Lipo Man Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 36 minutes ago, Eric Robson said: Hi LM, I had someone hand launch mine for the maiden flight so I could be ready for any problems as it happened all I had to do was kill the climb, a strong wind, a sensitive elevator and a lot of power shot it into the air like a rocket but it flew straight. All following flights have been made from the dolly take off. Worst thing now is waiting for the weather to improve I'm having withdrawal symptoms 😑 Planning on building a dolly tomorrow to ease any hand launching issues! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RICHARD WILLS Posted January 29 Author Share Posted January 29 They are really easy to launch . I normally go to the edge of the strip , where the grass is longer , then lob into wind . I had flat calm on my test flight which is not ideal . If you have around 8mph , its perfect . I showed where to put the hand launch holes on my prototype build and she flew off from my hand at about 3/4 throttle . I do fly mode 1 though, which leaves you with an elevator control when right hand launching . If you can get a club mate who is reasonably competent , I would do that for the test flight . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 We’ve got a couple of good tosses at my club so will be enlisting their help for the maiden (in the next week, weather permitting). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RICHARD WILLS Posted January 29 Author Share Posted January 29 PS Hand hold slots shown on page 30 of this thread . The thread that never stops giving .......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RICHARD WILLS Posted January 29 Author Share Posted January 29 Just now, Ron Gray said: We’ve got a couple of good tosses at my club so will be enlisting their help for the maiden (in the next week, weather permitting). They're everywhere aren'😐t they ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lipo Man Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 15 minutes ago, RICHARD WILLS said: They are really easy to launch . I normally go to the edge of the strip , where the grass is longer , then lob into wind . I had flat calm on my test flight which is not ideal . If you have around 8mph , its perfect . I showed where to put the hand launch holes on my prototype build and she flew off from my hand at about 3/4 throttle . I do fly mode 1 though, which leaves you with an elevator control when right hand launching . If you can get a club mate who is reasonably competent , I would do that for the test flight . Lots of willing club mates. It’s the competent bit that’s a struggle… And I cut the grass today so not even anywhere for a soft landing! 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Robson Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 34 minutes ago, Lipo Man said: Lots of willing club mates. It’s the competent bit that’s a struggle… And I cut the grass today so not even anywhere for a soft landing! 😂 Richard our grass cutter stops cutting the grass at the end of October and resumes in the spring he keeps the keys to the mower and insists on doing it himself. It is great in the summer months and doesn't grow much in the winter. Must be the North East climate. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Robson Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 (edited) 9 hours ago, Eric Robson said: Richard our grass cutter stops cutting the grass at the end of October and resumes in the spring he keeps the keys to the mower and insists on doing it himself. It is great in the summer months and doesn't grow much in the winter. Must be the North East climate. Not you Richard! Could be your offspring but he's older than you, Richard Wils on. 😉 Edited January 30 by Eric Robson 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Johnson 4 Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 Keeping with the theme of this threads discussion and the conversations I have had with Richard, there definitely seems a leaning towards British aircraft. So here's a thought this Aircraft served the British navy very well but seems to be very overlooked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Walby Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 2 hours ago, Paul Johnson 4 said: Keeping with the theme of this threads discussion and the conversations I have had with Richard, there definitely seems a leaning towards British aircraft. So here's a thought this Aircraft served the British navy very well but seems to be very overlooked. Didn't thing Richard was keen on the gull wing from a building perspective? How about a Wildcat, not a problem as it won't have UC although its a bit of a tubby shape (pot calling the kettle!) PS nice video 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 I'm on a bit of a Corsair kick at the moment, but don't currently have a flyable Hellcat in the fleet, which would make one an attractive option. I'd certainly go for one if it's offered. The FAA colour schemes make a brilliant change from the usual US Navy blue pacific theatre schemes. I'm contemplating refinishing my FMS 1450mm Corsair as a FAA version - one of the Corsairs that made the initial attacks on the Tirpitz in Norway. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Johnson 4 Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 1 hour ago, leccyflyer said: I'm on a bit of a Corsair kick at the moment, but don't currently have a flyable Hellcat in the fleet, which would make one an attractive option. I'd certainly go for one if it's offered. The FAA colour schemes make a brilliant change from the usual US Navy blue pacific theatre schemes. I'm contemplating refinishing my FMS 1450mm Corsair as a FAA version - one of the Corsairs that made the initial attacks on the Tirpitz in Norway. My stable is full but part of that stable.... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Johnson 4 Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 The Wildcat, or as the British new it the Martlet was another aircraft the pilot's held in esteem. The main thing Richard is trying to do is bring quick easy builds and good flyers. My Hellcat, 61" flies really really well even at 8lbs but I have had a nightmare with the twist and turn retracts on a grass strip. I have used the FMS 1700MM twistnturn which have lasted the longest with the aid of silicon rubber blocks, but these still suffer failures should I find a dip or lump in the landing strip. At £80 ish a set is a prohibitive issue that I'm working on. It's problems like these which do tend to put off a lot of people and why removing these issues hopefully encourage more to try a smaller version without these problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 That's a lovely Hellcat Paul 😎Those points are highly relateable, as they say nowadays, - the twist and turn retracts in two out of my three Corsairs have failed at some point and replacing the E-Flight ones more than once wasnptgoing to happen, so I opted for an FMS set, which seemed to have a simpler mechanism, but still required some surgery to get them to fit. Those were working really well, up until a couple of flights ago, when one leg started malfunctioning intermittently and now just whirrs away without doing anything. The undercarriage on the Martlet is so complicated that it's entirely forgiveable not to go anywere near it and the wee tubby thing makes an excellent hand launch-belly lander - my Parkzone Wildcat - refinished as a Martlet - is great fun to fly. Eric "Winkle" Brown recokoned it was the best carrier borne fighter of it's time and was a great advocate of the Martlet. I wouldn;t mind a bigger one than the wee Parkzone chuckie. