kc Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Having studied the plan I have to say the Jnr Skylark is not really like the Flea Fli. Over 5 inches dihedral on the Skylark compared to 1.25 and no ailerons.The Flea Fli is a much better bet for our purposes now - a proper aerobatic model with ailerons but only 39 inch span. So dont be confused! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erfolg Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 OMG, all those of a certain age group, will cast there minds back, to the dim and so distant past, remembering the BBC and the INTERLUDE, when the potters wheel would lull you to sleep, before the next programme started. It reminds me of flying my RC Tomboy, not an awful lot to it. It was then when I took up the camping chair, getting out my bacon sarnies, having a cup of coffee. Only after finishing my picnic, would I need to check where the model was. Is it in the tree, has it landed, no, its where I left it, at about 200 foot high, not moved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Stringer Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 When i voted I did it based on cost, ease of build, least parts and flyable at Greenacres if the weather wasn't great If i was doing it from the heart the Jabberwock would have been right up there but I didn't feel it was right for the Mass Build so I didn't vote for that either I stick with my voting method and what i voted for - not based on what i fancy building - just on what i felt was "right" for the mass build. But yes - lovely model, I just didn't feel it was right for the Mass build Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Stringer Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Careful - you will have my pining for my Keil Kraft Phantom Mite and Mercury Marquis and Monarch if you are not careful - now thinking about it I do have a brand new boxed DC Sptifire diesel in the cupboard..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Stringer Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Time to "Bump" the First round voting thread - only a few hours to go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erfolg Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Mark As with many modellers, I have in storage my vintage (old by a fancy name), engines I have my old junk, I just do not want another old model to complete my collection of ancient curio's I am sure we will want to chide each other in the next round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearair Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 I find the discussion on modern designers compared to so called "older designs" quite interesting. What strikes me the most is how little sport powered aircraft have changed. I cannot really see a "modern" design in the list using modern materials. Yes there are slight differences in construction techniques but not really anything I would not expect a reasonably experienced builder to incorporate whilst building from a "older" plan. Personally that is what appealed to me, the fact that older designs would be updated by the more experienced builder and new builders could learn sensible modifications. I do wonder if the British home designer is starting to lag behind other countries. I cannot think of a top F3A design from a british designer in the last few years, or a top F5A design. (I really hope someone proves me wrong on this). There are some good designs around using Depron which I find fascinating but none appeared on the nominated list. So I will be looking for a design in the 2015 mass build that really pushes forward the boundaries of modern construction techniques, not just "standing on the shoulders...." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted October 11, 2013 Author Share Posted October 11, 2013 Just over an hour left to vote people! BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erfolg Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Bearair I am sure that you are aware of a number of free plans published using Depron in RCM&E in addition to other UK magazines. I would imagine you are also aware of the many aircraft built by Simon Chambers that appear on this site. I have designed and built my own Depron model, no, design is to strong a word, I made a model out of Depron sheet that used as much of the sheets I could use. A delta, copying a plan, the Gholley, for the motors.I have also built a more conventional design. Although it works well with the delta, on conventional shape, I was less than impressed, in that it was so light, that it was restricted in wind strengths it could cope,yet prone to dings. The delta uses a EK aerofoil of two step stepped type, glass clothed with varnish. This will and does fly in all weather . I have started using blue foam, copying a American design of a Rhone Buzzard or Adler, but using tissue instead of glass cloth and resin. Unfortunately this model has stalled for about 2 years. It still inches foreward. Like many others I have made many Fibreglass, Depron and used CF bodies for gliders. Yet for home builders from scratch, I think little really challenges, models where the majority of the model is balsa and ply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 There's loads of good stuff in all of these emails! KC is right of course about the Jr. Skylark. It was designed for single channel with