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Have you seen the RCuniverse site with Fokker D7 threads? One of them is about building from the RCM Norman Butcher plan which was also avail as RM 23 from Radio Modeller now Myhobbystores.  In particular http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23307 is about an electric version of Gordon W 's plan and there are comments by GW himself. It is nearly 7 years old though so technically outdated I suppose, but its still there today. Also there is a 'master class' at http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_8111084/tm.htm at a slightly smaller scale. Perhaps this inspired you ( or will inspire you! ) to make a D7. I have the article sitting in front of me, the text is on a red background but I expect I can scan it to be readable. Let me know before I lose the mag!

For future reference. I have just tried the rcmmagazine .com  ( note it is 2 m's !) site and found the plan section is still there.  Underneath the yellow star saying RCM store there are 4 sections - one of these is plans.  Click on plans and then you get a choice of alphabetical etc. But best of all is the online magazines( RCM  from 2000 to 2005 ) and requested articles covering all sorts of plans and articles.  It is a little difficult to navigate the site ( you need to look at the items at the top of the pages too around the logo ) but it is a goldmine of info. You need Adobe Acrobat Reader for some items.  Sometimes the site is slow loading big files though. I dont think the Traplet plans include the original article or instructions  (but RCM does I think ) Traplet can often supply back issues but this one is June 85 ---23 years back!  If you need the article I think I have that mag and will scan it for you and e-mail to you.  Ask me .

I am not sure if there are any actual electric designs but there are several IC plans avail. There is an old  Norman Butcher  plan still listed by the American RCM magazine for a 59 inch span 60 size glow. plan 368 see  www.rcmmagazine.com        The plans seem to be avail even though the mag is no longer published. They also have the Gordon Whitehead 53 inch plan which is also published as a Traplet plan (MW2031)  I think 

The Gloster Javelin a very distinctive & under-modelled British plane! A nice red & white colour scheme is on the Javelin at Duxford.

We have got away from the original question. The decision on aileron servo location has to be made an early stage. If 2 servos are used , holes for servo lead and plug need to be cut in wing ribs (preferably in alignment so a paper tube can be inserted to guide lead.) and this is best done before wing is started. If one central servo is used then holes for the piano wire pushrods need to be in perfect alignment and this really means they are cut whilst the ribs are still in a pack. Note that holes in balsa are best cut with a sharpened brass tube rather than drilled with a twist drill. I presume Peter Miller is referring to his method of soldering both pushrods into a brass tube together with a piece of threaded rod which is bent twice to bring it up higher to fix into servo arm. Perhaps Peter could post his diagram which makes this clear. ( those of us who have his other plans could scan a copy to do this but its Peters copyright! ) If the wing is already built and holes for pushrod or leads have not been cut , then its messy but still possible to hack holes in the ribs with a Dremel tool or similar using a pointed bit to cut sideways. A jig could be used to locate the holes properly. Piano wire pushrods usually need to be inserted before wing halves are joined.

The Balsa Cabin have supplied me with good balsa for years. You should note that the address is different to the 1970,s!   Also different proprietor now.  Same quality and low prices I think. check for yourself at www.balsacabin.co.uk

It's probably due to dihedral. At the wing centre the wing is lower than at fus side. Are the lines parallel? If there is no dihedral than the lines would be the same. The crucial thing is the incidence of wing and tailplane. Often this is shown as O degrees, 1 degree etc. Mark the position on the fus sides and ensure the wing centre line is also marked on TE and Leading edge which should line up with fus side markings.

I found the Dereck Woodward plan was published in Radio Modeller (now incorporated into RCME) March 1988.  Plan No is RM340 for OS20  4stroke.  So should be avail from Magicalia as its not listed as an X-List plan.

I am sure Dereck Woodwards plan was published by Radio Modeller and so should be avail as a Magicalia plan now. 

There was a Kitten plan 45.5 inch span free plan in RC Scale Aircraft Dec/Jan 1993 for Cox Texaco 049 engines.   The article said it was designed by Dave Larkin but the plan has David Boddington as designer. There was also plan RC1502 77 inch span for a 60 4 stroke by G Hodge.  The Traplet plan was 53 inch span for Speed 400

For your reference Phillip Kent's design for a Tipsy Junior at 57 inch span used a Laser 50. He said any 4 stroke up to 52 would suit. This was a free plan in RC Scale International May/June 2000 & July/Aug 2000 ( of course this is the rival Tr****t publication!) .

