Capt Kremen

Add another recruit to this growing club ... My additional modelling 'loft-insulation' is out-of-sight of SWMBO but as a consequence has a habit of gnawing away at the conscience. Add an interest in music both performing and listening to CDs, DVDs etc and the associated items, books, magazines add further 'to the must-get-round-tuit' clearout potential. Modern society does not encourage us either, as there's always a better, new improved, must have mouse-trap waiting to be purchased. I love radios, (the listening to kind as well as R/C!), and I can probably open my own electrical shop with perfectly serviceable but now out-of-date/fashion/style units. Charity shops will not accept because they are unregulated electrical items, whilst the online auction web sites are full of such unsold items. I have been told the answer is to have three large containers/bin boxes. In one you put the obvious rubbish. In another the essential items and in the third the undecided 'might-come-in handy' items. If after 'x' weeks/months you haven't touched the items in the third box then bin them. However, like previous contributors, you will find immediately you do the chuck-out, those items will be required and need to be purchased again. And so the cycle comes full circle!!!

Surprising comments ... Top German fliers use them extensively. (I have examined their models first hand at many German model airshows down the years. Multiplex kits are a current exponent of their use too). The observation I would make though is that they use the type of fastener (Graupner usually), which requires an Allen key to securely tightened a grub screw onto the steel push rod/snake. The fixing itself being secured by a 'lock' nut to the control horn or servo arm. Since visiting Germany from the 1980s onwards for model shows, I have used these extensively and with due regard to regular safety checks as required for any control rod assembly, have not experienced any issues. As a previous post suggests, a dab of locktite plus you can add a blob of epoxy fore 'n aft of the fixing as extra security has never failed. I do fly all electric though so maybe engine vibration is less of a potential issue.

An interesting selection of comments and perspectives. One thing I notice. Earlier years copies of any model magazine, (pre-internet of course!), featured lots of detailed informative adverts. e.g. lists of kits, engines, balsa sizes, misc. accessories and so on Advertising finances and enables most publications, nowadays it seems fewer appear. Is this due their cost? their effectivenes? Whatever the reason, less adverts = less revenue to the publisher and, as per newspapers, the publication ultimately ceases due being uneconomic. I noticed that the latest issue of 'Flying Scale Models' is now on 'newsprint' quality paper too so that must be an indication that economies have had to be made.

With the recent announcement of the demise of two printed newspapers (The Independant and I ) what future for printed model magazines? I visit many of the larger branches of WH Smith around the south of England e.g. Brighton, Chichester, Southampton, Salisbury to name but a few. Without exception, I usually have to hunt to find the RCM&E and the other model aircraft magazines. They are invariably nowadays tucked away on a lower shelf toward the back. (And yes my back aches trying to bend down low enough to reach them too!) Yesterday I noticed a huge pile of the previous months RCM&E issue still on the shelf unsold with the latest edition alongside! My flying clubs members, judging by demographics that appear on here from time to time, are of a mature if not old vintage age group! I often ask did you see that article in RCM&E or A.Another model magazine on 'xyz'? 'No mate never bother to buy them' comes the usual reply. So what (long term) future for the printed model mag?

I have a Cambria 'Instructor' under construction / refurbishment at the moment for electric power. (Managed to find it as an almost complete assembled uncovered kit on the 'bay'. This was for the 'built-up' wing version, though I have had a 'foam' wing cut which I intend using first. Full size two-sheet plans, original instructions & copy of 'RM' review were available on the 'bay' too. Also, I noticed a Canadian forum member had recently advertised a un-built kit . In the 70s had several Cambria models including: FW190, Me109, Capstan (a bit of a brick IMO) and a low wing intermediate aileron trainer, the name of which escapes me.

Couldn't find my good old 'Radio Modeller' books illustrating installations to look this up or find a suitable thread on here ... Scenario: A swept back rudder control installation e.g. a Red Arrows Hawk jet has an angled rudder hinge line like ' / ' If using a push-rod connection from the rudder servo: (A) What sort of control horn would be best to fit to the rudder, a '90 degree' or 'swept forward' one and in which orientation? (B) Servo Arm or Disc with a conventional clevis or is a ball-link clevis better - see 'C' (C) How to allow for the 'rise' in push rod travel as the rudder deflects? Would a ball-link be best? (A closed-loop set up or installing the servo at an angle in the tail is not an option in this case).

