I had you on my list . . . and you are definitely missed!

There was a good number of guys who were welcomed on the post box of ModelFlight December whose names are not on my reminder mailing list. I don't know if they were casualties from my 'big computer crash' in December when I lost a couple of weeks entries in my address book, or if I failed to enter a batch of new contacts for some reason, but I apologise if you are among them.

Here are the names I have been able to identify - if you read this and would like to get on the reminder mailing list, please just send me an e-mail headed 'Restore' and I will be happy to oblige.

Eddy Van Brabandt, Fenton, Keith Hall, Peter Hitchborne, Earl Inkpen, Dennis Miller, Bob Noble, Bill Pudney, Simon Reid.

Any others who have been on the list but are no longer receiving the reminder are invited to do the same - I would hate to lose you!

Welcome to Terry Jones

It's long overdue for me to write and ask that you please add me to your e-mail list.

I have been reading your site for many months (usually prompted by your message on uk.rec.models.rc.air) but may have missed one or two (one of these days I'll check the archives).

I've been flying for a couple of years at the Fleet and District Aero Club (you featured our club web site a while back - club scene #49). I passed my BMFA 'A' about 18 months ago and have built up a bit of a collection already - Flair Cub, Wot 4, Twinjet, Acro Wot and Speedy Bee. Next job is to scratch-build a Spot for next winter....

Attached are a few of pictures for you [see photo gallery], hopefully they will be in order when you view them, if not then I'm sure you'll work out which one is which.

Keep up the good work.

Regards,

Terry Jones
Farnborough
Hants

• Nice to meet you, Terry. Terry's pictures are on photo gallery and hotchpotch, and I hope we might see and hear more of the scratch-build project in due course . . .

Terry Gregory
wants a different buddy

Does any one have experience of using different buddy box leads to connect Tx's. Are the manufacturers' leads exclusive to their Tx ?.

Terry

• Buddy box leads are exclusive to each manufacturer's transmitters. However, I know some enthusiasts have made their own 'adapter' type leads for connecting different makes of tx's together - I've seen one in use at my own club.
  
  If you can manage DIY electronics or know someone who can, you can find details of a JR/Futaba lead at http://www.welwyn.demon.co.uk/lead/lead.htm
  This is from Ken Hewitt's PC Electronics site, also mentioned in Ray Powell's e-mail below (Ken is also the electronics consultant for the UK magazine RCM&E). You might find other such leads described on other similar sites.
  

Welcome to Charlie Fleming

Hi, great site. I'm fairly new to the hobby, working away mainly with electric park flyers over the last year. Built a balsa and Litespan, not quite got it in the air yet; also nearly finished an RCM&E 30" span 400 Spitfire Mk 5. And a neighbour gave me a damaged Maratuka Little Stinker 52" span bi-plane with a Super Tigre 61 and a host of boxes and bags full of goodies, this has kept me out in the shed for months. Got it together and it runs, took it out last weekend to a larger site just to try running it up and see how I got on running it up and down the field, I was getting on quite well and possibly got a little carried away with it and my success that lo and behold, it took to the air! Boy, did that give me a fright! Got it back down in one piece but the wheels did need a little bit of straightening. Charlie.

• Nice to meet you, Charlie. I can imagine the scare you got when your plane took off! If you haven't joined a club yet, I suggest you do so as soon as possible - you can get into all sorts of difficulties flying on your own!

Matters arising (from 'flying doctor' April)

Malcolm Logan, on ether and tissue paper

Ether. In the USA, as I understand it, ether is not easily (legally?) available to modellers. The minority of diesel users get over this difficulty by either ordering ready mixed diesel fuel - which is not generally available in their model shops from my experience, so they resort to mail order - or they use the product of those commercial diesel starter cans. Maybe your American subscribers using the starter spray can add some detail of their mix ratios and experience using it? Perhaps they could say whether or not the diesel starter fluid is 'all ether' or does it include some other substances which may or may not affect corrosion (I don't think so) and do they need to use more of the stuff to make up the required ether content in the final mix of about 30%? Again, I don't think so -it's all ether or has some other ignition improver in small quantities. It will be interesting to see if we get any response from diesel users in the US.

