Bruce Collinson

I’ve taken to putting relevant data, c of g, critical throws etc on a printed label inside the battery hatch or canopy. As far as possible all the switches for rates, flaps, gear, throttle kill etc are in identical places on the tx. When the Rx battery is buried I label that too, not yet having switched entirely to/from LiOn, NiMh and LiFe. i too have pitched up sans wingbolts, LiPos and even the correct wing. Checklists are handy. Now need a list of the checklists ...... BTC

I recently acquired a second hand ARTF Curare with a cowl cut out for I/c but kitted electric. I managed to source a replacement cowl from the German/Austrian supplier; Lindinger? If of use to you I’ll confirm the source. Might be the other people. BTC

Thanks you Pete B for picking the material issues out of this. What I dodged earlier (West, Oracover, Moki, DA, PAW .. hang on, there’s more ...) was LiPos. Do we know whether there are any out there NOT made in the ROC, eg Japan Taiwan or Korea? I know they carry all sorts of labels, as do many mass consumer items as has been articulated above. I was recommended to Gens Ace as being German (John, I’ve had German diesels and they did what I expected) but they seem to be scarce. There is clearly a minority amongst us thus far which prefers to keep its expenditure closer to home. A point was made, well, above that where items are, practically, only available from China then buy from a UK seller, as I do regularly from 4Max. (Paul D.). What would help me and my over-developed sense of what’s right is to know the point of manufacture of core items. Just checked a favourite Savox; Taiwan! Basic Keynesian economics direct that supply and demand even themselves out in time. Ergo, if more buyers discriminated towards smaller local suppliers and manufacturers (and therefore away from bulk makers and sellers) then the latter would prosper and expand, instead of being unsellable on retirement or on lease expiry or whatever. The long term choice would expand and an equivalent reduction in the reliance on imports would reduce. As Doc has to keep reiterating, he merely asked whether choices are shifting. Evidently not, universally. You pays etc. BTC

Economics, not politics. PRC pays no regard whatsoever to international patent and copyright law (to wit Top Gear, undisguised copies of mainstream Western cars) so saves massively on R & D overheads. Labour rates, H & S, environmental costs massively lower than most other economies. Their cost base is significantly lower and therefore their goods are too, even after transport costs. Traffic the other way seems to be significantly less; why buy from the West when they can copy it? The economics suit the race to the bottom, driven by cost above all else, very well and it's quite clear that this is a significant proportion of forumites and probably aeromodellers generally, as far as I can tell from clubmates and the odd personal details which leak out. On one level therefore in the free market world, the option to buy good-enough gear from the cheapest supplier keeps people modelling who might not otherwise bother. It seems to have a direct reciprocal effect with the majority of local manufacturers under too much pressure to compete, whilst direct or Far Eastern vendors may havecaused the closure of numerous LMSs. Quite a few of my closer pals have no compunction about buying online items stocked by our LMS whereas I generally give them first crack on the basis that if they shut, they will be missed. You pays your money. However, the assertions above that there is no choice are largely erroneous, surely. A Sarik plan with SLEC wood, a Laser and German or Czech radio? A Foss ARTB,Axi motor, korean servos, what about a Saito? Is it right that the majority of gas turbines are still Western? I can hear the response, they're all or mostly significantly dearer. Maybe, in the short term. We're a microcosm of the world economy. Pay less, risk the long term consequences. You pays etc. Politics; not changing my buying much as I avoid them for the most part and one of the structural changes when we emerge into a post-Covid world will be that a lot more manufacturing will return to the West so we don't get caught twice. I have to run an iThing from the office but wish Apple would have a rethink. BTC

George at 4 Max has standard Mpx as well as Maxloc. I’ve seen a larger Mpx within the last week but blowed if I can remember where, but for sure in the UK. Is this where Google is your friend? BTC

I haven’t time to go back 109 posts so have we had these this time round? Lockdown begins to bite. The local Oregami shop has folded. The bespoke brassiere maker has gone bust. Artisan ice-cream maker has lost power and gone into liquidation. Bonsai Bank is cutting down on branches. Samurai Bank has made deep cuts, although Ninja Bank says it’s still in the black despite some big hits. Sushi Bank claims to have had a raw deal which it says is fishy. Loo roll maker has been wiped out, even though they thought they’d clean up. Business has gone down the pan. Etc. BTC

Hi Steve, Three succinct comments. I see you managed without the aluminium tube. I’ll put it in the “just in case” box. I agree with JC, the fence needs painting. Good job you punctuated the pilot supplier correctly! “Did you jump?” “Yes, a bit ...” BTC PS looks bonny !

