Doctor Chinnery

I have a big old vintage plane which I have converted to Lipo power - two problems 1) the only way to swap batteries is to take off the wing, however the major mod’s required to make a battery hatch are too much of a fag so I’ll live with that. 2) once the battery is installed, even before the wing is banded on the motor is “live”. As I have before, I intend to put a break in one of the wires between the Lipo and the ESC - the circuit being completed either with a shorted XT60, or 2 x 4mm female plugs sticking out of the side of the fuselage - the circuit being completed by 2 male 4mms wired together. Now - my concern/worry. Previously I have ended up with both power wires to the ESC near enough the same length ( to a mm or 2 anyway ). Due to problems with the installation there will be a significant difference in the lengths of the +ve and -ve wires between the Lipo and the ESC. WILL THIS CAUSE ANY PROBLEMS ? ? ? Many thanks in advance.

Having reached the age when driving licences need renewing every 3 years, my 1st 3 year licence became due to run out in some 8-12 weeks time and I received an unexpectedly bulky application form/questionnaire - 16 pages of it! The completion of said form was seriously delayed as a lot of it related to hiccups in my health going back years, the details of which I had to request from my Doctor’s practice, also from Consultants who had treated me over the years at different medical establishments I finally got all my ducks in a row, and sent in the 16 page magnum opus plus a variety of supporting documentation some 8-9 weeks before my licence ran out. There followed a deafening silence, and just before my licence ran out (2nd week in June) I was summoned for a succession of eye tests a month later - by which time I would have been grounded for 5 weeks ( the 16 page form was very definite about this ). At the final examination and consultation with a senior Ophthalmologist I was informed that there was nothing the matter with my eyes/sight and he couldn’t explain why I had been put through all these hoops, and he had no problem with my driving as soon as I wished - and he’d write in these terms to DVLA and my Optician. Has anybody tried to contact DVLA lately? It’s a Kafka-esc experience, their phones are never answered, their chat line similar - finally after a day and a half I got through on a line unrelated to my situation manned by real human, better, he was a bloke who wanted to help - consequently I now have a letter on DVLA headed paper confirming that I can legally drive until the new licence arrives. That may be some time as apparently DVLA is working at a glacial speed owing to Industrial Inaction and (wouldn’t you believe it) C19. Still, after a 5 week lay off my Bogies, my J60 and the big old Scorpion have all had an airing - and I’ve had a couple of evenings of fishing too. Aaah that’s better. You don’t really appreciate what you’ve got until you lose it for a month or so.

I agree with the others. For the money you’ll have a better plane if you build it yourself - and certainly a little reinforcement where you bolt on the u/c is beneficial. Don’t be tempted to over-power your Wottie either - a 46 hits the sweet spot - anything bigger (& therefore heavier) will detract from its handling. In fact my first, built the year after the build-it-yourself Wot4 first came on the market started life with a very tired Fuji40 on the front, subsequently replaced by a well used OS40, it was a sweetie! Loved it and flew it for years. Since then I’ve had two artfs and built another - so I know of what I speak! And now there’s a box full of balsa and veneered foam upstairs with a label reading Wot4 waiting for a quiet spell.

Yesterday morning (Friday so no i/c) overcast and a bit chilly, but barely a breath of wind, 4 of us at the field. Excellent time had by all, just needed to allow for the grey sky and not fly too far out. Always keep in mind what I was told years ago when I went up to fish the Spey for the first time: There is no such thing as bad weather, you’re just wearing the wrong clothes. And you might say in this context, you also brought the wrong model(s).

Or you can have a strong wipe clean airframe. e.g. A Bogie ( at least half a dozen in our club ) - made of Correx. So ugly only their Mummy and their Owners can love them - but do they fly well, AND keep their surface finish.

