Hornet moth plans

Hi, has anyone built a flying aircraft from the free Hornet Moth plans from Oct 2000?

I recently bought a set and was staggered at how appallingly inaccurate they were. The front view of the formers is quite at odds with the plan and side views. Astonishing.

Maybe it's because I was a draughtsman and technical illustrator that I noticed immediately and didn't waste any expensive materials. I also made the plans a lot more accurate from a scale point of view, particularly around the cabin area.

That, of course, was my decision as the plans are described as semi-scale, but there is no defence for the terrible quality of draughtsmanship exhibited generally.

 

It would be interesting to see if anyone else had the same trouble with a plans pack which with postage cost £12 .

 

Foxfan

It's sloppy in the extreme. You can't get a plan losing or gaining exact amounts between draught and stored copy. I think it's there in the first place and the designer just can't admit it. I had very odd amounts of discrepancy on mine such as 7mm.

To run engine beds through the three formers I'd have needed a briar twig! That's how far out the holes were in the front view of the formers. I've just completely redesigned the front end for a radial mount, saving a lot of weight, allowing for more sensible structural members that weigh less and do more.

 

I've learnt my lesson anyway.

a) find a real a/c and measure it

b) draw it yourself

c) never pay for a plan!

 

Foxfan

I don't know how other designers work but my system is to draw the plans completely and have a print made. I then build from that print.

 

If I find an error it is immediately corrected on the original tracing and is then sent in.

 

Some of the variations between my orginal and what comes out are quita amazing. Three ribs out of a set that are 3/8" too short for some unknown reason. I know they were right because my set was perfect.

 

As far as scale accuracy is concerened, well it depends on the documentation used to draw the plans and some 3 views are amazingly inaccurate.

 

Still, it will be a treat to see Foxfam's plans in due course.

Peter,

If I hadn't heard that from a designer himself I would have found it difficult to believe!

 

How on Earth can that happen? I use photo-copying all the time to get sized drawings, either mine or other, published plans for a variety of subjects from racing cars to railway locos (I make patterns).

I've never had a problem. Even good old die-lines I've never found to distort much. Especially within one sheet!

Do the mags' staff re-draw your originals?

 

Scale accuracy, as I said, you have to make a judgement on. I needed construction details mainly not having built one before since a Super 60 I never flew!

In the case of the Hornet Moth I'll stick with what I have, but a later, better model will be made from plans drawn from a real one at my old full-size flying club. Complete with folding wings!

 

Thanks for the response.

Foxfan

 

PS, I never thought of publishing my own plans!

And I've done a few over the years...model cars, boats, tractors, static aircraft, but lost the lot when I moved from house to a canal boat and back again.

The current system at RCM&E is for the plan to be scanned and emailed to Corfu where it is redrawn to fit the pages. The result is then emailed back to the UK and then sent down the line to the printer.

 

It is not only RCM&E plans. I have seen some real shambles in other mags as well.

 

In future it is planned that I will get a copy of the plan or get a PDF file printed out and then lay my own tracing over it to check.

 

THis should have happened with the Fournier but it arrived late and then the local print shop could not open my CD. By the time I had found out it would have been too late.

A strange rigmarole all round. Obviously the error comes from Corfu.

 

I think I'll stick with pen and paper, sounds simplest.

 

Cheers,

Foxfan

I love my AO size drawing board. I have to see the drawing full size to be sure that I like the shapes.

 

I do use Compufoil to design the wings these days. It makes tapered and elliptical wings so easy.

I'm with you there, Peter, though I no longer have the space for a full drawing board.

I looked at Profili, but it said the file could harm my computer and at 28Mb for the basic version, I'd be here all day downloading it, so I'll stick to my photo-copier for tapered wings, just sizing each one in "per cent" as the chord diminishes.

I'm not good with CAD stuff. I'd rather be in the workshop than sat in front of a screen getting stingy eyes!

 

Foxfan

You would love Compufoil. I run it on Windows EX and Vista. Not expensive and you only need to buy some of the modules. IT would be worth buying the lot really

 

I print out the wings, tape them down and add things like bellcranks etc. Then trace the wings for final printing out and building

Thanks, Peter, I'll look it up.

Not sure if buying software is really worth it for the odd model, especially as it's a LONG time since I flew.

 

The one thing that'll swing me towards the pootah is my lack of space (for which read. organisation, probably!)

 

Cheers,

Foxfan