The Big Question ?

[Chris Walby]

Risk of heading off at a tangent, but Buckminster does have a campsite with good amenities so its worth people heading up or back with a few days to spare either side of the event date to make the trip worth while!

 

For electric (quite) flight its nigh on available from dawn to dusk so as long as the weather holds up then the trip should be worthwhile.  

[RICHARD WILLS]

So going back to the build :

As you will remember , this was supposed to be a quick build kit that was cheaper for me to make and cheaper for you to buy . 

After lengthy chats on this forum , it was generally decided that if we could have a proper all wood kit (ie no exposed foam ) then people wouldn't mind paying a reasonable price . (When I look at some of the depron only kits , I do wonder where the price comes from ) 

To keep the price down below my usual kit price , profit margins could be reduced to encourage greater numbers and also to view the build as a step to increasing the "gene pool ". That is my part of the compromise . 

In order to achieve this "squeeze " some fancy bits had to go . The undercarriage was one , the manual being another . 

The manuals are time intensive and if done properly , expensive . If you wind back this thread to page 16 , you will see a step by step build of a kit that already has jig tabs aiding the assembly . I dont see much gain in rewriting the whole lot and printing it off at a cost to you and me . 

There will be a plan , but again it is more of an overview . 

I was wondering if you thought one of the experienced chaps wanted to breeze through their build (perhaps one with a tidier bench than mine ) just in case some of the newer lads wanted to say "hey hold up ! How did that bit go?"

Secondly , I was  going to suggest that the Fw190 stays on the "Big Question" thread and the Tempest starts on the Mass build thread . 

What do we all think ?

[Lipo Man]

I’m a newcomer to balsa builds, but I’d happily follow a build thread as an alternative to a manual. 
On a separate note, I’m just writing my Christmas request list (!) and I’m going to ask for a 4250 brushless motor - a cheapo one should do the trick. The biggest 4s batteries I have are only 2600 mAh - would those be enough weight to hit the CG without any ballast?  Don’t like the idea of flying around with any “dead” weight if I can avoid it…

Edited November 20, 2023 by Lipo Man

[GrumpyGnome]

Yup - no manual should be fine

Yup - separate thread for Tempest seems sensible

[Graham Bowers]

1 hour ago, RICHARD WILLS said:

What do we all think ?

Happy with all that. It does have to be worth your while though.

[leccyflyer]

Happy to work with just the build thread, rather than a manual and with the Tempest being in a different thread.

 

It would be handy if someone knows how to save the relevant posts from the thread though - I don't have internet access in the workshop, so a file that I can save to a laptop and have it viewable offline would be a nice to have.

[gillyg1]

That's a yes from me on both accounts 👍

[Ron Gray]

Yep from me plus YouTube vids as well!

[RICHARD WILLS]

3 hours ago, Lipo Man said:

I’m a newcomer to balsa builds, but I’d happily follow a build thread as an alternative to a manual. 
On a separate note, I’m just writing my Christmas request list (!) and I’m going to ask for a 4250 brushless motor - a cheapo one should do the trick. The biggest 4s batteries I have are only 2600 mAh - would those be enough weight to hit the CG without any ballast?  Don’t like the idea of flying around with any “dead” weight if I can avoid it…

2600 4s will be fine . The 3300 I use is only about 50g  more and I dont need it right at the front to balance the model . So if you move yours right up front it should be ok .

Ive sent you a pm too .  

[Gordon McConnell]

Happy with a build thread only for the FW190. The build thread for the P51 was very well done by Paul Johnson and helped me immensely with my first Warbirds kit.

I have been reading through this whole thread and now understanding the Richards’s logic on simplicity, I think I will not fit retracts, at least to begin with. Looking forward to it.

[Chris Walby]

Happy to go with no manual and Tempest on a different thread.

 

A request to the experienced/speedy builders, could you post your builds on your own threads. The reason I ask is that some threads either wonder off topic or get deliberately sent off course and take up pages of non relevant waffle (generally does not seem as bad recently). In the past I have cut and pasted the relevant posts into a word doc but that is time consuming when positioning pictures etc

 

This way we can all see how others are progressing and can ask questions/get answers as individual builds progress.

[RICHARD WILLS]

I just want to clarify the decal situation . I have obtained 20 sets of standard crosses and swastikas . I can put them in the kits to save post .As I said before , they will cost £17.80 per set . To complete your chosen look you might also want large coloured numbers or squadron leader double chevron plus perhaps a squadron badge as shown on my red 23. 

Graham R will be making up numbers , chevrons and some badges .  However to be fair to him , if you have an idea that you know what you want and it would be good to say now . My advice is that if your'e not sure or dont mind, then stick with red 23 or red 13 from JG1 squadron as the red is easy to see and the model has a bit of wow . 

