RCM&E Magazine April 2025 issue **20 PAGE FREE PREVIEW**
BARLING BEAST BUILDING
Welcome to the April 2025issueof RCM&E.
It’s thattime of year when even feeding the birds in my garden is fraught with risk. Thefeeders hang from atreeatthe bottom of thelawn, the end of which is on aslight slope.But, as has become usualinrecentyears,a ter weeks of wetweather,interspersed with damp,overcast conditions that do nothing to help dryout conditions underfoot, the end of saidslope has become ashort mudslide.Ihaveyet to endup‘base over apex’ but it’s been close!
It re minds me of the flying session Ih ad at around this time last ye ar when, checki ng out al ar ge puddle in the ad jacent field as ap ossible ve nuefor some impromptu floatplane flying ,Is to od on its muddym ar gin, on ly to find my we llies stuck in the mire! In th ee sca pe attempt that fo llowe done boot re fused to budge whilst the other came away with such ur gency that it propelled me forwards In atura llyp ut my ar ms out to cushion the fa ll, an ac tw hich wa stol eadtoe ight months’ worth of shoulder pain an d several physiotherapist visits
Another slip afew yearsago,when walking down amuddy hillside followingaslope soaring session, sawmelandbackwards Theensuing legpain again sawmeseeking medical help,eventuallyresulting in the replacement of my right hip
So do takecareout there, especiallywhen things aresowet andmuddy.It’sver yeasy to takea tumble at amodel lyingsite, as Iknowtomycost.I’d liketothink that I will be sensible andstayathomeuntilthe local lying fields have dried out abit,but Iknowthat as soonasthe sunshines,even brie ly, that I’ll be out once again, such ismy addictiontoaeromodelling.
As formygarden slope,that’s goingtobe levelled out this year to ward o�fpossible future peril. Ijust hope Idon’t gettoo distractedbyany fineweather lying!
Now, let ’s look at the main ar ticles this month. Yo ur st rulyk icks things of fw ith a re view of XFly-Models’ new Supermarine Spitfirek it in D-Daym ar kings,t hen it ’s ove rtoM ikeRoach who upsca les the Ke il Kraf tAvro7 07 plantos uit 50 mm ED F powe r. Ne xt,I ’m back with al ook a tan eat
little elect ric py lonrac er,t he EPS-3 from J. Pe rk ins.C hr is Wil liams is the first of th is month’s column ists an di n‘ Scale Gl iding’ he shows howtoa ttach th ecan opyofa scale gl ider to its fram e. In ‘Model Ma gic ’, Stuart Mackay pu ts to get her Hangar 9’s big kit foraP itts Special biplane.This m on th’s pull-out Pro-Pl an is by MikeFre eman, whose 1M spanE DF flying wing, ‘St8us’ is built entirelyf romfoamb oard an d brow np aper.‘One Man& Hi sShed’ f inds D aveGood enough we ar ing an ew T- shirt beforee mbark ing on an oth er sel ect ion of work shop-based adv ic eand gu idanc e. Continuing from the last issue, in ‘Draw ing AP lan- Part 2’,L ind sayTodd describes his final steps in draw ing ap lanfor as emiscale aircraf tb eforeo ur ‘Insid er ’c olumn ist Jo hn Stennard of fe rs more indo or flyin g to pics,s tarting wit hat ri-m otor hel icopter In ‘Mod elling the Barl ing Be ast ’Jon Harp er deta il sh is scra tc hb uil dofa 72” model of the six engine ‘Barl ing Bomber ’, th en it ’s ove rtoJeff Barringer foro ur fin al fe ature as he re ports from the other side of th e worl dafter buil ding arat her quick sl ope soare r, the An gelwings SOAS
Ihope youenjoyreading it all.
HappyFlying!
Editor: Kevin Crozier
MortonsMedia Group,Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle,Lincs LN9 6JR kcrozier@mortons.co.uk
PRINT
DIGITAL
On thecover
Photo: XFly-Model
In thelastissue we introduced apairofnew Supermarine Spit fireMk.IX kits.Developed by XFly-Model,incollaboration with theirUKdistributor CML Distribution,t wo versions are beingo�fered,one in desert livery andthe otherbeing forMK392,the aircra t which ace‘ Johnnie’ Johnson lew during theNormandylanding s, complete with inva sion stripes. In this month’sbuild review we will be taking acloserlookat oneofthe fir st produc tion kits
fighter
Contents
Regulars
8 SWITCH ON
Ourlatestround up of model lyingnews.
