Well, the Zero has survived another mid-air.
Loco Builder was flying an almost new GWS Corsair, and we were mixing it up some when the two planes collided. I saw something fall from the point of impact, but both planes seemed to fly on okay.
Loco Builder's setup is an ewatts 1500kv motor with a 2s and 8x6 prop. It had an excellent turn of speed - very close to the Zero on 3s with 7x5 to be honest. I had him I think, but only just.
Anyway, after the impact both planes seemed to fly on okay but something definitely fell to the ground. I suspected it was a prop blade, so closed the throttle and lined up for an emergency landing. However, the Zero was fine (although the landing was a bit average - it was okay though). It was Loco Builder's plane that had been damaged.
The collision had cut away most of his vertical stabiliser and rudder. The Corsair was flying okay, or seemed to be, but as he slowed down it started to get very unstable. Unfortunately it got so unsettled that it dipped a wing tip, and then tip stalled before going in from about 1.5 metres up. Four pieces - quite repairable, but quite a blow. Loco Builder was pretty circumspect about it, and it was all agreed that it was repairable.
The Zero has a bit of a history of mid airs. In 307 flights she has survived a total of 3 mid airs. The first was with DJ's Electrafun back when the Zero was very old. Although the engine was crippled by the strike the Zero was undamaged and the Electrafun got a gash in the wing.
The second was not that long ago - Ground Dancer's Spitfire. The Zero was basically undamaged by that collision, but Ground Dancer's pilot was almost decapitated.
Now the third - basically undamaged. I checked the grub screws on the motor and tightened them. Oh well, hopefully the Corsair is easy to repair.
Well - 307 flights, 3 mid airs.
As the Klingons would say
"today is a good day to die, but the day is not yet done".
They said you'd never make it,
They said you'd never make it,
They said you'd never make it, but you finally came through.