Excellent company. Visited their shop and stands at German model shows, makes even the best of ours look like amateur outfits. All items neatly arranged in order on pull-out racks, full range of even the smallest specialist product in stock. Comprehensive kit range and Radio gear too. (No, I don't have any commercial connection). Hollein are another I'd recommend, cheaper than UK with courier delivery often in as little 3 days door-to-door.

The original used 'Door Hinges' and metal straps with wood screws to hold the two halves together! So a two-piece folding wing is authentic and in keeping with the designers** intent. (** The designer was Peter Cock and not Col.Taplin as erroneously always quoted though the later made the model well known with his English Channel crossing and electric power installation).

Mmm ... Yes & No ... it depends on so many factors. I should firstly say I am owner of a 'Riot', and this is only my 'two pennerth' observations! IF you are an absolute beginner, with NO aeromodelling/flying experience I would say NO IF you can fly or at least have a reasonable idea about which way to push the sticks when one wing goes down etc. them MAYBE but it's not ideal. IF you have a competent and experienced pilot at your side to initially fly the plane, trim it out then, at a safe height hand the control over and ALWAYS be ready to take back control if required then, YES. IF you can fly i.e. take-off, fly circuits (L & R!), land without getting your self flustered, then YES but take it steady until you know the plane and it's handling at your flying site. The other factors are: Any experience with electric power? Handling LiPo packs? The type of flying site you operate from i.e. rough grass is a challenge for the cheap wheels/axles & undercarriage the plane comes with! Personally, for an absolute beginner, I'd get something with more dihedral that really needs 'guiding' rather than controlling, at least to start with. And fly in suitable weather conditions, calm(er) as opposed to very windy AND have an competent, experienced flier with you.

This week good old Auntie Beeb and CH4 featured supposed comparative testing of typical AA size batteries. These included a range of zinc and (expensive) lithium from a whole range of brands e.g. Duracell, Eveready, Halfords, Panasonic, Poundshop, Asda etc. etc. These were set to work, powering toys and left running until they stopped, with operating times being recorded. Perhaps not surprisingly, the Lithium varieties had the longest duration but obviously at a premium cost. As for the rest it was a hotch-potch of brands that came out 'best', depending on which programme you watched. Experts in the know, are there really only a few actual manufacturers and when for example a Sainsbury branded cell beats a Tesco one or a Halfords, are they really just the same cells with different label packaging and it's just age/shelf life stage that are being 'tested' and observed? A leading brand can be bought at 'pound-a-pack' prices on market stalls and a higher price in supermarkets. Is that pure mark up or are they genuinely superior for the extra cost? (Rechargeable cells were given a cursory mention in the programmes but didn't feature in testing). So with Santa due shortly delivering power hungry toys (including flying ones) we hope, what latest thoughts on AA / AAA non-rechargeables? Which ones are really consistently the best?

Nothing as elaborate as a rack I'm afraid, I just put some '2 x 1' timbers across between the roof loft timbers. (The '---' middle line/stroke in the capital letter 'A' is a crude illustration, The ^ being the loft timbers). Then simply lay wings & fuzs between the roof timbers. Adding more cross pieces as the 'loft hangar' expands.

Yes ... but ... how come various LiPo packs, (even same brand and capacity sometimes), have varying lengths of battery wire as fitted when bought new. Some quite short, others longer. Might not be by a lot, a few cm perhaps. They all seem to work and not cause any issues.

For info, the Bournemouth Air Show is (continuing) to be televised (online only) from 10:00am this Sunday. Check out / Google radio station 'Wave 105' and hit the link to the show. The Vulcan was mentioned to fly at 15:30 with the 'Red Arrows' opening the show at 12:10pm. Not sure when the Lanc is due on, but the commentators will update with a running order anyway. Spitfire cancelled today due tech issues but a Hunter replaced it. Watched it today (online) and providing you don't mind a few ads between displays, was very good camera work.

Miele for durability & longevity + superb customer service. 'Dog & Cat' version lives up to its name. AND it is adjustable to over 900Watts if you need it! GTECH upright for LiIon powered non mains, knocks spots off over hyped D***on. Especially good if you or partner require a lightweight vacuum due arthritis or other debilitating ailment. GTECH hand held for knooks and crannies, not to mention the workbench after a good session with the David plane on some balsa!

