Robin Coombs

Pity you didnt use LADO electric retracs. Mine work just fine from the start. Staggered as well. Robin

I started at age 10 with control line models flying at the Youngsfield Aerodrome in Cape Town while watching Tiger Moths and Harvards of the very young SAAF. I did a bit of real flying at age 14 with a friend of my Dad in a Piper Cub then a Tiger Moth, great stuff. A long break taking part in motor racing and rallying. I re started around 1980 and according to my log book have racked up 228 hours over 32 years of radio control. Mostly scale warbirds. My main passion is building and my latest project is the Tony Nieuhaus Spitfire. I am putting a 30cc petrol engine in it with electric retracts and lighting. I see I am not the oldest one here at age 70 so that makes me feel great. Robin in South Africa

Looking good, Herri. I havnt even started mine yet. I got all the laser cut bits and had my LADO electric retracts but sales intervened so have sold them. LADO is picking up here and another TN Spit is being built here, with the LADO retracts. Weather here is perfect for flying and with our club warbirds day in 3 weeks am busy fixing up muyCorsair and B25. Cheers from Sunny South Africa. Robin

I am in the process of building a large trailer but in the meantime I use a 1983 Microbus fitted with a Ford V6. The centre seats are removed and the back seats fold down so I can get 4 large planes in plus all field gear as well. I dont even have to take off the wings. Due to the large engine and low gearing it uses so much petrol that if I dont stop the engine at the service station I cant fill the tank. Petrol here is getting expensive, thats why I am building a trailer. R8.30/litre at the moment. That 1 pound 20 a gallon. Its only R3.00 in Dubai.      

Just looked out of the office window. Clear sky, slight breeze, 30 degrees C. Why ar'nt I at the field?

Don,t know how you survive in that ?? My Sister-in-law flies out on the 9th and she can,t wait to get some sunshine. She is hoping that Heathrow does,nt get snowed in. Robin in SA

Hi all. I have been following this thread with great interest as I have also decided to build the Spit. My next build was to be a 50cc Cessna but that can wait a bit. I am going to install the DLE 30 to compensate for altitude. I always go one size up on engines as these small units loose a lot of power at altitude. I am at 1500 mtrs ASL. I made the mistake of using the recomended size (0.61) for the Typhoon and have paid the price as it is almost impossible to fly. It was slightly tail heavy and combined with insufficient power just fell out of the sky at take off. Once it is rebuilt I shall balance it slightly nose heavy but the performance wont be so good. I am installing LADO Electric RS333 retracts and OLEO,s into the Spit. I have ordered the cowling and canopy but will get the wood cut here to save transport costs. Keep up the good building, oh, sorry about your weather. (says he basking in the sun) Robin in South Africa

I would suggest 1. Rapide. should be an interesting build. 2. Dove. 3. Viscount. Could be 2 IC plus 2 dummy or 4 IC.   Robin

You would be charged in USD and the rate ruling at the time of the bank exchange would be effective. This usually changes daily. Don't forget there are 2 rates. One for buying USD and one for selling USD. You would be buying so that is the higher rate. Hope this doesnt put you off too much. Cheers Robin

Hi Martin . It would be great to supply from here but the postage would kill it. He can get them direct from France at www.eretract.fr. They have a great range now even catering for large scale models up to 15 kG. OLEOS and brakes coming soon.   Cheers Robin

Hi Martin That will be one of my discussion topics with them. Also a system of operating wheel doors. I am just getting to know them at the moment. SA does not have a very large customer base for something this specialised but it won't be my primary income provider, yet. I have registered as Robin Model Aviation but am really struggling to get to grips with setting up a website. It's a .com site but I just can't seem to be able to load anything. Perhaps if I were 20 years younger it may not be so confusing.  

If anyone is following this thread I have just been appointed as the South African Supplier and Service centre for LADO retracts. Baby steps.

Hi Steve W-O. The Castles were in an ice bath in the upper story of the clubhouse. The braai fire was lit shortly after the pics were taken.

