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Oh what a suprise . The CAA has announced a price hike to £10pa as from 1st of April as announced in the BMFA lataest mail shot. It should be a an April fools joke as it just beaurocracy for the sake of it . This come just as the Chancellor announced that he intends to cut wasteful practices in the government . He could start by cutting the job of the petty minded , probably highly overpaid twonk who thought up the idea of taxing our hobby in the first place . Response from the BMFA "One consolation is that the fee still has some way to go to reach the £16.50 proposed originally by the CAA back in 2019 which was strongly opposed by the BMFA and its members." Sorry but thats not good enough as we gett absolutely nothing for our annual outlay to the CAA.

Oh boy, another thread to pull out the grumpy old gits ! Fact. Life is going to get more expensive. Fact. Complaining won't do anything to reverse the situation. Fact. In this country we have it a lot easier than most countries in the world (including America). Fact. It could be worse. You could be living in the Ukraine. Let's temper this with a little reality, shall we ? I doubt very much if anybody on this forum is concerned about where their next meal is going to come from, or even their next bottle of chateaux "whatever". In fact, most of the members of this forum can probably remember a time when life was indeed a lot worse. I know I can and I wasn't born until the 1950's. Does that make me one of "those young upstarts" ?

Maiden flight today, very successful 4.5 min. flight 50% left in the batteries 2nd flight 5.5min 30% left . Left aileron trim and up elevator trim needed. More batteries on order. Landings were very easy.

A bit more done. I spent a while shaping/annealing/shaping/annealing a section of lithoplate for the join between the windscreen and fuselage. Fortunately just before fitting I checked my reference pics, and they all seem to have a half-round alloy strip attaching the screen..... Much easier than I expected, 2mm half round styrene to the rescue. Cheers Danny

You want to apply for a Government PR job Kevin. Just who they are looking for.

Cracking spring day today and on a day off work too. ? Had a marvellous time at the field, four maiden flights and a remaiden of a repaired PT-19 model which last flew in 2010, after a crash which damaged the nose, wing mounting plate and destroyed the motor mount. Everything came home in one piece, I went through a whole pile of batteries, excellent blethering with the guys and had great fun. After a bottle building flight with my venerable E-Flite P-51D, I had enjoyable successful maidens with a couple of recent E-Flite acquisitions - the 1.2m P-47D Razorback and the 1.2m Spitfire XIV. That was followed up by maidens for a couple of wee SEMFF foamies -Bf109e and Zero. My pal Derek captured some of his usual shots and more will be forthcoming, but he kindly provided a few tasters, hot from the camera and right after the flying, which I really appreciate. The only thing I'd change is to rebind the Spitfire without the SAFE stabiliser enabled, it certainly stabilises the model, but I felt I was fighting it at times, as it limited the maximum bank angle and tightness of the turn. The P-47 was the pick of the day for me - superb performance and even better than her little sister the Parkzone P-47.

On the contrary ED, I cannot but hold my head in my hands in despair at your post. This is the usual whinge when a purely nominal sum is proposed at a Club meeting to up subs. In this case, the service we get from the CAA allows us to continue flying pretty much as we were able to before the drone situation arose. If an increase of £1 in your overall costs of building and flying model aircraft in a year is going to make you pack it in then I would say that you would be unique! The sudden increase in the cost of fuel is going to lead to very much more than £1 in the year so what are you proposing to do about that? Brexit, Covid and now the tragic invasion of Ukraine have, and will continue to, push up prices a lot more than £1 a year. My goodness, if you think the BMFA should strongly oppose this increase you just are not living in the real world.

I ain't got much, £1 increase on a "hobby" is pretty much meaningless to me, pales into insignificance compared to the cost of everyday must have items. The term "ger a grip" comes to mind.

Here's my Kestrel. Modified top decking to single cockpit type, evoking a '30's style racer. An oversize pilot helps it look 'compact'. Alas, it is no more. Aiming for a fast low pass for a cameraman in the 'outfield' and silhouetted in the late afternoon sun, I misjudged the distance I was out and dropped down on the wrong side of our boundary hedge. At full chat, the fus bored through while the wings hung up in the hawthorn! Much hilarity ensued...

Sorry, i did not attach the picture and now i can`t edit my post! Hopefully the pic will appear this time............ Old Skyways part kit in good condition.

Very nice Leccyflyer. I too don't get on with "safe" type systems on gyros. I really do not need systems on my aircraft making them more difficult to fly than they already are.

Beautiful day today. Had 5 flights with my Element. A lot more practice needed though!

