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Hangar Rash

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KCornelius - 02 Nov 2003 07:20 GMT
What's your worst-best story?

--
KayCee
Foamie Experimentation Engineer
Remove * to reply
Dr1Driver - 02 Nov 2003 14:10 GMT
>What's your worst-best story?

SEVERE hanger rash...wing in one hand, fuselage under one arm, tail towards my
back.  Getting the apartment door open, trying to close it...kicking it closed
with my foot.  COMPLETELY closing it on the back half of the fuselage.  CRUNCH!

Anyone top this?
Dr.1 Driver
"There's a Hun in the sun!"
badbill - 02 Nov 2003 15:03 GMT
>>What's your worst-best story?
>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>Dr.1 Driver
>"There's a Hun in the sun!"

Sorry, but IMHO I can easily top it with my stupidity. When the very
first 1/3 scale EZ Christen Eagles came out, I had to have one- I
think it was about 1987 or 88. I ordered one from the LHS and waited
forever for it. Then I got the call- my $750 plane was there! I made
the 100 mile round trip at night and met the owner at the shop and
picked the plane up. Got home around ten pm or so and eagerly started
unpacking the two very large boxes. I removed the fuselage and called
to my wife to come look at this, it was truly a thing of beauty. As
she walked in the room I removed the fuse from the box and held it up
for her to see- suddenly WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK. Took me
several seconds to realize I had just stuck my new pride and joy into
the ceiling fan, which of course was going full blast....

Bill Davenport
AMA 28141
Robbie and Laura Reynolds - 02 Nov 2003 15:20 GMT
> she walked in the room I removed the fuse from the box and held it up
> for her to see- suddenly WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK. Took me
> several seconds to realize I had just stuck my new pride and joy into
> the ceiling fan, which of course was going full blast....

You win!
The Natural Philosopher - 02 Nov 2003 20:20 GMT
> she walked in the room I removed the fuse from the box and held it up
> for her to see- suddenly WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK. Took me
> several seconds to realize I had just stuck my new pride and joy into
> the ceiling fan, which of course was going full blast....

At least you got it OUT of the box. I had just opened my foamie when the
cat pounced on it...IN THE BOX!!!
Bill Fulmer - 02 Nov 2003 15:33 GMT
A Cajun buddy of mine had just finished assembling an OK "Chipmunk" ARF and
was running around his living room with it, in simulated flight, making
appropriate airplane sounds....  Until he stuck it into the ceiling fan....

Cheers,

Bill
> >What's your worst-best story?
>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> Dr.1 Driver
> "There's a Hun in the sun!"
Morgans - 02 Nov 2003 18:16 GMT
> >What's your worst-best story?
>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> Dr.1 Driver
> "There's a Hun in the sun!"

First solo flying session complete, and on the way home with a airplane in
one piece.  A first!  One corner from home, my 100 lbs 20 gal air compressor
tipped over in the back of the van, and crushed my plane.

Can't win, can't even tie.  They keep changing the rules
Signature

Jim in NC

.A.T.)u(,D,O,T,)genie('D'O'T')co("D"O"T")uk (KGB - 02 Nov 2003 19:27 GMT
>> >What's your worst-best story?
>>
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>
>Can't win, can't even tie.  They keep changing the rules

Hi

A story I have told before in this NG.

I used to have a large(ish) chow-chow dog that came to work with me
every day, when I owned a hobby store here in England.

I had been flying one weekend and the back of my van contained several
models I was taking back to the store to be re-hung from the ceiling.
Because the back of the van was full, Rusty the chow travelled on the
front seat rather than his usual place in the back of the van.  

Arriving at my store, I let Rusty out of the passenger side, then
walked to the back of the van and opened the door to get my planes out
- Rusty promptly jumped in.  Unfortunately, my instinctive reaction
was to scream and yell obscenities at the dog, which frightened him so
much he raced round the back of the van trying to avoid being grabbed
- trampling the planes underfoot (or rather underpaw)!!!!!

