Timo Starkloff

Double posting due to very slow website, is it possible to delete one of them? Timo

Some last jobs & changes. I put the ailorn servos further away from the fuselage. Seemed like a good idea, but they're too close to the fuselage in case of a collision or crash (fuselage would damage the servo). It's also the place where the exhaust fumes pass by, should I change for a .15 engine. The big wing fillet leads the rubber band too close to the aileron, so I switched to screw & dowel. Weight is ok for the model, but should be lighter for contest. This one is just for testing, but the next one will be simplified and lighter for contests. Today I've made the first flight of the Spitfire 🙂 It went fine and succesful, the way we always wish. Hand start was good, no tendency to the left. A bit of trimming and shew flew nice. Rolls should be quicker, turns are tight and nice without effort on the elevator. Absolutely no tendency for stall, even when pressed with low power and increasing elevator. Landing was easy, motor off and a good glide, touchdown at very low speed. Flying is really good, visibility of the withe stripe is perfect. I'll have to do some improvements concerning center of gravity (getting rid of the extra 15 grams and trying to bring the accumulator further forward, or moving elevator servo forward. But I'm really looking forward to the next flights! And I have some work to do for improving the plan. It's not very long until the start of contest season. Regards, Timo

Comparison with the different 109 wings. The upwards shape of the Spitfire cowling should be better for hard landings, the prop is higher and better protected.

Weight is ok, although a bit heavy for contest. As it is just a proof of concept plane I used leftover heavy balsa. Weight always sums up quickly 🙂 Happy New Year! Timo

Some last minor jobs.

Yes, that can be difficult sometimes 😁 More power helps! I've added some reinforcements for the fuselage and ailerons. Servos will be installed very simple, not nice but useful in contest. It did take longer doing all the sanding, but the result looks great. Next task is applying colours 🙂 Weight is a bit higher than usual with around 330 grams, due to the fact that I used mainly hard/heavy balsa (leftover from previous projects) and maybe I reduce the part number by a few pieces for the next one. Timo

A quick update ob the latest progress 🙂 The outer part of the ailerons is glued to the wing. The three wing parts are just glued together, no reinforcement needed just lots of glue on the surface to connect the wing sheeting. The wing area is a good portion wider than the Bf 109. Useful for aircombat flying 🙂 Regards, Timo

Thanks for sharing pictures and stories! That looks great 🙂 The huge advantage of aircombat flying is that you get lots of experience in short time. Building and even designing your own models, flying in all weather conditions. Repairing the models afterwards 😅 I'm close to finishing the wooden parts. Timo

Today I started building the fuselage. Timo

It's also possible to have a tough aircombat models built from wood. On my Typhoon I coloured the repaired parts silver until there wasn't much brown left, then painted it in camouflage again and started applying silver a second time on repaired parts. And of course, the Yak-9 is also hard to destroy and has plenty of lives. It not only depends on a tough design but also on good repairability 🙂 Timo

Foam is still the choice for most aircombat models, in many cases still covered with brown paper. The toughest planes are built like F3K gliders with reinforcements and a smooth and high quality surface, they need some special building skills. But you can build and fly whatever you want. A small company in Moldova is specialised on hollow glass fibre models (including the tail). In my case, I like building with wood. I did models from foam, but many people still have an adversion to cut foam wings or fuselages. Since I publish many of my plans I try to design them, so it's easy for others to build them, too. EPP is only used for EPA class. It's slow with low power brushless motors and just 3S1300 accumulators - but it's lots of fun. IC engines and brushless are around 50-50 in contests. The classic .15 models are slightly better with an electric setup, the bigger .25 aber mostly equipped with ic engines. Both have advantages and disadvantages, but again, it also depends on personal decisions. Which models did you build for aircombat? Timo

First wing panels are nearly finished and the fuselage already started 🙂 Timo

They’re occasionally flown at our contests but don’t survive contact or collisions with other models. Quite often a not so perfect landing leads to breakage. Timo

Second wing with proven S8052, fast and manouverable. It's already easier to build than the AG35, since the shape of the airfoil with a soft curve is easier to be cut by hand. And bottom and top sheeting have nearly the same dimensions. Center piece is simplified, too.

Preparing a wing with the AG35 airfoil as a test, flat bottom and hopefully easy stall characteristics.