FREE PRO-PLAN! ! SZD FOKA PART TWO VOL.67 NO.3 MARCH 2024
www.modelflying.co.uk
RADIO CONTROL MODELS AND ELECTRONICS
POWER SCALE
SOARING PSSA SLOPE ROUND UP
PILOT-RC EXTRA NG 78” AEROBAT GETS FLIGHT READY
DUTCH P-47
EURO SCALE CHAMP’S LATEST BUILD
PLUS II OOWAH - QUICK BUILD R/C COMBAT WING II TARGET PRACTICE - ARMY DRONE RESTORATION
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Welcome
elcome to the March 2024 issue of RCM&E. As usual we have a wide selection of articles about R/C C aeromodelling for you to enjoy, so let’s take a quick look at what you will find inside, starting with our regular columns. Shaun Garrity (Retro Ramblings) starts the ball rolling with a look at his latest project to restore a British Army radio controlled target drone to airworthy condition. Danny Fenton (Make It Scale) makes a plug for moulding a Chipmunk cowl from green florists’ foam before Dave Goodenough (One Man & His Shed) pops out of his dwelling at the bottom of his garden to extol the benefits of putting together a simple maquette model to test the potential flying qualities of a new design. If you purchased last month’s issue, then you’ll be keen to complete the full set of pull-out Pro-Plan sheets for Chris Williams’ sleek Foka 4 scale glider. The wing and tail drawings are waiting for you in the middle of the magazine. On test, Shaun Garrity enjoys slotting together a quick build R/C combat wing, the Oowah from IAD Model Designs, whilst yours truly completes all those niggly final tasks that seem to take so long as the Pilot-RC Extra NG of 78-inch span is readied for its first
RCM M&E 4 | RC
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flights. The Extra NG series ends with some expert tips from Dave Wilshere that are a must read for anyone interested in setting up and flying scale aerobatic models. Complimenting all the above is a report by Phil Cooke on the second half of last year’s busy Power Scale Soaring calendar, plus Euro Star champion Jan Hermkens describes how he designed and built his latest scale P-47 warbird. If your model club is looking at a group build for the summer season ahead then why not copy Basingstoke MAC’s lead and build a batch of Spitty streamer models; Michael Oates reveals all you need to know. I hope you enjoy reading it all. Happy Flying!
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DIGITAL
Get your digital edition for just £3.99 per issue www.classicmagazines.co.uk/subscription/RCM Editor: Kevin Crozier
Mortons Media Group, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR kcro zier@mortons.co.uk
PRINT AND DIGITAL The whole package – just £5.50 per issue for a printed and digital version www.classicmagazines.co.uk/subscription/RCM www.modelflying.co.uk | March 2024
March 2024 | www.modelflying.co.uk
RCM RC M&E | 5
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On the cover
Photo: Phil Cooke Last year was another memorable one on the slopes for the Power Scale Soaring Association, who successfully ran six of their seven planned Fly-Ins at various UK sites. Phil Cooke’s report brings the best of the action from PSS events at three different locations: the Lleyn Peninsula, the inland slopes of The Bwlch and the well renowned Great Orme.
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Contents
Regulars 8
19 44
46 92
94 95
SUBSCRIBE…
98
... and receive Luftwaffe Fighters &Supermarine Secret Projects FREE! See page 42 for details.
