Oh man, what the...? Why do I insist on airing this dirty laundry? Well, besides providing a healthy chuckle, this is a perfect example of how I jot down an idea into a sketch without spending too much time deciding if it's a good idea. From this point, I would progress to the drawing board or CAD program and really dive into the design process. Jumping from a sketch to a full-size drawing is where whispy ideas meet gritty reality. I've always said that ideas are the easy part of model design....   Hey, "Dirty Laundry" would be a good name for a model...

* * * * * A Shocking Development * * * * *

Shortly after putting my Sketch Book on the BTE website, I read about an ongoing 1/2A Design Contest on RC Universe. Sounded like fun, so I signed up without really knowing what to build for my entry. Since the contest was geared towards fun and experimentation, I finally decided to roll the dice on this design. Seemed like a good test of my aeronautical sanity. Building it was a nice diversion - playing with a Cox engine, Ace foam wings, and tiny servos brought back a wave of nostalgia. Perhaps the most bizarre thing about the project is that it actually flew!

Skeptical? Watch the video!   Point This Way - Maiden Flight (4 MB)

Read more about the 2006 1/2A Design Contest