reg shaw Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 Hi folks, my first post in this department and I hope its a positive!!! The doubt is because I have just acquired a Cambrian Folland Gnat with a view to throwing it off a hill. Its a mint unflown IC jobbie and I wondered if anyone here had any experience of such a beast? It seems fairly light, especially the wings and they are quite thick in section, of the semi symmetrical variety. Any hints or tips much appreciated. Cheers, Ian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bert baker Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 Sounds fun, Start the engine before the chuck.(lol) All the Cambrian models I have had in the past have been great flyers. Edited By bert baker on 11/01/2015 17:37:00 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reg shaw Posted January 11, 2015 Author Share Posted January 11, 2015 This Gnat is about 50" span and 54" long. Here's some pics. As you an see it has flaps, though my thinking is they might not be that much help for landing unless I can get quite a bit of movement. I'm not after some superscale job, just something for when its too windy to fly conventional scale gliders. It does however look like a Gnat!! Hardwood block for the nose?? Ian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Bennett Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 thats nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reg shaw Posted January 11, 2015 Author Share Posted January 11, 2015 It is in quite good nick Tony, it has appeared on the BMFA classifieds a couple of times before I bit and I went to pick them up today. There is another, a used example which is a bit worse for wear in places. That might be the one to get flying first as it'll tell me whether (or not) to commit the good one to the same fate! Ian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Bennett Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 oh to have the room for more models. and you got two of them as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reg shaw Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 Posted by Percy Verance on 11/01/2015 17:46:00: Is this the rather large one with the fus from some sort of expanding foam Ian? The second fuselage is thin fibreglass with a layer of foam inside, about an inch thick, then another layer of thin glass inside that to finish. This one seems much stronger for no extra weight. So this is how some of them came then Mr Verance? Ian. Edited By reg shaw on 12/01/2015 20:03:14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Lee Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Chucking it off a hill is probably the best thing for it. I had one in the 80's in the Yellowjacks colours with a 60 & tuned pipe at the front. I never managed to get it more than a couple of feet into the air as it roared off into the distance at Jurby airfield. It was very twitchy so give it plenty of expo - that wasn't available in those days of course. I sold mine on with plenty of caveats. Good luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Houghton 1 Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 It looks great! I would keep the flaps and mix them in with the ailerons, and then dialling in CROW would do no harm whilst you're adding the mixing. It may help to slow it down for the arrivals. Steve A470soaring.blogspot.co.uk Edited By Steve Houghton 1 on 12/01/2015 23:00:51 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Meade Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Hardwood block sounds like a good idea, but make sure you can get your battery all the way up its nose! I'd keep the flaps too, as long as you're not trying to save a few ounces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Wragg Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Just aquired an unbuilt kit of the Gnat. Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reg shaw Posted March 15, 2015 Author Share Posted March 15, 2015 That is great Sam, is this a glass fuselage or a 'twin skin foam sandwich' jobster!!?? IC in the nose, or do you have other plans? The one in the pics has now been chucked off a hill and performed quite well, though it was only flown once as the lift was a tad scratchy. Turns were suprisingly balanced, I thought it might slip into the turn due to the anhedral but it didn't seem bad at all. Ian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Wragg Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 It's glass bodied version, the kit is complete with nothing missing. I first bought this kit 1979 when I was an apprentice. It was fitted with a redshift 60 and managed to fly it just the once in the spring of 1980 simply because our flying field was just that? I put it away and got distracted by learning my trade and the oposite sex (and forgot about the hobby). 10 years later I got the bug again and discoverd that my Gnat had been thrown away by my Dad. I never thought I would aquire that model again up until last week when I managed to secure a kit. Now a very happy man & will probably electrify and fit retracts just to keep the lines of the model May do a building blog when I get some projects out of the way first Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy flygirl Posted November 23, 2019 Share Posted November 23, 2019 If you ever fancy selling your Gnat or know of any for sale I'm very interested as my dad bought one second hand when I was 13, this lovely model is what got me into flying and I'm always looking for another to have and restore those memories of my father. Amy xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve McLaren Posted December 3, 2019 Share Posted December 3, 2019 Hi Amy, I have a very tatty example of this model. I didn't know it was a Cambrian version until I saw this thread. It was passed on to me by Steve Howarth a couple of years ago. I was planning to convert it for PSS but it's a big job, and there are other things getting priority. So far, I've only got round to removing the remnants of the bent undercarriage, etc. It's in a bit of a state, and needs a lot of work (wing skin is delaminating in places, tailplanes and fin are both loose, it only has half a rudder, etc, etc.. But if you're interested, send me a message, and I'll send you some pictures and more info.. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.