SWITCH ON Our latest round up of model flying news. COUNTERPOINT A selection of new gadgets, kits and bits for you to buy PILOTS’ PICTORIAL Send us a picture of a new or favourite model and it could appear in our regular readers’ models gallery ALL WRITE Have your say in RCM&E’s monthly chat room GOING PLACES Our updated list of model shows, events and competitions for you to visit over the next few months MARKETPLACE Sell off your unwanted airframes and engines or maybe buy a few new ones NEXT ISSUE Take a look at what’s coming in the April ‘24 issue of RCM&E PARTING SHOT Arnaldo Correia captures a spectacular plume as a large scale Canadair water bomber makes a drop
Reviews 80
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OOWAH Shaun Garrity slots together a quick build R/C combat wing EXTRA NG The Editor prepares Pilot-RC’s 78-inch version of the Next Generation Extra for it first flights
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PSSA ROUND UP Phil Cooke reflects on some of the highlights from the second half of 2023’s busy Power Scale Soaring flying season
SUBSCRIBE… ... and receive Luftwaffe Fighters &Supermarine Secret Projects FREE! See page 42 for details. SPITTY CLUB COMBAT Michael Oates reports on the Basingstoke MAC’s model of choice for their 2023 club challenge P-47 RAZORBACK Euro Star champion Jan Hermkens describes how he designed and built his latest scale warbird
Columns 22
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RETRO RAMBLINGS Shaun Garrity reveals his plans to restore a British Army small arms target drone MAKE IT SCALE Returning to his latest Chipmunk build, Danny Fenton tries a new material for making a cowl mould THE INSIDER John Stennard gets into his stride with his new column dedicated to indoor model flying ONE MAN & HIS SHED Dave Goodenough looks at using a LiPo to power your radio and discusses the benefits of making a simple maquette model
Free Pro-Plan
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Features 28
Volume 67 | Issue 03
SZD FOKA 4 Chris Williams introduces part two of his latest Pro-Plan article describing the build and flying of a 1960s glider
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RCM RC M&E | 7
Switch on
Our latest round up of model flying news and miscellany
AMMAN VALLEY RADIO CONTROL CLUB John Walter,Chairman of the Amman Valley RCC, writes: If you’re looking for a model flying club in the Upper Swansea Valley/Amman Valley area, please let me introduce you to Amman Valley Radio Control Club. AVRCC was started in the early 80s and in its early years it had a number of different flying sites due to the perennial problem of locating a suitable flying site and keeping it. It finally settled on a site in the village of Gwaun Cae Gurwen, which is within a short driving distance from the major towns of Swansea, Port Talbot, Neath and Ammanford. Since 2019 the Club has been using the site under a 25-year lease from Neath Port Talbot County Council, permitting it to fly seven days a week from 11.00am to dusk. We are a small friendly club, currently with around 20 members, and we are looking for some new faces to join us. Most of our members have made the switch to electrics but IC models are welcome providing these are reasonably quiet. Members fly most disciplines, including
helicopters, drones and fixed wing, powered and gliders. Recently the club has moved from monthly meetings to quarterly ones, with the emphasis being on meeting at the flying field and having fun. Since its inception AVRCC has managed to halt the decline in the hobby in our locality. Our mission is to promote the sport of model flying and we actively encourage people of all ages to experience, hands-on, the thrills and excitement of radio controlled model flying. Over the years, AVRCC has been awarded Youth Training Grants from the local Sports Council, Carmarthenshire County Council, Celtic Energy and Communities First. These have been given to enable children of the locality to experience the exhilaration of model flying. AVRCC was the first R/C model club in Britain to be awarded a Sports Council Grant. AVRCC aims to encourage newcomers to the hobby, especially the younger generations, to experience the excitement of R/C model flying by providing a busy club environment with
an enthusiastic and committed membership. AVRCC operates a structured training programme to suit all ages, and dedicated instructors who will devote time to the needs of the beginner. AVRCC has a dedicated trainer using computerised radio transmitters and a buddy box system. In this way, the newcomer to the hobby can be guided through the choice of radio, plane and other equipment as cost effectively as possible. Prospective members are under no obligation to join the club immediately. Newcomers are welcome to use the club facilities for a short period to get a feel for the club and, more importantly, the sport of model flying. All new members are permitted to learn to fly with our trainer whilst they decide on a suitable model for themselves. If you would like to see what we’re about please contact the Chairman, Jon Walter on guzzimeister@aol.com or 07912 540160, or contact us via our website: http://www. radiocontrolclub.co.uk/
D-DAY PILOTS’ PICTORIAL With the 80th anniversary of D-Day approaching fast our thoughts have turned towards commemorating the historic events of the 6th June 1944. We hope to do this by dedicating Pilots’ Pictorial in the June issue to models of aircraft used by Allied forces, especially those painted with invasion stripes. Time is short so please send in your pictures of suitably decorated aircraft as soon as you can. Here’s a list of most of the aircraft involved. It would be nice to see your models of some of the less associated types, especially if they have stripes on their wings and fuselages!
