David Ovenden

I try to put a label (just a piece of paper with details of the problem) on models when I find or know there is an issue. That way it's obvious if I'm tempted to take them out without fixing it

Posted by Stevo on 10/09/2017 15:47:02: For general use I have a set of Wera drivers - never used better! I'm with Stevo on this. Wera screwdrivers are really very good. Available from Toolstation and Screwfix I believe.

Bit odd to have the shop open and the website down though isn't it? I would have thought they needed their IT system on to serve customers these days.

If HH are not intending to close down their European operation, then they are not doing a very good job of keeping it open. Why relocate everything to Germany, then have poor stock levels; abysmal ability to answer the phone or reply to emails; be extremely tardy with service and repairs; reduce availability of their products in the UK by reducing the number of authorised dealers AND increase their prices too? I can't imagine that all of the above has improved their sales or helped their reputation any. As Chris B comments above, there are a lot of people unhappy with HH at the moment.

It certainly seems an illogical business decision to close the UK service centre then send items to the USA via Germany so they can be sent back to the UK again. Must be very expensive in terms of shipping costs and very counter- productive in terms of customer satisfaction. I can't see this helping their sales either as word spreads concerning the very confused and slow service situation.

OK, package arrived today from HK with some thin walled clear heat shrink tubing. I have just shrunk fitted this over the ali wing tube and hey presto I have a 1" diameter tube that is a snug fit in the wing sockets. Took 2 minutes to do has sorted the problem. That's what I call a successful conclusion. Thanks to all those who took the trouble to respond.

I also had a very close call recently, also battery related, but a different cause. Was charging up my trusty Great Planes PT19 mode using a Reaktor charger with separate power supply. l noticed that the battery seemed to be "full" faster than usual. So I waited a bit and put it back on charge. Same result. Went flying and had 2 perfectly normal flights. The landing after the 2nd flight was a real smoothy and as I was happily taxiing back I realised there no rudder and no elevator either, but throttle still was working - thank goodness. Reason - rx battery almost flat. It had just enough for the 2.4G rx to keep going and the analogue throttle servo, but not enough for the digitals on rudd, elevator and ailerons! Cause -faulty power supply giving a fluctuating supply to the charger so it was cutting out early and hadn't charged the battery. The ps in question has now been taken out of service. So that was far too close a call. If I had attempted just 1 more circuit there would have been nasty consequences. Obviously I should have investigated further when the charging didn't seem right. But its so easy to miss a warning isn't it? Edited By David Ovenden on 29/08/2017 13:59:31

Currently I'm waiting for some "thin" heatshrink tubing to arrive. I would like to see if that works as it's easy to undo. If that doesn't work I'll go with the thin layer of epoxy Failing that I'll be looking for 1" carbon or ali tube. If all else fails I may just have to settle for gluing it all into a once-piece wing.

Cymaz - Thanks for the link, but - 1" =25.4mm and it's the extra .4mm that I need to make the tube a snug fit in the wing sockets! Robin - Thanks for the links. I will see if I can find some locally at a price that is acceptable.

Personally I haven't found that any "one-part" fuel proofer has stood up to 10% nitro fuel. The only products that work for me have been TufKote (which is no longer available) and Aerokote both of which are 2-part resin products.

Thanks for the suggestions. I had contemplated tape, film, paint as a way of increasing diameter to fit the wing sockets. Not sure how well paint and film will adhere to ali tube. I may experiment with the epoxy resin idea as that resists fuel and is sandable to give a snug fit. Ron - do you know of a source for hardened thin-wall ali tube in 1" diameter? Or know the correct specification number/grade for wing tube grade ali tubing? Edited By David Ovenden on 26/08/2017 12:27:25

