Maestro by John Wilson, Falkirk

[Philflyer]

Colouring nearly done. Don't buy cheap masking tape. The paint bleeds under the edge and you end up doing everything twice! The stuff I bought from Halfords for doing curves actually let paint through the parts that had been stretched!! Just a couple of coats of lacquer to do and then fit the radio. Might even get it in the air before Christmas.

[Colin Carpenter]

Oooohh !!!!! Love the colour scheme ! Colin

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[John Wilson 14]

Hi Phil, I see you are making good progress. It's looking good and very colourful! You must let me know how the first flight goes as it will deserve a small celebration - a new Maestro taking to the air 24 years after the prototype. There is one under construction just now in our own club by a member who bought it part built in a bring and buy sale.

Regards, John

[Philflyer]

Colin, thanks for that. A real compliment after seeing your album.

John, I will certainly keep you informed of the progress of the final build and the flights. The colours are the result of many genuine attempts with different colour schemes and also some research. I've discovered that white on the top disappears against most of our (British) skies and a black with contrasting colours works well. The underside always looks black anyway but I do like to fly inverted so that needs a good contrast too. I find a bright red leading edge is great for levelling the wings when landing. I like green and the one I have is Ford Signal Green, the really bright one that was used on the Escort Mexico if you can remember that far back! It's turned out ok I think.

[John Wilson 14]

Hi Phil, now that you've reached the finishing stage of your Maestro it might interest you to know that my own one (finished the same way as your's - glass cloth and painted) turned the scales at 7lbs 48ozs. and flies well on an Irvine 46. If yours comes out anywhere near that wieght you should be very pleased with it's performance.

I've only had mine out once so far this year but the recent activity on the forum has spurred me to charge it up overnight and as it looks like a good day today I will blow the cobwebs off it this aftrernoon!

Regards, John

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[John Wilson 14]

Hi Phil, here is a photo of my Maestro n flight yesterday- a most satisfying afternoons flying.

And Percy - that s/h Maestro looks in reasonable condition - a good buy for someone.

Regards John

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Philflyer]

Great to see the flying shot John. I was astounded to see it - from the colors it is the one on the box lid! From 24 years ago? If you are reading this and don't know what I am talking about go back to the beginning of this thread.

[John Wilson 14]

It's ok Phil, I know exactly what you are talking about! The one in the photo is a repacment for the prototype which was written off in a crash when 14 years old. The replacement is now 10 years old and flying well as you can see. Regarding the flying shot it took me about two hours figuring out how to post the photo on the forum - had well and truly bamboozled!

Regards, John

[Philflyer]

Yes, I had trouble the first time I tried adding photos. It gets easier now you've done it once.

Here's the boyo (that's almost Welsh) with final coats of lacquer, Underside in this picture.

[John Wilson 14]

Hi Phil, I see from your photo that you are fitting the aileron servos out board in the wing. I would do it that way now myself but when the model was designed torque rods were the normal method. And if I was doing it now I would put a1/2 inch tunnel up the centre of the wing to accommodate the servo leads. You seem to be making good progress so I look forward to news of a successful test flight in the not to distant future.

John

[Philflyer]

John, yes the aileron servos are HiTec slim metal geared so they will be flush with the under surface. Very light too. The tunnels for the leads were simply made by cutting 10mm wide strips in the veneer then forming a slot with a soldering iron. It does a very neat job and seals the edge of the foam channel at the same time. After fitting the leads the channel was filled with lightweight filler, sanded smooth and covered with glasscloth again. Now the finishing is done it's impossible to see where the slots are. The trailing edge and ailerons themselves are 10mm wider than the plan making the chord and the wing area a little bigger. Sort of compensating for the bigger engine. That's what I tell people, but the main reason is that all the wood including the ailerons were e-mail items from Balsa Cabin so I didn't know the exact size. When they arrived I liked the size and stiffness and couldn't be bothered to reduce them! Great service from Balsa Cabin by the way and excellent quality wood.

[Andy Code]

Hello all, after noticing this thread concerning the 'Maestro', I thought you might like to see mine!!

I've owned it for over 10 years and have flown it relentlessly, a credit to its talented designer John Wilson. He got it spot on.