The 'old' mix was equal quantities of ether, paraffin (kerosene) and castor oil. This still holds good as a formula to begin with and will not harm any model diesel. The modern mix is to increase the amount of paraffin and reduce the amounts of ether slightly and castor a lot. This is supposedly due to better machining and the use of anti-friction bearings. So a 'modern' mix could be 30%/45%/25%.

Incidentally, ether can be bought here in Thailand over the counter of friendly pharmacies in small amounts like 100 ml - even though it is a banned substance because of its use in converting poppy juice into heroin!

Tissue paste. From the evidence of his photo, it's not surprising Paul doesn't know tissue paste! When I need an adhesive for tissue, I use those stick glues available from office and stationery stores which come in a tube with a twist grip like a lipstick. The one I have now is by Pritt from Germany. These work fine - even better than the old tissue pastes - because they can be applied more easily and economically (saving weight!) to the airframe. For sheeted areas, thinned Balsaloc or some other water glue can be brushed onto the sheet. After applying the tissue, which can be pre-dampened, lightly spray the tissue with water and go over the frame gently with fingertips to ensure good adhesion and smooth out any lumps. A good water sprayer for this can be re-cycled from one of those cosmetic hairspray pumps or Windex sprayers. Or, there is Paul's method of brushing on dope through the tissue.

Whereas, Litespan and the like poly films need Balsaloc and heat as Paul states, making sure the Balsaloc is really dry before applying the film - which can be up to half an hour - or Balsarite which dries faster as the solvent is a combination of toluene and MEK. Gentle use of a heat blower speeds up the drying of Balsaloc. Solarfilm, the makers of Litespan, once maintained that if the Balsaloc was not thoroughly "set", a poor joint could result allowing the film to move later on hot days and wrinkle.

I like the new column "Full Size" - hope it catches on. I imagine that scale modellers would find it a useful place to exchange ideas and information.

Best

Malcolm Logan

Robin Tuff re tissue paste

"Tissue paste" is still available from some model shops. I think it is distributed by Perkins. The tubes are quite small. It is very similar to Gloy, which is much cheaper from stationers.

I have started using the dope method, but do not find it easy with Jap tissue, but ok with ordinary. I am currently applying some of Flight Hook's "American domestic tissue" with dope. It would tear if any water based glue were used.

Cheers,

Robin Tuff

Margaret and Charles Lamb - encouraging as ever!

Hi Reg,

Just a line thanking you for issue No 71, excellent as usual, we like the idea of a 'full size' segment. When we get organised we'll send you some info on the Temora Aviation Museum, we're volunteer guides there on flying weekends.

Margaret has a complaint, she doesn't like the demise of 'cats corner', especially as we've just found pics of our late monster.

If anyone is interested, the Website for the Museum is www.aviationmuseum.com.au , we have several aircraft, including a Mk8 Spitfire, Meteor, Canberra, to list a few. They are all airworthy and fly almost every month.

Charles & Margaret.

• Thanks for your usual dose of encouragement, Margaret and Charles. Sorry about the pussy pics, but I thought it was getting a bit tired and I was relying on good ole Pat Tritle for most of 'em lately, it seemed! Of course, no sooner announced that I get another picture or two! Still, 'hotchpotch' has always been open for pet pictures so cats, dogs, mice or monsters are all still welcome there!

Ray Powell recommends the FMS flight simulator

Hi Reg.

I downloaded FMS recently and can assure John O'Brien (April post box) that it is well worth trying. Ken Hewitt of RC-Electronics sells an excellent (inexpensive.) PIC serial lead. There are links on FMS home page to sites where many different "models" can be downloaded. Some are very good, especially some of the Japanese ones, which handle very wel, (eEven if they don't, the ensuing "Thud" is not expensive!), although in one or two cases the decor needs adjusting. This is easily done with "Paint". Also, several models are designed with no rudder action, so landing needs to be accurate, and some have only rudder and elevator control.

Calibrating the transmitter to the Sim' is very easily done using the inbuilt program. One strange bug (on my Windows ME setup) is that if I adjust the resolution, it tries to connect me to the internet, but I can live with that! I recommend FMS highly, it is great fun, especially on wet and windy days.

Regards,

Ray Powell.

Tony Whiteley, in praise of the Cougar (and ModelFlight!)

