[The Big Question ?]

I'll go along with a Mossie (can never have to many Spitfires Mossies. Either built, unbuilt or needs rebuilding I can can count 5, but half a dozen sounds like a round number to me!

 

Just an observation, but with all the Mossies getting the C of G forward enough is always a challenge. One BH Mossie I bought has larger than required motors, but the correct props, clever as the additional motor weight is about as far forward as possible bearing in mind the 4S5000 lipo is in the nose already (so you can't do a bomber version). All eth servos are very near C of G. Even putting lipos in the nacelles may be a challenge if UC is used.

 

My SG Mossie has 2 Laser 70's, everything else as far forward + extra weight up front to get the C of G and looking at the electric versions the lipo packs are well forward in the fuz. Not sure that's a good place to put a lot of weight if a hard landing takes place as it might break its back.

 

I an sure Richard can iron these challenges out as he has in the past with his other twins 🙂 ...should he accept the challange!

 

[Laser engine, how do you tell what size they are?]

I must be really missing the point, but as its a pushrod engine if you really want to know, just take the head off and measure it? Its not like you will loose the valve timing.

 

IIRC the valve timing is not that extreme so you could fill the cylinder head with oil (not castor!) at TDC, then turn to BDC, fill and the difference is the swept volume.

 

If you can't be bothered with any of that then put it in a test stand and go through a few selected props, measure the RPM and compare with the Laser engine web site for the recommended prop for each engine (slightly more difficult for the obsolete engines, but do-able). 

 

PS, what did the original have on as a prop MC1 (assuming it was propped correctly)?

[Essential scale flying routines]

From what I picked up from my visit to Buckminster scale comp and a few longish conversations with competitors/judges was:

• The competitor researches their model aircraft (they need to document this anyway) and what the fight characteristics and capabilities are.
• The competitor can choose from standard or manoeuvres of their choice, but still needs to be within the known capabilities of the aircraft modelled
• You have to display in front of the judges/flightline with an start & finish points, so no flying at yourself inverted and bunting it out!
• Its not so much about how complex or difficult the manoeuvres are but how well you fly it IMO 

So if you fly a spitfire then everyone is an expert and knows what the full size is capable of, but if you fly something that is either very early (WW1) or so obscure no one apart from you knows what it is capable of then you are the expert (within reason of course).

 

PS Don't pick an aircraft to model/fly that is a known trouble maker or something that's very high workload as once it starts to go wrong it will unravel very quickly.

 

PPS the BMFA B test is good to practice with everything flown in one hit and on one battery (limits faffing around time!).

[Flight time.]

IMO There is no rule of thumb as its totally dependent on the the way you fly or more importantly how you use the throttle stick!

 

Perhaps flow up to 10 minutes with very gentle throttle stick use or...just leave it WOT plus prop hang it and it might be at low voltage cut off on the ESC in 3 minutes.

 

Set the timer for 3 min, land after the time has gone off and then measure the battery voltage/capacity. Then ease the timer out so you normally land with approx 35% that way if you have to go a go around or two you should not be be below 25% (IMHO anything below that reduces the life of the battery long term).

 

Other opinions will be as relevant as mine. 🙂 

[Warbirds Replicas Hawker Tempest V -Mass Build 2024(part two) .]

Playing catch up as having moved and retired in the last 2 weeks. 

 

First batch batch will do me as I can test out the old building board in the new location 🙂 

 

I'll pm you with the new address! 

 

All looking very good there!

[RX and ignition packs, Eneloop or LiFE, your choice and why!]

IMHO I would not use either. Technology has moved on.

 

Lipo's that I use as a flight packs as they get a harder life and if they can't support powered flight they go for recycling that way they are always good enough for RX duties.

 

Don't like cheap/unreliable switches so go for a switch/UBEC that has sufficient current rating to deal with a failed/jammed servo and not brown the RX out.

 

Better go and hide in a BatSafe box now! 😉

[Three FW190's]

Busy travelling yesterday and was rewarded is deteriorating weather this morning and no FW190 maidens (can't really blame them!).

 

 

Two training flights and one with my WR FW190.

 In blustery and strong easterly wind where models with gyros and high wingers were earning their keep, the FW190 was outstanding!

