Sopwith Camel, Tony Ray Models.

[Martian]

Posted by Steven Webb (Steve Webb Models) on 06/02/2020 07:18:53:

Posted by Martian on 04/02/2020 18:00:40:

I love Ray,s models I built the Bleriot x1 it was an enjoyable build i did do a blog in way of a review . The basswood is brittle and needs handling with care I don't think I will commit it to the air nevertheless it was a fun challenge , if you do build one to fly opt for better tissue

Hi

Thanks for posting your feedback. I hear lots of people referring to the Bleriot as an enjoyable build .Do you have a link to your blog? Review? There’s a hard copy review in Aeromodeller January 2020 edition.

Wood can vary in any kit or ARTF. I mentioned in an earlier post that Tony uses 2 ply rather than 3 and I’ve described it as ‘flexible’ . If bent over it would snap easier than 3 ply but I can’t think of any extreme bending during the build. Sometimes in laser cut kit very thin pieces might get a touch over burned and brittle. May I enquire as to if you got a later kit from SWM? Or earlier from Bang Good - The main reason I ask is that Tony has new tissue in his kits. My pal Dave Froggy Lucas has used it and thought it was ok. It’s more like Jap tissue. With the kits being Flat Packed , it does mean the tissue is folded as opposed to rolled. I prefer Jap tissue rolled.

The models a good flyer, you should give it a go. If you do watch the short nose, make sure cog is OK. Keep movements low . Rates and expo are handy.

if you do ‘commit’ it to the blue - let us know how you get on.

TTFN

Steve

Hi Steve link to my Bleriot blog

[Graham Donaldson]

Steve, I've been building for over 40 years! I had a few of the original, Wot Fours, Acro Wots and Wots Wots - great flyers. The pilot has always been the problem! I've also tried Chris's gliders - Centiphase and the Multiphase. I've always enjoyed building and flying Chris Foss's kits. I've not tried his ARTF kits but have been tempted. All my indoor flying has been done with out of the box aircraft. That's why I was interested in Colin's model. Maybe one day I'll try one of Tony Ray's models. Our indoor site in Aberdeen is just 2 badminton courts in size. The walls regularly jump out!, so have to be careful.

Graham

[Steven Webb (Steve Webb Models)]

Posted by Graham Donaldson on 12/02/2020 15:30:16:

All my indoor flying has been done with out of the box aircraft. That's why I was interested in Colin's model. Maybe one day I'll try one of Tony Ray's models. Our indoor site in Aberdeen is just 2 badminton courts in size. The walls regularly jump out!, so have to be careful.

Hi Graham,

My Indoor has been similar. Although with some of the RTF models I've changed colour schemes or added bits. I have a few home made indoor models now. I really want to have more scratch built ones, by that I mean totally from scracth from my own head, with all parts and pieces except for electronics being made by myself.

I got involved in a project with a fellow club flyer. Scratch built Heinkel 219 night fighters. It introduced me to moulding Depron and in the last few years I've been amassing foam and bits and bobs to try and make a few others from Scratch. Some of the models turning up at St Helens indoors are scratch built and I always think those guys are extracting a little more pleasure than flying the out of the box models.

I have seen a video and pics of the DH Hornet flying Indoors, covered with So Lite and I have to say it flew great,

The kit is an easy one to build. We have asked Tony to add some Carbon Rod to future kits or recommend a little carbon rod to strengthen the U/C up. Those Gym floors can be punishing! Some 1mm carbon glued to the bass wood U/C does just the job.

Your Indoor venue is tight for flying Tony's Models. I'd say they are more suited to 4 x badminton size courts or more + and for a couple of reasons. One is they are more fragile than foam and don't bounce off the wall as well as foam does. The other reason is they are not floaters like the Vapor and although flying in a restricted place is possible its not as pleasurable. I am sure I could fly the DH Humming Bird on a 2 Badminton Court space, but it would be a tight wall of death circuit and its not what makes these models fun. Scale built up models need some space to fly scale and with 'long full size style flying turns'. I think your venue a little on the tight side.

Mind you there's lots of flying spaces outside on a calm day / night.

Thanks for your message

Steve

[Martian]

Hi Steve I forget to say I bought my kit from SWM

[Steven Webb (Steve Webb Models)]

Posted by Martian on 13/02/2020 18:07:29:

Hi Steve I forget to say I bought my kit from SWM

Thanks for the support!!

Thanks

Steve

[Steven Webb (Steve Webb Models)]

Posted by Martian on 13/02/2020 18:07:29:

Hi Steve I forget to say I bought my kit from SWM

You should have had the latest tissue in the kit. Did you find the wet strength a problem? Or something else? Feedback would be welcome.