44 PILOTS’PICTORIAL
Send us apic ture of anew or favourite modeland it couldappearinour reader s’ models galler y
61 COUNTERPOINT
Aselec tion of newkit s, bits and gadget sfor youtobuy
72 ALLWRITE
Have your sayinRCM&E’s monthly chat room
92 GOINGPLACES
Ourupd ated list of modelevent sand competitions foryou to visitoverthe next fewmonths
Mike Roachr elat es howa Keil Kr a t favour it ewentf romJet ex to EDF in 66 year s!
38 MODELMAGIC
St uart Mack ay puts toge ther Hang ar 9’s50- 60 cc kitofaBritish regist er ed Pitt sSpe cial biplane
68 DR AWINGA PLAN
Continuing fr om thelas tissue, Lind sayTodddes cr ib es thefirs ts teps in dr aw ingupaplanf or as emi- sc ale aircra t
80 MODELLINGTHE BARLINGBEAST
JonHar perdet ails hisr es earchand buildofa72” span mo delofthe six engine ‘B arling Bomb er ’
Columns
32 SCALEGLIDING
ChrisW illiamsshows howt ofitthe canopy of as cale glider to it sf rame
62 ONEMAN &HIS SHED
Wear inganew T- shir tDave
ChrisWilliamst akes it ea sy as he launches a1/6th sc aleSling sbyKite glider withoutleaving hisc amping chair!
Reviews
10 SUPERMARINESPITFIREMk.IX
A ter lyingXFly’sprototype desert schemedmodel theEditorput sa produc tion kitunder thespotlight
24 JPS-3R ACER
KevinCrozier quickens hispulse by lying a40-inch elec tric pylonr acer
86 ANGELWINGSOAS
Je�f Barringerrepor ts from theother side of theworld a terbuildingar ather quickslope soarer
Go odenough embark sonanother sele ctionofworkshop-ba se dadv ic e andg uidanc e
74 INSIDER
John St ennard re turnsw ithanother diver se sele ctionofindoor lying topics,s tartingw itha tr i-motor helicopt er
Free Pro-Plan
48 ST8US
Mike Freemanintroduceshis one-metre span EDF lyingwingbuilt entirely from foamboardand brownpaper
July 2024’sModelAir eventatOld Warden mayhavebeen the last at this famous airfield. This picture,courtesy of Dave Goodenough, shows atrio of WW1 R/Cbiplanes with theo�ten-pictured farm buildingsinthe background.
MODELAIR AT OLDWARDEN
We recentlyreceivedanupdate aboutthe immediatefuture of the popularModelAir aeromodelling events,which have been held at OldWarden airfield for many years.
EmmaChase provided us with the following statement on behalf of the ModelAir team:
“Since the July 2024 model flying event,wehavebeen working very hard trying to securethe futureofmodel flying events at Old Warden, which we ranonbehalf of Shuttleworth, but to no avail.
Our last course of action wastoappeal to the Shuttleworth trustees who have replied with aletter which basicallysays that Shuttleworth will no longer host model flying events on the airfield.
Thetrustees mention the use of the parklandfor modelling events.We have thoroughlyinvestigatedall the locations proposed to us on the parkland and it is our opinion that these areas are unsuitable forthe majority of our model aircraftdisciplines forboth practical and legal reasons.Therefore, we do not feel that relocating the model aircraft disciplines intothe parkland is aviable option forus.
We will, however,continue to monitor the situation at Shuttleworth with regards to anyfuture aeromodelling events
Whilst we explorealternative options for2026 forafull event this year,we would recommend that all our disciplines, apart from R/C, attend the SAM 35 events at the National Centre. Details can be found at https://sam35.org.uk/ sam35-event-calendar/.Theseevents at Buckminster also includeswapmeets forall attendees,traders and car booters to get involved in. We areindiscussions with SAM 35 to hopefullybring some of the Old Warden atmospheretotheir events,especiallyattheir June event this year.Moredetailsto follow.
