Alec Turnbull Posted February 15, 2023 Author Share Posted February 15, 2023 The Centurion is now totally complete and ready for its first flight, all control throws set, radio checked and double checked,fail safe set. Last pictures posted now while it is still in one piece! I bought a weighing thing from a pond shop meant for weighing suitcases, using some strong string attached to the wing securing bolts, the model weighs just on 12 pounds as I anticipated Just out of interest, I was a bit concerned about adding weight with the paint, so before I started painting I weighed the full paint can on the kitchen scales, it was exactly 300 grams, on completion it weighed 200 grams and I imagine that some of that extra 100 grams was lost in evaporation so really not a lot of weight gain. Anyway looking forward to the first flight sometime soon 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alec Turnbull Posted May 11, 2023 Author Share Posted May 11, 2023 The Centurion still hasn't flown yet for a number of reasons, weather's been awful, but looking up now, I haven't yet rejoined the Backburn Club, I need to speak to someone there as there is zero activity at Pleasington at the moment and finally, I haven't flown anything for 12 years so a bit rusty. Anyhow in the meantime I am still getting used to all this electricity stuff as I always flew glow motors previously, I chose the power pack (motor and esc) for this just because it was available at a swop meet and I though that it would do! But what do I know? It was cheap about 10 or 20 quid can't remember now! So, I have had watt meter in the tool box for a while with no idea what to do with it, looked on you tube for advice, seems straightforward so I soldered on some XT90 connections and took the wingless model into the garden. Securely fastened to the lawn and fired it up Blimey! At full whack it was bending the stakes a bit! At full throttle it pulled 70amps, the esc is rated at 90 and 1502 watts, so I make that about 2hp in old money so I think that will do! my last one flew on a 91 four stroke on about 1/3 throttle. I am blown away with the power of this motor, really cant wait to have a go now. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
extra slim Posted May 11, 2023 Share Posted May 11, 2023 very pretty, let us know how you get on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Ward 1 Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 Hi Alec, I've been chipping away at one of these since May 2021, doing smaller model builds in between to break it up. I've just come across your amazing build log - what a fantastic resource for this design!👍 Until I found this, there seemed to be little or nothing about the Centurion, yet it really appealed to me as a first time 'Large Model Build', and it's already stretched my skills in a very positive way. I've yet to attempt the undercarriage, but your pics have already proved very useful, as have your comments on whether to include the spats or not. I have been collecting photos along the way, and started a build log (I have several posted on the Outerzone website as supplementary files to half a dozen or so designs), but nothing as comprehensive as yours, so good on yer mate! I'm now looking forward to seeing pics and reports of yours in flight - I'm intending to use a new-in-box OS95FV 4-stroke. Here's a couple of pics to show you where I'm at - the covered one was taken this morning in our 'dog room' - two spaniels are obliged to 'share' their crate sleeping quarters with model storage and weight training gear! It's Winter here in New Zealand right now, so I'm now hoping to have it finished for the Summer, but then, I said that last year also....🤔. Thanks again for posting all this - you've really enthused me to 'get-on-with-it' and re-engage with this build. I'll hopefully have a bit more to share in a few weeks time - I still work full time, but often fantasise about retirement and full-time modelling...don't we all? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alec Turnbull Posted August 7, 2023 Author Share Posted August 7, 2023 On 05/08/2023 at 22:50, Nick Ward 1 said: Hi Alec, I've been chipping away at one of these since May 2021, doing smaller model builds in between to break it up. I've just come across your amazing build log - what a fantastic resource for this design!👍 Until I found this, there seemed to be little or nothing about the Centurion, yet it really appealed to me as a first time 'Large Model Build', and it's already stretched my skills in a very positive way. I've yet to attempt the undercarriage, but your pics have already proved very useful, as have your comments on whether to include the spats or not. I have been collecting photos along the way, and started a build log (I have several posted on the Outerzone website as supplementary files to half a dozen or so designs), but nothing as comprehensive as yours, so good on yer mate! I'm now looking forward to seeing pics and reports of yours in flight - I'm intending to use a new-in-box OS95FV 4-stroke. Here's a couple of pics to show you where I'm at - the covered one was taken this morning in our 'dog room' - two spaniels are obliged to 'share' their crate sleeping quarters with model storage and weight training gear! It's Winter here in New Zealand right now, so I'm now hoping to have it finished for the Summer, but then, I said that last year also....