There was a 3 page article on making corrugations in the RCME Scale Aircraft Special 1984.  This illustrates the method used by Peter Neate and also Arthur Searles method.

I think the corrugated cardboard would have been doped or resined to strengthen it. What about using corrugated cardboard as a mould for fibreglass sheets to skin the model?

I find it perfectly satisfactory to cut ply with a Stanley knife, but obviously everyone can choose their favourite tool. Perhaps I should explain my method. I cut birch ply up to 1/16 and liteply up to 1/8 using a brand new high quality Sheffield steel blade in a Stanley knife holder which is comfortable to grip. I use a nylon cutting board ( household type ) to support the work. Just the tip of the blade is used and first of all a light groove is scored using enough pressure to ensure the blade follows the line and does not deviate to follow the grain. Then further firm cuts are made until the cut mostly penetrates through. Then the work is turned over and the cut is completed from the reverse. A wide straight edge is used where possible. Each cut is made pulling the knife towards oneself with ones body weight over the knife. Only short controlled cuts are made and the workpiece is turned as necessary so that the cut is continually pulling towards oneself in a very controlled manner. The pressure / weight is always right over the blade tip and the angle is kept as near the same as possible - much safer than making long sweeping cuts where the blade can swerve into fingers or body. All this is much quicker to do than to write about. Just as with a fretsaw safety glasses should really be worn and I suppose a traditional thick leather apron as well any time one uses a knife or scalpel just in case. A tee section metal straight edge is better to protect ones fingers. ( I use various lengths of aluminium tee section, in theory the hard knife metal should wear it unevenly and reduce accuracy but this has not happened so far with occasional use ) I doubt this will change P.M.'s or Steve's techniques but it may help some newcomer try it and decide the best method for himself.

Cutting out formers and ribs should not really be a laborious task ( for the type of models designed by Peter Miller ) compared to the whole job of building a plane. There are usually about 4 ply formers and a few balsa ones. The formers can be photocopied or traced and the photocopy stuck to the wood with double sided tape. Then a simple matter of sawing to shape. A very fine tooth saw (tenon saw, dovetail saw or japanese pull saw ) for the plywood straight bits and a fretsaw for the notches and curves. Electric fretsaws are easily obtained for a little over £30 and are easy to use. Stick the photocopy direct to the balsa and cut right through the paper and into the wood with a scalpel or Stanley knife. The 1/32 or 1/16 ply can also be cut with a Stanley knife. All edges can be finally shaped to exact size quickly with a Permagrit tool. Simple no need for laser cutting! Perhaps a few hours work at most. Parallel chord ribs are easily shaped if they are stacked together in the classic way and Razor planed to shape (or use a Permagrit tool ) Tapered wing ribs have to be cut out individually but you can cut out pairs by sticking 2 sheets of balsa together with double sided tape. Again use a photocopy and cut right through into the balsa using a scalpel held vertically.

There are 3 methods of corrugation I have seen published. 1 A very early 1980's Scale Aircraft Special ( MAP/Argus/ Nexus) showed how someone made a rolling (mangle type ) device to corrugate litho plate! 2. A method to make Tiger Moth tank corrugations from card with slots cutin Gordon Whiteheads book. 3 A method of covering the model in corrugated cardboard was shown in some mag. Seems the easiest idea. If you seriously want to try 1 or 2 I know I have the article. At the moment I cannot remember where 3 was published.

American plans seem to be drawn in a much nicer style with more detail. I remember seeing a motor glider plan ( by Pavel Bosak I think ) published in an English mag and also in RC Modeller in the USA. The extra detail was amazing in the US version. Why are errors in plans not corrected in the next issue of the mag? I was suggesting that the Lil Mustang is such a nice design that a slightly larger 40 size plan would be nice.

