Sticks and Tissue No 38 – January 2010
I’d like to thank all the contributors, without whom this newsletter would not be possible.
If you can contribute any articles, wish to make your point of view known etc please send to or phone 01202 625825
JamesIParry@talktalk.net NOTE MY NEW EMAIL ADDRESS
Thanks to Mark Venter back issues are available for download from http://www.cmac.net.nz/
Writings and opinions expressed are the opinion of the writer but not necessarily the compiler/publisher of Sticks and Tissue. The content does not follow any logical order or set out, it’s “as I receive and put in”.
Photo taken at the New Zealand Vintage Nationals January 2010 by Mark Venter
New Year started off well if you’re a penguin but did give me a few seconds to think about S&T and content. Too many ideas too little time! Many plans have been included in the past from MA and AM and this trend will continue as long as they last, I do have quite a few of the mags mainly from Alan Jupp but by no means a complete collection, however some feedback I have had is regarding additional information about included plans. It therefore seems logical and when time allows including with each plan the magazine article, as an experiment I have done just that this month. It obviously takes up room, in page count not really in file size. Not sure whether to continue or not so I’m looking for feedback – include or not include that is the question?
Playboy Senior and Kalper engine from Peter Wallis
To show that those old designs are still being built attached are photos of my latest toy the 1938 Playboy Senior which I have just completed.
At heart I am a builder returning to the hobby after a lengthy break (50 years to be precise) whilst I love the i/c engines here in the south the noise issue does restrict flying venue's and that is why I decided to go all electric. The Playboy has a 600 4Max outrunner with 4000 LiPo giving an all up weight of just under 4lbs .
Mating the latest technology with these old designs seems ideal not to mention the ease of covering with Solartex and modern adhesives - the Playboy just awaits a break from this freezing weather and we shall be having our first test flights.
Looking at the engine file I see you have the Amco .87 which I still have in the trophy cabinet together with a Kalper .32 with the original box and receipt from Roland Scott for £2 13s 6p .
I do fear that the old building skills are fading away and one does need to travel to find more like minded people that's why 'Sticks & Tissue' is such a good link - could we build a file that contains clubs friendly towards the old timers !
My first club was Northwick Park M.A.C where Roger Cooper and myself trailed our 'coffin's behind bikes to enjoy many happy hours - my Kalper powered a mini Eliminator and the Amco a Tomboy - what fun days we had .
Before anyone emails I’d point out that some of the engine parts are non standard. I didn’t know that but someone else told me. JP.
The 62nd New Zealand Vintage Nationals 2009. from Mark Venter
Wednesday
This morning (Wednesday) was incredibly windy at the camp. The van was rocking about in the gusts but at the FF field it was strangely calm.
The calm before the storm.
The wind came up about half hour after the horn blew and it gusted all day at around 40 kph.
My test flight with the Stardust Special got tipped by a
gust just after launch and it came back in and took the front end off so that was me for the day!
I was not even going to try the Tomboy!
There were not too many high scoring flights and a lot of carnage from the wind as well as some VERY long retrieves on not very long flight times.
Best flights of the day were undeniably from Allan Douglas with his Superb Spark Ignition Playboy Senior. It simply laughed at the wind and just hung there above us pointed into the wind and retrieves of no more than 2 or 3 hundred meters!
Rose and Alan’s Douglas – 39 Korda in vintage rubber
Wind reading - 46kph! John Dowling with a nice Halides 7
John Selby with 1/2A Simplex. And just to prove the myth of long grass - it does exist!!!!!
How good is that? (and a wife to do the retrieving!) Alan Douglas with his full size Playboy
Charles Warren on the right, had a full size Senior. Very impressive indeed!
So long but the wind got it as well.
Stephen Wade from the Auckland club, SAM
member. 1/2A So Long.
Friday
This morning was reasonably fine (and hot!) Open stuff like gliders and rubber as well as Min Replica which had I think 7 entries this year.
Afternoon was A & 1/2A Texaco. The wind was powerful strong and very few people flew - including me.
1949 "Snoek" Vintage Glider Chris Murphy with his Baby Banshee, new & untrimmed
model which did not perform too well in the conditions
John Dowling with Min Replica Brooklyn Dodger. John Selby with a great "Turner Special" which
seemed to handle the wind in A-Texaco before it
became too strong to fly.
Neil McDougal from SAM 55 with unusual Father & son team, Paul and Martin Evans from
model - 1949 "Snoek" Vintage Glider SAM 1928 returning from a long hike with "Lulu"
& a very nice "Archangel" which flew exceptionally
well.
Stuart (Auckland) launching KK Chief for So Long
Terry Tank. Flew well.
(Last days flying)
Early birds got their flights in before the wind came up and then conditions became very trying and even short times of around 60sec had long retrieves of a few miles either way.
Those retrieving on foot spent a lot of time just going back & forth.
Bernard Scott launching in "Kiwi Power" event Charles Warren (SAM 1928) with his "So Long"
(not Vintage) which is any model with 1.5cc in the Vintage Precision event, He managed a
diesel engine and 10sec engine run. max (90 sec) with his third attempt.
A lot of 2 minute max's were made - mostly by
those who had bikes for retrieving!
Chris Murphy Launching his Simplex John Ingram-Seal also with a Simplex in the
in the Vintage Precision event. Vintage Precision event
Neil McDougal (SAM55) with previous Nationals
winner model, name of which escapes me right now. A Texaco, John Selby came 4th with his Turner Special
Cherpaa from Bob Pickernell
A couple of snaps of my latest project, the Laurie Ellis Cherpaa. Mills 1.3 powered, built as per the plan except the cowling arrangement. When I was half way through the build I rejected the cowling as drawn as too much of a nightmare to build and impractical to use. I came across the march 1956 Aeromodeller in a friends collection recently and there were some photos of the original model in it and would you believe, the cowling S/L Ellis used was somewhat similar, but more sophisticated than, my simple lash up and nothing like the plan! One of life’s little mysteries. Perhaps he decided it was more trouble than it was worth after the plan was drawn up.
David Kinsella’s column
Less Than 15p
As if arriving from above, sleepy Mildenhall was filled with Rolls-Royces, ball gowns and dinner jackets.
And with the swells of Eaton Square came photographers and reporters from almost everywhere. Narrow streets
were blocked with cars and a telephone was hard to find. And the cause of it all was the great air race to Australia
won, as we know, by DH88 Comet Grosvenor House in bright red and flown by C W A Scott and T Campbell Black. A variety
of aeroplanes took off and along the way - Europe, Arabia, India, over the Bay of Bengal and across the Java Sea
- several retired. One was DH88 Black Magic flown by J A Mollison and A Johnson, forced out with damage caused
by low grade fuel. Big stuff like this taxed the nerves no end, possibly accounting for non payment of rent by
Amy (2/6 a week) for her room owned by the local builder. Several pilots who flew in the epic McRobertson Air Race
did not make old bones, but waiting for us at Old Warden is Grosvenor House, fully restored, red and with the famous
G - ACSS in white. It did what it was designed to do. Here the dark green Bernard Rubins DH88 fuels up mid race.
(I’m sure I read somewhere last year that Black Magic is being restored?JP)
Hail Complication
Several I know print and bind their Sticks & Tissues. It's a good idea and already it occupies a noticeable, space on my modelling shelf, a quick re-read just a reach away. The May edition at once reminded me that I had failed to salute Tim Westcott and his magnificent red and yellow streamliners, at least one prop carved by Peter Michel. Complicated construction it's true, but complication is attractive in itself. Consider the multi-function clockwork watch (the rarest made on the Isle of Man) the 16-cylinder BRM, Italy's 24-cylinder MC72 Schneider racer, Allard's twin
V8 hill climb car, a tea clipper with all sail set. Each is a delight in itself regardless of what it could or could not do. Given the chance I know Tim's classic Wakefields, designed seventy years ago by Ralph Bullock would fascinate me for ages, even as a static on a table. A while ago now it's true, the wonderful models campaigned by Mike Hetherington and Jack Humphreys are still clear in my mind. Again lots of detail work, but didn't they look great at Old Warden? Of course they did.
