Roy Thompson

Bobby, welcome to the hobby first off. There are a couple of things I’d add to what’s been said here. First it’s good to known that you’re looking to the future and thinking about doing the “A” cert. If you’ve read the guide you’ll see that once you’ve learned the basics, can takeoff, land, fly circuits and control the model safely, the flying part is not hard. Which only need some basic knowledge to complete the questions. Second if you’re looking for a club, ask them about doing A test. Do they have a people who could train you. Do they have a club examiner. Do they have a program to help their members pass A & B test etc. I fly with a club that does require members to have passed the “A” in order to fly on their own without a qualified pilot next to them. It’s a simple safety thing. Doing this way, we know you’re not going to put yourself of other people at risk, and you will hopefully save a good few pound in not bending models. Good luck

Thanks Kevin and John, the lowboy does have the look. I thought I'd better have a closer look at the model and add some helpful information like span 66 inches. The fuz is built up with longerrons and formers except the bottom which is sheet wood. The wing has 1/4 sq spars top and bottom, the stab is similar. There is a possibility that this is an own design, I have no idea. I added a few extra pic's

Had a look at the Mini Boy and I can see the resemblance but its not it, wings and tail different. The Mini Boy looks to have a sheet tail and not a built up lifting tail, and it also has barn door aileron where my thing has strip ailerons.

Thanks for that, I should have said that the transfer is our club badge, although it has a similar look.

This model was dropped off at our club field last year, along with a host of other bits, by an elderly chap who had been in our club a very long time ago. All the stuff had been sitting in his garage untouched for decades. I’ve since heard from him that he brought this model second hand at a club night in the sports and social club we haven’t used for over 20 years, I think. But from the moment I saw it the name of an equally elderly former member came to mind, and indeed the name he thinks he brought it from was that one in my mind’s eye. I or he don't know what the model is called, or if its from a kit or an own design, so if anyone recognises I would love to know. As you can see from the pictures the model originally had Fleet servos, and the engine is an Enya 35 Super Sport The wing and tail plane both have a flat bottom aerofoil section, which to my eyes looks very vintage. After recommissioning this model has had a couple of good flights, so I just need to know what it’s called?

I can vouch for the 2212 1000KV or 1400KV motors from George’s (4-Max) value packs are an excellent choice for a cox 049 replacement. Just finished the Bowmans Raider 26 with the 1400Kv in place of a black widow. Rich I will sort out the updated drawings for the BMAC Easy Glide 1600, as soon as I have a chance.

Thats a good question that I can’t answer, the two motors that form the base were less than £100 each and all the other materials could have only been another £200 tops. The main cost would have been my time, machining up all the parts, assembling and testing, excluding the cost of the tools in my workshop. On the other hand the power output of mine are only half that and running 4S. If I’m remembering correctly the RPM is in the realm’s of 8,000 spinning Ramosa 3 blade Vario Props 13 1/2 inch dia.

Today I flew the Raider again today and finally we seem to have fixed the lack of pace that’s been dogging it. In my works shop the other day, I was contemplating what to do about the lack of pace, change the motor, go up to 4S, different props etc. At the same time I was fitting out another model with a brand new ESC, which needed calibrating. That’s when the penny dropped! Had I ever calibrated the ESC? Well apparently not, but we have now and what a difference it’s made. I can only assume that up till now it only been running up to about 75% of its potential. Today the Raider was a different model, not blistering fast but certainly fast enough for me, with enough power to go vertical and grove around do split 8’s with out fear of it running out of steam. So after all this the 2212 1400kv motor and 8X6 prop works just fine.

Been there got the T shirt. 😀 The trouble with building and maintaining a contra system is, it becomes a project in its own right.

Not anywhere on the same scale as the Bowman's magister, but this has been my latest fix up, or you could call it a recommissioning. This model was dropped off at our club field last year, along with a host of other bits, by an elderly chap who had been a club member once a very long time ago. All this stuff had been sitting in his garage untouched for decades. I’ve since heard from him that he brought it second hand at a club night in the sports and social club we haven’t used for over 20 years, I think. But from the moment I saw it the name of an equally elderly former member came to mind, and indeed he one of the name he thinks he brought it from was that one in my mind’s eye. I or he don't know what it is called, or if it could be from a kit or an own design, so if anyone recognises I would love to know. As you can see from the before pictures the model still had its classic Fleet servos, and the engine, an Enya 35 Super Sport was locked up solid and the fuel system all looking very green. The covering is nylon and all in very good condition, including the club badge, so a once over with some detergent was all that needed. The wing and tail plane both have a flat bottom aerofoil section, which looks very vintage. As for the recommissioning, all that’s been needed is to strip out all the gear, fuel system and engine. The engine had a couple of days laying in a bath of clean old fuel to free it up, before a good clean with a stiff brush. The fuel system, tank and carb was all strip down given a good clean up, before reassembled and refitting. As for the fleet servos they were all replaced with Futaba FP-S-148 from my spares box stock, all bar the throttle that was tested given a new plug and put back. Having reassembled everything back in its place and added a new radio and battery, it was soon ready to give it ago. The engine didn’t take much to get running and retune, and it still has its original glow plug. Being unsure about if this model has flown before and or where the CG should be, I added some extra weight to the nose to be on the safe side. After a few aborted attempts to get it airborne, with it nosing over, we finally got it in the air. It was then apparent that I’d been overly courses with full up trim and up some up elevator needed for level flight. For the second outing the extra weight was removed, which solved the nosing over and greatly improved the trim, although there is still a noticeable amount of up trim on the elevator. Having had three flights, I can say it flies OK, and I’ve tried bit basic aerobatics rolls, loops etc. cuts It also has a very good glide when the motor cuts. Still some work to be done to sort out the up trim, I will try moving the CG a little further aft, but I’m wondering if the incidence may also be a little off. I haven’t put a gage on it yet.