A dry fit followed by gluing in place tonight took up quite a bit of time. Again the tube section hasn’t been cut big enough so I will have to adapt it tomorrow. I have dremeled out the center holes and will leave the wing ribs as with the tail. It really is a solid section when all stuck together. I’m just gutted I won’t be getting much further for a while as I’m waiting for the retracts from the states. I can’t progress much further until I have the nose retract.

That’s really impressive Dom. What a brilliant camera, and lovely day. Gives the impression the camera isn’t mounted to the model, just moving around it whilst in flight. Thanks for sharing

From my POV Kev, some didn't move over to the new platform at first but came on later, one or two long time posters have gone for various reasons, threads seem pretty active, maybe not so many builds, but Covid saw plenty so maybe that's caused a lull. Forum (To me) seems pretty easy going, not a great deal of friction of late.

Either of those, I'd say.

Just wondering if anyone puts the reg no. on models and has anyone ever been asked for it.

Well done John. World top score was 235 so a good start. I rank 3855 in the world so 4th for one week only is a good result. Keep plugging away Simon it's a longer season this year, unless events in eastern Europe change things. John

I'd be a bit dubious using 2 servos in tandem like that because I can see them fighting each other, at least to some extent. I'd be inclined to select a more powerful single servo for the elevator - you can fly without a rudder and even with a single aileron but without an elevator the model is toast ? I'd want one with metal gears, too. My first biggish model (it still is the biggest) is my Maher's Thunderbird with a Zenoah 26cc petrol engine and IIRC I went a bit overboard with servos on that but I can't remember which I chose. It did give me peace of mind, though. I haven't flown it for years but it got a lot of air time when I first had it.

The one thing that should be done before starting such a rare kit is to draw around the parts so replacements could be made if ever needed. Probably most of this one is on the plan but the wing section would not be shown. So draw around the root and tip before joining the wing! I think there were two different wing sections for tip and root on this design, and also there was a newer wing section on later models if the adverts/catalogue at the time were correct.

Just enough room for a growbag in the back seats?

Great persistence and technical work arounds for a significant amount of glazing. It’s spring so be careful someone doesn’t slip a seed tray in there Danny! The full size must have been a proper hit house on a summer’s day.

The manual says 65mm which appears on the drawing just behind the wing spar. I usually balance on the spar therefore I didn't think it would be a problem. On that basis 50-55mm looks to be more appropriate.

Well done Eric . You really knock them out dont you ? Interesting comparison with similar sized wooden Mossies in terms of weight ! Although , to be fair , the adding of undercarriage and supporting structure would add a bit . Even so . at 6lb to start with an extra pound wouldnt change its forgiving nature .

Indeed - whilst I agree with @Engine Doctor that modellers have not got much for our money from DMARES, looking at recent inflation and that predicted for 2022... ...it looks like this is pretty much an inflation aligned adjustment. Anyway, railing against registration at this point is pointless - it is now ubiquitous worldwide, and is seen by the authorities (whether we agree it or not) as foundational to integrating SUAS into modern airspace. IMO we now have to accept registration as a least worst but necessary evil, and move on to fighting the advent of much more onerous regulations likely to rear their heads in the medium term such as remote ID.

11% increase for no extra service seems very reasonable by modern standards.

Better still, throw it off a suitable slope for the maiden.

Well done!

Great news Eric, well played. Not got the Ki-45 airborne yet. Little problems keep popping up. First an ESC turned out to be faulty, then an aileron servo failed and finally I noticed a 1000rpm difference between left and right motors. Once I have new ESCs, I'll hopefully give it a go. Not too hopeful on matching your flight times with my titchy 2200 3S packs though! Graham

Hi Adrian. On the plus side, it looks good and still seems to be in one piece. ? It is not a particularly big glider, but the fuselage is fairly large to grip with one hand and the UC wheel seems to be in just the place I would like to hold it when launching, so that makes it difficult for you. If you can get some one to launch it for you for the maiden that might be a good idea. Once you have the confidence of knowing how it flies you can try self-launching again later. A straight launch is often more important than a hard launch, so I have sometimes suggested practicing by throwing a broom handle or a piece of 2x2 timber till you can throw it straight and hard. With some of my more powerful gliders (too much to hold at full power) I try to level it up with 2 hands then drop one hand to the Tx to hit full power as I throw with the other. If you are reasonably quick that will result in a level launch at full power which should help. Practice throwing the “broom handle” while manipulating the throttle like that to perfect the action before trying with the model ?. It looks great so don’t give up. Dick

An OS number 6 may suit.

I think I need to edit my choices.......?

Nice one! You cub will ALWAYS need rudder and aileron to turn. Either mix them, or manually co-ordinate them - a better option imo.

