Leaderboard

What a lovely day for flying yesterday, hardly a puff of wind for most of the day, unfortunately i had work to do on a couple of my cars during the day but managed a trip over to the flying field early evening. It was a gathering of the Triplanes with my Black Flair version and a pair of Balsa USA examples, unfortunately mine didn`t make it into the air on this occasion, a dodgy intermittent aileron servo meant mine was grounded, i had replaced the fuselage ones after i bought it as one of those was playing up, i should have done the wing ones as well! At least it showed up close to home, not at the Flair Fly In next month...........

Nice models. I especially like the wing walker in piccy 1......... nice!

A coupe of hours today programming my transmitter and making sure things work correctly… couldn’t resist the temptation to have the Beaufighter standing on its wheels for the first time! It’s been good motivation to keep on trying with the canopy plug and to finish the planking on the starboard nacelle. Both jobs for next week and although not major visible progress it’s still good to mentally tick off some of the smaller jobs that need sorted along the way! Hopefully by the end of next week I’ll have the second nacelle finished and the hatch cut out and will be ready to cover the wing - maybe even get that sorted as well! As always if anyone has any comments or suggestions on the build let me know- always useful to get others opinions as I definitely consider myself a ‘learner’ in all this! chris

No Smoking sign sorted and is correct as confirmed by the Owner of the full size. Printed off 3 just in case, I now have 2 spare Gipsy Major signs …

Hi toto Used Callie loads. Spot on and superb quality but as said above you have to be very precise re scale. I always ask for the artwork proof before she prints (which she emails across ) never been hit for duty either Callie supplied the graphics for a few of my models here

Evening all! Back to Europe this weekend, and it's the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. So first, the customary reminder; Don't forget your predictions! We've had P1 and P2 already today. In P1 Norris set fastest time from Verstappen, but only by 0.024 seconds, with Sainz a third of a second slower in third. Russell was very slightly slower, ahead of Perez, Piastri and Hamilton. P2 was even closer, with Hamilton fastest, 0.022 s ahead of Sainz and 0.055 s ahead of Norris. Gasly, Verstappen and Leclerc were next, the top 6 being separated by only a third of a second. P3 is at 11:30 UK-time tomorrow, with qualifying at 15:00 - so get your predictions done (or updated!) before then. Sunday's race is at 14:00. Good luck everyone!

After having a few flights with the instructors of our local flying club and been assessed as good enough at basic flying I have been invited to become a member of the club. This qualifies me to have a full training course and obtain what is known as bronze wings at completion. This gives me full access to the club and I am able to fly my own planes and also covered by insurance. The club does training sessions every Sunday morning weather permitting. So I will be there. I am also spending about one hour each morning on the simulator it has helped me out a lot with orientation and flying in windy conditions.

I think it's midsummer madness GG, similarly at our club. I think a lot of the fair weather flyers are a bit rusty. Two Wot 4s piled in, one glider damaged through disorientation, my Lancaster didn't take off due to the retract on one side collapsing. It had the plastic trunnion, both units replaced last night with metal trunnions. In all I had a good day with the Tempest and Acrowot plus doing a maiden for another member with a Trojan. Murphy's law in action perfect day yesterday, breezy today in the wrong direction for the Lancaster.

Callie Graphics produce quality product, that conform very nicely to the airframe that you put them on. They are very accommodating and listen well in working to achieve what it is that you are looking for. They can only produce what you instruct for though and, especially as regards the size of the markings, you need to be perfectly specific on the scale, as even slightly out of scale markings can be a bit problematical. I found that with the markings on my Kyosho Spitfire refurb, where the roundels were maybe a couple of percent out, due to the scaling that I requested, which was itself slightly out. So they are a wee bit too big. I recently had graphics for my P-51D refurbishment, in which I changed the model from the USAAF P-51D "Dallas Doll", to an RAF Mustang IV "Dooleybird" and was very pleased with the graphics. One slight glitch though was that they supplied plain red/blue upper wing roundels, rather than the red/white/blue roundels that were in use in 1945 on that particular aeroplane. I was able to get around that easily, adding a CNC cut white ring to the roundels and informed Callie of the error. Future runs of those graphics will incorporate that amendment, which shows that they are listening and paying attention. You shouldn't get hit for import duty on a $25 order which will likely arrive by standard air mail in a few weeks. I wouldn't hesitate using Callie Graphics for off the shelf or custom graphics in self adhesive form.

I've just put V83 of UNI firmware on here: https://forum.alofthobbies.com/index...ccst-d16.3270/. This supports the S6R and S8R receivers. In the case of the S8R, the RSSI connection is used as SBUS IN, so allows for a redundant receiver. The stabilising functions are applied to the SBUS in data. To set up the S6R/S8R, there is a .pdf (UNISXR.pdf) describing how to do so in the second post of that thread. Changes in V83: Fix the problem that the servo pulse period was set specifically for each Tx. The periods are now specific to the Rx. Fix a bug on RX8R and RX8R-PRO where when using SBUS-IN and the main Rx loses signal, the servo outputs may freeze until channel 1 changes. From V80, the SPort may be configured as FBUS. Mike

Photo

Ended up going with Ron`s solution, not a curtain wire but a spring from my box of car spares, crushed it slightly in a vice and it is now a snug fit, sorted will try and run it up with the remote glow tomorrow.............

