Robin Fowlers DH90 - Research

[Thomas Nilsen]

I've started to look for my next scale project (even if my Brian Taylor Hawker Tempest MkV is yet to be finished). While I've not yet to decided I'm leaning towards the majestic DH 90 Dragonfly which Robin Fowler has done a 86" span sized plan for.

As there doesn't seem to be any online build logs of this model, the only other place I know it has been featured is in the December 2010 RC Model World magazine. I'm sure I had that mag back in 2010, but it looks to have been lost to the wifes cleanup tasks at some point. I'm hoping someone on this forum has a copy copy of this magazine that would be willing to scan the pages covering this model and email me a copy?

[Colin Carpenter]

Saw it at Wroughton decades ago when it held a vintage fly in. Beautiful !! Really taken by the large DH logo embossed on the leather of the doors !!! Wonderful !! Colin

[Piers Bowlan]

You can download this edition in digital form here.

[Thomas Nilsen]

Thanks for the suggestion Piers, but the pocketmagazine site does not appear to have this 2010 back issues. Only one "special issue" is available form what I've found...

- Thomas

[Thomas Nilsen]

Good news...

Managed to find Robin Fowler on RCGroups, as well as his After Build log on the DH90 which is a treasure trove for anyone building this model. Robin also kindly has offered to send me a scan of the article..

The RCGroup thread can be found at **LINK**

- Thomas

[Robin Fowler]

Hi Thomas,

Now I've newly started on this forum as well, so here I am getting to know this system.

Although my presence here on the forum only started this month (June 2020) I have had two models published in RCM&E, the first a glow powered Jet Provost (stand-off scale!) in the days of Alec Gee - anyone remember him? (Or Argos at Hemel Hempstead?)

The second was the Curtiss Hawk 75 which was a couple of years after my introduction to electric powered flight. In those day we did have proportional radio but only brushed motors with efficiencies around 45% and Nickel-Cadmium batteries that eventually rose to a capacity of around 2,000 mah but at a huge weight penalty which forced we model designers to work hard to achieve a light yet strong enough structure to haul around the sky a power system that weighed as much or more than the rest of the model.

Then along came brushed motors and Lithium Polymer power cells that completely transformed the type and size of model that could be flown. Those of us who had learned how to build light stuck with the system, delighting in the freedom to design virtually and type of model and have it fly sweetly and without vices. Better still multi-engined types could be flown as reliably as single-engined ones. No motor cuts on climb-out with tip stall and cartwheel into the ground!

Anyway the DH90 came to my attention when Torquil Norman owned the full-size G-AEDU and flew it to Moth rallies. What a gorgeous aircraft! And nobody else seemed to have modeled it so I set to...

I do prefer types that are less modeled. That way I can leave my fellow model makers with a wider range of plans to choose from.

Here's the model that started the thread.

Best wishes to all,

Robin

[Thomas Nilsen]

Hi again Robin,

Good to see you on here as well. I took delivery of the plans and Sarik cut shortkit for the DH90 last week. I am impressed with the plans you have drawn up and can't wait to get started on it. Not sure if it will fit on my building board, but that's a worry for another day. I just hope I'll be able to travel to the UK later this year or early next year and get up and close with G-AEDU.

Unfortunately it will be a little while before I can start on it as I've still got the last few details on the BT Tempest to finish off, and later this week I expect a delivery of a Laser 200 kit from Italy that my son will be building (with a bit of help from me I hope) which will be jumping the queue.

Keep safe.

Regards,
Thomas N.

[Danny Fenton]

Fabulous to see you on here Robin, and wonderful that you were able to help Thomas with your glorious Dragonfly, I have seen several built and all flew really well.

Oh and very rude of me sorry Thomas, welcome to the forum too. I really look forward to following along with your build whenever that is

Cheers

Danny

Edited By Danny Fenton on 07/06/2020 22:57:21

[Robin Fowler]

Thank you for the welcome Danny. You've seen several built?... I only know of four to date and I designed it - Traplets never told me anything! Certainly not how many plans they sold... perhaps they were worried I'd ask for a larger fee? - Though actually Tony did let on that my Islander was the best seller one year... but he didn't mention how many sales that represented.

Did any of the pilots get caught out by the low speed at which it lifted off?

Thomas, I don't think you'll have any problems with size of building board. If you can cope with a Brian Taylor Tempest that has a one-piece wing (doesn't it?) you'll have room for the Dragonfly. The model's longest part is the fuselage and the model transports to the field in three parts, fuselage and two sets of wings with upper and lower wing pre-rigged ready to slide onto the fuselage each side ready to fly in a couple of minutes of assembly time.

When it comes time to fly it you'll find it a completely different experience from the Tempest. To quote Douglas Adams 'it flew the same way a brick doesn't'.... I hope your understanding of English extends to our sometimes off-beat sense of humour.

Best wishes,

Robin