I completely accept that the errors occur during re-drawing by the magazine people and are not Peter’s fault, but nevertheless it is his name on the plan. Frequently the errors are in the ply formers which are cut early in the construction and cannot be modified in the middle of construction. For example, the RCMW Lil Mustang former F5 is about 5mm wider one side of the centre line than the other, and an experienced modeller might assume that the right side is the correct shape but what is the correct overall width? Much the same with F1. Similarly with F4, but surely the recess is too narrow? One can only guess what the overall fus width is at each former as there is no plan view.. A lovely looking plane but significant errors which I have not seen corrected. ( Peter, why not scale this design up to about 55inches and correct the errors? ) Firedrake. F1, F2,F3 and F5 widths do not seem to quite tie up with the plan view. Volksplane. Some problem with the wing ribs if I remember correctly from when I built it twenty years ago. Jolene. The plan published in the mag ( reduced size ) shows straight wing tips but the photos show rounded tips with inset ailerons. Maybe if one pays for a fullsize plan the tips are shown! However the Cap21 does seem to be mostly quite accurate as does the RCMW Turbulent from many years ago. Maybe my wording was quite harsh but I think it was fair comment which would help a newish modeller and persuade him to study the plan first. Really the point is that magazines do not normally publish any corrections to errors in their plans. Anyway I am glad Peter has taken it in the right spirit. Nobody seems to have commented that Peter Miller is possibly the most prolific published model aircraft designer anywhere.. Surely he has overtaken DB by now..

Straight & Level was a great column, partly due to the questions posed by aeromodellers with PR's and his correspondent's helpful answers. Surely we need an online version if the real thing is not available in RCME?

The other Russell referred to was possibly D A Russell from earlier days still.

The LE on this model does not appear to be the shaped commercial type. See the drawing of R5. It is made from a piece of eighth sheet which is bevelled slightly so that the sixteenth sheeting covers it over. Then a further, narrower, piece of eighth sheet (LE capstrip ) is glued on front ( with balsa cement, cyano, or aliphatic not ordinary PVA ) and then sanded to the LE shape. This is a better way because the LE sheeting to LE joint has a greater glue area and the PVA glue joint is hidden & does not ‘pull out’ when sanding. That is why balsa cement. aliphatic or cyano is used on the LE capstrip.

Yes, lets have a collection of Peter Russell's Straight & Level published soon. I seem to recall that the STOL mk3 modification was described (in Straight & Level during the 1980's ) and you use the mk1 or mk2 plan. So you dont need to hunt for another plan

Check out www.radioactivemfg.com for hinges. For balsa I use the Balsa Cabin see www.zworld.com/balsacabin You could try www.balsamart.co.uk Best of all go to a show such as the BMFA Nationals at Barkston Heath which is this month I think. Usually a trader selling balsa at good prices. Go early for best choice! I have planed LE strip from a ordinary sheet. Use a full 3 or 4 inch sheet stick it to a piece of melamine board with a few tiny bits of double sided Sellotape.Use a razor plane plane and gradually plane a bevel until it is wide enough. Then trim to size remembering to make the edge a right angle triangle if that is needed. Or a non right angle triangle ( is that an isococles Triangle?)for ailerons. You could also make a preliminary cut with a bandsaw and an extra fence, but always keep a full size sheet and watch your fingers!

I agree it is not as good as previous plans handbooks. Lots of models are not even illustrated, and what photos are shown are not even as good as previous editions. Not worth buying in my opinion, unless you want the Spitfire plan. Is it the same Spitfire plan as the previous RCME 'special' this year? Magicalia should check out their English competitors plans catalogue!

Making Elevator Joiners An oversize length of piano wire is bent (cold )at right angles in a vice, using a hammer and block of hard wood. A second bend is bent parallel to the first. If necessary one end is held in the vice and ‘tweaked’ with a pair Mole grips/ pliers to get parallel. At this stage you will appreciate the extra inch or two oversize is useful for leverage. Then cut to length using a good quality 3 cornered file, not a hacksaw, just notch either side and snap off in a vice. Eye protection is vital! File the ends to flattened shape. Then the tricky part of drilling into the elevator at right angles in both planes. Use an old fashioned hand drill turned slowly. Throw the part away if the drill penetrates the outside - it will be too weak as well as ugly. De-grease the piano wire before inserting into the holes. If necessary tweak the joiner again (out of the balsa!) to get the elevators parallel. Epoxy into holes at final stages when finally inserting hinges into tailplane ( after covering )