Then there is the time I ground to a halt building a Flair Puppeteer
(more interesting projects took over my enthusiasm), but carefully
preserved the fuselage - for a few years at it turned out - knowing I
would eventually finish it.  Finally, I took down my carefully
preserved, uncovered, mint-condition fuselage from a shelf, blew the
dust off it, carried it across my loft workshop to my building board -
and stepped straight down the hatch access.  I landed on the floor at
the bottom of the ladder (around 8 feet) unhurt but clutching a mass
of matchwood.

Regards

KGB

My email address needs "altering" before use
Fred McClellan - 03 Nov 2003 01:24 GMT
>>> >What's your worst-best story?

Not my story, but I thought it worth preserving after I got up off the
floor from laughing :

"For the birds", posted by Richard Emley in April of 2000.

"Got cockatiel from wife for anniversary..Size of Robin with 12" plus
wingspan.and very sharp hooked beak.( never seen a bird fly so fast
and in so many directions at same time). As he is only pet (not
counting grandchildren) he gets all the attention.

Taught him to whistle theme from Andy Griffith,( Huge
Mistake)...Anyway goes down cellar with me while working on latest
creations  F4U and Bf 109,( like warbirds.).......He is fascinated
with wires, small screws and foam, gets excited when I say " want to
go down stairs."

Well, theres one thing he likes better than life itself and thats the
sound of his can-opener beak going through stretched Monocote. Could
not for the life of me figure out what that "popping"sound was, was
busy timing new engine...........Grabbed bird ( Moofasa ) in left hand
and battery powered dremel w/sanding drum in right....

Still goes down cellar, ( can't say no )  but beak has 1/8 in. radius.
He's happy and I'am happy, as he eats granulated food  he has no
trouble but I can detect a lisp in(Andy) now........Beak grows fast so
watch closely...Cockatiels can live 15 years, good chance he'll be
here after me so if you young rc'ers want a pal to go every where you
go and do what you do give my wife a call, I know she'll throw in
planes........"

Cheers,
Fred McClellan
the dash plumber at mindspring dot com
Morgans - 03 Nov 2003 07:37 GMT
> >>> >What's your worst-best story?
>
[quoted text clipped - 31 lines]
> Fred McClellan
> the dash plumber at mindspring dot com

I feel your pain.  We call that crazy flying.

I have 4.  I don't take them to the shop, but when I fiddle with stuff on
the living rm floor, one must watch where they are.  They do flee with a
rapid fling of the hand.

Be careful with chemicals, especially volatiles.  They have very sensitive
respiratory systems.
--
Jim in NC
Aileron37 - 02 Nov 2003 19:51 GMT
LOL, I came close to a ceiling fan once, now my rule is (knock on wood) I turn
off all the fans before moving models about. Personally, I have had a small
ding or two happen to me over the years, however I know of several buddies who
have never had the chance to inflict hangar rash to their airforce, their
fingers are always glued to the building board:)  rick markel
.A.T.)u(,D,O,T,)genie('D'O'T')co("D"O"T")uk (KGB - 03 Nov 2003 11:12 GMT
<SNIP>
> however I know of several buddies who
>have never had the chance to inflict hangar rash to their airforce, their
>fingers are always glued to the building board:)

Hi

Which reminds me of another true story I have told before in this NG -
slightly off topic, but I think worth repeating.  

An extremely attractive, single, female, (alas just platonic) friend
of mine - the double of a younger Goldie Hawne - was attempting an
emergency repair to a pair of shoes by gluing the sole back on with a
cheap tube of superglue.

She held the shoe in her lap, squeezed the tube and couldn't figure
out where the glue was going to; eventually realizing that the tube
had split, depositing the entire contents into her lap and firmly
gluing her underwear to her pubic hair.  After some wild panic she
eventually managed to cut herself free with a pair of scissors.

When she later told me the story, she said that knowing my knowledge
of glues through my building RC planes, she had seriously considered
phoning me to help her out.