Airspeed A.S. 51 Horsa Armstrong Whitworth AW.41 Albemarle Avro Anson Avro Lancaster Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Bristol Beaufighter Consolidated B-24 Liberator de Havilland Mosquito Douglas C-47 Dakota Douglas A20 Havoc GAL.49 Hamilcar
Glen Martin B-26 Marauder Handley Page Halifax Hawker Hurricane Hawker Typhoon Hawker Tempest Lockheed P-38 Lightning North American B-25 Mitchell North American P-51 Mustang Northrop P-61 Black Widow Piper L-4 Grasshopper Republic P-47 Thunderbolt Short Sunderland Supermarine Spitfire Taylorcraft Auster Waco CG-4A Hadrian
This picture of a P-47 with invasion markings is courtesy of Jan Hermkens.Please turn to page 80 to read the first of a two-part feature that follows Jan as he designs,
RCM M&E 8 | RC
www.modelflying.co.uk | March 2024
Get in touch kcrozier@mortons.co.uk
HAVE A GO AT FUN FLY Mike Bell from the British Fun Fly Association writes: While most R/C modellers have probably heard of Fun Fly, you may not be so familiar with the BFFA. The British Fun Fly Association (BFFA) is a Specialist Body of the BMFA, formed in 2018, to represent the interests of Fun Fliers across the UK. Our main goals are the development and promotion of competition Fun Flying. The core principles of Fun Fly are that any competent club flyer should be able to take part. The models required are simple and affordable, and results are decided by stopwatch and/or counting with no subjective judgements involved. Of course, the overriding principle is that participation should be fun without diminishing the competitive element. Fun Fly works on so many levels, from those who enjoy a bit of a light-hearted challenge in a relaxed competition environment at one end to the highly competitive and skilled super stars at the other. The fact that several pilots from other competitive disciplines keep coming back to Fun Fly says a lot about the appeal of our style of event. We would dearly love to welcome more
entrants to our events to ensure a healthy future for Fun Fly. We know that there are many Fun Fly model owners out there and clubs that hold their own version of Fun Fly comps, so why not come and try your hand at the real thing? Better still, bring some club mates with you to share the experience. You will be assured of a warm welcome whatever your level of ability. There is even a new official sub-class within competition Fun Fly for foamy ARTF models such as the Wot 4, Acro Wot, Riot etc. so a specialist Fun Fly model isn’t a prerequisite. There are two official BFFA events planned for 2024 and you are all cordially invited. Both will be held at the excellent BMFA Buckminster site where camping will be available. The dates are: 4th -5th May2024,FestivalofFunFly. This is a great
event to have a first go,or get some practice in.Don’t worry if you don’t have a full-on Fun Fly model,we will still get you involved. 17th -18th AugustBFFANationals.While this is the formal National Championship event,first timers and novices are still very much welcomed and encouraged. To find out more about Fun Fly,the rules and the different classes,take a look at https://funfly.bmfa. organd keep an eye out on the Facebook BFFAFunFly Group page for the latest news.
THE BMFA 2024
NALS SCALE INDOOR NATIO eveakgeanndz a! W a Ex t r RADIO CONTROILL FREE FLIGHT FF RC SAT URDAY 20 APR SUNDAY 21 APRIL TH
ST
DELUXE MATERIALS GLUING TIPS In recent issues we have published Gluing Tips courtesy of Deluxe Materials. We hope their tips have been useful to you, but we really intended this small section to be dedicated to your own ideas for using glues and related products when building an R/C model. Simply describe your gluing tip in a few words and,
if possible, send in a sketch or photograph to illustrate it to the Editor: KCrozier@Mortons. co.uk Here’s another sample Gluing Tip courtesy of Deluxe Materials to show you what your idea could look like in print.
