Michael Barclay

Thanks, Steve.

I expect to be moving to Arnside soon and just wondered if anyone knows of a club near Arnside. A friend said there was one just south of Kendal, but I can't find anything on the BMFA clubfinder.

Another of my winter scratch builds in 6mm depron all epoxy glassfibre covered. HE5, 3 seater reconaisance float plane in Soviet colours circa 1927..

Hello, Tosh. The wing is built by making several strategically placed longitudinal 4mm deep x 1mm wide V shaped slots in the underside of the 6mm depron. West system epoxy is injected into these slots. The wing is then pushed into a jig which forces the depron to the correct aerfoil and surplus epoxy is removed. The wing stays in the jig. I usually leave it overnight, and when the wing is removed from the jig, you have a rigid aerfoil shape to which the underside of the wing can be added if you do not want an undercambered wing. The whole thing is covered in epoxy and glass cloth in the usual manner. It is not an easy process and is time-consuming and very exacting, but it does make strong, rigid wings. It is much easier to build conventional balsa wings, but I like experimenting with different techniques. I hope this gives you some idea of the process but it is hard to describe. When building eliptical or tapered wings it gets even more complicated so I won't go into that here! For the Avro, the wing span is only 40 inches, and as it has a very short fuzelage, it does not take up a great deal of room, so for this model I did not make the wings removable.

My latest scratch build from three view found online and couple of old pics. AVRO 539. Originally designed as a float plane for the 1919 Schneider Trophy. After float damage returned to Avro factory and floats replaced with wheels and vertical stabilizer redesigned for Airiel Derby. As I will eventually add floats I kept the original Stab on my wheeled version. Builders perogative! 40 inch span, built from 6mm white depron (Yes I still have 10 shets left) and some blue fom. All covered with 40gram glass cloth using west system epoxy painted with own mix of ivory acrylic. 35.36 910kv motor. 3cell 2200 lipo. 12x7 woodprop. 1350 grams flying weight..

Hi Robin. I had thought of RAF 15 as being a more typical aerofoil. I think you just confirmed that for me. The USA 27 will however be easier and stronger to build in Depron so I will probably go with that. My planes are only stand off scale so I am not looking for perfection, just something that looks right in the air. Thanks for your reply. Mike

Hi Guys. My current build is stand off scale 40" span Avro 539. https://www.aviastar.org/air/england/avro-539.php I mostly build early Bipes in depron blue foam and grp, and use ClerkY aerofoil but would like to use something more realistic on this one. Can anyone suggest what the aerofoil might have been on this plane. Thanks. Mike.

Never used anything but Orange full range rx and remote satelite. Cannot fault them.

Personally I love flying alone which I do most days as although we have 55 members not many fly that often. Wind of 15mph and I can guarantee no one will be there.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Homebase, generaly available in one or two meter lengths planed and finished. Look through the stock for straight peices with good straight grain.

I have looked around other sites and similar batteries are avilable but at around £10 extra per battery. It's still slightly cheaper to import from Hong Kong but I am not desperate and maybe I wll hang on in the hope that Hobby King UK will get them in stock again.

Wanted to order half a dozen of the above to replace some of my older batteries. Only available from Hong Kong. Are these subject to vat and import charge which almost doubles the price when dangerous goods postage applied? Anyone know when Hobby King going to stock them in UK?

No problems with epoxy from pound shop.

Yes John. I can see it will be difficult to hit the trolly without an arrester wire!!!

Thanks John. Will make something similar for my tempest posted on previous page. Was feeling a little apprehensive about tossing it before it's trimed out and I get the throws right.

I would be interested in that as well.

Hi Ted. The wire wheels look really good on early planes. Did you buy them or are they part of the kit?

It was done from three views and photos, Martin. I tend to scale up from three views directly onto Depron. Much of what I do is what as an ex-wooden boatbuilder we would call "wrack of eye". The chin was left fairly square so it should make a good skid for landing and it contains the esc to help with the cg. My planes are not perhaps true scale, but they do tend to fly well. Sorry there are no build pictures. I get so absorbed in building I don't really think about such things. The plans are in my head and I tend to make it up as I go along. Flying weight is a bit under 1.4 kilo. 35/36 1400kv motor. 3 cell 2200 lipo. It should be quick and agile with the oversize control surfaces. This was my first attempt at vac forming the cockpit canopy as I ususlly build ww1 biplanes.