Member postings for Bob Cotsford

Your last post on there looks to be blank

I bet most of us Brummie flyers have been a member at one time or another, for me it was in the '70s or '80s when Sutton Park went from an open site to club only. The park made it a much more family friendly day out than some flying sites. Unfortunately it was a bit of a trek across/around the City for me, Lichfield is even more of a trek. I wish you well though.

It seems most clubs are looking for new blood, Marston Green MFC (http://www.mgmec.net/) for one also has vacancies.

Sorry, just realised it was Sutton Park MAC that I was a member of, a different club entirely

Edited By Bob Cotsford on 19/02/2019 11:52:39

I've got a couple of E-Flite motors that came in second hand models and in my opinion they look to be pretty much the same design and build quality as the Turnigy branded SK3 and Propdrive motors that I buy from Hobbyking. As I haven't yet worn out a HK motor I personally wouldn't pay roughly double the price for what looks to be the same motor with an American brand name. I don't consider my flying 'serious' enough to warrent Axi/Hacker/OS prices though I do believe that these motors may be built to higher standards, eg sturdier bearing housing and bell, better bearings etc..

As I said, I'm just a club flier, I don't push the motors by running at their maximum rated current so the cheap brands work well enough for me on 3S to 6S setups.

If you would prefer to buy from a UK supplier then 4-Max, BRC/Robotbirds and the like can supply the Turnigy style motors with their own labels and prices.

Buy dear buy once, buy cheap buy twice may be true but if cheap is less than half the price of dear - well it ain't rocket science is it?

Edited By Bob Cotsford on 19/02/2019 11:29:07

As I understand it the self-levelling mode will attempt to get back to the attitude you set the model in when it did the calibration dance. Trim settings shouldn't affect it. I must admit though, I have only flown with everything switched off, last time I took the Easystreet out I forgot to try out the different functions. Once I get my lungs sorted out I hope to test everything out in a Magnatilla that's a bit of a banana, that should thoroughly test the effects of trims!

Surely you don't include the thickness of the prop washer in the motor length as that should be fitted in front of the prop, not behind it?

Don't they do an Eze-dope to replace dope for covering open structures? I've not tried it myself but I'm sure it's been mentioned here or in the mag.

I've found e-calc to be well worth the subscription fee as I've found it's calculated results are pretty close to what I see on a wattmeter, at least for the 4s-6s setups that I've used to date.

I'd suggest that if you make it puncture resistant you may end up with foreign objects breaking the tailplane structure. Bigger mainwheels and longer tailwheel to keep it's attitude on the ground though I don't see why just the longer tailwheel should affect it? Replace the tailwheel with a long skid? If you really want to keep it taildragger and don't want to fit a longer tailwheel or skid how about replacing the built up tail with one made from medium 1/4" sheet?

I can't remember ever having a problem with the tail getting punctured and I've flown from some pretty rough fields over the years.

Wikipedia makes it sound as though the retractable slat was tried on one model at least but did not make it into production :

"Fi 156 B: Fitted with a new system which could retract the normally fixed leading edge slats and had a number of minor aerodynamic cleanups, boosting the speed to 208 km/h (130 mph). The Luftwaffe did not consider such a small difference to be important and the Fi-156 B was not produced."

I've always liked the Storch concept though the reports I'd heard of the BlackHorse version's lousy handling put me off trying one.

Edited By Bob Cotsford on 15/02/2019 22:38:45

One of the great joys in life, along with resoldering servo leads using a 12v iron after the wires had dropped off from fatigue or pins come loose in the receiver.

RE the ignition unit weight, I had my Evolution in a Frog Mustfire and for that model the ignition just meant that I didn't need lead in the nose to balance the model.

There's nothing wrong with snakes - in the right application! I've tried them on longer runs in the past and, like you Tim, found that too much flex develops no matter how well the outers are restrained. The tolerance between the inner and outer is just too great. IIRC I used the pushrod on my AWXL which worked just fine.

I ran an Evolution 10cc petrol motor for a few years. Power wise, it's the equivalent of a good 46 two stroke or 61 four stroke able to turn up to 13" props, just as well as they are pigs to silence effectively. As you point out you also have the bulk and weight of the ignition battery to carry. You also have an extra fuel container to lug around as they can't be run on the same fuel as larger petrols.

I didn't buy a second one, but I did buy 52 two strokes and 61 four strokes. I think that says it all for me!

ps - it would be massive overkill for a Black Magic which only needs a 30 size glow motor, I flew an 84" Eros vintage model on a 48 four stroke and that spent most of it's time on less than half throttle.

Edited By Bob Cotsford on 12/02/2019 16:09:21

Wot'sWot or Panic for me, in any size. If you stretch to sport-scale them my old Super Skybolt took some beating.

Jabberwoks have lots of character but don't match up to a Wot'sWot

If your mechanics are ok would it be worth asking for any damaged mechanics to nick the board, I'd have thought that would be common for all variants of the 60-120 size? I'll check my retracts box tomorrow to see if I've got a spare.

When I asked Horizon about getting a replacement board I got 'Sorry Sir, we don't stock those but we can supply a new retract unit at a discount'. Thankyou Horizon, their discounted price was more than model shops were asking for one!

Makes me think you must live next door to an Al's Hobbies or Steve Webb's, or maybe you have your own airdrome to fly from?

Too much regulation, no LHS to waste time in, NIMBY's complaining about noise, fuel costs, old age - nah, I'll take the 70s thanks.

Toss up between the 70s and 80s. The 70s were more free and easy, ie we were younger and took life less seriously which was just as well if you were flying home made gear. Radio became more reliable in the 80s but also life became more serious with 'responsibilities' hoving into view. The 70s easily pips the 80s for music though!

No STF, most ICers were ex-control-line or freeflighters. Of course, how we learnt to fly control-line with all the intricacies of a diesel engine with TWO adjustables to cope with is another matter

You will of course be dressing back that cutout in the f/g cowl leaving nicely radiused corners won't you? It's looking neat now but yes, what a royal PITA to get there! Shoulda gone electric