Have you noticed that what seems a disproportionate percentage of us
obsessed with aviation, are also equally obsessed with photography and
electronics?
Personally, I'm retired from 30 years of electronic field service, 4 years
of USN aviation flying back seat radar operator on antisub trackers from
carriers before that, got my PPL in '65 but abandoned pro ambitions when
eyesight went south, and an avid advanced amateur photographer the whole
time (that's tapered off cause after you have a few thousand
slides/negative/files, friends won't talk to you months after a vacation,
and no wall space left, what the hell do you do with them?).............
I'm a former Navy journalist, myself, and photography is one of my favorite
interests. If I sold all my Nikon bodies and lenses, I could probably buy a
full-scale ariplane.... ;-) As I mentioned in another thread recently,
electronics seems like something I should be more deeply interested in, but
I just can't seem to fathom it.
Good flying,
desmobob
Yes I noticed. Also lots of Amatuire Radio fellers around too.
I'm actually a fry cook and don't know another flyer who is.
I have studied electronics, photography and always wanted to fly full scale.
Used to fish and golf but that fell by the wayside. My sons asked me to
golf tomorro. 3 planes NEED a maiden flight. Humm
mk
Well, I've noticed an "obsession" with aviation in this news group, but I
suspect that is pretty normal for a group of people who are into this hobby.
As for me, I was probably more obsessed with aviation when I was in my early
to mid teens, but I think I became obsessed with fishing, hunting, girls and
then came college, wife and kids and, later, golf. Now that the kids are
grown and looking after kids of their own, I'm becoming obsessed with things
that fly again, because back problems prevent me from wading a river,
walking a field or swinging a golf club with any degree of comfort. Even if
my back got better, I suspect I'd have to give up one of those other hobbies
for RC planes. I wish I could get my wife interested, because it looks like
golf isn't something we are going to be able to do together anymore. (I did
get her to come out to the field today, however.)
I've been interested in photography for years, but not anywhere near the
level of my interest in fishing. I did kind of incorporate the two over the
past several years, however.
As for electronics, I'm afraid I am firmly in the camp of desmobob .........
I don't get electronics, and I feel like an imbecile when the conversation
turns to that subject. And my dad was very good at electronics and things
electrical. Now that I'm a geezer, however, I have no plans to learn much
about electronics; there may be too little time left to enjoy the things I
understand and/or enjoy more.
Oh, by the way, the reason my wife came out to the field today was because I
was determined to fly my trainer for the first time despite gusty winds and
chilly temperatures. But I did it! The instructor wouldn't let me land it
myself because of the winds, but I think I could have done that ok, too.
I'll humor him for a while!
Harlan
From 'CRaSH':
It's really always been so, with aviation and electronics at least. RC
aviation was born of the union of freeflight modeling and ham radio in
1937 in a joint venture of twin brothers Walt and Bill Good, one a model
plane nut and the other a ham operator. The pair were virtually the
"Wright brothers" of RC aviation as we know it, even down to petitioning
the govt. for the frequency allocations we now enjoy (in the U.S.
anyway). Too bad they are all but lost to history and forgotten. See-
"CRaSH" wrote in
news:IwZZf.555$fG3.285@dukeread09:
Seems true. I have a strong interest in electronics and
photography. Many are prior service.
I've shot 8 or 9 weddings as an advanced amateur in 35 mm and
2-1/4, multi-flash setup and all.
My unaided eyesight was bad enough that I never pursued
flying. I did something better than flying, I spent 3 years
in the Army Band, finished out with my 20 year letter, 15
years in Band field and 8 in other fields (helicopter
mechanic, air defence artillery, truck driver, etc.)
--
HPT
Yep, seems as so with R/C and electronics. A few years back, I did the
airborne video thing and also put a GPS "overlay" (like a HUD) that
overlayed the lon/lat, altitude, groundspeed, etc. onto the transmitted
video. I had this in a GP Spacewalker and it worked really well.
What's funny is a Navy Lab guy contacted me after seeing posts in this
newsgroup. He asked what my configuration was, who I got the electronics
from, and how well it performed. I answered all his questions and even
talked to the guy on the phone. Now you see little planes all over that
troops use and have this same information on the screen.
You would have thought I would have made some money on the deal....NOT !
LOL But it was a fun project. Heck, I still have the rig but it is not
installed in a plane.
CJ
from carriers
Were you flying in an S2F off the USS Bennington perhaps?
My Dad was a Nasal Radiator for a while and he introduced me to RC
flying mid '70s. 8-)
Nope, S2F-1A off of USS Kearsarge in early '60's. Most notable cruises were
when we picked up astronauts Wally Shirra (first one in history to come back
in view of the recovery force!), and Gordon Cooper in the south Pacific...
But I can top that. I owned a 1968 Hino Contessa, a rear engine, water
cooled 1300 cc car, a sort of Japanese Renault R-10, but different.
formatting link
This is pictures of a model of the 1965. There were few changes in 1968,
except mine was a 4-door.
In 1953, Hino licensed and produced the Renault 4CV. When the Contessa came
out in 1964, it was their own design and rather stylish, when compared with
Renault's offerings of the time.
Six O'Clock High queried:
Nope, can't say that I have, Jim. But I used to see a few of those bodies
mounted up on Altered Class drag racers.
Ed Cregger
Ed,
Speaking of altereds, I had two in the early sixties when draggin' was
fun, and another in the eighties with my kids for bracket racing. Now
that I am retired, I have built a '34 Ford Pickup chopped and slammed
with '51 full dress 265 flattie pushing a Ford C4 tranny into a dana 44
RR. Still I have time build and fly.
Phil AMA609
Ed Cregger wrote:
Just when I was beginning to have fun in drag racing in the sixties, Uncle
Sam kept sending me notices to report for Army physicals. I saw the
handwriting on the wall and beat them to the punch by joining the USAF. When
I got out and could afford to drag race again, everything had changed. And
not for the better. I enjoyed drag racing more when you couldn't go to the
dealership and buy a 11 to 12 second car, complete with warranty and monthly
payments. Oh well.
Ed Cregger
ROFLOL! The wireing was a nightmare and the original engine small. We
overhauled the engine to ours in the kitchen sink...
Of course, you would have to know my old man. He gave my mother a set of
kingpins for Christmas one year.
Ah the bad old days...
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