Went out to the club on Sunday but the wind was really pumping. Only 3 or 4 planes there. The one in the pic is virtually stationary next to the pilot. No good for smaller planes though. At least you can see what our field is like.   Barnstormers, Kempton Park, South Africa.   Richard "Hanging" in the wind.     Model assembly area   Looking down the main runway.   Parking Area. That,s my car in the foreground.     From the pits  Clubhouse & pits Next time I hope the conditions are better.   Robin in SA

You could, of course, relocate to South Africa where the sun always shines. Every day is a flying day. Pity about work, though. Always interferes with the more important things in life.

Hmmm Eric, I wonder what you are going to do with that? I could think of quite a few good uses but no names, no pack drill. I sure am glad I am not in a boat in the North Atlantic right now. Hurricane IGOR is blowing at 280 k/hr.    

I have just finished reading a book on the history of the Spitfire. It was great. Some facts I did not know about the politics involved and the back biting amoung the cabinate at the time. I was amazed to learn that even though Britain was in the middle of a devestaing war some factory workers went on strike. Wartime law, however, stopped it. Some of the pilots experiences were inspiring. I was only a baby at the time but my Mom was an Ambulance driver in London during the blitz and my Dad was at sea with the RN. One of my Uncles was a Lancaster pilot involved in the dam busting raids. He was killed on that raid. Not a thing about it on the news here in Africa. Pity. Maybe something on tonights news but I doubt it. Heres to all who survived and in memory of the few. May it never happen again. Eric, I think the "GREAT" went the same way as the "British Empire" Sigh !!!! Robin in South Africa

Well, at last my Corsair retracts are fixed. LADO has been bought out by a French company, E-Retracts. Their CEO, Christophe, has been very helpful. He sent me a free replacement motor and PC card. Fitting it was simple but care must be taken as it is quite delicate. I must say that the quality of these retracts are very good. I still feel that the electronics should be a separate unit and not mounted in the actual retract. Now to get some air time & see how well they stand up. Robin in SA

I have marked my calender. Will take some pics at Barnstormers in Kempton Park, SA. Roger in Dubai, I shall probably be in Dubai for 3 to 4 days next week. Can you contact me and tell me where the best hobby shop is so I can spend some $$$ if I have time? ([email protected])   Sorry David, this is a bit off topic.

I have finally heard from LADO They have been bought out by E Retact from france. They have promised to repair my retact but what a situation. Made in France, sent to USA, then retailed by MAGNUM RC.   I will keep holding thumbs. My Corsair hasnt flown in ages.   By the way, James. I soldered 2 wires onto the motor and it works just fine. The problem was with the PC card. Impossible to solder at all. The lead to the receiver had also come loose. This is a real weak point. I do beleive that the controller should not be part of the retract but be mounted in the fuz so it can be isolated from vibration etc.       Robin

It's winter here in SA but the weather is great. Clear blue sky, slight chilly wind. Perfect for flying but here am I settling in to my new job. Got to support my hobby somehow. The broken Typhoon is now repaired ready for painting. We have a public holiday coming up so hope to get some flying in. Hopefully no cold fronts. Cheers Robin

Hi Donald Welcome from me also. Where do you fly? I fly at Barnstormers. Mostly scale IC. Cheers Robin

They look like nice models !! Good detail. He he

My OS 120 4 stroke destroyed 2 chicken sticks and the wooden prop. I only use an electric starter now. Robin

I am not a "footie" fan by any means but I must admit that the fever here did catch up. I watched a few of the games thus breaking a world record. First time EVER !!!   Those Vuvu's are really irritating. I banned my grandson from blowing his at my home. How many of you heard the Vuvuzela in the F1 croud at Silverstone? Must be a first. As for the F1. It,s getting pretty boring. Too many rules and restrictions. It was great when I raced as there were practically no rules and anyone could compete. I think they are trying to make it too safe. After all, motor racing is dangerous, that,s the attraction.     Back to flying. I maidened my Typhoon but it was totally uncontrollable. The front of the fuse up to F3 was destroyed. It has been repaired and awaits a re-fly. This time I have put a lot more lead in (no, not my pencil) the nose.   Robin in SA