Hi Reg,

Congratulations on yet another wonderful issue of ModelFlight. Your mag makes for some really interesting modelling reading, and long may it continue to do so. Well done

My pal Brian and I both received a Weston Cougar last Christmas (an amazing coincidence - not!). Mine will be IC-powered, when I eventually get around to sticking it together, whilst Brian's has been "electrified" using a beautiful Flyware brushless motor and eight cells.

Brian and I had an electric flying session this week, and I just had to tell you about the performance Brian's Cougar demonstrated. The take-off run is around 8 feet, it could be made shorter if required. It will go truly vertical from the take-off, just as soon as the wheels have left the ground, with no difficulty whatsoever. It is also amazingly agile and can be looped, bunted and rolled at will (it will do absolutely everything the pilot is capable of - and easily and comfortably, too)

It is capable of hovering, apparently motionless, in a light breeze and it just "feels so right" in flight. Duration-wise it's good too, a normal flight lasts around 8 minutes, whilst a "continually aerobating" flight comes in at a couple of minutes less. I'm sure that, come some warm conditions, it will be capable of catching a thermal, and even though we'll have to wait a few weeks for this to be "proved," the model has already logged one 13-minute "gentle" flight.

I have to admit that I originally thought that electrifying the Cougar would be a "waste" of a beautiful fun-fly model. But having seen and flown Brian's, I have to admit that it provides everything I'll ever need from this type of model. It also confirmed that "come the day" when I can no longer cope with all the heavy IC field-equipment, I'll still be able to get my "fun-fly fix" - via electrickery.

I am so enthused by Brian's model's performance that I've finally made a start on building my own Cougar. Can't wait to see what it's like on IC power!

All the best,

Tony

• Tony is clearly enthused! The Cougar is quite a favourite at my own club flying field and those who fly them certainly have a lot of fun with them. Pictured here is Jim Barnett's machine which he has now fitted with a .36 SC engine - Jim says if you want to save a few pounds on a Magnum engine, buy an SC - he swears it is exactly the same engine with a different label! Jim, too, is talking about building an electric version.

Gerry Davis wants to convert

Dear Reg,

I recently purchased a Laser Models trainer, the Ibis, which is an i/c powered kit. I would prefer to convert this model to electric and am faced with the question of what size electric motor do I need to use? The normal size of i/c recommended by Laser models is .40 2-stroke. My question is this, Is there a conversion table or formula I need to use, especially as the wing loading and wing area must presumably come in to the equation.

Any advice you could forward would be gratefully received.

Yours sincerely

Gerry Davis

• I have never yet seen a simple formula or conversion table to determine electric motor equivalents to i/c engines - I guess it's because the use of gear boxes and different gear ratios, prop sizes and cell packs, etc., as well as motor types and sizes, all make it possible to affect the efficiency of the power train so that there is no simple, single solution.
  
  However, if you take a look at this month's air space, you will find some useful pointers to getting going in electric flight, including information on Graham McxAllister of McAllister Designs excellent publication Basic Guide to Successful Electric Flight, which is available FREE on his website.
  
  Graham's excellent book really is an extremely helpful publication and covers the fundamentals of electric flight in a way that is straightforward to understand. It's well worth printing out! The URL is http://www.mcallisterdesigns.com where you will also find some great electric models with full power specifications already worked out for you!
  
  There is also some good stuff by way of introductory information on electric flight on http://www.madeinhouse.co.uk/FlyElec.html by my mate Grapher who has contributed a lot of great features on ModelFlight.
  
  The air space article also mentions an altogether different computerised approach to the question!

Back to basics for David Barker

After being asked by my father if I could get hold of some plans to build a glider I came across your site whilst searching the Internet.

My father wants some very basic plans for building a glider for his grandchildren - just very basic balsa wood that can just be launched by hand. Just an idea of dimensions, maybe cutting diagrams, etc - nothing too involved - no remote control stuff or anything like that - just something a seven-year-old can have a bit fun with on a field.

Any suggestions you can give would be greatly appreciated.

Regards

David Barker

• If you have something suitable for David's dad, please e-mail David.

Jim Peeples' plans quest

Good Morning Mr. Heath, I just got my first look at your web site. It is very nice! I am also a senior citizen and I am back into model airplane building. I am presently working on a Top Flite Fokke Wulf 190-D9 1/6.5 scale.

