Spring is Here....

[cymaz]

Just after the maiden at Davidstow Airfield

Edited By cymaz on 02/04/2017 20:58:56

[Devcon1]

Was it an aerotow or bungee 😂

[Trevor Crook]

Devcon, we didn't buy a specialist FPV airframe but used my son's "Tidemaster" flying boat as there was a natural camera mounting position on the battery hatch, ahead of the prop. Getaway from a hand launch, not with FPV yet.

The camera is a fairly cheap Hobbyking device with integral Tx, the goggles are Quanum Cyclops, so a sub £100 spend. Camera is powered by a 130mAh 1s lipo. RF quality is not the best, with some dropouts, but we'll upgrade the receiving aerial and see if that improves it.

I don't know how far we'll take this aspect of the hobby, probably just leave it at this level for a bit of fun between "normal" flights. A great, different experience though.

[Chris Barlow]

Posted by cymaz on 02/04/2017 20:58:27:

Just after the maiden at Davidstow Airfield

Edited By cymaz on 02/04/2017 20:58:56

PSS?

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Posted by Chris Barlow on 02/04/2017 22:46:33:

Posted by cymaz on 02/04/2017 20:58:27:

Just after the maiden at Davidstow Airfield

Edited By cymaz on 02/04/2017 20:58:56

PSS?

Pothole

[cymaz]

Took the prop off. Broke it when she nosed over into a hole on the runway

[Devcon1]

It does look rather nice, I bet the adrenaline was circulating for that one.

[Bob Cotsford]

Well, I finally popped my cherry for 2017 by maidening my Skip Model Designs (/Braincube) Fugly

With a 10*5 prop it was burning through batteries at a terrific rate - it's rate of vertical climb was a bit addictive - so I'll be propping down a bit for the next outing!

[Colin Carpenter]

Flying my Sebart Shark around today in a 10 mph wind and coming out of a large loop when i heard a noise like the covering peeling off ! Throttle shut and sort out stability . Thought i could see the spinner lopsided ! Anyway , dead stick and walk over to the model and lo and behold , the motor mount has disintegrated and wires wound round shaft ! I see from the web that this is not an uncommon Sebbie problem. Rebuild will be a bit fiddly . A bit of GRP work on cowling may be like remoulding one of my old racing boats. Colin

[Steve Colman]

Posted by Colin Carpenter on 10/04/2017 14:35:39:

Flying my Sebart Shark around today in a 10 mph wind and coming out of a large loop when i heard a noise like the covering peeling off ! Throttle shut and sort out stability . Thought i could see the spinner lopsided ! Anyway , dead stick and walk over to the model and lo and behold , the motor mount has disintegrated and wires wound round shaft ! I see from the web that this is not an uncommon Sebbie problem. Rebuild will be a bit fiddly . A bit of GRP work on cowling may be like remoulding one of my old racing boats. Colin

All the best with the rebuild Colin.

I have a Shark and it's a lovely flying model. When I put mine together I gave the firewall/motor mount extra attention and I check it regularly. Which reminds me, must give her a dust down and check up now the weather's finally improved.

[Steve Colman]

A good day for flying today and as I'm on Easter holiday I thought I'd take advantage; will be doing so for the rest of the week too!

I did a trial flight/video with a Mobius mounted on my FX-61 wing which proved to be successful. So, I grabbed a couple of stills from the video which could be considered as "selfies" I guess. (Hate that word by the way).

[Colin Carpenter]

Thanks Steve. Strangely enough , after a good examination it looks worse than it is ! It was just the wood/ GRP that fell apart. The bits all fell back into the cowling and i notice there were no bits of triangle as are in my clubmates much later model. Mines 2008 and was never flown till i got it off E Bay. Will make a new plate using ply and carbon fibre sheet i was given years ago from Westlands blade department !😁 Just need very long thin fingers! Colin

[Erfolg]

With the improvement with the UK weather I have started to look forward to the weekends, and my other general flying days.

On Saturday I was so pleased with the weather I took this picture of the tree in our front garden.

The sun shone, all was still, the chunk of golf balls being hit on the adjacent link lent a relaxed atmosphere.

I trundled off to the field, all is well with world i thought as i approached little Plumpton. Thinking at least at week ends our anti-fracking campaigners rested after a long week on their entitlements. Unexpectedly I was awakened from relaxed condition. I saw a long snake of people perhaps 20 to 30 bordering the road, holding aloft placards, reading," Honk if you are anti-Fracking". Initially I had no concerns, although I did not sound the car horn, not being pro or anti, as yet. My silence clearly offended, as one person, at least, at the tail end of the line, strode out into the road, thrusting their placard in my general direction. The road being very wide, I was able to swerve to avoid a collision. A few days later campaigners appeared on television, accusing the police of heavy handedness, that laws were being broken, and that they were being threatened. Really i thought.

