martin collins 1

Just starting a Flair Baronette build and have sorta settled on the Ernst Kessler colour scheme from the movie `The Great Waldo Pepper`, i would like to cover it in a tex film, as i see it there are two ways of doing it, yellow tex and then paint a large portion of the model black OR black tex and just paint the yellow squares. I would prefer to do the later as it should add less weight in paint but how many coats of yellow would it need over the black covering. Thoughts or advice appreciated on the best approach and i hope you all enjoy this build blog. T

I am considering covering my next build in black Solartex, would yellow paint go over it ok or would i need multiple coats, anyone tried this before..........

Many of us enjoy rummaging at Swapmeets in the hope of picking up a bargain or that long sought after kit or model, over the years i have been to some really large ones, the much missed Nationals or the Watford one springs to mind, sadly these seem to be a thing of the past due mostly one assumes to the internet and the shrinking size of our hobby. Are there any large swapmeets left, most seem to be held in small village halls now or has that ship sailed?

`However I was told it could fly "as is"`.......... 🤔Not without a fan unit mate 🤣. Maybe a very hard chuck, is that counted as flying?

Unbuilt Bowman Magister kit on the BMFA website:- https://classifieds.bmfa.org/acadp_listings/bowman-miles-magister

Having picked up a large Flair Dr1 and kitted it out with a 26cc Zenoah petrol i have got a hankering for a Flair Baronette kit to build, does anyone have one in their stash that they won`t get round to? I have cash and a building board waiting..........

Airframe count seems to be rising Rapidly, getting ahead of ourselves i know but hoping this leads on to persuade Richard to do an American and Japanese pairing sometime next year.........I would buy 😁

Another unstarted kit for sale, this time in the UK. https://classifieds.bmfa.org/acadp_listings/bowman-miles-magister

For anyone that suffers with orientation problems with their models, this would be the Tempest colour scheme to choose, post war target tug, no trouble seeing that in the air!

At least one of them looks like he knows what he is doing 😅

26, that`s a good number Richard, we need a few more Tempests to even the numbers in a dog fight! I think once people have seen a completed one a few more will jump on board to fight those dirty Focke`s. Dagga, dagga, dagga. Achtung Spi.........errr Tempest!

Not fitted the cowl on mine yet Roy, been sorting out a 1/4 scale Dr1 which is now waiting to be test flown, will cut and fit the cowl sometime between now and the New Year so it is ready for next seasons flying.

My first Foamboard/depron build has a thread on here, you may find it helpful, my preffered glue is the Gorilla clear stuff which is foam safe, it takes longer to dry but dries hard. Free plans to build the 109 are linked in the thread.

One of our club members is building a Tony Nijhus Hawker Hurricane using Foamboard and depron, more or less following the original design but with mostly the alternative materials. Some structural areas retain wood for spars and motor mounting/retracts etc.

Pulled the kit out again this evening as i fancy a bit of good old fashion balsa stick building, it is actually 1/3 scale as it mentions 1/6th or 1/3rd versions when adding the top wing dihedral, at 72" span and the size of the pilot drawn on the plan would make this 1/3rd. It looks like quite a straightforward build, i am hoping i can get a 23cc Zenoah with a wrap around silencer mostly within the confines of the cowling. It will make a nice alternative RAF Bipe for the RAFMAA Fly Ins next year, i will do a build thread once i get started. Pic is borrowed from one of the plastic modelling web sites.

Very nice build and repair Eric, can you lat us know what the ready to fly weight is on the 109 once finished, any more pictures up to now or from here on in appreciated, it gives the rest of us inspiration. I am just finishing gearing up and tweaking a 1/4 scale Flair Dr1 which i have bolted a Zenoah 26cc mag engine to, test flight waiting on the weather this end. The airframe came with the plans and build instructions so i am going to build one out of Foamboard and depron as well.

Having picked up a Flair 1/4 scale Dr1 and fitted a Zenoah 26cc to it i am just about ready for the test flight, the firewall appears to have a VERY small amount of right built in but the kit instructions that came with it say add 10mm of right rudder when setting the controls up. I am assuming this is acting as a `right thrust` set up rather than in being set in the firewall? Anyone on here flying this model can advise what they have thrust wise on their model?

Very nice Eric, have you just used the outline of the plan or are the wings built up as per plan but using foam for the ribs etc? Any build pics you could share?

Hopefully you will decide it is the one for you, looking forward to us all having a go with these on the forum. Hopefully we can organise a fly in somewhere next year to meet up and get them in the air together 😁

The company is Warbirds Replicas, Richard Wills is the chap that produces them, there is a lot more information on the Warbirds forum look under the Big Question thread. Richard produces small run batches of kits to order, i have bought his Lavochkin and JU88 kits when batches were done of those, these latest ones are designed to be cheap to put in the air, easy to build and to use cheaply available finishing materials. The last 10 pages or so of the long Big question thread should give you a taster of what these two kits are about. Any other questions if you pop Richard a PM he will respond with all the answers. The last few pages show the 190 being put together so will give you and idea of how quick and easy they are to build, John has kindly put up the link i forgot to add to the Big question thread!

Usually maiden my models when i know i will be at the field by myself, i don`t like the eyes burning into the back of your head when they all know it is the maiden flight. Model is set up and triple checked at home and gets another once over when assembled at the field. Range check and put the model on the strip, final check of control directions and all rates set on the recommended which is i set on the centre setting so i can go more or less if it needs it in the air. Point the model directly into wind and throttle up when ready.

I will be building the Tempest, invasion stripes and all 😁

Started a thread suggesting it for the 2024 Mass build, may bring it to the attention of a few others.

We are approaching the time of year when the next Mass Build is sorted out, can i stick my vote in for it being one of Richard`s new Warbird kits, FW190 or Hawker Tempest. There is an ongoing thread on the Warbirds forum and a number of people have already committed to buy one or both of the kits. They are due for delivery before Christmas so the timing would be great for this years Mass build. Here is a taster of the demo FW190, kits are priced at £139. The Fw190 spec is : 54" span . estimated weight less than 5lb , Hand launch kit . (a retract pack will be available to retrofit but lets get one up first and keep it simple ). Motor spec will be 35 mm or more likely 42mm can, of any KV from 550 to 900 . Can be propped to suit , Will run on one 4s 3300 pack or 2x 3s 2200 in parallel with higher KV motor . In other words , use what you have . I can advise on props and motors for those that already have batteries . Aluminium two blade 190 spinner available at £13 , Decal sets also available . Kit Price £139 .

Looks like it would be the 2024 Mass build as the 2023 one was Peggy Sue 2 which was started at the end of last year so timing for the next one is about right.