Didn't think of that. Maybe next time.

The latest addition to the Bowman fleet the Raider 26 is done and dusted, for a small model it taken me forever to pull finger out and finish. Today I had Raider out, and I took my camera with me and talked a club mate into taking the transmitter allowing me to work the camera. I pleased to say it worked well and now I’ve some nice photos.

Today I had my Bowman Raider 26 out again, this time I’ve took my camera with me and talked a club mate into taking the transmitter allowing me to work the camera. I pleased to say it worked well and now I’ve some nice photos.

Today I had Raider out again, this time I’ve took my camera with me and talked a club mate into taking the transmitter allowing me to work the camera. I pleased to say it worked well and now I’ve some nice photos.

Yesterday, we flew the Raider again with the 2212-1400kv motor with a GWS 8x6 prop. This seems to be a good fit, still not overly fast but has enough power to get away safely, and do basic aero's. Considering how short coupled, this model is, it's remarkably stable in both pitch and roll. The wind yesterday was around 10 MPH, gusting to around 14MPH, and the Raider coupes with it OK.

Tried the 2212-2200kv motor yesterday, it didn’t cut the mustard, all noise and no go. It ambled round at full throttle just on the edge of flight. I kind of thought this motor was going to be too big a jump and so it was. Next step we will swap it the motor again this time for a 2212-1400kv and an 8x4 prop. Hopefully this time we will find the happy middle ground.

A couple of weeks ago despite the cold my Bowman Raider 26 had her first 2 successful flights. The maiden went well if a little pitch happy, the CofG may have been little aft. Second flights I moved the battery forward an inch so the CofG was definitely a tad forward of the mark. This calmed her down nicely. Control throws as per the 80's instructions are spot on, which is fortunate as I've not set up any rates. I suppose if they were right back then, they still are today. AOW 590g This is the latest of my conversations of old Bowman kits to electric with a simple 3S setup. Since this flight flight I have changed the motor to a 2212 2200kv motor taking some weight out of the nose allowing the battery to come forward to where it can be fitted from the hatch without taking the wings off. AOW now 545g

After the Raiders Maiden a couple of weeks ago, I’ve decided using what I’ve learned from that day to do a few modifications. Much to my surprise when I first assembled this model it was very nose heavy, and to get the balance for the first flight I needed place the battery a long way down the fuselage and move the electrics back as far as I could and 10g’s of wight stuck under the tail. This also meant moving the aileron servo back to allow for the battery. The downside of all this was to change or plug in the battery the wing has to come off every time. Now I know it flys very nicely, I’m happy to invest some more time and effort into setting it up better and hopefully getting some more speed out of her. So I’ve bitten the bullet and gone for a motor change to a 2212-2200KV with a 6x3.5 prop. This has made a big improvement to the balance taking a noticeable amount of weight out (Ill put the old motor on the scales at some point to see how much), it also means the 10g’s has gone from under the tail and the battery is now right up behind F2. In total the model is now some 45g lighter overall, but more importantly the weight is better placed. AOW 545g The other advantages of all this is that by opening up the cut out in F2, I can now fit the battery from the hatch as I had intended in the first place, so hopefully no more taking the wings off. Now it’s back to waiting on the weather to give it another go.

Today despite the cold the Raider had her first 2 successful flights. The maiden went well if a little pitch happy, the CofG may have been little aft. Second flights I moved the battery forward an inch so the CofG was definitely a tad forward of the mark. This calmed her down nicely. Control throws as per the 80's instructions are spot on, which is fortunate as I've not set up any rates. I suppose if they were right back then, they still are today. Only thing I could experiment with is the prop, to get a bit more speed out of her. Using an 8X6e she has plenty of pull but not overly quick.

Big push to finish off projects before the end of the year, the Raider being one. Yesterday I finished doing the union flags decals for the wing and just a couple of roundels to go, the decals are not perfect but will do for now. All thats left is to add the receiver, setup the radio work out where to sit the battery for the CG, and we are good to go. Then come the new year just got to wait for the weather and an opportunity to give her a go. BOWMAN MODELS RAIDER 26.pdf

My skill as a pilot!😞 Moved all my models out of my workshop in to storage to do some building work earlier this year. As I carefully (I thought) lowered a wing out of the roof storage rack, it accidentally dislodged the wing above it. As the wing began to fall, I released one hand from the wing I was holding to try and grab it. The wing I was holding then started to drop through an arc around my remaining handhold, hitting the steps I was standing on, removing the wing tip and splitting the aileron. My freehand now grabbed the second wing, fingers going through wing sheeting, this then also fell in an arc hitting the steps with more momentum than the first braking the spar. And I thought the models would be safer well away from the builders

Hi Lonut, looks like an interesting project. Could be what I’m looking for to design/build a balsa wing to replace an old foam core wing. when I have a moment I’ll have a proper look.

It’s funny how everyone is different, must be the way our brains are wired. I tried FreeCad and TinkerCad before settling on F360, I couldn’t get my head around the other, but my friends in the US will only use Tinker Cad and he makes amazing models with it. Either way it’s a long learning curve.

Look Forward to seeing your contra in action.

As it's wet and cold outside, time to do a little more to this. Changed the black and white aileron to white and black. Then started working out the graphics for the wing, that's another hole in the cornflakes packet. Note ot self, Next time I have a bright idea about a colour scheme, KISS. Hope this thing going to fly.