Ian Whittaker

I've just ordered the retracts from Unitracts. They gave a delievery date of the end of September!

Progress so far! I'm now off work for a week, so aim to get some building and flying in!

Craig.    I'm also giving the placement of the elevator servos consideration.  thinking that fixing them to the aft fuselage would be a good plan, but am concerned by the tai weight issue. Reading the plans for the fuselage there's a paragraph suggesting that we can expect up to 1kg of nose weight. i'm considering following Mr Nijhuis's plan for the time being, although I'll be sure to secure the snakes well! I've decided on Futaba S3152's for the ailerons and elevators incidentally. The rudders will get a pair of reasonable quality Hi-Tecs, the throttles budget minis / micros. I must admit electric reliabilty appeals, but personally I'm set up as a glo / Petrol flier, and the outlay for mr to go electric would be huge!   I'll put a few pictures on when i get the inner panel built (eg when i replace the too-short spars!) 'Why does the rain only start when i've spent 20 minutes rigging my plane?     Happy building gents!

 Evening Gentlemen. I'm currently at the stage of fuselage sides and top glued, i'm leaving the bottom for a little while to help me with access for RC installation. The wings, similar to Aerts, has the basic construction done on the 3 of the 4 panels, and the tailplane has been laid downthis evening. Ian's tip for the day - check the length of the spars twice BEFORE cutting! I had a daft moment, and cut the too short on the second inner panel, i think i cut them to be flush with W1! Not a major snag, i just need two new spars!Incidentally, has anyone any ideas on servos they plan to use on the control surfaces?Also, I'm a newcomer to the concept of glassfibring too. I'll be trying to pick brains on this soon i hope! Ian.  

is the outer wing only held on by butt joints of the spars, L/Es and the epoxing of two of the spars to B2?????Time for a coffee pondering moment i think!

Hi Gents. Firstly my opinion on engine choice, for what it's worth! Having had a couple of glow engined twins (Ripmax Harmony being the latest, a low wing fully aerobatic job) I'll have no hesitation in buying 4 SC's for my Halifax. The Harmony has 2 46 two strokes in, and given  reasonable maintenance and running in (i ran them in seperatley, on a single engined model to get a few flights under their belts. I intend to do the same with the Halifax's too, although with 4 i can't see me doing it over a weekend as i have previously!) , i've found them reliable. I also, within reason don't panic too much about the engines being perfectly balanced throughout the rev range. i DO use a tacho to check them, but seek a reliable tickover and clean pick up more than the revs being identical throughout the throttle range, and this logic hasn't let me down yet, even when low level knife edging! Reinforcing a point made earlier in the forum, however, my engines will all be sourced new. However, a question to the more experienced larger model builders about planned servo instalation. does anyone have anyone have initial ideas what to fit? I see the ailerons and elevator use standard size, the rudder and throttle minis. With the weight of the model my experience suggests hi torque digital jobs but realise this isn't the large petrol engined, 3D capable machine i'm used to!   Thanks for your experience! Ps This will be my first scale multi, so I'll be after flying tips in due course!!! Best regards, Ian   

Looking very good Craig. I'm currently at the gluing fuselage sides together stage!

Craig.I have a few other photos which i didn't load onto the forum, as after 50 minutes to load the five i had to go out. I'll happily email them to you, if you (or anyone else) wishes. Let me know. They arent too good, the Halifax is surrounded by other planes so i couldn't get many unobstructed views. I agree the museem is excellent, i aim to revisit soon and spend a little longer there.

The better 5 pictures are now loaded. Turning all power off to the computer seems to have sorted out it's temper tantrum!

Just returned home from a trip to Yorkshire Air Museum. 350 miles each way! I've had as good a look round the machine there as space and access restrictions would allow, and have taken some (poor quality!) photos. I also got a PC CD ROM guide. I'll try and load the pictures when the computer decides to allow me to! Meanwhile, The forecast for tomorrow seems conducive to starting the build! (plans and Vac set now here too. No more excuses for me!)

the CNC and balsa packs are about 3.5kg each. There's a lot of wood lying around at present!

Hi all! Just received two rarge large brown wrapped parcels, containing what i think is the most balsa i've seen outside of a large model shop, and a rather large quantity of CNC cut ply. The plans and vac pack are awaited with eagerness!  I suppose i ought to start making some space to build!

Well, that's done. Complete set ordered!

Re my last post, I's be going for the full CNC pack, so to avoid cutting ribs, formers etc myself to give myself the best chance!

Hi Gentlemen.  Quite a simple question really. Would you say the TN Halifax could be built by a relative newcomer to kit building, given a no rush approach? I've built from kits before with some sucess, but not of this size/time investmest. Best regards to all, Ian Whittaker.