Ask..Peter Miller

[geoff wise 1]

Found it, thank you. Yes, if you could sort some thing out when you get chance that would be great. As i said, i always fancied it and never got to build one particularly as you said, the engine would go inside the cowl so it will look and sound good. Its worth the time cleaning the model just for the sound, because the other thing i dislike is a scale model with the whine of an electric motor, that's not to say i don't like the electric ones, i just prefer the old fashioned way of doing it. Thanks again, Geoff

[Peter Miller]

I was going to comment but it will only bring on the fanatics turning this thread into the usual argument.

[geoff wise 1]

You're probably right, Peter, we all know how enviromentally harmful caster oil is, i remember that stuff from my school days and i enjoy a barbecue on a nice summer's evening listening to the bats flying by and then 20 minutes later after the electricery has been put into a silver bag, a Delta electric ducted fan screams into life. I would have thought with modern propotional radio control, they'd be able to reduce the RPM instead of waiting till the battery goes flat. It would be interesting to see how many dbs they are compared to a small 4 stroke, which aren't allowed tp fly after 7 o'clock in my x club mmm my mum was right, it was a wooden spoon i was born with so perhaps i shouldn't have made these comments, so anybody that has read them, pleas disregard them.

Geoff know what i mean

[Peter Miller]

There is nothing wrong with electricity. How would our computers and TV run without it.

And I promise that I will convert to electric power 100% when I see a full size Pitts special with electric power do this.

[chris close 1]

Mr Miller I believe you designed a plan for a Columban MC 30 Luciole which I believe was for 4 channel r/c and a 19 engine I would be very interested in obtaining a copy of this plan and if possible any details or building instructions and was wondering if you would be so kind as to point me in the right direction of a copy of the plan and/or building instructions many thanks in anticipation

Chris

Edited By chris close 1 on 27/09/2015 23:21:54

[Peter Miller]

The plan was in RCM&E for November 2009. AS far as I can see it has not been included in the plans service So I can probably get copies done. I will PM you

[chris close 1]

many thanks I would be very grateful

[Jonathan W]

Hi Peter, that Luciole looks very interesting and a suitable home for a spare engine of mine. Can you please provide me with a plan too? I would appreciate a PM with the details.

[Peter Miller]

Hi Jonathon. Will do

[Stephen Jones]

Hi Peter,

Not sure where to post this question, and as some of you're models have wash out built into the wing .

I thought you would be as good a person to ask .

So, i am building a semi symmetrical wing with 2.5 degrees of wash out in the wing and i want to put full length ailerons on , well almost full length , But stock trailing edge does not have a twist in it.

So do i fit trailing edge that is thicker than i need at an angle and then sand off the top near the outer edge and sand off the bottom near the root .

Or does it not matter ?

Cheers Steve

[Peter Miller]

I would not worry about it. Just use the straight TE.

I only use washout on Ellitical wings or those with a very sharp taper

If yu are really worried set the straight TE up to line up with the tip. so that section is smooth

Edited By Peter Miller on 03/05/2016 22:06:07

[Stephen Jones]

Posted by Peter Miller on 03/05/2016 22:05:05:

I would not worry about it. Just use the straight TE.

I only use washout on Ellitical wings or those with a very sharp taper

If yu are really worried set the straight TE up to line up with the tip. so that section is smooth

Edited By Peter Miller on 03/05/2016 22:06:07

Cheers Steve

[i12fly]

Hi Peter

Having built a Harlequin (very good flyer indeed) and almost completed a Ballerina with split flaps and electric power, I guess I'm one of your disciples. My next project I fancy a biplane (no chance of a Harlequin bipe?) so I'm thinking of building your Melody.

Are there any modifications you would recommend to this? In the RCM&E write up you mention to take care with the rudder both during stall turns and in knife edge -when it could easily spin. Would it help to increase the washout to say 3 degrees, or to add a dorsal fin or strakes do you think?

Thank you in advance

I must say that I also fancy your Fletcher Defender in April FSM.....

[Peter Miller]

Glad that you like my designs. Thanks!

I must confess that I am not fond of biplanes. I hate struts. I suppose a cabin bipe is a possibility. I keep looking at my very old design American Dragon and consider scaling that up. I need a new project so maybe.

With regard to Melody. I think that possibly make it a little bigger would make it nice. I know that someone did do a much bigger version but justincreasing the model by about 10% would make it more docile. You could increase the washout to 3 degrees, it won't hurt.

The Fetcher Defender was a nice model and not very hard to build. The SLEC bomb drop worked well and added a lot of interest. The canopy was a bit of a pain to make but it worked. There never was a commercial version made unfortunately.

[i12fly]

Hi Peter

Thank you for the advice, I'll see if I can get a local print shop to print +10%

I also like the sound of an up-scaled American Dragon, I've just seen a plan on ebay and it looks very attractive, but at 30" span too small for me, 50 to 55" would be really great........ I hope the inspiration returns

[Piers Bowlan]

The American Dragon is on Outerzone, I found the build article in my old Radio Modeller magazine. Can they put your plans on Outerzone Peter, arn't they copyrighted or is there a time limit?

