Welcome to the December 2023 issue of RCM&E.
Wow! Another year gone already. I hope you have enjoyed all the columns, reviews, features and event reports that we have dished up for you this year. There’s plenty more of the same lined up for next year so here’s to 2024!
But before then let’s take a brief look at what we have prepared for you in the December issue of RCM&E, starting with our regular columns. In his latest Bench Blog, Tim Hooper returns to his O&R sparkie project and fettles a few accessories using his new machine tools. Then it’s over to One Man & His Shed where the main topic up for discussion is gussets! Dave Goodenough looks at the benefits of strengthening airframes with those little triangular pieces of balsa or ply. In Make It Scale, Danny Fenton reports from the British Scale Nationals at Buckminster, incorporating the Euro Scale Master Championship, so he has a bumper crop of scale lovelies to share with us. Next up is Scale Gliding in which Chris Williams resumes his bungee launching experiments. But first he reports from June’s White Sheet scale fly-in. Last, but not least, in Aerobatic Scene, Keith Jackson files a photo report from the F3A Precision Aerobatic World Championships held in Warwick, Australia. All those sleek aerobats are a delight for the eyes!
This month’s centre fold Pro-Plan is a two plane treat, with a pair of small electric models for you to build and enjoy flying. First up is Yellow as Ton van Munsteren redesigns a classic .049 design for electric power and modern lightweight radio control gear. Then it’s over to Terry Anderson and his Dracan, an easy to build canard based on his popular Hanky Planky, which was previously featured as a pull-out plan in RCM&E.
Our feature articles start with Lyra Revisited; Adrian Britton’s sporty biplane design is still timeless thirty years after it was first published and here Dick van Mourik describes building an updated version. In Seven Day Challenge, John Hutson gave himself just a week to design, build and fly his latest own design aircraft, resulting in the eye-catching Gemini with its wraparound Warren wing. Finally, despite a busy calendar causing a low trade turnout, our reporter Mike Freeman and other visitors enjoyed some fine flying displays at the popular Popham Model Show.
On test this month we have the L-39 Albatros from Arrows Models, who are back with another mini jet and this time there’s an on-board stabiliser! David Ashby puts some LiPos on charge.
I hope you enjoy reading it all.
Happy Flying!
Kevin Crozier
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