So, over a month later, I finally got the chance to maiden the cub. Off to the flying field. Spent a good 20 minutes trying to get the engine running reliably. I noticed that it behaved much better with the battery still attached so wondered about the glow plug itself - not that much use but last run properly 27 years ago. I swapped glow plugs to one in my Irvine 46 and got a much better result. A bit of tweaking and we were ready to go. I got our club's top flyer to maiden her for me. he took her off, trimmed her out and handed her over, she flies well, nice and responsive but needs some rudder in the turn. Landed her ok, but those big wheels no match for thick and damp grass. Second flight I attempted to take off form grass. Nosed over twice - not enough elevator. Third time held full elevator and she got going but VERY hard to control direction, took off didn't release elevator, so stalled and nosed into ground, luckily very little damage (one aileron came out, dowels snapped otherwise ok). So next steps: 1. Replace dowel and glue aileron back in 2. Add more rudder deflection (it is less than spec and Club expert recommended it) 3. Mix some rudder in with aileron for turns 4. Buy new glow plug. On which point, any recommendations for which glow plug to buy? I have seen reference to hot and cold but have no idea. No idea on my Irvine one either, except it ran better> Any thoughts appreciated. Lastly next flight I will try hand throwing it and only move to grass when it is warmer/dryer. Image on the stand, prop looks odd because it was idling. Got some positive words from other flyers - not for my covering work mind you!

Onboard my turbine sport jet with the Insta360 ONE X2 action camera at BMFA Buckminster with the first Jet Modellers Association (JMA) event of the year

Last nights was part 3, part 1 was the Lancaster, Part 2 was the Spitfire, should be available on catchup

Cheers John and well done the top three, I had three cars DNF so not too unhappy with my score. Nice to see different cars/drivers doing well, hope it's season long and no dominance by a few.

OK then... the Channel 4 highlights coverage must be winding down by now, so on with the results! Pos League Rank Team Manager Pts 1 1 0 The JP Specials johnpflyrc 166 2 2 0 Torque of the devil Stu 153 3 3 0 Oyster f1 Glenn Philbrick 147 4 4 0 GASTON Formula Chris McG 143 5 5 0 teewrex John Tee 140 6 6 0 Essex Racing Tony Clark 127 7 7 0 Hans Brake Zoonie 122 8 8 0 Igoronic racing iqon 118 9 9 0 PSS Power Flyer 117 10 10 0 Revers Racing Pete B 114 11 11 0 Pitts Specials john stones 101 12 12 0 DMFC Racing Team Simon Webb 86 13 13 0 LetsGoTotoLetsGo GrumpyGnome 85 14 14 0 Team Charles Picd Charles Pic 81 15 15 0 Norfolk Flyers Kevin Fairgrieve 78 So, heading the table tonight, it's... me! Of course that means there's only one way to go (down!) for the rest of the season. My score was 166. Second place is taken by Stu on 153 points. Third today was Glenn with 147 points. Not far behind were Chris on 143 and John T on 140. Well done to all mentioned. What do we all reckon after today's race? I think we have signs that close racing and overtaking can be possible again - certainly the battle between Leclerc and Verstappen points that way. Ferrari do indeed appear to be on form, and Mercedes have a bit of a gap to close. Red Bull seem to have shot themselves in the foot today - especially if there was a common cause for the two failures. And Mclaren seem to have gone into reverse gear over the winter. But a great showing from Haas, particularly with Magnussen. Next up is Saudi Arabia in a week's time.

Best form of moderation is the members doing it, delete/mod every off topic comment in a thread and mods have a full time job, then they'd be accussed of being overzealous, and ALL of us are guilty of it at times, can we lighten up please ?

Feels like a non event when I make a frame to carry a part but it’s essential of course. Can’t wait to start closing this up this week ??

A bit more done and a photo or 2. Fin and rudder fitted but no controls yet for it. Lights are on in the picture. And from behind.. And finally the tail wheel steering mechanism which still needs a little fettling.

I know him!! he sends his emails direct to my junk folder

A day on the slope today before the cold drove us back to our warm workshops. It was about 7 degrees but with a brisk 19mph blow it felt much colder, hard on the fingers, even with gloves with the thumbs and first finger cut off. The sun only made a few very brief appearances and, for the most part it was a grey sky, with scudding clouds. Great fun though - best flights I've had out of my Cambrian Spitfire which loved that windspeed - two of them beating up the sky at the same time. The PMP Hawk was a bit more of a tightrope walk, but my venerable Ridge Racer also faired well. My clubmates with their sleek, four servo wing composite ships had great success, but a couple of the guys had damaged models on landing in the morning and left early as a result. First slope outing of the year though, so that was great.

