More Features
-
Jumbo Jumbo
Who says size doesn’t matter! Bruce Corfe checks out a mega-model in sunny Western Australia Whoever said ‘size doesn’t matter’ had obviously never heard of Perth modeller, Andrew Herzfeld. Andrew has created, from scratch, not one but two enormous turbine-powered scale model airliners; the one featured here is his awe-inspiring four-engine 747-400 ‘Queen of the…
-
SAVOIA-MARCHETTI SM.79
Alex Whittaker admires Ken Sheppard’s ex-ARTF cartoon scale Italian trimotor The Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero (Sparrowhawk) first flew in September 1934. It was a low-wing, triple-engine cantilever monoplane of wood and metal construction. Operated as a medium bomber it was easily recognisable by its distinct fuselage hump. Indeed, its crews, who generally seemed to like the…
-
Scale Gliding
Your new columnist’s latest 1:3.26 scale version of the full-size Gull replica. Chris Williams kicks off his new scale soaring column with a rare Fly-In report. As we all know, there was precious little to be pleased about in 2020. But one thing happened that stimulated even my normal dystopian cynicism. The White Sheet Club…
-
Simple Sailman
Roy Thompson rescues a once popular Brit kit from a clubmate’s loft and launches it to lofty heights. Back in the late 70s my then model clubmates and I were into thermal soaring, flying R/C gliders (pre-electric) at Cranford Park in West London. My club was the Hayes & District MAC. Throughout the summer Wednesday…
-
Hot Tacks
This neat adaptation of a small soldering iron will allow you to tack covering films down in all those tricky tight spaces. Mike Bell describes his DIY film tacking tool for difficult to access areas. When it comes to film covering an airframe, I’m sure that, like me, you have come across loads of annoying…
-
Cutting A Dash
Instrument panel for a Schempp-Hirth SHK-1 glider. Brian Hoddy reveals some of his secrets to making a realistic scale instrument panel and cockpit components. I think we can all agree that our hobby has undergone quite a revolution in the last few years. Compared to earlier models they are getting more and more refined in…
-
Miniature Gems
Richard Crossley’s four-engine Consolidated PB2Y Coronado. Some of the sweetest model aeroplanes I have ever seen in my life have been indoor free-flight scale models. There is something intensely appealing about their cute size, their accurate but tiny proportions and, most of all, their cleverly judged level of detail. I think the latter is what…
-
Blackpool Beckons
Danny Fenton heads for the bright lights and seaside to compete in his first F4C competition. It is interesting that the models shown in the very first column I wrote in 2012 are all currently seeing activity in one way or another, including my Apache PA-23-150 and my Black Horse Chipmunk. Even my Brian Taylor…
-
Foam Engineering
Foam models have given rise to all sorts of questions, not least how best to stick them together and protect them. Pete Lowe finds a few solutions using the Deluxe Materials range. You will need: 1. A paint brush (for water soluble Foam Armour). 2. Masking tape to hold the components together while the slower…
-
Article 16 – Why the Rules Changed
Why did the rules for model flying have to change? This thorny subject is discussed by Cliff Whittaker, who was an advisor to the BMFA during their negotiations with the CAA. A lot of information has been published to explain how to go model flying under the new rules, but not much has been said…
