Fractured Axel

This has been on my wanted list for a few years now. I owned one as a kid and flew it on the beach at Banff during my summer holidays. I've spotted a few on ebay, but they were usually pretty bashed up and the sellers were looking for way too much for them. Now 30 odd years on I've got my grubby mits on one, and not just any bashed to buggery one either, an unused, unopened boxed one. Sorry, but it won't stay unboxed for long, it'll be flying first chance I get :O)

Have fun! Over the years, I've been checking eBay for Barnstormers, until I managed to gather five in good condition for a 5-stack.

OMG - my first ever 2-line kite!

Awesome photo and an amazing stack. I managed to build up a 5 stack of some unknown 2 line stunt kites when I was in my early teens. I loved all the attention I used to get flying it. I think the Barnstormer might have been my first 2 line kite too, either that or it was the Superman. Next job now is to get my Peter Powell up and running.

I'm thinking of running a thin piece of cellotape down the middle of the sail where the plastic connector runs up the centre strut. I got a tiny snag in the sail when I opened up the kite, so I want to minimize any potential tears. Smells a wee bit musty, but looks in perfect condition, I thought some of the tape may have lost its stick, but not at all )

I wonder if a carbon rod upgrade would improve it - so long ago I can't remember how much wind it needed. I do remember breaking a rod on mine, and replacing it with a square bit of wood with the ends whittled round. Never did fly quite the same after that fix

That was one of the good things about old kites. After a crash, just fix it with some sticky tape or some spare wood. I poked a tiny hole in my Deep Space whilst on holiday and spent ages trawling round boat shops and water sports shops looking for spinnaker tape!

I remember as a kid, letting my Aunt have a go with my new stunt kite and she pile drived it straight into the sand at full speed. The fibreglass centre strut split into what seemed a thousand pieces. I took it back to the caravan, found some of my Grandfathers electrical tape and coiled it round the entire length of the strut. Probably not the strongest of fixes, but it saw me through the rest of my holidays.

bbqpb wrote:

That was one of the good things about old kites. After a crash, just fix it with some sticky tape or some spare wood. I poked a tiny hole in my Deep Space whilst on holiday and spent ages trawling round boat shops and water sports shops looking for spinnaker tape!

I tore my DS not long after I got it, but I had learnt about the superglue method on here, and had a tube with me - 2 minute fix. Kudos on the electrical tape fix - any fix that gets a kite back in the air is a good fix

There's another on eBay for sale at minute.

Edit - make that 2.