Bandits at 12 o'clock

[starlight32]

I was out for the day on saturday, picked a nice spot middle of no where on a large acreage of OSR. Been watching the area and the adjoining fields were freshly drilled.

Birds came in nicely for over two hours running about 20 birds bagged but then it all went quiet.

So in the lull in the action it was fag and drink time and of course a little loss of concentration and awareness.

While I was pouring my coffee, I caught a flash of action over the rotary- dropped me flask and cup, looked up and for a moment I thought it was a pigeon, grey, nice white flash of the wings.

 

But no it was a model airplane in shape of a spitfire. I had to duck as it came right over the hide at hedgerow height doing a victory roll behind me. Anyway, I watched it for a while and was looking for the flyer as who ever he was he could fly it really well and it was a pleasure to watch even though it was buzzing the field and putting everything off.

I made a few inquiries, found out no-one should be there but me and went off to find the person involved.

He was several hundred yards away when I found him, so I had a word and kept it all polite.

He was o.k about it I told him you are on private land, he thought he was doing no wrong as him being a true city dweller and only down for the weekend (In his £500,000 holiday cottage) thought you could go on any land as long as there are no crops on it (He was standing on the drillings)

 

Well this one is a first for me, and a few people have told me they would have shot it out of the sky -so when you have read this have a think?

 

Any of you out there would have been tempted- Yes or No

 

Honest answers only please- And I will give a reward to the first person who can design a true flying pigeon decoy

[Popgun]

Both barrels

[stevethevanman]

I think a lot of them are built on a balsa wood frame with a plastic shell, so with a well aimed shot of 32g of No.6 you could probably blow it out of the air.

[dusk2dawn]

I was out for the day on saturday, picked a nice spot middle of no where on a large acreage of OSR. Been watching the area and the adjoining fields were freshly drilled.

Birds came in nicely for over two hours running about 20 birds bagged but then it all went quiet.

So in the lull in the action it was fag and drink time and of course a little loss of concentration and awareness.

While I was pouring my coffee, I caught a flash of action over the rotary- dropped me flask and cup, looked up and for a moment I thought it was a pigeon, grey, nice white flash of the wings.

 

But no it was a model airplane in shape of a spitfire. I had to duck as it came right over the hide at hedgerow height doing a victory roll behind me. Anyway, I watched it for a while and was looking for the flyer as who ever he was he could fly it really well and it was a pleasure to watch even though it was buzzing the field and putting everything off.

I made a few inquiries, found out no-one should be there but me and went off to find the person involved.

He was several hundred yards away when I found him, so I had a word and kept it all polite.

He was o.k about it I told him you are on private land, he thought he was doing no wrong as him being a true city dweller and only down for the weekend (In his £500,000 holiday cottage) thought you could go on any land as long as there are no crops on it (He was standing on the drillings)

 

Well this one is a first for me, and a few people have told me they would have shot it out of the sky -so when you have read this have a think?

 

Any of you out there would have been tempted- Yes or No

 

Honest answers only please- And I will give a reward to the first person who can design a true flying pigeon decoy

 

 

 

 

Would you honestly have destroyed what has probably taken the guy all winter to build and is his hobby as shooting is ours, fair enough he may not have had permission to be there but the action you were proposing would have amounted to nothing short of bloody minded vandalism.

 

Live and let live I say, Just wish I had the skill to build and fly one as well as you say he did

 

We have the real thing flying over us most weekends and during the week on occasions, a Mustang and a Havard (looks like a Jap Zero) sometimes they are joind by a Spitfire, Im sure Cranfield will have seen them over his way?

 

D2D

[starlight32]

I was out for the day on saturday, picked a nice spot middle of no where on a large acreage of OSR. Been watching the area and the adjoining fields were freshly drilled.

Birds came in nicely for over two hours running about 20 birds bagged but then it all went quiet.

So in the lull in the action it was fag and drink time and of course a little loss of concentration and awareness.

While I was pouring my coffee, I caught a flash of action over the rotary- dropped me flask and cup, looked up and for a moment I thought it was a pigeon, grey, nice white flash of the wings.

 

But no it was a model airplane in shape of a spitfire. I had to duck as it came right over the hide at hedgerow height doing a victory roll behind me. Anyway, I watched it for a while and was looking for the flyer as who ever he was he could fly it really well and it was a pleasure to watch even though it was buzzing the field and putting everything off.

I made a few inquiries, found out no-one should be there but me and went off to find the person involved.

He was several hundred yards away when I found him, so I had a word and kept it all polite.

He was o.k about it I told him you are on private land, he thought he was doing no wrong as him being a true city dweller and only down for the weekend (In his £500,000 holiday cottage) thought you could go on any land as long as there are no crops on it (He was standing on the drillings)

 

Well this one is a first for me, and a few people have told me they would have shot it out of the sky -so when you have read this have a think?

