Hummingbird by Paul Plecan

[Nigel Dell]

I have been trying to get back to a building regime after a few years of illness that left me forever tired and in pain, this has become more manageable recently as things improve, there is a lot to be said for balsa whittling for recovery. 🙂

I converted two single channel transmitters with the help of Phil Green’s encoders and have wanted to do this side of the sport for a longtime.

I also picked up an Anderson Baby Spitfire on one of my many late night pursuing of eBay looking for the odd and great, have always had a soft spot for the Plecan designs and having kept hold of the free plan of the Hummingbird I thought it about time I produced something, so here she is.

the Hummingbird was designed around the Baby Spitfire so it just had to be done.

I made a removable module with the rx, battery and servo for ease of installation and take it out for charging etc, it does have a micro switch so charge and go fly for the day then remove when return.

I have wanted to make the PANDAS event now I am hoping to do this with a few models I am now planning, next up is the Pal Joey which I have already cut the kit, and am about to cover a KK Outlaw ll which has either 3 channel proportional or single with motor control and kick up elevator dependant on how brave I feel at the time.

I have also converted an OS Couger 4 ch Tx ( my first radio) A Kraft 70 also with Phil’s encoders, I have yet to convert my old Sanwa Black Custom, Horizon HS4E and an OS Couger mk2, 4ch.

The Kraft is going to control a Phil Kraft Firefli powered by an original Kraft 61 if I can keep this building streak up although I am trying to fit in a Warbirds Replica Me 110 and 109 at some point but am starting small for a quick return atm just so I can feel a sense of accomplishment.

Because I had a relapse I had to shelve my large scale Miles Hobby Hawk for the Laser i200 for the moment as I was just looking at it and just not getting far, so baby steps for me for the time being.

Edited April 13 by Nigel Dell

[Phil Green]

Looks ideal Nigel, I'm familiar with Pauls 'Simplex' but hadn't seen a 'Hummingbird' before, nice tx conversions too, the Astral is unusual, looks like it uses the same case as the Arial 6 reed set?

 

[Nigel Dell]

Hi Phil, yes the Astral is unusual, I was given it by a friends Dad to see if I could get it going, who’d have thought we would be modifying them to 2.4, at least it has another life ahead of it not sure if the case is similar mind but anything is possible.

This had a battery leak at some point and needed renovation, so I mixed the Hammerstein paints to get the colour and Hammerstein finish of it originally and is faithful to its previous look.

My Friends Dad was a Sargent pilot during the war and flew Hurricanes with 85 sqn the went to 10 group near Bath and flew night fighting Hurricanes he ended his war ferrying B24’s from Consolidated in the states to India where apparently he lost the last one! Someone lost the delivery paperwork, he was shot down twice whilst ferrying by FW 200 Condors first time it was a couple of days in the water the last was nearer three weeks but he survived to tell the tail and went on to work in the production of radio equipment and teach.

The other Paul Plecan design I would like to do is the Hepcat you can see the linage between the Hummingbird and that.