Jim Newberry - Nuviation Ltd. Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Hi everyone, While waiting for the laser cut parts to arrive for my latest project, I've been busily putting together drawings in CAD for the next one. This time around it is a Dart Kitten, 60" span equating to approximately 1/6th scale. It will be electric powered and I'll be aiming for a finished weight around the 4lb mark. Let me know what you think! First up, a picture of the full size for inspiration... Now here is what I have drawn so far. The plan isn't completely finished but there isn't a great deal more to add. I won't be starting the build for a couple of months at least but when I do I'll put some pictures up here. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Bertram Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Great stuff, nice to see one of the classic British ultralights being modelled. One for the magazine perhaps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevejet66 Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Super, What a lovely aircraft. At 4lb that should fly awesome on a calm day, To be fair a good four stroke would suit the occasion, But! if you want to keep things clean! reminds me of an astro hog in terms of shape and they fly superb, Keep us up dated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plummet Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Ah. Is it G-AEXT? If so, build it light, light, light. The original looks so slow in the air it is amazing. To have it zooming around the sky would be just wrong. Plummet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Newberry - Nuviation Ltd. Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 Thanks for the comments guys. Steve - I agree that a 4 stroke would be nice but as I share my field with the local cricket team I have to use an electric motor. Plummet - I'll do my best! Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevejet66 Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 No problems jim, We have to appreciate where we fly and of course i take it that noise would be one factor, All be it saftey first, Never the less im sure it will fly fine with a good motor and lipo. I have electric models too and they are good to just take to the airfield with just the tranny and lipos, plug them in and go! My mate rich is into auto gyros and he loves them, All electric, Great on a winters day to have a quick spin and go home without all the hardware. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riverlandgirl. Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 Shall be watching with interest, it is on my 'to build one day list'. By all accounts they are very civillised fliers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Newberry - Nuviation Ltd. Posted May 20, 2014 Author Share Posted May 20, 2014 Well folks it's been nearly a year since I said I'd be starting the build in "a couple of months" - other projects got in the way, as they tend to - but I finally got going on the DK a couple of weeks ago. As usual, I used a set of laser cut parts produced by SLEC from my drawings and the model has been coming together very quickly indeed so here are some pictures of the build.... I actually built the tails surfaces back in January while I was bored in my hotel room in Tokyo. All my colleagues had gone out for a night on the town but since I was having a month off the booze to try and shift some weight I decided to take my mobile building kit away with me. Having the fuselage sides and formers laser cut allowed me to use tabs and slots to keep everything aligned. Makes for very fast and accurate assembly. The instrument panel was made from layers of laser cut ply and acetate with instruments found online and printed onto photographic paper. If you look closely you might be able to see that the model appears to be doing 220 knots at 8,300 feet with the engine at idle - a bit of a worry! And this is everything I have so far! More to follow soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plummet Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 The only way that you would get 220 knots would be if the pilot did crochet. Plummet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Newberry - Nuviation Ltd. Posted May 23, 2014 Author Share Posted May 23, 2014 Been a bit of a slow couple of days - I wasted a lot of time and effort trying to turn a pair of scale wheels on the lathe but have pretty much given up on the idea now as they looked rubbish and weigh too much. I might rethink the idea or just use a pair of Robart scale wheels which are probably close enough to pass muster from more than a few feet away! This pilot figure arrived this morning from Real Model Pilots so I spent a very enjoyable afternoon painting him. I know he's a military figure in a civil aircraft - it's his day off!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Bertram Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Hi Jim, Any news on your Dart Kitten progress? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Newberry - Nuviation Ltd. Posted January 8, 2016 Author Share Posted January 8, 2016 Hi Bob, The Kitten has been on hold for quite a while now - I moved house some time ago and the new place didn't have a workshop so the entire contents of my old garage (including the part built Kitten) had to go into storage while I had a new play room built. As these things do, it ended up taking far longer than expected as I had to get planning permission, then the shed supplier couldn't deliver for three months.... And so on. Anyway, I have everything back from storage and the Kitten is next on the building board as soon as I finish the current project. Hopefully I will have it completed by spring and of course I'll keep you updated as soon as progress resumes! Jim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Bertram Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 Thanks for the response Jim, I saw 'XT up at Breighton a few months back and it is on my long list to do (plus finish one or two projects already on the go). Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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