interest renewed

[Peter Etherington 1]

I stopped model flying 40 years ago after going through a bad patch with my models so I went into model boats, I have decided to give it another go and I have bought a minimoa glider and a grass hopper military cub two years ago to ease me back into flying. Both have not seen the sky as yet, but i`m hankering for a build. I have tucked away a ASP 52 four stroke which has never run and thinking of something to put it in. Any ideas? My favourite era is either 1914-18 or between the wars. I would like to build a traditional aeroplane. Peter

[Cuban8]

So many changes over the last few decades Peter, I reckon the best thing is find a nearby club and have a chat with the chaps to see what going on and what style of model might suit you. You don't have to join or feel obligated if you feel as though you'd like to do your own thing, but you do need to make some crucial choices and the best way is to see what's available, what'll work for you  and generally chat to like-minded flyers who'll steer you round the pitfalls.

 

Good luck and welcome back

BMFA club finder is a good start..................

Edited By Cuban8 on 28/08/2019 17:39:11

[kevin b]

Welcome back Peter.

Do you mean traditional style (scale), or traditional build (plan or kit) ?

Lots of free plans available on 'tinternet and still a few kit manufacturers about if you look.

What area are you located in ?

[Phil Green]

How about a Flair Magnatilla, done up as a Focker Eindekker? Excellent trainer and looks good.
The FS 52 is ideal:

[Piers Bowlan]

I was thinking of a Magnatilla too Phil but where would you get one as they are discontinued aren't they? I looked for plans too without success.

[Peter Etherington 1]

Thank you all for your input, I live in north east lincolnshire in the middle of nowhere. Nearest hobby shop is about 12 miles away. When I mean traditional I mean loads of ribs etc. DB models do a nice DH60 (40) would that airframe take a 52 fs ? the reason Im asking is that I think the kit is for electric. Peter

[Denis Watkins]

Posted by Peter Etherington 1 on 28/08/2019 21:15:22:

Thank you all for your input, I live in north east lincolnshire in the middle of nowhere. Nearest hobby shop is about 12 miles away. When I mean traditional I mean loads of ribs etc. DB models do a nice DH60 (40) would that airframe take a 52 fs ? the reason Im asking is that I think the kit is for electric. Peter

The 52FS will fly 5 - 6lb Peter

So answer yes to DH60 (40)

[Mark Kettle 1]

I'm thinking Peter that a Magnatilla would be ideal, a great training platform and with that 1914-18 look your after.

Watch my late uncle Brian fly his, flown at Melton and District Model flying Club at Whissendine, Leicestershire in March 2012.

Brian flew his Flair Magnatilla powered with a Enya 0.53 four stroke to great effect.

[Mark Kettle 1]

By the way Peter welcome back to model flying.

[Cuban8]

Peter, Flair kits are great if you can get them, cut my proper builder's teeth on them years ago - haven't the faintest idea what they're playing at now though, their website has been talking about the firm restructuring for ages, with as far as I can detect, not much progress. A once great British firm under Dudley Pattison (now playing with full size stuff for the LAA, I believe) with huge sales at home and abroad, seems to have withered on the vine. I clearly remember crowds five or six deep besieging their Sandown exhibition stand in the 80s when the large F2B prototype was shown in all its glory along with the huge (at the time) Tiger Moth. NIB kits that sometimes come up for sale, always command high prices and second hand airframes never go for peanuts.

A shame that their products aren't taken over by someone else manufacturing in the UK - on an American forum, I often read about US modellers' frustration over their own kit manufacturers' lemming like habit of stopping production of sensibly sized trad kits. Flair are often mentioned, especially, the Scouts, big Tiger Moth and Bristol Fighter. With the exchange rate currently in favour of our products and the potentially (relatively) huge US market , they'd clean up.

[Don Fry]

Reality check on Flair kits, a big Tiger Moth, pristine kit, with a tatty box went in eBay last week. £280. That is less money than the retail of £299 which Flair wanted when they went out of business, 10? years ago. I would not invest is that business.

But back to post, the DB kits of the Cirrus Moth or Tiger Moth willl both suit a 52 fs. But the Magnatilla is a more practical trainer. Keep you eye open, they come up on e Bay and elsewhere. Ever thought of, say a DB Mascot to get your eye back in to flying.

[fly boy3]

Welcome back Peter, if the Maggi interests you, you could always ask around in the forum to borrow the plans that came with the kit. Also Slec can cut out the very few ply parts for you. Cheers. Ps it's an exellent choice too

[Peter Etherington 1]

I built a flair puppeteer once and put a OPS 40 in it, should have put a 60 in it as it was a bit under powered. The last aircraft I built and flew was a Bac Hawk and that was in 1983. In my plans box I have a plan of a Bleriot which I think would be a slow flyer. One of my favourite planes that I built and flew was a Galaxy Magician, loved it. Much appreciated all the feed back that everyone has posted. many thanks, Peter

[Don Fry]

Galaxy Magician, £89, in stock from Galaxy Models, suitable for 40 to 52 four strokes. Keep the rates down while you get your eye back in.

[Richard Wood]

Another to consider Peter is the DB Old Bill. Plan & ribs available from DB Sport & Scale.

[Peter Etherington 1]

Thanks guys, Peter

[Peter Etherington 1]

I like the look of the Old Bill, think I`ll send for the package deal. Peter

[Ray Wood 4]

Hi Peter,

I have a DB Old Bill with a 52fs with ailerons added, I found it a bit of a handful !! and I've flown most types, would not recommend as easy to fly. I think the fin/rudder maybe to small.

Regards Ray

[Peter Etherington 1]

Oh dear. just sent for it

[Don Fry]

I would imagine, if you put ailerons on that, and then tried to turn it, on the ailerons, with that degree of dihedral, you are not going to get an happy aircraft. I would guess, it might even go the other way to the stick input. Adverse yaw.

Without ailerons, it looks a pretty normal 3 channel aircraft of its era. Boddo was a master of dressing up the same aerodynamics in what looked like different aircraft. And they all flew nicely. Don't mess with the design. Boddo did know his stuff.

[Peter Etherington 1]

Thanks Don

[Ray Wood 4]

Yes I'd agree but I reduced the dihedral by 50% ,I did the same with Boddo's Tyro Major in 1980 with no problems 😀I

I've built 100 rc aeroplanes in the last 40 years

Worth a mention I thought

Regards Ray

[David Davis]

Having looked at the picture of the Old Bill on the DB Sport and Scale website there does not seem to be a lot of dihedral on the wing especially for a three channel model.

With a model that size if I were going to convert it to ailerons I would have a dihedral of 1/2"-3/4" (13-20mm) under each wing tip.

It's a shame you don't live in France. A Baron would have suited your needs admirably!