Never mind the weather - who has been flying, then?

[Tom Gaskin 1]

About a dozen of us turned out to the Sussex club field for a post eleven am fly. The brisk Northerly breeze certainly demanded the wearing of plenty of layers!

 

Tom

[Colin Carpenter]

Flew my Acromaster this morning plus UMX Mig . 2 others out including guest chopper flyer.  Very little sun as promised but zero wind (fcast 8 ) so acceptable! No fog !!😂😂 . Colin

[Jake Bullit]

Lovely sunny afternoon. Even a bit of warmth when the sun was out this afternoon. 

Only problem was the sun is quite low now and directly in front of our flying zone. Nearly lost my MSX, but worked out it's orientation just in time.

Managed to turn my little 339 into a lawn dart. Fortunately the ground was very soft, so minimal damage and flew again on the next launch

.

 

 

[Cuban8]

Part of my self encouragement to not go into hibernation at this time of the year and to continue flying as much as possible (mud will defeat me though) has been the investment in heated clothing, namely a lightweight heated gilet and heated gloves. Both battery powered (5V) and after using them for the first time last Sunday I can report that they are absolutely fantastic. Not expensive - cost £80 all in with batteries and I found that after an initial boost at high setting for ten minutes or so, they kept one's core and fingers comfortably warm for over five hours. Providing your outer coat is fully windproof and just lightly insulated, then there's not the need to put on multiple underlayers of sweatshirts and jumpers etc and thereby feeling trussed up or looking like the Michelin man. I just had a shirt and light jumper over which i put the heated jacket. Might try it under the jumper next time. The gloves I remove for flying, but they soon heat the fingers back to a comfortable level afterwards. Temperature on the day was 8-10 degrees with no sun. I've no doubt they'll perform just as well at lower figures.

Well worth considering, wish I'd bought them years ago.

Edited November 12 by Cuban8

[Learner]

Not flying but maybe of interest.

Went to Stowe gardens NT nr Silverstone yesterday , for the last day of the Standing with Giants D-Day 80 memorial exhibition.

1475 metal silhouettes that have previously been displayed at the Normandy memorial in Ver-sur Mer.

Walking through brought a mixture of emotions! Well worth the trip.

 

[leccyflyer]

The good weather continues and it's enabling me to tick off maiden flights that have been intended earlier in the year, but the dreadful summer weather didn't let happen. A bright sunny day with zero wind led to a decent turn out at Kerloch with nine of us getting some flying in. Main item of business for me was the long delayed maiden flight of my Flightline P-38 Lightning, a 63" span ARTF twin, 4s1p 5000mah pack with all the bells and whistle (and flashing lights). I also got a second flight of my Dornier, in rather better conditions for photography, with a nice sky. The Dornier was good as gold and I'm really enjoying flying her. After my customary wee fella flights, including my PZ Mosquito I put  some bottle building flights in with my Balsacraft Spitfire PRXIX, before committing to the larger twins.

 

 

 

The P-38 tracked nice and straight and climbed out with no drama, the gear retraction and gear door sequencing cleaned up the model and it flies really well, nicely stable and predictable. My prior concerns about orientation were largely unfounded and it felt quite comfortable in a number of banked passes and circuits for Derek to get some in flight piccies. Then took her up a few mistakes high to check out the potential for tip stalling, which was a non-event and trying out the full flap setting, which did give a small pitch down movement. Gear down and a dirty pass, before getting into the landing circuit and all was nice and comfy. Tyro P-38 pilot then committed the cardinal sin, as pointed out in the wartime training film. Off a decent approach I mistimed the flare and the nosegear hit, rather than settling on the mains - snapping the leg like a carrot. Not a difficult repair -and I think I actually bought a spare set of gear when I got the model - but it left the Lightning in an undignified nose down position.😮 

 

 

Plenty of other flying going on from other flyers - Murat was flying his trusty and striking WR FW190 and escaping from a dolly that didn't want to let go, leaving it just at the edge of the field, plus his cartoon foam Funny Cub, whilst Jim's scratch built 70mm edf Hawker Sea Hawk is back performing well, following extensive repairs.

 

 

All in all a grand day out though -the forecast is good for the rest of the week and I'm clearing my backlog of models to maiden at a good rate.

[Chris Walby]

Leccyflyer. That Dornier looks absolutely fabulous, is it one of your builds?

