Christopher Wolfe

Sometimes I have wondered that if a Woodruff key was extended to include driving a slotted prop washer (the one under the nut) that could be locked to the crankshaft then the tendency to unscrew a prop nut could be alleviated 😶 * Chris *

Would that include every mobile phone on the planet as a drone with a camera is basically a flying mobile phone. 😶

I am in Australia and use this great company Planscan. Brilliant results getting my own designs scanned to a USB stick and printing plans up to 1.5m wide. OK, not they're not of much use to you in the UK, but I suggest that if you can find a similar company that print plans for builders and architects then you might get a good result.

Many mobile phones use WiFi. The original WiFi band (most popular) was 2.4GHz so if your mobile phone has WiFi enabled then it might just be pinging the band for a signal. I am not sure if this affects modern r/c systems but it may be worth consideration if your mobile phone is in close proximity to your r/c equipment. * chris *

A follow up regarding why I like to build over kitchen baking paper. 24 hours ago I stuck four pieces of scrap balsa (approx 1/2" wide) to some kitchen baking paper and today I visited the workshop to investigate the results. Here are 'before' and 'after' photos. 1. The Superphatic joint fell apart under the weight of the paper when I picked up the stick. 2. C23 balsa cement joint required just a gentle tug to separate. 3. The cyanoacrylate joint required careful peeling away of the paper and left surface marks on the paper but it did separate. 4. The 5 minute Araldite joint peeled apart easily. 5. The (toothpick) epoxy mixing stick separated easily from it's scrap of kitchen paper.

I have been using kitchen baking paper for years. Glad Bake It's slightly opaque but easy to see plan details through and best of all, nothing sticks to it, indeed, I use off-cuts to mix epoxy on and can actually peel of the dried residue and re-use the scrap of paper if feeling a bit parsimonious 🙃 Hopefully you can find something similar in the U.K.

Yes, a project. Linear screw jack servos seem to fit the requirements for the U/C, servo speed is not a real issue. For more info about this quite interesting design then this plan is a start (and it fly's sweetly) https://outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=807 . * Chris *

I realise that they are little bit expensive and that I can easily fit a standard servo inside the wing but I have another project in mind, screw-jack retracts for a scale model of a Loening OL-9 Loening Amphibian) which had hand operated retracts so wish to experiment with these servos as the ability to slow the servos is appealing although scale judges may be annoyed, second lap, still retracting - a bit like an Avro Anson. Mighty Barnstormer is just a test bed, it's big, very stable, does not really need the flaps and it flies slow and steady, even if one lets go of the sticks 🙃

I am contemplating adding flaps for take off and landing to a Mighty Barnstormer (on floats) and contemplating using a linear servo as the actuator because it can be hidden inside the wing structure, end points and speed are adjustable (and that's how the big boys do it) 🙃 I found a source of such servos servocity linear actuators and and got thinking that some of the available products might also be ideal for retracts if a scale speed, non-symmetrical retracting start point (WWII fighter typical) and selectable end point servo might come in handy. I know they are not the cheapest option and still wondering how to calculate the drag of a flap in Newtons. So I am asking if any of the forum members have practical experience of using such linear servos (as opposed to linear actuators) do they have any tips? Thanks in advance * Chris *

To ban the use of the Swastika is a denial of history. Very bad things happened under this symbol and I can understand why some people can get emotional at the sight of this symbol, but then, if modern thinking is denial then we risk sinking to the same level of the people who misused this ancient symbol for their own nefarious purposes. We cannot rewrite history and indeed, we owe it to our descendants to preserve it (warts and all) so that they may (hopefully) learn from it. It may be more productive to educate our peers and successors regarding the swastika so that they may have a better understanding of the history of our world in the 20th century. I actually have a few models of WWII German aircraft and for historical accuracy, they indeed include a swastika on the tailfin. My mother was English and my father was a WWII RAF (Polish) bomber pilot and I am sure that they would have no issues with my building such models. On the other hand, I have ZERO TOLERANCE for idiots that mis-use this symbol to promote their own (warped) idealistic fantasies. A neo-nazi has just been arrested at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra for being an idiot on this most sacred day in Australia and New Zealand. ANZAC Day. * chris *

"those look like a neat solution, but I'd worry if after a few pull-outs the ply base would start to bruise and loosen...? I've got enough depth in the existing torque-leg block to use a pair of threaded inserts for M4 nylons". Use a thin steel washer under the insert head to protect the plywood 🙃

These nylon anchors are available online and great for mounting a dural undercarriage. They are typically used to attach rubber feet to a PC case and they are cheap, will give way in a whoopsie and are easily replaced 🙃

I wondered why you posted this but then I wonder why I actually replied 😶

Well done Timo. I have been following this thread with interest as you use many of my own preferred techniques to build a strong and decent flying model in repeatable quantities. I used to build and fly pylon racers (1/2A, Quarter Midget and FAI) so when I look at your building techniques and photos it makes me think, If only I had a decent laser cutter back then 🙂 Keep up the good work and thank you for sharing your builds. * Chris* (in Australia)

If slow run needles are so finicky that they require such tiny adjustments then why don't the manufacturers use a finer screw thread? I can remember back to the days when my Cox Tee-Dee engines were transformed to easily tuned engines when fitted with a KK (Kustom Kraftmanship) 128TPI needle valve carburettor assembly.

A Radio Queen might be a simple build for a traditional aeromodeller but for an ARF assembler or a for a foamie RTF flyer it might be a bridge too far. The is a noticeable difference nowadays between an aeromodeller and a model flyer. *Chris *

From Australia. The truck tyres cost as much as a small ute 🙃

Nothing like flying a control line team race model with a potent 2.5cc model diesel engine in a competitive model. Tactical flying and pit stops (re-fuelling, flicking and re-launching) are just part of the challenge and the history of this classic event. What would the modern equivalent be? How fast can a pitman change a battery? I don't think that it will catch on 😞

Also be aware that fake SD cards are readily available so beware if buying online as your cheap bargain might be a nasty surprise when actually put in use Spotting counterfeit SD Cards. 🙃

Regarding this saga. We have been 'Tasting the sky' for two years now. I know we're not in Kansas anymore but it does seem like a long time to learn how to fly a basic ARF foamie model 😶

Washin - washout Over the years I have found that some wings are prone to warping due to the (flawed) fundamental design of the spar arrangement. Unbalanced spar configurations combined with poor structural rib alignment (non-geodetic) are a recipe for warping that no covering can compensate for. IMHO trying to correct structural defects by relying on covering tension is a waste of time and unless one is faithfully following a vintage plan for competition purposes then it might be a good idea to modify the wing structure to balance the stresses. A 'D' box is a good start * Chris *

I know it's a bit late but I can say from experience that BMJR kits are of the highest quality and fly well BMJR NJAPF II. I have a BMJR 'NJAPF' and also the BMJR 'Tail Firster' P-30 canard is an excellent flyer and competitive in P-30 events. * Chris *