An ounce of prevention is better (& cheaper) than a pound of cure - i.e. if you seal the surface the dirt can’t get ingrained - Mpx do a clear spray ( or used to ) - I have also used a floor sealant - “Seei”? Which was very good although it was a shame you had to buy enough to do the floor of the Village Hall to do one foamy.

Nothing on the site calendar for this year BUT in this month’s RCM&E Cocklebarrow Farm is showing as September 5th this year - clashing with Weston Park. However, as I’d rather spend a day flying my oldies in the company of folk having a common interest in 35 ( or more ) years old designs I’ll give Weston Park a miss on the 5th - then it’s just a case of choosing between Weston Park & Much Marcle on the 4th ? - which comes down to which will have the better Bring and Buy?

I agree Keith - my last (greatly missed) artf Wot4 was Irvine46-powered, it was an excellent partnership, having said that, my first Wottie (30? - years ago) flew extremely well on a “cooking” Fuji40, and its successor went equally well with a well used Enya40 on the front.

I’ve come to this thread a bit late in the day but here goes. I have a Chris Foss B.I.Y. Wot4 kit and also a B.IY. AcroWot kit who have come to the front of the queue, with the choice of an Irvine46 and an old OS60 to power them. Having read Nigel’s contribution, in conjunction with Chris Foss’s building notes I think the AcroWot gets the Irvine which I’m hoping will give me an aerobat suitable for a “Wrinklie Flyer” (an exclusive minority within the CMFC ?). That means the Wottie (my 4th) gets the OS, which means I can still be a geriatric hooligan when the mood takes me. Any strong views/warnings?

You’ve got it right Birdy!

“Interesting” phenomenon - new Overlander 4S 2300 Rx battery, first charged using a common or garden wall wart for 16 hrs. Battery then installed in my newly finished Wasp (Pegasus Models - looks a bit like a baby M.R.Gangster) then an evening of fannying about setting everything up, with the Rx switched on in total for an hour or so. Next morning thought I would top the Rx battery before flying, and as I was unhappy with the way I’d located it took it out and connected it to my Fusion TX/RX NX83. Returning with mug of tea and plastic sponge to pad the battery’s resting place I smelt hot plastic! The battery and wires were too hot to touch so immediately ( and carefully! ) I disconnected the battery and charger. When cold I connected up battery checkers - as dead as a nail. I have absolute faith in Overlander and their products, so I can only assume that the NX83 had gone rogue and was charging at significantly greater than the advertised 750mA. Anyway, the Overlander 4S 2300 is designed to fast charge at 2.3Amps. As the NX83 has a Delta Peak Cut-off for the RX output I can only assume it was this that failed to work. (Could it even be trying to charge at a higher rate?) Anyone else had a similar experience with this bit of kit? Is there anything else on the market for a quick Rx battery top? Finally - if the Rx battery had been in situ, i.e. tucked away with the wings on, in all probability I’d have had a small bonfire in my conservatory.

Coming back in after a "Call out" in the middle of the night, big mug of builders tea and two buttery slices of Bovril toast. Reached the places nothing else could. Worked for me for 50 years.

Posted by Brian Cooper on 29/01/2021 20:27:14: Hopefully "common sense" will prevail here. . . It won't be necessary to phone the CAA every time a rubber band gets broken. Exactly - if you have any doubts re-read 2.9.8.2, add a generous dollop of common sense, sit down with a cuppa and decide whether CAA or anybody else would be really concerned whether you reported said occurrence or not. P.S. - and another ThankYou for Andy & Co..