TheNational Centrealso has lots of other events throughoutthe year to suit allmodelling disciplines,soplease take alook atthe calendar: https:// nationalcentre.bmfa.org/
We would liketotakethis opportunity to thank everyone who has supported aeromodelling events at Old Warden over the manydecades and if July 2024 wasthe last model flying event at Old Warden, we are glad it wassuch agreat weekend, enjoyedbysomanyofyou.”
April 2025 seesthe return of the BMFAScale IndoorNationals to its establishedhomeatWalsall Campus Sports Hall, University of Wolverhampton,Magdalene Road,Walsall WS13TA
Thecompetitionsees indoor scale aeromodellers converge on the West Midlands from across the UK andEuropetocompetein the BMFAScale IndoorNationals
On Saturday 26th April the Scale IndoorRCNationals will takeplace,followedbythe Scale IndoorFFNationals on Sunday 27th. Competitorscan enter both days by completing theelectronic entr yformfound on the BMFA Scale Technical Committee Websiteat: https://scale.bmfa.org
Spectatorsare also welcome andcan view proceedings from the seated gallery area overlooking thesportshall. The feefor spectatorsisabargain £5.00, allowing entry forboth days (freefor accompanied under 16s). Thereisample free car
parking forvisitorson-siteatthe University.
Whynot go along andtakepart or simplybeinspired by viewing the best in UK andEuropeanScale Indooraeromodelling overthe weekend of the 26th and27th April.
If youare aregularreader of RCM&E, especiallywhenever we have mentioned events hosted by the PowerScale Soaring Association(PSSA) then chances arethat youwill have seen some of the model aviationdesign and illustrationworkbyBob Jennings. Bobhas recentlybeen busy adding to his aviationart portfolio andwrites:
“I designed the logo forthe FAI WorldScale Champs in 2026 and everythingfor the PSSA over the last couple of decades
Ihavenow developed aseries of 17 aviation prints,printed on 300 gsm silk board, some of whichare shown here. Youcan view the full set of prints on mobile or desktop at:
https://www bobjenningscreative.com/prints/”
Bobwent on to providemore informationabout hiswork:
“The PSSA work started with a proposal forT-shirts to markthe Skyhawk Mass Build event from Phil Cooke. Ihad takenpart in the frst Mass Build, forthe JetProvost, in 2014. Since then, I’vemade time
to put graphic images together to commemoratevarious events and anniversaries throughoutthe flying seasons.We’re coming up to the 40th anniversaryofthe PSSA in 2026 and a logo is underway.
Apart from my commercial design role in Medical Communications, designing and creating formyhobbyis alot of fun. If it can help agreat cause, all the better.I putsomeproposals forwardfor Leek and Moorland Model Gliding Association, my local club to refresh the logo forawebsiteupgrade Notlong afterthat,I enteredthe
competition forthe 2026 FAIScale WorldChampionships.I’m looking forwardtoseeing all the merchandise together at Buckminster
Theaviation prints were born off the poster forthe SabreMass Build. I produced Mass Build posters forthe PSSA members.I had the idea to go further,beyondthe ‘blueprint’design of an aircrafttypeand make it moreofa graphic art piece with asuitable amount of relevant historical detail. Thescope for subjects is endless and Iwill keep adding to the set as Ican. I’mopen to requests if there’sa specifc type that is needed.”
forthe occasion.
ThePSSA will be celebrating their 40th anniversary in 2026. Here’s Bob’slogo
SUPERMARINE SPITFIREMK.IX
A ter lying XFly’s prototype desert schemedmodel Kevin Crozier puts aproductionkit under the spotlight
Regularreaders will remember thatin the last issueweintroduced apair of new andexciting models of the Supermarine SpitfireMk.IX which will be hitting model shop shelvessoon.Indeed, they may already be available by the time you read this article
Developed by XFly-Model in collaboration with their UK distributor,CML Distribution, two versions arebeing o�feredwith mattefinish scaleliveries,one being forMK392, the aircra t which Commonwealth ace‘Johnnie’Johnson lew during theNormandylandings, complete with invasionstripes.Inthis article I’ll be taking acloser look at oneofthe first production kitsof this famous fighter,our review model beingof the D-Daytype
Theother colourscheme,the subject of the prototype kit that we built and lew last month, displays the desert scheme of EN152, as lown by Neville DukeinTunisia earlyin1943.
