Samuel Wragg Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 This build will be slightly different as it will be a double build as Dave kindly sent me the plans for lightning this year plus I have a Glass bodied kit purchased many years ago. The glass bodied will be built with a slightly modern twist and the Plan built lightning will be an electrified version Glass bodied lightning Really looking forward to this project Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samuel Wragg Posted November 19, 2015 Author Share Posted November 19, 2015 To me Lighting is “the” model that epitomises everything about F3a pre-turnaround Era. She has simple classic lines that just look right, as they say if it looks right, it is right. Over the years I have had 3 lightning’s dating back from 1978 to 1996 and my soft spot for this model is just as strong as it was when I first saw her ‘in the flesh’ all those years ago. Lightning No1. I remember watching Dave fly lightning at a comp for the first time thinking, Wow what a model! Sadly I accepted that I would never have the chance of owning/flying lightning. All that changed at a competition early 1978. It was either at Acaster Malbis, or at a site above Harrogate? All I remember the site was on the top of a hill situated on moorland scrub, it was cold and windy with Big golf Balls on the next hill (listening stations). There was my dad and I sheltering between rounds in the club house when in walked Dave H with a Lightning kit and plonked it on the shelve saying that the kit was for sale…….. I wanted it. I remember pestering Dad to buy her but he wouldn’t give in no matter how hard I tried. It wasn’t until after I had just flown my final round of the day when Kath Watson approached us and complimented me on my flight and the progress I was making. That was the catalyst required and Team Wragg was the proud owner of a Lightning kit for the sum of £30 purchased off the man himself. Lightning was subsequently built, powered by a Pumped Redshift 60 (I still have the engine), ED carb, ED Quiet pipe turning a Zinger 11x7 ½ prop and fitted with Kraft electric retracts. I remember she flew as straight as an arrow and that team Wragg was on their way up…….. Little did we know? I still clearly remember it was 1978 World cup final day and we was to unleash the Lightning at her very first comp at West Raynham airfield in Norfolk. Little did I know this was to be my last competition for 18 years and the last time I would fly a model for 9 years? Sadly Lightning was shot down by radio interference on my first round. Gutted sifting through the wreckage to salvage what was salvageable the remains of Lightning was left dumped in a waste bin in a lay-by on the A47 and my flying days was over. Lightning No2. One Sunday morning in early 1987 I was travelling home from looking at a second hand car when I passed a Hobby shop in Doncaster. Something inside me stirred, so doubling back I parked up to have a look through the window, surprisingly the shop was open so in I walked just to have a look, or so I thought. Up until this point I had lost all interest in the hobby since that fateful day back in 1978. Whilst looking at the kits on the shelves the owner asked if I wanted any help. I told him I was just looking as I used to fly pattern many years ago and for some reason asked if he’d got any aerobatic kits. He said he hadn’t any kits but may have something that may be of interest and off he went to his stock room. Some minutes later he came back with a pair of Lightning fuselages under his arms. My eyes popped out of their sockets in surprise when he said I could have the pair for £20 as they were of no use to him. I just couldn’t resist the temptation and bought the pair of fuselages. So; out of the blue I was bitten by the modelling bug again. That week I ordered a set of wings and tail and to my surprise the other half of team Wragg went out and bought a new radio set seeming technology had moved on. I soon picked up flying from where I left off resulting in Lightning 2 joining the throttle benders union. Anyway, we was back up at our old flying field having the times of our life flying lightning until I ran out of fuel resulting in a dead stick landing which fell short and that was the end of Lightning 2 as she clipped a dry stone wall and broke in two. Lightning No3. This lightning was made out of the remnants of lightning 2 and flew up until 1997 when she just finally gave up after years of constant full throttle flying but nevertheless she started me back into competitive aerobatics again in the previous year at my first Gbrcaa comp at Elvington in the season of 96. Jaded and burned out I’d stopped competing in 2006 and after that I very rarely flew. By 2012 a chance meeting with Steve D he spoke of the Ukcaa and the emergence of the classic designs. By chance a few months after I came across the Ukcaa web site and followed the link to the Model Flying forum where I read about Martyn’s build of Magic. Yes you can guess once again something stirred and off I went up into the loft where my Magic sat and guess what? There sat waiting was a lightning kit I’d completely forgotten about…… The flying bug had struck once again. So as you can see over the years Lightning has had a role in my flying and this is why we intend to build I.C and electric version of the model as a tribute to this classic design Enjoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Jones Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 That's a nice looking fus, subscribed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