rubber escapement on the rudder only. I built it about 1970, crashed it and bust the wing. Resurrected it later in the 70s, repaired the wing, sheeted the l/e and fitted strip ailerons. Took the u/c off to hand-launch it and fitted Swan proportional on ailerons and elevator only. In spite of the dihedral, it handled perfectly on the ailerons and was very nippy. In the end the Golden Bee was so worn it wouldn't even climb, so I put it away and forgot about it until I found it in the garage loft a few weeks back! Has the Tomboy come down yet Erfolg? Don't forget it's up there mate! Funny Mark mentioning the KeilKraft (not Mercury)'Marquis, I've got one! I can't remember where I picked it up, I think it was in with a load of other stuff. Someone built the airframe very neatly, covered it with plain tissue, doped it and forgot it. The tissue is holed but otherwise it's perfect. The dural u-c legs are in place, no wheels ever been fitted. No engine has ever been installed and the canopy hasn't been fitted either. However I managed to get a canopy from Replikit so it's perfectly viable. I had vague ideas of seeing if I could convert it to radio, but not now! Would anyone like it? Great to see all of Erfolg's old stuff, I've got loads as well and must sort through it some time. Bearair's right of course. I suppose that when we build planes of model size to fly at appropriate speeds in modest spaces, basic aerodynamics don't vary much so new designs tend to be really variations on existing long standing prototypes, the big changes being wider opportunity in materials and adhesive, plus sophisticated lightweight electronics and electric power systems. When I learned to fly full size it was in Cessna 150/152s which had been around for ages and now 30 years later anyone taking lessons may well be learning in the same types! Even some of the new sophisticated ultralight types, Ikarus, Jabiru etc. are largely based on long standing aerodynamic standards, the big changes again being in materials, engine design and electronics enabling high performances to be achieved wiith low cubic capacity, efficient engines. So there's a lot similar in models and full size, what we've got is choice we never dreamed of a few years back. We couldn't yarn like this in the old days, could we? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erfolg Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Colin The Tomboy is at approx. at an18 ft altitude these days, sitting on a shelf in my workroom. To me it is a testimony to a concept over reality, that concept is warm , windless evenings, with a model floating like gossamer. As a RC model, it is so unfulfilling as not even to make it onto any of my Tx's memories. I do think a lot has incrementally moved on in many departments with respect to RC model aeroplanes. The glues have moved on from my youth. the RC equipment is much more capable today than even the 80's, from Tx capability, servos, and so on. Coverings continue to develop and methods. Perhaps the biggest single change is not ARTF themselves, but the reality which they bring, that lighter built models fly well, not like the overweight models of the 70-80's. Then we all know about ARTF models, foam of a quality we could not comprehend, built up ARTFs using laser cut lightweight ply. I personally believe that in every direction you look there has been changes, which have influenced in a positive way todays model designers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted October 11, 2013 Author Share Posted October 11, 2013 OK folks the voting thread is now locked. Please give us a few minutes to do final checks on the numbers and we will be posting the official result very soon. BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Glad the Tomboy is safe Erfolg, I agree with everything you say. When KC posted the three-view of the Kwik-Fli III a while ago, I though it looked familiar. Just found it on page 50 of my Aeromodeller Annual, 1968-69. Lots of interesting things, I like the "Strumpfmeister" on page 81! Shades of Magnatilla and Dawn Flyer! Now I'll chew my fingernails until we get news from BEB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted October 11, 2013 Author Share Posted October 11, 2013 Actually Colin it is Chris that will make the announcement! He has all the figures! He's just formating them now,... BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Bott - Moderator Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 OK, result is over here now, don't all scramble at once! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearair Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Nice Erfolg, now here's a German home build a glider admitedly, kevlar, carbon,moulded glass fibre wing sections by German Aeronautic. Compare! Edited By Bearair on 11/10/2013 21:22:47 Edited By Bearair on 11/10/2013 21:24:00 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted October 11, 2013 Author Share Posted October 11, 2013 Cu-ee - the result is here folks. BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted October 11, 2013 Author Share Posted October 11, 2013 We are going to close this thread shortly all chat can move over to the results thread now here BEB PS I'll move the last couple of posts from here over to there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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