I am putting together a VQ models 80" SBD Dauntless kit. https://www.topmodel.fr/en/product-detail-21491-sbd-5-dauntless-30cc-2-06m-arf IIt has a 3 piece wing with a long ali wing tube that goes right through the centre section so both tip panels plug onto it. The tips have a hatch to allow the tip panels to bolt to the centre section. The instructions suggest that the whole wing is epoxied up into a one-piece unit. I would like to keep a 3 piece wing to facilitate storage and transport. The wing tube is quite strong enough to allow the tip panels to plug on. But...? the location tubes in the wing itself are a sloppy fit on the tube. The wing tube itself is 25mm o/d. Seems like location tubes are 1" (25.4mm) resulting in a lose fit. So I would like to locate a 3ft length of 1" carbon fibre tube which would be a better fit. Anyone know who stocks imperial sizes? Alternatively, a source of very thin heatshrink tube to add to the existing wing tube? Standard HK stuff is too thick. Or another solution to the problem that doesn't involve major wing surgery?  Edited By David Ovenden on 24/08/2017 21:22:42 Edited By David Ovenden on 24/08/2017 21:28:25

Arron, I think the Ziroli P-38 is 114" span and weighs in at around 40lbs. So it will need engines around 50cc or 3cu.in (300 size 4-stroke) Jon - Maybe it would suit two laser 300V twin 4-strokes; what do you think?

Posted by Ernie on 24/08/2017 08:46:28: A wee bit off thread David, Peaches are fine, but what would I give for a full English ernie Ernie, But you can easily get bacon, eggs, tomatoes, bread, sausages, mushrooms and ketchup in the supermarket (Monoprix do good bacon as do Lidl and Intermarche) What are you waiting for - get cooking!

David, I wouldn't worry too much as I doubt that the cheapo servos fitted by HK in the PNP Phoenix 2000 are better than than Hitec HS55s. My model has crow brakes and the original cheap servos are still working fine! Edited By David Ovenden on 23/08/2017 20:53:41

As others have said it thermals very nicely if the weight is kept down. As mentioned earlier I changed the motor. I scrapped the ridiculously heavy Volantex motor that came fitted in the model . I substituted a Turnigy Aerodrive SK3 - 2830-920kv motor which weighs only 57g instead of the140g of the original. That sorted out the nose heavy problem. I am using the same prop that came with the model and 1000mah -1300mah cells. The model is so much lighter as a result and flys much better too with balance at the correct place

David I'm no glider expert but I do have a Phoenix 2000. Mine came fitted with servos and motor/esc. Re your questions. 1) The standad servos supplied are plastic geared cheapo non branded but have been fine in use. So I am sureHitec ones would be fine. Don is correct - ere are 5 micro and 1 mini in the standard setup. 2) My model uses 6 servos and just the BEC supply from the standard ESC that came with it. So doesn't "need" a UBEC 3) Superior and more stable separate unit to supply constant voltage to the RX ( my layman's view - no doubt the more knowledgeable will have much more to say on the matter! ) 4) na 5) Yes, sounds reasonable, but weight is an issue. . The motor that came supplied with my model was very heavy and it was impossible to get the right CG without relocating the battery right back under the wing. I threw away the supplied piece of agricultural equipment (motor) and fitted the smallest lightest and cheap motor that would do the job. I also used 1000mah lipos instead of the standard 2200. Works well for me! Others will disagree no doubt! Have fun with it but don' t spend too much time or money to start with. Best to modify , if needed, in the light of your experience and preferences. Edited By David Ovenden on 21/08/2017 13:09:30 Edited By David Ovenden on 21/08/2017 13:12:27

Posted by KiwiKid on 18/08/2017 07:59:40: I have been pondering whether the title of this tread should be Sheep Eating Cars or Cars Eating Sheep - any English scholars about? I'm no expert, but maybe "car-eating sheep"

Laserbeam model and plans photos.

The Musketeer is pretty smilar to Brian Peckham's Laserbeam model (RM plan) That was a tail dragger and it handled really nicely on the ground and in the air. Wheels were mounted on the wing but angled forward. Still have the plan and can check exact alignment if you like.

Well some of us hate the smell of petrol and actually prefer glow-fueled 4 strokes. By the way, aren't petrol engines I/C too? Just a different fuel.

Steve Thanks for the useful info on the XL glider. Managed to pick one up from Lidl over in France where they are on sale this week. Only £8.90 at current exchange rate. So need to decide how to mod it.