photo gallery

THIS is the page for your aero-model pictures.

If you're not into digital photography or scanning pictures, you can always send photos by regular mail. That's how Steven sent me the pictures for the item below - it's not too pricey; a batch of five or six photos costs $1.00 airmail postage from the USA, for example. My home address is on the home page.

work in progress . . .

After finishing his Mustang which was shown on ModelFlight #10, STEVE BOLIN from Kent, Washington State, USA, immediately started work on a 138" wingspan B-17G with a 102" fuselage and estimated weight of 44 - 48 lbs, building from Don Smith plans. Here's a picture-diary of the build from May 19 - June 8:

"Just started on this project tonight. Just finished gluing all the bulkhead halves together. I’ll be building this just like the old ships used to be. The fuselage will be built as a whole unit instead of halves."

Lower keel laid down on front and rear jigs. All 27 bulkheads marked off with central wing saddle section installed. Awaiting remaining front and rear bulkheads. Time taken to date, 4 hours.

Didn’t take long to do the rest. The fuselage is really taking shape here. Stringers installed along the sides - strip planking next!

"Now comes the tedious work - cutting these 3/8" strips and gluing them down, alternating top and bottom, left side, right side to keep tension even. I’m doing top half of fuselage first, then sand it all down with 60 grit paper. With the top half done, this will add rigidity to the frame to remove it from the table and instal servos and tail-wheel retracts before planking lower half."

"Top half planked. Now I must sand down. Then it’s time to start on installing the servos in the tail section before I begin planking the bottom. The lower picture obviously shows the sanding needed to be done! Also note there are 3 pieces of scrap balsa tack-glued to the glass table top and side keel to keep frame perfectly level. There are more, not visible on this photo."

"I have got the top half of the fuselage planked and sanded with 60 grit and will now begin on the fin and dorsal fin."

. . . to be continued!

I introduced you to CLIFF SEARS through a personal profile on ModelFlight #9, and mentioned that Cliff was hoping to build a Piper J-3 Cub as his next model. Well, he's done it, and here it is, along with two others which were on the Test Valley Model Flying Club (UK) field on Sunday June 25th. Click the thumbnail image for the bigger view.

Cliff's model is the one in the middle, and is the World Model Manufacturing Co. Ltd. ARTF kit. She has a 78" (2100mm) wingspan and is powered by a SC ·52 4-stroke engine.

Now let's enjoy a sight of your favourite aero model - large or small, kit or scratch built, ARTF, rotary or fixed-wing - and they don't have to be perfect, either. If you like it, let's see it!

Just use the e-mail facility at the top of any ModelFlight page or send details and pictures by regular mail.