Why not contact " Manx Model Flyers", they are on Facebook. They do slope and they fly power on the old RAF Jurby airfield. [May have moved to new site}

Many thanks John. Toto

No negativity meant I can assure you. All I hear are positive vibes so maybe the taking a punt part has been insufficiently thought through .... as it may suggest there is some kind of risk in using them ...... not the tone I intended. The taking a punt part was down to me going ahead with the order without really giving it 100 % scrutiny prior to hitting the button. I've been a bit scant in the exact specification in my desired design requirements. I did not even know that you could receive a proof to see the end result otherwise I may have taken a bit longer over it. I have however qualified my purchase to remove any potential critisism from the finished product as produced by Callie by saying that my description was quite scant and they had offered quite a basic description back in return. I gave them the go ahead based on that ..... I had the opportunity to question further if I wanted to but thought I'd just leave it to their discretion. I also stated that if It's maybe not quite right ....... its my fault. I don't think I could admonish them from any responsibility more than I have done. I was just looking for a quite basic quick result. If the title offends anyone though ..... please feel free to have it changed to .....Callie Graphics for my first custom fit ... or anything else that pleases for that matter. Thanks for posting up the fine example. It's always good to see what can be done. Cheers Toto

Tom, Unlucky, the suggested motor was tested extensively on 3 prototypes and they're all still flying well with varying AUW's due to differing capacity Lipos. Though I don't think any have hit the 700g mark. There's an abundance of similar motors to ours due to the drone scene, 4max offer a good one. I will have a look over the weekend and see what I have in my motor stock. Rich

Nothing special yesterday just a flight in ideal calm conditions with my power conversion of the FX707 chuck glider. The bit extra is it also has 2 stage flaps with a Tx mix on the elevator to counter the flap trim change. With a 1.2m span and reasonable aerodynamics it glides really quite well. Stage 1 flap (10 degrees) gives the lowest power to fly condition. With a 1500mAh 2s it weighs 344g. It flew for just over 23 minutes. Could have gone on a bit longer but my neck was starting to get stiff.

Cheers Chris Ref canopy will probably take you up on that, won't be for maybe another year or so as have other projects on the go/ to finish first 👍

Due to poor prior planning I had to depart lunchtime, but still managed 5 flights and plenty of spotting for others. Not in photo was the re-maiden of the Wacky Racer after it met the limbo pole, 50% stopped, rest carried on!). PS I don't know why the orange Can Doo comes out that colour!

It was folk pushing their luck, and not being held up for it. Doubt the organisers would have designated the largest undercover area as a shared space for smokers and non-smokers. Not sure they could have done if they wanted to as I think it needs to be more open than that.

A grand job there Chris....

Overall I’m really impressed with Sarik - great service and the quality of the products from them is first class so there’s no criticism of them at all… In relation to the canopy set there’s two issues - first was one I created, I wanted to model an aeroplane with the later observer’s canopy which is a different shape to the one supplied - which is accurate to the earlier beaufighters just not the one I was wanting to model. The second thing - the pilots canopy seems to be too small in all 3 axis, as a guess I’d say an extra 5mm in x,y and z axis and it would be perfect. At first I thought this may have been due to my build but seems Paul had the same issue when he built his? As/when you get round to your build (and depending how my attempts to form a cockpit canopy go!) if you need one give me a shout… chris

I would expect a 90 to walk it. 30cc is mental as the 1/4 stampes out there go like a rocket with 30cc in them despite being nearly a foot larger and nearly twice the weight. Frankly, it would probably fly on a 70 if you wanted really scale performance.

Chris, are you saying then, that the canopy and cupola supplied by "sarik hobbies" are no good/ don't fit ? I have one waiting in the loft, along with all the accessories. Btw: looking very nice, been following your build. Cheers Graham

Have to agree with you on the Smoking and Vaping thing i get steamed up about that in a big way, i dont want to smell or inhale any of that muck, and it should be banned at the gate, or they go in an enclosure Down wind of everybody else.

Just to show my mental state😵 I went to get the plan printed for Matt and took the envelope etc in to my Office Supply shop. When I got there I found I had left my memory stick at home. I got back in my car to go home and get it but luckily my Guardian Angel pointed out that the shop could download the plan saving me another three quarters of an hour and 16 miles of driving.

You need to revise your thinking on American states of military readiness: DEFCON 5 is normal peacetime alertness and DEFCON 1 means the world is on the brink of nuclear war.

Hi Jake, I did think of that ..... but no. You may have to delve a little deeper to guess correctly. I am sure I will have dropped a hint somewhere on these pages. .... maybe not. I wouldn't be too surprised though if toto airlines is born at some point or another. Probably just a matter of time. The key word is " Promotional " but I'm not 100 % sure If I have given quite enough away about myself in the past. If not .... my cover is about to be blown. Cheers for now Toto

TOTO AIRLINES ?