Clapham Cracker
Several years ago I uprated the Allard O C's Christmas card, and began the new series with a magnificent J2 Alllard resident in Boston USA. A stunner in deep red wine paint, a classic Chrysler Fire Power hemi-head V8 bored and stroked to 7 litres fills the engine bay. An 8-litre J2 was a fraction under 200mph at Bonneville in 2000. Only 99 were built.
Achiever Arthur
Born in Brighton as Queen Victoria was busy painting the world map pink, Arthur Hagg went into the
furniture business with Bath Cabinet Makers, moving to famous Maple's in London. But Bleriot inspired Arthur to
move again, to White's in Hendon and a job with wooden aeroplanes. There he met de Havilland, and moved yet again
to join Geoffrey as a designer, Hagg knew his onions and by 1934 test pilot Hubert Broad had given the thumbs up
to the all-new and fantastic DHB8 Comet, a stunner and a winner as outlined above. From 1939 to 1947 Hagg worked
on 39 projects, but as a strong hobby was boats and, sailing it's not surprising that some excellent shapes for
the water were produced along the way. And forget ghastly gin palaces welded to the quayside. Hagg's ships were
high seas stormers as pictured here. Powered by twin Rolls-Royce 425bhp engines, Spirit of Ecstasy tackled 5ft
Channel waves between Cowes and Torquay and came home second in the International event for 1965. Her average was
52mph. Arthur carried on too, producing Mini Sun, Gay Hunter and several more. More and more these days a mini
army is required to produce anything. But Arthur Hagg was at the helm - and in the right place at the right time.
Super For Sexton
Any secret agent you care to mention - Bond, Barton, Bulldog Drummond or Sexton Blake - would look
good in this! Latest in our coverage of big hairies of the highroad is this twin turbo 8-litre Bentley which
began life 85 years ago as a humble 3-litre. Developed over many years by engineer Jumbo Goddard and worked on
by L G McKenzie and then his son Don, the 550bhp monster is good for 150mph - and much more if you have the nerve
for it! Panelcraft built a beautiful and tight two-seater body (its chassis beefed up with parts of a second)
and bucket seats, wheels and all else is finished in BRG. Valued at £700,000.
Imperial Airways
Mentioned in September, the great book on our first proper air service is now in the shops. Taking
eleven years of hard work by Robert Bluffield, 224 large format pages and acres of pictures and maps tell an inspiring
storey of the days when flying meant flying! (as a sole passenger going down to Miami in a Jumbo, I could have
been in a movie theatre it was so large). But here we're back with biplanes, fabric and rigging. Seaplanes to Australia,
fuelling up at Gaza as camels watched, several like Major 'Brackles' Brackley DSO DFC straight out of the RFC.
And the aeroplanes had expansive names: Apollo, Cavalier, Agincourt, Sea Eagle, Golden Hind. Here Roger Middlebrook
gives us HP42 Heracles over Croydon in the good old days. Ian Allan's production of the book is first class. Very
highly recommended.
Malcolm's Model
No substitute for a nice spot of scale. Seen on the cover of October's issue of our great magazine, the Mackendrick model reminded me of a similar aeroplane seen in the 1960s Magnificent Men movie. To get it to fly properly the team had to recruit a lightweight female pilot to sit between the wheels.
Peat's Fault
Endless cutting for peat gave us, more or less, the famous Norfolk Broads. Great for sailing, but when the war came areas of smooth water posed a problem in the shape of enemy flying boats. Good grief! Quickly tripper craft were loaded with explosives and anchored at key points to interrupt
any landing by seaplane. It didn't happen, as far as we know, but I've sometimes wondered if the heads at Imperial Airways had considered these waters for their Short C-class machines. A fast line to London would have been vital, and perhaps that's where any idea foundered...
Sexton Blake
Mentioned above, this detective was really a schoolboy version of Sherlock Holmes. Launching in 1893 (Holmes in I887) several writers followed the original Hal Meredith, and it's likely that over the years more has been written about Blake than any other fictional detective. ITV and the BBC put him on the little screen. He even looked like Holmes, but here my vote goes to the attentive hound Pedro watching his master at the telephone.
The Expert
I know that several writers use manual typewriters, possibly because they grew up with them, perhaps because they like simplicity and the sight of sheets of paper piling up. And when the machine requires attention there's none better than Mr S Simons (0208 204 3914) to get things going again. Only an expert with lots of spares should handle your machine. Two machines tended for me are now first class. Highly recommended.
By George
Directly south of Juno and Sword, Caen during D-Day and after took a terrible pounding, 15 in shells screaming in from Ramillies and Warspite miles off and bombs from above. Certainly the final rest of George Bryan 'Beau' Brummell was disturbed, buried there after fleeing to France. Today in bronze and in all his finery he may be seen minutes from The Ritz hotel. Its design dating from the Great War, coal firing and Churchill at the Admiralty, a big gun from HMS Ramillies may be seen outside the Imperial War Museum in London.
With Merlin’s Blower
The great BRM racing car project launched sixty years ago, hill climb champion Raymond Mays demonstrating
the ear shattering noise of the V16 to the press at Folkingham airfield. Assembled at his home from parts supplied
by Rolls Royce, Rubery Owen and many more in British industry, the 1.5 litre car - supercharged and with tiny pistons
like egg cups - was aimed at the centre of the Grand Prix target. With aircraft influence and of great complexity
the lime green car should/could have been a winner....With scoops and vents to release the scorching heat races
were won by Gonzales (in fact a 1-2-3 at Goodwood in '52) and Fangio ruled at Albi in '53, pulverising the lap
record! All have heard of this amazing machine and much has been written about it. With a giant firm behind BRM
- Daimler-Benz, Fiat, Chevrolet perhaps - 400 engineers and unlimited hardware could have done the trick before
the rules changed. Stanley Schofield's recording of the V16 at full blast is memorable. Here the 'Pampas Bull'
Gonzales slams the V16 around Goodwood, now in BR Green.
Expenses
Spanish Practices in old Fleet Street and expense chits from that era easily raise a smile. George Short at Reuters, opposite the old Telegraph building, told of a character in the frozen wastes who regularly submitted expenses for huskies. Finally it was decided to carry out an audit. On arrival the inspector was told that the dogs had been put down and were buried. Yet another chit was produced for the expense. Hmmm...
Hammer's Barton
Will Hammer was the stage name of William Hinds. He established Hammer in Regent Street, the early
movies starting with boxer Bombardier Billy Wells striking an anvil with a large hammer. Working in rented studios
and on location (Blackpool Tower, for example) Hammer made one Dick Barton movie in 1947 and two more in 1948,
total production for this period being eight films which included Death in High Heels, Crime Reporter and River
Patrol. Low budget and made quickly, radio shows were followed with movies on PC49 and Life With the Lyons. With
his red V8 Allard, Captain Barton was played by Don Stannard. Soon moving to Dial Close near Cookham, then on to
much larger Oakley Court (rooms became studios) a launch party at the former ended with the death of Don Stannard.
On black spot Winter Hill, steep and twisting, his car turned over. Made when the Manchester Guardian, Star, News
and Standard were sold on street corners, the Barton movies (Special Agent, Strikes Back and At Bay) are available
on CD and video. The baddies look bad, the cars have bumpers, and men in demob suits wear hats and smoke Woodbines
and Players. And PC? PC49, of course. Here Dick is behind bars.