SEE SOME OF THE FINES T FLYIN
G SCAL E MODELS IN ACTION
r or spectate Everyone is welcome to ente ired! - come along and be insp
For more details contact Mike Stuart - ffscale@googlemail.com
Wolverhampton University, Walsall Sports Centre WS1 3TA
required
March 2024 | www.modelflying.co.uk
RCM RC M&E | 9
OOWAH
Shaun Garrity slots together a quick build R/C combat wing Words & Photos: Shaun Garrity
A
ccording to urban dictionaries ‘Oowah’ is a term generally said when you see something awesome, spectacular or cool and it is a perfect name for this model because it describes it to a tee. It’s one of a range of easy built combat wings, the others being the Boohoo, Toowah and Woohoo all available from I.A.D. Mosdel Designs. The original Oowah was designed by Andy Whitehead and then modified for laser cut kit production by I.A.D. Such was the popularity of Oowah that the range was expanded by them to include a larger version called Boohoo, plus two twins, Toowah and Woohoo. The laser cut kits use mostly lite ply for the ribs, spar, wing tips and fuselage, with balsa for the elevons and fins. When assembled it all makes for a very robust aircraft. You can see from the kit parts photo that a lot of unnecessary material has been removed and it certainly keeps the weight down, but with negligible compromise to the strength. Unusually, the kit doesn’t include a plan, but this isn’t an issue and is intended because there’s a Facebook group dedicated to the build of the various models. Additionally, you can download the plan in tile form from this group, but it is essentially a guide and, genuinely, you don’t need a plan. However, there is a caveat - Oowah is designed for intermediate builders and pilots.
This kit is supplied in a simple box to keep costs down.
As can be seen all the hard work is done and Oowah can be assembled in next to no time. RCM M&E 10 | RC
www.modelflying.co.uk | March 2024
TESTING, TESTING | Combat wing
It just needs a streamer and another one airborne to have some real fun.
“Oowah is a term generally said when you see something awesome, spectacular or cool” March 2024 | www.modelflying.co.uk
RCM RC M&E | 11
A few parts need gluing prior to the build, such as the main spar and trailing edges etc.
MAKING SMALL BITS BIGGER! The quality of the laser cut parts is good and a credit to I.A.D. You start by making the spar joining the two parts together, along with the trailing edges. Ensure this is accurately done so the finished wing doesn’t emulate a banana. Same procedure for the trailing edge sheeting. One suggestion I would make is to build the fuselage pod first before starting on the wing. The reason for this is if there’s any slight discrepancy with the inner wing ribs it could be a squeeze to fit the pod in. Make sure you have the correct right thrust when building as one fuselage side is slightly longer than the other. Also, you will note that the holes for the motor are not central. This is intended so that the prop nut ends up central on the fuselage with the built in right thrust.
Assemble the pod first. I scored the lite ply lower fuselage sheet to make it bend easier.
There are four different types of rib. Identify them first before getting giddy with the glue.
As mentioned, don’t glue in the rib shown until you have checked the fit with the pod in place.
