nature is against me!

[stx44]

So Ive built a couple of catapult launch "chucks" of late- I tend to do this in between bigger builds or whilst waiting on a kit to arrive.

Built one called a "beamsbox" which flew kinda well- flying on a nice stil day . However after a few flights it launched particularly high, thermalled, and then the wind gusted. It was last seen heading across the river into the farmland. One of those "yeah" moments from the awesome flight, followed by the "doh" moment when you realise the planes gone!

Last weekend I did another different chuck. This one I had trimmed well- it was flying 40 feet up, then circling back down. The previaling wind meant I had to move close to a massive gumtree at the upwind end of the field. On about the third flight, a Pee Wit erupted from the tree, and began swooping the plane as it came down. Next flight, I had TWo Pee Wits chasing the plane- making repeated swoop attacks on it. Next flight spelt the end. I had FOUR Pee Wits, one of which actually hit the plane hard enough to knock it out the air, at which point they all landed and kept hopping round it pecking the heck out of it!

I laughed too much to get upset about the lost of my plane!

[davidchoate]

Wish you had a video. I would've sacrificed a plane to see that.

[Billy Mc]

First I ever heard of a Peewit aka Lapwing.

[stx44]

OK, things are getting a little weird.....

After an absence of some time, my friends the birds are back. I actually had to retrieve a chuck from the bushes today- not because it flew there, but because it was picked up off the ground and carried there by an angry bird!

I really have to start taking a camera!

Fortunately I fly my rubber power planes at a different area (its bigger, but I have to drive- I can walk to the corner and fly my hlg/clgs) and havent had a problem (yet!).

[davidchoate]

Maybe they wanna live in it. like a plane house. Any videos of the "chuckers"?

[kittyfritters]

About 8 years ago I was flying a 900 series Typhoon at the "Grassy Knoll". It caught a thermal and was circling over the field when a red tailed hawk appeared and started flying formation with it. The bird circled with the model for about a half minute, while I agonized about the fate of the plane, but apparently decided that it was neither edible or a threat and glided off to the next thermal to search the field for its next meal. The Typhoon came down after a minute and a half, the longest flight it ever had. I still have the model and it is still flyable.

[zoomie]

Red-tailed hawks' main prey is rats, mice and other small rodents.

More likely, it was just curious as to what kind of bird your Typhoon was. It was probably the first time it ever saw a fellow winged being with spinach & slime plumage .


zoomie

[kittyfritters]

Spinach and Slime? That's the first time I've heard it referred to as that.

[zoomie]

Spinach and Slime? That's the first time I've heard it referred to as that.

That's what I get for ASSUME-ing . My bad, it's sand & spinach in your case. I'll bet the hawk was still curious about that plumage scheme as well!

Most Typhoon pics and color 3-views that I've seen have shown it with the green/grey upper camo...thus my error. BTW Howard, your model looks really nice...plumage and all .


zoomie

[BillParker]

Spinach and slime. Pilot banter... This made my day! Thank you!


bp

[zoomie]

Bill, here's how WW2 RAF fighter upper camo scheme slang was 'splained to me long ago:

Sand and spinach = brown + green, std. early scheme 1939-40 (think Battle of Britain).

Sand and stone = brown + dark brown, N. Africa and Mediterranean.

Spinach and slime = green + grey, std. scheme from 1941 and later.

Note that I didn't include night fighters/intruders or SE Asia A/C.

I might have flubbed on a few details but think I'm fairly close on this info. Corrections welcome .