Disclosure : This advice has not been reviewed by certified Medical Practitioners ... Subject: Medical advice I realize that some of you might not answer Yes to any of the five questions, but you might care to read on so you can share the advice with other less perfect people you might encounter during life’s journey ... I don’t understand why prescription medicine is allowed to advertise on TV or why anyone would think of trying one of the medicines after listening to the laundry list of warnings of possible side effects. But this is definitely an exception! Do you have feelings of inadequacy? Do you suffer from shyness? Do you wish you were a better conversationalist? Do you sometimes wish you were more assertive? Do you sometimes feel stressed? If you answered yes to any of these questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist about Cabernet Sauvignon ... Cabernet Sauvignon is the safe, natural way to feel better and more confident. It can help ease you out of your shyness and let you tell the world that you're ready and willing to do just about anything. • You will notice the benefits of Cabernet Sauvignon almost immediately and, with a regimen of regular doses, you'll overcome obstacles that prevent you from living the life you want. • Shyness and awkwardness will be a thing of the past. You will discover talents you never knew you had. • Cabernet Sauvignon may not be right for everyone. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use it, but women who wouldn't mind nursing or becoming pregnant are encouraged to try it. Side Effects May Include : ▪︎ Dizziness, nausea, vomiting, incarceration, loss of motor control, loss of clothing, loss of money, delusions of grandeur, table dancing, headache, dehydration, dry mouth, and a desire to sing Karaoke and play all-night Strip Poker, Truth Or Dare, and Naked Twister. Warnings: ▪︎ The consumption of Cabernet Sauvignon may make you think you are whispering when you are not. ▪︎ The consumption of Cabernet Sauvignon may cause you to tell your friends over and over again that you love them. ▪︎ The consumption of Cabernet Sauvignon may cause you to think you can sing. ▪︎The consumption of Cabernet Sauvignon may create the illusion that you are tougher, smarter, faster and better looking than most people. Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Scotch, Vodka or Bourbon and of course Beer may be substituted for Cabernet Sauvignon, with similar results.

The rear top section is awkward because you have no idea how much of the vac-formed section you need to trim. Eventually nearly all the straight sides are removed. I was quite worried about gluing the top section on, as this would restrict access to the inside of the cockpit should anything come loose or even fall off! I needed a beam across the cockpit to hold the forward screen flat, and stop it from bowing upwards. This was also used as a means of attaching the rear canopy. The beam was made from 3mm square carbon tube. Glued to the underside of the forward section and duly threaded and 7 Mick Reeves "Cor Blimey" screws used to hold everything in place. Two slightly larger screws at the rear keeps that from coming off. (I hope!!!) Now to the alloy cover around the forward perimeter, between the screen and the fuselage. Remember all this on the "Devil is in the Detail" You Tube Channel ? Cheers Danny

Sorry I didn't make it clear! The battery is fitted to the side of the engine bay, actually there is no wooden framework further forward than the bulkhead so the battery has its own securing 'plate' and zip tie which hold it long edge against the bulkhead (vertically). It's difficult to say how many flights but at a guess I would say 5 flights of 7 - 8 mins each. The reason why I can't be more accurate is that I usually take 2 or 3 'planes when I go flying so the TC doesn't get flown each time I take to the runway, however when I do take it it is the 'main model' so gets flown more than the others and I've never re-charged the Li-Fe at the field. I should also add that the flights with the TC tend to be somewhat 'spirited' so there is plenty of stick use on all 4 channels (no flaps). Hope that helps. I knew I had a photo somewhere! This was the reaction from 'Fearless Fred' having been asked to test fly it with the battery like that. Had to be forced to board the 'plane

Posted by Percy Verance on 17/10/2013 18:46:56: I'll never forget watching a chap flying a Hawk 70 during an interval at the 1978 World Championships. He flew the model around himself, really close in, control line style. I don't recall him being above about 25ft at any time. Very memorable. That was me Percy! It was the original Hawk 70 with flat bottom airfoil & progressive washout, fitted with a twin plug Merco 60 & MacGregor Digimav IV. I made use of the characteristics of light wingloading, being very stable upright & unstable inverted. It did fantastic negative flicks and could turn in an incredible small radius & enabled me to do proper 3D decades before the term was invented. I was inspired by Neil Williams' (full size) displays & his book 'Aerobatics' which describes in detail the variations on the Lomcevak which I spent hours practicing at progressively lower levels before that day at Woodvale. Today I'm still flying its sister, the Chipperhawk, with a Laser 70, a bit higher now but still sometimes keep everything within the confines of our strip. fly boy3, I still get nice comments about that display after 35 years, trust me its FULLY aerobatic in standard form. Good luck with it. John