I replied that I would have been only too pleased to have rushed round
and help her in her predicament - adding that I find chewing at
hardened glue with my teeth to be the best way of removing hardened
superglue.  That apparently is why she didn't call me.    8^(

Regards

KGB

My email address needs "altering" before use
Normen Strobel - 02 Nov 2003 20:03 GMT
After maneuvering a 1/3 scale biplane in a small room the individual helping
me decides he's going to step over the wing rather than go around the table
to get out from behind it.  Even after my pleas for him not to do so he did
anyways, as he attempts to step over it he didn't lift his back foot high
enough and catches it on the wing.  He stumbles and kicks the wing, and the
fuse.  It was the scariest 3 seconds of my life, but other than beating it
around there was no major damage.

Signature

Normen Strobel
nstrobel@zoominternet.nospam.net

> What's your worst-best story?
>
> --
> KayCee
> Foamie Experimentation Engineer
> Remove * to reply
nobody@nowhere - 05 Nov 2003 20:12 GMT
Since I do not have a van or some other big vehicle, I use my trusty Honda to
carry my models to and from the flying field. I usually put the fuse in the
back seat and the wing in the front passenger seat, while all other stuff goes
in the trunk. This particular day I put everything in the car to go to the
flying field, I got in the car and started it up. Then I hear some cracks, and
immediately I look to the right just to see that my automatic seat belt went
through my wing, broke 3 ribs...That ended the flying day, even though I did
not leave the driveway yet. Learned to be more careful.

Ciprian
Six_O'Clock_High - 02 Nov 2003 23:34 GMT
I was just finishing up my first Midwest SuperStinker after a long time
spent squaring up the wings (incidences top and bottom) when I heard BANG
BANG BANG BANG.  I found out that my 6 year old daughter was adjusting the
leading edge of the top wing with a hammer!  What really made me mad is that
while I was fixing that, she used the lower wing to try to adjust the
workshop table leg, also trashing the leading edge.  She doesn't do that
anymore.

Jim Branaum
AMA 1428

Six_O'clock_High
Target_Lock@Guns.com

> What's your worst-best story?
>
> --
> KayCee
> Foamie Experimentation Engineer
> Remove * to reply
Mike - 02 Nov 2003 23:52 GMT
After building models for decades, I've come to the conclusion there exist
what I term: "Ding & Dent Gremlins".

For example. Prepare a model for covering by sanding, filling, tac ragging,
vacuuming, then carefully place the model on a soft bed in a spare,
unoccupied  room for the night.  Lock the door and hide the key.
Invariably the next morning the model will be all dented and gouged.

One day I'll set up a hidden camera to capture the carnage.   "Who you
gonna' call"? <G>

Mike

> I was just finishing up my first Midwest SuperStinker after a long time
> spent squaring up the wings (incidences top and bottom) when I heard BANG
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> > Foamie Experimentation Engineer
> > Remove * to reply
ed - 03 Nov 2003 04:44 GMT
> What's your worst-best story?

well the photos will tell the story.

first one is "some" of fire damage from neighbour's fire that moved to
our house.

second one is of living room of my plane in rubble that included over
8" of water.

third is of completed plane. (belive it or not it came out straight!!)

had to build it without plans and replaced most of remaining wood.

lost it to screen door spring!!! well lets just say i have a spare
wing in great condition.(i think ill build a profile fuse for it. i
did fly it over 100 flights before its loss).

http://ca.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ededge2002/vwp?.dir=/Yahoo!+Photo+Album&.dnm
=psn00004.jpg&.view=t


http://ca.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ededge2002/vwp?.dir=/Yahoo!+Photo+Album&.dnm
=psn00007.jpg&.view=t


http://ca.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ededge2002/vwp?.dir=/planes&.dnm=extra+300l+
++1.jpg&.view=t