Clockwork
Old fashioned? Not a bit of it! Old collector toys and watches are all driven by wind-up springs and cogs. In 1933 a stunning watch was made for the collector Henry Graves (in fact the job took over three years). Multi function and a one off, the watch was sold by Sotheby's for a staggering £5.6 million. Once seen at the Museum of Time near Chicago, this amazing piece has vanished into a vault somewhere and may never be seen again in public. Wrist watches really got going due to the demands of World War One.
Fivers And Tenners
I'm looking at a white £10 note. Dated 18 May 1936 and signed by Chief Cashier Peppiatt, all appears in order. But if you know what to look for and here an expert is essential - you will know that it was made to the highest standards by experts working in Germany during the war. My tenner measuring 81/4 x 51/4 inches is all scrolls and watermarks. £5 notes were also made between 1942 and 1944. Millions and millions were produced, one good reason for the subsequent change to the smaller blue fivers. An interesting story follows.
Swordstick Scribe
He was a cadet in HMS Worcester, fought on the Western Front and almost joined the RFC. In the 1960s he was earning £11,000 a week and able to write a 172,000 word best seller in two months. Like Churchill he was good with bricks and wall-building and collected stamps, books and wine. He dressed well, travelled widely and usually carried a swordstick, of which he had several. Dennis Wheatley (1897 - 1977) wrote page-turners worthy of study during our long winter evenings. And he made it into the RAF, joining at Uxbridge and impressive in a greatcoat lined in red satin and sporting swagger sticks covered in blue leather and concealing 15in blades by Wilkinson. Only the best would do!
Great Value
These days fivers don't go far, but delivering massive value for just that come Great British Bombers (100 A4 pages) and Great British Aircraft (108 pages). Loads of colour, solid info, masses of pictures and quotes from the boys who flew them. And both together cheaper than forty gaspers. Info and health is the way to go. Published by The Aeroplane and stocked by Smiths.
Floating Soap
Long ago a banker in the USA was approached by two lads in need of cash to make soap that
floated in the bath. If you know your washing powders the names Proctor and Gamble will ring a bell, and the banker's
name was Cunningham. The massive result with worldwide reach meant that grandson Briggs Swift Cunningham could
follow his enthusiasms and encourage others. A magnificent yachtsman and member of the NTTC in Manhattan, his Cup
12 Columbia soundly beat our Sceptre in 1958, but sportingly he offered to swap boats to make a race of it! Building
his own race cars in Florida, using Chrysler V8s when GM refused help, boys from Grumman worked on the night shift.
Lack of the disc brake denied a Le Mans victory, although a big Cunningham was sometimes the 
quickest there. More than a dozen attempts were made,
Briggs posting huge stints at the wheel, which lead to Ford's French victories in the 1960s. Finally moving from
Connecticut to California, Briggs gathered his collection in a museum in Baker Street, Costa Mesa, Stan Kenton's
music and six hundred marking the opening. Paintings, books and a workshop to tend 70 gems which included a Bugatti
Royale, the first Ferrari in the USA, Duesenbergs, Maseratis, D-Types, etc, etc, made '250' the place to spend
a day. All mint and working, a short drive in a white SSK Mercedes was a possibility...Memorable too was the mobile
home with electric blinds and roof, taken to Laguna Seca as a support vehicle.
Team Racer Plans
A good VTR stock is held by Terry McDonald, also several sheets on Speed models of the good old days. Terry (01332 510150) writes his absorbing column in the UK's SAM magazine and is well qualified to advise if you're new to Vintage Team Racing.
Studio 88
Michael and Graham Turner offer originals and prints of the highest quality covering aeroplanes, competition
cars and knights in armour. Michael is the President and a Fellow of The Guild of Aviation Artists, the thrusting
organisation promoting the best in this area of traditional and understandable art. The July Guild Show in central
London is an essential must-see of the year, a 46 page catalogue with many pictures in colour great to file away.
Studio 88 (01296 338504) issues a fine catalogue, which keeps nicely alongside those
from the Guild. There's nothing like a good picture on the wall to inspire you as you model away and here are two
crackers from Studio 88: from the Great War a Camel slips by a German observation balloon, and at Spa in 1956 we
see Allard owner Peter Collins in a V8 Lancia-Ferrari on his way to a win in the Belgian Grand Prix. At my first
Grand Prix I saw Fangio in one of these, flames belching out from the four exhausts each side when he changed down.
Michael and Graham Turner's next exhibition at Halton House, Aylesbury, will be held on 30 April - 2 May 2010.
An easy drive north from London.
Aviation Books
David Bancroft issues a good catalogue of 150 books covering all aspects of aviation. All are in good condition and several are signed and rare today. Contact him on 01983 759069. Strong on material written by the RFC and RAF aces.
Raynes Park Christmas
Coloured lights led the way for the faithful. I was early in the clubhouse and Mike kindly screened the late Richard Todd in The Dam Busters (Gibson and dog to perfection:). Over from GWR country came Ian Russell with a rare 3.49 by Basil Miles and a stunning 10cc Hornet (what a beauty!). Members squeezed in and the wine went round. I was by Geoff and Tom and not far from John, Tony, Reg, Gerry and so many more good sticks who make up famous Raynes Park MAC (they've heard of us in New Zealand!). It's not easy to move around after 9pm, but Barry made it to my end of the room for an engine chat. Surrounded by models and books and pictures about our hobby, it was a very enjoyable evening. Happy New Year Boys.
Here is a list of repro engines supplied by Ian Russell
Rustler List.
Rustler PP Classique 0.6cc. Coming soon. Replaces the MPJet Classic. The PP is front intake (So no overhang
at rear) but has sideport timing, so will run in both directions like the MP Jet. PP = Push 'n Pull.
Also, supplied with 5" of extra wide bore "fuel tubing" to fit integral exhaust stack and duct exhaust
away from model......................................................£50.00
Amco Mk.1 Coming soon...................................................................£80.00
Amco 0.87cc Mk.2 Ser.1....................................................................£70.00
Amco 0.87cc Mk.2 Ser.2....................................................................£75.00
Tiger Cub Mk.III Std. ........................................................................£110.00
Tiger Cub Mk.III Tuned ........................................................................£145.00
Tiger Cub Mk.III ABC...........................................................................£145.00
Tiger Cub Schneurle...............................................................................£145.00
Jaguar 2.5cc sideport forerunner of the famous Tiger diesels....£100.00
Cheetah 2.5cc o.d. vintage style front intake 2.5cc..........................£75.00
Lynx 2.5cc rear disc version of Cheetah...........................................£80.00
Tiger Mk.1..........................................................................................£155.00
Tiger Mk.2..........................................................................................£110.00
Tiger Mk.3..........................................................................................£110.00
Tiger Mk.3 Tuned................................................................................£145.00
Tiger Mk.3 ABC.................................................................................£145.00
Frog 500 Glow.....................................................................................£85.00
Frog 500 ign. .....................................................................................£100.00
Sparey 5cc (slightly over 5cc!) 1946 Aeromodeller design).........£105.00
Rustler-Merco 40 ABC Metamorph Stunt..........................................£95.00
R&B 51 ABC Metamorph Stunt........................................................£115.00
Rustler-Merco 61 FISE ABC Stunt.....................................................£85.00
Rustler-Merco 61 Metamorph AAC Stunt........................................£125.00
R&B 75 AAC Stunt.........................1st, 20 at £140, after those ....£150.00
Merco 20 Prototype PB C/L-F/F......................................................£162.00
O.S. LA 25 Modified for C/L Stunt.....................................................£60.00
O.S. LA 40 " " "
" .........................................................£65.00
O.S. LA 46 " " "
" .........................................................£70.00
Jaguar Twinshaft. Car Engine. .......................................................£150.00
Tiger Mk. 2 Twinshaft Car Engine. .................................................£200.00
ABC Piston/Cylider/Rod Assembly for Mk.3 Tiger...........................£40.00
Throttle for Cheetah/Lynx/Tiger 3 .......................................................£17.50
Tank/Throttle assembly for Jaguar ...................................................£21.50
Tank/Throttle " "
Sparey ....................................................£23.50
Old type silencer for Merco or O.S. FP/LA 35/40/46 .....................£12.50
Twin stub/dustbin type silencer for Tiger 2 and 3 ............................£12.50.