 

Die straight dolly take off followed with loops and rolls plus impeccable rock steady handling the flight characteristics it was an absolute pleasure to fly today. I did chicken out with the low cross wind passes, but some pulls into big loops and half rolls were a lot of fun!

 

Four minute flight with it mostly at WOT and I only used 32% of a 4S4000 lipo, so come better weather I should be able to loiter around for the other FW190's to form formation or drop in on its prey once its been spotted!

 

Better get on and finish the paint job...

 

 

 

 

 

[The Big Question ?]

My 2 pence worth and TBH UC despite the cost, weight and extra building gets my vote (but not tricycle) so  Zero or Macchi 202 are preferred. TBH I'll go with the herd as non of them are twins and the likelihood of getting enough people to make it viable is low so I don't think that will happen anyway.

 

I need the building practice whatever it is...before I start on the WR back catalogue!

[Riot Servos]

If replacing the aileron servo, then it would be worth doing both or you might find mixing different mfg's you end up with different control surface deflections.

[Laser engines - the state of play following their closure]

14 minutes ago, Nigel Dell said:

I was sad to see that Jon has now left and Laser is shutting its doors, I too have an i200 reverse and in my pm with Jon was the first I heard of the modification on the board, sadly I have not had a chance to run mine and the model that was quickly available still needs covering due to a spate of ill health, thankfully improving, I am guessing no one has had a reply as yet so I will go straight to a letter to try and glean more info, do we know what the part is called that we are waiting for?

I had inlines on order from mid last year and in the end Jon offered me me single 155's so I went for them. As I understand the issue is of design vs manufacturing (all things are compromises) and some engines suffer with the issue and some don't. 

 

Its not so much a part that can be swapped, but more a fundamental design and manufacturing decision. The redesign would involve a number of significant component changes, but as I said not all engines are affected. I guess you need to run it to see which side of the fence yours sits, if there is an issue then involve the Laser warranty sooner rather than later. Perhaps that is why they were sold as development engines, so that people ran them and then issues would come up and be resolved, a bit like the petrol engines some sold and very few ever run and little feedback to Jon so very difficult to know if its an issue or not.

[Geoff's Warbirds Replicas P51 Mustang]

14 minutes ago, Geoff Gardiner said:

My glue of choice at the moment is Titebond Original, which I believe is an aliphatic glue.

 

Are aliphatics any good with the brown paper covering method / heat reactivity, or will I need PVA?

 

Cheers.

Possibly, but its an expensive way of doing compared with PVA glue (when you buy 5L of trade stuff).

 

Oh and the other thing if its Tesco (other long rolls of brown paper are available) ..don't buy a couple extra rolls just in case...because you don't waste much in off cuts so it goes a very long way!

 

PS the brown paper stock I now have will out live me!

[Three FW190's]

First field meeting of the Butcher Birds and with a discussion revolving around rates and C of G I think we can say we are getting quite close (apart from me and my colour scheme!. 

John i having a few issues with the spinner as it seems to change its seating position differently each time the prop is removed. 

 

 

Lets hope the bank holiday weather is going to be kind to us and we can get the remaining two in the air (dollies have all been finished), oh and I sort my paint work out!

 

 

 

[Late comer FW 190]

Don't worry Bucksboy, wait until he sees mine as its the normally non photographed version of red 23...it would be easier to say what is right with it than what's wrong with it and in the spirit of stand in the next field scale I don't care!

 

When I am flying it and it is a very pleasant model to fly its that which counts!

[Laser Engines - Important Announcement]

Last visit to Laser Engines to collect the first and last production V 310 pair.

 

Thanks to Jon for the final push which just leaves me to do this pair justice in a suitable model (DH). 

 

 

 

 

[Warbirds Replicas Hawker Tempest V -Mass Build 2024(part two) .]

IMO better to fit and glue the captive nuts in rather than trying to pull them through as there is always a chance of stripping the thread or the captive nut falling out the hole (been there and got both prizes!).

 

I have even resorted to gluing a piece of balsa over the top of the captive nut where it will be near totally inaccessible.

