John 'JB' Seal

Must say the Meridian looks impressive, especially with the Evolution power plant. Possibly another addition to my shed in the near future I think...!

Well I went and bit the bullet yesterday and bought one from my LMS in Newark. I've not had the chance to set it all up yet and I'm working today so it'll have to be an evening in the week job! Just out of interest, when you guys have been running it are you using 95 or 98 Octane petrol and what sort of two-stroke oil are you mixing in? I've bought semi-synthetic previously for garden power tools and read that the only difference with synthetic is it's less smoky and more expensive...is that right or is there another benefit to it?

They still haven't established what's in that crate they did discover have they? And I can't see them getting permission to go out there and dig random holes in Burma without some fairly solid proof the Spitfires exist. 17 years of research and eyewitness accounts would suggest that David Cundall and his team know exactly where they are! Maybe the scrap metal collectors got there first! I really hope they find them, these sorts of rumours of existence don't just appear from nowhere; there must be some truth in them surely?

Any updates with regards to noise levels and how it runs in a model yet now that the weather's finally got more reasonable?!

I'm just settling down to read my copy as well! You're right, it does seem to be getting here earlier and earlier each month (not that I'm complaining!). I wasn't expecting it for a week or so at least! As for the MyHobbyStore name change, I preferred the old one too but presumably they won't be changing the actual store name as well? I fail to see how the new name could be reflective of RC related products so I'm guessing not but as long as the wide range of products continues with fantastic customer service alongside them then I guess it doesn't matter anyway! Edited By John 'JB' Seal on 06/02/2013 11:35:36

This is going to be brilliant. Before I chose to start building my Zero it was a toss up between the P51-B and the Zero. In the end I had to choose the Zero because I struggled to find plans for the B. I can't bloomin wait!

I think they look really well designed and put together. I'm not sure you can ask for a more reasonably priced petrol two-stroke. Bob, let me know how the flight goes and how it performs. Did you have any issues with its size in comparison to the four stroke you took out or did it just drop straight in? If its equivalent to a .52 then it could be slightly under-powered for what I want really (I wanted to use it in an Acrowot but don't know now if it will have enough guts...any thoughts?).

Hi all, I thought I'd start this thread to discuss Evolution Petrol Engines and their capabilities. I've been looking at the Gas/Petrol powered EVOE10GX (10cc) as an investment for the near future to power my Chris Foss Acrowot...it says that the engine is suitable for .46-.60 size models so I would think this will be ok, right? The spec says it produces 1.68HP @ 16,400RPM. http://www.evolutionengines.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=EVOE10GX Does anyone own an Evolution Petrol Engine and if so what are they like? Are there any issues/problems with the engines or components within them? Obviously there are more expensive petrol engines like Saito and OS available but in terms of price I think these engines seem to be really good value?   JB Edited By John 'JB' Seal on 30/01/2013 11:13:02

This is a new thread for the Royal/Marutaka Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero. I am currently building one from plans (62-5/8" wingspan) and know of at least one other member who has been building one from a kit so I thought it might be worthwhile to share ideas and be able to ask other members for advice about building it. GrahamC has done a fantastic blog of his kit build so I don't want to step on his toes but I hope to post photographs on here as my build progresses so that others can benefit from them in the future. Has anyone built one of these before and if so any helpful advice or information would be really appreciated?! JB

I can see the Zero being one of these long-term projects that will take me a while at a steady pace! Maybe I should have tried to get hold of a kit instead! I haven't seen the other site where someone got caught by the plans yet so if you know the link then please post it and I'll check it out. Be worthwhile remembering so that I don't end up the same way! I have got a set of templates, I ordered them from ebay and they came as two huge sheets with the templates and plans on the same pages (one detailing the wings and the other the fuselage). It doesn't say anything on them about wood sizes etc. which would be useful but measuring them isn't a massive problem. The written instructions could also be better so I can see why it puzzles so many! I think I will start a new thread on building it and perhaps I can post some photos of my build like you have as well as being able to ask advice on it all! I'll PM you for your e-mail while I think about it, it's bound to come in useful!

Thank you all for being so welcoming. This seems like such a friendly forum to be on and I'm sure I'll use it frequently to obtain help and tips about learning to fly and building/modifying/adapting my projects! GrahamC, I think I found your blog on building the Zero elsewhere on the internet recently, it's pretty fantastic and nice to see so many photographs of every stage; I'm absolutely sure I'll end up referring to it at various points. In fact, looking at your kit and and the fact I've started with nothing but plans makes me think I've bitten off far more than I can chew! It seems to be taking me forever just to get the ribs cut out and shaped for the wings and I haven't worked out yet how I'm going to create the nose cowl or decided whether I'm going to put retracts in! On one hand I don't want it to look a complete botch but on the other hand I want to get it flying without spending hundreds of hours on it because its only my first real build!

I've not crashed my own yet (touch wood!). When it's someone else's plane though there's not a lot you can do besides grovel! This was the result of a learning venture early last January with my neighbour's Arising Star when I banked too steep too close to the ground, got caught by the wind and ended up in a tree...         Needless to say that I agreed I'd been stupid, said enough to apologise and then made the effort to collect every last piece of plane so we could attempt the repair job! It ended up decorating the bin!! Edited By John 'JB' Seal on 27/01/2013 15:35:25

  Hi,   I'm not entirely new to model flying but I am to the actual flying aspect of it! Ever since I was young I can remember my Dad building and flying models. There was an evening sometime in 1995 (I'll never forget) where I went flying with him (back then we were members of Aldershot Model Club) and I was going to have my first ever go with an old trainer of his. Just as he was about to pass me the controls the plane dropped out of the sky and hit the deck in a nearby farmer's field..the glue on his 20 year old trainer had given up the ghost on the engine bearers! It taught me a valuable lesson...you learn the hard way in this hobby and unless you check and double check everything then your fate could be a pile of kindling! (I'm sure this is the case sometimes even when things have been checked twice!)   Now 27 and having flown the nest and moved into my own place in Lincolnshire I have a modelling shed (second-hand courtesy of the Father-in-law-to-be) and I've kitted it out fully with benches, heating and electric. Had it not been for my next door neighbour flying rc planes in his past, I don't know if I would have taken up the hobby again with my Dad living so far away, but thank goodness I did because I enjoy nothing more than spending a day in the shed building when the missus is off clothes shopping! (How stereotypical!)   As for my experience of flying itself, it's limited to say the least. Many hours on Phoenix Flight Sim and a few flights here and there have got me to the point where I can just about land (ropily I hasten to add!). I am the proud owner of an Irvine Tutor 40 running a 17 year old Thunder Tiger GP-42 (run in when I was about 10 but never flown before). I am also the proud owner (since Christmas just gone thanks to my loving parents) of a Chris Foss Acrowot which is patiently still tucked up in its box awaiting the day I can fly properly!   When it comes to building I am half-way through a Precedent Hi-Boy kit I started some 10-15 years ago and never finished and I have recently started a Royal/Marutaka 62-5/8" wingspan Mitsubishi Zero A6M5 from plans so that I can (when good enough) fly a dogfight with my neighbour who is building a Royal/Marutaka Corsair! I figured I'd throw myself in the deep end with the building to keep me well and truly occupied!   I've recently sent my application off to join Lincoln Aeromodellers, my local club, and hope that with their help I can become as good as some of the modellers on this forum. Right now being good enough to fly my Acrowot is my ambition; I'm itching to get it out and do some aerobatics!!   Over and out,     JB   Edited By David Ashby - RCME on 27/01/2013 11:02:51