Mode Zero

Black box...
Here is one from 1954 and the button pusher is my late father

Took it out yesterday to our first 'vintage radio assist' meeting of 2019.
Both Max' and my contraptions were well received, I also brought a spare receiver with servos, so anyone who felt like it could have a go.
Some got it right within seconds, while others struggled and got the commands mixed up most of the time.

Too bad the wind was too strong, for test flying the model I brought, for most of the day.
But then the wind dropped.
Finally I got it trimmed on propo and later even (with the use of DR and positive expo) managed a reeds emulation to see the reactions of the model.
This felt eerily familiar already after 'only' 49 years.

So now all I have to do is transfering these trim settings to the Black Box and waiting for another calm day.
To be continued...

Here's a little demo of both battery condition and throttle settings LEDs:

https://vimeo.com/340164412

This is what the finished product looks like on the inside:


Now all I am waiting for is a dry, calm day for test flying.
Fingers crossed....

Here's the 'victim' that will have to endure my re-enty, 49 years late, in the realm of Single Channel.
~ 36" span and very light. Saved from an attic cleaning, I couldn't allow someone trashing it and took it home.
After some thorough dusting, this sweetie emerged.
Flies great on propo and simulated reeds (60% DR, 100% expo), so the step to the butten can't be too hard (famous last words...but then, I could fly on the button in 1970).
Dry testing shows hardly any mis keying, building confidence.
Like said, it should be a calm day....

Just had a great flying session yesterday ( see 'Events'), here's the inner life of my Little Black Box:


And the way it works: https://vimeo.com/381002446?share=copy