Mike O'Neill

Hi Pat and sorry for slow reply. Yes because of the built up wooden nature of the fuz on mine, the internal width in the nose is 35mm so there would be no clearance at all around many of the available motors. I've spotted a suitable looking on on Hyperlight site suggested by Ron Gray but its not especially cheap and its not currently in stock. I like though that its wires exit from the rear of the motor, also it has a casing so rotating part is not on the surface. It seems it is 28mm in diameter (and I will have to chekc that its length doesn't eat into the space where I Lipo might go. Here is a link to it XPower F2919/10 Light 83g 1480 RPM/V ...and I'd be interested if anyone has any observations to make on it, or whether they know of a similar alternative that might be in stock somewhere! Meanwhile, I've not done the necessary fettling to get the Centiphase airworthy again as a glider, even if its 40 year old livery is a bit tired (but its the original and I'm loathe to change that!)

Thanks Gary and John - I'll study those various suggestions. I think a suitably slim motor may be needed (i.e. < 30mm diameter), which may also limit choices. I was a BARCS member many years ago (even fluked 10th in Open Class with an own v-tail flapped design in ?1985 that I got a special award for, but how things have moved on since then!).

That's a very interesting site Ron and thanks - I'm looking at it now. The problem I have is that - not knowing or understanding anything much about electric flight and about what the data specs mean - I don't know which motor would be right for launching a 100" span glider 1.3kg (2lbs 13oz) in weight at something like a safe climb rate (it doesn't need to be rocket like but it does need to allow for getting clear of low level turbulence before the plane is too far upfield). With a model shop (and I really like to support a model shop where possible as they can both guide a newbie like me plus within reason might provide a better 'returns' experience - I recently bought a motor that was missing two screws and they sorted that without a lot of posting etc). Hyperflight is better in that they are e-flight specialists, but if buying from them I'd need to be making the right choice without the guidance of a shop (though maybe you and others on here can steer me right). Another thing I notice (both on Hyperflight and at other shops) is just how many of the options are out of stock! One really useful thing that Hyperflight has flagged up to me is that there are motors designed to cope with the slim nose of a glider needing to be converted to electric. So this one, for example (and assuming its power spec is suitable when running on a 3S) looks like it might be a candidate, because I think a motor diameter of 27mm could be right for the space in the Centiphase nose. Then I would have to find out what folding prop and blades I need to match it to me model weight/span, what ESC to get etc. If you have any thoughts on any of this I'm all ears! And thanks++ again

Really useful info Simon and thanks. I'll check out those items/specs. I'm new to electric stuff so have been relying on the guys at Steve Webb Models to guide me. I did spec out some ideas for the Centiphase so might come back and post on here about them to see what you and others might have to say. I have a Diamond 2.5m foamie ARTF of similar size but that comes with a 4S pack (and climbs like a rocket). Don't think I can fit 4s in the Centiphase though.

I know, its a conundrum. But I don't live near a slope (let alone one the landowner would allow slope soaring on these changed days - discuss!) and since my model glider club folded I've joined a power plane club that flies in a National Trust park. They fly electric power (which I've bought an Arrows Husky to discover the joys of) and electric gliders as well, but not pure gliders. But the public can wander through the area and I think any kind of line stretched out will not be welcomed. I hardly ever used to fly the Centiphase on the slope as I kept it for the gentler less hard-landing risk of flat field thermal work, though I agree it is a great plane on the slope in light winds. What I did also have back then is a tatty old Graupner Amigo. I have restored and just converted its Graupner engine pod to take an electric motor (fiddly job, but got it done). I never used the pod with the Cox 049 engine (ruins the point of quiet clean flight!) so it will be interesting to see how it flies (2S Lipo). One good thing even on the slope about electric would be that it can save you that walk down the hill (or worse) if the lift lets you down. I looks like the Centiphase could take a 3S Lipo installation without having to make any looks changing modifications except chopping the nose off. The big question I need to research is can a 3S Lipo powered motor take a 100" glider (even a light one like the wooden Centiphase) up to the skies at any useful rate. I'm hopeful it can but if anyone reading this has thoughts I'd love to hear. I really didn't want to do anything t change the glider. I even wanted to get the Futaba 6M 35Mz gear fixed up so it could be flown as per its original setup. But in reality it would never get flown as a glider, and planes are for flying. On the plus side, the modern airborne servos and receiver are so much lighter than vintage gear that, with a compact Lipo battery also, I'll probably end up with a similar all up weight to the original glider. Also it looks like that natural place to put it (Lipo in the nose behind motor) might mean minimal non-useful weights are needed to get the C of G right. And if I chop the nose off carefully I could even make an arrangement where if I want to fly it as a glider (or for static display) I could remove the prop and spinner and put the wooden nose back on ha ha. Anyhooos, it could all make an interesting retirement project. The forum software doesn't seem to want me to attach a link to a photo, so attached is a photo of the Amigo in the final stages of its electric pod conversion - another superb plane for light wind conditions (I wouldn't have chosen blue solarfilm as the ideal choice for visibility, but its what I had in my modelling box at the time! It looks pretty though in flight)

Brilliant and thanks Gary especially for the quick reply. Im looking forward to getting this old classic flying again. The old Centiphase was the star of this short story I wrote in Radiomodeller nearly 30 years ago. How time flies! Radio Modeller 1993 10-October - The Cloud.pdf

Hi. I have a beautifully built (by John Goldsmith, a quality builder in the 1980s, 2lbs 8oz all up weight with old gear) all wood Centiphase that I would like to get flying again. I've long ago forgotten what the Centre of Gravity position is. If anyone knows and can help me I'd be very grateful. Also think that for practical reasons (age, and lack of field for bungying) I may have to modify the nose and install an electric motor for launching. Has anyone ever tried this with a Centiphase and if so what motor/lipo setup did they use. Thanks in hope ?