All finished. You can see the additional strips I added around the fin to give a greater area for the film to adhere to and also at the wing/fuselage join at the front. RCM M&E 12 | RC
Same modification to the underside. www.modelflying.co.uk | March 2024
TESTING, TESTING | Combat wing
DATAFILE Name: Model type: Manufactured by:
RRP: Wingspan: Motor: ESC: Prop: LiPo: Servos: Kit Price: Functions (servos):
Oowah Combat wing I.A.D. Model Designs https://www.iadmodel designs.co.uk £45.00 700 mm (27.56”) 2400 kV 20 amp 5” x 3” 3S 1000 mAh or 4S 850 mAh 2x9g £45.00 Elevons (2), throttle (via ESC)
Referring to the pictures of the wing you can see how easy it is to assemble but you do need to identify the tip ribs, fin doubler ribs, centre section ribs etc. before you start gluing. Everything simply slots together so line and square it all up, then use cyano wicked into the joints. As mentioned, temporarily position the pod to check the fit between the inner ribs and, if everything is fine, then glue these final two ribs in place; if not tweak as required. My build sequence was a little different to how others have proceeded but just ensure the wing is straight and true. Don’t forget to put the infill pieces between the trailing edge sheeting and add the wing tips etc., then glue the pod in position. At this point I made a minor modification because I was slightly concerned that the covering, where the fins attach, could easily pull off. So, I used a 1/4” x 3/32” strip glued alongside the ribs to provide a greater area for the film to adhere to. I also did the same between the wing and pod join. It’s easier to see than explain so please refer to the relevant photo. I would also check now that your servos will fit in the space provided and if not modify. A trick I employ on elevons is to chamfer them only on the underside as I find a touch less reflex is usually required. The fins just need rounding off on the edges; there’s no need to create a sharp trailing edge. A light sand all over the airframe will ensure no lumps and bumps will show through when covered. COVER UP I would film the various parts of the model before assembly as it is simpler and you will make a neater job. Pick an easily seen scheme otherwise orientation may be an issue at distance. The yellow film I used was from a roll I’ve had for over 20 years; it came from the USA, but its properties are very similar to the modern film that’s available from a number of vendors for around £25.00 for five metres. The red was Solarfilm and the flame decal is self-adhesive vinyl and is included in the kit. Don’t forget to remove any covering where these components
Opto BEC and ESC in position. Also evident is the scoring on the lite ply to assist in bending.
Make sure you position the offset motor mount the correct way around.
need to be glued together. I hinged the elevons with strips of Mylar using UHU Por, keying them first with sandpaper. ELEKTRIKARY For my set up, I used a spare 2205 – 2300kV drone motor, a 6” x 4” Graupner prop, a 20 A Little Bee drone opto controller and an 800 mAh 3S LiPo. To get the 5-volt supply for the receiver and servos I made a 5V BEC from a 3A DC-DC converter. Servos were 9 g analogue types and provided plenty of authority. Installation was as shown in the nearby photo, but I did cut an additional cooling hole in the battery hatch and glued a simple scoop on top to channel air over the ESC and BEC. On my model the receiver is located behind the wing spar and is just pushed in. If you decide to use a larger LiPo then it may be worth adding another hatch behind the wing spar to locate the ESC etc. as it will potentially turn out nose heavy if they are positioned where mine are shown.
“Everything simply slots together, so line it all up, then use cyano wicked into the joints” March 2024 | www.modelflying.co.uk
Servos fit snugly in position. No hardware is included in the kit so use your favourite type to connect them to the elevons. RCM RC M&E | 13
Here you can see the alignment of my elevons. Tweak as necessary to suit your model and preference.
TIME TO FLY Check the elevons work correctly and, very importantly for a flying wing, that the C of G is spot on. For the test flight I had few millimetres of positive reflex (have a look at the photo showing the alignment of mine with the lower rear edge of the wing) but if you have any concerns then go old school and give it a test glide over grass. My initial set up for control throws was as follows: 15 mm aileron, 10 mm elevator and 30% expo. These deflections are either way and measured at the widest point of the elevons. You can adjust this after a couple of settling in flights to suit your flying style. It weighed in at a scant 360 g including the LiPo. For launching, Oowah can almost just be pushed into the sky and doesn’t need to be thrown like a javelin. Mine only needed a touch of down to sort it out and it felt locked in from the get-go. It’s a hoot to fly and could easily handle more power than the set up I used, as long as you remember to keep the weight as low as possible. Speaking with Iain, he suggested an 850 mAh 4S LiPo with a 5” x 3” prop; I’ll need to move the BEC, but it will fit in and balance. Oowah has provided me with a lot of fun for little money and I’m sure you won’t be disappointed if you buy one. In fact, have a look at the I.A.D. website for the other versions in case a twin tickles your fancy! ■
As mentioned, I had a little too much reflex on the test flight but there was no drama and it easily trimmed out.
