Mark Kettle

Its a scratch built at present, I designed it and I've working on a i.c. setup and a ducted electric fan version. When I'm happy with the results of these I'll put another video together. The look like a Vulcan is no co-incidence, at our power flying site, this must only be 7 miles from where the only surviving and now airworthy Avro Vulcan is kept at Buntingthrope Leicestershire -(an old US air force base in the 50's - 60's). However on the slope side there’s been so much interest in it -when I let fellow flyers have a go its about twenty minutes before I get the tranny back, so for the last three months there’s been a lot of others I have raked in to helping with tooling towards producing a kit. Some have commented that the Gazelle is like 'a high aspect ratio Vulcan', which I would agree with, its a bit like how the the Starfighter turned into - U2 adaptation. The models stretched wing span does give it good flying characteristics, and a low wing loading which lend it to alteration with the addition of different power sources. I would love to be able to give you a date when this Gazelle kit will be available, the good news is we've a start and someone’s busy at the moment writing the assembly notes with a rough hand cut kit, then we will take some photo's of the jig cut version and insert them into the text. Getting the epp is the problem, and we are trying to get details of a source of good foam from Germany. Watch this space. The beauty of using epp, is it very crash resistant and with the Gazelle such a stable flyer it would make a good trainer, with the help of an instructor in the early flights a student would come on in leaps and bounds, plus not have the worry of a bump or crash destroying there plane. Thats why I'm confident when we go to different slopes, to let total strangers (flyers of cause) have the transmitter for a fly and have an experience with the Gazelle. Thanks for the comments Wibberley.

Irony - Timing According to a telecall received, The music (-'I Ran' - by the band - A Flock of Seagulls -) to this video appeared on a advert for a compilation CD avaiable from Tesco stores it called 'The Edge on the Eighties'. Within minutes a fellow flyer had rang me up to tell me. I had just got out of Wilkinson's hardware, I was picking up some carpet spray for the next build, and another viewer to the u tube vid had stopped me to say -'what a good track to use on a flying video', she actually lives local to Burrough Hill and relatives she had passed the link to said 'you must take us for Burrough to see the flying. 

Comments - Messages The sound track sounds superb on quality speakers -or- on headphones- The Band is -A Flock of Seagulls -the song -'I ran'

Comments - Messages The sound track sounds superb on quality speakers -or- on headphones- The Band is -A Flock of Seagulls -the song -'I ran'

Hi Alistair -  Thanks for the ideas, your comments have really got me thinking, I'm reaching for the drawing board now. I will be posting any developments when they happen. Cheers Wibberley.

Eric - Yes your right at the particular hill its marginal sometimes, its only got 150ft above the closest surrounding ground, and thats a bit scrubby and it absorbs the wind, however the Gazelle will just float around in no wind at all. Now when we take it to coastal sites, Whitesheet or the slopes up Derbyshire like the Gate, or Curbar Edge well its a different plane, needing all its ballast, 14oz and great fun. 

Sorry David for starting off and naming you Graham, its because I fly sometimes with a Graham Ashby. I had one good tip from Timbo, so and a link to some good equipment can't wait to get started.

Thanks Graham to the reply. Well as for the flat turns, these I suppose its a response for sometimes from being a little off wind and a bit of wind on the side of the body and its going around that way and steady as it goes on the stick for that direction and its turning out of wind, (sometimes you use a little-very little) opposite stick just to control the position or bank, yes your right as regards flat turns you will loss less height, however you have to be cautious that you dont loss position and drift and end up say behind the slope line/ flight line or out of the main lift. As you can see from the video you can turn it tighter when needed and on the right slope its just like flying with a power model, you know the wings are banked over less wing opposed against gravity and gravity says come close to me, however level the wings after the turn and you can adjust the height afterwards, to be honest some slopes around and like those up Derbyshire give you the ability to gain height do stunts and within seconds be regaining any height lost, whilst at the slope I say to others at the side of me, 'its like have a 0.40 i.c engine up front' this is say on the 60" competition slope racers we fly often being able to do multiple rolls whilst climbing at 30 degess. Cheers Mark

I've just put my first thread on slope and gliders and i've just seen this section which would be more approriate for a question When it's your first thread its hard to know what to write, well I'll start with a video of a slope we use near to where I live, Its called Burrough Hill, its a small hill, we call it our pimple compared to other hills around the UK. This glider i've been working on for nearly a year, and now its flying really nice, once I gave it to my relative to fly he didn't want to give the transmitter back. I'm planning to do another version with power on whether puller prop up front or pusher from behind so I can fly it elsewhere. Some have said use a electric ducted fan this would mean I wouldn't have to alter the tail, can anyone recommend a good power set up? The models 58.5" span about 3.75 sq ft wing area and presently flying at 27oz unballasted. Enjoy the video, and I look foward to any replies from members. rc slope soaring Gazelle Cheers Mark.

When it's your first thread its hard to know what to write, well I'll start with a video of a slope we use near to where I live, Its called Burrough Hill, its a small hill, we call it our pimple compared to other hills around the UK. This glider i've been working on for nearly a year, and now its flying really nice, once I gave it to my relative to fly he didn't want to give the transmitter back. I'm planning to do another version with power on whether puller prop up front or pusher from behind so I can fly it elsewhere. Some have said use a electric ducted fan this would mean I wouldn't have to alter the tail, can anyone recommend a good power set up? The models 58.5" span about 3.75 sq ft wing area and presently flying at 27oz unballasted. Enjoy the video, and I look foward to your replies. rc slope soaring Gazelle