Paul Knights

Hi, from Amazon UK - "Cathedral" foamboard A1 5mm I seem to recall. It costs around £25-£30 for pack of 10 sheets. This 3.3m wing uses 4 sheets (one for each section) and a fifth sheet for tail sections. Thanks. I started with a Radian quite a few years ago - crashed it and smashed it loads in my learning curve. ...but always able to patch it up with Gorilla glue, packing tape and BBQ skewers, and fly it again and again. In answer to your questions;- I still haven't yet gotten around to completing an organised set of plans/ tutorial videos for the build - a combination of finding the time and then realising there's an improvement to be made so I hold off from completing any build guide. What I can offer however is this link to tutorial I made last year for the fuselage and 'wing support section' which I take credit for - ...However, the wing build / design I copied from 'Flitetest' and 'Experimental Airlines' - both fantastic resources. Also, 'Mikeys RC' I used to refer to a lot. I have cut a hatch in the top of the leading bottle to access battery and esc, receiver etc. You're right to be concerned for weakness by cutting the bottle here but I reinforced a little with popsicle sticks and once the hatch cover is closed (I secure with velcro on three sides), the structural integrity doesn't seem to be affected. Your suggestions are very valid points and already in the process of being implemented for the next model. Currently having trouble getting the folding prop/spinner here in UK at the moment though. Current prop I'm using is very cheap (and flexible!) 10" x6" so I'm sure it would benefit from a stiffer folding prop and perhaps a lower Kv motor too. Hope that's answered some of your questions. Appreciate your comments and interest. Thanks. ps a few pics attached to try and convey my passion, messy, slightly disorganised hobby!

Thanks. I started with a Radian quite a few years ago - crashed it and smashed it loads in my learning curve. ...but always able to patch it up with Gorilla glue, packing tape and BBQ skewers, and fly it again and again. In answer to your questions;- I still haven't yet gotten around to completing an organised set of plans/ tutorial videos for the build - a combination of finding the time and then realising there's an improvement to be made so I hold off from completing any build guide. What I can offer however is this link to tutorial I made last year for the fuselage and 'wing support section' which I take credit for - ...However, the wing build / design I copied from 'Flitetest' and 'Experimental Airlines' - both fantastic resources. Also, 'Mikeys RC' I used to refer to a lot. I have cut a hatch in the top of the leading bottle to access battery and esc, receiver etc. You're right to be concerned for weakness by cutting the bottle here but I reinforced a little with popsicle sticks and once the hatch cover is closed (I secure with velcro on three sides), the structural integrity doesn't seem to be affected. Your suggestions are very valid points and already in the process of being implemented for the next model. Currently having trouble getting the folding prop/spinner here in UK at the moment though. Current prop I'm using is very cheap (and flexible!) 10" x6" so I'm sure it would benefit from a stiffer folding prop and perhaps a lower Kv motor too. Hope that's answered some of your questions. Appreciate your comments and interest. Thanks. ps a few pics attached to try and convey my passion, messy, slightly disorganised hobby!

Thank you. "Detectorists"! ...yes, that was great light hearted feel good, summery entertainment... and I understand where you're coming from - two duffers roaming over the downs pursuing their hobby (flying model planes in this case rather than metal detecting) in pleasant weather conditions, ...talking twaddle ..and I think the music helped!

Enjoying some late evening flying and filming of my homemade bottle plane on the downs behind my home - Ventnor, Isle of Wight, UK. ..just a few days ago. This is the XL version of a model that was flying quite nicely last year. I just wanted to see how big I could build using the standard sheets of foamboard available to us here in the UK. Four full lengths of foamboard gave me a 3.3m (11') wingspan in this case and I added an extra bottle (standard 2 litre PET bottle) to lengthen the fuselage, and a bigger motor (3542, 1450Kv). I also ended up wrapping the wing in foil tape to give it some extra 'dazzle'! Loved watching my friend fly it whilst I filmed. ...'In the process of building a second identical model so we can have two of these beauties flying gracefully in the air at the same time. Hope you enjoy watching, ...and listening... 🙂

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it... and may you continue enjoying the hobby... the tinkering, the flying...

