Help ID this trainer

[Masher]

I know it's impossible but........

I prised this trainer off Mark in the DO around 1982 and nearly learned to fly with it. I can't remember what it was, I can't even remember who to/how I sold it. It had a composite fuselage and that's all I remember about it. Mark's dad was a director at Leyland hence the decals. Any help would be appreciated so I can recapture this part of my flying story 🙂

 

I think I am just slightly less unhappy in the pics than my wife!

Edited November 24, 2023 by Masher

[kc]

Two trainers that had composite fuselages were Yamamoto and also Robbe Progo.    I think the Yamamoto also had a balsa fuselage previously.  Might those names mean anything?

[Masher]

Hi KC thanks for the leads. I really can't remember but there was a Yamamoto on Ebay recently and that rang a bell - I will look further 

[RottenRow]

Also the Waterhouse and Eley Super Fly.

 

Brian.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Yamamoto, Masher.

 

[SIMON CRAGG]

First model that sprung to mind was the Super Fly as well, but more like the Yammy.

Edited November 24, 2023 by SIMON CRAGG

[Masher]

Thanks all..... Yamamoto it is I think. Now I wish I'd followed my gut and gone for the one on Ebay!

[John Muir]

I think that's a Superfly. The tailplane is on the bottom of the fuselage with a one piece elevator. The Yamamoto seems to have the tailplane halfway up with a split elevator. Also the wing shape is slightly different.

[Engine Doctor]

Definately a Yamamoto Mk 2 by MFA  in Folkstone Kent.  Comonly refered to as the " plastic pig" as it was heavy and had to fly relatively fast compared to its contemparies. Simlar to the Ely superfly but a bit bigger . About 60 inch wing span ? It was my first trainer bought as a started / messed with kit from one of my sons mates. It flew ok on an Bluebird 46 also distributed by MFA .

[David Davis 2]

I used to have one powered by a Merco 61 when I was leaning to fly. It flew far too quickly for a trainer as far as I was concerned so I got rid of it.

[Masher]

I struggle with plane recognition and parts of my memory so I'll assume it's the Yamamoto. Unfortunately the chances of me finding one are about zero. 

I did manage to get some flights on this model but realised that the work/house/kids thing, plus the classic cars, meant RC would have to wait until later. I think I had one of those Flash engines in there, it worked OK. 

If someone has one of these models please let me know 

[Masher]

10 hours ago, Engine Doctor said:

Definately a Yamamoto Mk 2 by MFA  in Folkstone Kent.  Comonly refered to as the " plastic pig" as it was heavy and had to fly relatively fast compared to its contemparies. Simlar to the Ely superfly but a bit bigger . About 60 inch wing span ? It was my first trainer bought as a started / messed with kit from one of my sons mates. It flew ok on an Bluebird 46 also distributed by MFA .

Although looking at the pictures it looks less than 60" span? I think I had a 40 in it which flew it ok but I didn't know enough to judge how well 😅 Just looked at the one on OZ which has 56" span so could be it. That's a balsa fuselage kit so could make one of those but it wouldn't be quite the same 

Edited November 25, 2023 by Masher
Added a bit

[David Davis 2]

1 hour ago, Masher said:

Although looking at the pictures it looks less than 60" span? I think I had a 40 in it which flew it ok but I didn't know enough to judge how well 😅 Just looked at the one on OZ which has 56" span so could be it. That's a balsa fuselage kit so could make one of those but it wouldn't be quite the same 

 

Masher, MFA appears to have produced three Yamamotos: the Mark 1 and Mark 2 which were built up kits with a foam veneer wing, these were all the rage in the Eighties, and the New Yamamoto which had a fibre glass fuselage and which looked something like a Cessna to my eyes. I think that the difference between the Mark 1 and Mark 2 was largely structural but the New Yamamoto was a different model altogether and probably had a larger wingspan to make up for the extra weight of the fuselage.

 

The Outerzone plan: https://outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=8956 indicates that the Mark 2 had a 56" wingspan. The New Yamamoto was too fast for me as a beginner. I believe that the Marks 1 and 2 were better trainers but I've never flown either so can't speak from personal experience. I got rid of my New Yamamoto and built a Telemaster 66 powered by a Merco 35 which flew much more slowly. I took my A Certificate on that model and eventually wore out the engine!

 

I wonder why MFA chose to use the same name, or almost the same name, for two very different models. It's even more confusing than Keil Kraft's Junior 60 and Super 60!

 

And why call it the Yamamoto? Wasn't he a Japanese admiral?

[Masher]

Thanks David. It does look more Cessna like. Hopefully I will forget all about this model soon,  the last thing I need is another plane, especially a trainer!