Joel - 03 Nov 2003 05:38 GMT
I had a giant scale Piper Cub with pontoons that I was flying from a lake in
southern Ontario. If had a G23 gas engine. My family and myself, we were all
on vacation, and most of the immediate family was sitting on the beach near
the lake around a giant bonfire that my uncle made. I made a perfect water
landing, then brought her in. The bolts that held the engine in place came
off completely on one side, and I felt real fortunate that she came in in
one piece. I picked up the plane to show it to my father and as I approached
him, I tripped over a rope that was about 5 inches off the ground that was
tied to a canoe. I fell flat on my face, tossing the plane right into the
raging fire (with lots of gas still in the engine). Every bailed because
they were afraid it would explode, and it did, about 10 seconds later,
showering nearby trees with flames and igniting the foliage behind the
beach. One tree caught fire, spreading fire to another, then another, until
it reached our cabin and burned about half of the roof off. We sprayed the
forest and cabin with water, and the firemen showed up a little later. We
told them what happened and they just laughed at us. I was up in a tree so I
could see the damage to the roof from above. We were lucky it was only this
bad. Then the fire chief came up to the tree and started pulling on my leg,
just like I'm pulling yours...

Sorry, I don't have any real stories so I just had to make something up!

> What's your worst-best story?
>
> --
> KayCee
> Foamie Experimentation Engineer
> Remove * to reply
w4jle - 04 Nov 2003 02:42 GMT
Happened today, I was busy on the keyboard and not watching my African Grey
parrot. She climbed down the cage and walked over to my recently finished
Mr. Mulligan and promptly ate a hole in the side of it. I heard this strange
crunching sound and hollered (expletive deleted). I now need to replace a
couple of longerons and covering. EEEEEEECH!

Wonder if a parrot tastes like chicken?

> What's your worst-best story?
>
> --
> KayCee
> Foamie Experimentation Engineer
> Remove * to reply
Bubby - 04 Nov 2003 07:17 GMT
Fill a large saucepan with boiling water,
add the cockatoo to the boiling water using a rock tied to it's feet to hold
it down.
Cook on a rolling boil for at least 4 hours, and test with a fork.
When the rock is soft, throw out the parrot and eat the rock.

Hope this helps,
B
jkidless - 05 Nov 2003 03:04 GMT
How about knocking a transmitter onto a newly covered wing. Besides
breaking 3 ribs, I also broke 2 switches on the transmitter when that
hit the floor!
John York

--
jkidless

John York
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.A.T.)u(,D,O,T,)genie('D'O'T')co("D"O"T")uk (KGB - 05 Nov 2003 09:51 GMT
>How about knocking a transmitter onto a newly covered wing. Besides
>breaking 3 ribs, I also broke 2 switches on the transmitter when that
>hit the floor!
>John York

Hi

A flyer I know once went slope soaring and hung onto the model,
hurling his transmitter down the slope instead.  At least his plane
remained intact.

Regards
KGB

My email address needs "altering" before use
David Smith - 05 Nov 2003 12:17 GMT
> Hi
>
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> My email address needs "altering" before use

It'd take quite a blow to keep the tx airborne!
Signature

Dave S, Kuusankoski, Finland.

My return address requires modification before use.

.A.T.)u(,D,O,T,)genie('D'O'T')co("D"O"T")uk (KGB - 05 Nov 2003 13:09 GMT
>> Hi
>>
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
>It'd take quite a blow to keep the tx airborne!

Hi

I think the key phrase is "down" the slope; his Tx didn't stay
airborne for very long - a matter of feet!!   8^)

Regards

KGB

My email address needs "altering" before use
David Smith - 05 Nov 2003 15:05 GMT
<kokopelli (.A.T.) u (,D,O,T,) genie ('D'O'T') co ("D"O"T") uk (KGB)> wrote

> >> Hi
> >>
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
>
> My email address needs "altering" before use

There was a report of a similar event in RCM&E in 1970 (I have big
collection and a long memory!) in one of David Boddington's articles (Sport
& Single, post Button Man), in which a nervous modeller launched his tx and
held onto the model at a prestigious show.
Signature

Dave S, Kuusankoski, Finland.

My return address requires modification before use.

GuW - 05 Nov 2003 17:25 GMT
Me and a friend was going to try floatflying for the first time, but we
didnt have any option other then starting the plane from a boat a bit from
land (sea-weed), so we went out in the very small boat with a fairly big
cessna type of plane, a fieldbox and everything that goes with it.

the starting procedure and lifting the running plane in the water was a
whole story of itself, but I'll save that for later...

