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Bob, the model already requires a joint in the fuselage sides if using 36 inch sheet balsa ( sides are almost 40 inches ) so why not extend the nose an inch or so when you join the sheet? Easier to cut off a bit later than add on! Nigel's rib and sheet method seems a good idea, although with good balsa selection a solid sheet of balsa may be just as light.

The 25mm or so that the shaft projects backwards might be taking up enough space to get the lipo forward and balance the model. Some builders of other designs have said about cutting shaft by wrapping motor in tape to keep swarf out and using a Dremel with cutting disc. Personally I would prefer to buy a motor with the shaft the correct end for the model.

CG on the plan is shown at 113mm back from LE so Graham R's model would seem to need to be 30mm further forwards. GrahamR 's is also a little heavier than Delks original ( at 1440 g /50.8oz ) if the 4S 3300 Lipo weighs about 300g. So not a lot of scope for fitting lead for balance but worth seeing how much would be needed to balance at 113mm. Might also be worth seeing if just moving the motor forward temporarily ( with a view to using standoffs ) might achieve enough without hacking the cowl around too much. Otherwise just strapping the 3S3300 onto the outside of fusealge with tape or rubber bands for a trial balance would show just how much (or little) the Lipo would need to be moved forward without using lead. As the 4Max motor was used I wonder whether the rear bit of the shaft was left on and caused the Lipo to be further back than if the shaft was trimmed back flush. Might make all the difference. Personally I wouldn't want to saw off the shaft so I would fit a different make without shaft at back or fit the Lipo lower to avoid it. Graham Moore's model showing similar problems indicates that any other builders might consider extending fuselage forward a bit. Getting the Lipo forward by 25mm (1 inch ) or even less might achieve balance without lead. It would be interesting to know what that model weighed with lead and whether Graham felt it flew really well at that weight anyway.

Tim, don't even think about taxing around! The model is likely to rise into the air a bit and crash straight down if the pilot is not skilled and the model properly balanced with correct Centre of Gravity. You will waste all that hard work. You could build and have an experienced pilot fly it but beware only the very best pilot with biplane experience should be entrusted with a nice scale model. Too easy to find someone who claims to be competant who just crashes your pride and joy. By all means fit a motor - electric are not expensive - to have something to hang the prop on but don't fit it with batteries, servos etc unless you do it to properly and build to correct weight and suitably strong for flight. ( building suitably strong but light is the art for flying models!)

That's interesting Graham. No other feedback on this that I have seen. Perhaps you could give more info to help other buiders. Whats the weight, what Lipo size and what is it covered with etc. The obvious thing to do with your model is to put the Lipo forward and you might just fix it on with rubber bands or tape until you find how much forward would work to achieve CG without lead. Easier to saw off the front and extend than trying to remove weight from the tail end! ( in my view)

Welcome to the forum! Nobody seems to have answered your question. This forum is mainly for models that fly - obviously from the name - and certain simplifications have to be made in order to get a light model for flying. Building a model just for display is not something most of us do. Models take up a lot of space and are often just assembled out doors for flying. You might find this other 18 inch span plan on Outerzone is of a size more suited to display and you can add any details if you want. To make an accurate scale model you probably need to see the full size and the Parnall Elf was at Old Warden in Bedfordshire a year or two ago and probably is there still. You could easily check the wing tips for yourself. Whether you need to worry about discrepancies is entirely up to you- it depends on how critical you are and how much time you have. Frankly if you have never built a balsa plane before start with a simple kit and see how you get on. Then build an Elf later when you have aquired the skills and learnt the tricks of the trade!

I wonder if anbody has increased the size of the Chilli Breeze by 10 percent - making a 53 inch span model which could be a handy size for electric =smaller than the Chilli Wind at 57 inch span but the 10 percent span increase would give 20 percent greater wing area with perhaps not a lot of weight increase. If you have built to 53 inch span it would be interesting to know what electric motor was used and how it went.

