Geoff S
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Posts posted by Geoff S
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I watched it on the iPlayer last night. I've seen it before but worth a second viewing. Not as good as the book IMO but films rarely are. It only refers to part of the book and misses out the Malta section as well as Wellum's early flying/training both of which I found fascinating.in the book.
Another relatively recently written WW2 flying biography I read a few years ago was by a US B17 aircrew member about the big raids over Germany. I can't remember the title but it, too, wasn't all gungho and was more about the mental strain and fear.
Geoff
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Amazingly there were just 3 of us at Ashbourne yesterday (Friday) despite the fact it was the best day for over a week and the forecast isn't brilliant. I know it was a working day but a lot of members are retired.
Even so it was quite windy in the gusts and even threw my Thunderbird around despite its size (84" ws Zenoah 26 powered). I ended up flying the Riot quite a bit as its my low value, nothing to lose model. I was practicing touch and goes but it got blown over on the ground a couple of times. However I enjoy flying it, even in a wind. I think it's all in the mind as it's had countless flights (200 +) and owes me nothing so if it goes in, I'll shrug my shoulders and laugh. If the Fantasy went in after all the time I spent building it, I'd be less sanguine, but I did fly it successfully and greased it in.
Didn't take the Phoenix 2000 but I think there was quite a bit of lift as there seemed to be a lot fair weather type cumulus about so perhaps I should have.
We're not that far from Fradley, where Colin was flying, but quite a bit higher so we probably get stronger winds.
Lousy today though with strong winds and heavy showers at home.
Geoff
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The book is excellent. The chapter where the much dininished relief fleet limps into Valetta harbour is incredibly moving. To be honest I think Wellum is right. In the end war is never really worth the misery it brings to millions as the problems in Calais right now testify. Unfortunately there always seem to be enough people who don't accept that 'Jaw, jaw is always better the war, war" as someone or other once said.
Geoff
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I have a Mux3030 transmitter and a Taranis. I've had a 3300 mAh battery in the Mux for years which is charged when the displayed voltagge gets down to 7.2v (6 cell) which is a long time. I have 2500 mAH pack in the Taranis I use the most which seems to last forever as well. I just monitor the displayed voltage before flying and, just in case have spare charged battery in the case. There's absolutely no need to charge each tim you go flying unless your flying time is hours long. I always charge using a computer charger which tells me how much energy I've stored and never a simple wall wart which leaves much to chance.
When I used a 27Mhz 2 channel system for sailing it had a 500mAh battery and that did need rechargeing regularly but so did the load of packs I took when I went racing which were also 500mAh capacity..
Geoff
Edited By Geoff Sleath on 01/08/2015 11:30:00
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I do use bulhead holes to stop snakes moving but I also glue them to the main structure by wrapping the snake outer with ordinary masking tape and then glueing the tape. It holds a lot better than glueing the actual plastic. Not a great fan of snakes usually because the inners tend not to be dimensionally stable with temperature so the trim varies between cold and hot days but I use them sometimes. However they're used it's essential the outer is firmly held so it can't bend.
Geoff
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That's the sort of power I had in mind. I find I can slide a 4S 4000 mAh battery into what is intended as the fuel tank bay through the front cockpit opening, so that's the prefered option right now. It just depends how the CoG works out. The last conversion I did was very tail heavy and I've had to situate the battery quite far back. Hopefully I can make a lid to cover the battery and carry a second pilot.
Geoff
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Thanks everyone. I'll fit the motor with zero down and side thrust. I was just wary of building it as per plan then finding that the thrust line needed adjustment after flying.
From looking at the plans and Peter's comment I can see why downthrust isn't needed but that doesn't apply to side thrust. I'm less bothered about that as I probably wouldn't notice if it were needed and just trim to correct any imbalance
Thanks again
Geoff
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Some years ago I was given a part complete 58" Tiger Moth which I eventually decided was made by DB S&S and acquired the drawings from Eddie Stocker. The guy who built it was a first time aero-modeller but quite good despite his inexperience (he moved on to boats and kit cars). However he made a few mistakes that I've been correcting on and off since (mostly off) and scratch building some missing parts like interplane struts and the under carriage.
I'm intending this to be an electric conversion. Looking at the drawing there seems to no side or down thrust built in. Does anyone who's built and flown this know if any thrust line adjustments were needed? I have to make a motor mount anyway and it would be easy at this stage to make those adjustments so the prop ends up in the middle of the cowl.
