I know all you kids think this FPV is cool but I made up a custom built RC plane over 30 years ago to try taking aerial photos.
All I had was a manual wind-on roll film 35mm camera so I modified a meccano clockwork motor (weighed as much as a brick) and used metal gears to wind the film on after each photo, the shutter release was via a servo.
No digital cameras around then !
(http://s15.postimg.org/bwal6h2fr/meccano_motor.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/bwal6h2fr/)
Here's some piccys of the plane
(http://s14.postimg.org/mclsfwdot/roll_film_camera.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/mclsfwdot/)
(http://s12.postimg.org/b97wuqrk9/aerial_photo_plane_front.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/b97wuqrk9/)
(http://s10.postimg.org/fi9a6nvlx/front.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/fi9a6nvlx/)
(http://s18.postimg.org/tyabaz3at/aerial_photo_plane.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/tyabaz3at/)
Once the flight was over I had to take the B&W film to the Chemist shop and leave it for a week to get it developed and back, I've stood the photos up and photographed them..... here's the results,
(http://s13.postimg.org/ch4lkf7kz/aerial_1.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/ch4lkf7kz/)
(http://s23.postimg.org/8ixm163cn/aerial_2.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/8ixm163cn/)
(http://s21.postimg.org/6uygmipgj/aerial_3.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/6uygmipgj/)
(http://s15.postimg.org/csg9deqvr/aerial_4.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/csg9deqvr/)
(http://s3.postimg.org/b03oc5367/aerial_5.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/b03oc5367/)
Here's some photos of me flying the plane and launching a different one, check out the haircut and bell bottom jeans ;D
(http://s14.postimg.org/yanctshfx/me_launching.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/yanctshfx/)
(http://s18.postimg.org/igz246645/LOS_flying.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/igz246645/)
And one of me down the pub at work, I'm the good looking one in the middle :)
(http://s3.postimg.org/nrr1a4rpr/at_the_pub.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/nrr1a4rpr/)
So, anyone got a claim to doing r/c aerial photos before about 1980 ?
PK
LOVE IT!!! Simply fantastic!!!
Brilliant stuff Paul :) A lifelong hobby for sure.
Amazing how far tech (and hair styles!) have come in a mere 30 years.
Innovative stuff for the time, matey. Good for you and thanks for sharing. Very interesting.
A true pioneer - thanks for posting!
Cheers,
Technology has come a long way since then...
(but the weather was better :) )
PK
looks like a lot of hassle. Awesome Mullett and flares by the way ;D
Sod the plane check out that EPIC lip weasel! Well grown sir!
Must have been a real pain for you guys that were born back when the world was black and white.. Just think naza would have only had one flight mode back then!
That is so cool!! ;)
Bet you back then Paul you would have given your right arm for the setup you have now :) Bet you thought it was impossible hehe.
By the way, I was 4 in 1983 :D
I'm another one Paul,I started flying mid 70's & round about 1980 I built a 100" high winger to take a 35mm camera & even followed up with a movie camera as well!,I've got some photo's somewhere & some movie's which I seem to remember putting onto VHS, as soon as I can find them I'll post em up. Oh & by the way I've still got the plane in the loft as well & being designed to fly slow might have other uses...........eeemmmm!!!!
Quote from: pk-surfing on March 23, 2013, 09:59:20 PM
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(http://s18.postimg.org/tyabaz3at/aerial_photo_plane.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/tyabaz3at/)
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Great looking plane too !
regards
Andy
I like the undercarriage on that last pic, looks great! Love the sprung hinge :D
Do you still have any of these planes Paul?
Think that one gave up on me, it got so soaked with fuel after maybe a couple of years flying it that all the wood softened and joints came apart so binned it.
My next one had a super 6 hand size cine camera in it (borrowed from John who I still fly with now) poking out the side, had a good flight with that flying from the Croft racing circuit.
The plane was called a 'Surveyor' I think, had a big plastic fuselage, borrowed a projector to show the film at the flying club and it went down a treat, somebody borrowed the roll of film and I don't think I ever got it back :(
PK
Bell bottoms AND and an anorak ;D
I'd love the Meccano clockwork motor to go with my large Meccano set I have in the attic from around the early 60's :D
Great stuff though Paul.
Nigel.
Awesome. :respekt: Just goes to show how daft we'll look in 30 years time. :D
Some of us are managing to pull it off already :D
Great stuff Paul, but im afraid it was all about girls for me for most of the 80s. I only had a glider with a baby bee mounted on it in the late 80s.
I didn't have a camera back then.
:) G