The Big Question ?

[RICHARD WILLS]

2 minutes ago, David Holland 2 said:

Richard, I have the Spit (2), P51, Tempest and can’t wait for the Mossie. Your kits are so well thought out and fun to built, that they fly brilliantly is a bonus. I can’t build Axis aircraft ( I was gifted a Storch but had to re-cover it in Swiss mountain rescue guise before I could fly it!). What do you have up your sleeve to tempt us after the Mosquito? Many thanks and seasons greetings.

Thanks for your kind comments David . 

I do have plans for something after the Mossie which I know you will all like . However , I will be keeping those cards very close in order that I dont put more pressure on myself during the Mossie development . 

The Mossie is very challenging by the very nature of my desire to do it differently . 

Several challenges become like a Rubic Cube , where every turn affects another . 

The decision to make it large "ish " but fly on one cheap pack . To be quick to build yet separate behind the wing to short cut assembly time at the field . The elimination of planking for you chaps who generally find it a drag and yet to remain as close to scale as possible is , like I say , a tall order . 

The ultimately aim is to make a Mossie that can be flown with no more fuss than the 190 .  

One slight regret I have is that nobody really takes to the Macchi 202 . Brian Seymour's prototype is simply fabulous and if you look into the history of that famous racing line, you cant help wondering why its not more popular . 

The other one is my Yak . I did it it as a club special and it just flew beautifully straight off . The Russian "special operation " has pretty much taken any possible shine off of the La7 and Yak , even though the USSR was an ally at the time . 

Never mind , you can lead a horse etc . 

Luckily, as I say , I have plan . A cunning plan as Baldrick would say . It wont please everyone but I think 90% will find it hits the spot . 

 

[Learner]

I'd never heard of WR models until recently through this forum, but have been following along.

I have built many sports models and been very pleased with how they've turned out, even selling quite a few on to happy purchasers.(some regretfully)

However scale or semi scale has always been like a step too far from my comfort zone as I believe they have to look right, not just nice.

I acquired a Top flight gold edition P51 in a job lot dirt cheap with good intentions, I had that for a few years before selling it on as it scared me every time I opened  the box!

This, and the other build threads have, I think broken down that barrier and although I don't think warbirds will ever be of big interest to me.

I think next year Rodney, I mean Richard,

Perhaps a Mosquito might be on the cards.

 

 

 

[Chris Walby]

 

Nice looking wing profile there 🙂 

 

[gillyg1]

I'll go with one of them, macchi 202 " folgore" had the VQ one for a few years, lovely machine, preferably big enough to take a 70 fs , as i have one awaiting an airframe. Being a i/c nut . Or a Yak 3 / Emil . ??

As you say RW " in the future "

😉 maybe 🤔

Edited December 22, 2024 by gillyg1

[leccyflyer]

I'd certainly have a Macchi Folgore if one ever gets done. A very under modelled aeroplane.

[Ron Gray]

Brian's Macchi is really superb both on etc ground and in the air, a great testament to the RW philophosy!

[Murat Kece 1]

i vote for the Macchi too.. Like the camo too.

[Graham R]

I would like a yak if it it has a rerun.😘

[Graham R]

Richard, I think that you ought to put up some pictures of both the Yak and Mig as there are probably a lot of people who haven’t had the pleasure of casting their eyes over them.I’m lucky that I’ve had a fly of them.

Edited December 24, 2024 by Graham R

[RICHARD WILLS]

Well , I'll bear that in mind Graham . The Macchi is quite a complicated laser cut build, designed by Brian Seymour with me just giving a little guidance and providing the kit cutting and some of the moulds . It is a bit like a TopFlite kit but without a "Transatlantic Wing loading"!

There was a fabulous build thread on here but I cant seem to find it . It was called Warbirds Replicas Macchi 202 . ( a bit cheeky because it was 90% Brian's) 

The Yak is the other end of the scale . Its even simper than the Fw190 , so if pushed I could knock out a dozen in no time . 

However although it was nice of Chris Walby to ask what I might like , it is not really a practical consideration . To make the most of my time and Paul's there has to be a substantial uptake . The Yak could be slipped in as a fill in , but I cant see more than six people building the 202 . 

Not to worry though . I have to get over the Mossie hurdle first and then I can coast into something easier but probably just as desirable . 

The other thing I have to consider is that everyone has limited funds to spend each year . 

So if I was planning a new design single engined fighter in secret , for example, then slipping in 10 yaks to the groups build may well undermine the money available to justify the new design . 

Again it comes back to numbers . We picked up a few newbies on the 190/Tempest Builds and they proved to be exactly what we were looking for to top up the numbers . 

Maybe I'm being over cautious when I see what people in our club spend on foam Artfs in a year . 

It does seem that WR seems to be performing well in a very adverse climate . I dont want that to be at the detriment of my fellow Uk manufacturers and designers because they often offer products that I dont , so equally keep the hobby alive . 

