Nick Somerville
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Everything posted by Nick Somerville
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Yes had abandoned the extra length idea after receiving the plans. Brian’s notes say he didn’t need any ballast to achieve the correct c of g so with the extra weight of the 180 should be fine. There certainly is bags of room up front compared to your Hurricane Jon.
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So after a bit of a frustrating wait my plan pack arrived 10 days ago and a start has been made on The Brian Taylor P47. Nice looking plans on 3 sheets and a decent pile of wood and laser cut time saving parts. Almost a kit, less the hardware. The plan shows an upright Laser 150, but as I have one it will be a Laser 180 going in that will be inverted. Still bags of room at the front to relocate plan shown tank position. I am going to work on the fuselage till its about 60% planked and then make a start on the fin rudder and wings. Electron retracts going in and am considering having a go at making the tailwheel retracts as per the plan, unless someone has a cheap ready made suggestion suitable for a 2 inch wheel.
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Hi Brian, if you pm me with an email address I can send you a bunch of photos showing my take on the sprung uc. I used some cut down Hobby King oleos, cut sections of the kit supplied piano wire gear, a few strips of brass sheet and some thin alu sheet for the fairings.
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Richard, you would never know it was 15 years old from the picture! Looks like new.
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Tommy Walsh says: "Go to Poundland"
Nick Somerville replied to Darrell Woodward's topic in Modelling Money Savers...
On the subject of cheap glue supplies I purchased a couple of bottles of Gorilla Glue from Aldi yesterday whilst on essential shopping trip. One traditional wood glue and the other the brown stuff that requires parts to be dampened before assembling. Comes with plastic gloves so clearly some safety issues. I know it’s been around for some time but have never used it. I am Interested to know what uses in modelling it is best suited to so would appreciate feedback from those who have experience, both good and bad. -
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SLEC / Precedent 1/4 scale Stampe SV4B
Nick Somerville replied to Steve Dunne's topic in Build Blogs and Kit Reviews
Very easy to prime it through the "door". I read that Steve, Grrrr’d and went out to cut a little access that is semi hidden amongst my side louvres. Can now stick a pinky in and prime. It is hinged and sprung to close automatically. Laser engines love a wet start 😀 -
SLEC / Precedent 1/4 scale Stampe SV4B
Nick Somerville replied to Steve Dunne's topic in Build Blogs and Kit Reviews
Btw where did you source the fine looking fella to fill the cockpit? -
SLEC / Precedent 1/4 scale Stampe SV4B
Nick Somerville replied to Steve Dunne's topic in Build Blogs and Kit Reviews
Looks fabulous Steve. Well done. Some lovely scale detailing and I am very envious of the super carb access. Mine is a finger contorting exercise when priming from the exhaust exit hatch. My maiden just before lockdown was with a 18x8 on the Laser 180 but having now fully run the engine in, taxiing around the garden, I have switched to a 20 x 6 in readiness of lockdown release. Was very comfortable flying mine with c of g on upper wing rear bolts. I have no intention of moving it aft. Wishing you the very best when you het to maiden it. -
Well I have read some great build threads this weekend and have decided that the above suggestion for the B Taylor build will best suit me, especially as I already have a laser 180 sitting in an Extra 330 sc, I bought 2nd hand, for the purpose of honing my flying skills. By the time the P47 is built enough to be ready for its engine I can swap it out. i will be aiming for a sport scale model that can be flown regularly and not a B Taylor masterpiece, or like some of the incredible models I have seen in the build threads. With the short noses of warbirds I know that adding considerable weight up front is often needed. Would it be sacrilege to add a few centimetres to the front to help mitigate this?
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Yes I’m registered for the rc scale builder forum so that’s the evening read sorted. I’ll be looking at the B Taylor plan too. As Jon mentioned Belair do specific retracts for the Ziroli build so will have to see what is available for the Taylor P 47
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Well after plenty of thought and helpful advice I have decided on a P47. Ironically the only plastic kit I have had since a boy, given by my son some years back, is a P47 1/72 Revell kit. Been lost at the back of a cupboard and unmade of course. Unless someone has a better suggestion I am going to order a Belair Nick Ziroli plan pack for his 70” sized version that should suit one of my Laser 180’s. He has plans for a larger one but that is well over 12kilos so not very practical. I have looked hard for a 80” p47 as I would like a v twin fourstroke but can’t find a plan pack or wood kit and am not after an artf model. If anyone has experience of this build I would be grateful for any advice. Particularly re which type/make of retracts to choose.
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Thanks for the replies, all very helpful indeed. In answer to Jon's query re my experience....... Well not much really in power as after becoming a fairly competent power flier in the mid 80's I moved on to building large scale gliders. A mixture of 1/4 scale glass ships and plan and scratch built 1/4 scale vintage gliders, which I competed with around the country for 15 years or so. Anything but a well judged landing is not an option with those big gliders, though they don't fly that fast with the airbrakes deployed. Have had a long break from model flying due to being fully absorbed by cross country paragliding but have now rekindled an interest in powered models. I have a Slec 1/4 scale Stampe and a Pilot Extra 330sc, both with laser 180's. Barely flown them much though as prior to the lockdown the weather was pants. So yes the step to flying a warbird will be more of a leap, but by the time I have one built I hope to have polished my landings with the two models I have. I have seen quite a few ESM warbirds listed on the YTinternational.co.uk website. Anyone brought from them?
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With time to twiddle my thumbs a bit this last week I have been thinking about my next build project and somewhat to my own surprise seem to be narrowing towards a warbird. Something to do with watching YouTube videos of models on super sounding fly pasts at low level I guess. So I haven’t built a model with retracting UC before or one with flaps (scale glider aside) so plenty of new things to look forward to. I would prefer a kit with plenty of modelling but I am wondering whether it would just be a cheaper option to buy a proven artf like an ESM warbird. That said its still not going to be cheap as retracts appear to be almost as much as the model. Anyway, cost aside for the time being I would appreciate any suggestions for a first warbird that would suit a 30-40cc four stroke. Also suggestions for suitable retracts. So far a LA7 is on my list.
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Yes please keep posting. Good to see the CAD CNC route in action. I flew to King George Island from Punta Arenas in a King Air 300 some years back. It’s about a 4 1/2 - 5hr flight with the point of no return 10 minutes from the island. A radio call to the Chilean base that operates the landing strip is made 20 minutes prior to eta to check conditions and if too windy to land the plane turns back to Punta Arenas. Thankfully our flight was good to land, otherwise thats nearly 10 hours flying with no toilet on board 😱. The top tip prior to our flight was ‘don’t drink anything until on terra firma’.
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My daughter, a London evacuee, has been rummaging old photo albums and found this photo of my first Stampe. Haven’t found one with the wings on but I suppose it might turn up. Engine was a Laser 150. My son, in the hat, is now 28!
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Forum members' new models: Let's see them.
Nick Somerville replied to Paul Marsh's topic in All Things Model Flying
Slec Stampe recently finished and had two flights last week. Poor thing is going to be grounded for a while. At least the Laser 180 will be perfectly set up and fully run in before it’s next outing -
