Gazza58

1147 Barking Sqn, part of West Essex Wing. I joined at 13 and left as F!t Lt. Fabulous organization. Took me to Germany, Malta, Cyprus, Canada as well as all over the UK. Flying Chippies at Marshal's, gliding at Swanton Morley, 303 at Purfleet. Every weekend kept me busy. I just wish I was able to thank all those wonderful gentlemen who steered so many of us in the right direction. My gliding instructor when i was 16, was an elderly chap of around 24 years of age. When my son came home from his gliding course, he told me about his ancient instructor, a certain Sqn Ldr Horsley. Yup same man. Thank you gentlemen Gary

Thanks John,and kc I'll stick with what I am familiar with and give it a 'bit' of down/side thrust using washers behind the engine mount for down and between the mount and the engine for side thrust. Regards Gazza

OK chaps thanks for your answers. I apologize if this question has been answered but I haven't found any mention of it before. I am considering a couple of degrees/washers between the bulk head and the engine mount. I think I would prefer a neutral response to height change when I open the throttle. I am still open to the subject as I haven't mounted the motor yet. Gazza

Hello chaps. My Ballerina is nearly finished as regards the fuselage. I will be laying down the wing this afternoon in the fashion suggested by the highly esteemed designer. I have not built up a wing in this way before but will give it a go. The point of my raising a thread here is to ask about the thrust line for the engine mount. I would normally have a few degrees of down/side thrust. As this cowl is not detachable, I would like to get it right previous to mounting the nose ring. Once the nose ring and cowl is constructed it will not look good if the thrust line needs altering as the cowl and spinner will be out of line. I would be grateful for any suggestions. Regards Gazza

A Shoestring SVP or at least at lookalike

Alladin Sane first LP I ever bought. His music is a force for good. Yes Dave his music has been in my life forever. Gary

Hello chaps, l really dont want to be a 'Black Catter' but I even have a Hoover (Dyson) special for my workshop. Gazza

Hi Perce, Thanks for your input. I'll go lookout some cyparis at the lms. I'm only relieved that I didnt turn up at the patch with a pair of 3D glasses....... Gazza

What's 3D...? I can just about keep it airborne

Thanks Chaps, BEB... That is precisely the reason I asked about mixing Spruce with balsa. (Cross ply & radial on the same axle). In all honesty I am not sure if we worry a little too much about weight in an instance like this where the difference is but a few grammes. A large wing like this will easily support such minor weight differences. Indeed I believe that Ballerina will fly with a considerable weight strapped to it. Nevertheless, I am trying to build the model as light as I can whilst still ensuring structural integrity. I saw Peter mention that rock hard balsa spars are needed if not spruce. I can see that it makes sense to use all spars from one material. I looked for 'rock hard' balsa and found nothing even close. I am thus leaning toward spruce at the moment, unless I can be persuaded otherwise. Thanks again for your thoughts Gazza

Hi Chaps, I have made a start with the fuselage and am turning my attention planning wise to the wings. I have both 1/4 balsa and spruce on my stock shelf and am considering what to use as spars. My question is should all three spars be spruce... or just one or two. Its been a looong time since I used spruce and this model will address that on wings and fuselage. The 1/4 balsa is not particularly hard and obviously there are three of them with webbing between both. I ask this only in the light of building a Tomboy Senior with the single spar as shown on the plan. It lasted about 3 minutes before clapping hands and plummeting to Earth in a spectacular way. I have now built a new wing for it which is much stronger. I would like to avoid this with Ballerina Best Regards Gazza

Put 'em on the front and the back if you fancy it. Ain't no one gonna shoot you for it.

Hi Andy This is indeed a question that aeromodellers have considered at great length over the years. I too have pondered over that very matter when one has a moment to sit and think. Sometimes I just hold a scrap of balsa while I consider its future in the grand scheme. Truth is....I just can't bring myself to just !ob it out. Ever. It goes into the box called 'that'll come in handy'. Gazza Oh yes...just a thought.... Don't you go throwing all that nice balsa sanding dust away. Keep it in a jar....comes in dead handy when mixed with glue or dope to make filler...! Edited By Gazza58 on 03/01/2016 12:33:14

ok Bob I can see an advantage there. Normally when changing a servo lead I would just plug the new one into the old one and pull it through but I can see the virtue in not having to negotiate each rib hole. This is a bit like a Rolls Royce having two golf tees in the glove box...... Gazza

Hi AVC, Nice piece of carpentry. My first model had laminated tips and tail surfaces. It really wasn't that difficult and the tips weighed next to nothing and were very hard. I think it was called a Navigator. It flew first as a free flight model with a pee wee up front and later as a single channel RC model. Those laminations took plenty of knocks without damage. I remember soaking the individual 1/16 strips in hot water and then using a rolling pin on my mums pastry board to get the balsa to curve nicely without splitting on the tighter curves. I'm sorry to gloat at your thumb injury but I am glad I am not alone in leaving my DNA forever in a model. It seems to happen every time but hey ho. Regarding the paper tube, I am ever so slightly mystified as to its presence. I usually lay a length of cotton in the rib holes and feed either the servo leads through it or as shown with Ballerina, a bell crank push rod. This would only be necessary in a pre covered wing such as an ARTF. In this instance, surely we would do all of this before we cover the model...? This is not a criticism, I just cant see the advantage. Please help me out here...? I have started with the fuselage on mine, and have not really paid much attention to the wing other than the centre section which I will simplify as I intend to put a servo in each wing half. I am enjoying the build thread and wish you all the best with it. I am learning a few new dodges too on other builds which is all to the good. Gazza