[David Davis]

4 minutes ago, Masher said:

Thanks David. It does look more Cessna like. Hopefully I will forget all about this model soon,  the last thing I need is another plane, especially a trainer!

 

Me too!

[John Lee]

13 hours ago, John Muir said:

I think that's a Superfly. The tailplane is on the bottom of the fuselage with a one piece elevator. The Yamamoto seems to have the tailplane halfway up with a split elevator. Also the wing shape is slightly different.

 

+1:

 

 

[Masher]

Doh!!

[Robin Colbourne]

The Waterhouse and Ely Superfly had a distinctive wire main undercarriage with a spreader/stiffener bar part way down the main legs joining one to the other.  The New Yamamoto had an alloy undercarriage.
The New Yamamoto was 56" span (1422mm).  There was a later version of called the Yamamoto 1600, which presumably had a wing stretch to address the "too fast & too heavy" complaints.

MFA also made a semi-scale Cessna Skylane which was 48" span, also with a fibreglass fuselage and foam wing.  Despite its small size, four channels wiht standard size servos and relatively heavy construction, it was a good flyer.  Mine had either an OS Max 20 or 25, (the old plain bearing loop scavenged version) and it seemed about right.

Masher, I do agree from looking at the pictures, that what you had was a Waterhouse & Ely Super Fly.  They do appear on Facebook Marketplace and Ebay from time to time, even if they aren't identified as more than 'R/C Plane'.  If I see any advertise I will post them here in case you decide that itch does need scratching. 😄

[Masher]

Itch and scratch is spot on. One of my flying mates asked if I was going through a 'funny phase' ..... Magnatilla, E-flite Beaver and now a trainer 

[Robin Colbourne]

1 hour ago, Masher said:

Itch and scratch is spot on. One of my flying mates asked if I was going through a 'funny phase' ..... Magnatilla, E-flite Beaver and now a trainer 

Masher, I think its perfectly normal to look back at the time you were learning to fly and want to revisit the models from the time of which you have the fondest memories.  I can also see that if you didn't find success with the Super Fly then, to have another one and fly it successfully would be 'closure', for want of a better word.
 

[Andy Stephenson]

Did the people who named the Yamamoto realise how ironic the name was for a model plane named after a WW2 Japanese Admiral who was shot down by the allies whilst flying in an aircraft.

[GaryW]

Deffo 1 Million % a Waterhouse & Eley Superfly.... I say that with absolute certainty as I've about somewhere in the region of 15-20 of them over my entire RC Flying life and currently have one now and it flies absolutley fantastic... and of all the superflys I've had in my life they have all flown perfectly I never had a single bad one.. I also learnt to fly on a Superfly 36 years ago,, & I still say even now the Superfly was the best Trainer of it's time & is also still today my all time favourite plane to fly

 

 

Edited November 25, 2023 by GaryWebb

[GaryW]

16 hours ago, Engine Doctor said:

Definately a Yamamoto Mk 2 by MFA  in Folkstone Kent.  Comonly refered to as the " plastic pig" as it was heavy and had to fly relatively fast compared to its contemparies. Simlar to the Ely superfly but a bit bigger . About 60 inch wing span ? It was my first trainer bought as a started / messed with kit from one of my sons mates. It flew ok on an Bluebird 46 also distributed by MFA .

 

Throw those Glasses away Young Sir..!! ..... You shud recognise the plane you finished mine for me ....lol

[David Davis]

My very first r/c aircraft was something called a Gemini designed by Jim Baguley, who is largely famous for designing gliders, and produced by St Leonard's Models. Powered by an Irvine 20 it was too fast for me so I pulled the radio and motor from the model, built a Junior 60 and learned to fly on that. I kept the plan and years later I built another Gemini, electric powered this time, just to prove to myself that I could fly it. By now I was quite an experienced pilot and it held no terrors for me. In the end I gave it away to a clubmate.

 

I can certainly see why Masher wants to go back in time too!

 

[Masher]

2 hours ago, GaryWebb said:

Deffo 1 Million % a Waterhouse & Eley Superfly.... I say that with absolute certainty as I've about somewhere in the region of 15-20 of them over my entire RC Flying life and currently have one now and it flies absolutley fantastic... and of all the superflys I've had in my life they have all flown perfectly I never had a single bad one.. I also learnt to fly on a Superfly 36 years ago,, & I still say even now the Superfly was the best Trainer of it's time & is also still today my all time favourite plane to fly

 

 

Thanks Gary, I can't argue with million percent! I had seen your previous posts. How would I go about finding one now?