Thereviewmodel replicates 2, theaircra� twhich ohnnie’ ohnson flew during the ormandy landings,completewithinvasionstripes.
Words Kevin Crozier Photos Kevin Crozier, XFly-Model
With a1200 mm wingspanand constructed using EPO foam the XFly Spitfrekitsare supplied with a4-blade propeller,anaccurate canopyoutline,pilot fgure,exhaust stacks, cannonsand outwardretractable electric landing gear. Thelarge batteryhatchcan accommodatea4S2600 -4000 mAh 4SLiPo feeding a3541-KV745brushless motor viaa 40A ESC. Themodel uses four panel splitflaps,just likeits full-sizecounterpart.Day-bright LED wingtip lights aid visibility andadd realism RRP of both models is £299.99
UNBOXING
After extracting the largelypre-fnished model from its protective box, Ihavetosay thatI couldn’t reallydetect anydifference between the prototype andproductionversions. Thefrst model came in aplain whitebox,whilst the second oneshowedthe fnalartwork, depicting both colourchoices,D-Day andDesert,sideby side on asky-bluebackground.
As with the prototype,the latest model was supplied in oneofX-Fly’s excellentclosely moulded foam inner trays. This wraps snugly around the fuselage andone-piecewing, with additional pull-out pieces of moulded foam to provide additional protection andtokeep all the airframeparts separate duringtransit
“I have to say thatIcouldn’t reallydetect any difference between theprototype and production versions”
Copious sheets of averythinpacking foam are also used to protectthe spray-painted fnishes of each part
Having assembled numerous other XFly models Iwasn’tfazed by theabsence of any instructionswith the prototype kit,which were still beingfnalised. However, it wasgood to see aneatlypresented 36-page manual, half English, half Chinese,supplied with the productionkit.You’d be hard pressed to get this onewrong during its build!
CUPPATIME!
You’dbest put the kettle on andmakeanice cup of teabeforestarting this model. You’ll
probablystill be fnishing it up afterthe bare bones of the Spitfreare put together,it’sthat quick andeasy!
Theone-piecewing, completewith ready ftted flapsand electric main undercarriage,
Thehinge at thele� t-hand endofthe splitf laps has popped outbut waseasilyclipped back in place.
Theprototype kitthatwebuilt andf lewlastmonth displays thedesertschemeof 1 2,asf lown by eville Duke in Tunisiaearly in 1 4 .
ne-piece wing is fullyfinished, including split flaps and electric retracts.
Wing wiring distribution bo .
is simplybolted in place with four hex head countersunk screws.Inthe middle of the wing is adistributionbox which brings together the aileron,flap,retractand wingtipnav lighting wiring andfeeds it out of the wing centre sectiontothree extensionleads,separately labelled as Aileron,Flapand Gear,ready for connecting to the appropriatechannels of your receiver. Take care to feed these wiresdowninto the fuselage beforenipping up the fxing screws as it’s easy to trap awandering wirebetween the wing andwing seat
It’s also worth taking aquick look at the flap hinges.These areofa snap together design and work reallywell, offering free andfull movement But Idid notice on both models that oneor twohad popped apart during transit -see the nearbyphoto.Clicking them back in place is easy andI haven’tnoticed them come apart again afterflying, but it mightbesomethingworth incorporating intoyourpre-flight checks each time youassemble theSpitfreatthe flying feld.