Havin arrived at the field, my PT19 was test flown again, having made a thrust line adjustment. Apparently nothing much had changed. I did a few circuits, before my tester landed the model.

Although i had brought another three models i just flew delta.

Much more interesting to many was a 90cc powered biplane of of some ancient Greek sounding name. That evening I picked up a magazine to see the full size with the pilot kneeling by it. On the basis of the photo, the model is either 1/2 or 1/4 scale. Much more impressive was the fling of this Black Beast, the pilot displaying the model in a most authentic manner. Gone was the prophanging, turning into some inverted gyration, with knife edge and back flick. Even i, not a lover of large models, nor National dept funded enterties, really enjoyed the whole experience.

Mid afternoon I returned home, and was much relieved to see that our campaigners only do half days on Saturdays. Although i did think, if we modellers behaved as they did, we would have our collars felt. Although I did think that i would not want to tangle with the site security, as I am sure they would protect themselves, as they thought necessary.

I woke up on Sunday with much anticipation. Drove to the field without incident (must not campaign on Sundays, good Christians?), only to find a pretty strong breeze blowing. I then found my wind speed device, had a flat battery.

To windy apparently for me to try my PT19 for the first time. Todays treat was a Jet, I think called a Boomerang flying big manoeuvres. Again impressed. again I thought, nope, you cannot be trusted with such a model. Not good enough as a flyer, nor particular enough with respect too system checking and safety. I contented myself with a couple of my models, then went home and dreamt of perhaps building an outstanding model.

By Monday reality set in, and i though, you know, your low cost models, they are really more your thing. It is about your fun, not about impressing others, that I fly better than I can, nor that my bank account is limitless.

[Devcon1]

Erfolg, that was a great read. You should have a few ,regular, column inches in the mag 😁

Edited By Devcon1 on 13/04/2017 19:14:25

[cymaz]

Posted by Devcon1 on 13/04/2017 19:13:27:

Erfolg, that was a great read. You should have a few ,regular, column inches in the mag 😁

Edited By Devcon1 on 13/04/2017 19:14:25

I've mentioned that to him on this here forum. He needs to, it's always a good read. It reminds me of "letter from America ".......high praise indeed

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Erfolg]

I really do thank you for all of your comments, I am very pleased that you have obtained some pleasure or amusements from what ever, has been written.

What has saddened me from time to time is that I have managed to offend people, when no such thing was intended, sometimes an apologis has been requested, when whatever the comment, was certainly not directed at them.

Hmm, now that my halo has slipped, I have sometimes questioned, did something really happen as suggested, or could something slightly different have occurred. Mainly this is because 99% of my accidents is due to me and not quite realising what is or has happened at the time.

An example of my incompetence, a little while back the wing on my Dornier 335 folded. On subsequent examination of the bits. One of the main spars had not really been glued in. So all my talk of careful checks, had managed to omit a simple structural examination. It was this very model that I flew on Sunday. Scott, from Cumbria and then worked for HK, said i would get hours of fun from the model, and to-date he has been so right. All for £20 from BRC models, perhaps 10 years back and it is still going.

Perhaps a couple of things that amuses and teases me is, I have a reputation in my present club of only flying foam models. Yet I have very few ARTF foam models, perhaps 2. The other is I am seen as a lost cause, as although I do admire the precision aerobatics of quite a few of the club members, I personally just fly around, my aerobatics, or what passes for something like, does not occur in a imaginary box, and I do not care. I just fly models. Could I fly as the many that admire do, probably not, more importantly (to me), I see no need to.

So having written something that provides some interest to some, is most gratifying.

[Phil Claridge]

i like to fly on the cheap, ibuy models from club auctions and car boot sales. i recently bought a magister for ten pounds at our club auction it looked a bit unloved but was all there. a good check over, a 3s battery and a reicever and oof she went flies nicely and easy take off and landing. have been given a nice bixler all ready to fly by the friend who taught me to fly.the magister has a tow hook fitted so i,m going to try towing some time when i find a cheap glider

[malcolm woodcock 1]

I've just had my first flights since Autumn, great. 8 flights with my Gemini and only 3 with the HyperBipe. The Hyper threw a blade and there was some damage before I could shut it down. I'm always nervous about the first flights of the season, got to bring all the trims up to date etc. Hope the weather plays ball this summer.

[Erfolg]

Now that I drive some distance to the field how to get there causes me some angst. At first I thought there was only one way that was sensible. I then discovered another very different route, which is shorter, along much the same type of road, although my sat nav does not prefer it. Unfortunately it is this second route that has become blighted by demonstrators. The previous Wednesday I trundled of to the field, only to discover approx 10 police vans driving back and forth over a distance of possibly 2 to 3 miles either side of the site. I think I counted 5 police vans parked up. A lot of police men, a slightly smaller group of demonstrators, who still persisted on undertaking intimidating behaviour to passing traffic. Now on television these apparently same people claim the police are heavy handed, that police allow the law to be broken by others, whilst they are denied respect, and so on. i have now found an alternative route, for when I think there will be issues, although this involves driving along the coast, which is frequented by holiday makers in summer, often driving slowly, cars parked with all the safety issues that brings.