Thanks
Geoff
Edited By Geoff Sleath on 30/07/2015 16:01:09
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Posted by john stones 1 on 29/07/2015 13:45:10:
Rained off today Donald, my shears and strimmer have not had owt replaced yet, been using them over 10 years, plugs get changed at end of season and this year both will get new diaphragm sets. I think we over think things myself, only conclusion I've reached is use fresh fuel, mine gets used quickly as I don't store in large quantity's.
John
Isn't there a big difference between using an engine very frequently like you do and model engines which can go for weeks or even months unused? Regular and frequent use is probably a lot better. I only have 2 models with petrol engines and, because they are big and fill the car don't get flown much, especially as I now fly mostly electrically powered 'planes.
Having said that my Zenoah 26 powered model seemed to settle down quite quickly once the oil that had collected in the crankcase from standing had burnt off. That had been unused with a half tank of petrol for about a year. I'm quite tempted to try Fuel Set mentioned by Mr Tin in my models as well as our 2.5 litre non-turbo diesel engined camper which stands unused over the winter and perhaps our fuel injected petrol car which gets a bit more use.
Geoff
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In the winter we fly in a local village one evening every 2 weeks. It's not a large hall and there are often very many small helicopters (eg V911s are popular) or perhaps 10 Vapors in separate sessions. Mid airs are common, rarely with any damage and we accept that. However I've often thought I wouldn't fly without wearing glasses (I have to anyway) because whilst being hit in most places by a model weighing less than 30 grams isn't a big deal, even a small model propellor or rotor could inflict serious eye damage. Sadly, in this case that's proved only too true.
Geoff
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Doesn't a slightly swept wing have the same effect as dihedral? A Pitts biplane, for example, has some dihedral on the straight bottom wing and top wing is flat with a modest sweep.
Geoff
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Posted by Bill_B on 26/07/2015 16:02:53:
Thanks Dave, but I was club cycling in the early 70's (South Pennine) and following Pro cycling form about that time too.
My wife has been treasurer of the other Derby club (Mercury) for the past 25 years so I guess we are (or were in the 70s) near neighbours. I stsrted cycling in the 70s primarily to get fit for sailing but got quite keen on pedaling in the process and spent a few quid with Penine stalwarts Mercian Cycles.
It seems the TdF race management decided conditiond were too slippery and stopped the clock on the first crossing of the line on the Champs. However there was a keen race for the sprinters with Greipel demonstrating once more that he's the sprinter du jour. I would have liked a Cavendish win but I'd have been equally delighted with Peter Sagan getting the stage he so deserves.
What a fantastic Tour this year. Not an easy stage throughout the 3 weeks and drama every day. They all deserve a medal.
Geoff
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Effectively the race is over for all the jerseys though it's possible the green jersey could still be open sometimes. This year there aren't enough points available to beat Sagan. Today's race is a parade until the Champ's Eysee is reached then it's sprinter's stage with big kudos for the winner. As for abandonning 'good form' and attacking the Froome it just isn't worth it. Anyone who did would suffer in every race afterwards from other riders. Bike races rely on temporary co-operation to achieve gains as happens in the breaks.
The last thing the organisers or sponsors would be the ill feeling that would arise from actions such as you advocate. This isn't motor racing where energy can be expended with equinamity and refuelling is merely a matter of filling the tank. Cycling is more complicated and unwritten rules are both necessary and enforced by competitors.
Geoff
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You may be right but the whole dynamic of the race would have been different had Froome not enjoyed that 3 minute buffer over Quintana. Lots of what ifs - if Richie Porte hadn't been ill; if Teejay hadn't been ill; if G hadn't been unceremoniously knocked off and hit a telegraph pole with his head - but, in the end Froome won with a respecatble margin even it did keep the Sleath household on the edge of its various seats this afternoon.
In view of the hostilty on Dutch corner experienced by the Sky bus I was worried that some drunken idiot would pull Froome off his bike. I wonder how the organisers would have treated such an incident if it had affected the destination of the Maillot Jaune. A bit rich really when you think how many cyclists from the Low Countries died mysteriously in their sleep eventually put down to the effects of EPO thickening their blood.
Geoff
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I thought it was normal practice not to run petrol engines dry and to keep fuel in the tank so that the diaphragm stays wet. After all you don't turn of the fuel in your car nor drain the tank
I flew my Thunderbird sports model which has a Zenoah 26 for the first time in about a year a couple of weeks ago. There was still fuel in tank but after a bit of spinning with a starter it eventually ran just as well as it always did once it cleared (I assume) the oil residue from the crankcase left once the petrol has evaporated.I have had old motor cycles to restore in the past and stale petrol has a very distinctive smell and any filters have to be cleaned thoroughly or replaced because a laquer builds up on them. That only applies to an engine that's been standing for years (even decades) rather than months.