[Drone Taxi]

A great idea, all that money going into developing battery technology with the benefit that the cost will come down for those that don't fly infernal combustion. 

[Three FW190's]

C of G is 78mm and I think my dolly presents the FW at a high AOA. Anyone post a side on photo of the dolly or dolly/FW on it for comparison please?

 

Its all part of the fun anyway.

[Three FW190's]

Its my own decision (fault) for picking a lower KV motor and as Dave B1 is using 14x8.5 I recon that will work with mine better than the pitchy 13x10. I can't really go less pitch on the 13 dia as it just won' produce enough thrust. If that does not work then I'll just put a higher KV motor in NP.

 

It didn't drop a wing on the first 2 flights so I still think is a case of me firewalling it and pulling it off before its ready or on Saturday the wind was gusty and turbulent across the runway so perhaps that.

 

Plus more of my own doing is the lack of finger holes for a self hand launch as I prefer the under arm technique, but didn't appreciate the diameter of the fuselage.

 

If all else fails I do have a RX with "safe/gyro" but having had a self-inflicted afternoon spent explaining to the CAA and BMFA that I had lost my model, I limit its application to the models that actually need them (hand launching my 2.7kg SU47 that has a tipping point between stall and climb out!)

 

The other thing to mention...it was no drama at all. it dropped its wing tip by a few inches and a spot of aileron had it back on the straight and level.

 

Personally I don't think I'll fit retracts to either, because it will just add weight that they don't need in flight. I have touched wood just in case, but I haven't broken that many props on belly landers and probably as many with nose overs anyway.

 

Its easy to fly and if I stop messing around it would probably launch itself without any drama!

[Three FW190's]

News update, 2 more flights off the dolly, and it seems to drop the left wing (my fault for rushing the lift off and gunning the throttle!) but aileron authority is great so easily corrected! Getting her dialled in and over the next few weeks will try a little lead reduction and perhaps a 14 inch prop (currently 13x10 so thought a 14x8 would be good).

Disaster with the attempt of camouflage so will have another go in the week. The red chin does really stand out in a really grey sky so happy with that on mine.

 

John is shifting the battery further forward and then sorting his C of G, then it will be ready for a maiden!

 

 

James is to too far behind

[Spring is here again - who's been flying?]

The photo does not do the weather justice although we did have a few spots of rain, wind was down the runway/over the gate.

 

The Red Sparrows (Red Arrows edf hawks) team were demonstrating just how big the sky can be when trying to fly in formation 🤣

 

Two maidens of which my OV10 was one, flies as nice as the P38

 

 

[DX8 Antenna snapped - i blame the wife]

Spektrum no longer supply this as a spare part, but there are plenty of third party one's on the internet or old stock about! I have used non OEM on my DX8 as eventually the UJ on mine give up.

 

From what I can remember its not a difficult job, just take a few photos as you get the case off and start undoing stuff, its more around cable routing etc that's important.

 

Worth doing a range check on a known good model before flying just to prove its working ok

[Laser Engines - Important Announcement]

I would like to thank Jon and the rest of the guys at Laser engines (past and present) for all their help and assistance over the relatively short period I have been involved in the hobby.

 

Wishing Jon all the best in the future with his new job.

 

Personally Jon and Laser Engines will be greatly missed, but time waits for no man and the hobby is in decline whether we like it or not and IC will be hit the hardest.

 

Great Engines and great service

 

 

[Dumas Dragon Rapide]

I would put it wherever it gets the C of G in the right place! From what I have heard this model benefits being as light as possible so sticking the battery in one place and then adding lead serves no purpose. Even if you up or down the battery size that is better than adding lead....but lead and the right c of g is better than no lead and a c of g that is way out!

[E props]

5 hours ago, Dickw said:

No, IC props are fine on electrics and I often use them as they don't break so easily. They are probably just a bit less efficient.

You can't use e props on IC though.

 

Dick

Not sure why IC props are less efficient, but would say if its a hand launch or nose over with power on then more likely to bend the motor shaft if using an IC prop.

 

[I’ve had a stroke at age44 last week!]

All the best for a quick recovery there Matty and count your blessings, my late wife had her TIA at the age of 27 (apparently not that unusual according to the specialist).