FLAPS&RETRACTS
Whilst on the subjectofflaps,the innerbox comes with alabel to remind the builderto uncouple both flap linkages before powering up the servosfor the frst timeincasetheyare over-drivenand damageeither theservo gears or the linkages.A sensible precaution, but Idid this with the aeroplane upside down in afoam cradle,unclipping them from the ball-links at the flap end androtating thelinkages forward by 180 degrees so that they were well out of the way. What Ihadn’tspotted wasthat they were nowperilouslyclose to the edges of the wheel wells andwhen Itested the retracts (don’tyou just love flicking agearswitch!) one wheel refused to sit back down in its well. After acoupleofcycles,I hadacloserlook andcould see that oneofthe nowreversedflap linkages wasobstructing the recalcitrantwheel. It was only by atinyamount but wasenough to stop the wheel from retracting fully. Theelectric retractinvolveddidn’t complain so I’mguessing that they must be equipped with sensorsthat stop them if they come intocontact with any obstruction. Ibelievethatsomeretracts are ftted with over-current protectionsowill stop if the current suddenlyramps up.Ifso, it’s a neat trick!With the linkage movedout of the waythe wheel plopped neatly intoits well after completing another cycle
Theretracts reallylook the part,completewith oleos,geardoors andrealistic Spitfrestyle hubs Best of all, they retractoutwards,just likethe full size. Long ago,I hada modelSpitfreinwhich the wheels retractedinwards andwhilst it looked the part when cleaned up andinthe air,itwas always the butt of jokes concerning its ‘Hurricane legs’ whenever it wasflown. No such jibes canbe levelled at this fne-looking rendition!
LEVELLINGUP
Theseparate tail halvesftintoplastic cuffs on either side of the fuselage at the baseofthe fn. Spitfretails areoften enlarged to improve their flying characteristics; I’mnot sure if this has been done this time as the XFly versionfliesso well butifso, it’s not noticeable
Thetail halvesslide onto acarbonjoiner andare retained with XFly’s usual hex head
Before powering up the servosfor the first time it’s wise to disconnect the flap linkages. But keep the loose pushrods clear of the wheelwells
Cannons are afirm push fit and can be takenoff if needsbefor storage and transit to the flying field.
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
Hotnews from JasonVarley,MDofCML Distribution, XFly-Model’s UK distributor,who collaboratedwith XFly to produce the new Supermarine SpitfreMk.IX kitsand who alsobackedthis model with alarge contribution to its costs:
“Wehavedecided to add acouple of other options on topof the twoSpitfires we have already.
We plan to offera base whiteversionfor personal customisation. With so many potential Spitfirevariants we aresureitwill be attractive to some modellers (wesold quiteafew of the airliner style jet from XFly in this format). It should be around £40 cheaper than a painted one
We willalso offerthe current painted versions but without the retracts and landing gear. These will have 3D printedfilled in doors.They will make good fun fighters forhand launching and belly landing. This should be around £50 less,but final prices forthisand the unpainted version aretobeconfirmed.”
countersunk screws,two on each side.As Isaid in my previous report on the prototypemodel,I’m always alittle concerned about thistype of tail fxing as themouldings needtobeveryaccurate to ensure no horizontal mismatch between the wing andthe tailplane, “But in this case (the prototype), it wasall spot on, so no packing at the tail wasrequired.” Unfortunately, thiswas not the case with the D-Daymodel andthe tail wasslightly tilted when eyeballed from the rear against the trailing edges of the wing. This kind of error with ARTF kits is quitecommonbut isusuallyonly minor andcan easilyberectifed by inserting some thin strips of card(abusiness card is ideal) inside the edges of each cuff to drop the high side of the tailplane andtoraisethe lowhanging side
With that done the Spitfreiscompleteand justneeds setting up.So, fnishyourtea and grab your transmitter!
SETTINGUP
When setting up the prototype, without the beneft of anyinstructions,I relied on advice on control throws andCGlocationpassed onto me from XFly via their distributor CML. Iwas stymied by their suggestions of throws in percentages, so Iresorted to using my ownexperience to guesstimatethree levelsofrates, selected by a single Flight Mode switch on the right shoulder of my Tx.With theproductionkits,however, the recommended control throws areclearly shown. They arestill shown aspercentages (!) but,thankfully, also in millimetres -phew! It was interesting to see,when Ichecked the prototype, that my guesstimates foraileron,elevator and flap high andlow rateswereclosetothose shown in the instructions.Since Iwas morethanhappy withhow the prototype performed, Isimply copied my settings across.
