Plan previews?

[Danny Fenton]

I don't know whether I am alone in this but I like to know who the designer of a plan is, it is often quoted but not always. I know how certain designers build.

 

Another thing that would be nice to see is perhaps a partial view of the plan so that the potential purchaser can see the way things are drawn out. If you are into a scale model and looking at the plan you can see its made up of slab sides this may put you off the plan. However seeing a really nicely drawn plan by somebody you are not familiar with would tempt me to buy the plan.

 

At the moment we often only see a plan number...... It would not be difficult to take a quick photo of 50% of the fus side and use that as the advert shot?

 

Anyway maybe its just me.......

 

Cheers

Danny

[Phil 9]

Previews are available on other sites and it is nice to see.

 

the X list on my hobby store has almost no info on some plans just a name. most people I know ar not going to shell out £15 or so without any info about a plan

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

Often there isn't even a photo of the model or even any idea of size.

Maybe purchasers could be asked to send photos in?

[Danny Fenton]

Thanks guys it appears it is not just me that finds this a nuisance.

 

I don't think it would be giving much away to preview a sheet of a multisheet plan, perhaps the fus, or at least say the front half. That way we could see the "style" the designer favours, and the accuracy. Not to mention as Chris says the wingspan!

 

Cheers

Danny

[Phil 9]

Chris says people could send in photos (maybe for a discount off their next plan)

 

I dont know if my hobby store are activly seeking to update plan info or not. seems to me not.

 

the problem is the less info available the more the chances this plan never gets sold or built.

 

Example of a plan with preview

[Richard Wood]

A plan preview would also help prevent making a mistake purchase -

like an example I bought recently which has foam wings & deckings.

Nothing wrong with this of course except I don't have a hot wire cutter!

Including previews with descriptions for the whole catalogue would

obviously be a big task for someone...

 

A new forum section with a plan preview photo contributed by members

might work if a sufficient number of the (large) membership were

willing to participate.

 

 

[kc]

To get details you could always ask on Modelflying if anyone else has built the model.

 

It's usually possible to buy a copy of the original article at extra cost but why isn't it included when you buy the plan at such high price?

 

You certainly can send in digital photos by e-mail and there is some arrangement for discounts for the photographer, but it's where there is no colour photos already i think.

[Danny Fenton]

Having a photograph of the finished model would be nice, but that still wont tell you, as Richard says, if it is made using foam panels, or even if retracts and flaps are included?

 

I am not sure there are enough plan builders to support the idea of forumites having built the model unfortunately.

 

Surely all the plans are held electronically these days?

 

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

I remember some time ago, about 18 months ago or so, MyHobbyStore did seek to "refresh" and get new pictures of models built from its plans - and someone (possibly David) put out a request on here asking if anyone had any photos of models they would be prepared to donate. I also remember one of the responses to that - basically "why should I give MyHobbyStore free promotional material"! Sometimes you just can't win .

 

I agree that better photos and a relatively low-res partial plan view would be very helpful. But I suspect, speaking purely personally here, that the problem is one of resources. It would take one person full-time an awful long time to do this even for the current list. If you add in the X-list then the task really does become enormous. And if it was farmed out to a scanning agency it would cost a fortune.

 

Its a problem major national libraries for example have the world over. I was reading recently about a project involving the British Library, apparently they have over 2 million rare books, plans, maps, documents etc. They want them all scanned and made available to scholars over the internet. The EU have just awarded a grant to them to do this, at least for a small part of the collection - the value of that grant is over 3.5 million euros. Obviously this is slightly different case, and they are scanning often precious documents, but It does give some idea of the cost of what's is involved.

 

I suspect this will only be practical for an outfit like MyHobbyStore if somehow we, as a modelling community, got involved and they used us as the "manpower". For example if we were prepared to take a digital photo of a part of any plans we had and the resulting model it might be possible to cover at least some proportion of the list.

 

BEB

[David Ashby - Moderator]

Thanks guys, I've asked our plans people to look in here and note the comments.

 

I recall they were asking for photos of models a while ago and offered a voucher for those received?

 

 

 

 

 

[Danny Fenton]

Thanks David, it is appreciated. I am happy to send a picture of any model completed from the plans, however I am not likely to buy the plan based on a picture.

 

My original point was to see how a model is constructed. A picture of a complete model will not give a clue as to whether it is made from balsa, foam, plywood or even concrete! I have bought a few plans and once I have seen how they were designed have rolled them up and lost interest. I wonder how many more have done just that? I cannot afford to spend money speculatively like that.

 

On a positive note if anybody wants a sneak at any plan I have, via me taking a pic, I am glad to do that. I just feel MyHobbystore are missing a trick here.

 

Perhaps if a member is interested in a plan MyHobbystore unroll it and take a pic??

 

Cheers

Danny

 

 

[Danny Fenton]

For example I am interested in a Cirrus Moth of about 60" span, but pretty accurate.....

 

This is what I find:

 

One does have dimensions and a designer of Martin Tuck

 

Cheers

Danny

 

[kc]

The Martin Tuck 1/5 th scale 69 inch is in RSQ Spring 1988, and the article shows it as all built up. Just the fuselage plan is illustrated there. Photo shows the wings fold.

