Roy Thompson

A sad end true, but not totally unexpected. Let’s hope some of it can be salvaged.

Anyone fancy an unstarted kit? A great little model as we all know

Well, I collected the other magister kit shortly after my last post. So between the two we should have every thing needed to complete a refurbished model. The second incomplete kit will be the part's bird for the first model. The two outer panels are in good condition, but the mid-panel veneer is shot, however. Unfortunately, no plan and none of the wood stock were with it, but most of the hardware was, including untouched cowl and spats. Since then, work has been under way stripping, inspecting and staring on doing the repairs. In the meantime, another Bowman kit has appeared on eBay, so that's been added to the collection. It's a Raider 26 sports model, not one I've come across before, but worth putting together with an electric conversion at some point.

I did wonder if I posted this, how may people would say, “saw that on eBay” or “I was bidding on that!”

Hi all, I just added another Bowman Models kit to the collation, but it’s one I’ve not come across before so just wondering if anyone here knows anything about it. The description I have says “ BOWMAN MODELS “RAIDER 26” 24 inch wingspan balsa kit .15 size or electric conversion. Model is a delta wing with ailerons rudder and elevator.” I hope to find out more when it arrives but, looking at the picture of the plan it an F16 ish, jet style sports model, and it the branding still gives the Ipswich address, so I’m assuming its from towards the end of Bowman’s time. Anyone know a bit about its history, have pictures, know who’s design, or when it came out e.t.c..?

After a copy of the plans for a Dave Banham’s Miles Magister 1 as sold by Bowmans, if anyone if anyone has a copy hidden away.

Been hunting, found some better pic's again not recent, with the wobbly tail before I replaced the aluminium channel. A good model for when the weather a bit naff.

It certainly is, and an excellent engine to boot.

Hi Keith, bit late to this one. Here’s my take on the Duraplane Aerobat 40. Someone gave me an Areobat wing years ago, and I found the instructions for it on the old Tower Hobbies site, and from the pictures reverse engineered the rest. Since this picture was taken I’ve found some better aluminium channel from an old garden table, so the carbon trusses have gone. Cheap and great fun to fly, still comes out every now and then.

My latest maiden, or that should be remaiden as this one had a few. The second MB5 in my fleet, brought from a chap in west London late 90’s, he was part of a club who made a their own fuselage moulds & foam wings for the MB5. This was one of a few models they produced in the 80’s ish, and had been stored in his loft for a good number of years after he’d finished flying it. I converted it from the OS40 to electric soon after, but that maiden didn’t go well (very aft CG!), and the remains lived in my loft until this winter. This time I had to first repair all the damage I’d done before making a better job of the electric conversion. After recalculating, measuring and checking the CG several times, I can report the last maiden went a lot smoother. Overall very pleased with how it flys even if it’s taken me over 20 years!

Love to know how this goes for you Jon, as it was one of the idea’s I thought about for mine and it maybe the way to go on the second wing. Like you, only ever used light cloth on the finish.

Thanks for the info guy's, it helped a lot in making a plan. So I'm thinking to strip the old veneer from the unmade CTR section and replace with poplar, then coat with watered down PVA to seal before finishing. Old wing, I've been experimenting, and it seems to be working OK. 1 open up the crack, 2 wick in glue, 3 clean up, 4 pull the split together with tape, 5 lay bar on top to add pressure to split area, 6 use what's at hand to apply wight, 7 leave it a day. To finish I think I'll sand back to the veneer then glass. Time-consuming but seems to be working even on the larger ones.

Hi Nick, thats where i saw the popular veneer originally. My question is, is it a good alternative for obechi. The website give no information on that, so I assuming it’s maybe but what’s different is it better or worse.

Been looking for a thread on this topic since I found a nice Magister on eBay. I wasn’t sure how best to tackle the delaminating/splitting veneer, repair it or strip and redo over and still open to suggestions. So unsure I was I also picked up a part built kit just for the unmade wing. Unfortunately the ctr section veneer is also completely delaminated, but could be a simpler fix. In the mean time I’ve been experimenting with DM Super Phatic and or Aliphatic resin. Have found that Aliphatic takes notably longer to dry out. Started with the lesser damage on the bottom before attempting to touch the top. A couple of questions, where can you buy sheets of obechi wider than 4 inches and is poplar wood an alternative.

Hi there, I’m in need of a plan and instructions for a Bowman kits Miles Magister for a current project. If anyone has a copy I’d love to get hold of a copy, happy to cover cost of postage - printing. As a collector of Althing Bowman Ill be interested in any old Bowman plans. Thanks

It's been some time since I last posted here, but I have news of a new bowman project, and it's a bit bigger than the last bowman model I rebuilt. First the bad news, the Bowman Hurricane kit is going to wait a bit longer. Good news, The MB5 I was working on is now finished, and another project has replaced the Hurricane at the top of the to-do list. Found on eBay recently not one but 2 Bowman Miles Magisters. One is a complete model in need of TLC, the second is an incomplete, part built kit. The hope is between the two I can put together one very nice example. The model I've already collected, It's bigger than I first imagined! As you can see, its main problem is the delamination on the wings, the kit I will collect later this weekend. Then I will go through both and make a plan on how best to complete the model.

That short, thats there a couple of OZ of lead in the nose.

Hi Barry, a bit late but better late than never. Thank you for sharing the Mini Skyman plans BTW, I used them to build my Skyman last year. A great model for using up off cuts from the scrap box, I added ailerons to the wing, but see turns best by just using the rudder so I will build another standard wing at some point. The brushless motor is one I made from a kit some years ago for indoor flying hid in a 3D printed Cox, it using a 2S 650mAh battery.

Hi Alan, as promised from yesterday. Get George to tell you the story of this aircraft

Don't know the Birdie Ten, I'll look it up, but I do have an MB3 plan of a 15 which would go nicely with the MB5's. Yes he's made a new one, this time in balsa, it's a lovely thing. If they post a picture from yesterday, I'll pop it on here.

She looks fabulous Alan, congratulations on the maiden. They are just so much simple fun aren’t they, I love throwing mine around on high rates and full throttle. I had my new one out today with its third engine, an OS 10Max a SC 15 and now a dirty broken old OS 15LA I picked up cheap on eBay, I’ve spent an enjoyable week stripping, cleaning and doing a small repair to the RNV, not much else to go wrong with these motors. When I had it all back together it started on almost the first flick, and setup in no time. May fit the SC in to a new project. George and Colin were at our place today to maiden George’s new little Bellancer Skyrocket, looked lovely against the low evening sun.

What a lovely afternoon to fly the Spatman with the SC15 for the first time. I can now confirm that a 15 is the motor to have 🙂 Few things still to sort, engine down thrust, tick over, and motor cut. But great fun had until the fuel ran out.

Looking forward to seeing the finished results. We should bring all these Spatmans together one day, a bit of a Bowman fest.

Hi Alan She’s coming along, the wing looks good, better than original.

Partly why I’ve saved a second one from eBay, nostalgia and a little unfinished IC business. The electric one amazes me every time I fly it, on how much enjoyment you can get from a simple model. Big hopes for the IC one.