do is rotate. It can not lift off the ground. Works for me! After a few flights, and you know what the plane is going to do, a half dozen "Lazy 8's" also keeps a guy from getting spun out! Nothing else sounds like a Fox .35! I hope you were able to fix the plane!
Thanks. The pilot that took the fall was my buddy Ed, who has some health issues that affect his balance, etc. He hung in there as long as he could. And you are right - the plane was booking. We put my old rat race engine, a SuperTigre 40bb, on the plane and ran it on a pressurized tank. Fun while it lasted.
I have 40 BB Tiger that is one mean engine, The engine was really hauling towards the end it looked like approx 4 second laps , I could tell he was trying his best to fly the tank out not easy at that speed and out of practice . Looks like you all had a good time . Except for the plane ...
I heard that using a electric starter on a bushing engine - like the major of c/l engines are - is not a good practice, as it may force the shaft and conrod to touch on the back seal of the engine' body.
No you fool the prop driver runs against the front of the crankcase! Do you really think the crankshaft would rub against the crankcase cover? Another you tube know all .
Looks like you guys had some great laughs! It's sad to see the old girl go! I know that thing was pretty tough, having gained a certain amount of notoriety for breaking it the first time. If i remember correctly, that was a failed loop attempt into the ground. Bill was able to patch it back together again. That was many years ago...
Yep. That's right. You were the first crasher, snapped the fuselage in half ahead of the wing. But as violent an impact as Ed put on it this last time, the epoxy repair of your crash held solid. You were in no way the cause of it's demise. Thanks for being a part of this Ringmasters history.
Rick, under normal circumstances that is what we would have done. But I vowed this would be the Last Flight, so I packed off all the airplane stuff to my cousin who is a commercial pilot and model plane guy. He got 4 engines, including a 1940's Hornet 60 that belonged to my dad. He was thrilled to get them and at my age (70) I couldn't be happier they are going to a good home. Thanks for replying. BTW - my cousin is Roger who posted above. Bill.
Famous sterling s-1. Ringmaster over a million built,still have mine from the 80s fox 35
Great vid! The wife laughing was cracking me up! Great editing too!
I liked the video, exciting the flight, I started also like this with 14 years old and now with 65 I still passionate, that memories ......
My last Ringmaster flight was in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. My Ringmaster had a Fox 35 engine and I’d flown, crashed and patched it up for several years. I’d just done a loop when suddenly the engine pitch went up, then the sound receded. The plane stopped in mid-flight and fluttered to the ground. I’d flown that old plane so much the wood of the motor mount had gotten saturated with gas and eventually rotted. My trusty Fox 35 had gone screaming off into the woods. I never found it. That was the last time I flew a control line plane. The year was 1965.
Nice video. Great "Taps", too. I still have a Candy-Apple Red Ringmaster Jr. that hasn't flown for 54 years, but it might still fly. It's boxed up now down in the cellar. It has a .19 Veco on her. Used to love to fly, but I lost my flying buddy in a car accident, and for some reason never flew again.
Sorry to hear about your loss. I know how you feel. I lost my buddy Ed, pilot #2 in this video, to covid over a year ago.
I too lost some flying buddy's all in 4 years, the hobbys never been the same
Spun that old dude proper dinnit ! That was a great CL model!..and what a beautifully manicured green!!
This happened to me a couple of times 😂😭🤣🤣🤣
Still have my Dad's Ringmaster from 1957, Fokker Red and Cub Yellow with a Fox .29. Don't remember any flights back then but I do have a photo of me sitting on the front porch with the Ringmaster on top of me. Fast foward 10 years dad restored the Ringmaster and got my brothers and I involved in modeling. We built several 1/2A models before I graduated to a Sterling P-51D Mustang. Dad built a Jr Flite Streak and we would make a day of it flying several planes at the local park. Fifteen years later I have a photo of the same Ringmaster on my folks front porch with my son holding it. I would fly the Ringmaster several years later along with the Stuntman 23 my son built. The Fox .29 is gone now but I'm looking into converting the Ringmaster to electric to fly with my grandsons.
Love that history. Thanks for taking the time to share it. Fox made great, reasonably priced engines, and each one had it's own personality.
I was about 12 years old in the mid ‘60s and my 18 or 19 year old big brother showed me how to assemble and paint up a Ringmaster. Layers and layers of Dope on the wings. I worked on it for months and it looked great. We attached a Fox 35 and got the handgrip cable control and he was going to do the first flight to demonstrate to me how it’s done. Well he took it pretty much straight up and then straight back down into the ground. Completed maybe a quarter of a circle. And that was the end of it. Disappointing and unfortunate, but I never really blamed him too badly. I still enjoyed the build, and messing with that scary little Fox 35. We didn’t have an electric starter. Started it with our fingers on the prop or using a wooden clothes pin against the prop. Glad the only damage was to the plane.
