Adrian Hazeldine

Ace - you sound like a man on a mission! ?

Ace - there's more balsa there than in many model shops! ?

That's a great storage facility and a very nice collection of warbirds too!

thanks for all the feedback - at present I've got mine on a bench top and sheet is no problem piled up but with different thicknesses of strip it's tending to spread out. I can see the logic in only cutting strip when it's needed - I have a bandsaw so will give that a try sometime... Those underslung drawers are a great idea Nick - it strike me they would be good for all sorts of things! Have you put any stiffeners along the length to stop the ply base or whatever from bending?

So how do people store their balsa stash? I find it impossible to store balsa strip without it twisting/ bending etc despite it being in a dry workshop at a constant 16-17 degrees.

thanks David - I think I may wrap some fine copper wire round and put a blob of solder to make it more rigid.

Hi, I'm just making new interplane struts and wondered if the two cross bracing wires should be tacked together where they cross at the centre to make the whole assembly more rigid. The old ones with the model had a tie wrap doing this job.

Thanks Cymaz/ Martin / Nick. I'll stick with Humbrol for inside the cockpit and will give the Chroma ones a go for the struts and u/c.

Quick question regarding paints: What's everyone used for the odd bits of painting - cockpit interiors / struttery / u/c fairings etc? I've not really used paints on a model before - are humbrol enamels sufficiently fuel proof or do I need something different? Thanks!

thanks for the info everyone.

Quick question - have the majority of models built retained the castoring tailwheel as per the plan?

Jon - thanks for the pictures. U/C looks good and much easier to maintain!

Thanks to everyone who's been helping with sharing info on engine installs for the Stampe that I'm refurbing. After a close flirtation with the idea of an OS GF40 (thanks to Alan Gorham for all the info there) I've decided to go with a Laser 180 - ordered today from Jon. Jon - would you mind please posting me a link to your photos of engine baffling etc. and also to the revised u/c you've installed.

thanks Jon - yes it's the green razorback one. It flies well and I've always managed to land it ok even on just half flap but wanted to master using full flap with it. Some great advice on here!

When I've watched pilots at the shows landing the bigger warbirds I've noted that they do come in quite steeply and as Trevor says keeping the nose down around what seems to be a continuous banked turn across the base leg rather than two separate turns and then letting the nose come back up to level as they start to sink down on finals.