Send details of your model project, together with a picture or two, and we will follow the progress of your build from the time you open the box to that first test flight! Don't feel you have to chronicle every step, unless you want to. Just send an occasional picture or two and an explanatory note and we can catch up with your progress from time to time on this page.
ALL construction projects are welcome on this page - not just scale masterpieces or scratch-built models! If you are busy with building a commercial kit - ARTF, standard balsa and ply, foam or what ever- let us see your progress and have your comments.
The majority of pictures are linked to larger versions - left click the thumbnails to view the bigger picture.
Model building hints and tips are always welcome on this page - share those little tricks of the trade with your fellow modellers here! |
Pat Tritle's DC-6
The
DC-6 is progressing nicely. The woodwork is about 90% done now, and covering
on the tail section and fuselage has begun.
"The motors and aileron servos are all hooked up and working nicely
now, so the only thing left is to connect the ESC and run the motors.
Once that's done the wing will be ready to cover as well.
"Overall, progress is going well with few snags. As always with a
project of this magnitude it's taking longer to complete then originally
anticipated, but in the end I'm sure it will be well worth the effort.
And besides, it's not just every day that you get to see a DC-6 flying
over your local flying field."
Pat Tritle
Pat's DC-6 has a wingspan of 60". Click each of the mini-slides, above, to view progress and admire Pat's impeccable building quality!
Now go to photo gallery to see a recent very special commission undertaken by Pat.
Mike White's new design - "Dominator"
Here, Mike White gives us an exclusive preview of his new design, which is an enlargement of his Min-E-Cutlass, a free plan in the April issue of "R/C Model World".
Spanning
42 inches and with a wing area of 525 sq inches, it will be a pusher prop.
At the moment, complete with motor, 3s Li-po battery and all the other
bits`n`pieces but without a finish, it weighs exactly 3lbs. Projected
weight will be 3..5 lbs giving a wing loading of 15.5 ozs/sq.ft.
Construction is all balsa sheet. Wing is 1/2" and the fuselage is a mix of 3/16 & 1/8. All my balsa stock was bought 16 - 17 years ago, before I retired, from mail order houses, sight unseen, and so is a bit on the heavy side. So, if it was built from 5 -6lb cub.ft one could save quite a few ounces.
I
haven`t yet decided on the motor but it will be a brushless one. I am
looking for 100 watts/lb so I probably will have to go to a 3s1p Li-Po
battery of 2500 mah (4s1p to provide the watts necessary?). I have looked
at the Tornado 2815/200, Axi 2820/10 & 12 and, from Brian Collins
at BRC Hobbies, the
Hyperion 2019/10, 3025/8 & the Warp 4- 6 pole motors. I also hope
to get all the other equipment from him as his offerings are very good
pricewise. At the moment I`m waiting on specs and advice, etc., from everyone.
What a pity that electric motor choice is impossible without the help/advice
of the suppliers. It`s about time the industry settled on a standard description
of their wares even though, with electrics, this will be difficult.
Finish
will be tissue/dope/thinned enamel brushed on ( or maybe even sprayed)
so I hope that the take-off weight (ie RTF) will be well under 4 lbs making
the 400 watts from the motor the search figure and should provide a little
extra urge.
I have arranged for Steve Davies of Vortex-Vacforms to provide the canopy,
cockpit detail (bang seats) pilots & jetpipes and I will supply waterslide
transfers to those wanting them, probably USAF, IAF or RAF markings.
The
material is aimed at R/C Model World and I hope to get some decent
pics off to Tony Van Geffen by the end of next week. Drawings etc should
be ready by the end of September and when the model has some air time
I will send it off.
Another version is also being built & will have a tractor prop using
the same motor and, because of this, may have to have only one fin to
provide sufficient directional stability. I`m doing this as I have heard
it said that some fliers don`t like the idea of the "ham slicer"
at the rear.
Mike White
Kevin Wild's Miss Behavin' conversion
Here's another Mike White design, undergoing a conversion in the opposite direction to which we have become accustomed - this time its electric to i.c.!
Miss Behavin' was a free plan with RC Model World a couple of years back, 42" span for a geared speed 400. I liked the old timer charm of this model so I put the plan to one side.
I decided to convert it to IC when I purchased a brand new Cox .049 for £6 inc delivery. The only deviation from the plan was to move F1 forward 32mm and reduce its depth to act as a firewall and to beef it up a little at the front.
Tthe Cox will only just have enough power to climb out slowly so this will be a "calm evening" model; I have a 2oz tank in at the moment so it should stooge around for ages.
The model is mainly 3/16" square medium and hard strip with 1/16" ribs.
Covering has started with Solite cream and red panels with white piping.
I hope to get it flying soon as there's not a lot left to do
Kevin Wild
John Wheater's Lancaster
Here's a sneak preview of what is currently on John's building board, as a follow-up project to his A-10 which you can see on this month's photo gallery. The model is the Priory Kits Lancaster (John says the little pilot keeps walking round saying it's taking a long time!).
John says, "The model has a 6-foot span and is designed for four 400 brushed motors and really excellent value for £75. However, it is designed to be hand launched. Well, we can't have that, can we? I am fitting retracts and it is taking a bit of doing balancing strength with lightness."
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