Edited By Piers Bowlan on 22/04/2017 05:39:50

[Peter Miller]

I was thinking of an American Dragon for .40 to .52 four strokes. so somewhere near 60" span as on the cards.

They put everything on Outerzone. The time limit is so many years after the author's death but it also depends on wether the magazine bought the copyright or not. I don't think anyone takes too much interest in old plans being put on these sites

American plans from the pre 60s only had copyright for 27 years after publication unless reregistered. After that the American copyright fell into line with the rest of the world.

I always had a lot of fun writing the stories for the "Lesser known aircraft from aeronuttycal history"

Some were taken for gospel believe it or not.

One person bought a TRivial Persuit from a model shop and won a club scale competition with it!!!

I also had requests for scale documentation for Tequila Sunrise from an American who wanted to build one for giant scale racing in the USA and a similar request from Australia.

How anyone could read the story and imagine that it was real beats me

Edited By Peter Miller on 22/04/2017 08:22:40

Edited By Peter Miller on 22/04/2017 08:24:49

[Peter Miller]

Posted by i12fly on 21/04/2017 23:42:12:

I also like the sound of an up-scaled American Dragon, I've just seen a plan on ebay and it looks very attractive, but at 30" span too small for me, 50 to 55" would be really great........ I hope the inspiration returns

Thanks for the inspiration. I needed something to get me going.

Just done the figures. American Drago enlarged by 173% gives a wing area of 700 sq. in and a span of 52". great for .48 to .52 four strokes.. (Don'task about electric 'cos I don't know)

The engine would fit in and I would use the old Veron cylinders which are still made. I saw a thread on this forum that said that.

4" wheels. and justabout as esy as a Super 60 to build.

[i12fly]

Hi Peter

I've decided to put the Melody on the back burner at the moment (wait and see if you do the enlarged American Dragon). So I've started the Grumpy Tigercub, never had a twin before. Got all the materials in my stock, but so far only made the wing rib templates. I'm a slow builder but savour every minute of it (apart from fitting radio and sorting out linkages -oh and sanding)

As usual I like to modify things a bit so I'll add flaps and electrify it. Do you think it would be OK to move the u/c out to the nacelles -beefing up appropriately.

I did wonder about giving it a nosewheel but I think I'd have to increase the fuselage depth too much to get the lipo in.

Is it worth adding some washout as the wing tapers, any advice is much appreciated.

[Peter Miller]

American Dragon hit the back burner for various reasons.

Grumpy Tigercub is nice and would be so very safe and easy on electric power. It is very safe on i..c.

By all means move the U/C out to the nacelles.

There is no need for washout, The model is very docile and wil not bite.

Flaps are up to you. They may slow the model down. I have gone off using flaps on my models myself but that is just a personal feeling/

[i12fly]

Thank you Peter, very helpful

I just like to put flaps on to add a bit of difference and interest. I finished my Ballerina yesterday and I now need a bit of calm weather or a North or South wind to do the maiden. That's got flaps and I'll report back when I've tried them and post a pic or two. If its as good as my Harlequin I'll be very pleased.

[Peter Miller]

I think that you will find that Ballerina is even nicer than Hrlequin. It is my favourite model

[Erfolg]

Peter

Now that my Cassut (miss Demeaner) is flying well, I have come to believe that for many, or perhaps just me, the model is a little small, perhaps do a TH and say a 1.5 size (as Tim did with the Clean Sweep). I am quite confident that it would be very well received.

Another thought, perhaps a Gee Bee QED, again needs to be reasonably sized. That is above 50" span. Would be great as a free plan.

I still lust after a Balanca tri motor, even though you have said, never again. Using electric, i am convinced it would work. Just think of the challenge, yes, the model did not beat PM.

Personally I am missing your free plan models, as well as TH, as the plans now are nothing less than rubbish, when compared to the output of both of you. I have little intrest in the SC models from the 60s. You moved on from that era. I want more of your plans.

Edited By Erfolg on 14/05/2017 19:59:58

Edited By Erfolg on 14/05/2017 20:00:26

[Peter Miller]

Hi Erfolg.

THanks for your kind remarks. I think I might need a bigger cap now

Since Christmas I have gone through a bad patch with a really nasty virus and then theside effects of some blood pressure pills which are known to remove interest and make one tired.. They have now been changed and inspiration has terurned to some degree.

I have just designed a sports aerobatic model a bit like a prettier Harlequin.

Well, A bigger Miss Demeanor is a strong possibility soon. I no longer have any small engines, mostly four strokes now but a couple of .32s as well. In fact I did look at a Cassut a little while ago, one in green called Vomet Comet that had a sharks mouth.

I do find that I can't really cope with fast small models these days.Creeping very close to 80th birthday you know and we do slow down

The trimotor will not happen again as I need small engines for that.

Sorry, what did you mean by SC models of the 60s?

Anyway, once the new design has been done I wil look at a scaled up Miss Demeanor for a .40 FS or a little bigger.

[DaveyP]

SC = single channel ?