I don't know enough about the DX8 to help much - but my first thought was the Tx could be in the wrong Mode. If unsure about this check that Tx is set correctly to the Mode you want to fly - either Mode 2 ( throttle left ) or Mode 1 ( throttle right) In the correct Mode ( in the menu ) it should work as you expect. The throttle ratchet can usually be swapped physically if necessary and it might even be on the wrong side to the Mode in the software. My second thought was - Jonah said he was " new to the RC world " so is a flying wing the right model to start RC. Probably not for a beginner would be a likely answer. A proper trainer would have more stability, more area to see and also be easier to see which way it's pointing.

No, I did not miss the point! I allowed for the fact that Bob had mentioned single channel and said " unless you want to! " The important point is to ensure newcomers and returnees get the best advice before they invest in equipment. Every club experiences new members who have wasted money buying the wrong stuff - 'wrong stuff' meaning gear that the instructors won't accept. I don't know of anybody in my clubs who will teach somebody on a tx with just a push button. I believe this is general - tuition for newcomers is almost invariably done with 3 or 4 channel with Tx of the modern stick type. If you know of clubs that teach INEXPERIENCED newcomers on push button Tx then tell us! Single channel push button is a niche thing! Therefore I suggested 3 or 4 channel at least so that not only Bob but any other newcomers get the advice that Tx with sticks is the norm and safer thing to buy. But everyone to their own thing.

Phil I did not accuse anybody of misleading! What I actually said was " So don't be mislead by the minority - unless you want to! " which was a perfectly reasonable suggestion not an accusation and just a hint to ensure one acts on good advice. I still think it is wise to advise newcomers / returnees to buy 'mainstream' Rc equipment ( i.e. multi channel ), and spend their money on the equipment that is of most use to them. I have not seen push button RC used ever in any club or at any show that I attended in the last 39 years! Obviously there are some users somewhere but I have never seen it used for planes - articles in magazines perhaps but not actually seen around here.

Phil, I tried to steer a returnee or any newcomer towards sensible and mainstream choice of gear to spend their money on. Frankly I have never understood why people bothered with galloping ghost etc in this day and age, however your comment " the joy and wonderment expressed in their feedback " perhaps explained it a bit. I reckon I would be the same if someone gave me a chance to drive my first car again ( 1935 Morris 8 ) I would be thrilled for a while but I wouldn't swop my Toyota auto hybrid with SatNav for it! So I advised Bob corectly I think -gave him the info and it's his choice now.

Bob, Most of us use 5 channels at least - an extra channel for separate aileron servos (although we can use a Y lead and use just 4 channel. ) Another channel for retracts, perhaps another for flaps too and those use switches. So 6 or 7 channels is enough for most of us, although glider people seem to like more switches to play with. I think I am correct in saying that nobody at my club uses a thousand pound Tx but if they do it doesn't show! Just a good Tx that is 100 percent reliable and not too expensive to scrap if it is troublesome is all that is needed.

Bob, I think you will see from RCME and the forum that most people use at least throttle,elevator, rudder and ailerons in their power models or just rudder, elevator& throttle in vintage models etc. The single channel enthusiasts are very much in the minority! Clearly single channel is possible and you can use just normal 4 or 6 channel proportional for just the one channel if you want and you need no electronic knowledge for that. So don't be mislead by the minority - unless you want to! 'Restricted' might just mean that club requires an A certificate to fly solo ( meaning they don't train newcomers ) or might mean numbers are kept low for noise or parking reasons or might mean no drones or helicopters. Persist if it's local to you, but look around for other clubs to see what they do.

Welcome to the forum Bob. Almost all clubs start their membership year in January and therefore have vacancies in January or February so try again then. But membership is dropping in many clubs so it would be surprising if you couldn't get in if a serious local based flyer - I imagine they might try to fend off holiday visitors. Radio gear will have already been covered many times so look through the forum. Basically the info is always same - buy 2.4 ghz, dont buy secondhand unless you know the seller, and you probably want the same as your instructor in order to use a buddy system so find out what the instructors fly ( Spektrum is very common but local opinion varies) You probably only need 6 channels so a fairly basic set will do, don't buy any Tx without memories and a screen to set all the options = avoid cheap trainers with these very basic Tx which won't be useful for future models. Check what Mode the local clubs fly to see if it is what you have used already. ( Mode 2 is common now ) Tx can be switched from Mode 2 to Mode 1 in the software now ( if the Tx has a screen for options ) Ask questions on this forum and no doubt you will get useful replies.