In days of yore my LiPos used to live in my Office, neatly stacked in plastic boxes. Charging has always taken place outdoors on an old metal trolley - then I had a 3S 2200 self combust whilst charging (No, no idea why, which was particularly worrying.) To make matters worse, SWMBO saw the whole thing - result - all my LiPos were almost immediately cast into outer darkness. Fortuitously there were a couple of strong foam frozen food boxes courtesy of Donald Russell in the Barn waiting to be taken to the tip - brilliant - tough as old boots, snug fitting lids so damp proof. My LiPo boxes now live in a quiet corner outside away from the house - result - Marital Harmony. After the LiPo fire we wondered how our household insurance would have viewed their liability to make good any consequential damage to our property caused by a LiPo stored on the premises ( it goes without saying that if I'd been charging it indoors I reckon I'd be on my own). Probably partial liability if stored in the house? Any ideas Chaps?   Edited By Doctor Chinnery on 27/01/2021 09:38:24

As a long term member of the site approaching his 8th decade, with computer literacy at the John & Jane Readers stage, I'm looking forward to your planned upgrade/improvements with some trepidation. Can we Wrinklies be assured that the new site will still still be accessible and functional for us with old laptops and (particularly in my case) old iPads and similar tablets. Just a thought.

Thanks for drawing our attention to that Skip - didn't take me too long to download and saving it to iBooks doesn't take up much space either. Just dipped in for a couple of minutes - excellent. Strongly recommended.

ThankYou Martin - I'm sure nothing so offensive has ever found its way onto Model Flying before - generally I'm not in favour of censorship of opinions, but that was the exception that proved the rule.

Some 40 years ago, a Summer evening, not quite dark, I'm flying my Gentle Lady off the bungee with my younger son, who was then probably about 10 years old. Not a breath of wind but little sniffs of lift here and there, just enough to keep her 20 or 30 feet off the ground and everything so quiet we can even hear the servos. As the Gentle Lady drifts by at shoulder height Francis says: "I know a bit about aerodynamics and aerofoils now, but it still looks like Magic." Out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings cometh forth Wisdom. I often think back to that evening when things are quiet and I'm on my own, flying my Junior 60 or my Scorpion as I like best - Low and Slow and Close-In --- nothing quite like it. It still looks like Magic.

Just a Quickie - should you use always use digital servos with a stabiliser or can you use standard ( but reasonably quick ) analog servos? And why?

Go to spektrumrc - support - Manuals that way you can print off the instructions for your Tx. And also the instructions relevant to the specific Rx you're going to use with that Tx. Most of your queries should be dealt with.

Normally I won't travel far to shows, but living in the W.Midlands I don't have to. Realistically I reckon Weston Park is unlikely to go ahead, nor Cosford this year but like Cymaz I think we might be in with a chance for Much Marcle. I just hope that Cocklebarrow Farm ( numerically a very small event with no commercial presence ) and Greenacres might be going ahead. OK, face covering will probably be mandatory, as it is at the moment iin most places, and I think the majority now regard it as good manners anyway.      Edited By David Ashby - Moderator on 18/01/2021 10:07:12

Just a thought - if your plane yaws as soon as the tail wheel/skid leaves the ground, couldn't this be controlled or even prevented by incorporating a gyro in between the Rx and the rudder servo - it would be altogether nicer when taxiing too.

Hi John - I would suggest you invest in a "Saddle Stool" - they might look a bit strange but I can strongly recommend them - before I retired I could spend most of my working day standing ( companion animal Vet standing at a table in the consulting room or in theatre ) on my feet for most of an 8 hour shift. The practice investing in these stools was transformative - not only do the joints in your legs get a rest, but the stool improves your posture so you're much less likely to finish with back ache too. Working in my 'Office' when building I use a typists chair without the adjustable back - my building board is a retired ironing board topped with MDF - so with a bench adjustable to the perfect height and seat ditto, building in literally, painless.

I reckon Kevin B is right - but you have to make allowances for the Whale and the Petunias as well? However - looking at the problem, we don't seem to be making any allowance for wind resistance - which increases (approximately) with square of the speed of the object through the air. Soooo - your plane is going to use proportionately, significantly more fuel going 'uphill' against the 20mph headwind than when going 'downhill' with the 20mph tailwind.

Or as you walk back to the Pits and someone says in a mock critical tone of voice: "You've been enjoying yourself again, haven't you."