Mine is showing considerable signs of wear...and is slowly renaming itself...currently 'aesro'. It still performs very well but it really needs a re-cover (at least!). To start from scratch would be a better idea...

I think we need an enterprising soul to come up with a wood kit/ foam wings-turtle deck pack!!! anyone?

[Philflyer]

Andy, many thanks for the message and picture. Needs a re-cover? Looks fine to me. Can't wait to get mine finished now but the old "work and family" things keep getting in the way. Radio and ignition are all fitted now. Just the engine to refit and tests to do. Hoping to get in the air before 2017 arrives but the weather has got to improve a lot before I risk it. This is a rare beast and I don't want to take any chances with it. Like you I would love to see this semi-kit done again if the quality of the original could be matched.

[Philflyer]

Ready for engine setup.

Can anyone tell me what the control surface throws should be?

Edited By Philflyer on 21/11/2016 13:38:30

[John Wilson 14]

Hi Phil, that sure is an impressive colour scheme - it looks as if was going to compete in the Red Bull Air Races!

Who want to know the control throws - who better to ask than the designer! The throws are:-

Aileron 1/4 inch both ways

Elevator 3/8 to 1/2 inch each way

Rudder 1 & 1/4 inches each way

These throws should give you a drama free first flight and can be changed to suit your own

[John Wilson 14]

Hi Phil, sorry about previous incomplete posting. I got disturbed while typing it and I accidentaly pressed the post button before it was finished.You have probably worked out that the throws I have given you can be changed to suit your own flying style and preferance after the first flights are safely over.

Hope all goes well on the maiden flight.

John

[Philflyer]

John, many thanks for the throws information. As you say, who better for that reply than the designer. I am very much into a drama free first flight so I'll certainly reset the deflections to your measurements.

The bright colours have come out even better than I expected. This is the first aircraft I have built that is not covered with a film of some sort. It was far more work, glassing then spraying, but to me it has been worth it. The skies here on the Channel coast here in South Wales can go from a dark lead colour to bright blue and then all over white in an hour so here's hoping the flamboyance will cope with that.

[John Wilson 14]

Hi Andy Many thanks for your complimentary comments about my Maestrsto design. I'm pleased to hear it has given you so much enjoyment over many years and if that is a recent photo it is still looking pretty good after 10 years continuous use. As a matter of interest what engine do you have in it. I have an Irvine 46 in mine and it performs very well on that power. (see flying shot earlier in this forum)

Regards,

John

[Andy Code]

Hi John, mine started out with the same, an Irvine 46 with the black carb (lovely engine!). Also, as a bonus, the engine colour matched the trim perfectly! But, recently a bearing needed changing, not a problem but i'd bought a new O.S. 55 for another plane and my lack of patience got the better of me so in it went. Goes really well, a little too well at times, i think i may have reached VNE for some of the trim...great stuff!!

[John Wilson 14]

Hi Andy, your post about what engine you had in your Maestro seems to have disappeared from the thread but I gathered from it that it performs very well on the OS 55 and you delighted with it's performance.

Many more happy landings

Regards,

John.

[John Wilson 14]

Hi Phil, just wondered if you are anywhere near a test - flight yet.

Regards,

John

[Philflyer]

Hi John, I've been dreading having to make this post. I test flew the Maestro just before Christmas. The maiden flight lasted about 15 seconds. I had inadvertently fitted a radio flight pack that had been suspect before and should have been binned. This rx, battery switch set had suffered a couple of brown-outs while taxying and I had found a faulty satellite rx connector lead so thought the rx was ok (a Spektrum AR 6210). Anyway, despite setting up the fail safe and a good range test the radio went into fail safe mode at about 50 ft height after a perfect takeoff and just starting the turn into the circuit. The throttle went to idle and no response to any inputs. The aircraft nosed over and went into the edge of the road that passes the end of our airstrip. The wing broke into 2 pieces but everything from the rear fuse forward was matchwood. Even the canopy was unrecogniseable. The brand new engine was also beyond recognition. If it had gone half a metre further into the turn it would have been in the perimeter hedge and probably repairable, but that's life. So it's the end of this story I'm afraid. It has taken this long to pluck up the courage to relate it. So sorry to end the dream of this great design continuing after over 20 years. If I could find another I would not hesitate to do it all again.