I’d like to thank the following suppliers who during 2009 have provided me with an excellent service. JP.
Old School Model Aircraft Factory Derek Foxwell 020 8647 1033
Flitehook email flitehook@talktalk.net website www.FliteHook.net
Have always supplied those free flight items I was looking for and often not looking for and at a non rip off price.
Phoenix Models phoenixmp/index
Stan Yeo not only has a very quick despatch time but also competitive prices and endless knowledge on aeromodelling. Twice in 2009 I’ve ordered stuff one afternoon and it has arrived the following morning. (I know it depends on postal service but it shows things are sent out immediately) My first steps into electric flight with the Wessex Aeromodellers League 600RES class were made much simpler by his advice especially with chargers and batteries.
From Roger Cooper
Just looked at the PAW engines and was wondering how many folks will connect them with Gig Eifflander at Progress Aeroworks in Macclesfield and further, associate them with the wonderful range of carved wooden propellers he supplied. (Having said that I used to carve my own out of beech).
I wonder how many have had the pleasure of meeting Gig? - as I did years ago when I needed repairs to my Amco BB 3.5. I remember him as a very easy going friendly guy and was particularly amused at his method of reversing the rotation of his lathe. It was three phase powered and he had it connected via an old Wylex plug (round centre pin for earth/neutral and two flat pins for the power). All he did was remove the plug from the socket and turn it round so the flat pins went in the opposite locations - bingo instant phase reversal. Factory inspector was not HAPPY but could not find a reason to condemn!
Wanted from Barry Lumb
I am looking for a cylinder head for a Cox Special 15 (2.5cc). The problem seems to be with the inside profile of the head. The high compression head I want has a convex shape as opposed to the straight taper or concave taper cone of the standard low compression head. I will even buy one with a blown coil provided it is the correct profile. Any help in locating one will be greatly appreciated.
I'm also adding free downloadable plans to my FULL SIZE PLANS magazine website - You might
log on and go to the area for "Freebies" - I plan to change them every two weeks - They are full size
PDF files that can be printed at a "copy shop" - Saves postage - Feel free to publicize it if you wish
-
Roland Friestad
Info@fullsizeplans.com
www.fullsizeplans.com
From Frank Schwartz AMA123
Attached are a couple of pictures I hope you can use. First is of me with an R6B from Aeromodeller. I was just 30 years old back then!! I best recall that this was built in 1955 or 1956 by me from the plans. It was silk covered with AeroGloss dope finish. Used a K&B .15 with left handed crankshaft so I could run the engine in a rear facing position. Used a Babcock compound escapement and home made r/c gear. Twin working rudders and it flew beautifully. I made hundreds of flights with it over the years and only had it fly away twice. Picture of it alone is with the second covering, silk again. This was my first successful r/c plane although a number of earlier attempts with different models were not successful. With one exception: I along with a FF model belonging to a friend back in 1948 did have a successful flight or two with r/c equipment I made, but he moved out of town and took the plane and equipment with him!! I still have a set of plans for the R6B and often consider building another. The plane lasted over ten years until radio failure caused a total destructive crash. I am 84 years old now and still building and flying. No more FF planes as I can't chase them like I used to!!
Ajax from Peter Michel
For reasons which I shall explain I find myself building that father and mother of all "beginner's" models, the Ajax. Yet when I got down to it I found it to be quite a tricky task, at least as far as the fuselage is concerned. The acute bends on all longerons in front of the cabin, both in plan and elevation [see picture] put this beyond the scope of the young novice, I would have thought. However there is no doubt that KeilKraft were targeting the beginner because they even show you where to place the pins. (And that didn't help either because the plan has them on either side of the longerons instead of through them.)
There is also huge spacing of up to 2-3/4in. between some
of the "shorterons" which will automatically result in the horrible "starved horse" effect. How many Ajaxes have we seen marred by this defect? I've avoided this by cheating –
Substituting 1/8in.-sq. longerons for 3/32in-sq and 2in. spacing and I bet nobody will spot the difference, although they will now!
I ask this: Can any Sticks & Tissue reader come up with a model more unsuited to the complete beginner than the good-old Ajax? There were many other beginner-unfriendly kits doing the rounds in the early days of World War II and the years immediately leading up to it, and it would be nice to hear how schoolboys of that time, of whom I was one, coped.
And the reason for me building an Ajax? Back in those days -- 1940 or 1941 -- when I was eight or nine I spent some time in hospital at Southsea following an ear operation. When I was up and about and walking round the ward I looked out of a window and chanced to see a "big boy" who must have been 14 or 15, flying a model aeroplane on tennis courts adjoining the hospital. This was a joy and a wonder as it took off, circled, and landed in what must have been complete calm on that lovely summer's day. Captivated, I left the hospital unnoticed even with my head still swathed in bandages, and spent a long time with the "big boy" and marvelling at his creation which, he told me, was an Ajax. However, my wonderment was sharply interrupted by an irate nurse who propelled me by my "good" ear rapidly back to the ward!
And that was my introduction to aeromodelling. Strangely enough, I never got round to building an Ajax until now. So I'm making up for lost time, just to see what I've been missing all these years and, I suppose, as a tribute to the "big boy" and his exciting model. But come to think of it, with my knowledge of flying contest rubber models, today's rubber, plus a good prop, I see no reason why it shouldn't be quite a decent performer.
Two weeks later...
After the fuselage, the rest was a straight build with a few other amendments in the name of practicality.
The principal change was to re-position the main spar, shown on the plan to be flush with the bottom surface of the wing. This was a bad design fault shared by many “cabin” models of the period. The early designers were clearly following full-size practice here. In the model world, however, it invariably produces “cow-horn” dihedral through tissue tension. The remedy is to raise the spar as high in the rib as possible without actually touching the top-surface tissue which would be a violation of all that is vintage-sacred! The result of the new spar position was a wing with three nice flat sections – well worth the effort.
And so to Epsom Downs on a cheerless, damp January afternoon with the Ajax, minus rubber, weighing a reasonable 59g (2.1oz) including a Tomy timer. The first test glide was further proof that this is no beginner’s model. It just ballooned up into a stall with all the flight characteristics of a paper bag. You just knew it would do all along because there is far too much of the model behind the wing, giving a hopeless CG. Here again we see miss-applied early full-size design practice because rubber models just do not have aero engines and pilots to balance up. (Armed with our knowledge I would certainly re-design the Ajax so that its balance point coincided with the centre of its heaviest component, the rubber motor. And that would place the wing an entire bay further back along the fuselage.)
So what to do, on the field, with that massive stall? Firstly, into the nose went a large lump of Blutak, later found to weigh 5.4g. This in addition, remember, to a Tomy timer which was as far up front as it would go. Still the stall. Now I didn’t want to muck about with the tailplane which was keyed in for DT operation. The only alternative was packing under the trailing edge of the wing – 3/16in. of it, would you believe – which finally produced a glide, and quite a good one. First power flight indicated the need for more down-thrust in addition to some already built in. This was predictable because of the far-lower wing incidence.
All this sounds a bit of a hoo-ha, but in fact a decent pattern emerged after just three flights on half turns. Eventually, with 800 turns on a 25g motor (eight strands of 3/6in.) the Ajax was flying high, wide and handsome and was DT-ing at around 1:20. So...a handy flyer little flyer good for 90 seconds I would say. But the point is this: All along the road, from the first cut of balsa to trimming on the field, this was a project beyond the raw beginner. However, we were all raw beginners once so I suppose that if we learned what was right and proper on such models as the Ajax, then it was all to the good in the long run. I doubt, though, that any young lad could have got his Ajax to fly properly without help from his elders and betters.