XFly-Model also recommended aCG locationat65mmbackfromthe leading edges at the wing roots andthis hasbeen maintained in the instructions.Following my flights with the prototype model, including onesortie at amorerearwardsetting(soon abandoned!), Ican confrm that in my opinion XFly have got the CG fortheir Spitfre spot on! TheonlyissueI have with this is that when tested with all the 4S LiPopacks available to me from within the suggested 2600 -4000 mAhrange,all required the additionofnose
weight to reachthe suggested CG point.I eventuallysettled on using a4S3200 mAh LiPowitha 70-gramstrip of leadflashing securedontop.Itseems abit of awaste though to be lugging around bits of lead when there’splenty of room fora bigger pack
To that end Iasked CML to send over oneof their slightlyheavier Voltz 4S 4200 mAh LiPo packs andthatisideal, allowing theSpitfreto balance at the recommended balance point without carrying anyunnecessary nose weight Theonlyproblem is that this pack is only
Allthe control surfaces were well set up, re uiring only minimal ad ustments
It’s worthcheckingthat the grub screwssecuring the rudder and elevator pushrods arenipped up tight.Bothwereokaybut better safe than sorry
I’ll be trying this larger Volt 4S iPowhen test flying the newSpitfire.It’sthe perfect weight to avoid needing to add anylead in the nose
Will this damp and drearyweather ever end Prototype Desert’ Spitfire sits at the end of Chedworth’s foggy runway
“…the instructions recommend that asmall amount of down elevator be mixed in when the landing gearis retracted”
available with aDeans connector,whereasthe ESC is fitted with an XT60 plug. Ashort Deans to XT adapter leadsoonsorts that out,though! To control this model, Iused oneofFutaba’s excellent 6-channel R3006SB receivers which Imounted at the back of the batterybay using self-adhesive hook andloop tape.These kits come with adecent length of thismaterial, thebulk of whichwas used to hold the LiPo in place.Anadditional pair of hook &loop straps, with buckles,are also pre-fitted to keep the batterysecure
ELEVATOR MIX
When Iflew the desert Spitfire, Iwas careful to look forany change of trim when lowering the flaps andcycling theundercarriage.I can’tsay that Inoticed anymajoreffects but it’s interesting to notethatthe instructions recommend that asmall amount of down elevator be mixed in when thelanding gearis retracted. Ihaveset this up using amix that is initiatedbyflicking the gearswitch.
WAITINGGAME
With the X-Fly-Model SpitfireMk.IX (D-Day scheme) fullyfinished the wait fordecent flying conditions has begun. At the time of writing the winter weather is alternating between calm but dreary (ordreichas ourScottish readers would say. Averyapt description!) or howling wind andrain, neither of which is which is anygood fortaking flying picturesofreview models! So,I will have to ask youtosit tight fora while longer andI’ll bring youup to datewith howthe ‘Johnnie Johnson’ Spitfire flies as soonasI can. However, if, as likely, it sharesthe same smooth flying attributes as its sand-colouredsibling (see last issue) then I’ll be more thanhappy. It will be worth the wait!
DATAFILE
Model: Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX
Model type: ARTF warbird
Manufacturedby: XFly-Model
Distributor:CML Distribution https://www cmldistribution.co.uk
RRP: £299.99
Length: 1010 mm (39.8”)
Wingspan: 1016 mm (40”)
Flying weight: 1350 g(review model 1790 g)
Motor: 3541-KV745
ESC: 40A
Prop size: 11” x7”4-blade
Servos: 9gx6
Functions (servos):Ailerons(2), Elevator (1), Flaps (2), Rudder (1), ESC, Electric retracts
LiPo: 4S 2600 -4000 mAh (review model Voltz 4S 4200 mAh)
In the meantime,wehaveusedsomepictures supplied by XFly-Model of aD-Day variant in flight to illustratethis article.Our fingers are crossed forblueskies likethese ones! ■
Peeling away to givea clear viewofthe invasion stripes
AVRO 707
MMikeRoachrelates howaKeilKra�t favourite went from JetextoEDF -in66years!