Steve

[Graham Donaldson]

I've just checked the sports hall web site that we use and it states that it is in fact 4 courts. The walls still come into play. Maybe I should try the Hummingbird. I've been flying a Horizon Sports Cub there for the past couple of years and there is room enough, so some of Tony's kits would be OK.

I've just looked at Martian's Bleriot build - it looks far too fiddly and fragile.

Graham

[Martian]

Posted by Steven Webb (Steve Webb Models) on 13/02/2020 18:23:16:

Posted by Martian on 13/02/2020 18:07:29:

Hi Steve I forget to say I bought my kit from SWM

You should have had the latest tissue in the kit. Did you find the wet strength a problem? Or something else? Feedback would be welcome.

Steve

The tissue seemed to stiff almost starched like and I couldn't tease it over the fragile frameworks easily and after wetting didn't shrink enough certainly in comparison to the tissue on my Gulliows pilatus porter pc6 hope that helps

[Graham Donaldson]

Just ordered the Hummingbird from SWM.

Graham

[Steven Webb (Steve Webb Models)]

Posted by Graham Donaldson on 14/02/2020 09:36:40:

I've just checked the sports hall web site that we use and it states that it is in fact 4 courts. The walls still come into play. Maybe I should try the Hummingbird. I've been flying a Horizon Sports Cub there for the past couple of years and there is room enough, so some of Tony's kits would be OK.

I've just looked at Martian's Bleriot build - it looks far too fiddly and fragile.

Graham

Hi Graham,

Sorry I couldn’t get back for a few days - The Hummingbird and Bleriot can manage 4 Badminton courts . I’d say the Camel with ailerons is more tricky to fly . The larger tail plane we helped Tony research does slow up the model. I must admit I think if I build a Camel for indoors I’d forget the ailerons and go rudder / elevator / throttle.

keep it light - Have you all seen the new DR1 ? That’s going to be a good indoor model. I’d love a Sopwith Triplane or Quadraplane . VMC have a sopwith Triplane that does convert to RC , it’s a little heavy for the RC version.

At least the VMC triplanes I’ve seen have been heavy converted.cracking value kits though. I must look at Martians Bleriot build . How do I find it?

Steve

[Steven Webb (Steve Webb Models)]

Posted by Martian on 14/02/2020 10:55:52:

Posted by Steven Webb (Steve Webb Models) on 13/02/2020 18:23:16:

Posted by Martian on 13/02/2020 18:07:29:

Hi Steve I forget to say I bought my kit from SWM

You should have had the latest tissue in the kit. Did you find the wet strength a problem? Or something else? Feedback would be welcome.

Steve

The tissue seemed to stiff almost starched like and I couldn't tease it over the fragile frameworks easily and after wetting didn't shrink enough certainly in comparison to the tissue on my Gulliows pilatus porter pc6 hope that helps

Yukky by the sound of it . I had another feedback re tissue so I’m going to look into that. The tissue I first had was poor wet strength. Not like yours , must have been another that changed long the way again

I know Tony sourced some new tissue including colours . A pal ( froggy) has tried the samples and found it to be good. More like ‘JAP’ tissue . The only problem with the new tissue is it creases in the flat pack. If it were rolled it would be ok. It’s possible we could roll it in the flat pack . I need to discuss that with Tony.

Tony is great at responding to feedback. He’d like his kits to be a perfect experience . The latter kits Hummingbird and DR1 are not available on Bang Good. Theres a possibility of an American distributor soon . He has a distributor in Germany and of course SWM in the UK. I’m hoping for a long successful business relationship.

Tonys a very good designer and approaches kits from a new angle , making the best of the laser cutting. His kits would not be possible old school die stamped or printed .

Do you have a link to the Bleriot build you did or have I missed it?

steve

[Steven Webb (Steve Webb Models)]

Posted by Graham Donaldson on 14/02/2020 15:33:58:

Just ordered the Hummingbird from SWM.

Graham

An excellent choice , very good indoors

steve

[Martian]

Hi Steve the link is up the page ,it's not a build blog as such just some pics and my observations

[Steven Webb (Steve Webb Models)]

Posted by Martian on 02/03/2020 14:08:52:

Hi Steve the link is up the page ,it's not a build blog as such just some pics and my observations

I found it when on my PC. I was reading on my phone and its an iPhone. I find they are not great on forums. Maybe I should have an App, but I was on Safari and it misses stuff

Yes - See what you mean about the tissue.

We have only water shrunk our when indoors. I'll be going water shrunk and banana oil / non shrinking dope so need a tissue that shrinks well with water. I shall pass the feedback to Tony. Thanks for that.

Cheers Steve

[Steven Webb (Steve Webb Models)]

I just wrote an informative post about a Horizon Hobby new version of Fly Zone Fokker DV. But the internet ate my post!