 

Regarding the P38 (they are great IMO) and the motor/prop upgrade is very nice and easy to do. Just one thing I would totally recommend before you fly again. Get hold of the elevator horn on the elevator and ease it out, then glue it back in. 

 

I had been flying mine scale for a good number of times when it needed a bit of elevator trim, odd but only a couple of clicks. Next flight the same slightly out of trim and sorted with a couple of clicks of trim... until it picked uncontrollably down and into a hawthorn hedge. Made a right mess of the front of the model , but the tail was untouched apart from the elevator horn hanging off. On closer inspection it only had a little glue around the outside of the horn, but nothing in the shark fin part that sits in the foam. the main feature is that elevator is only driven by one servo so if anything happens its generally going to be terminal unless the hedge gets in the way!

 

PS Mine has since had many, many flights with nacelle screws slowly working loose 9maintenance check), slight fish tailing due to one rudder servo coming loose and most importantly the elevator servo wearing out! On full rates when doing the control checks I noticed elevator servo would notch in one direction

 

PPS Couple of retracts play up (one failed in the end) which I think is due to flying off wet grass and then packing up and heading home with the gear doors shut. The retract sits in the damp nacelle until next time! Either dry out at the field before retracting the gear or dry once home. 

I hope you enjoy your as much as I do mine 🙂

[leccyflyer]

Hi Chris - I'm sure that I'll enjoy the Lightning - it was a joy to fly and looks fantastic in the air. I'd seen that previously there had been issues with the elevator horn working loose, so I had drilled a small hole and have a bolt go through the horn, secured with an outsize nylon washer on top of the elevator. It's barely noticeable once treated with a dab of paint, but I wasn't happy just trusting to the glue.

 

The Dornier was built for me by my pal Jim. It's a balsa and light ply crutch, flying in formation with some shaped blue foam block, conventional built up balsa wing and tail surfaces, with the transparencies supplied by me, vac formed over 3D printed forms. Flies like a big trainer and I'm delighted with it. Totally hooked on twins after this past week.😎

[GrumpyGnome]

No outdoor flying since Sunday, despite the weather - family and indoor flying, which always makes me laugh. The indor flying!

 

Had another call from the RAF about our NOTAM (for 7.5kg+ models to exceed 400'). They kindly said as we had activity yesterday (1 flier), they'd make sure their 2 Typhoons and a Grob Prefect would avoid us by at least 5k. Very polite these RAF bods. My wife calls them "my new best friend" as they've called twice in under a week.... not so sure the airbase where the Hawks come from falls into that category!

 

Walk dogs at first light, then charge some rx batteries I think....

 

 

[Paul De Tourtoulon]

No wind a nice 20°c Sunday out came my Fokker and it's Saito .90 Ts a delight to fly with its twin 4 stroke.

 

 Sorry, but it comes out normally on my computer and even turning it around it still comes out sideways here.

 

Edited November 13 by Paul De Tourtoulon
turned photo around, still no good !

[Chris Walby]

2 minutes ago, Paul De Tourtoulon said:

No wind a nice 20°c Sunday out came my Fokker and it's Saito .90 Ts a delight to fly with its twin 4 stroke.

 

 Sorry, but it comes out normally on my computer and even turning it around it still comes out sideways here.

Doesn't work for me 

[Andy Stephenson]

FIFY...

Just load it into an art package and rotate then save, simples!

[Paul De Tourtoulon]

404 page not found,,,

 

 I turned it around 3 times, and it still came out sideways !

Just downloaded it without going to the bureau or downsizing and that worked.

 

 thanks Andy.

Edited November 13 by Paul De Tourtoulon

[GrumpyGnome]

Strange things at WHMFC.... the sky is blue, not grey.... there is a hot yellow object suspended in the sky... sometimes, my models sort of glint....

 

Outing for my W4 and Double Trouble. Outing for Kevs little Spitfire, and larger yellow Chippie.

 

Might mow some grass later....

