[Galaxy Models Mystic or Phoenix for a Laser 155.]

Paragraph 7 in the "Wings" instructions. Part 39.

[Galaxy Models Mystic or Phoenix for a Laser 155.]

The fillet is part of the kit Ron. Have a look at Cloud Models version which inspired the scheme I chose, or Galaxy Models own picture..

 

Yes I noticed the servo lead. The receiver is not installed.

[Galaxy Models Mystic or Phoenix for a Laser 155.]

After weeks on very little activity I have made considerable progress in the building of the Mystic over the last few days mainly by laying off the vino!  The white undercarriage from Carbon Copy turned up and it's a lovely piece of kit however, it looks too small for the model. This is my fault for not reading the dimensions properly. A rather heavy undercarriage from my WOT 4 XL, which went up in flames in the Great St Valentine's Day LiPo Explosion was fitted and I the rear wheel assembly was taken from my ARTF Acrowot which I landed in a tree, depth perception not being my strong suit! I'm not sure it's heavy enough for the job. All of the control surfaces are now hinged and the servos have been installed. I am trying out Savox metal geared servos on the control surfaces for the first time. They seem to be well made. I still need to make a hatch for the underside between the firewall and the main former.

 

However, last night, with the engine and all servos in place and the rx battery temporarily taped into postion, I decided to check the centre of gravity. I was expecting the model to be nose heavy because the Laser 155 is so much heavier than a 61 two stroke for which the Mystic was designed. However, I found the opposite to be true, it's tail heavy. None of the horns or pushrods have been fitted but they will only exacerbate the situation. I suppose I could add lead to the nose and remove it after flight testing. Alternatively I could move the rudder and elevator servos from the rear fuselage and install them in a more conventional position above the wing alongside the throttle servo. I will borrow the club's cg contraption to ascertain the precise position of the balance point because I've only been able to use my finger tips so far.

 

At the moment the undercarriage is bolted into place with nylon bolts. Would steel bolts be a better option? My landings are not too bad these days but my first landing with this model will be its maiden landing and if I cannot manage to land it on our 8 metre-wide tarmac runway, there's a fair chance of my catching a wheel in a mole hole in the grass strip alongside.

 

As ever, the views of the cognoscenti are keenly sought.

 

PS. The cockpit is only resting in position in the picture below, it's not glued in place. I was expecting the model to be nose heavy so bought a pilot. He is quite big and heavy but I suppose I'll have to leave him out now that the model has turned out to be tail heavy.

 

[Spektrum or similar transmitter]

I got the dimensions from an advert on a French model shop's website.

 

https://www.flashrc.com/en/radio-controls/48657-radiomaster-tx16s-mkii-max-red-16ch-2-4ghz.html

[Spektrum or similar transmitter]

I've been thinking of buying a Radio Master TX 16S for some time but the price of central heating oil has prevented me from actually buying one! Several have mentioned that the 16S is very large, 287 mm x 129 mm x 184 mm according to the specs. That's 11.3" x 5" x 7.2" for those more used to Imperial measurements. I assumed that 129mm (5")was the depth of the box then it occurred to me that it must include the length of the sticks as well! My Spektrum DX9 measures 180 x 102 x 170 including the length of the sticks (7" x  4" x 6.7"). The Radio Master also weighs 150 grammes or 5ozs heavier. 

 

Is the Radio Master Pocket transmitter compatible with Spektrum receivers?

[Alternate Fabric Covering]

Perhaps polyester over doculam would save on dope.

[Galaxy/Pegasus Hurricane]

I would have thought that a heavy model would be more stable because it would be less likely to be blown about in turbulent air than a lighter one.

 

Apparently my Barons are heavier than they should be. I'm hoping for a bit of a breeze in la Coupe Des barons in June! 😏

 

Of course a heavy model with a cg too far to the rear would be a handful!

[Laser engine virgin, glow sceptic, advice and thoughts on use please.]

Nearly all of my models are powered by four-stroke engines. I have a Magnum 52 and a Thunder Tiger 54 in my Barons and I've found that they do not leave a great deal of oil on the model after a day's flying. A squirt of household cleaner and a swift wipe down with a rag and that's it.