Ajax from October 1940 Aero Modeller
Robert Frederick Landor Gosling 1898 – 1979 From Tim Westcott
Firstly, my thanks to all those who provided information about this “Gentleman” aeromodeller whose first known model was built in 1909 – possibly inspired by Bleriot’s cross-channel flight – and who continued to design, construct and document his activities for 70 years. In particular, much material is derived from his obituary which was written by Alwyn Greenhalgh who was fortunate enough to know Bob Gosling quite well.
Robert Frederick L (Landor/Luthor?) Gosling was born in June of 1898 to Bernhard and Gretchen Gosling. He died on 29th July 1979. But who was he and what happened in between those dates to ‘Bob’ Gosling, his family and his relations?
The 1901 England Census shows Bernhard Gosling (32) and his wife Gretchen (25) living in Walmer Villas, Bradford, Yorkshire with three sons Robert (3), Bernhard (2) and Ulrich (7 months) and three servants (cook, housemaid and nurse). So they certainly weren’t on the bread line!
Robert Friedrich L. Gosling
Birth certificate: GRO Jun 1898, Bradford.
Bernhard Carl H. U. Gosling
Birth: GRO Mar 1899, Bradford
Ulrich Julius F. Gosling
Birth: GRO Dec 1900, Bradford.
The 1941, 50, 59, and 67 Bradford Phone Directories all list Gosling U.J.F. at 40 Nearcliffe Road, an address which no longer appears to exist. Was there a Sister?
Charlotte Auguste L. Gosling was born in 1904, GRO Dec 1904, Bradford. The name style and date and location of birth all seem compatible with a fourth child of Bernhard and Gretchen. The “L” could possibly be for Loth, after an unknown female of that name whose picture exists amongst some of the family photos.
Bernhard and his wife are recorded as born in Germany but as being British
subjects. The German form of the name Gosling is indicated on a preserved business envelope,
where “Gösling” appears with the umlaut. His occupation is listed as “Merchant Stuff”. Some other heads of
households in Walmer Villas were also of German or Austrian origin, and described variously as “Stuff” or “Wool”
(or both) merchants. The 1927 Bradford Phone Directory lists Bernhard as a “Spinner” at Rhine Mills, Rhine Street,
Bradford. The road adjoining Rhine Street is Barnard Road – was it named after Bernhard? It is known that Bob Gosling
owned a combined wool/model shop at one point in time.
In 1923 Robert married Florence Carlisle Swithenbank (also born in Bradford). Their only known child was a son Frederick Keith Gosling, born in 1924. (Now that’s something practically nobody seems to have known – that Bob Gosling had a son!)
A WW2 story leading up to a tragedy is told movingly by Sam Brookes, a fellow RAF trainee wireless operator with “Keith Gosling”. Sam describes Keith as being from Frizinghall, Bradford, and as a grammar school boy from a stable home. But see later!
Sam’s story tells of how he and Keith reported to join up for induction and training to the ACRC (Air Crew Reception Centre) on August Bank Holiday at Lords Cricket Ground in 1943. Keith died less than a year later on 21st July 1944, aged 19, on his seventh mission in a Lancaster bomber that broke up above France during a WW2 mission. Six of the occupants were killed but two survived. There is a memorial to Keith Gosling at Cambrai at a site containing about 40 RAF graves. This crew were not the ones with whom Keith normally flew but he was a German-speaking specialist who, as far as I can ascertain, was there to monitor (and jam) the radio traffic between the German night fighter controllers and the night fighter aircraft.
Sam describes how he corresponded with Keith’s mother “Florence” over a period of time after Keith’s death.
The RAF database of those killed in WW2 has the entry: Frederick K. Gosling, P/O, 176529, 101 squadron, 1944, 6, 163. In fact Keith was not a pilot officer.
Sadly, there is evidence that Bob Gosling and Florence separated in 1941 under acrimonious circumstances. Bob Gosling
was meticulous in the
recording of all his modelling activities and I have the notebook in which he placed scale drawings of many of his models. His “Number 47”
was named Blue Tit and it is obvious that somebody – probably Keith or his mother – has added the words ‘built by Keith’ in the upper right
hand corner at a later date. This page also has, in barely discernible writing due to the use of some form of Ink eradicator, the words
“Don’t forget your Son who built this aeroplane and whom you greatly wronged”. Following Keith’s sad death, Florence wrote to the mother
of the mid-upper gunner in Canada five weeks post crash and told her that “since 1941, Keith is all I have”. She also asked that none of Keith’s
belongings should be sent to his father. Keith's entry in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website lists only Flora as his next of kin.
In 1912 Bob Gosling designed and built a successful T-frame pusher and in 1914 produced his first A-frame pusher. This model remains
in existence and is the earliest example of his modelling prowess that remains in existence. I consider that it is too fragile now to be subjected
to a powered flight. In 1930 he joined the Harrogate Model Aircraft Club and subsequently was a founder member of the Bradford Club in 1931.
It was not until 1934 that he first made use of balsa wood as a construction material and indeed, he continued to use hardwoods in the more
vital areas of his models throughout his life.
Although remembered mostly for his model gliders, and in particular his Ivory Gull, Bob Gosling’s interests were wide ranging. He wrote
articles on the construction of scale models and one of his own scale models, that of a Miles Hawk Major, remains carefully stored in its
own container. Quite a number of Bob Gosling’s other aircraft remain with me and although many of them appear superficially to be of
quite straight forward construction they are often very intricate and not for the faint hearted builder – Just ask Peter Michel (who has made
a model or two) and who has described the building of Gosling’s apparently simple “Judy” glider as one of the most difficult exercises he
has undertaken!
In 1944 Bob Gosling was elected to the council of the SMAE and in 1946 he became Vice Chairman. He was appointed a Fellow in
1948 and as FAI delegate he was involved with the establishment of the World Championships and influential in establishing the
International Sporting Code.
Gosling’s name – and photograph – is often linked to important modelling events. He served as a team member, and more often as team
manager/organiser to many overseas British teams.
He was also involved with the early days of full-size aviation as is demonstrated by his appearance in pictures of various flying events
such as The Kings Cup Air Race. That he also learnt to fly gliders is similarly recorded and there are many pictures taken by him of
famous early gliding experts – including Kronfeld and Magersuppe. It has been suggested that the latter gentleman was an adviser to
the German authorities during the Second World War.
Perhaps it is fitting to end with a picture of RFLG that, if the writing on the reverse side is to be believed, was taken at Woodvale in
August 1978 – less than a year before he passed on.
Crawley Indoor February 2009 and more from Epsom Downs - Dave Bishop
Came across these pictures taken at last year’s indoor event held at Crawley K2 Leisure Centre. It's a knockout place to go and enjoy a full days flying or just having a nose and chat to the many modellers who attend. It's worth taking your own chair, flask and lunch for pretty obvious reasons and the next unmissable event is at the same place on February 7 with the PostCode of RH11 9B Sadly as I have told you before, my tape recording has gone AWOL and so I'll have to rely on S & T readers to help with the identification of some of the models and pilots.
KK Gypsy with enlarged rudder Nice Mustang
Electric powered Avionnette ½ scale Wakefield model
Terry Bird
Bob Taylor Douglas Jerome
Ted Horne Robin Willes with Peter Norman in background
Ray Elliot
Pete Tribe and Razor Blade from Aero Modeller May 1959
COMBAT TODAY is rapidly becoming a specialised branch of aeromodelling, and one needs more than luck to gain consistent places at rallies. Over the past few years both speed and manoeuvrability of models has increased tremendously, and the winner of a heat is not now the one whose model stays in the air longest, but the one with the greatest ability. Pit-crews, too, must now be competent and their co-operation is vital to success. Indeed, their role has become as important as the pit-crews in team racing.
