I have a pretty wide span of time in the RC hobby. I remember my very first two-channel foam Cessna when I was about 13. That was 41 years ago. Through a lot of painful trial and error, and with some mentorship, I advanced to four-channel balsa kits. One of my favorites was the classic Ugly Stick with a Red Baron-style scheme.
I became very proficient in the 90s with a very nice scale P-51 and a Piper Warrior. I used to stand in the middle of the street and land it at my feet. The second Piper I had was the first airplane to survive me, as I sold it in 2000 and took a long hiatus from the hobby.
About 15 years ago, I made an impulsive decision to buy a foam F-18 EDF. I had good success but returned it because of a radio issue. I didn't fly again until 2 years ago. I became hooked again with a Freewing F-16. My collection now consists of three Freewing models. I am a fan. I have the F-16 Arctic camo in a 70mm, the BAE Hawk 70mm, and a gorgeous 80mm F-5 Tiger in desert camo.
I fly with SD Wingmasters in Vista, California, and when I really want the thrill of complete freedom, I head to the El Dorado dry lake bed near Las Vegas.