 

I have an old Laser 62 in a Big Guff vintage model. I run this engine on fuel containing 15% oil and I have an extension tube on the silencer which terminates just below the bottom of the fuselage. Some oil is left on the forward underside of the fuselage after a day's flying but otherwise its fine.

 

I use a more modern Laser 80 in a large ARTF clone of the SIG Kadet Senior. I run this engine on the new fuel which contains 7% oil. This hardly leaves any oil on the model at all.

 

My experience leads me to the belief that four-strokes burn the fuel more efficiently and therefore there is less mess to clean up at the end of the day. Not that I mind getting my hands dirty anyway! 😉 This view is reinforced if I ever have to drag out the club's Boomerang trainer currently powered by an Enya 50. This engine being a two stroke leaves the side of the model covered in unburnt oil.

 

Finally, and as a rule of thumb, if your Laser has a vertical glow plug, it's alright to run it on the new 7% fuel. If it has a forward facing glow plug, I'd be inclined to use a fuel containing 15% oil.

[Windscreen]

I use De Luxe Materials Canopy Glue or UHU POR.

 

Where do you find your small screws Ron?

[La Coupe Des Barons 2024.]

I had a good afternoon flying both Boris and Bertie.

 

I had no trouble at all with the exhaust pipes on both models. They remained in place with no further tightening. The Loctite was not necessary! However, I had a problem with the Magnum in the British Baron., the carburetor cylinder kept coming undone. I will either have to replace the caburetter or the engine.

[Laser engines - the state of play following their closure]

I live in France and needed a silencer for my Laser 70. MSL told me directly that they didn't export. I had it sent to my mate in Shrewsbury which is where I'm from.

[La Coupe Des Barons 2024.]

Thank you for the advice gentlemen. I'll see if my local motor factors have gum gum in stock.

[First taste of the sky]

,,,and just to add my two pennorth, some glow engines need time to run in before they'll function perfectly.

[First taste of the sky]

Why this reluctance to entertain the glow engine ToTo?

 

Its only a matter of adjusting two needle valves and in most cases once the low speed needle is adjusted it may be left alone for years at a time.

[Galaxy/Pegasus Hurricane]

If I were looking for advice on WW2 warbirds of about 5-6 feet in the wingspan, Jonathan Harper would be the first person I would approach. He is a very experienced builder and flyer of this type of aircraft and until he started his new job he was the development engineer for Laser Engines, a British four-stroke which you may have heard of.

[La Coupe Des Barons 2024.]

I took both Barons to the flying field yesterday. I programmed in 5% down elevator with the throttle stick above 75% travel. For a computer phobe like me that's quite an achievement! This had the effect of stopping the model from climbing at high speed. I must do the same for the other one.

 

The Ukrainian Baron, Boris, is fitted with a Thunder Tiger 54 FS. The threads in the exhaust port are worn and the exhaust pipe keeps working loose. I'll try Loctite but I don't hold out much hope. It's a pity because I've owned that engine from new and it's always given good service. There does not seem to be sufficient metal around the exhaust port to allow for a helicoil insert. Spares are difficult to find. There is a brand new cylinder head on eBay but the seller wants £100 for it. I have at least four OS 52s and 48s. Perhaps I should fit one of those.

 

The British Baron, Bertie, is powered by a Magnum 52 fitted with a Weston four-stroke silencer. This works very well but it is much bigger and heavier than a standard four-stroke silencer. Again when I landed the model yesterday I found that the exhaust pipe was loose. The threads in the exhaust port seem to be sound, I'll try some Loctite and hope for the best. If it continues to work loose I'll fit a conventional silencer. That will be a pity because I've grown to love the sound of the Weston exhaust!

 

Any advice on keeping exhaust pipes in place will be gratefully received.  

 

[Spring is here again - who's been flying?]

Temperatures touching 25C in the northern Creuse with light winds. I flew my Big Guff twice, my Ukrainian Baron twice and my British Baron once.  Bertie, my British Baron is just about set up perfectly for La Coupe Des Barons in June.

 

Another club member who used to fly in the Eighties but who has lacked confidence to get back into flying, finally found the confidence to fly his expensive ARTF 3D model powered by a 60cc engine. He managed to take off, fly about and execute some aerobatic manouvres successfully. This will make him more confident in future.