Sooner or later, anyone who can fly a control-line model reasonably well is tempted to try his hand at combat flying, but it is useless to enter, contests in this haphazard fashion as one should certainly have some previous practice with one's club mates.
To enjoy combat one must be prepared to lose models and lines, and, on rare occasions, even engines. The rate at which models are destroyed is sometimes astonishing, and it is for this reason that models such as "Razor-Blade" have been evolved, which, while being both cheap and Extremely quick to build, retain the speed, manoeuvrability and strength required of a modern combat model. It is here that the wing has innumerable advantages over the conventional model. They can be made smaller and lighter than their tailed counterparts which makes them far less susceptible to damage, and this fact has been proved repeatedly during line tangles and mid-air collisions. The wings used by Kenton and Northwood Clubs in combat are definitely not for the beginner as they fly at a speed approaching 80 m.p.h., and are unexpectedly snappy, but after their characteristics have been learned they prove formidable weapons in any company. To attain these high speeds a good racing diesel is indispensable. Engines such as these are rather expensive, but are really essential to achieve the first flick starting and power that is now necessary. It is advisable to experiment with fuels and settle on one formula to obtain maximum performance, and having found the correct mixture one should keep to it so that the engine settings need never be altered. Naturally, really hot fuels are not cheap, but if they afford any additional power they are well worth the added expense.
The basic idea in combat is to get behind your opponent's model with your own and the best way to do this is to have a model which is capable of flying high while maintaining speed. One can in fact win a combat by using this method alone, without resorting to complex manoeuvres, although this depends on the individual.' Basic stunt manoeuvres are, of course, advantageous if one gets into difficulties. On no account should one fly low to avoid an opponent as he will almost certainly seize this opportunity to obtain a few easy cuts. This fact cannot be stressed too much. If you fly low you make an easy target. If you fly high you go round the circuit faster and therefore catch up with your opponent's model much quicker and can cut up and down through his streamer and be away before he is able to take avoiding action.
If one is unfortunate enough to be on the defensive, it is always better to do the unexpected, such as a bunt. But a word of warning? If you loop or bunt, always fly half a lap inverted before you pull out, or you will be in as bad a position as before, and if you judge it correctly you can completely reverse the position.
A word here about contest procedure. When one arrives at the venue, after making certain one has entered, it is a good plan to have a test flight to make sure everything is as it should be. Having completed this, several spare sets of lines should be made ready, and a final check on tool-kits made, to ensure that everything is in its correct place for immediate access. These tool-kits should contain anything that can conceivably help to repair a damaged model and get it flying again. A short list of the most needed of these are:
(a) Spare propellers (9 x 6 nylon advised) with spinner fitted and spanner to fit.
(b) Several spare sets of lines with handles.
(c) Screw-driver.
(d) Heavy pliers in case shaft gets knocked back.
e) Spare compression screws, spray-bars and needle-valves.
f) Several pieces of fuel-tubing cut to the correct length.
(g) Spare elevator horn mounted on hard balsa so that it can be pinned on elevator in seconds.
(h) Box of pins,
(t) Half a sheet of tissue for wrapping around a damaged wing.
(J) The little tin that most aeromodellers have containing the odd bits and pieces accumulated over the years.
Many of these things may seem unnecessary, but many a combat has been lost through not preparing this simple layout.
After being called for your heat, one should proceed to the flight circle. The pit-crew attach the streamer and warm-up the engine, while the pilot has a last-minute check on the control system and lines. Individual engines need different periods of warming-up, so that they start instantaneously and do not "miss" during the first few circuits. The pit-crew must practice until they attain perfection. Every effort must be made to be the first in the air, as it undoubtedly gives one the advantage.
Now for building your combat model:
Two medium-hard balsa fuselage sides are first cut from the opposite ends of a quarter-inch sheet (the T.E. is formed from the remainder) and the slots cut. Engine bearers are planed to shape and the two hardwood crosspieces are cut to length and then glued and nailed to the bearers as shown. Fuselage sides are then stuck to each side of the bearers, after pre-cementing and firmly pinned. While this is setting the ten ribs can be cut from the medium1/8 in. sheet and the spars and L.E. can be cut to length.
The wing T.E. is cut to shape from the 1/4 in. sheet and is sanded to a streamline section on the wing and ending 1/8 in. thick at the centre-section. The 1/8 in. slots are also cut into the T.E. for the ribs. When the fuselage has set it can be sanded smooth and the L.E. and spars can be slotted through and stuck firmly. The two end ribs are then added to line-up the spars, and great care must be taken to prevent warps at this stage. The T.E. is then stuck in and the ribs forced in and glued firmly.
The elevator is then attached using 3/8 in. tape, Add the control system and adjust this until there is not more than 30 to 40 degrees total elevator movement or the model will "shudder" while looping. Gussets, wing tips and 1/8 in. x 1/4 in. strips are then added to the model and the tank is also placed in position and soft balsa block placed around to streamline it. The whole model is then sanded down prior to covering.
Covering
The method found best for covering was to cover the model in the usual way with silk and give this a light coat of clear dope. Strips of bandage are doped along the total length of the fuselage, and also on the outboard wing tip (fibre-glass can be used). After the dope has dried on the silk, a piece of `lightweight" tissue is cut to the approximate shape of one wing-panel. It is then placed flat in a bowl of water, lifted out carefully and laid on the wing and then pulled tight. Dope is then applied around the edge. This is done to the three other panels. When the tissue is dry it is given two or three coats of clear dope, and can then be colour doped. Alternatively, coloured "lightweight" tissue can be used to produce different colour schemes. Several coats of clear dope on the bandaged fuselage, or balsa cement smeared on, produce a good finish when colour doped.
Wessex Aeromodellers League
For those of you who live in the Wessex area or are down on holiday and would like to join in some events there is now a website, thanks to Chris Hague, with all the details:- www.wessexaml.co.uk
Rattler by Charles Riall, 56” span for Mills 1.3, will take up to 2.5cc and Galloping Ghost RC. June 1959 Aero Modeller
Photos sent by Tony Penhall of his models built from his plans
Cloud Elf. R J O’Neils 52 ½” span cabin model Miss America 7ft span for Brown Junior a beautiful flyer c1935 (£11.95)
from 1940. Powered by the replica Cloud 3cc
petrol engine this was one of a series of power
models from the Cloud Model Aircraft
Company just prior to the war (Plan £8.95)
Reduced scale Alpha Corsair at 55” wing span Louis Garami designed Skylark a pretty flier with
a remarkable performance. This model Bantam .16 petrol motor. A Mills .75 would do
thermaled to about 2,000 ft in April 2007 at just as well! (£8.95)
Winwick field (£8.95)
Tony can be contacted on 01480472658
Coy Lady by R E Brown for 29 and 35 engines. 54” span and won 1959 Gold
Trophy. Aero Modeller July 1959
ORIGINALITY IN STUNT model designs is said to be difficult; but when one examines the number of new models which appear each year in acrobatic circles, the hard fact of the matter is that controliners always prefer to take the easy way out and copy their more successful predecessors.
In Coy Lady, R. E. Brown of Portsmouth, has produced a fairly new line of thought—and certainly includes the attributes of the latest U.S.A. designs while retaining an easy-to-build structure and handsome appearance. Moreover, it stunts like a true champion—the only limit to its performance through the toughest schedule, is the operator's ability, so why not pick your "29" or "35" from the galaxy now in the shops and get cracking?