However , it is your choice . The reason I ask this , is that if it turns out that say 8-10 people want red 23 we can add those items to the box rathe than asking Graham to send 25 envelopes . Graham says a set of numbers or chevrons plus a badge will be a nominal £5 plus a stamp . 

Just trying to keep it simple . 

[Graham Davies 3]

I'm easy Richard. Or so my wife tells me...

[Murat Kece 1]

Yes for both Richard please..

Edited November 21, 2023 by Murat Kece 1

[leccyflyer]

I won't need any decals thanks Richard, will cut my own and might even give paint masks a try this time round.

[Chris Walby]

As I am down for two Focke's (honest one is for someone else!) I'll go for decals for both and one of each (red 23 and red 13). Surely I can't go wrong that way!

 

 

[Graham Bowers]

I'm sticking with the idea of using the colour scheme of a captured example of the FW190, so no decals for me, thanks.

[maurice northcott]

One set of Red 13 and one set of Red 23 please Richard.

Thanks

maurice

[Ron Gray]

1 set noughts and crosses for me please Richard plus 1 set red 23. These will go with the FW kit that a newbie builder will be taking so will make his job easier. I’ll cut my own for my builds as I haven’t yet finalised my scheme choice!

 

As per @leccyflyeri had thought about making a mask but was worried that it might make building a bit more difficult. I usually wear sunglasses or welding goggles (just to be different) so a mask would make a change but I’m thinking that locating the model whilst painting the camo might be easier? Does anyone else have difficulty finding their camo paint?

 

PS where do you get your camo paint from? I can’t find it anywhere.

Edited November 22, 2023 by Ron Gray

[HENRY GELSTHORPE]

48 minutes ago, Ron Gray said:

 

PS where do you get your camo paint from? I can’t find it anywhere.

Yes a difficult item to find, personally I only managed to find the cheaper "B" grade.

[RICHARD WILLS]

Thanks chaps . Thats very helpful to our Graham R and will mean you can wizz straight through the build and paint as you have them to hand . 

[RICHARD WILLS]

17 minutes ago, HENRY GELSTHORPE said:

Yes a difficult item to find, personally I only managed to find the cheaper "B" grade.

I dont know if I'm answering the right question , but the Fw190s three colours were simply made by mixing Valspar black and Valspar white into three shades of grey .          (not fifty).

They are £4 per pot and you get them at the paint mixing desk . 

 

 

[Lipo Man]

Sorry - another question. Can the retracts be added after completion and flying initially as a hand launch/belly lander? I know I won’t have the patience to wait…

[RICHARD WILLS]

1 minute ago, Lipo Man said:

Sorry - another question. Can the retracts be added after completion and flying initially as a hand launch/belly lander? I know I won’t have the patience to wait…

Yes indeed LM . The intention is to get them up fast and keep it simple , but the thought of later fitting retract packs has been built into the design . 

The same can be said of the Tempest . 

The retract pack will have precut , slot together parts that will mean that all of angles will be preordained . It would be a case of laying a template on the underside of the wing removing the bottom skin and white foam , then simply glueing in the whole new unit and mount with golden gorrilla glue . I would supply wheels/legs axles and actuators. 

However , as we said earlier in the thread , at the moment these simple "giant fun fighters" are intended to be no nonsense , fly anywhere hacks . 

I started my whole model range like this back in 95 and we all flew the original models with no undercarriages for quite while . At the time , mechanical retracts were a lot of hassle and most club fields weren't up to it anyway . 

Electric retracts are more fragile but so cheap and easy that in a foam wing they are pretty practical . 

But like I say , I dont want to encourage that move yet as we all need to demonstrate to those in the clubs we fly at, that anyone can make these models and fly them everyday . 

I wont be doing retract packs till well into next year for that reason . 

[leccyflyer]

1 hour ago, Ron Gray said:

1 set noughts and crosses for me please Richard plus 1 set red 23. These will go with the FW kit that a newbie builder will be taking so will make his job easier. I’ll cut my own for my builds as I haven’t yet finalised my scheme choice!

 

As per @leccyflyeri had thought about making a mask but was worried that it might make building a bit more difficult. I usually wear sunglasses or welding goggles (just to be different) so a mask would make a change but I’m thinking that locating the model whilst painting the camo might be easier? Does anyone else have difficulty finding their camo paint?

 

PS where do you get your camo paint from? I can’t find it anywhere.

@Ron Gray - I guess the need for a mask depends on whether you'll mainly be flying your Butcher Bird at low level, trying to deal with the Typhoons, Tempests, Mustangs, Spitfires or P-47s, or at high altitude going after the B-17s, B-24s and Lancasters. If you're tipping a nod towards D-Day, as I am, with Priller's FW190 you might not even have time to get your mask on.....

As regards finding the camo paint, I find that the best time to find it is at the height of autumn, when the leaves change colour...