The Gypsy Moth is very similar except the engine isn't it? If so Mike Sun's RC135 plan 60 inch might be of interest. Wings fold too. I think there are 2 versions of his plan, newer is lighter. I have the original article and an article from RCME Scale Special which shows his folding wing mechanism ( uses hacksawa blades as material )

Flying Scale Models (MAP) Sept / Oct 1997  did a David Boddington DH 60 plan , larger at 80 inch span for 90 to 120 engine,.  Typical Boddington built up construction  seems wings  do not fold.

 

Danny, send me a PM if you want more info from these articles.

Edited By kc on 12/04/2011 19:28:32

[Ton van Munsteren]

Danny ,

 

Thats a great choice a Cirrus Moth 60 its also on my must do list.

Must admit that Iam totaly in love with the G-EBLV.

What do you think of this , I design the model with a span of 60" and we build it simmultaneously in the next comming winter.

 

Ton

[Danny Fenton]

Ooooooo Ton now that sounds an excellent idea I have just ordered plan RC135 which is a 60" version with folding wings (Thanks for the heads up KC). Could be a good source of ideas perhaps?

You do G-EBLV and I will do Jason G-AAAH they are very similar airframes. Electric of course

 

[Ton van Munsteren]

Thats great Danny , lets go for it.

 

Must also have the DB scale magazine, not sure if thats the model article of your plan but will make a scan and email it to you.

 

That article is also the cause of making me want to build the Moth Cirrus.

 

The plan will be of great help and have been looking around for some pics of the G-EBLV lets start a post and collect all the info we have on the Moth's that would make things much easier when I start the design, aready have some nice pics.

 

And yes what is there else than going electric

 

Ton

 

 

[Ton van Munsteren]

Danny ,

 

Came across this pic of the

 

Its not that big a differance so should be no problem.

 

But seeing this plane on the photo , must admit that its to smooth

or to clear for me, it looks a little like a glass moulded copy

 

Ton

[Danny Fenton]

Funnily enough I have quite a lot on the Cirrus already. I restored a DB Cirrus for my friend Chris. Came out well and flies well. I would like one a little more accurate though and perhaps with scale rib positions and wing section. You game for that sort of level of accuracy?

 

 

[Ton van Munsteren]

Its all about how much info you can get on that plane, the more accurate the better it can be .

 

So if you want it good to scale no problem we will make it as good to scale as the documentation gives us.

 

Ton

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Please delete - something wrong with the format of the link I posted locked up my browser...

Edited By Martin Harris on 13/04/2011 23:01:46

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

Ton that one certainly does look too smooth.

 

How about this one that Danny modelled for me?

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

Here's what Danny did.

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Posted by Ton van Munsteren on 13/04/2011 21:53:40:

Danny ,

 

Came across this pic of the

 

Its not that big a differance so should be no problem.

 

But seeing this plane on the photo , must admit that its to smooth

or to clear for me, it looks a little like a glass moulded copy

 

Ton

What a horrible moment Ton - don't do that to me!

I thought someone had taken Jason down from the ceiling of the Science Museum and ruined him by a "restoration"...I've managed to identify it as a replica at the Yorkshire Air Museum - this is the real thing!

 

Co-incidentally, over the last couple of weeks I've been playing with a very old £5 bring and buy purchase of a heavy foam winged 60" span Howard Blackwell / Leicester Model Centre Gypsy Moth painted in the same colours as Jason but with the registration G-AAMY - which is actually a Gypsy Moth but totally different - perhaps it's had a repaint since my model was built? Scale ribs and riblets are simulated by balsa strips on the foam very effectively.

It's general patina resembles the real thing very well and it flies very well on an OS40 Surpass - quite how anyone can contemplate putting a whirring electric motor in a model like this is beyond me - puttering along in scale fashion on part throttle with spirited climbs and limited aeros with the tap open is a wonderful diversion on a sunny day!

Edited By Martin Harris on 13/04/2011 23:09:12

[Danny Fenton]

Crikey Martin I would be hard pushed to make Jason look as rough as she is now I was thinking more of the days she flew with Amy Johnson. I believe with a ladder strapped to the side. Never modelled a ladder could be interesting

[Ton van Munsteren]

Chris,

 

Thats the one I want to do the G-EBLV, it really is a beauty more pics of the model please looks like Danny did a great job, now Iam jealous .

 

 

Martin,

 

Yes that must have been a horrible moment seeing it that smooth.

Love the original on the ceiling its so well used which is giving it so much personality.

 

Must admit that a 4 stroke is not a bad thing but I hate the oile mess and the cilinderhead sticking out, the sound is nice though specialy from a Surpass.

 

But I think a speaker with the real Gipsy sound will be much better to go for.

 

About 10 years ago I did trow away every thing after 20 years of flying 2 and 4 stroke engines and made the switch to E-flight and don't want to go back again to all those trouble and oil.

 

Make that step in the future and go electric

 

Ton