Wot no Acrowot!

Anyone know what's happening with Ripmax and Acrowots in the UK. There doesn't seem to be any stock of the wood versions anywhere. Nobody seems to know when or if they will be available again?

A little tip from Sweden, Try Model Shop Leeds

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Ripmax have been very low to nothing, regarding Chris Foss artf models for a long time. When they made the wot 4 both i.c. and leccy. you had to buy the extra conversion kit. They were like rocking horse poo. same with the engine mounts. Something is wrong, but nobody is saying anything. Next thing we will hear they will have gone the same way as ASP / SC

There were some ARTF Wot4s on sale at Cosford on Sunday. As I already have one I didn't take a note of the sellers just noticed them casually. I didn't spot any Acrowots.I assume the ARTB kits are available from Chris Foss himself and, as Percy suggests, building one isn't too difficult.

Geoff

TJD Models had a huge delivery of Wot4`s last week, don't know about acrowot,worth a look?

One of my aero modelling friends from the 1950's / 60's was David Murray who lived near the Crystal Palace football ground . He was an excellent model maker------Not you then David ?

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I would echo Percy's comments. It is actually better to get a kit and put it together yourself (assuming you have a workshop and not the coffee top table). The joy of artf and speed to get flying is one thing .. but if yuo want a particular model and to enjoy it for a long time then building it will be better, and easier to repair I think.

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I see the Leeds shop also has the Wot4 Mk3 with a tapered wing for better aerobatics, which sounds fun. Is that very similar to the Acrowot wing?

What do folk on here think of the standard Wot4 for training purposes?

Years ago I trained a couple of folk using a Wot4, with the aileron and elevator rates reduced. I thought it a nice, reasonable stable, trainer and being a tailwheel seemed to make landings easier for the folk I was teaching. Both were full scale pilots 'converting' to model flying, which may have made a difference. Both already flew taildraggers. (We used Mode 2, being similar to what we were used to in the fullsize)

Whilst the WOT4 may be used for training, subject adjusting required responsiveness, why not get a 'WOT Trainer'(?).

Same lineage and a superb trainer, can be (very) docile or 'turn-the-wick-up'/increase throws etc. and it is quite sporty.

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'WOT Trainer' although a Ripmax ARTF, to do a thorough and airworthy job, wings need joining (epoxy), tail fin and tail plane gluing (your adhesive preference), all control surfaces need gluing/pining, fit radio gear and control linkages/horns, fit motor i/c or electric (different mountings), accurately drill cowl attachment screw holes. Replace parts that don't meet your quality control checks e.g. Chinese soft metal axle bolts, unbalanced 'cheapo' plastic spinner, inferior clevis etc.

All in, a little more than the usual '5-minute' job. I'd say it's a half-way house between a traditional full build or an out-of-the box 'n fly job! (That's if you wish to do it justice and ensure a durable, safe model IMO).

I hadn't come across it before. Thanks - it looks a bit like a cross between the Wot4 and the Precedent FlyBoy that my son made at around age 11, with which he learned to fly radio control models.

(The Flyboy was quite a tough beast, whereas that ARTF machine looks lighter and maybe easier damaged? I recall the FlyBoy had a fairly high wing loading which helped in the windy conditions we often seemed to have.)

As a club instructor, I've had the 'pleasure'(?) of flying ply/balsa 'heavy-weight bricks and featherweight foamy trainer models. (E-Flite 'Apprentice', Max Thrust 'Riot', ST Models 'Discovery', 'Boomerang', Irvine 'Tutor' to name but a few AND 'WOT4' (Foam & Balsa/Ply variants) and the 'WOT Trainer'. They all have certain merits, all have certain shortcomings. The 'WOT Trainer' (IMHO) seems a good balance of extremes. It can take a few knocks, gentle 'nodding' stall, fly in a range of wind strengths including quite windy conditions. (Do you want to train a newbie in gale force conditions(?) Worth consideration if nothing else.

Good points Captain K, thanks. Sometimes we did seem to train in rather high winds!

Having rediscovered the attractions of dirty power ( an Irvine 46 on the front of a rather tired old artf Wot4* ) I was planning to get an artf AcroWot - - Blow! Bother! Bum! So, Plan B - I'm going to have to build one instead of assembling one! I built my first Wot4 years before the ARTFs were available and I seem to remember it was one of my quickest builds ever. It looked brilliant too in antique Solartex and two part fuel Proofer. I doubt that the AcroWot will be much more difficult or take much longer.

*My fourth.

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Mike Etheridge..  no not me sorry. I have only been at this a few years.

Edited By David Murray 3 on 15/07/2019 20:09:52