World's Ugliest Ringmasters

Let's have some fun! You wouldn't believe what I bought at a garage sale a couple of years ago. Two S-1 (not 1-A) Ringmasters. both are in "Pristine" condition (for the time). They may have been flown and possibly repaired but I can't tell for sure. I have determined that the white one probably was built first because the red? one has some modern features. Note the adjustable wing tip weight and the adjustable push rod to the elevator.

For $400.00 I think I got a real deal. Do any of you think you can top these for asthetics or performance? Jump on board! Go look in the attic! FYI: They weigh (as pictured) 26 ounces and 27 ounces respectively. Ringmasters are indestructable (except for rare combat incidents). I've shown you mine so you show me yours. I'm going to put an O&R .23 on one of them and a Veco .35 on the other and go kick some tail in slow (very) combat.

LAST EDITED ON Apr-05-04 AT 12:19 PM (CDT)
 
Sorry, no contest- I have seen one that was uglier than both those put together, and it was on EB*y a bit back...
This is the time you break out the ceremonial hats and the charcoal starter fluid and prepare for the grand exhalted Spring Ringmesster Burn to welcome in the new flying season!

Jake

Actually Jake, the best Ringmaster on the bay I ever saw was the Super Ringmaster the dude cut the wings off for shipping. I sure you remember that one??

It was a pretty airplane until the wings were chopped off flush with the fuse. It reminded me of the B-52's that are being chopped up in the desert.

Oh yeah... I do remember that one. The standard Ring I was talking about looked like the bottom of a dried up pond and was the same color as well...

Jake

Hey!!!!
That was the second ugliest! I know - I crashed the first one!

I am really hurt by that - it took me years to buff that bad boy out!

If someone can explain how to host a pic, I'll show you my battered RM. As for weight, see my other post

>
>For $400.00 I think I got a real deal.

YIKES--either you need to add a clown face to that, or else move the decimal place over at least two places to the left! I suspect the latter...

Andy

Was that what they paid him to haul them off?

Jake

This will be the hardest contest in which to compete, as ALL ringmasters are totally, or as Windy says:totly; Ugly. How can something so ugly fly so well???? How can something so ugly last so long, they seem to live forever.

"How can something so ugly last so long, they seem to live forever."

I know a few guys that say the same thing about their ex-wives every time they have to fork over an alimony payment...

Jake

Actually, that is what I was thinking at the time I typed it. Ha.

My Ringmaster. Ugly? Perhaps

Here's my entry, I might not beat you, but so far I'm in the top 10!!! The tail is from a Super Ringmaster, after it had already been transplanted on a CG Shoestring. Landed this one inverted on pavement, just sanded the canopy down, smeared a little Elmers glue on for fuel proofing, flew it again the next week. The original tail was destroyed the same way, there's a big chunk of 1" square Hardwood under the horizontal stab to add some strength, it was way nose heavy with the McCoy .40 on there anyway, so I figured it was "good" weight. I built this when I was about 14, now I'm 32 but just took up CL flying again in the last couple of years, and this was still in my parents attic...so I figure I'll fly it 'til I get the hang of it or I destroy it.

Funny, I thought about doing the ugliest ringmaster thing a long time ago, and preferred to hide my shame, now you've given me the courage to come out.

Words are not enough.......

These may be some of the ugliest profile Rings, but the ugliest of all the series is this one!!

Sterling called it the Ringmaster Sportster, but people who see mine call it names Len and I wouldn't use and he wouldn't allow here. (Thanks Len!)

>These may be some of the ugliest profile Rings, but the
>ugliest of all the series is this one!!
>
>Sterling called it the Ringmaster Sportster, but people who
>see mine call it names Len and I wouldn't use and he
>wouldn't allow here. (Thanks Len!)
>
>Randy Ryan
>AMA 8500
>SAM 36
>I fly 'em all and love it!

My, my, my! The Language!! Some folks didn't like the Ryan Navion!
If that red-'n-white job is an example of 'ugly', you haven't convinced me. I have a lot of airplanes 'in the works', and have managed to 'squeeze in' one more S1, guess old habits die hard. Not taking her to contests, but will fly and enjoy; (lots of stick time has me familiar with this type, purely psychological) the word for a Classic Ringmaster is *charming*. Yeah, I know...'What is the word?'

That canopy looks like it was stolen from a Hudson Hornet or what ever they were called.