I am looking for a set of plans for a Monocoupe 90/110 or a Stinson Reliant with a wing span of between 5 and 6 feet. If you know of any, please drop me a line.

Thank you.

Jim Peeples.

• Welcome, Jim. I managed to find just one set of plans for a Stinson Reliant with a 42" wingspan from Classic Airplane Models who are shown on our plans links page. If anybody else can help Jim, please e-mail him.
  
  For plans of a 70" wingspan Monocoupe 110, take a look at http://www.fly-imaa.org/imaa/hfarticles/plans/v7-1-20a.html
  
  Coincidentally, we have a Monocoupe on both photo gallery and wip this month, and I've done a small item on the marque on full-size matters as well.

Herbert Sieger signs in

I was searching the Internet for some information on the Curtis Pusher and somehow I found your website and the article of Pat Tritle in #67/68. Small world, as I just received a few days ago Pat's plans for the Curtis Pusher and for the Farman Biplane.

I would like very much to join your ModelFlight, so please put me on your mailing list.

You may be able to add two flags to your list!! I am Swiss but living in Italy! I used to fly model planes in my early adulthood but stopped when I came to Italy in 1987. Now I am 73 and started again some years ago with Slow- and Parkflyers. I am still a fairly good builder but not a very good pilot.

I shall study your website very extensively, what I saw so far is most impressive, my heartiest congratulation to an excellent job.

Kindest regards
Herbert J. Sieger

• Welcome, Herbert. I would be cheating if I added the Swiss flag, because my banner is meant to reflect the many countries from which ModelFlight readers are in touch; the Italy flag is already flying, so I don't get to add a new flag at all this time after all!
• Pat Tritle's lovely Curtis Pusher was covered in work in progress #67-69 and his Farman Biplane appeared on #70/71- both well worth a look!

I would be grateful if you can give me the opportunity to reply to Grapher's comments about the set-up in my E3D and the AXI brushless motor installed (post box, March 2003). I have five brushless motors in all, including two of the AXI 2820/10.

I appreciate Grapher is scientifically trained and has no doubt gone into all sorts of calculations with various variations and set-ups with his Watts Meter. I, too, use the very good Watts Meter and I entirely agree with Grapher's comments - his measurements bear the same results as mine do!

The problem is I think Grapher may not not have read your article in the manner it was written, so may have read more into it than was intended!

You stated in the article: "It is an electric model of some 48" span. It is to be powered by the Model Motors AXI 2820/10, which will swing a 13x8 WITHOUT the need for a gearbox!" - which it will on 7 Cells, well within its operating range of efficiency. The model flies superb and true vertical performance is achieved with this set-up. I fly the model on 10 CP1700 Cells - I didn’t actually say I fly using the 13x8 on 10 cell packs! If I do use 10 Cell Packs, I simply swap props to a 11x7 APC ’E’ at the field! It will still go vertical with only 8 Cells. Anyone who has one will note I have changed the top of the fuselage - this is simply down to the model being damaged by a decorator I had in the house! The completed airframe comes in at an amazing 700g! This includes FOUR servos and an 8-channel receiver.

• Thanks, Brian. This is what still confuses me with electric - all this business of battery pack sizes, prop specs, amps, watts and volts! Still, having now read Graham McAllister's book and comments (see Gerry Davis's letter above and also this month's air space, I think I'm beginning to understand it a bit better. If and when I go electric, it will be with a model designed for it and initially strictly following the manufacturer's recommendations!

Sean is looking for a petrol heli

Hi,

Nice site; I am after a petrol engined helicopter. I own a TSK 60 carbon framed heli with OS 61 SF and pipe, I am willing to swap the TSK for a relatively cheap petrol heli, will include cash as well if the price is right.

Hope you can help

Cheers, Sean
01724 358078
07763 653733

• Anyone interested in doing a deal with Sean, please 'phone him on one of the above UK numbers or e-mail him.
  

If you write to me at ModelFlight, you will automatically be added to my mailing list to receive a brief reminder each time a new issue goes up on the Web, unless you tell me otherwise. If you are making contact for the first time, please tell me what country of the world you are from - I would hate to miss a chance to add another flag to my collection!

I assume that you are happy for me to publish anything you say in your correspondence, again unless you state otherwise.