Daniel Holmes

This Wot 4 would be used to train lots of keen newby's!

Please enter me for the September comp, you never now I might be lucky.

I have always wanted a glider!

Anthony, You could be right, but don't forgot the over paid Bureaucrats are increasing our energy cost by 40% this coming winter.  How does electric compare to ic? Dan.

Hi Dave,  I came across Falcon Aviation at the weekend they offer a great service of turning your plans into Laser cut pieces of art, just send them your plans or a CAD file and they do the rest. I only have a phone number 01282 437777. Hope this helps  Dan

Hi David,  I heard a similar story yesterday from the Model Technics stand at the Woodspring show, where incidentlly 1 gallon of contest 10 was £12 but not for long.  They confirmed the story in China with the Olympics.  The other problem being the USA, as they have directed all their Nitro from drag racing and model fuel into fertilizer as they have just banned their present ingredients. Get your fuel while you can as I think were in for some hard times.  Hopefully the shortage of Nitro will be relieved after the Olympics if they reopen the factory but I am very doubtful the price will ever come down again!

Count me in yes please!! Dan

Hi there, I have a couple of models for your consideration;  they are made by Black Horse and are fairly priced. The Diablo with a 1270mm (50") wingspan suited to a .20 -.25 2 stroke, and the slightly more expensive Explosion with a wingspan of 1380mm (54") suited to a .25 - .39 2 stroke. They look like a lot of fun. Regards  Dan.

What a great plane, I don't mind going in the hat for this beauty! Many thanks Dan

Hi Chris, How is that Cub coming along? I used Nylocks to secure my engine mount and would suggest the bolts to be a snug fit in the engine mount holes. I had the maiden flight early this week and it flew beautifully making all the hours and hard work worth while. More photos in my gallery Happy flying Dan

What a beauty, yes please I am in, Cheers Dan

Thanks Brian, I have sourced some Aluminium bronze, Phosphor bronze and some Manganese Bronze which one do you recommend? Many Thanks Dan

Hi Brian, thanks for the advice, The  picture after talking to several model engine gurus is that the engine was stored on the shelf for a few years full of caster oil.  With time castor oil and the hydroscopic effect of the fuel residue turns in to "gunk".  This gunk finds its way into all the tiny nooks and crannies of the engine, i.e. the tiny lube holes in the conrods.  The lack of lubrication leads to increased friction which in turn adds to increased temperature.  The mixture of different metals steel and duralumin expand at different rates resultant factor the duralumin conrod stops turning on the steel crank. "The big killer of these engines was (is) castor oil as it gummed them up something fierce and also corroded parts due to its acid action. Many of them were purchased as ‘gems’ and probably run once only then left for ‘later’ as they were too good to use at the time. The long storage period was the killer as the engines corroded if not well treated with a preservative oil " from Brian Winch One rod has broken through the big end bearing and so is not repairable, the second rod has just slightly worn through the anodising.  I don't want to risk this rod as I think it will fail with time now the anodising has worn through. I was suggesting using bronze because the gemini 120 FT mark 2 and the 160 FT have switched to a bronze conrod.  Bronze is a good material for a bearing surface with out any further processes. I have read around the dural rod and the anodised finish and type of anodising is key.  The special anodising layer is harder than the dural and acts both as a bearing surface and in reducing friction. I appreciate that the conrods need to be identically matched in weight otherwise the motor will be out of balance and self destruct. The tolerance on the bearings need to be lapped to within 1 thou of an inch for good fit.  Does the conrod also need to be dynamically balanced, by which I mean does the balance point need to be half way along the rod? Look forward to your comments Dan

Hi there, I stumbled on this simulator some years ago and downloaded the demo for free from http://rcflightsim.com/.  I then paid my life time fee of £20 and bought a USB lead for my transmitter.  I have been playing with it through out the last couple of wet months and found it particularly useful for learning the characteristics of each plane/heli which are quite comparable with real models.  You are able to set different flying locations, camera views, smoke, weather conditions and flying views as well as adding extra models with ease. I have found it a great help for flying 3D and inverted and needless to say loads cheaper. I was wondering how this sim compares with the mainstream contenders? Check it out regards Dan

Thanks Kelvin, Interesting reading but I couldn't find any info on the Mossie!

I have had no luck in obtaining spares after searching the world by internet. The Gemini mark 1 is all together different  to the mark 2, In total there are about 7 items the same some bearngs and the breather nipple.  The mark 2 has used shorter conrods and larger cyclinders. I am going to make two new rods on the lathe from bronze and see how long it runs for!  Dan

Hello Chris, I see your at the stage of bolting the engine mount in place. I would recomend the use of blind nuts that dig in to the ply wood and stay there, you know the little critters with the four sharp points that attack you when ever your hands venture near by. (Check out the article page 97 -98 in May RCME).  Another option would be the use of nylocks as they will stay put with any vibration. I have just had to remove the OS 120 FT mount on my cub and install the 160 OS FT mount.  It took a while here is the biggest problem should you ever need to remove or change the engine mount.  The upper mount bolts when the model is finished are actually boxed in due to the Former F2 and the 1/8 lite ply nose joiner that the tank sits under.  I used nuts so had to get to them to undo the bolts. After spending a week spraying the model I didn't want to attack it with a scapel through the 1/8 top sheeting (which would have been the easiest way) as its very shinny and still is.  I eventually drilled a 20mm hole through the firewall which enabled me to get 90deg longnose pliers to the nuts.  Looking back if I where you now I would remove some of the lite ply nose joiner between F1C and F2 so at any time you could remove the tank and get a spanner to the back of the nuts or even move the blind nuts should you ever change your engine/mount. I hope this makes sense and is of some use, good luck! Regards Dan.

I think my luck has changed!  This would be a great present for farther.

Hello Geoff, The picture I am painting after talking to several engine gurus is that the engine was stored on the shelf for a few years full of caster oil.  With time castor oil and the hydroscopic effect of the fuel residue turns in to "gunk".  This gunk finds its way into all the tiny nooks and crannies of the engine, i.e. the tiny lube holes in the conrods.  The lack of lubrication leads to increased fricion which inturn adds to increased tempreature.  The mixture of different metals steel and duralumin expand at different rates resultant factor the duralumin conrod stops turning on the steel crank. I used a 20% castor oil fuel with 10% Nitro that I run all my engines on with no problem. Oh well thats life, looking forward to getting it in the air. One more tip take you plans to a copy shop that can copy to A0,  that way you can build straight on the copies and where called for cut and stick to the balsa to shape.  I paid £10 for the copies but I have finished my plane and have an immaculate set,  just in case heaven help I have some more bad luck in the future!  Regards Dan