Peter, A post “Anyone use these” this am reminds us that sheets of epoxy glass suitable for horns, servo arm extensions and ... u/c doors? ... are readily available with a helpful link. Of course it may be that you welcome an opportunity to laik about with carbon mouldings custom made for the profile. Good build. BTC

Thanks Cuban, sorted. BTC

I need to replace the bearings in a 4Max electric motor. Suspecting that George is flat out with mail orders I hesitate to disturb him and suspecting that many forumites are easily distracted (whereas I’m just awarding myself a short break from work) I thought I’d ask here. I have a new shaft, bearings and Circlips to match the PO 5055-595 and have had the shaft out but how do I remove and replace the bearings please? BTC

Most competent contents policies will provide adequate cover for recreational items taken out of the insured premises for ... recreation. They may end up being specified items but bluntly if you fly turbines with Yeti radio it’s unlikely to be a big ticket item. Liability; £25M; don’t hit an F35! Loss of aircraft; it’s possible to insure almost anything but it would end up like pluvium insurance for fetes and galas (rainfall); the premium would be more than the profits/second hand value of aircraft. Like most national organisations with bulk buying power, BMFA gives outstandingly good value for PL cover and if Government really used joined-up thinking it would ditch all the registration bureaucracy and make BMFA membership mandatory. Then everyone would be covered. You can’t buy shotgun cartridges without producing a valid SG Certificate; maybe society ought to discourage sales of 30cc petrol engines and planes to uninsured novices. Just saying. BTC

A small Great Planes Sukhoi came with several sprues of horns, clevises etc. I didn’t fancy them and “upgraded” to M2 clevises, then couldn’t get the c of g even close. Replaced by the makers’ plastic fittings, the balance was spot on. Just a thought. BTC

Watching with interest Peter. Those long reach spring clamps are not ones I have tripped over before but look useful. Where from please? BTC

I’d just like to say, taking advantage of a decent day, I ran up one of a pair of Laser 100s which I bought from a chap in Norway a couple of years ago NIB. He’d had them for several years, I recall. Started instantly, consumed an entire tankful without missing a beat. To be fair, so did a new Saito 100 although it’s more hesitant at the bottom end but no needle-fiddling just yet. BTC

Use them or lose them. Havent seen John McNamara at Jettstream mentioned. Long helpful chat with him this morning. BTC

I have a plan and a glassfibre cowl. Might have a repaired wing too. Happy to talk about them if they will help. I found it very stodgy to fly although it was in my first season where circuits and a damage-free landing on the strip were a cause for celebration. Flew on an OS FP 40, just enough but I’m sure a 60 or 70 four stroke would fly it with more authority. The 240 is a pretty big aircraft, there’s one at my club. Think it flies on a Zenoah 20. I suspect there are far better primary trainers out there. BTC

Three orders last two days. 4Max and Modelfixings despatched today; awaiting news of third order. Latter’s website suggests there’s only one staff member handling mail orders. I believe that most of the usual UK based suppliers are very busy, which is good. BTC

What’s wrong with purpose made pushrod, with thread on one end, Z bend on the other? Fairly inexpensive from all the usual UK suppliers, M2, 2.5 and 3 freely available, as are locknuts for additional security. If one end of the rod is fixed, e.g. Z bend, it can’t rotate anyway. Agree with Gangster re variable thread sizes. My preference is for relatively long clevises, Kavan e.g., aiming to have the entire clevises thread filled by the rod thread and if they get too short I make up another one. Then it’s threadlocked and has fuel tube over the clevises arms pushed close to the control horn to prevent springing off. The only failure I’ve had was clevises from an ARTF Yak where the pins were weak, luckily failing prior to maddening, so I threw them all out. BTC

I’m one step behind Cymaz but if it really is a eucalyptus then be aware that they are not really suitable for British gardens, tending to outgrow their roots and blow over. Also I recall that they desiccate subsoil more than even oaks, willows and poplars. BTC

Skip the peas, swap spicy wedgy triple-cooked wotevers for frites, consume red wine (still part of your five a day ....) then perfection! But keep onion rings! BTC

And we're exactly where Pete C is, and six of us had a pleasant, convivial albeit chilly session yesterday. BTC

Ring Jon. BTC

Eight or nine of us today, first fixed wing flying for me for c. 5 weeks. Chairs 2 m apart. Very convivial, very good for all concerned including several 70 somethings with vulnerabilities. Mature sensible people weighing risk against reward. BTC

Wish I could paste it, priceless little cartoon in The Spectator, you’ll have to use your imaginations. Two bears in a woodland setting. One, holding a 12 pack of lavatory paper, says to the other, “it was all they had left”. BTC

Iron sock, very useful in big flat areas and sweeping curves; less so for fiddly corners, but buy (hoard) a packet of baby socks, cheaper, washable, freely available at all good supermarkets near you. If they've still got paracetamol, please pm me. Getting hell at home. How is lavatory paper and paracetamol going to help with a virus? BTC