Geoff
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You should try a visit to a velodrome, BEB. That gets quite exciting, too. We watched our first Tour on the Col d'Aspin back in 1986 when female cyclists were so rare my wife got a big cheer as we rode up before the race. There was a Tour du Femme that year as well and they rode over the col before the main event.
Racing over 100 miles/day for 3 weeks (with a couple of rest days) on a pedal cycle makes most other sports look like sprints by comparison. I only ever rode 10 and 25 mile time trials and I was pretty slow - never beat the hour for 25 miles on a single nor 24 minutes for a 10.
Geoff
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Brilliant ride by Quintana - thankfully not TOO brilliant, though!
Had us both on the edge of our seats right to the end. Couch potatoes to the end
Geoff
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Yes, for once I'm glad I've decided it's too windy to make the effort to go flying
SWMBO and I will be in my workshop watching the Tour on my PC hoping nothing goes to wrong for Froome. Not quite in the bag ... yet. Never ridden the Alpe but we've cycled up the road past it Also hope Cav doesn't ch is a possibility on a short maountain stage.
Geoff
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I think some people list items like that just for a laugh, It's the only explanation I can think of.
Geoff
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It will make a difference if one wing has twice the dihedral of the other. Probably in flying performance but certainly not only will it look wrong but you'll always be aware of your error. As you say one method of correction would be to pack it out with some soft balsa. I find my Permagrit sander an ideal tool to use as a 'get out of jail free' card when I make mistakes like that
Geoff
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There's certainly no general antipathy towards drone flyers in our club at Ashbourne (Derbyshire RC Flyers). There are several very advanced pilots flying very advanced drones with all the bells and whistles (FPV, GPS etc) and one of them has 3D printers manufacturing small plastc parts for them.
I must admit, though that we tend to maintain a low profile and don't advertise what we do. So not anti drone but not proactive in promoting them.
Geoff
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To make it easier to feed the servo cable through the wing ribs I always make a paper tube by rolling a piece of A4 round a length of (say) dowel and glue it in place. It weighs next to nothing but makes the job of feeding the wire through a covered wing a piece of cake.
Geoff
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There was an interesting interview on R4 this lunchtime with a CAA official. He pointed out that laws already exist to control the use of both so-called drones and other remotely piloted aircraft (ie our models). There was a less positive interview (from our point of view) from a someone wo runs a professional drone operating company who was advocating compulsory training for all pilots of drones, which I think could affect 'normal' model aeroplanes. The sad thing was that neither the interviewees nor the presenter mentioned the BMFA.
Geoff
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My wife and I went on the Sunday. There was quite heavy rain on the A38 as we drove down from Derby but it was in the form of intermittent showers and light drizzle. Once we arrived at about 1015 the sun was coming out and flying was in progress. It was quite a long way from the car park to the trade stands, particularly as I went the wrong way and walked down the tarmac peri track. Still I eventually met the guy I'd bought the Dennis Bryant 1/6 sale SE5a drawing and laser cut part kit from on eBay and we made an amicable exchange of box and cash
I thought it was an excellent show all round. The trade was a bit spread out but I can sympathise with the LMA as they probably had little choice as to the layout but I'm sure they'll use the experience from this year to address complaints. It's always going to be difficult to organise events on an operational RAF airfield as the BMFA are finding at Barkstone.
I'm glad I went and my wife enjoyed it too despite my spending a small fortune on a new iCharger 308 duo and both of us buying some fancy MacWet gloves. I noticed Tim Hooper had an interesting kit he said was going to feature in his new column in the mag so that's something to look forward to.
Geoff
Jocasta
in Beginners
Posted
The CoG (which is probably nearer the front of the wing - ie the leding edge) is the fore and aft balance point. It's checked as you imply by setting up a pivot point and seeing if the model balances there. At its crudest it can be your fingers if the model is light enough. It's very important to get right and is adjusted, if necessary, by adding weight at either the nose or tail. In an electric model the eaiest, and best way is to move the power pack because you don't add dead weight.
Lateral balnce is much less important and in any case is unlikely to be wildly out. I do check it but a small imbalance isn't very critical unless you're trying to improve aerobatic precision.
I don't use snakes all that often but they're usually supplied with short lengths of 2mm threaded rod which you screw into the snake and attach a clevis to the other end which clips onto the control surface horn. Snake outers must be rigidly held so the whole thing doesn't flex and the full movement of the servo is transmitted to the control surface.
Geoff