 

My dog was a bit uncomfortable in the heat.

[I am thinking of moving with the times and buying a RadioMaster transmitter]

I still haven't invested in a Radiomaster transmitter because central heating oil and van repairs have had first call on my money! There is a basic trainer in our club's workshop which anybody can use. However, its fitted with a Futaba receiver.

 

I realise that a Radiomaster transmitter will work with Spektum receivers but can you connect a Radiomaster transmitter to a Futaba receiver?

[Older People Take A Bit Longer.]

If you're into building Bas I'd recommend the Radio Queen as a basic trainer. It's very stable in light winds and with repeated flights it instills confidence in a novice before he moves on to an aileron trainer. I used to have one with an i/c engine years ago which I used to give elderly novices their first experience of radio controlled flight. It's one of the two models I regret selling. The other was a Flair Hooligan. By chance they were both pictured on the same photograph!

 

If anyone builds a Radio Queen make sure that you don't overpower it. We tried three different electric motors before finding one which flew the model nicely. if fitting an i/c engine a 40 four-stroke would be a good match. The plans show the engine bearers spaced for a 2.5 cc (0.15 cu.ins) diesel!

[Older People Take A Bit Longer.]

For the last three years I have been trying to teach my Belgian mate Frans both how to build how to fly. He's built a Ben Buckle Junior 60 and a Radio Queen but I was on the point of suggesting that he had a few sessions with another instructor when he went solo this morning for the first time on the Radio Queen! The weather was perfect, he flew the first two flights with me on the buddy box but I did not have to intervene at all from take-off to landing so I persuaded him to go solo on the third flight which he did. We had a beer afterwards to celebrate the occasion! 😆

 

 

[Advice on Four Strokes for Newbie]

...and it's obtainable from Model Shop Leeds and most other good model shops. https://www.modelshopleeds.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=291_1011&products_id=79264

[OS silencers]

I hada similar experience! I bought an OS 46 AX second hand minus the silencer but found something suitable in my box of two-stroke exhausts. I must fit the engine to the club's trainer and remove my beloved Enya 50 which is destined to go into a Calmato Alpha. Can't have such a beautifully made engine in the clumsy paws of beginners! 😏

[Spring is here again - who's been flying?]

It was a lovely day yesterday in the middle of France. I took both of my Barons, Bertie and Boris, with me to practice low level flight for La Coup Des Barons in June. The wind was a bit stronger than forecast and unfortunately I was too low and too slow when executing a downwind turn with Bertie. The model stalled and hit the deck damaging the fuselage. After thirty-six years of flying these things you'd think that I would have learned something! It's certainly repairable and it will give me a chance to make a better job of an old repair. I may change the elevator actuation while I'm at it. Quite a bit of rain has beeb forecast for the coming week so I should have the time.

 

Both models flew well but the thread in the exhaust port of the Thunder Tiger 54 in the Ukrainian Baron is on its last legs. I have some Liquid Metal which I could use but even if it's a successful repair it will lock the exhaust in one position. If the worst comes to the worst I have at least four OS 52 and 48 Surpasses which would do the job. The Ukrainian Baron is 100 grammes (3.5 ounces) heavier than the other one but I could detect no difference in their flying chacteristics.

 

At full power both models climbed like hell and I was having to hold in some down elevator to achieve level flight. I thought about introducing some down elevator at full chat but don't know how to do it. I use a Spektrum DX9.

 

I also flew my World Models Super Frontier Senior, an ARTF copy of a SIG Kadet Senior but that was so boring that I didn't bother taking a picture of it.

 

Despite the fine conditions only five of us turned up and one of those didn't bring a model with him. All of the others flew electric ARTFs, all but one were foamies.

 

C'est la vie et un signe des temps.

[OS silencers]

This might be suitable for your engine. It's cheap enough but it could do with a clean. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/355534920581?itmmeta=01HTWSZWXSYGJ193VZ1JVBTGB2&hash=item52c7885b85:g:EDcAAOSwIvdl7xjg

[40 year layoff]

7 hours ago, Allan Bennett said:

I file rudimentary teeth into the end of a brass tube, and use it for drilling holes through foam cores.  Should be easy to direct it by eye straight to the servo position.

So do I.