...just finished editing so wanted to share my little film.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6ZaMmSRZhk Filmed only a few days ago

Posted by vic evans 1 on 12/09/2015 10:48:50: Nice vid. but the 'plane gets in the way I've tried all ways to keep the 'plane out of shot & find a forward facing camera mounted under the body by the UC or cockpit mounted camera on a pusher the best. How do you folk manage it? Hi Vic, ...I think I have to disagree. Let's face it for pure controlled, uninterupted and stable aerial filming you can't beat the quadcopters. So with a glider why not have it in shot and enjoy the grace of fixed wing flight.? Edited By Paul Knights on 15/09/2015 22:38:39

Posted by Area 51 on 12/09/2015 09:54:48: Great video Paul , thanks for sharing and well done.. fancy having a go myself.. what do you use to edit the movie for its short/as you want it to be? I'm need to all that.. but have the gopro and have never flown with it. Hi, ...Thanks and glad you enjoyed the video. I use Cyberlink Power Director 10 because that runs ok on my old PC, but I'm sure it could equally easily have been edited on the standard 'Windows Movie Maker' software or Go Pro Studio. The Gopro is an awesome piece of kit for sure but I had a few trial flights over empty fields before plucking up the nerve to chuck £400- of kit off the cliff edge and over the sea..!!

Posted by Rex Dyer on 12/09/2015 09:13:10: Great film but the Radian seems to have succumbed to the Danny Rivet Syndrome. Otherwise, is this a new form of psoriasis ??????????????? Thanks ...I wasn't quite sure what 'Danny Rivet Syndrome' meant and I had to look up 'psoriasis'..!! but I get your point now! - That bird has taken a lot of abuse in the 3 years I've had it and sure enough it is covered liberally with reinforced packing tape, Gorilla glue and a couple of BBQ skewers running under the canopy; The canopy doesn't sit square because the fuse is about 1" shorter than when I first had it due to a number of dose dives in the early days, an elastic band keeps it in place and a couple of popsicle sticks are used as splints in the broken tail. .....but she still flies

Posted by Andy G. on 12/09/2015 08:25:50: Hi Paul, nice to see some footage from the south side of the island, especially the old abandoned holiday camp. I fly from the north east coast, Culver, keep meaning to look elsewhere for good sites, especially for filming from. Andy. Hi Andy, ...'went up Culver a few times over the summer but I have yet to fly from there. The Pepperpot / St Catherines Down is a nice landscape and I shot some film up there but have yet to edit and upload it. A budget FPV set up for my glider is on the way so hopefully that will encourage a bit more low level flying and dramatic footage when I get it set up. I think we are lucky here with the choice of landscape in a fairly condensed area, ...Paul

'Just uploaded this video today... ...'hope you enjoy! Edited By Pete B - Moderator on 11/09/2015 21:05:45

Posted by Foxfan on 08/07/2015 13:04:57: Very nice, but why the strange finish on the model? MrTin ...'hope the above photos explain why "the strange finish"! ....(that was a particularly bad crash!)

Posted by Andy G. on 11/07/2015 13:18:51: Hi Paul..... I've shot a lot of inflight video and stills from a selection of my models, usinf first one of the very cheap, but good, key-fob cameras and latterly a Mobius camera, which is cheaper and smaller than the Go-Pro unit.. I've embedded ( hopefully) one youtube movie shot at not too far around the corner from yours.. Plus theres lots more film and stills compilations on my YouTube page.. Edited By Andy G. on 11/07/2015 13:19:27 Hi Andy, ..It's good to see your clips from nearby. Culver Down is a great location and I've yet to fly from there but I'm sure I will at some point over the summer. I'll look out for your Red Eagle!

Posted by Josip Vrandecic -Mes on 11/07/2015 09:12:22: Thank you Paul, stunning views... Rgds Jo Thanks Jo, ...really looking forward to getting out at next opportunity and flying from another location when conditions are good and light is nice ...Cliff soaring is on the menu but I have to get up the nerve to chuck £400+ of kit over the 140' edge towards the sea and hope nothing goes tits up!