I saw that Horizon has re issued the Fly Zone name and I ordered a Fokker DV direct from the states as I couldn't wait. I ended up paying far too much, my own fault. I should have waited a few weeks. I paid £107.90 delivered with Taxes into the UK

**LINK**

Now Tower have a better price, but Tower can't ship to the UK because of the Li Po. I know only too well as a few years ago I ordered some Fly Zone models from Tower when they were not available in the UK and they were destroyed at JFK because of the li po. Initially Tower said it was my fault! As I'd ordered the model and it was destroyed after it left them. They did refund after a few emails and stuff. But hey lesson learned on that one!

Logic RC - excellent UK company are handling Horizon products in the UK and I've asked them for the availability of the Fokker and what sort of price.

Two reasons I mention in in this thread.

This -

**LINK**

How cool would that look on the Tony Ray Bleriot? Or others.

This is the model its off - The Fokker

**LINK**

Second reason. I thought that being FlyZone it would be SLT / Hitec Red. It isnt. Its a new Toy Transmitter again! Also it is not the Fly Zone manufacture of old. They were simple aircraft flyZone and they suffered some noisy gear boxes but I have yet to find better flying indoor scale aircraft. The DR1 was a favourite and probably the best scale indoor flyer I have had. BUT.... its not that manufacture. The Fokker is identical to Ares Fokker. Apart from colour scheme its identical in every way to the Ares Fokker. The Ares Fokker was a good flyer if you got one with a correctly fitted wing. Generally the Ares Fokker had issues with wings. Being mounted at an angle was common. Take them off, re fit and the aircraft was a great flyer. Despite the issues with the Ares Fokker I was sorry to see them go. They were excellent flyers in general.

Could it be Horizon will bring more of the Ares models out under the Fly Zone Label.

The Spad would be the one to do I think. It was / is an excellent flyer.

A little from my own personal indoor experiences

I have asked Logic is they have any news on the Fokker in the UK as they are the Horizon UK Distributor. Am excellent UK based company. If I hear anything I'll post back.

I want some props!!

Steve

[Richard Harris]

I have the Tony Ray DR1 kit which I purchased on the 'Longest Day at SWM', it will be started once I have completed a few projects, quality of the kit is excellent.

Just need to source the electrics in readiness and get some new reading glasses!

Rich

[Steven Webb (Steve Webb Models)]

Posted by Richard Harris on 03/03/2020 12:05:47:

I have the Tony Ray DR1 kit which I purchased on the 'Longest Day at SWM', it will be started once I have completed a few projects, quality of the kit is excellent.

Just need to source the electrics in readiness and get some new reading glasses!

Rich

Excellent Richard, Lovely to hear from you.

The DR1 looks super duper. I'm not sure if you read my explanations about the 2 ply bass wood. Sometimes this appears to be warped in the kits, but its because its 2 ply and the meat is cut out of the parts. Tony has an SE5a in development to compliment the DR1.

Not sure if you got my email before Christmas? I missed you on the Longest Day. I didn't know you'd succumbed to DR1' kits.

I'd been breaking elbows and stuff.

I have a huge Auto Gyro Kit I am tempted to sell on eBay. I mailed you for advice but I guess you didn't get the mail? You know the kit I should state - its not the store selling it, its my own kit. If you recall it was on eBay and you bid and I bid and I didn't know you were bidding... LOl... I won. I did mention to the lads to the large Autogyro Kit. But it wasn't over the Store - Its at my house. So I expect that went by the way, because I wasn't around.

I also have some Lazy Bee Gyro Convert Kits from the same company. I think I'll sell. I have to be practical, I'll never get to build and fly a fraction of what I would like to. I need to clear spaces!

Cheers

Steve

[Richard Harris]

Steve,

Glad to hear your up and about, I will check the two ply bass wood spars as you suggest. Regarding the emails I replied to each one, worth checking your spam folder?

Rich

[Steven Webb (Steve Webb Models)]

Posted by Richard Harris on 03/03/2020 13:25:44:

Steve,

Glad to hear your up and about, I will check the two ply bass wood spars as you suggest. Regarding the emails I replied to each one, worth checking your spam folder?

Rich

Hi Richard,

Glad you got them. I didnt get the replies. I hadnt seen them in my Spam. Although BT catch Spam on line as well as in outlook and I hadnt been checking on line.

I have my webbsteve - bt mail at home. Is that where you sent the replies. If so its not the first time I've had problems. Since BT went on to the One Account system and the limited email storage I know I miss emails as the shop often have to resend items they have sent but I don't get!

Recently I had a clock problem. The bios back up battery was konking out and re setting the PC date , it could be a reason why mail was missing or not arriving as since fixing it, I dont seem to have had problems.

If you have copies , please resend. Or let me know thoughts on the Kits?

Got to fly... not literally ... good to talk

Cant wait to see what the DR1 looks like when you have it finished.

Steve