I did manage to fly on Wednesday, all i can say it was OK.

Saturday, on our field the wind howled, I flew, all by myself.

Sunday was a different day, a different season. I took a small number of models. Two hopefully for there first flights and a old standard, just in case my designated test pilot was not there, or worse still declined to fly them.

First up was the HK WACO SRE.

I had switched out the original elevator and rudder servos, as they had been deemed to slow, at the last attempt. My pilot carefully went through all the pre-flight checks, as previously, testing the failsafe. This time all was acceptable. The model placed on the patch, throttle opened, away she trundled, found its wings, and was found to be sound. Stalls, were non events. Spins either way controllable. The model having a good cruise on half throttle. In short the test pilot was happy. The model was brought in for a landing, which appeared to me to be a little, uncouthed, no nice trundle to a standstill. Nor did the model want to taxi. On retrieving the model, i found that both legs of the undercarriage totally loose. Examination back at home revealed that HK had put the furniture nuts in from the wrong side, the prongs and nuts just pulling free. I have now fixed this.

Next up was the PM Cassut, or Miss Demeaner.

This model has taken some time to get ready for field flight, with an UC. Again the model was lined up, throttle opened up, it shot along the ground like a startled Hare, leapt into the air. Now my pilot was quietly saying, this model is uncontrollable. After some 1-2 minutes the model regained the field, the model landing pretty much at our feet. Whereupon the UC ripped of. Subsequent correspondence with PM via this web site, confirmed that the CG was to far back, for this type of model. The UC is now repaired, although a far bigger job than it at first looked.

I decided to fly my trusty Dornier 335, I mean what could go wrong?

I have been fling this model for some years now. It has survived an awful lot, not all my fault.

Just shows how wrong you can be. The model was not handling. I decided to bunt the model and it handled even worse. I immediately landed, to find in my complacency I had cocked up. The sub fin was not on, essential for directional control. My bunt had all but ripped the wing fastening out of the body. I have not quite fixed this as yet, not so that I can bunt the model.

An eventful session, although not disastrous, but, so close.

I went home past the sea front, to find that a funfair was set up on the green, I stayed calm thought, you know, if this is all of your problems, you are lucky.

Meanwhile my Gee Bee Model D, is not getting built.

[Steve Colman]

Erfolg,

Could you please give more details about the Waco? Specifically, motor, esc and prop combo along with battery, 3s or 4s. Also any particular difficulties with the assembly.

Seriously interested in the modelbut very little info available.

Many thanks,

Steve.

[Erfolg]

Steve

Of course I can. The model is set up pretty much as per the instructions. although being electric you can have many variations that will also work.

I have used a D3548/6 motor, because I had it.

The prop is a 11*6, the diameter is beneficial because of the large cowl.

Using a 4s 3500 lipo.

The set up showed a 570w max settling to 548w @ 6340 rev min-1.

The ESC is a HK blue series 50 amp, where the watt meter was showing 37amps, which I think must have been a max.

I think that in principle this is one of the real benefits of this forum.

In the case of my model, on assembly i re-enforced the body around the UC, as RC World forum indicated that this area was a real weakness.

I do have a couple of threads relating to this model, although they are not build blogs, rather than information seeking. For all the questions I found dead easy solutions.

[Andrew767]

Grey skies...calm winds...and my 8yr old daughter had her first flights with her Bixler2. A great evening and looking forward to summer. The look of joy on her face was priceless and reminds me of when i first flew. Pure magic!.

Andrew

[Steve Colman]

Posted by Erfolg on 28/04/2017 20:37:48:

Steve

Of course I can. The model is set up pretty much as per the instructions. although being electric you can have many variations that will also work.

I have used a D3548/6 motor, because I had it.

The prop is a 11*6, the diameter is beneficial because of the large cowl.

Using a 4s 3500 lipo.

The set up showed a 570w max settling to 548w @ 6340 rev min-1.

The ESC is a HK blue series 50 amp, where the watt meter was showing 37amps, which I think must have been a max.

I think that in principle this is one of the real benefits of this forum.

In the case of my model, on assembly i re-enforced the body around the UC, as RC World forum indicated that this area was a real weakness.

I do have a couple of threads relating to this model, although they are not build blogs, rather than information seeking. For all the questions I found dead easy solutions.

Many thanks Erfolg.

If I go ahead and make a purchase I'll let you know how it goes.

Steve.

[Birgir]

The spring will also soon arrive here in Iceland so I went to the field this morning with my old trainer, the Keil Kraft Mini Super and practiced a few landing approaches just to loosen up my fingers for the summer.

B.

Edited By Birgir on 30/04/2017 22:31:06

Edited By Birgir on 30/04/2017 22:38:55