Sandwich 23 rib blanks between 1/8 in. ply master rib templates shape, sand and cut spar slots. Cut out R13 and R14. The Wing is built in two parts, and joined with 1/4 in. sheet webs and braces, etc. Ribs are first assembled on the T.E. and lower rear spars. The bottom T.E. sheet is pinned down, and the 1/8 in. square insert is glued on top, the . in. square rear spar is blocked up to obtain an accurate taper, the top rear spar is added, also the top 3/16 in. main spar and leading edge. The 1/8 in. square insert is then tapered and the top sheet T.E. added. When dry and removed from the board, the lower 1/4 in. main spar is added, and sheeted L.E. and 1/8 in. sheet tip L.E.; Finally, the 1/8in, sheet tip-plate and webs and sheeted L.E. Care must be taken to avoid a "built-in" warp! Flaps are then shaped from 3/16in. medium soft sheet, joined with the control horn and hinged with tube and wire or tape according to preference. Fit the flaps after the sheeted wing and flap horn have been slipped through the fuselage. The bellcrank is bolted in position on the 1/8 in. ply base (4 B.A. bolt) and fixed before the centre section is covered with sheet. The flexible leadouts can be added at this time and threaded through the rib slots, which should have been cut for same. Use double "heavy" laystrate for the leadouts, also a soft wire line guide as shown on the plan to avoid any possible chance of binding.
Tailplane and elevators are made of 1/2 in. medium-soft balsa, cut and sanded to symmetrical section, 1/2 in. x 1/16 in. blanks being added and sounded to confirm with the section of ribs.
Fuselage has the usual 1/8 in. medium sheet sides with 1 mm. ply doublers up front. When these have been added the 1/2 in. x 3/8 in. beech motor mounts can be cut to length and fixed. Formers are then cut from 1/8 in. ply and 1/8 in. balsa. Fuselage can then be assembled not forgetting the 1/8 in. square and 3/16 in. square braces and supports. The wing is slotted through and fixed before top decking and bottom are attached, also the tailplane, the latter being fixed after the control rods have been added.
When the wing has been fixed, a certain amount of the 1/16 in. sheeting inside the fuselage will have to be cut out to allow the flap rod to be engaged in the bellcrank, and the bellcrank bolted down to a nice swivel fit. Also add a support to the top of the 4 B.A. pivot bolt, i.e., between RI and R2 (small strip of 1/8 in. ply).
After wing and tail have been added the motor mounts can be drilled and the bottom sheet and block added (having fixed your 6 B.A. nuts to a small piece of tin and fixed to the bottom of the motor mounts). Add the nose blocks (soft 1/2 in. former F.1. then remove engine and add the top spine and backbone, fix the sheet fin in place, then cover in with medium 1/16 in. sheet. Lastly add pilot, ply former and cabin. Undercarriage is bent to shape and bolted between ply formers with plenty of Durofix, 1/8 in. or 3/16 in. balsa fairings can be added any time.
Wing tip weight used was only just enough to outweigh the inboard wing, this, combined with the line stagger and the amount of fin offset shown and the C.G. (This not being very sensitive, weight varied quite a bit on the three models built thus far) gives ideal "pull" on the lines.
Use 60 ft. light laystrate lines, the flap movement is 25-30 degrees and elevator 45-50 degrees. The weight at 40 ozs. could be increased without much anxiety and the, originals have all been powered by McCoy 35's.
From Barrie William
A Couple of pictures of a not often seen model to get us thinking of the warm still evenings
of summer. The Jasco Flamingo, this is the 74ins span version of the original which I believe was 89ins span.
A smaller version was spotted at the F/F Nats in the Bowden Trophy and an electric power one was for sale recently
on E-Bay, from the South Wales area. This one is covered in silk and doped, power is an OS40fs. Flys like a
dream, hands off. On a good calm evening the model is flown in radio assist/keep it in sight mode, control
is Royal Evo and the flight modes of this radio are used to the full. Take off, fly around and land depending
on the position of a switch, no fiddling with trimmers. Model is trimmed to go left under power and glide to the
right.
The Jasco Flamingo appears to be a very popular model in Australia, a quick search on
Google turned up some very interesting info on the SAM 600 web site. Including a plan.
Details of the builder of this model have been lost, if you recognise the model let me know.
XL-56b by R ížek Aero Modeller April 1958. new rule Wakefield
51” span
A new rule Wakefield with an outstanding pedigree and remarkably simple construction
THE WELL-WORN SAYING that "when an aeroplane looks right, it will perform right" is very true, and when we referred to Radoslav Cizek's Wakefield in our report of the 1956 Contest at Hoganas, Sweden, saying that his XL56b was one of the best proportioned machines at the contest, we were by no means mistaken. The design dates back to early 1954 when Cizek was selected to be the sole Wakefield representative in that most exacting of all model contests, the "People's Democracies International", then held in Moscow. At that time the wing was mounted directly on to the fuselage and a slightly modified version was flown by Radoslav in the 1955 World Championships at Finthen in Germany. A sheeted fuselage variation was taken to represent Czechoslovakia in the 1956 "People's Democracies" contest in Budapest, placing first with a perfect 900 seconds score. Modifications were applied to strengthen the wing, experiments were made with turbulators and at the 1956 World Championships, using the 80-gramme motor to the rear peg, it placed 16th with a total of 760 secs. This was the last of the 80-gramme Wakefield events, and immediately after its conclusion, speculating on a change of rules, Cizek began flying with 50 grammes of rubber finding very little change in trim apart from the necessity to move the wing forward. At the moment, his 1958 version with the fuselage covered in 16 sheet and wring mounted on to a built-up sheet pylon (details or which are incorporated in the A.P.S. drawing) stands a good chance of being in the 1958 Championships representing Czechoslovakia at Cranfield in August.
50-Gramme Experience
Although the drawing gives earlier undercarriage details, it will be realised that this is not necessary for either International or home contests. With more than eighteen months of experience of flying with the 50-gramme motor, Radoslav's design provides the opportunity for those without any Wakefield experience to get started straight away on the right lines with a model capable of breaking the 3-minute maximum figure.
Construction is easy and does not employ thin fiddly material as have so many other high performance designs in the past. Use of close rib spacing provides a warp-free structure within anyone's capabilities and with dual purpose arrangements of wing and motor peg positions it can still be used for both open and the 50-gramme Wakefield events, a rare combination which goes to prove the point in our opening sentence.
From Brian Austin
Have been clearing out my old friends modelling items, as he has passed on to the big field in the sky & amongst the plans that there were staked up, came across the Pleasair from Air Trails Magazine circa late 40's early 50's.
I built a couple of these in the 50's with Darts in them & they flew well, Dave Platt got me onto the model & he even had the plan still even now & sent me a copy split on 3 A4 sheets. He recently told me that he had built another one recently for a Green head Dart, that cost him a lot of money.
Any way have attached the plans, that may be of interest to others, they show a Co2 motor, but it is easy to convert. Weight needs o be watched at the front end & trim power for LEFT Hand turn only.
Sorry ran out of time trying to join the three images JP.
Phil Smith’s Banana glider caused a few comments well here is another photo. Taken at Dorland
Hall 1946
This photo appeared in the last S&T. Peter Branagan identified the photos as being of Doug Marsh. Doug emigrated to New Zealand in 1960 and it is thought he continued aeromodelling as he appeared sometime on the front of a magazine or two. He’d be in his mid 80’s now, do any readers in NZ know him or are able to give details of his aeromodelling activities. Better still Doug if you read this please send an email that can be passed on to Peter.
Winter Wonderland? From Mike Cummings
Flying began early in the New Year at Epsom on 7th January for some Raynes Park members. Malcolm Jagger is seen in the photo’ below holding a Mills-powered Veron Cardinal. The model later disappeared over the car park towards Tadworth. The next photo’ shows the “Doctor Zhivago” scene where the model landed and was retrieved after 1½ hours.
1943 The Cyclone or Tethered Trainer from Richard Bavin
As kitted by Scientific designer Earl Cayton. This kit imported from Larry Rice, Blackhawk Models by exclusive UK agent www.densmodelsupplies.co.uk. Model just completed for OSR23 Sparkie and tisue covered.
