[Galaxy Magician builders]

No need to apologise for not liking the mod, Lee - we've all got different tastes, and that rearward canopy does give the model a unique look. In fact, people have said my version looks like a taildragger Gangster. I like it though, and I tell myself it must improve the knife-edge!

 

As for how it was done Andrew, I just made a new half former to sit at the back of the revised cockpit position, reduced the length of the forward top decking, and made new rear decking from material I had to hand. The cockpit moulding is flexible enough to fit the slightly wider top deck. The undercarriage mod is fairly obvious from the photo, the wire goes up into drilled blocks glued to the sides and former. This mod is well worth doing.

[SE5a I/C to electric]

Here are some pics of mine:

 

[Galaxy Magician builders]

Thanks, Tim. I think I worked it out when I clicked on the "Album" tab. Let's try:

This shows the cockpit moved forward

Above is my U/C mod - only just noticed my untidy cooling duct!

Battery bay - 3000 3s installed, but there's room for a 4s if I want more urge.

Head on view showing sleek nose - no glow protrusions like its predecessor in the 80's!

 

[Galaxy Magician builders]

Right, I'll try my first post with attachments!

Ah, it seems I need to create an album somehow. I'll find out how to do that, then try again.

[Galaxy Magician builders]

Sorry guys that asked for piccies of mine - only just looked at this thread again. Haven't any phots yet but I'll take sone and post them.

[SE5a I/C to electric]

Mine has a modest 400W setup, and flies as well as one I had 20-odd years ago with an OS40 4-stroke. The motor is a 900kV unit (E-Max I think) from Giant Cod, rated at 50A and turning a 11x7 prop. I've used a cheapie GC ESC rated at 60A, with a NiMH for the radio in case this smokes - it was only about £12! No problems so far though. Lipo, again from GC is a 3s 3000mAh Loong Max Tipple.

Performance with this set-up is very scale, ample for easy take-offs and half throttle cruising gives an easy 10 minute duration. We often over-power our models, but this aircraft just wouldn't look right flying like a Pitts!

[Galaxy Magician builders]

Just found this thread! I had a Magician 20-odd years ago and it was a great flier. I decided I fancied a kit after lots of ARTFs so bought another last year. I modded it in the same way as the first one, as follows: the U/C design is rubbish so I glued in a piece of grooved U/C block in the appropriate place, and fitted two torsion bar legs, ie they come up to the fus at the normal angle, then cross it and go up through 90 degrees into blocks. The other mod was to move the cockpit forward using extra balsa decking - I prefer the look.

As I'm all electric now, I fitted a 3s 400W setup, which gives it adequate performance without being ballistic. The battery bay will take a 4s if I want more. It flies a treat and has no vices. With the electric motor the nose is much sleeker, and the ABS cowl is not an issue. It's covered in two colours of Oracover/Profilm.

Highly recommended, but as the RCME review says, the plan and instructions are pretty dire!

[Fleet RC]

I worked part-time for Derek over a long period, but don't know what the situation with the business is since he and Ernie retired and sold it on. It must be very difficult to compete with the far-eastern labour costs, and the economies of scale from a world-wide market, which Fleet never really had.

I still use much of the Fleet gear I still have, and have always found it as reliable as any other. The Omega set gave 10 model memories when the equivalent Futaba FF6 only had 4. The PCM failsafe is also much easier to use than on the FF7, which I also have - the transmitter has a failsafe button which you press while holding the controls as you want them. This is safe and easy while flying. The receiver then remembers that setting. The Futaba failsafe can only be set up on the ground. The FF7 does a lot more, though.

Sadly Derek died last year, and we lost one of British R/Cs true pioneers, who stayed in business longer than any other UK manufacturer.