Once we got the plane started and in the water, it didnt want to go straight
due to a bent water-rudder, so he taxied the plane back to the boat and
leaned over the side to correct this, when the boat tilted the fieldbox
slided to that side of the boat, increasing the tilt, causing the tranny to
go overboard and submerge, fortunatly he got a grip of the antenna and
pulled the tranny up, but when shifting grip of the tranny he accidently
pulled full throttle, and in that split second the tranny decided to give
up, leaving us with a unsteerable plane at full throttle across the lake,
fortunatly it caught wind and made a big leap crashing down inverted halfway
out on the lake...

He has never attempted float flying after this....
James D Jones - 06 Nov 2003 22:00 GMT
Interesting.  I used to fly off of floats alot.  Never, once, did I
attempt to launch from a boat.  A boat was only used to fetch planes
which could not be taxied back to the beach.

Normally, float planes are started much like they are at a flying
field.  They are then carried to, and placed into the water.  From
there they are taxied out into the wind and taken off.

Your account is hilarious.  Who would have thought ...

Jim - AMA 501383

> Me and a friend was going to try floatflying for the first time, but
> we didnt have any option other then starting the plane from a boat a
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
>
> He has never attempted float flying after this....
GuW - 07 Nov 2003 17:58 GMT
"James D Jones" Wrote something like this:

> Normally, float planes are started much like they are at a flying
> field.  They are then carried to, and placed into the water.  From
> there they are taxied out into the wind and taken off.
>
> Your account is hilarious.  Who would have thought ...

We tryed to start it on land and put it into the water, but we couldnt get
it to taxi trough some thick sea-weed (probably there we bent the water
rudder too) so we did row it out a bit with the small boat.

I'm still going to try float flying, but at another location where I have a
perfect launching site, and a boat for retrieving stalled planes (or I might
do it the easy way and floatfly electric...)
However, I'm going to keep the radio on land as much as possible ;-)
Morris Lee - 04 Nov 2003 14:57 GMT
Built a Big Stik 40 ARF once I put it on my homemade CG machine to make sure
it balanced correctly and promptly poked a hole in the ARFKote there's no
matching iron-on  for.  I've also let falling screwdrivers poke holes in
covering, and even had models slide off my workbench and break off cheek
plates.  However, I can't match W4JLE's parrot, hahaha!

--
Morris Lee
morris.lee@verizon.net
> Happened today, I was busy on the keyboard and not watching my African Grey
> parrot. She climbed down the cage and walked over to my recently finished
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> > Foamie Experimentation Engineer
> > Remove * to reply
me - 04 Nov 2003 19:37 GMT
Had a friend with a similar problem. At the suggestion of a clerk in a
hardware store, he bought a file and filed down the birds beak. Only problem
was, when he removed the bird from the vise, it was no longer among the
living. ;>)

> Happened today, I was busy on the keyboard and not watching my African Grey
> parrot. She climbed down the cage and walked over to my recently finished
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> > Foamie Experimentation Engineer
> > Remove * to reply
me - 04 Nov 2003 19:49 GMT
A couple of good ones.

Had a friend that wanted to get into the hobby. He bought a Sag Cadet, spent
months building it. Got the plane all assembled and covered with radio gear
and engine. Started it up on the floor of his garage to break in the engine.
The only problem was as soon as the engine started running, the guys large
Golden Retriever who was laying quietly asleep took umbrage to the noise.
The dog leaped, landing in the center of the wing. Luckily for the dog, the
landing gear folded, stopping the engine before any dog parts came into
contact with the prop. The guy was so shocked he just stood there and
watched the dog chew his plane into oblivion.

Another guy had used his attic for plane storage. He was looking at a wing,
and not looking where he was walking. When he landed on the floor of the
room under the attic, he was holding a wing that had been suddenly clipped
to the exact width of the attic access hole.

> What's your worst-best story?
>
> --
> KayCee
> Foamie Experimentation Engineer
> Remove * to reply
 
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