extra slim Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 Top story, great background. Watching along the way Sam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingKade Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 Sam, you only have 3 forum posts? Surely youve been around longer than that? Subsribed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Banner Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 Oooh Eck. Subscribed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CARPERFECT Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 If anyone needs any info on the Lightning, just post on here, Dave will answer. He is on the committee with me at our club. Great guy. Still has the original Lightning in his loft Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samuel Wragg Posted November 20, 2015 Author Share Posted November 20, 2015 Posted by KingKade on 19/11/2015 21:45:03: Sam, you only have 3 forum posts? Surely youve been around longer than that? Subsribed! Yes I have In answer to your question, see my resurrection of Magic and Wolfgang Matts Arrow blogs on this section. Due to technical issues I've had to re-join this forum. On with the build. For i,c lightning to keep with the retro theme I would have liked to fit the original engine that was fitted to lightning 1 all those years ago as I still have the engine in my collection. My Redshift is still in good working order and was purchased around 1976 after reading Peter Chins initial report prior to his full review of this engine at a later date. On buying this engine we be came long time friends with Ashley Hoyland (the other half of the Redshift team). This engine was one of the first off the production line and was used competitively then later on in its life after much arm twisting, Dick Fisher agreed and fitted a pump system to the engine that he had been testing prior to being made commercially available. Images of my original Redshift Sadly common sense dictates otherwise and Redshift will have to stay in her box because for this engine to power Lightning as designed I would struggle to keep within the defined noise criteria. So, its option 2 in choice of power plant Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samuel Wragg Posted November 21, 2015 Author Share Posted November 21, 2015 For me the main criteria in flying is NOISE and keeping it down to a level that's exceptable. So with this in mind I have decided that my alternative choice of engine to propel Lightning will be my old trusty Super Tigre G90 fitted with an OS carb and pump unit. This engine is the same physical size and weight of a 60 apart from the cylinder head being 4mm higher. Using this engine will enable me to keep the noise down by propping it up to keep down the revs and yet produce the equivalent thrust. This engine dates back to 1997 and has many competition wins to its credit mainly the 1997 Nationals. So I believe its a worthy alternative...... A championship winning design powered by a championship winning engine, a nice combination don't you think? First task is to install the firewall and isolate the engine mount, unfortunately I couldn't find a suitable aluminum mount drilled and tapped to accept the engine bolt pitch so had to use a nylon alternative which created problems as the bolt holes are blind plus you cant really tap nylon as over time the treads will almost without doubt become stripped! This was my solution Some 3mm mild steel plate was drilled and tapped M4 then glued on the underside of the engine mount and for added security and was held in place by an M2 cap head set screw. To isolate the engine mount I cyano on a piece of 3mm thick rubber then cut shape To fasten the mount to the firewall I use M5 rubber Rawlbolts. I had to cut these to a suitable length about 2mm from behind the flange making sure the cut was done in one clean movement and re-join using cyano. * note I would have used M4 as an alternative but it meant a trip B&Q* The final assembly before fitting Once happy that everything fits and lines up as is should, the engine mount is fastened to the firewall, when happy the engine is in its correct position the firewall is tacked into place by using a small mixture of resin and micro balloons to thicken the resin dabbed on with a long stick When satisfied that the resin has cured and nothing has moved the engine and mount are removed from the firewall so that it can be permanently fixed in place by using resin mixed with cotton fibers forming a small fillet between the fuselage and the firewall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn K Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 Just spotted this. Nice to see you are back on the build Sam. Where do you get rubber rawlboltes from? I have never seen them before Martyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn K Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 Duplicated - sorry Edited By Martyn K on 23/11/2015 10:03:57 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 I'm more interested in where you get the corrugated rubber you use to back the engine mount! Rawlnuts I can get from B&Q, Wickes, motorcycle panel mountings ('well' nuts) and the like but that rubber backing looks a really handy idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Dunning Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 I buy the Rawlnuts by the 100, always have 3 and 4mm in stock if anybody has any difficulties in obtaining them. