David Davis 2

The number on my BE2e is on the fuselage, below the tailplane.

PS. In my view a Laser 75 would be too big and powerful for a Southerner Major. My Big Guff is a foot bigger in the wingspan, has a fully sheeted fuselage and weighs eight pounds. It is powered by a Laser 62 and it cruises about at half throttle. An OS 48 Surpass would fly it I'm sure. Diacov/Diatex is an option if you want an iron-on material but it's quite pricey and only available in an unbleached linen colour.

Thank you for all of the replies gentlemen, you've convinced me to go for tissue over doculam on both models. I've already got several metres of doculam but I've only used it on test panels so far and I've used it with cellulose dope as the adhesive. What are the pros and cons of using WBPU varnish and cellulose dope? Bear in mind that both models will be using i/c engines.

Have you seen any of the videos?

The prototype was originally flown on a Micron 19 two stroke glow. With such an engine you'd have a nice basic trainer. Maybe even a 15 would power it. I expect that the model would weigh 3-3.5lbs so an electric set up producing 225-275 watts should fly it nicely. In La Coupe we over-power the models enormously. The maximum sized two stroke is a 35, the maximum sized four stroke is a 56 and the maximum power permitted for an electric motor is a whopping 825 watts! They have tightened up on the rules concerning electric motors in recent years. Currently the maximum sized battery permitted is a 6000mAh 4S and propellers are limited to a maximum of 13 inches in diameter. I am currently running an OS 52 Surpass but I've just bought a Laser 50 which I plan to use next year. It will not be as competitive as the OS and it's much heavier so I'll have to build an new aeroplane with a shorter nose but it will be fine to have a British engine in a Baron with British markings flown by a British pilot! There's another Englishman who plans to fly in the competition next year with a Baron powered by a Merco 35!

I must admit that my head has been turned but it's a more complicated build than the Dr1. At the moment my work benches are occupied by Frans' Radio Queen and the Galaxy Mystic. Once they and the Auster are out of the way I should start on the Dr1.

Despite having three models in build, two to repair and five unopened kits on my shelf I find the prospect of buying and building a Dancing Wings Albatros DIII rather alluring. They did paint those DIIIs in such pretty colours didn't they! The model has an 1800mm wingspan, weighs five kilogrammes, and the recommended engine size is 20-30cc. This seems like overkill to me. Has anybody built one of these models? Does anybody think that a 90 four stroke would power it?

Shame you never got to see the Cessna in the air DD, you made a fine job of it.

The weather forecast down south looks like Gotterdamerung this weekend. Consequently the organisers have postponed the event to some unspecified date in September.

I have been promised a beautifully built standard Baron wing which I could fit to the Ukrainian Baron, which crashed last week, and use that as a test bed for the Laser. The existing owner has built another wing with ailerons for his Baron. I have modified both of my Barons by using basswood for the longerons and of course my OS 52 FS Surpass is heavier than the OS 35 AX which is the engine of choice for those who hope to win La Coupe Des Barons. Of course, the use of basswood for the longerons makes the model heavier than standard. That said, the Ukrainian Baron went in last week and broke the wing but the fuselage survived and the British one crashed from height during last year's competition with the same result. I fear that the extra weight of the Laser may make the Baron a poor flyer in which case I'll stick with the OS. Sopwith Pup anyone?

I have been practicing every day this week and now have the engine and model sorted out. I have tried various props ranging from a 12x6 to a 10x8 but I can't say that I've noticed much difference in the performance of the model. Essentially there are two slow speed and two high speed events in La Coupe Des Barons and I was hoping that a change of propeller would make a discernible difference but that does not seem to be the case so I'll stick with a 12x6 or 11x7. I'm very impressed by the OS 52 FS Surpass. After fiddling about with push-rod lengths, carburettor adjustments and transmitter settings I now have a very slow tick over, excellent transition and plenty of revs at WOT, mind you, I am using 16% nitro fuel. I have also mixed in some down elevator at 75%-100% WOT. If anything there's a little too much because I have to hold in a little up elevator at maximum speed but I find this a bit easier than pushing in down elevator, the Baron has a Clark Y wing section remember. However, it nearly caught me out on the first take off after I'd set the elevator-throttle mix. I took off, moved the elevator stick to the neutral position and pushed the throttle stick to its maximum position. Suddenly the nose dipped! The model had not attained maximum speed of course and suddenly it was getting a down elevator signal! Oh how we laughed but I held it, throttled back a bit and the model climbed away. I'm really looking forward to this year's Coupe. I have a busy day in prospect because I am singing in and compering an Open Mic night this evening. So far there are eight acts that want to perform. I may fit a new cowling to the Baron and give it a test flight tomorrow but I don't think I'll go flying today. PS. Jonathan Harper has advised me that the new larger silencers are less restrictive than the old silencers fitted to the Laser 50s and 75s. That's good! I hate noisy engines.

Maybe the title on the box is a printing error. Images of the BE2a and the Be12a below for clarification.

Good morning Pete and welcome from me too. If you join a club they frequently have a club trainer with linked transmitters, a so-called buddy box system, which you could use to learn the basics of r/c flight before transitioning on to your Ranger.

Dunno. I won't be doing much inverted flying in La Coupe!

We have a club mower which stays in the chairman's private garage. When we need to cut the grass an email is sent out asking for volunteers to cut the grass with their own mowers. Usually 4-6 members turn up and with the club's mower as well, the job gets done in less than two hours. Everybody leaves with full petrol tanks.