Richard Wood

Hi Mike, At a guess I'd say the other 3 readings are the current being drawn in Amps - 'A' and power in Watts - 'W'. These will vary with motor speed. If the other reading is 'Wp' it will probably be peak power. With your setup the current should be well under 40A max - with power under around 400W or so to avoid overload.     Edited By Richard Wood on 07/07/2016 13:35:19

Posted by Peter Miller on 07/07/2016 08:53:02: I prefer Solarflm Suprshrink Polyester myself. One tip that I have used from time to time. Stick down a strip of ordinary masking tape over the first piece of covering to a line just above where you want to cut the next piece. Stick the next piece down and then trim it about 1/8" over the edge of the masking tape. The masking tape will protect the under layer. Peel off the masking tape. This leaves 1/8" inch of the top layer free. Just iron this down This technique allows you to trim accurately without cutting the underlayer. Easier to do than describe ^Excellent tip. It's very easy to accidentally cut through the under layer without this protection.

Posted by Glyn44 on 06/07/2016 20:11:21: Ok thanks to all of you. I will stick with HK. I am getting better with practice, and have tried both iron and heat gun methods. The gun seems best for me. I have found that with plenty of overhang the film tends to fold back on itself with the escaping hot air and sticks to itself! Also do you cover both sides of the tip with a single piece, or two. If two we're should I make the overlap joint? On the edge of the tip, or underneath? With Ken on this - usually best to cover the tips in two parts as part of the top & bottom wing covering. For a built up tip as in the pic make the join on the edge with some overlap. Cover the bottom first so that the top overlaps the bottom covering. For a compound curve tip the technique is similar but try & make a neat joint roughly on a line from LE to TE again with a few mm overlap. If the top & bottom wing coverings are the same colour the join line is less critical. A very sharp blade is essential for a neat job!   Edited By Richard Wood on 07/07/2016 08:07:35

As the lads say, covering wingtips & other compound curves takes practice & crucially - the right iron temp. It's an irksome task with a too-cool iron & needs the iron set to shrink temperature. Give yourself plenty of extra to grab hold of & don't be afraid to stretch & tug the film. I've found Solartex probably the easiest to use & Glosstex the hardest. Pic below is standard Solarfilm .

Posted by Kevin Wesley on 19/04/2016 21:30:28: My electric DH2 from the Mike Roach plan Superb!

This (non-scale!) Solartex roundel took just a few minutes to do with the compass cutter method. Structure still visible.

Another method is to cut out Solartex circles with a compass cutter & iron them down in the required colour sequence to form the roundel. Quite easy to do.

Try pressing the up arrow key at the same time as the Enter key. I used to get an extra line like this when pressing enter alone but no longer!

Mine with ASP40 & alloy spinner balanced perfectly with 4 cell AA flight pack wedged under the tank.

Hi Jack, One big advantage of wing mounted aileron servos is that it neatly gets around an error in the design of the kit - the wing mounting bolts will foul the aileron torque rods if it is built without modification. Perhaps this problem has been fixed in latest kits. A fixed u/c does avoid a lot of building faff. Try not to get the tail end too heavy.     Edited By Richard Wood on 08/03/2016 09:01:13

Good luck Jack, will be following this with interest - love the bullet! Just one thing about Hitec HS81 - the nylon gears are very fragile & easily strip. I had a pair installed in Wot4 wings & flight loads stripped the gears. I'd strongly recommend the HS82MG or HS85MG - virtually the same size & weight as HS81 but metal geared & much more robust.

It looks very good & an interesting model - from your pictures & description the kit looks to be of good quality. Had my eye on their Eindecker for a while. You should be able to put together a cheapish 4S electric combo if you want to go that route. Assume you've got a LiPo charger, PSU etc already? Good idea to plan electric installation & hatches etc early doors if poss.   Edited By Richard Wood on 25/02/2016 11:29:33

Top class work - impressive restoration job.

A multi-function charger here at a good price: **LINK**

Posted by ASH. on 16/02/2016 17:41:40:   The Z bend is the least desirable method for attaching rod to horn. The hole has to be larger than normal which causes slop. We are talking fractions of an mm but it is there when it needn't be. Far better to put a 90* bend in the last <10mm of rod and secure with plastic keeper at the servo end and clevis at the other. For a fast high-powered models I prefer 2mm ball joints threaded onto push rods for elevator and rudder. Edited By ASH. on 16/02/2016 17:52:54 Edited By ASH. on 16/02/2016 17:59:52 Haven't noticed any slop at all in Z bends formed at 90' & with the servo horn holes drilled to fit the wire appropriately. Edited By Richard Wood on 17/02/2016 08:13:02

Hitec HS85MG metal gear mini servos are good & should fit that space perhaps with a shave off the bearers. Perhaps the ply bottom sheeting should extend to at least a little past the tow hook area? Looks great so far.   Edited By Richard Wood on 16/02/2016 15:20:45

Hi Ian, Usually Z bend at the servo & clevis at the control horn. Any adjustments can be easily made without needing to get access to the servos - no need to take wing off. Beaten by a quicker typer.. Edited By Richard Wood on 16/02/2016 10:38:58

There used to be a GRP cowl for the bullet, might be worth trying to track one down.

As the lads say - leave enough wiggle room up front to enable the motor to be removed & adjusted easily. Good access to engine & silencer mounting bolts & carb adjustments makes life more pleasant.

You've been extremely unlucky to have three out of four electric motors with bearing failure.

Reg is right - the Galaxy Acro is a semi-scale Pace Spirit & the kit is now sold by My Hobby Store. Perhaps they might be able to supply a fibreglass cowl. http://www.myhobbystore.co.uk/product/60719/galaxy-models-acro-kit   Edited By Richard Wood on 15/09/2015 10:33:22

Flair Attila is a lovely flier, highly recommended - if they're still available.

Hi Darren, The Apprentice has a good reputation but probably not as a first model for a complete newbie on their own. Are you in or going to join a club? Learning to fly on your own is not easy. You'll get help & encouragement at most clubs.

Posted by john stones 1 on 11/08/2015 09:56:17: Would have to agree Wot 4 is way out in front as most popular/seen model, builders model is stretching it a bit though second would be Magnatilla in my neck of the woods. John The current MK3 & Classic Wot 4 kits are superb & can be built very quickly but are still more or less a box of flat bits of wood with two foam wing panels. A far cry from an ARTF.

Phil , the 'of all time' part of the thread title has many people thinking back through the decades to classic builder's models like the Gangster, Wot 4 etc. ARTF Pulse, Harmon Rocket etc are relatively recent for old timers like many of us. Edited By Richard Wood on 11/08/2015 09:47:13