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samuel Wragg Posted November 23, 2015 Author Share Posted November 23, 2015 Hi Martyn I think Steve D has answered your question and yes it's nice to be building again......very therapeutic just what the doctor ordered. The rubber matting was got from? Well I don't want to incriminate myself Its impregnated protective rubber matting for work benches / toolboxes probably obtained from engineering suppliers. sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn K Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 That sounds like quite hard rubber if its industrial quality. May be worthwhile checking Mr Minit for rubber soles for shoes.. Martyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samuel Wragg Posted November 24, 2015 Author Share Posted November 24, 2015 I've found that normal rubber tends to squash out under compression whereas the rubberized matting that I use holds its shape, Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel R Posted November 27, 2015 Share Posted November 27, 2015 Hi sam. You say the redshift used a pump. Is that a similar to the perry pumps? I have a 60 currently bereft of carb and the ed seems to have a good rep. That's quite a backstory to the build by the way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samuel Wragg Posted November 27, 2015 Author Share Posted November 27, 2015 Hi there, If you Google Dick Fisher Redshift you will find an article written by Ashley Hoyland giving details. As far as I understand the Redshift IFM system is more of a regulator than a pump. It uses crankcase pressure through a one way valve to pressurise the tank at about 8 lb to drive fuel to the regulator. On the other side of the regulator exaust preasure pulses allow a metered amount of fuel to the carb. The ED Carb is a brilliant carb if you can get one. I keep scouring ebay and have managed to aquire 2 unused carbs, I believe Weston UK have started to produce them again. Hope this helps Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel R Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Thanks sam, interesting story behind the redshift. The redshift system seems to be quite a complete system more complete than the ys regulator if it included a metering widget hooked up to the exhaust. Great shame the designer was lost.Weston are currently showing the ed carb on their website so its currently my first choice if I can get one. Failing that one of the uk irvine 40/46/53 sized jetstream will fit and they're a sweet carb. Nige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Saxby Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 Subscribed and looking forward to seeing further pictures... Would like to my hands on a fibreglass version, if anyone knows where I could find one! My dad bought and built a kit from Dave smith way back in the late seventies and a couple of flair versions in later years. The Lightning is proberly the reason why I've also had an interest in aerobatic flying. Paul Edited By Paul S on 25/01/2016 19:20:01 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owdlad Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 Sam has asked me to post some images of the progression of Lightning as unfortunately it is not possible for him to contribute to this forum anymore. Lightning prior to final paint prep The wings tail & control surfaces are glass clothed with 25g cloth apart from the central section of the wing which has 3 layers(top & bottom) of 50g cloth cut to different lengths. ie the first layer is cut at an angle to extend just beyond the servo well, the second layer of cloth about 75 mm shorter than the first layer again cut at an angle and finally the third layer of cloth is once again cut at an angle some 50/75mm shorter than the second layer. If you study the underside images you will see pencil lines where the cloth ends. Sam says once the first layer of 50g cloth is wetted out little or no resin is required when you lay the other layers of cloth on top of each other. This method is supposed to be stronger than using just 4" Glass bandage as this generally is 150/160g..... Apparently this is common practice with the Pylon fraternity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn K Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 That looks superb - another work of art. Understand the tapered layering. Its imperceptible if you hadn't said it was there Martyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owdlad Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 Because of the interest shown Sam & John have sent me more images of the other half of the build thread for me to post which are of the electrified wooden lightning version they are also building. 1st stage Sam & John rekon that the wooden electric version will be lighter More to follow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Hardaker Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 Sam/Owdlad Its good to see a real Lightning built off a genuine plan. I hope all the bits fit . Single aileron servos were normal in those days, how things have changed. I believe the Rom-Air retracts are no longer manufactured. Pity, they were excellent reliable units They used freon gas as power source, happy days..... Looking forward to more pics. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Foley Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 Lookin good. Thrust line much lower on GRP version? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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