Roy Hill 3

Can't quite remember what it's called........wait a minute, it's on the tip of my tongue!

Well folks, dH2 is finally finished, bar a bit of fettling here and there! It's been a long haul, but I think it will be worth it. Construction was slow due to adverse conditions in the workshop and getting into 'slope soaring' with the lads from Bartons Point MFC. I need to wait for 'perfect' conditions to do the maiden, so wish me luck! I will report back as soon as I have done the deed and the tears of joy, or sadness, have dried! Happy landings, Roy.

Great shame! The word 'celebrity' is banded about quite liberally these days, however in Sir Terry's case, it is most appropriate. RIP, tog-meister.

That'll never fly, mate!

Hi Jon, I have found this thread to be very interesting, indeed, but what if anything is, or has been done, to create an efficient silencing system. If there is something in the thread on the subject I've missed it! I have an Evolution 20cc (Whoops! perhaps I shouldn't have written that!) for which I have had to have an silencer custom made as the one included is little more than useless.

Hello Mike, Have a look on the BMFA site and get the details for the Barton Point MFC on the Isle of Sheppey. A great bunch of of guys and girls who will give you all the advice you need (and some that you don't!) Regards, Roy

Hello fellow flyers. The saga of the dH2 from scratch continues. What was a pile of balsa, aluminium and wire is now finally showing signs of becoming a model aircraft. Having created and fitted all the plastic and brass brackets etc, to secure the rigging and control wires, the time came to cover the little beauty! It took a week or so. Firstly because I enjoy covering and secondly because I wanted to get it right and Antique Solartex ain't cheap! I'm reasonably pleased withe the result. I needed to find a method of allowing the strut bolts to penetrate the Antique Solartex without the risk of ripping or splitting. As the Solartex is fabric, I thought of modifying an old soldering iron by replacing the 'bit' with a piece of copper tube. I cleaned and 'sharpened' the brass tube to give a neat cut and got to work. Once the soldering iron reached operating temperature, I placed it where the hole was needed and gave it 'a bit of a twirl'. The Solartex heats up, melts the covering leaving a nice round hole and then reseals itself, leaving just what I wanted. The time came to join the wings to the tail! This involved epoxying brass tubes in to the upper and lower wings, ensuring that the angles were exact. Any error would build an unwanted warp into the fuselage. The 4 aluminium tubes, which form the fuselage, were fed into the brass tubes and the angles were checked again. All being well I drilled through both tubes, and secured with a nut and bolt and more epoxy. Ensuring the tail-post was upright in all planes was a harrowing experience. Much tea and biccies consumed! The whole model felt a bit flimsy at this stage but when I completed the rigging it became very strong indeed! It took several days to get the rigging right. I've used miniature pullies, (a la full-size) for elevator and rudder control and now they all need adjustment before ground trials commence. (See below) The Hacker motor was installed onto 4 high-tensile bolts. This option left me plenty of room to adjust the thrust lines. (See previous advice from fellow bloggers). All the undercart and tail skid, complete with elastic suspension, is fitted and working. I've treated all the exposed woodwork with Teak Oil which gives a nice finish. There is still a bit of work to do on the engine cowling and cockpit but I couldn't resist the urge of fitting the armament and Flying Officer Kite, just to see how it looks. I also need to manufacture some roundels and give the tail fin its colours, prior to the maiden flight. Once the final bits and pieces are done, I will report back. TAIL-PIECE! This whole project started with me seeing the plans in a magazine. I down-loaded them, up-scaled them to give me 64 inch wing-span and cracked on with the build. Now, some 18 months later, it has occurred to me that I have dropped an enormous clanger. Because of the rigging, I chose to build it not to be dis-assembled. It's TOO BIG to fit in the car or trailer. Oh Dear, Oh Dear, Oh Dear. Looks like the next project might be building a new trailer. Happy landings, Roy