 

Any of you out there would have been tempted- Yes or No

 

Honest answers only please- And I will give a reward to the first person who can design a true flying pigeon decoy

 

 

 

 

Would you honestly have destroyed what has probably taken the guy all winter to build and is his hobby as shooting is ours, fair enough he may not have had permission to be there but the action you were proposing would have amounted to nothing short of bloody minded vandalism.

 

Live and let live I say, Just wish I had the skill to build and fly one as well as you say he did

 

We have the real thing flying over us most weekends and during the week on occasions, a Mustang and a Havard (looks like a Jap Zero) sometimes they are joind by a Spitfire, Im sure Cranfield will have seen them over his way?

 

D2D

Dusk2 Dawn,

Whilst I appreciate your opinion I was merely illustrating what other people have told me (co-incidently they are Landowners). If you want to be serious about it, (I was attempting light humour) If it was my land and I had asked the guy to stop and he would'nt then it would have been dropped from the sky- and thats fact.

[Cranfield]

I would have done exactly as you did.

 

It pays to give people the benefit of the doubt, we all to often jump before we are really bitten.

[Guest rabo]

must admit would have been very tempting to shoot it down,,and i must admit i would have prob missed,i am **** with the shotgun,you did the rite thing starlght32.

[njc110381]

I always carry a couple of 42g no.1 in my cartridge belt, and the thought of letting go both barrels at it would certainly be a passing thought to keep my brain amused for most of the day

On a serious note, I wouldn't actually do it, as I like to see these things buzzing round. They're ace! My landowner told me to be careful recently, as there is a flying club using his land to take off. I was having the exact same thought as you. Then I spotted the first parachute thingy go over my head with a guy hanging from it complete with strimmer engine type rucksack! I had to smile to myself, but won't say what I was thinking at the time

[Peter_HMR]

Im with cranners shooting it would have done no good what you did was right go over to the chap and explain to him what he was doing was wrong that he needs permission to be on land and the dangers of not checking as you were out with the gun.

 

Now if after you told him this he continued to fly it around where you were shooting and took no notice.....

 

both barrels

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and if you have a semi another on in his general direction

[Tony9r]

I wouldn't of... I fly them myself

 

Where's my tin hat

[mossy835]

i wouldnt he was out having a bit of fun.just go up and have a word kile you did.

[dusk2dawn]

I was out for the day on saturday, picked a nice spot middle of no where on a large acreage of OSR. Been watching the area and the adjoining fields were freshly drilled.

Birds came in nicely for over two hours running about 20 birds bagged but then it all went quiet.

So in the lull in the action it was fag and drink time and of course a little loss of concentration and awareness.

While I was pouring my coffee, I caught a flash of action over the rotary- dropped me flask and cup, looked up and for a moment I thought it was a pigeon, grey, nice white flash of the wings.

 

But no it was a model airplane in shape of a spitfire. I had to duck as it came right over the hide at hedgerow height doing a victory roll behind me. Anyway, I watched it for a while and was looking for the flyer as who ever he was he could fly it really well and it was a pleasure to watch even though it was buzzing the field and putting everything off.

I made a few inquiries, found out no-one should be there but me and went off to find the person involved.

He was several hundred yards away when I found him, so I had a word and kept it all polite.

He was o.k about it I told him you are on private land, he thought he was doing no wrong as him being a true city dweller and only down for the weekend (In his £500,000 holiday cottage) thought you could go on any land as long as there are no crops on it (He was standing on the drillings)

 

Well this one is a first for me, and a few people have told me they would have shot it out of the sky -so when you have read this have a think?

 

Any of you out there would have been tempted- Yes or No

 

Honest answers only please- And I will give a reward to the first person who can design a true flying pigeon decoy

 

 

 

 

 

You asked for honest answers and you got mine, no good saying you was being light hearted, if you had destroyed the plane you would have been guilty of an act of wanton vandalism, plain and simple.

 

D2D

[Mungler]

I would have liked to, but of course would not.

 

As far as wanton acts of vandalism go it's a goodun and near the top of the list.

 

If I won the Euro Millions I could quite easily see me, the lads, a few beers, a few page 3 girls, the guns out and the local model aircraft club running for the hills.

[starlight32]

Sound a great idea. But Be careful Mungler, it seems we have a few model plane enthusiasts on pw.

 

Possibly o.k if it was an enemy plane though - Messersmitdt 109, Mitsubishi Zero, maybe

[dusk2dawn]

I would have liked to, but of course would not.

 

As far as wanton acts of vandalism go it's a goodun and near the top of the list.

 

If I won the Euro Millions I could quite easily see me, the lads, a few beers, a few page 3 girls, the guns out and the local model aircraft club running for the hills.

 

 

 

I didnt think for a moment that any responsible shooter would do such a dastardly deed

Think about yes, be tempted yes, but not actually be mean enough to do it.

