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I have been building and flying model aircraft of all types since I was a small boy. I started with small free flight models either 'chuck' gliders or 'Jetex' powered models and progressed through control line models - team race, stunt and combat then into radio control. Radio control sets then cost about an average months wage and gave you a one channel - left or right - powered by a battery the size of a car battery at your feet and using a rubber powered escapement in the model that was only good for a certain number of commands before the band ran out of turns and stopped working! The term 'fly-away' was an often used term !!! This was replaced by the 'Galloping Ghost' system which wasn't much better. Models were traditionally built from plans cutting out all the parts from balsa wood then built up and covered in tissue or nylon before being doped with cellulose dope.
Wind the clock forwards to today and most models are 'ARTF' (Almost Ready To Fly) and are sold as just that - no building, no plans, nothing to do except bind it to your transmitter and go fly. 10 channel fully proportional radio sets cost a couple of hundred quid - servos replaced rubber powered escapements, batteries have been replaced with Lipos which give unbelievable power. Smelly glow and diesel engines are largely replaced by quiet and powerful electric motors that start first time every time. Miniature gas turbines are easily available and very reliable - fantastic for that authentic jet sound and smell.
The recent advent of 'drones' and miniature HD video cameras has opened up another chapter in the hobby.
On this page you will find some of my more recent adventures - sadly most of the last 45 years in this daft hobby was not photographed.
5th July 2017 - The Supercub had her maiden flight last night - all went well - motor starting to loosen up a little by the third flight. A few minor adjustments required - stiffen up the suspension and add more down elevator trim when the flaps are applied - they are VERY effective !! Excuse the look of the prop in the photograph - the engine was running when it was taken.
Another dozen or so flights then fit the floats and try it off the water!
I am currently building the Hangar9 Super Cub - its still on the building table (Dining Table!) but is not far off finished - the motor (NGH 38cc four stroke petrol) is ready for running in. It is fitted with fully functioning suspension and 6" 'bush' tyres as I usually fly from a rough field. I have also built a set of floats for it and once I am happy with the engine tune it will be flown from the many lochs around here. It's 2.7 metre wingspan and about 2.2 metres long so should have nice presence in the air. Photos to follow when its finished. Just the windows to install - epoxy the firewall and tidy up the wiring for the servos etc - spring is just around the corner. (See below!)
Above is my 1/4 scale 108" wingspan Stinson Voyager. Powered by a CRRC 55cc 2 stroke petrol engine.
Above is my hexacopter - with GoPro camera. The goggles I am wearing show me exactly what I would see if I were on board. Below are a few of the videos I have made with the hexacopter and with a fixed wing model.
More details to come about the 29cc petrol helicopter, 1/4 scale Super Cub with 38cc 4 stroke petrol engine and an Oliver Tiger MkIV control line combat model for a bit of nostalgia !!
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