I have one hanging in the garage that is at least 25 years old. It has silk on the wings, and the leadouts are soldered. I will not fly it as I don't trust the leadouts and I don't want to cut into the wing. The Ringmaster is almost fool proof (but fools do never let up)and darn near indestructable. It may not fly as well as the Flite Streak, but will take a beating, and somehow we are all proud of owning one of these beasties. A part of our history I guess.

Mine has been rebuilt at least 8 times

Heck, the leading edge probably weighs more than some airplanes

THIS IS A CONSPIRICY!!! All youse guys were hired by the cuban government to disscredit Mathew kania, and his stellar insighte regarding model aviation!! You now what?? Its my pet theory,---I THINK YOU GUYS ARE JEALOUS!! Why dont youse guys just come to realize that matts design is the best then, the best when, and the best now period... END OF DISCUSSION DAMMIT!!! You guys upset me so --snivle, snorkle, thhaatt II CAAAANT EVEN SPPELL AANYMORE!! WHHHHAAAAAAA!!! Paul- aka K/f-- WHHHAAAAAA!!

Hey, I'm gonna buy an RSM Ring' kit this year put green silk on the wing just like I did back in 1966, ok???
Well, on second thought I mean I will do it RIGHT this time!

Jake

I think Mike Finnigan's has all of you beat, and he still flies it in combat! Ben

>I think Mike Finnigan's has all of you beat, and he still
>flies it in combat! Ben

I thought I put that beast out of it's misery

Sorry Catdaddy, Mike's got it up and running again the last I heard.

Knightflight, Matt's designs are great. Some better than others. Yak-9 is best flyer IMHO , but I flew the Mustangs for years in Stunt as a Junior and Senior and Combat forever. My last official combat match in '84 was with a Sterling Mustang and Fox .35 for power. Took second.

All you guys worry too much about money. These priceless relics from the past would have been a bargain at twice what I really paid for them.

For those of you who see this a quick way to riches on e-bay. I know a couple of guys who can take a brand new kit and make it look 25 years old right off the bench. I won't mention any names because I want to work out a deal for myself with them before the stampeed starts.

...
>For $400.00 I think I got a real deal.

What a deal, John! You should have got TWO!

(Ooops. You DID.)

Looks like the typical moneykote finish to me.

[photo not recovered: 3e69bb3870f12ad5.jpg]

"An ugly baby is a very nasty object, and the prettiest is frightful when undressed." -Queen Victoria

John, RAMBO says hello, see you in Texarkana. If you paid $400 for the two, please come to my garage sale next week, got some real ugly planes to sell!!!!! (sold one RM at an R/C event recently that had been crash repaired 5 times-engine failure of course-looked like !*#!!?*, but the guy was happy to get it.) Maybe we ought to be building junky looking Ringmasters and selling them on the bay???
Thanks for all you do for our sport, DRM

John: Please tell us that it it $4. Currell

>John, RAMBO says hello, see you in Texarkana. If you paid
>$400 for the two, please come to my garage sale next week,
>got some real ugly planes to sell!!!!! (sold one RM at an
>R/C event recently that had been crash repaired 5
>times-engine failure of course-looked like !*#!!?*, but the
>guy was happy to get it.) Maybe we ought to be building
>junky looking Ringmasters and selling them on the bay???
>Thanks for all you do for our sport, DRM

I think that sounds like a plan! WOW, I can get 2/3 of the way totally zorked and start crankin' out happy stuff like this and call it "vintage original Sterling kit built C/L model" on the 'Bay!
Gotta let it "ferment" in the attic a couple months in mid-summer tho to get the "look" (and smell) just right.

Jake

From Ron
I like that ajustable wing tip weight. Was that a kit?

I have been modeling since 1948 and I have never even seen a Ringmaster. We did have a fellow in our local club that claimed that the Ringmaster could not fly, but he was often a bit spacey. We do have a lot of Rainmasters in this area, but that is an irrigation product. I also think $400 is a bit too low for an entire garage with a SUV inside.

Them thangs are enuff to give warty toads a good name.......

The governments probably got millions of dollars floating around to keep them "warty toads" from going extinct, it seems only fair they should have a dollar or two for those of us keeping the ringmaster from going extinct, they're twice as ugly and just as hard to find in the wild!

i dont know i got one that is pretty ugly i took it to vsc this year flew it in old time it is the one with the barbie head glued to it her hair goes straigt back when it is in the air. looks so cool when it is upside down. it wieghs so much i cant get it to vertical8s. but it is fun to fly.

LAST EDITED ON Apr-19-04 AT 03:15 AM (CDT)
 
Here's my contribution.