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Robson Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 1Just finished a Brian Taylor Corsair, hopefully it will get its Maiden tomorrow before the snow arrives. With all the problems fellow club members have With retracts particularly twist and turn I'm putting my trust in a modification to the dolly I made for the FW190. The Corsair never looks right with Stuka type wings ie but joined instead of bent, not easy to make for a quick build. The Fairey Firefly Mk 5 would be a good subject for a quick build but not much choice for liveries. The Wildcat apart from the undercarriage has a lot going for it Straight taper wings large tailplane but the fuselage would have to be foam blocks for a quick build. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 Lovely Corsair Eric - look forward to reading your maiden flight report. Fairey Firefly Mk 5 is on the list - what Alex W used to call a Spitfire Estate, which always tickled me. I cut some foam wings as part of a demo night at the club many years ago, from an RCSA Plan for a fun fighter sized version, but they have long since been misplaced. The colour scheme of lightned Sky Type S underneath and Extra Dark SEa Grey on top would be lovely, especially highly visible in the air with black and white invasion stripes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Robson Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 (edited) 38 minutes ago, leccyflyer said: Lovely Corsair Eric - look forward to reading your maiden flight report. Fairey Firefly Mk 5 is on the list - what Alex W used to call a Spitfire Estate, which always tickled me. I cut some foam wings as part of a demo night at the club many years ago, from an RCSA Plan for a fun fighter sized version, but they have long since been misplaced. The colour scheme of lightned Sky Type S underneath and Extra Dark SEa Grey on top would be lovely, especially highly visible in the air with black and white invasion stripes. Would this be the one Brian? I've been looking at it lately as I have quite a few 3s 2200 batteries doing nothing. A David Boddington design. Edited February 6 by Eric Robson 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 Aye, that's the one - it looks to build into a bonny model and the wings cut really nicely as a demo of cutting a tapered wing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Holland 2 Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 Stop it. Everyone knows we need a mosquito!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Walby Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 13 minutes ago, David Holland 2 said: Stop it. Everyone knows we need a mosquito!! Not quite sure how its intended to hand launch a Mossie, unless Eric comes up with a natty dolly for it + the additional cost of double the drive train. Don't get me wrong as I would have one if it was offered, but I can just see it going Pete Tong as people try and add UC, flaps, bells and whistles and it just gets too heavy to fly well. PS don't ask me how I know, but when they spin they take up a lot of sky to recover, a very stiff cup of tea and new bike clips before the next flight! 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Robson Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 71" Mosquito hand launch, I have an Aerotech kit for a Mosquito but it will have retracts. When the weather improves I may try the Mosquito off the dolly depending on how it handles the Corsair. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Robson Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 WARNING! The battery exited my FW190 during a roll , it flew out as the plane levelled at about 60ft. Despite a strong wind the battery less plane flew two flat circuits and made a perfect downwind landing. The problem was the hatch catch lever had moved on the pin giving the impression the hatch was closed. Pushing the pin from the back restores the original position. I have flown the plane today but the lever moved again after 2 successful flights, my batteries just fit in so I have to put pressure on the hatch to align the pin with the hole. Using lower capacity batteries may not be a problem but do make sure the catch is secure before flying even though the lever is at the end of the slot the pin may not be in the hole 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Johnson 4 Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 Good news that you got it down safely... Now about the bragging..... you've got a big one.....flying due to insecure catch......!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Davies 3 Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 4 hours ago, Eric Robson said: WARNING! The battery exited my FW190 during a roll , it flew out as the plane levelled at about 60ft. Despite a strong wind the battery less plane flew two flat circuits and made a perfect downwind landing. The problem was the hatch catch lever had moved on the pin giving the impression the hatch was closed. Pushing the pin from the back restores the original position. I have flown the plane today but the lever moved again after 2 successful flights, my batteries just fit in so I have to put pressure on the hatch to align the pin with the hole. Using lower capacity batteries may not be a problem but do make sure the catch is secure before flying even though the lever is at the end of the slot the pin may not be in the hole Eric, that is about as jammy as it gets! No battery usually is matchsticks!! Glad all ended well Graham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lipo Man Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 5 hours ago, Eric Robson said: WARNING! The battery exited my FW190 during a roll , it flew out as the plane levelled at about 60ft. Despite a strong wind the battery less plane flew two flat circuits and made a perfect downwind landing. The problem was the hatch catch lever had moved on the pin giving the impression the hatch was closed. Pushing the pin from the back restores the original position. I have flown the plane today but the lever moved again after 2 successful flights, my batteries just fit in so I have to put pressure on the hatch to align the pin with the hole. Using lower capacity batteries may not be a problem but do make sure the catch is secure before flying even though the lever is at the end of the slot the pin may not be in the hole When your battery-less plane makes a perfect landing it’s definitely your lucky day! If I were you I’d nip out and buy a lottery ticket! 👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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