Mike R h rel es w a Keil Kra�t favouri went Je x to EDF - in 66 years!
yfrst adventure with an EDF (Electric Ducted Fan) model came to afrustrating andembarrassing end when my brain andthumbs simplyrefused to catchupwiththe little Arrows Hawk that Ihad bought myself as abirthday present.After threeincreasinglyawful crashes I excavatedthe hardware out of the wreckage andput it all on ashelf,well out of sight
Acouple of months later Iwas talking to a friend about the Keil Kraftand Veronmodels we hadbuilt as kids.Myfavourite wasthe Avro 707. We hadalonggarden in the 1950sand it made perfectsense to treat it as aglider.But the inevitable transitiontoa Jetexversion resulted, as they all seemed to do,inafre
Abrowse online foundthe planthat I remembered so fondly. Theoriginalmodel has aspanof13.5” andthe 50 mm fanfromthe Hawk would easilyftinatwice-sizeversion Andwith much more wing area it would surely flyslowlyenough formyold headtofollowwouldn’t it Avro 0 planwas easy to findonline. Thesheet partsare included andare remarkably accurate,evenwhen enlarged.
Words& photos MikeRoach
Imadethe longeronsfromtwo layers of mms uarestrip,wettedand pre-curved over afoamformtotakeout anystresses.
Thewingrootisprettymuchtoscale andholds thehalf-fuselage in place. Thelarge hole is to allowair to thefan.The CG marking is from theplanand is ust aboutperfect
Theeff lu was made from thin card,recycledfroma breakfastcerealpacket.
Theplanevenshows the partsthat we used to cut out with abrokenrazor blade. (Actually, that’s a lie.I hada proper knifeand never cut afnger off!)
DELTA BUILD
Ibuilt the fuselageand wingrootspretty much according to the plan, adding in extra
formers andputtingthe fanand effluxwhere my EDF pals suggested. Making the efflux from corn flakepacketcardboard wassimple andlight- Irecommend it.The parts from the printed list were modified by reducing the former diameters by 2mmtoallowfor the planking, other wise my childhood hero,
Albert E. Hatfull, haddoneanexcellent job of designing this andthe otherKKScale Series models.
All thehardwarefromthe Hawk -the fan, ESC andmyreceiver- were plumbed in anda balsa batteryplateadded, but fartoo farforward as it turned out! Most of the2.5 mm soft balsa planking -three whole sheets of 3” x36” soft -was satisfyinglyglued in place,leaving enough access forthe wing servo wires to be fedintothe Rx.
Thewing needed acompletestructural redesign along traditional lines.I added a CF tube as the main sparand asmaller rod forthe incidence peg, butIcould not face all the packing andjigging needed to get the symmetrical sectionribs to line up.The simplest solutionwas to cut them in half along the chord andbuildthe lowerhalf frst,adding thelocations forthe sparand peg, gluing the lowerD box, aileron spar, capstrips andservo plates in place as Iwent.With the half wing off the board the upper ribs andthen the rest of the balsa waseasy enough to add.
Thelovelyswept fn andrudder were copied from the planusing 3mmmediumbalsa and shaped to ft accurately over the fuselage longeron.I cut out the rudder it to ‘makeit look more real’.Rather than‘glue in place after covering’, Iadded thin plyedges which slotted into the fuselagetomakeafrm joint. It’s ahandlaunch model, using agrip sectioninthe lowerfuselage, which acts as an added air intakeasabonus
TheJetex versionhas thin card elevators
Completedhalvesready forplanking.
Wing is acompleteredesignusing theplansectionsbut adding aD-bo , mm stripspars andaC tube oiner. This is the lowerhalf.
added aftercovering, with 3/16” reflex built in. The real thing hadaileronsand elevatorsalong the trailing edge of thedelta, withflaps well inboard But Isimplymadebuilt-upelevonstosavethe weight of extraservos. Amix on thetransmitter, with theservo leads plugged intoports twoand threeonthe Rx gave the required response
SEEING
RED
Iglassed thefuselage lowerhalf using awaterbased varnish, then glued the wings in place, testing the radio connections beforeitwas too late. Covering waswith ‘Bright Red’ flm from George at 4-Max. Thegeneric bubble canopy came from SteveatVortexVacforms andthe markings from Calliegraphics.The difference that adding scale markings makes to amodel is always incrediblysatisf ying, as well as taking the eyeoff the obvious slight wrinkles