It's probably still made in 8ft x 4ft sheets because the original machinery for making it was made in the UK or USA. I think the reason for introducing the metric system in schools was to save having to teach children to do mental arithmatic! They just move the decimal point or they have to use calculators! You will find that most people brought up on metric cannot do mental arithmatic well if at all, while those who were brought up on imperial can (mostly) do mental arithmatic easily.

For 'cute' little models like the Tomboy then Jon's fun use of English seems fine! I actually raised the idea of electric as an antidote to the enthusiam of the engine lovers who advised to fit old diesel engines. But I am glad that others also thought electric a good idea. Jon's advice to buy a PAW seems good - but unless you put Progress Aero Works into Google it's not easy to find them. Here is their webpage but I note that prices are dated 2021 and exclude VAT. Even at those 2021 prices it's probably cheaper to fit electric even allowing for a few spare Lipos and a basic lipo charger but of course the hobby is not about money but enjoying whatever you fancy. Your choice - but I do advise looking into whether the Tomboy is the right model or perhaps something a bit larger would suit. Then choose electric or i.c and only then buy the gear you really need for your chosen model.

Interesting chat about getting new members .......but nobody even mentioned which town or area they are in!

Martin Dance - what you refer to is the Hoppus measurement . For nostalgia you might want to see it explained by Wikipedia. Nigel - you are right vernier is the scale and it's missing on electronic ones. The plastic vernier caliper is actually very handy and more accurate than you might expect - they don't rust. I lent my plastic vernier calipers to my wife and couldn't get them back - had to buy a second pair for myself and show her how the vernier idea works! A Google search for rulers shows how cheap they are now - less than 2 pounds including postage for some engraved stainless. Worth making sure you have all sizes available that you might need-perhaps 6 inch, 12 inch and 39 inch/1 metre in dual imp/metric. Ones with tenths of inch seem useless to me and only rulers with 32nd or 16ths at the beginning seem worth having. If buying cheap ones not much can go wrong but the important thing to look for is the very first division mark - check that the very first 'space' is complete and the same size it should be and not cut short. Make sure metric and inch are both same at zero. If is's short or long the ruler is wrong throughout!

Those electronic vernier calipers can show metric/inches at flick of a switch. Only trouble is the batteries run out easily.

What have the Romans Americans ever done for us ? Saved feet and inches is one thing! Wihout the Americans we probably couldn't buy anything in feet and inches. But it's horses for courses - if you build a fence or a shed etc then feet and inches are handier, if you measure small parts then millimetres may be easier. You are free to choose which you prefer because rulers are available in metric or imperial. When you buy a ruler try to get one with engraved markings - they won't wear out easily like Don's aluminium one. Stainless steel won't rust easily in a workshop environment . Best of all are the satin chrome type from Rabone etc

There is a suggested electric setup on the 4Max website but probably one of these cheaper 4Max packs would be suitable - maybe the 1400kv one would work well. But of course if you prefer to fiddle with engines and want a messy oily plane then electric won't suit!

You mean rechargeable I suppose? It's easy to mistake non rechargeable for chargeable in some brands!

Rich, Before you start - consider where you can fly ic. models. Some clubs are electric only and those that allow i.c. need silencers fitted. Obviously some people like fiddling around trying to get engines to start, but many pilots find electric power is easier especially for small models. Electric has come a long way in the last few years - Lipo batteries and brushless motors have changed everything. Your choice of course.........

As I am not a serious buyer at the moment I didn't phone Mick and waste his time but if anyone else is a buyer then let us all know whether they are actually available. Maybe a Gangster 52 Lite would be the thing nowadays too....... Loads of other goodies on the Mick Reeves site which are worth a look.

My advice is ..... Fish the labels out of the washing machine if you can.....BEFORE they get stuck in the waste and cause a problem.