“Oowah can almost just be pushed into the sky and doesn’t need to be thrown like a javelin”
Looks great! Still, I am biased towards flying wings...
Coming into land after five minutes of aerial gymnastics. RCM M&E 4 | RC
www.modelflying.co.uk | March 2024
Counterpoint
A selection of new gadgets, kits and bits for you to buy
SEAGULL T-27 TUCANO
£1172.99 I www.jperkins.com
Combining the aerobatic versatility of a sleek, agile, smooth-flying low-wing sportster and the appeal of a retract-equipped scale model, Seagull’s faithfully reproduced large-scale (35-40cc) 85” (2.16 m) wingspan version of the Brazilian turboprop trainer sports a striking 30th anniversary colour scheme and comes with a host of features including JP electric retractable trike U/C, glass fibre cowl, nav lights, EP conversion kit and full complement of retract doors. Adding excellent build quality and scale fidelity into the mix brings the ‘wow’ factor to this lovely 85” (2.16m) wingspan ARTF.
F-22 RAPTOR
£169.99 I www.cmldistribution.co.uk
Faithfully bringing the profile of Lockheed Martin’s supersonic stealth fighter to the R/C arena at an attractive price, X-Fly’s 27.6” (702 mm) span twin 40 mm EDF is sure to whet the appetite of any jet jockey. Designed to be as true-to-scale as possible, the model’s unmistakable profile is complemented by numerous scale details. A factory-installed pair of 1413-KV5000 brushless motors and 20A brushless ESCs – along with the owner’s choice of 4S 1300-2600 mAh LiPo – combine to deliver flight times of around 3 – 8 minutes and an abundance of thrust for fast climbs, rolls and
loops, with high-alpha manouevres also on the menu thanks to the F-22’s low wing loading and full-flying stabilisers. Moulded from EPO and easy to assemble in around 15 minutes with no glue required the model comes with pre-fitted servos (5 x 9g) and a lightweight, fixed U/C (including steerable nose wheel) that can be left off if desired, moulded finger grips making handlaunches a breeze. For intermediate pilots, the aforementioned 4S 1300-2600 mAh LiPo and 4-channel R/C are required to complete the Raptor.
JX WING SERVO
£10.50 I www.sussex-model-centre.co.uk
Measuring 1.18” x 0.39” x 1.4” (30 mm x 10 mm x 35.5 mm), the 0.74 oz (21 g) JX PDI-HV2107MG high torque digital wing servo from SMC offers power, precision and reliability. Featuring a direct drive potentiometer, aluminium gears and dual ball bearings the 107MG requires a 6V – 7.4V supply, which translates to impressive torque figures of 6.8kg.cm@6V and 7.9kg. cm@7.4V, with operating speeds of 0.14sec/60°@6V and 0.12sec/60°@7.4V. Fitted with a 8.66” (220 mm) JR/Futaba lead and plug.
SEAGULL EDGE 540V3 3D £999.99 I www.jperkins.com
Beautifully built and engineered, Seagull’s 92” (2.33 m) span ARTF Edge 540V3 3D has a light but rigid laser-cut balsa, ply and carbon fibre construction that mirrors the concept of the full-size, maximising the power-toweight ratio of the recommended 60-70cc engine range and offering the pilot a locked-in, unlimited flight envelope. 5mm carbon stringers and spars woven into both fuselage and wing provide the strength
March 2024 | www.modelflying.co.uk
required to accommodate all the high-g manoeuvres that go hand-in-hand with the extreme ‘take it to the limit’ flight this 540 is capable of. Building into a model that has presence by the bucket load, the kit comes with a comprehensive array of hardware from wing bags to aluminium spinner, carbon U/C and fuel dot. A thoroughbred, if ever there was. Check it out on the J Perkins’ website.
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