 

We had a model airplane flyer once booked for a summer shoot barbie and his thing was to tow plastic water bottles, with a large fin slotted into the back of them for stability, about 5 yds behind the plane, it looked like a barrage balloon, apparently he made it a part time business out of it and if we had shot the plane the bill would have been upward of £200.

 

D2D

[starlight32]

I would have liked to, but of course would not.

 

As far as wanton acts of vandalism go it's a goodun and near the top of the list.

 

If I won the Euro Millions I could quite easily see me, the lads, a few beers, a few page 3 girls, the guns out and the local model aircraft club running for the hills.

 

 

 

I didnt think for a moment that any responsible shooter would do such a dastardly deed

Think about yes, be tempted yes, but not actually be mean enough to do it.

 

We had a model airplane flyer once booked for a summer shoot barbie and his thing was to tow plastic water bottles, with a large fin slotted into the back of them for stability, about 5 yds behind the plane, it looked like a barrage balloon, apparently he made it a part time business out of it and if we had shot the plane the bill would have been upward of £200.

 

D2D

Dusk to dawn,

Yes you are right, the plane was truly a smart piece of kit and I would imagine they cost a lot more in most cases than the guns we shoot. In our sport contemplation followed by incorrect judgement has serious consequences.

starlight32

 

You did the best thing mate and probably changed his mind about shooters being gun toteing thugs nice one mate my answer would be NO to shooting it on the other hand i had a guy chipping golf balls off the top of one of the hills on my shoot into one of those net things i was polite asked him what he was up to explaind he was infact trespassing he was arogent and just carried on after i had shot 5 of his ball and started shouting pull he done one and left his net behind i gave it my brotherinlaw as a pressie :yp:

 

Winchester,

It seems we meet them all in this game. I find generally we are more polite than those we have to approach, yet we all seem to get categorized in the shooting world as the problem.

starlight32

[pin]

One of my clay clubs I found because they shoot near one place I fly (used to fly, not bothered since I found shooting again).

 

The first thing they asked was if I could make something and fly it for them to shoot

 

Unless it was being flown very slowly and very close I think you'd have a hard job hitting one to be honest.

 

On the cost front it could be anywhere from a crappy readyset plastic electric thing from about £100 to anything up to £10k's worth.

 

Probably just as well you didn't shoot it

[DirtyDeeds]

Couldn't find a radio controlled pigeon - will the plans for one of these do?

 

I think you done the right thing by talking to him, though I doubt (as someone has said) that it could easily be shot down. DeHaviland Mosquito bombers were built of balsa and ply and often flew home with more holes than a teabag!

 

I'm building a 81" span Spit at the moment. By the time the wood is bought, along with the cost of the petrol engine, radio receiver and batteries (including back-up), about 8 high torque servo's, a set of retracting undercarraiges, along with all the sundries (fuel tank, pushrods, paint, etc), you could probably have bought a Blaser F3!

 

To be honest, if mine was shot down, I think I'd put the barrels up where the Sun don't shine! But then I fly from a recognised model filed, and joined the BMFA for insurance, just as I joined the CPSA for shooting insurance - I wonder if your 'friend' had such?

[pin]

Build it light mate, they are a real handful. A few I know build in a little washout at the tips to stop them from tip stalling as much - that's cheating though

[pavman]

Its appears the guy prob never knew you were shooting so you did the right thing, and letting him know the land is shot should stop it happening again,

 

If it does, then shoot it, cause if you dont I will if it buzzes my hide

[Pointer]

Townies do my head-in. They see a nice bit of headland or open fields and they think they can do as they like. Dogs running wild disturbing nesting birds, Chasing deer etc. The amount of call birds that get released out of our larsens is un-believable. Even though they get my back up, I am always polite and tell them the error of their ways.

 

As for the Model Aircraft you did the right thing, even though our wicked side would love to blow it out of the sky!!!

 

Rgds

 

Pointer.

[Dunkield]

Low flying spitfires, reminds me of this video.

 

Give it a while to load.

 

It contains swearing so don't watch it if you are easily offended.

 

http://www.alexisparkinn.com/oh_my_god.htm

[MC]

I fly model aeroplanes and helicopters quite a bit and to be honest you would struggle to hit most of mine, they can change direction at the blionk of an eye and be out of range vertically quicker than you can think.

 

There is a company who do corporate days where you shoot at models made from estate agents boards, I had one of the models for a while and it was good fun towing a video tape streamer and dogfighting with others.

 

If anyone want's a go seriously then let me know and I will put one together for you.

[pin]

Is that those SPAD's made out of correx?

[MC]

Very similar PIN,

 

I had a go at making some of them and some were alright and some were ****. The one I had was called an FP5 made by Radioflight. It was basically a delta with an engine on the front and all the radio gear in a strong box.

 

Went like hell and was quite manouverable, there was 3 of us who had them and dogfighting is harder than it looks.