Windy - but the Travelair Travels

A few weeks ago, I completed the build of another new plane - a Travel Air.  This was the first IC plane that I had put together for well over a year, and the first new engine that I have put in a plane since I built my Wot 4 shortly after passing my A-test.  However, the weather has not been kind - in particular the wind - and so I had not had a chance to start the engine, let alone fly the plane. Today did not look like it was going to be much better, with winds of at least 10 miles per hour, gusting to well over 15 miles an hour.  However, as I had not flown for a few weeks, I went for a fly and put the Travel Air in the car - just in case.  I had intended to fly both my Wot 4 and the Magician, but one of the clevises on the wing of the Magician linking the servo to the aileron had broken and so the Magician could not be flown.  I had a few flights with my Wot 4 - a little difficult with the wind, but succesful.  Since there was only one other person flying, I thought I may as well get the Travel Air set up so that I could try to run a tank or two of fuel through the engine, even though I did not intend to fly it.  Starting the engine was not as easy as I had hoped.  I opened the needle wide open and got some fuel into the carb, but attempting to turn the engine with my starter only resulted in breaking the spinner on the front.  We took the spinner off and tried again with the starter acting directly ontothe nut holding the prop on the drive shaft.  Bad mistake.  the shaft stuck and the starter merely undid the nut - at very high speed - sending the nut in one direction, the washer in another (straight into my lip) and the prop in another - onto the floor.  Not the way to go.  However, after some failed attempts, starting with the handle of a screw driver to turn the prop (a chicken stick), it started and ran a tank of fuel through.  Whilst the intention had been to just run a tank or two of fuel through the plane, I could not resist the opportunity to get a flight in - the first time that I have trimmed a new plane.  It was actually quite easy - not a lot of trimming was required - a couple of clicks of up, a couple of clicks right, and a little right on the rudder to try and compensate for a slightly angled motor and it flew really nicely- considering the wind!  I gave the new plane a couple of circuits and then brought it in - from a little higher than I should - but it was heading for a safe landing and so I got it on the ground, and let the rest of the tank run through on the ground.  A new addition to the hanger, and my first plane that I had built and trimmed myself - with a successful landing at the end.