Nice story. Thanks for sharing. Hopefully your brother is still around and your guys can laugh about it.
Nice plane! I have an equal of 25 years ago, but the best is the fun and especially the friendship you see have you. Congratulations beautiful video.
That was great! Built my first Ringmaster in 1970 as a kid, we had a blast with it. You two guys redefined the old adage of old pilots and bold pilots to read two old pilots both to bold to know the difference. Whoever’s wife that was is a hoot! At least Ed didn’t break a hip! I’m 56 and got me a new hip and ready to fly UC again!
Thanks heeder. That was a fun day. We were definitely too bold to know the difference. Good luck with flying again.
Great sounding Fox
OMG, just the best. I damn near peed myself. Loved the slow motion and taps at the end. Great job guys!
I fee bad for the ring master i would have enjoyed it for many years to come.
Love it!
HINT : If you dont have all them trees that are all around you to make you dizzy as they pass by with the plane.....its much easier to fly a u kie in a open area with no passing by trees...I hope i explained this right...I enjoyed the video But not the fatal crash.
Never watch the back ground!
That was awesome. My first thought is if you guys can do it my Ringmaster will fly. And then as I was watching I was thinking you’d over filled grandad. Lol. She flew so nicely.
Bloody good stuff , I was looking at my old 4cc OS MAX just recently , many funny days and spectacular impacts , bird strikes , even an angry golfer scored a direct hit on the wing root of a P 40 . i might just build a new one , have not smelt burnt Shell A and oil for so long . But clearly my memory of how fast they went is spot on . I went straight from 049 to the OS 4 cc , bright yellow ME 109 / 3 ft span ,, jeez it was quick ! i STILL HAVE THE PLANS , Not flown since late seventies so should be fun .
You will love it. Have fun and don't forget the video camera.
When the dizzies come on, I plant my left foot on the ground and imagine there is a long steel spike nailed through my foot and all that foot can do is rotate. It can not lift off the ground. Works for me! After a few flights, and you know what the plane is going to do, a half dozen "Lazy 8's" also keeps a guy from getting spun out! Nothing else sounds like a Fox .35! I hope you were able to fix the plane!
Very good, thank very much!!!!!!GRACIAS
Thats was the best CL video to date. 10 Stars.
Poor guy- you were hanging tough - that ringmaster was cranking!!
Thanks. The pilot that took the fall was my buddy Ed, who has some health issues that affect his balance, etc. He hung in there as long as he could. And you are right - the plane was booking. We put my old rat race engine, a SuperTigre 40bb, on the plane and ran it on a pressurized tank. Fun while it lasted.
I have 40 BB Tiger that is one mean engine, The engine was really hauling towards the end it looked like approx 4 second laps , I could tell he was trying his best to fly the tank out not easy at that speed and out of practice . Looks like you all had a good time . Except for the plane ...
I heard that using a electric starter on a bushing engine - like the major of c/l engines are - is not a good practice, as it may force the shaft and conrod to touch on the back seal of the engine' body.
Sounds feasible. Thanks.
No you fool the prop driver runs against the front of the crankcase! Do you really think the crankshaft would rub against the crankcase cover? Another you tube know all .
Real ukie guys use their figure to crank others use chicken stix
I piled in my 15 size Ringmaster Jr in a similar fashion.. (thanks to a wing over)
I'm with you, pal!
Looks like you guys had some great laughs! It's sad to see the old girl go! I know that thing was pretty tough, having gained a certain amount of notoriety for breaking it the first time. If i remember correctly, that was a failed loop attempt into the ground. Bill was able to patch it back together again. That was many years ago...
Yep. That's right. You were the first crasher, snapped the fuselage in half ahead of the wing. But as violent an impact as Ed put on it this last time, the epoxy repair of your crash held solid. You were in no way the cause of it's demise. Thanks for being a part of this Ringmasters history.
Muy divertido
More like last of the ring master Pilot...
Ooopsy lol. Nice attempt
Sad ending. Easy to fix though. Should be fixed / flown again!
That will buff out!!
A six pak would of helped tremendously.
I agree. Wish I had thought of it.
Muy buen intento.
Sigan practicando.
Ez fix a little glue and dope and back in the air again
Rick, under normal circumstances that is what we would have done. But I vowed this would be the Last Flight, so I packed off all the airplane stuff to my cousin who is a commercial pilot and model plane guy. He got 4 engines, including a 1940's Hornet 60 that belonged to my dad. He was thrilled to get them and at my age (70) I couldn't be happier they are going to a good home. Thanks for replying. BTW - my cousin is Roger who posted above. Bill.
My old man use to say' 2 tubes of glue it'll b like new😎
Wow. Clowns.
TOOOOOOOO DAYAM FUNNY!!!!!!
Been there done that!