John Manning

Hi Danny, I'll see what I can do you for. Craig and I have identified some problem areas around the tail so I shall be doing a good look at that area. I don't know how succesful Craig has been with straightening his elevator problem. I have just sketched out making hollow elevators in a similar fashion to the other control surfaces. I hope that this will enable a small trimming screw to be fitted to make any adjustments. I was hoping to have a go at the Luton from the September issue, but said copy has vanished from the Manning household! I'll be back after the weekend Regards John

Hi Craig, The photos of the unitracts retracs don't look like models of the originals.  Please let me know what you think. The mossie site has a range of photos from all the surviving examples around the world. Including some piccies of the canon and machine guns out of their housings.  I have also picked up a photo of a fin with a large gap under the rudder, like palm width! I'll make notes of your requests list, some overlaps with mine.  I'll check out the canopy as my plans (Brian Taylor 71" spans) are for the fighter bomber. Traplet publications like RCM&E hold a range of mouldings for their plans.  Kelvin Shacklock's book "Learn to make models that fly" has instructions for DIY plastic canopies. On my plans only 15mm of the canon is visible, however i have 45mm of bren gun out the front! I hope some one can tell us how to swap e-mail addresses then we can keep in touch without cluttering forum. regards John.

Hi Craig, Glad to read that you are having fun with the Mossie build.  Have you been to the Mossie web site? www.mossie.org. Lots of pictures and other stuff? I am going to York air museum on Sunday 22nd August and I have permission from the aircraft owner to photograph and measure the Mosquito that is there. Are there any details that you would like clarifying? I am measuring the undercarriage as I don't think the plans I have are true scale. They look more functional. Regards John M

Thanks to you both.  It was Hobby lobby as Pete suggested.  I agree with Pete about the sturdiness of the prop.  Brian's suggestion is a new site to me, but the props look much more up to the job. I'll have a look at the Ramoser Vario as well.  The 71" Mossie comes out at 11 to 12 pounds so will need a couple of 600/700 watt motors which may be too much for the Hobby lobby props. Many thanks to you both. John M

Hi, A few weeks ago as I was researching parts for my 71" Mossie project I came across a mention of adjustable pitch propellers.  These are available from America, they are presettable, not variable pitch in the true sense.  They would fulfil my needs, but I cannot re-discover the thread.  The American site also had wheels with the correct tread pattern on.  Rediscovering it would be very useful. I could then put it in "favourites" and in my build log book. Any ideas? John M.

Wow, Wonderfull replies.  Thanks to WLFK, and others. Lots of usefull info.  many thanks.  I must get some dark tan polish to repair the leather chair/ bladecx2 colision zone. John M

I have a Trex450 clone kit,  It's missing some essential bits. Question is, how neer a Trex 450 is it?  Then I can use the align motors etc.   If you are moving from contra rotators to conventional, go for cheap all up. eg twister v2. Support your LMS and buy what they have spares for.   Get out and Fly ,  John M

Well Fred, it's some time since you finished your mamouth project.  An excelent thread showing a superb modellers masterpiece.  An inspiration to us all.   John M

Phil, Part of your quest is like one of mine.  Did you go to the BMFA Nats at Barkston Heath over the August bank holiday?   One of the trade stands was selling a range of laser cut kits, including trainers. All these kits were available in a range of sizes. Did I note the stall holders name?   Of course not!  now I'm stuck as the kits get around the transfer to wood problems with plans.  If you really want plans then they are available from this site. Best of luck, John M

Hi Pat, Did you know that you can buy transfer or decal paper/film forprinters.  Also available are transparent labelsfor printers.  Be careful because inkject ink iswater soluble and runs off the print !!   Fonts are not too much of a problem unless you need a specific font for a scale craft. Windows comes with a lot and there are several shareware libraries available. My question about covering, concerns covering EPP.  What is the name of a self adhesive film tat would do as a top coat for a flying wing. Regards John m.

Thanks Alan, you don't mention which office so I presume it's BMFA. I am going on to their website later. Cheers John M

Just goes to show that the weather is very mixed in this island home of ours. If my helis were charged I could have flown them this morning as it was flat calm but no sun.  Those that did fly, great keep it up.   Those that unfortunaly missjudged and suffered "Controlled Flight Into Terrain"  (CFIT) will have found the soggy ground still not a good place to arrive at at speed!! Get out and Fly John M

Just in case anyone is still reading about the Nats, Two questions, has anyone got a map of the trade stands so that I can pinpoint the trader I am after? (I want to buy something, a helicopter kit in bits, all lovely nuts bolts and things to drop on the workshop floor)  Although I can find this trader from a map,  The one selling oudles of balsa kits, many of them in various sizes might take a bit more tracking down. Unless the young man that I was talking to about the kits and their associated forum web-site is reading this!   The second qestion, who organised the fantastic weather!!! two years in a row on bank holiday!!  Fantastic. Many thanks to the organisers for a great day out. John M

Thanks Jeff.  Your comment about RTF and actuality is very true. Just because the box says "flight tested" it dosn't mean you can fly it!  Somebody mentioned Radd and his instructions, very good they are and express the sentiment of a gradual build up.  After Nine battery charges my twister V2 is still in one peice, it hasn't flown. I have learnt a lot.  I note that Flanker has discovered the helicopter to valued possesion attraction.  This is something else that newbies don't realize, again pointers in the aticle could allay peoples worries about the ease or otherwise of flying helicopters.  Just get out and fly! regards JohnM.

I must share your dissapointment and frustration. As a new newbie with a twister v2 and now a Blade Cx2 i thought we were going to get help on Building from a readily available kit.  There are not many heli kits about.  Most helis seem to be pre assembled in some way.  £169 for a kit is a lot of dosh,  I accept that, as a newcomer, other things like radio gear will be needed.  But I can buy several ready built machines complete with yet more transmitters for the same price.  Big difference is that they are availlable.  The swift as a kit of parts, rather than a kit of assemblies seems immpossible to get. Perhaps I should have purchased the X400 as a kit for £80 odd at the Nats. On a more positive note, the weather in Nottinghamshire today was perfect for small electric aircraft.  My Blade actually flew with some sort of control!!!!  Fantastic, Get out and fly,  Regards John M.

Go Fetch!!