The main think we can all do is try to break down the barriers to "builder/Flyers" rather than just "Flyers"

[andrew exton]

That yak is just lovely 

 

merry Christmas to all warbird replica builders & Richard & the gang 

 

andy

[Learner]

Top photo of the two is great!

[leccyflyer]

Haven't got any Soviet WW2 fighters, so could easily be persuaded to add one to the fleet - look nice and compact as well.😎

[Ron Gray]

I must admit that I really like my LA-7

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gillyg1]

Nice paint scheme Ron, like it.

Miss my La7 , still another one on the way.🤞

[Declan]

This may be stretching the orginal 'Warbird' term but I think it is accepted to include jets nowadays.  For some reason I've been fancying an EDF Mig 29 lately.  Plenty of foam RTFs and ARTFs out there but no balsa constructions.   If the Russian theme is popular perhaps?

[Chris Walby]

IMO its not the warbird that is the issue, but the edf which is the problem. Cost of edf, ESC and battery become a major cost. To achieve an edf model that can be build by a multitude of people with different skills and maintain a very good power to weight ration would be near impossible (that's why there are not many about). If you look at current foam edf's they tend to be fixed UC on the smaller model or larger and have heavy retracting UC, but just go along to a days club flying and you will see a few UC failures 

 

The other factor is that there needs to be a minimum number of orders to make it viable

[chris meek 1]

Tbh I’ve always liked to look of the WR bf109, if ever there was another run of them …. 🤞

[Ron Gray]

2 hours ago, gillyg1 said:

Nice paint scheme Ron, like it.

Miss my La7 , still another one on the way.🤞

Mine is part way through a refurbishment due to a pilot induced mishap and will sport a different colour scheme.

[Murat Kece 1]

I have none of them. So bring it on Richard: YAK3, LA7, Mosquito, Macchi..

[Lipo Man]

I don’t care. Based on my experience building the FW190 I’ll probably build whatever comes next. Mosquito will be my first twin, then after that? Anything. Bring it on. 👍

[Declan]

If there was a vote of what might possibly happen Bf109 for me.  

Mig29 might have to be a personal project.....

[RICHARD WILLS]

While we are musing prior to the second Christmas dinner....

It is astonishing to me that the original WR 109 dates back 22 years and made it to the front page of the RCME . The following year ,saw the La7 do the same . 

The more recent 109 that Paul had on our stand is more sophisticated , but perhaps not significantly ?

What is also interesting, is that they both pretty much followed the format of this years Fw190 . So apart from electric propulsion and lighter ,more reliable radio , not much has changed . 

Here is a picture of the 2002 109G together with one of the many variations of my Spitfire to keep it company . 

The bottom line really is that a practical and tough model with a decent finish (which we have all proved capable of ) is far more useable than a competition winning scale model with a "showroom finish " . 

Typically I will go to the field with a pair of these little chaps in the boot and have a great morning with no drama.

I think it was Nigel Dell and Paul Bardoe (old friend and British Pylon racing champ) who said to me that despite them owning and flying lots of bigger and more exotic models , they kept coming back to the "40"size stuff because it was just so practical 

 

[chris meek 1]

4 hours ago, RICHARD WILLS said:

While we are musing prior to the second Christmas dinner....

It is astonishing to me that the original WR 109 dates back 22 years and made it to the front page of the RCME . The following year ,saw the La7 do the same . 

The more recent 109 that Paul had on our stand is more sophisticated , but perhaps not significantly ?

What is also interesting, is that they both pretty much followed the format of this years Fw190 . So apart from electric propulsion and lighter ,more reliable radio , not much has changed . 

Here is a picture of the 2002 109G together with one of the many variations of my Spitfire to keep it company . 

The bottom line really is that a practical and tough model with a decent finish (which we have all proved capable of ) is far more useable than a competition winning scale model with a "showroom finish " . 

Typically I will go to the field with a pair of these little chaps in the boot and have a great morning with no drama.

I think it was Nigel Dell and Paul Bardoe (old friend and British Pylon racing champ) who said to me that despite them owning and flying lots of bigger and more exotic models , they kept coming back to the "40"size stuff because it was just so practical 

 

Richard I remember that article in rcm&e - always liked the look of the 109 in it! 
 

 

[RICHARD WILLS]

Yes Chris . Kevin Acres was a great builder and finisher . He doesnt model any more and has gone back to fishing which is a shame . 

I found the magazine and rather than having my own nails done, I got my daughter to hold it up .......😁

Funny enough , Kevins 109 destroyed mine in an overzealous low level tail chase . Mine turned into confetti and his didnt have a scratch .

Lovely chap though so I'll always forgive him . 

Graham Ashby was particularly taken with Kevs 109 and asked for it to brought into the RCMe office to be photographed properly . 

I have to say that dealing with Graham was always a pleasure . 

Great times 😁