Trevor Crook

Daniel, I got my father-in-law to build my SE5 structure, I did the covering and installation. I don't remember him having problems with the formers, I'll see if I can find the plan to remind myself what is shown! Both clubs I am in are 90% electric power, I ditched the oily stuff about 10 years ago. For traditional "club" sized models I find electric power to have far more advantages than downsides, unless operating a model engine is part of the hobby for you. I like to just get on and fly!

We had a new boiler fitted last year, with a wireless thermostat/programmer. It's a Worcester Bosch, and although it takes a while to set up, I found it quite straightforward once I had studied the manual. Unlike the old one, everything is set by the control in the hall - no diving in the boiler cupboard to set the timer. Replacing the 25 year old boiler with a modern one has reduced our gas bill by 30% and the house is warmer, but I bet it doesn't last 25 years! Still, it has a 10 year warranty.

If it's any encouragement, Daniel, my SE5A was built from the kit plan. I had the kit many years ago and it flew well on an OS40 Surpass. It got sold on but I kept the plan, which was used a few years ago to build an electric version. This flies just as well as the original on a 3s setup.

Ian, my view is that what you are proposing will not greatly affect the useful life of your batteries. Sure, in an ideal world you would always balance charge them at 1C maximum, but as Chris points out above, you are giving them a fairly easy life in the way you use them, which works in your favour.

Indeed. The last 20 years I worked involved a 45 minute drive at each end of the day, and many travelled further than me, but that was a five day, 37 hour week so not so bad only doing an 8 hour (including lunch half hour) day. Best to give it a go, I'd say, and get a bit more into your pension pot. You are starting at the grimmest time of year for travelling, it won't seem so bad in the spring.

Yes, the Rx initially goes to the failsafe position, re-bind it as Nick describes.

If I could get one of these, I would try one of the FMS fans of appropriate size. Very impressed with the sound and thrust of the 3s 50mm unit in my TN Provost.

There's a full list of the 4-Max bits in their ad opposite the last page of the build article (p.31).

Cliff, very sorry to hear your news, I went through redundancy a couple of times and it almost happened to me when I was 60, but managed to transfer to another part of the company and worked on for a couple more years until I retired at a time of my choosing. I was fortunate enough to have accrued a decent pension pot, and I lived solely on drawdown from this (having converted it to a SIPP) until this year when my state pension kicked in. I took the 25% tax free lump sum to have some cash savings behind me, fortunately I was mortgage free otherwise I would have used that to pay it off. If you have to go this route (and it doesn't sound as if you want to yet) it's vital to find a good independent financial advisor - they cost money but I've been very happy with the package my man guided me to. Of course, if you do start drawing a pension there is nothing to stop you working if something comes up. The very best of luck in sorting something out, we will all be rooting for you.

I also found the Turnigy heavy duty 2200s worked well in my Vampire. RapidRC have them in stock: https://www.rapidrcmodels.com/turnigy-heavy-duty-2200mah-4s-60c-lipo-pack-4248-p.asp Matty's advice on the u/c is sound, but I kept mine on as I enjoy the take-off and landing parts of a flight, although fairly smooth grass is important for this model. I only ever had problems with the nose gear, had to beef up the mount area with some timber! Re your original problem, I'd agree that the batteries are almost certainly the culprit. This could be confirmed with a cell checker plugged onto the balance connector when the motor is spooled up.

In recent years I've only attended Wings and Wheels and the Nationals, and I'll be happy to go to them next year if they are on. Hopefully the latter is late enough in the summer for some progress to have been made with suppressing this virus.