The Tethered Trainer is a lovely
model full of character; the laser cut parts are a superb fit of course, with excellent wood selection. I found
it refreshing to find the plan close to original, leaving the opportunity to modify the design. During the build
I incorporated various modifications that I suggest are worth consideration, a list follows:-
1) Addition of 1/8 wing seat doublers
2) Addition of 1/32 ply doublers from front of fuse to rear of wing at former C.
3) Addition of 1/8 ply gussets from top and bottom of engine bearers to front of firewall
4) Fill tailplane centre with 1/8 sheet (grain across the fuselage) about ¼ beyond fuselage. This allows
support for covering and tail seat security.
5) Change tailplane TE to 1/8 x ¼ and elevator LE to 1/8 x ¼ spruce (or laminate 1/8sq balsa &
1/8sq spruce) this gives extra covering support and stiffness at the hinge point
6) Add 1/8 x ¼ longerons to top and bottom of fuselage sides to spread stress.
7) Add 1/8sq diagonals to tail assembly (stiffness and covering support)
8) Add extra vertical spar to fin and build separately from rudder, use rudder offset rather than aerofoiled section
as it is easier to blend the shapes
9) Sheet centre of wing with 1/16 to W2 and add extra ribs at location of fuselage sides. (provides hard point
for wing fixing)
10) Add 1/8 balsa to canopy support to aid fixing canopy.
The plan indicates the line guide to be fitted to W6, but I fitted it to W7 and found that this gave the 
correct line sweep and routed the lines over the wingtip.
The plan does not indicate a CoG position or suggested flying line length so help was sought from Gabrielle Macri
who has built and flown a Tethered Trainer powered by an O & R 23 glow. Gab advised that his model balances
11/2in back from wing LE and that he flies on 52ft lines. I found that I had to fit the 3 cell AA ignition battery
under the engine to achieve this. I incorporated a hatch to access the coil fitted behind the firewall, if the
wing was held on by rubber bands this would be unnecessary.
None of the foregoing is intended to be negative as this is a super kit that builds in to a very nice model. The
nature of the design means that it is only likely to built by experienced modellers and no doubt they will welcome
the opportunity to incorporate their own ideas in to the construction. However I hope that my observations prove
useful and now I am really looking forward to flying the Tethered Trainer. This will take place as soon as the
weather allows and I am anticipating that the model will be a nice gentle flier perfect for antique modellers like
me.
discretion of individual modellers. The model is a ‘beaut’ full of character, keep ‘em coming Larry.
Having just spoken to Richard he is still waiting to test fly, the weather conditions have frustratingly prevented him from venturing out. He’s waiting for excellent weather to have his first control line flight for ages. I’m trying to persuade him to bring the model down to the three Middle Wallop meets and of course the two Wimborne control line events. He’s got other CL models such as Blue Pants, Midge Speed so should be able to fall over quite a few times!
Kit available from Dens models £55.00+5.50 P+P
Vector 22” “quickie” rubber model. November 1958 Aero Modeller By N D Peacock
This little model was built to try and find out something about the stability of a Delta layout. Flight pattern is fast and usually lasts around 20 secs. on 600 turns.
Constructionally, the model is simple and sturdy. Enlarge the details for the ¼ scale plan below. Make the fuselage tube by soaking the 1/16-in. sheet in water and then form round a convenient broom handle larger than the internal diameter of the finished tube. Ensure that the edges of the balsa are running parallel with the axis of the broom handle, then bind in place with rubber or tape and leave to dry out.
Remove the balsa tube and cement up the joint holding the edges together with light rubber bands. Smear the excess cement along the join. When dry, slice off two sheet lengths and cut these down to fit into each end of the main tube; cement in place to give local reinforcement. Sand the ends of the tube and add if-in. ply discs with a square removed from the centre of each inplace. The square hole then forms the nose and tail plug locating arrangements. The whole fuselage tube is covered with lightweight tissue and given three thin coats of dope, one clear, two colours.The wing is extremely simple, being a flat 1/8-in. square basic structure with spars added and strip ribs bent over. The ends of the strip ribs should be chamfered off where they meet the frame.Elevons are added after sanding the edge to sit on the wing T.E. at a suitable angle (30º). Line the top of the elevon with the top of the T.E. When the frame is dry remove from the board and carefully sand off blending the underside of the T.E. with the elevon.Now fold some fine sandpaper over the fuselage and with the sand side out, then bed the wing frame down on the tube by moving it over the paper. Cover and dope the wing and pin it down to dry out. Do not cover the centre section at this stage. Next cement the wing to the fuselage, add the sheet fin and complete the covering.
Hand launched glides do not prove much, so start off with a few turns and gradually increase them. Try and get a wide sweeping left-hand turn. The turn can be controlled by bending the elevons slightly (they are left uncovered) but chiefly control the tight left turn by adding right side thrust.
Interesting Engines
Following on from the Special, Tim Westcott kindly sent a few photos of some very interesting old engines, one of which must be unique, and certainly historically important. We shall publish these photos over the next two or three issue, with the secondary objective of perhaps obtaining more information on these engines, from readers who may (quite probably!) know more than we do...
The first of these engines is shown below, together with a write up of our limited knowledge, and the same formula will be used over the next few S&Ts. However, from the next issue, there will be space, for anyone who may have any more information or comments about the previous month’s featured engine, to write in, and their comments will be included. So if you can add anything relating to the engine shown below, please email me (JP), and your comments will be included.
The engine in the photo is a diesel by George Court, thought to be a one-off prototype. Before being
owned by Tim, this engine was previously in the custody of the late Alwyn Greenhalgh, the well-known English aeromodelling
historian. Before that, it could well have been owned by British Army Officer and aeromodelling pioneer Colonel
Claude Bowden. Does anyone know?
For those who may not be aware of the fact, George Court was the designer of the early Frog spark ignition and diesel engines, and the resemblance between this engine and the early Frog production is obvious. However, there are quite a few significant differences, apart from the absence of fins and integral tank. The most striking difference is the cylinder hold-down system, the usual bolts being replaced by a stirrup rod passing around the bottom of the crankcase. Tightening the cylinder down must be a fairly delicate operation... The other important difference, in relation to the production engines, is that the transfer ports are brazed on externally (instead of being cut in the cylinder walls) and, unusually, it looks as if there are two brazed-on ports (front and rear), which prompts the observation that if there should be another port on the hidden side of the photo, then it’s a schnürle (sorry!). Then there are a couple of less obvious differences at the front end. The prop driver looks to be serrated, as per normal practice, whereas the earlier Frog engines had an arrangement with two drive pins, on a smooth drive disc. The prop driver seen in the photo is actually similar to the third (chronologically) type employed on production engines, although it is doubtful whether this has any dating significance. Finally, the crankshaft shown has a normal right-hand thread (early Frog engines had a LH thread on the crankshaft). Actually, it’s possible to change the apparent thread direction by digitally « mirroring » the photo, but this is hardly possible inadvertently and it’s unlikely that Tim will have resorted to such antics...
So... the bottom line is this: Does any reader know anything about the existence of this engine, between its leaving George Court’s lathe and its coming into the possession of the late Alwyn Greenhalgh?
If anyone requires a clearer photo email me (JP) and I’ll send you one. This photo is 41.8 KB the original is 144 KB.
Events
7 February Free flight Middle Wallop
28 March Free flight Middle Wallop
28 March Wessex Aeromodellers League Tomboy event 1st round Wimborne Club
3,4,5, April Free flight Middlle Wallop in addition on 4th Sunday there will be RC and CL
3 power duration classes, Tomboy and control line mini speed
11 April Control line day Wimborne Club includes mini speed
25 April Wessex Aeromodellers League Tomboy event Round 2, Pen Hill
9 May Middle Wallop inc RC and CL as for 4 April
16 May RC vintage day Wimborne Club includes National Tomboy round
See http://www.sam1066.org/ www.wessexaml.co.uk
Email me JamesIParry@talktalk.net for more details
That’s it for this month, do you ever get that feeling you’ve forgotten something?