Jump to content
Please be aware of scammers when using the Sale/Wanted forum areas

Pete Collins

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    162

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Everything posted by Pete Collins

  1. Pete Collins
    Sorry to hear about the demise of your Vector. It sounds like a torque roll. On launch you have full power on so the torque is at a maximum and trying to roll the aircraft left, but the airspeed is at minimum and this results in virtually zero aileron response. You're also close to tip stall territory which can join in and make matters worse. Once she picks up speed then the control response improves to the point that the torque correction becomes unnoticeable. Some models suffer from this phenomenon to the extent that you have to launch on reduced throttle and only advance the power once it has got moving but the vector is usually OK in this respect. I assume that with the unfamiliar launch technique you just didn't get enough speed on in time. I know this won't bring your Vector back but, if you do rebuild it perhaps a small wire skid under the tail just ahead of the prop might be worth trying.
  2. Pete Collins
    Hi, If you are referring to the Ben Buckle kit, I bought one a few years ago and I don't remember any issues with the quality. Being a vintage model there aren't too many shaped components (Wing ribs, a couple of fus formers, wing and tail tips and that's about all!) the rest is mostly stripwood. I didn't feel obliged to replace anything and I'm usually pretty fussy. It is an old-fashioned build, so there is plenty of work to do - don't expect lots of prefabrication. Otherwise I remember it going together pretty well. I powered mine with a .53 four stroke and it's a bit overpowered. On full throttle it climbs vertically and will keep going OOS if you don't chicken out. You need good strong wing bands if you mean to play those games. It has a very good glide and most of the time just putters around on minimum throttle. I can't remember the weight of mine but its pretty light - just finished in coloured Solartex with a little paint around the nose etc. All in all, a nice build - I'd recommend it.
  3. Pete Collins
    Won't help with this build, but for future reference it might be worth trying Aliphatic Resin when planking. Sands better than most other glues.
  4. Pete Collins
    Hi Stuey, They just taper down over the last 3 or 4 inches of their length. Probably best done before fitting them but, if they're on already, it could be done after. Just be careful not to collapse former 9 as it's pretty fragile. The other thing that I did was to fill in the spaces between the stringers and fuselage sides with pieces of scrap balsa from former 9 back to the tail. This allowed me to sand down the rear fuselage to taper down almost to the jet pipe and produce a more pleasing (and more scale) shape to the rear end.
  5. Pete Collins
    On the subject of the others in the series. I've done a little research and come up with American Dragon and TRI-6-AL Pursuit. There may have been others but these three are the ones I remember. They're all on Outerzone and are worth looking up just to read the stories.
  6. Pete Collins
    I'd forgotten about Peter Millers spoof 'scale' series until this thread remingded me. I remember them as being quite nice little designs and all with an amusing back story. I think it all started as an April fool joke and, if I remember rightly there were about four of them, I might even have the plans somewhere, but can anyone remind me of the names of the others.
  7. Pete Collins
    The white canopy markings and the red on the rear part were both done with film. I did have a problem on the red part since you have to be very careful not to overheat the canopy whilst shrinking the film to the compound curve. The trick is to not have the iron too hot and work quickly so that the heat doesn't build up too much in any one place. solar trim might be a better option - if you can get any. If you have doubts practice on a spare bit of canopy material and be careful, once the canopy distorts there's no way back.
  8. Pete Collins
    I believe that the model used in the Kent distance record was a Smog Hog and was powered by a Taplin Twin. I remember that a picture of it was used In the Solarbo adverts of the time Under the heading 'Record aspirant'!
  9. Pete Collins
    HI thought you'd also like to see some pix of my TN Hunter. I also decided to go for the Raspberry Ripple colour scheme for added visibility!
  10. Pete Collins

    Pete Collins posted a gallery image in Member Albums

  11. Pete Collins

    Pete Collins posted a gallery image in Member Albums

  12. Pete Collins

    Pete Collins posted a gallery image in Member Albums

  13. Pete Collins
    WE haven't had a supersonic RC model yet but I think some of the DS people are getting close!
  14. Pete Collins
    Tim I've been using the Frsky receivers for ages now. Mainly due to the high cost of Futaba FASST Rxs I haven't had a glitch with them! Even Futaba recognised that their Rxs were too expensive they quickly brought out an alternative (cheaper) protocol. What I can't understand is - if FRSKY can build a FASST Rx at a decent price, why can't Futaba?
  15. Pete Collins
    I may be wrong - memory is a bit hazy, but I think the Coventry & District MAC flew from there for a short while back in the '60s. We had a couple of members who worked at Ansty and they managed to arrange it when the club were short of a field. I don't know how the security clearance worked, but we were a fairly small club back then and perhaps things were a bit more lax back in pre-history! I have fond memories of flying from there with a Goldberg Mini Falcon using single channel RC with a rubber powered escapement driving strip ailerons.
  16. Pete Collins
    Firstly, if the trailing edge rises toward the tip that's washout. Leading edge rising ,or trailing edge falling would be washin. Washin would be a definite no go but a bit of washout is no problem provided that it's equal on both wings. If not then you're going to have to get it out. To do that hold the wing in a stream of steam from a kettle (Don't burn yourself!) and when it's good and damp. pin the wing down flat on a board and leave it to dry for a few days. With a bad warp you sometimes need to pack the wing a little to twist it the opposite way so that it springs back to straight when released. With a warp that's been there a long time you may need to try couple of times before you succeed. Also, with silk and dope covering you can sometimes pull a twist either in or out during the covering stage but you're better to try to loose the warp before covering if you can.
  17. Pete Collins
    That's quite a big airframe. It will have to be light, which means it will fly quite slowly. That will probably be scale, but not the way EDF models are usually set up. Will be interesting to see how it turns out.
  18. Pete Collins
    I had a similar problem on one occasion and the animal actually pissed up my leg! The owner Just turned his back and pretended he hadn't noticed - the same technique they use when the dog 'squats' and hey don't want to clean up after it. I have no problem with dogs, and most owners are polite and considerate, but some I could happily string up! And yes I know we have inconsiderate model fliers too - I would string them up to the next tree.
  19. Pete Collins
    I built a free flight one sometime in the last century and I even made it fly a couple of times. I remember, it was very tricky to get a good launch since you can't hold it on its c of g. Sorry, no pix I'm afraid.
  20. Pete Collins
    Hi Tony, If you don't mind me asking, What are the sizes of the two versions? Pete
  21. Pete Collins
    I remember being told many years ago that Tufcoat (Which, I believe, was just re-badged furniglass) was actually a Urea Formaldehyde resin! I don't know if this helps (or even how accurate it is - as I can't remember the source) but, for what its worth, it may be a help. I do remember it as being very hard wearing and totally fuel proof!
  22. Pete Collins
    Nice to see it in its natural element! Well Done.
  23. Pete Collins
    If acetone doesn't do it then try meths. Lots of these things are alcohol solvent.
  24. Pete Collins
    Looking good!
  25. Pete Collins
    Don't know how that sneaky wink got in there!
×
×
  • Create New...