Nothing set in concrete for flying this weekend as yet. Hoping for Sunday as I have committed to some pre wedding duties for Saturday now. Couldn't really hold off any longer ..... had to take the plunge. I have a date with my daughter on Saturday night in an Argentinian steak house ...... Hmmmm ..... red wine .....Hmmmm. A sort of father daughter advisory thing. ..... If she is wise ....... she will ignore everything I say ..... ..... and probably will .... why change now. Anyway, fingers crossed for Sunday otherwise all the gear will be stood down from Defcon 5 ..... to Defcon 1 for the next couple of weeks. Hope you all have better prospects than me. Cheers Toto

Small Crocodile clip on my Zlin's OS 120 Surpass. Works very well but the teeth do need to be kept clean.

Miss Lizzy at 51in span is a good size, me thinks. It has been on my build list for an electric conversion since Sep 2005 when the plan came out! A glaring omission by Sarik not to offer a parts set. Still, no biggy cutting out a set of parts oneself. Perhaps RCM&E should republish the plan in a future issue with a leccy conversion? Get well soon Peter, the modelling world is waiting for your next design. 😊

*Morgan Freeman Voice* "It did not, in fact, fly that Sunday. Instead, he got drunk and fought a racoon." To be fair, the bit about the drinking and the racoon is a lie, but it's true I didn't fly that Sunday. In fact, it still isn't done, because life got in the way but it's getting there. The plan now, is Pontefract. It should be joined by a Cardinal and a Foxjet. I hope. Anyway, the servos and snakes are in, the motor mount cut and drilled what's left is hinging the rudder and elevator, making and installing the UC, and putting the last of the rado gear in. Oh and making a battery hatch. Motor is a 2212 /1250KV on an 8x4 with 3s. ( I will try it with 2s as well just because. )

Yes I am in Sth Australia the club I joined is Holdfast Mode Aero Club. The fees etc are for club membership plus MASA and MAAA fees which I assume would be the same as BMFA in England. The club is only five minutes from my house which is good. They have a surveylance camera set up there web site which runs constantly and is handy. You can see if anyone is there flying and it's open.

How about something inflatable sir? (Experiments with landing a Vampire on an inflatable rubber deck on HMS Warrior, c.1948-49.)

finally some decent weather . Two of my fleet lounging , post operations . (non medical variety )

The wooden blocks on mine have the grain vertical, I take your point on the screw and washer, I had thought of fitting a washer but it would mean a thicker piece of ply to bring it up to the level of the motor mount. As Ron pointed out too much reinforcement will cause more damage elsewhere, which may not be as easy to repair.

Many thanks, it’s coming along nicely…..finally

More distractions

"Foamy Squadron" - three FT Spitfires (two 100%, one 85%), and a J-wings Spitfire. (There's a fifth out of shot!)

I started this many (tens of) years ago, an own design Sopwith Camel. This was before I had enough money to do it properly. This is a rebuild, about 70% is new. Some time ago I was helping at a local school young engineers club and managed to get a set of ribs and riblets laser cut for it. The cowling is from fibreglass, rather more resin than glass, and is heavy, but I doubt that will matter as it will just be part of the needed nose weight. Mike

Martin: Many years ago, I bought a Schluter Gazelle (collective pitch) off a work colleague who had had a bad accident hang-gliding. (Broke both his legs, was off work for nearly a year and needed the money!) I flew it for a few years before dinging the fuselage. I kept all the mechanics, which were fine. That DS-22 was given to me by the father of a workmate. I repaired his radio for him, and he offered the DS-22 as payment. The fuselage was fine, but the mechanics and engine were in a sorry state - it had been in a cellar, which flooded! I fitted the fuselage with my old Gazelle mechanics, and that is what you see flying there! The chap I got it from had given up flying due to age. In fact he only tried to fly the heli once, and frightened himself half to death with it! Indeed, shortly after he got it, he had a bad heart attack, though he didn't say if the two events were related! The Heli came from Dave Nieman's shop in Wembley, and I think it could be the one that was built for review by "Radio Modeller" magazine back in 1974 or 5. The colour scheme looks identical to the one on the cover of the mag! The HP 61 in it is a rear induction one, which makes for an interesting throttle linkage! The aluminium crankcase is starting to disintegrate! The exhaust stack already has a chunk missing from it, hence my plan to electrify it. The mechanics are almost complete. Its just a question of stripping the old mechanics out, fitting the new ones, and then re-organising the installation. It should be fairly straightforward, but these things have a habit of throwing up unexpected problems! Watch this space....! -- Pete

Finally got the electric Lark to behave! The biggest improvement came from removing the later style teetering rotor-head, and replacing it with the original "solid" design. This makes it much more controllable! The glitching on the ESC turned out to be the current limiter cutting in when the gyro increased the tail-rotor pitch! It was running a bit close to the edge! I've gone back to lower gearing, tweaked the main rotor pitch, and now its flying as well as I would expect, given the conditions and confined space. Just need to get it out in the open when the lockdown ends, now! -- Pete