🤔. Thanks again for posting all this - you've really enthused me to 'get-on-with-it' and re-engage with this build. I'll hopefully have a bit more to share in a few weeks time - I still work full time, but often fantasise about retirement and full-time modelling...don't we all? Hi Nick, Looks like you are making a pretty good job of that! Still have not flown mine as the weather here in England this summer has been atrocious, constant heavy rain and high winds.... I am a fair weather flyer! Please keep us informed of further progress, I am quite excited that someone else is building one of these, it has been a bit of an obsession of mine for over 40 years. I have another vintage model in the pipeline, in fact almost finished, Big Wig by L S Wigdor I wonder if anyone else apart from me is interested? Good luck with the undercarriage, it is straight forward, I used soft solder but if doing it again would use silver solder as I have been practising with it and achieved good results with a small gas blowlamp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 38 minutes ago, Alec Turnbull said: .... I have another vintage model in the pipeline, in fact almost finished, Big Wig by L S Wigdor I wonder if anyone else apart from me is interested?... Well I will certainly be interested in the Big Wig Alec. Years ago I got talking to a bloke on a train. We both commuted into Birmingham for work. I was reading the Radio Modeller and he leant across the aisle and he asked me where I flew from. That was the start of a friendship which finished when he died of leukaemia in 2006. He had built two Big Wigs. I bought the plan but never got round to building one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryW Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 (edited) I had a DB Centurion 20 years ago Powered by a Super Tigre 75 and its one plane i wish I'd never sold Edited August 7, 2023 by GaryWebb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alec Turnbull Posted August 7, 2023 Author Share Posted August 7, 2023 2 hours ago, David Davis said: Hi Davd I will see what I can do re the Big Wig, got some pics so keep an eye out on here for them.....its not an easy build! I have been fitting the flaps this morning...what a fiddle! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alec Turnbull Posted August 7, 2023 Author Share Posted August 7, 2023 34 minutes ago, GaryWebb said: I had a DB Centurion 20 years ago Powered by a Super Tigre 75 and its one plane i wish I'd never sold Wow, lots of love for DB's Centurion, build another Gary simple build! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryW Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 (edited) 9 minutes ago, Alec Turnbull said: Wow, lots of love for DB's Centurion, build another Gary simple build! I wud love another one Alec but unfortunately being in a bungalow and my Unowot due anytime thats being built for me at the moment as you will see in the photo i dont have room for Centurion this time round But i have still got the Centurion Plans here somewhere Edited August 7, 2023 by GaryWebb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alec Turnbull Posted August 7, 2023 Author Share Posted August 7, 2023 24 minutes ago, GaryWebb said: I wud love another one Alec but unfortunately being in a bungalow and my Unowot due anytime thats being built for me at the moment as you will see in the photo i dont have room for Centurion this time round But i have still got the Centurion Plans here somewhere It's a big model thats for sure, space is always at a premium, I have a double garage ( shared with houshold stuff, no cars) but I am also nearly out of space! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Ward 1 Posted August 16, 2023 Share Posted August 16, 2023 Managed to finally get the struts drilled and fitted - you were right, Alec, these have to be fitted accurately - I messed it up the first time, and so had to add an extra 'sandwich' of aluminium plate and epoxy at the fuselage end of the struts so I could re-drill the bolt hole. Here it is with struts fitted; Also managed to drill the holes for the nylon wing bolts... ...but need to buy a tap spanner to tap the holes in the hardwood blocks... Once I've tapped the holes for the nylon bolts, I'll start looking at the undercarriage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alec Turnbull Posted August 16, 2023 Author Share Posted August 16, 2023 Nice work Nick, keep it going Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alec Turnbull Posted September 25, 2023 Author Share Posted September 25, 2023 The Centurion has now had its maiden flight, and lovely it is too, just like its predecessors. This one is electric the others were glow either 2 or 4 stroke. The Turnigy 470 kv motor pulls with great authority and once airbourne flies at half throttle. Lots of the watchers warned me that it needed ailerons ( but I knew better!) even with the relatively small rudder there is ample manouverability, however I did feel it was a bit tail heavy so I have shifted the lipo forward a bit. I was going to have another flight and get someone to take some pics but it suddenly poured with rain and that put the kybosh on that, hopefully next time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Ward 1 Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 Hi Alec - looking forward to seeing some photos of it flying. Still haven't started the U/C due to unforeseen family matters, but planning to do so asap. That OS95fv also needs breaking in... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryW Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 On 07/08/2023 at 11:45, Alec Turnbull said: build another Gary simple build! Hi Alec...... Update for you... Building another Centurion is really not posible for me however I have had a measure up for possible available space in my model storage & this little or shud I say Big Beauty is coming on Monday.. & is powered by a Zenoah 20cc petrol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alec Turnbull Posted April 3 Author Share Posted April 3 Looks lovely Gary, let us know how you get on with it, looks very well built! How did you come by it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryW Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 57 minutes ago, Alec Turnbull said: Looks lovely Gary, let us know how you get on with it, looks very well built! How did you come by it? Found it on bmfa website Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alec Turnbull Posted April 3 Author Share Posted April 3 I must have missed that one! Well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryW Posted yesterday at 11:53 Share Posted yesterday at 11:53 (edited) @Alec Turnbull..... Just had a pre test flight weigh-in measure up of the Centurion as best I can with the only set of scales we have and total weight comes in at around 6.3 kg / 13.8 lbs...........Cant grumble with that.... Shud have her in the air for her maiden / test flights very soon Edited yesterday at 11:54 by GaryW 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.