I know it is no longer a requirement, but I never removed my black 2.4 pennant ribbon from the Tx. This ribbon is stapled to a piece of polypropylene(?) / flexible 'plant pot' plastic rectangle which has a hole just big enough to slip over the detents in the base piece of my Spectrum Tx aerial support. Not quite as good as a windsock but allows me to keep my eye on the model whilst glancing at the direction the ribbon is blowing i.e. with Tx held out directly in front of me.

I'm in the process of modifying a MPX 'Twinstar' into a way standoff scale 'FlyBe' Q400. T-tail (obviously!), trike u/c with steering and flaps for short field performance. It's been a long term on/off project but not too far off now. As for fullsize 'FlyBe', as a fairly frequent user of this operator, I have often been asked to relocate from my assigned seat forward or aft in the cabin when self-loading cargo i.e. passenger numbers, have been less than full. Perhaps pilot Rob can enlighten us, I assume this is for the trim sheet the loadmaster/despatcher gives you to sign off whilst in the drivers seat(?)

On watches I have used Duraglit and a lot of elbow grease! As a previous post has mentioned, some (soft?) plastics may just go 'milky' with this treatment so care is needed. Also, I've used various 'rubbing compounds' to polish 'buckle scratches' out of the highly polished finish on a Fender guitar. These were sold as guitar polish compounds but I sense they are rebadged commercial product available under other guises. Again a bit like very fine toothpaste, needed a lot of elbow grease but worked a treat.

Can anyone recommend a good foam wing cutting service(s)? Tried the forum search facility and it didn't throw anything up and didn't see any ads in recent magazines either. Also ... My hands aren't what they used to be and need some fairly simple but accurate, compound wire bending done for an U/C on a scratch build. Anyone know of such a service? Thanks.

If you download one of the apps to your phone, tablet, PC e.g. 'Plane Finder', 'Flight Radar Pro' ... other brands are available as they say .... you can sit anywhere (with an internet link) and just look up at the vapour trails and see what planes are over your head and where they are going to/from etc.

Internet Radio Stations - A whole world of real choice ... Radio Paradise - Commercial Free, 181FM Jazz Fusion, Blue Ears Radio, Blues UK, Wave 105 ... Auntie Beeb if I'm really desperate!!!! Local BBC Radio for a cringing laugh. (In comparison of the latter, Alan Partridge is a pale imitation of the real thing .... Ah Haaaa)

Hi Kevin Unfortunately no. Cambria / Cambrian as a commercial entity have passed through a few hands down the years. The model I wish to replcate was first issued under the Cambria label/logo during 1970s. (I assume the 'n' was added to Cambria by a subsequent owner/manufacturer of the same designs e.g. Fun Fighters, Slingsby Capstan, Instructor and its low wing 'brother', name of which escapes me) Thanks anyway.

Phil, Still seeking the decal. Have sent you a message.

Lovely ... love one ... does it come with floats too, don't think that scale u/c would quite work on the 'lake' that is our mown strip at the moment!

I the process of building a Vintage cabin model that has windows e.g. Think of a 'Junior 60' or 'Super 60' type. I'm going to cover it in 'Fibafilm'. as a durable light finish with a nod to traditional tissue. What would builders suggest regarding the 'glazed' area, cover the whole model first, window area too? Then, remove covering from 'window' openings and place the celluloid window glazing over the top, in one piece. OR Fit window celluloid, then cover with the film, including over the glazing. Then, try and (very) carefully cut the covering around the 'window frames' without cutting thru the window glazing itself? Any other practical ideas? Thanks in anticipation of your learned replies.

Managed, (between the rain showers!),to get three flights in with my MPX 'Solius' e-glider yesterday. For those that don't know the model it is a fairly 'sporty' model, capable of mild aerobatics e.g. rolls, fast runs up and down the strip. On a couple of such 'runs' I noticed that despite the slipstream at speed, one of the folding blades was hanging down. I tried a couple of quick 'blips' of the motor which sort of helped with the blades then folding along the sides of the nose. I seem to remember seeing that a simple (light tension) rubber band rigged across the folding blade yoke can assist in curing this issue. Is this so or anyone have other ideas? For info the ESC is set-up for hard brake, which it does and there is no slop in the folding blades fixing but they are free to fold of course!