Former Member Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 always fancied the look of the Spatman, but never got round to buying/building one. Anglia Model Centre are still selling the kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ashby - Moderator Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 Dad had one Eric ...back in 1980. Can't believe you can still get them. I'll ask him...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted March 30, 2008 Author Share Posted March 30, 2008 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DH1950 Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Hi EricThe Spatman was the featured model in a series called 'Solo on a Shoestring' published in Radio Modeller, Feb and Mar 1986. I can supply copies of the article(s) if you wish.RegardsDerek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ashby - Moderator Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Eric, spoke to father who said it flew 'quite well' but I couldn't get much more out of him........said it was a long time ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted March 31, 2008 Author Share Posted March 31, 2008 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo565 Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 Eric.I built this model many years ago and it flew like a pattern ship the moment it left the ground without any stick input.It had a Taipan 15 in it and was a handfull.Have a look under the thread The worst model you ever had.Maybe i did'nt understand c/g location back in those early days.RegardsJim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Gorham_ Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 I've got one!It was built in the early 80's by my Dad - he had an aversion to ailerons. Too complicated to build, too many stick movements when flying so most of his models were rudder/elevator. The Spatman was a bit like a high wing trainer to fly, but a bit more sprightly and with a very exciting roll-rate considering it had no ailerons.I only stopped flying it because it had become old, oil-soaked and a bit tatty. It had an old but reliable Enya 15 fitted and was metallic blue fus. with white wings. Jim's model above must've had something wrong beacsue we had literally hours and hours of good flying with our model. Happy days! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo565 Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 Alan,I feel sure all the problems I had with Spatman were mine,Back then i didn't know what C/G meant.ps ( I hope i'm talking to Alan Gorham of the Cramlington club ) RegardsJim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted April 1, 2008 Author Share Posted April 1, 2008 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo565 Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 Ericmine had ailerons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted April 1, 2008 Author Share Posted April 1, 2008 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Gorham_ Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 EricMine didn't have ailerons and they weren't shown on the plan. Maybe Bowmans did an update of the kit because let's face it you don't see many rudder/elevator models around do you?Sorry for any confsion, but it did fly well without ailerons and I would expect it would only be better with them.Ironically, I did convert another Bowmans kit, the Mini Skyman from rudder/elevator to ailerons!Jim, hello, yes it's me. Small world on the internet isn't it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted April 2, 2008 Author Share Posted April 2, 2008 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 I had one many moons ago and if i remeber it was quite heavy and flew quite fast(was very hard to follow the build light ,trim for free flight adage)but that may have had someting to do with the size of the radio gear I had at that time.Can't remember the engine I used but I think it was an old os I had from control line days .I had to hand launch and removed the uc for a belly landing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Lubbock Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 I Had the Galaxy equivalent-the Quicky, in the early '80s, a few of thier kits were shared, the Skyman series were the Escort fron Galaxy + others.It had foam wings with no spars/LE/TE, just the veneer going to sharp edges front & rear & a boxy fuselage with the front underside made from ply. I wiped the alloy U/C out on the first flight & handlaunched it from then on-my field at the time (Enville Common near Bobbington Airfield, W. Mids) was too rough for a model of that size to take off/land on wheels & it flew better without.I built mine in an evening, powered it with an OS 10FSR & it became my very favourite model for years-virtually indestructable (i only ever broke the tailplane-easily replaced)& very aerobatic on it's 3 channels-it had plenty of dihedral, making the roll rate quite spectacular on rudder ony-I remember another flyer flatly refusing to believe it was rudder/elevator contol until I landed & showed him. It's party piece wes clinbing to a speck, shutting the throttle & slamming full rudder/up elevator & spinning rapidly downwards-it would start flying immediately the sticks centralised & throttle opened, so I could let it get very low before recovering. It meant a lot to me in those early days!!I still have the plan & it is one of my 'must do' builds (rebuilds?) for the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted April 3, 2008 Author Share Posted April 3, 2008 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROBERT BENSON 1 Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 Eric, 12 years later and ............................ Spatman was my first RC model. Powered it with a DC Saber 1.5cc (just). Tried to teach myself to fly so thought it best to have quiet some throws on the elevator and rudder - so it didn'go too far. Hand launched and grabbed the sticks - only to wallow in the air to the ground and quickly. Next time I decided I need to let it "fly" before controlling it. It got away fast so I grabbed the sticks and vertical it went, looped and then headed to the ground to bury itself in the muddy autumn field. I kept long time until my wife burned it with all my other planes when I divorced - oh well! If you should read this and you still have the plans I would love a copy. Please send me a private message. We can figure it out. Best regards Bob Benson Edited By David Ashby - Moderator on 30/07/2020 09:56:44 Edited By David Ashby - Moderator on 30/07/2020 09:57:25 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ashby - Moderator Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 Just removed your email Robert, it's best not to quote them for all to see Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Lane 2 Posted November 12, 2020 Share Posted November 12, 2020 Hi, just stumbled across this whilst looking for any info about the Spatman as I intend to rebuild my 35+ year old version, the fuselage having finally fallen apart with oil ingress - the wings are still usable. For those not familiar, this 40" span 3 channel model had excessive dihedral, a sharp leading edge before a chunky airfoil, and a very short moment arm. This gave it outstanding roll characteristics with just a tiny rudder - quite a handful but, as someone has mentioned above, could be brought out of a spin instantly. Powered by an old OS Max15, mine would cartwheel around the sky in a manner that can only be described as 'completely bonkers'. Out of all of the models that I have owned over the years, this one takes, by far, the 'most fun per £' trophy. I had finished my original model rather over heavy with heavyweight tissue/dope, but it still flew amazingly well. As I still have the original plans that came with the kit, I aim to recreate it, only lighter, and get the old OS engine going again - but am thinking about a lighter, electric version with built up wings, rather than foam veneer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted November 12, 2020 Share Posted November 12, 2020 Funnily enough during Lockdown1 I came across a vid of me flying my Spatman circa 1981, will dig it out and post it on here - great plane, great hair!!!! Edited By Ron Gray on 12/11/2020 15:02:05 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Colbourne Posted November 12, 2020 Share Posted November 12, 2020 Posted by David Lane 2 on 12/11/2020 14:37:55 :...As I still have the original plans that came with the kit... Hi David, Is there any chance you could get your plan uploaded to Outerzone, AeroFred or similar? It would be a real shame to lose this piece of our R/C flying history. Uploading plans to Outerzone Uploading Plans to AeroFred Thanks, Robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Lane 2 Posted November 12, 2020 Share Posted November 12, 2020 I did have a look on both of those to see if the plan was to be found, but no. At the weekend I will dig it out (I think that I still have it) - but I have no idea as to get it scanned - any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Colbourne Posted November 12, 2020 Share Posted November 12, 2020 Posted by David Lane 2 on 12/11/2020 17:05:15: I did have a look on both of those to see if the plan was to be found, but no. At the weekend I will dig it out (I think that I still have it) - but I have no idea as to get it scanned - any thoughts? David, I would guess that if you can scan the plan as a number of A4 images, that they could be stitched together with software that Outerzone/AeroFred would have. If you don't have a means of scanning at all, then your local library may have a photocopier that could do this. Cheers, Robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.