David Davis

My very first r/c aircraft was something called a Gemini designed by Jim Baguley, who is largely famous for designing gliders, and produced by St Leonard's Models. Powered by an Irvine 20 it was too fast for me so I pulled the radio and motor from the model, built a Junior 60 and learned to fly on that. I kept the plan and years later I built another Gemini, electric powered this time, just to prove to myself that I could fly it. By now I was quite an experienced pilot and it held no terrors for me. In the end I gave it away to a clubmate. I can certainly see why Masher wants to go back in time too!

Richard, I have an unemployed Pro-Tronik DM 2830 660kv electric motor, specs here:https://www.weymuller.fr/article/moteur_brushless_protronik_dm2830_660.html, sorry they're in French but I have lived in France for the last eight years! Would this suit a Tempest? If so with what battery and propeller?

Me too!

Welcome back. Sorry to hear your news. Are you building anything new?

Pegasus Models sell a range of kits featuring foam core wings which should not be too difficult to build. I am currently building their "Mystic." https://www.pegasusmodels.co.uk/prodcat.asp?dept=1&type=mainmenu&maingp=RC Aircraft&filter=RS

I can't remember now, I suppose it depends upon how busy they are at any one time. If you phone them on Monday on 01953 885279, I'm sure they'd give you an idea.

I am planning to start David Hurrell's 1/4 scale Fokker Triplane over the winter. I phoned SLEC and asked whether they could cut out the wing ribs and other difficult parts for me. I sent them the plan and after a few weeks, on payment of their fee they sent me a short kit. If you contacted them I feel sure that they could provide the same service for you. https://www.slecuk.com/index.php?route=information/information&information_id=16

No steel toe caps in evidence.

Thank you Manish.

Do you have link for MRM Manish? I am also completing a DB Sport & Scale Auster, 1/5 scale which I was given years ago. The cockpit has a clear perspex roof so if the model was on the ground you'd be able to see into the cockpit easily. Obviously in flight or on the ground a model like this requires a pilot and at this size the pilot has to have arms and legs. Having become dismayed at the price of pilots I went to the local charity shop and bought a Barbi for 20 centimes! Not very original perhaps but at the price I'm not complaining! I've had to cut away the back of her knees to get her to sit down and she was wearing an evening dress, not really the sort of thing you'd wear when piloting your Auster! I know a lady who is a retired seamstress. I gave her several pairs of trousers to alter last week as well as the doll. I asked her to make either a uniform or a set of overalls for Barbi. I'm going to pick her up this afternoon. I'll keep you informed! 😏

I stand corrected.

Ah but the Hi-Boy had a tapered wing and less wing area, therefore a higher wing loading.

Chris Foss, Galaxy Models, DB Sport & Scale, Mick Reeves, Ben Buckle, The Vintage Company, SLEC, who now offer both Peter Rake and Belair kits as well as their own kits, Dancing Wings, Super Flying Models, Warbirds Replicas and even Seagull all offer kits which you can build. If you don't like any of these offerings, Sarik, DB Sport & Scale and others offer plan packs or short-kits in which all of the difficult parts are cut out for you. You simply have to provide the strip and sheet. PS. In my opinion neither the Hi Boy nor the Fly Boy is a good trainer. They're both far too heavy and fly too quickly for most beginners. I know I'm going to get a lot of flak from people who learned to fly on these models but I say to them that you learned to fly despite the models' qualities not because of them. If you could fly one of these you could fly anything!

Funny things Mercos. I passed my A Certificate on a Telemaster 66 powered by a Merco 35 which I proceeded to wear out so I've always had a soft spot for them! I also had a 61 in a Senior Telemaster. I find myself thinking of bidding on a Merco 61 on eBay but wiser counsel prevails. What would I use it for when I have so many superb later engines just waiting to be installed in a model?

I know exactly what you mean Richard. My father was a commando who was wounded and captured at Dieppe. He used to tell me such jolly tales of amusing incidents as a POW and we both said that he should write them down and send them off for publishing. He never did of course.

I've got some depron but no correx.

Oh well, put me down for a Tempest. I have several kits still in their boxes Richard including one of your Hawker Hurricanes, not to mention two models to complete, three to repair and one to restore! I understand that model FW 190s fly like pattern ships but my political views won't allow me to build a German aircraft of the Nazi period and yes I know that the Nazis did not conquer Europe with an airforce made up of aircraft with five foot wingspans! I suppose I could finish one to represent a captured one but Mr Wheeler who lived in the last house in our street flew both the Typhoon and the Tempest in WW2. He was a train driver both before and after the war. He never really talked about his experiences but one day he showed me some photos of his training days in Florida flying PT9s, Stearmans and AT6s. He also said that his squadron lost more men after the war had finished than they did in operational flying. Bored young pilots showing off their aerobatic skills at low altitude mostly. After I've built the Tempest I will have the courage to tackle the Hurricane with its retractable undercarriage.

The website has been restored. https://www.laserengines.com/

I am planning to build a new wing for my 2024 entry in La Coupe Des Barons, a jolly event for a French three channel trainer in which most of the entry ends up damaged or destroyed! The wing will be to the overall dimensions of the standard Baron's wing though I might increase the span by 10% to gain a little more lift. I plan to build it with a D section leading edge, two balsa spars at the widest point of the wing section and a suplementary spar between the main spars and the trailing edge a la Super 60 and so many more. I will be using depron for the wing ribs for the first time and I'm thinking of using carbon fibre tube for the leading edge to impart a little more strength. If I go for carbon fibre tube which glue should I use to stick it to the depron wing ribs? For those unfamiliar with La Coupe Des Barons, here is a video of the 2017 event which will tell you all you know. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYlLvJC-MuE

Do that Toto and let us see the figures.

Toto is going to try the Quantum 40 motor on 4S first. A basic trainer will not need more than a 4S power pack. I'd forget about 6S with the Quantum 40 if I were you Toto.

I'd be interested to see what figures you get from the Quantum II 40 on the wattmeter.

I have nearly finished covering the Mystic using film marketed by Kavan. I suspect that Kavan buys it in from China. When finished it will look something like the picture below. My thoughts have turned to painting the cowl to match the covering film. I have two cowls, one is fibre glass the other is ABS. Both are very good quality and both are white but a different shade of white! Should I use a primer on the cowls or simply spray them with white gloss from an aerosol?

Yes I agree on your last point! If fitting a 12 x10 prop does not increase the current draw significantly his choices would appear to be to fit a smaller, more suitable motor or to fit his 6S LiPo. He already has a Ripmax Quantum 40 which he bought for his Sky 40. This motor is marketed as having the same power as a 40 two-stroke glow so that would work if it were fitted to the Domino. http://www.ripmax.com/Item.aspx?ItemID=M-Q2-40 The larger motor could perhaps be used in the Sky 120 which Toto has already bought. The existing power train with the 6S LiPo produces 462 Watts according to Toto's measurements. In a 6lb model that would give 77 watts per pound which is close to my recommendation of 80 watts per lb. As for cg concerns I note that the the 6S LiPo is smaller at 4800 mAh so probably only about 1.5 ozs heavier. If it were my model I would fit the smaller motor but then again, while respecting Toto's decision to change over to electric power, I'd have gone with i/c from the outset...but then I'm a dinosaur! 😄