Yes, until recently I used a lot of expo (30%) on elevator for take-off and landing to help keep the tail down, but reduce sensitivity around neutral. However, I found I kept getting the landing flair wrong, and decided it was due to the non-linear response of the expo. I tried reducing it to 20%, and that works much better for me so I've left it at that. Good points made about the torque as well. The Avios Spit is putting more than 1kW through a scale 3-blade prop which has lots of torque reaction potential. It has power to spare, so all my take-offs are at half throttle which keeps things pretty straight. As said, Spits never use take-off flap anyway, but leaving the flaps up on any warbird should mean it lifts off at a higher airspeed, so the aerodynamic surfaces have more of a chance of keeping things straight.

These warbirds can be tricky! If the model is prone to tip stall, it's probably unwise to move the cg back any more. It sounds as if you are doing everything right with your elevator and throttle handling, so I would try Matty's suggestion of taking off without flap. I've seen warbirds be more prone to nose-overs if taxied with the flaps down. I use the flapless takeoff technique with my 1450mm Avios Spitfire and my 1400mm FMS 109, and that works fine. These models are quite resistant to noseovers though, P47s seem particularly susceptible..

That's a coincidence, I also have a Chiltern Models Tucano! I picked it up at a club auction in part kit form some years ago. It's a great flier with a 500W 4s leccy setup. A bit nose heavy, but that stops it tip stalling. I also had the Provost many years ago, and that tip stalled like a good-un!

Another vote for YEP escs, haven't checked whether HK have them in stock at present. Worth looking at one of the YouTube videos on using the programming card.

Unfortunately I've forgotten how to embed a video in a post! Edited By Trevor Crook on 20/08/2020 08:01:23

Here you go. I even got away with a bouncy landing! https://youtu.be/lHLe5v_PzxQ

I had one of these until recently, but unfortunately haven't got any spares. I never found it particularly prone to tip stall, so perhaps your c of g is a bit rearward. The forward rake of the u/c means it is less prone to nosing over than some warbirds. However, take-offs can be tricky as it is very prone to swing to the left. I had a couple of cartwheels when it swung left and lifted off too soon. I think the problem is caused by that big scale prop providing a lot of torque reaction, especially if flown with a 4s pack, which mine was. My take off method was:- No flap. No more than half throttle. Be ready with right rudder. I'll try to post a link to a video of my one flying. I only sold it to make space for an FMS 1400mm 109, which is a pussycat by comparison!

An anti-foaming trick I remember from my glow flying days is a couple of squirts of car dashboard cleaner in a gallon. I used to use stuff called Armor All. Contains silicon like furniture polish. As suggested, try to get everything as balanced as possible.

Duplicate post deleted. Edited By Trevor Crook on 13/08/2020 22:37:50

Tony, I had the Starmax Panther and it was a great little machine. Freewing still do one very similar, for a similar price allowing for several years of inflation. https://www.motionrc.eu/products/freewing-f9f-panther-64mm-edf-jet-pnp I don't know if the Vampire you had in mind was the Durafly one. I also had one of those, a great little machine, and still available. https://hobbyking.com/en_us/durafly-vampire-rcaf-70mm-pnf.html I think both of these still fit the affordable description. Go on, treat yourself!

Bought a Pheonix MP Chipmunk to build during peak lockdown, cost around £150 with motor, etc, servos etc. Having finished and flown that, bought an FMS BF109 because I fancied one, and flying had started again. That was about £280. I also spent about £30 on a couple of high C lipos for my TN Provost. I recouped £160 by selling a couple of other models to make room, so net spend so far this year is about £300, and that will probably be it apart from a few odds and ends, and some wood for a winter project.

Barry, point taken about being careful where it goes as it's known to attack some rubbers and plastics. My wife's car key buttons had got very intermittent, and having been told of its switch cleaning properties I thought nothing to lose. I probably got the stuff all over the little circuit board, but it fixed the problem and 2 years later it's still fixed. Just because I got away with it doesn't mean it's harmless though. It really does help removing old silicone, but obviously a thorough degrease is needed before applying fresh stuff.

It helps remove old silicone sealant from around the bath. It works as a switch cleaner.

Martin, I believe David's son stated on the program that it was his father's prototype.