[Colin Carpenter]

2 flights on my Sebbie Sukhoi at 9. Sun is already getting into eyes at that time. Eyes too old to cope 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😩😩😩Colin

[David Ashby]

The north Kent sea cliffs beckoned yesterday. The NE wind was measuring 50mph on the very edge too, so they went straight up when you let go 😁

 

 

[Lipo Man]

Took advantage of a rare sunny and still afternoon to get a few flights in with my Warbird Replicas FW190. After an early landing gear collapse (due to a far too fast approach) I was a bit nervous after the gear rebuild, and have been belly landing it. However I took a brave pill and have now had about eight flights landing on the gear and I’m starting to get comfortable with it. Need to get the gear doors/fairings back on now…

[Peter Jenkins]

Just returned after another solo afternoon at the patch.  There was a very gentle breeze blowing in but it still managed to confuse me!  Still, got in some much needed peactice and some manoeuvres have definitely improved.  It was such a lovely sunset I even posed the Anthem for the picture.

 

[leccyflyer]

Mostly a workshop day today, having done a lot of flying in the past week, but with such a lovely sky late afternoon, whilst some glue was drying I also took the opportunity to take my Pico Stick, which didn't fly indoors on Sunday, for a trial flight in the garden, taking advantage of the very light winds and fading light to recapture some of the joy of dusk flying from many years ago. slow and steady cruising around. Bloomin lovely👍

[Futura57]

I joined another Wednesday gathering at Norman Park, Bromley, SE London. Virtually windless with plenty of blue, and the sun showed itself. 

 

 

[Erfolg]

I am increasingly reluctant to leave the warm comfort of the house, even to go out to play. The reasons are it is cold, a leaden sky, and it feels damp.

 

It is Wednesday, the better half has gone out to play golf, which means that the ground has now firmed up, the local golfing clubs re-opening. I make a few telephome calls, no one else is playing out today, excepting one person. This clinches it, I am out to. Why, this one person can be trusted to advice on setting up the motor on my new gifted DB Masot.

 

Arriving at the field the track is blocked by an enormous tractor and trailer, I wait, thinking shall I go home, when will he go? Eventually he pushes back into  a collection area. I then set of down the track, noting that even without rain, the tractor has returned the track to a muddy Cresta run. 

 

Turning into our car park, it is jest two of us there. Good, I unload the Masot onto a model stand. I firstly check the CG, as I cannot remember if I have checked it as part of the preparation, it is OK, the lines on the wings, are no longer just ornaments as to the range as to where it should balance. I fuel the model up, place the starter in a convenient position, all the other IC junk moved into a safe position. Swich on the TX, then the RX. Apply the starter, the model does noy fire up. I am now joined by my trusted club member and acquaintance, With his help the motor starts, runs merrily, having used his glo starter kit with a meter. My glo stick tells me nothing, although being compact, it is like a chocolate fire guard in some respects.

 

My club mate advices and sets the top end needle setting, I adjust the bottom end tick over via the Tx, Finally the model is ready for its first flight in my ownership. This enough for today. I wipe the model down after spraying it with my degunk solution. I now will wait until the best young buck to become available for the setting up flight. It has taken me a long time to reach this point, so a little more patience is called for. I did think, hmmm, this is why I fly electric, less fuss. 

 

I now fly my canard, called Ente, the colours not showing up well against the gloom, my colleuge notes the unusual shape helps in orientation, I think not sure I agree. My club mate looks to see how much time is left, to discover it has not been activated, I switch it on, then think, enough, is enough as it is now drizzling. Picking the model of the ground it is absolutely covered in water.

 

It is time to go home which we both do.

 

A successful day, I have avoided all the club experts, which confuse and delay setting up a model, for the initiated into the mysteries of IC engines. Strangely, I did not notice the noise which I often complain about, when it was my IC model.

[Eric Robson]

Hospital appointment on Tuesday,  the best flying day for months, went  . up yesterday , had some great flights with my Kyosho Spitfire  and Acrowot but didn't stay long, very cold wind I need to make the most of the next 2 days as next week is forecast cold with possible snow. Back to the Me110 build then 

[Daren Cogdon]

I always wanted a Kyosho Spit when I was younger.  The one I saw fly was really nice!

[leccyflyer]

They are indeed a lovely flyer. Pity about the extremely dodgy retract mounts, which were never mentioned in the contemporary magazine reviews, but reading between the lines the signs were there, given that one reviewer hand launched and belly landed a .40cu in model. 😮 When Ripmax reissued replacement wing sets, one large retailer was selling the original wings for a fiver at the shows and I wish I would have picked up a couple of sets of those, perfect for a PSS model or, as mine now is, for a belly lander.

[Daren Cogdon]

Yeah, the one I saw had a nice smooth landing - until the legs went from under it!