nigel newby Posted October 12, 2018 Share Posted October 12, 2018 Hello all, Yet another who watched the Battle of Britain model programme and thought it was time to get the old models back out of the hanger. ( Well the loft anyway.) Have bought some new batteries for the old radio control kit, and also a new 2500 NI-MH battery for the electric powered glider. It used to have an 1800 unit in it, so a 2500 fits and is about the same weight as the old one so hopefully no problems. Thought I would start with the glider, as it is quite easy to fly, just to get my hand back in. Took a trip upto the old flying venue, are there were still some of the old faces there. Main difference is that they now charge to park there. £1.30 hr, but a years ticket is £60. Only one person seems to be flying on the old 35mhz system, so hopefully no more channel problems. Will get some fuel soon and check out the old engines, hopefully all will be well with them, as I don't really want to dish out cash for new ones. I would not say that I am not tight, but I do squeak when I walk. Trouble with being retired. Still have to rejoin the BMFA, but that is no problem. Will take the Grandson along sometime and see how he likes it. All the best to you all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Cooper 3 Posted October 13, 2018 Share Posted October 13, 2018 Hi Nigel Welcome back and be careful with those loft ladders ! I've recently got going again with an electric glider - great fun. Fortunately, all our flying sites are NT or SSSI's and parking is free. Plenty of life left in 35 MHz (I use 'Dual Conversion' gear though for extra peace-of-mind). For the old engines a tip from an expert friend of mine : Remove prop. Place motor in a plastic bag and fill with paraffin. Seal bag and leave for 2-3 days. Remove from bag and dry externals without turning the crank over. Place a little "3-in-1" in the ports and air intake. Gently, turn engine over. If a lot of resistance is felt - go back to the bag with fresh paraffin (It's not ready yet !). On first start up, run the engine quite rich for a few minutes. Allow to fully cool before next run. You are now ready to go....if laying it up again for a long spell (holidays etc) just repeat the oil treatment. Having worked with electronics in the past, I'm now starting to collect some RC test equipment. I'll probably have a bit of a dabble with some 'spark-ignition' engines and early RC gear. Some of us just never grow up !!! Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted October 13, 2018 Share Posted October 13, 2018 Welcome back Nigel! BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devcon1 Posted October 13, 2018 Share Posted October 13, 2018 Hope you enjoy your return to the sport.Dont hesitate to ask for help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigel newby Posted October 14, 2018 Author Share Posted October 14, 2018 Good evening all and thanks for the good wishes. Thanks also Dave for the good advice. I don't think that I have to be as drastic as soaking the engines in paraffin for a couple of days, as I went into the loft this evening and they all seem to turn over OK. But a few drops of 3 in 1 followed by running them rich as four strokes for a while seems good advice. I think that now might be a good time to try and pick up a few cheap receivers on 35mhz. I have quite a few planes in the loft, and it would be great justb to pick one up and fly it, rather than swop over receivers from one plane to another. Don't worry about loft ladders as we have a stair case going up there. I will stick up a few photos soon as I hope someone can identify some of my plane. A few years ago I was at our local tip, and someone came in with a few plane and goodies like servos etc, as was going to dump them. I managed to rescue them before they through them in the tip. I forgot to ask though if they had anything else, as there were wings etc, but no fuselage. I still think what I might have missed,. But will stick up some piccys when I get a chance. I fly out at Chobham Common and I think that Surrey council have given out the parking to a private firm, hence the charges. Also the old triangle bit in the middle of the roads that we used as an overflow carpark, has now been fenced off, so it makes it even harder to park. Being a grumpy old git I tend to work to the theory, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Anyway high winds today and very wet tomorrow, so will have to wait till I get up in the air again. Good flying and happy landings to you all Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 Posted by nigel newby on 14/10/2018 00:25:31: Anyway high winds today and very wet tomorrow, so will have to wait till I get up in the air again. An umbrella maybe BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigel newby Posted October 14, 2018 Author Share Posted October 14, 2018 Have you ever tried to fly an umbrella. The drag is horrendous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Cooper 3 Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 Nigel, Glad your engines are still in good 'nick'. Yes, the paraffin soaking is really for the very gummed-up ones that haven't run for years (decades ?). You mentioned 4-strokes (my favourite too), I think the only thing there is to run good quality fresh fuel mix and keep a regular check on tappet settings... I have one 35MHz receiver that I really 'trust' and swap between 4 models. To make aerial threading easier I have a long piece of string attached to a small nail that 'lives' in the fus' of each model. Come flying time, a little piece of masking tape attaches to the nail and the aerial is pulled through in seconds. You could, of course, go external with the aerial but I prefer to have some protection for mine ! My next main project is a 3-metre, 1937 Spalinger S18. It won the Swiss gliding championships in that year and set new distance and height records to boot. I think that will be the push I need to go 2.4GHz. Currently, I'm making some leading-edge slats to fit to a KK "Achilles" that I have converted to electric / RC. Way too fiddly for my ageing fingers really but I'm to far in to stop now ! Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigel newby Posted October 14, 2018 Author Share Posted October 14, 2018 Dave, yes the engines seem ok, but need some fuel etc to check. Ok on the one receiver, I tend to have the aerial wire come out where the wings join the fuselage, and run back to a pin in the rudder. Have more than one receiver, but need to see just how many. Have joined the BMFA, £17 till the end of the year. Not to bad, and helps the peace of mind to know I am insured. The 3 metre glider sounds a beasty, have a couple of gliders, but only about 6ft wingspan. Still raining here and looks like its set for the week. Have been looking at 2.4 ghz kit, but will wait and see, just how many fly 35mhz, before I change anything. I have built in the past, but the artf planes are great value. The last one I bought was an Arising star for £30 ish off ebay. Used to have a friend years ago that "enjoyed" building stuff and he built me a couple of planes. Still have one, an old ben buckle kit, and I am repairing the other one after the wing decided to try to clap there hands together. I was a STOL plane with flaps, flew nice but not built for aerobatics, hence the wings folding. All the best Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Cooper 3 Posted October 24, 2018 Share Posted October 24, 2018 Hello Nigel Talking of STOL, I am just finishing a KK "Achilles" with some leading edge 'slats' of my own design. I converted it to RC and electric some time ago. I added a couple of extra wing bays to cope with the weight gain over rubber etc. It has lightweight Rx and servos working both the elevator and rudder via closed-loop 40 lb fishing line. The tiny Rx is a signal-processor type and can 'memorise' the last command in the event of Tx signal failure....a friend maiden'd it for me and it needed a 2p piece on the nose to get the CG right. (Why do I always build heavy tails !!!). The hope is that the slats will permit slower, high-alpha flight, although without the added benefit of flaps as well it probably won't rival a Feisler Storch. Still it's fun to experiment even though the parts for the conversion are really now too small and fiddley for my ageing fingers. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigel newby Posted October 26, 2018 Author Share Posted October 26, 2018 Hi Dave, sounds great. Hopefully you will have loads of fun with it. I never really used the flaps on my model as it was slow enough with out them. I tried them once at quite a slow speed and the thing shot up like a rocket. Unfortunately it crashed before I really got used to it. But someday it will take to the air again. Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Cooper 3 Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 Hi Nigel Yes, a pitch-change with flaps is quite common. If you have a 'computer' Tx though you could mix in some down elevator to alleviate. this. Otherwise, it's a case of getting ready for it with the old thumbs ! I now do my 'aerial experiments' at about 300-400' giving me a bit of thinking and recovering time... Dave ps Some models will need different elevator trim with flaps depending on how the centre-of-lift moves about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 My fling mate used to fly light aircraft. Now he says, deploy flaps, push down to hold the machine to the threshold of the landing area. Don't use mixes. Ease off at touch down. If landing early, bit of power. He is actually right. Not easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Cooper 3 Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 Hi Don /Nigel I also fly full-size gliders - it's amazing how much they vary with different designs of airbrake / flap combinations. Our club's strip is orientated more or less east-west and we often have a 90 degree x-wind, and, being on a hill-top has significant turbulence in north-westerlies. If using a model here it would be difficult to get a 'compromise' flap /elevator mix for all conditions. For this reason, I'd have a basic mix available but have it 'switchable' as well. I know this is one more thing to fret over on a busy approach, but, maybe just use the mix on calm days to start with. Having said that, I probably will use just the sticks most of the time ! Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigel newby Posted October 27, 2018 Author Share Posted October 27, 2018 Struth this is getting to much for a simpleton like me. Will be flying 3 channel only for a while, till I get the , Trim up mix double a bit of aileron opps. Crash!!! out of my head. Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted October 27, 2018 Share Posted October 27, 2018 Hi Nigel. Spare 35Mhz receivers are no problem. Findingmatching crystals can be. Search on Ebay. I have a few Futaba and GWS Rxs to spare if you want a couple PM me. I still use 35 Mhz from time to time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J D 8 Posted October 27, 2018 Share Posted October 27, 2018 Corona do 35 mhz RX's that are synthesized [ no crystal needed, you just push a button to bind to your TX ] I have a couple of them and they perform well with my Futaba FF7. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigel newby Posted October 27, 2018 Author Share Posted October 27, 2018 Thanks Peter and J D. I now have at least 3 of RX's and quite a few crystals. I will tend to use channel 55 as this is free at the club normally, but I do have other channels available as I think I have about half a dozen pairs knocking around. Good luck Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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