Flair Models

[Sussna]

Does anyone have experience with the Flair models from the UK?
I am looking for a good flying, scale looking Sopwith PUP, Dove, or Camel kit, no bigger than 65".

[Mike Smart]

Sussna,

The Puppeteer is a Pup lookalike and is a good solid performer, if a tad on the heavy side.

Mike

[easytiger]

I have built their smaller stuff, none of the bigger ones, but these kits are rated pretty highly over in the UK by those who have them. A little on the heavy side, but not a big deal. I have their Beaufort kit somewhere around here...

[Sussna]

Thanks for the opinions about the Flair models. I am only considering their smaller ones, but could you say more about the "heavy side". How do they fly? Are they touchy to land or takeoff? Tip stalls?
Are there other kits that are better?

[Mike Smart]

Sussna,

The Puppeteer is pretty docile, I'm sure as long as you balance it as per the instructions, you will have no problems. Even the Baronette (Fokker DR1 lookalike) is relatively docile, but again a bit on the heavy side.

Mike

[ceejay flyer]

I built the Flair Cub, and learned to fly using it over 8 years ago. I taught my son to fly with it, and still use it regularly.

Generally, Flair models have a good reputation in the UK. The quality of the components is excellent, and the instructions are very easy to follow. Which of their models are you considering building?

[Sussna]

CeeJay,
I am considering the Pupeteer. My flight instructor suggest that I need more airtime before flying the Bipe, and this will be on a Sig MId 4. By next Spring I should be able to handle the Bipe. Of course, he will work with me on the buddy cord in the early stages.
I've been flying since July, and just started doing loops.
Landings are smooth.
I love the early wind in the wires planes.
I should mention that I just built a Kopski Skyvolt, with a monster elctric motor, and it goes like a Ferrari. I fly this sometimes, but it is superlight, and very pretty, so I don't want to bang it up.

[leccyflyer]

Sussna

One of the modifications that the chaps in my club have made to the Puppeteer is to entend the nose by about 1.5 inches. This removes the need to add lead to balance the model. The Puppeteer's fly marvelously and one day I will get around to flying mine. I'm in the processe of taking out the OS52 4 stroke and replacing it with an electric power plant, when I get around to deciding which powerplant to use :).

In the meantime here's one of my clubmate's Puppeteer on a slow fly past - luvverly stuff!

Brian

[easytiger]

Smart move, extending the nose! The thing is only semiscale anyway.

I flew my friends Mannock(?) with an Enya 40 4s, a little underpowered, but flew well and looked good.

Other kits that are better? You might look into the offerings from Hobby Hangar, they make some WWI jobs. Proctor makes some goregous ones, but they are very scale, tough to build.

[Sussna]

Stupid question...how do you get em in the car?
I assume you take the wings off, right?, but what about all the rigging and stuff?

[farnboro flyer]

Just last night I bought a lovely Flair Pupeteer at our club auction.......I'v seen it fly with a 4 stroke carbon puffer , and now I have an ASTRO 25 geared Electric motor to power it.

I have weighed the model with one full size servo, no tank not motor, no radio. Comes to 4lb.14oz.

It has been built well, and Solartex has been used for covering.
They fly well, even the SE5a is very good.

Ian

[Walter Mitty]

Sussna,
Top wing has 4 bolts through the cabanes,bottom one has 2 into a fuz plate. All i then have to do is put a bolt through the top and bottom of the interplane struts.
Total rigging time is about 4 mins.And yes,they are excellent kits,not too heavy,nothing Permagrit and Dremel can't cure!!

[fgroza]

Talk to Dave at Radical R/C. He sells the Flair line of kits.
Frank

[TarotMan]

Hi,

I have built both the Flair Cub and the Magnatilla, and I can tell you they are excellent quality kits...I myself am now looking to get their Sopwith semi scale, because I know it will be a pleasure to build, and will look and feel `quality' !!

So, go for it, and rest assured your money will be well spent!!

And NO, I do not work for Flair or any subsidiary, I am just a modeller

regards,

Matthew

[mRqS]

Hi

I'm building a Flair Bristol F2b. It's one of their biggest models.
It's quite easy to build although you've to be careful (as with every "sawmill")
Here are pictures:

http://rc.marekszulen.net

site is yet in Polish only, but there are a lot of pictures

[farnboro flyer]

Wow.............I am impressed by the number of photos on your site,
Do not understand Polish, but the site looks very well put together...........Great.
I look forward to seeing more of the Bristol Build.

Well done.............Bravo FLAIR and MAREKSZULEN !


Ian

[mRqS]

Thanks Ian :)

It's a first half of first wing. Lot of work left to do yet.

I tried to fing a bending pipe to install muffler just behind the engine and let it out on bottom side of fuselage. It was difficult to find (in Poland impossible). Finally I found it in Germany. Quite expansive (42 Eur), but worth of F2b's better look :)

It will be covered with dark-green and "natural" Oratex with Polish insignia (there were over 100 F2b's in Poland and it's my favourite I ww biplane).

My site will be in English soon, when I find some time between my job and building works :)

__________________
greetings

mRqS
http://rc.marekszulen.net

[farnboro flyer]

I like the Bristol Fighter............I get a bit sentimental about some airplanes.............and the reason for this one is this picture of H1668 taken in Egypt about 1920.
My Dad is the man holding down the tail as the engine is run up prior to flight.
His notes on the reverse of the picture say:
The place is Abourkir , Egypt, and is February as we are not wearing our Pith Hats(hats issued to RAF as an anti sun measure)


The WINDSOCK DATAFILE book on this model by J.M.BRUCE
is very good, but if you can get the later book published in 1997, it shows Fb2 in Polish service.

Ian

[mRqS]

Originally posted by farnboro flyer
[B]I like the Bristol Fighter............I get a bit sentimental about some airplanes.............and the reason for this one is this picture of H1668 taken in Egypt about 1920.
My Dad is the man holding down the tail as the engine is run up prior to flight.

WOW! Great picture. Those aircraft really were almost impossible to turn on the ground?
btw, I didn't had any pilot in my family. I'm a first "crazy man" ;)



The WINDSOCK DATAFILE book on this model by J.M.BRUCE
is very good, but if you can get the later book published in 1997, it shows Fb2 in Polish service.


Thanks. I'll try to find. I've another book with Bristols:
"British Aircraft in Polish Air Force 1918-1930" issued by Mushroom Model Publication.
There is F2b with insignia of Fighter Pilot's School in Grudziadz (35km from my town). Mine will have those insignia as well. I found a man who's remember "Brisfit's" there and now I've a school's logo.

__________________
greetings

mRqS
http://rc.marekszulen.net

[ceejay flyer]

There's a F2B in the workshops of the Shuttleworth Collection currently under restoration, and one in the flying collection.


http://www.shuttleworth.org/default.htm

[farnboro flyer]

This is the Astro 25 geared motor mounted in an AXi custom mount,
This is a non oil soaked Flair Puppeteer that was powered by a Laser 70..........
I expect to use 15-16 cells for a decent performance., at about 8lb in weight.

Ian

[mRqS]

Originally posted by farnboro flyer
This is the Astro 25 geared motor mounted in an AXi custom mount,
This is a non oil soaked Flair Puppeteer that was powered by a Laser 70..........
I expect to use 15-16 cells for a decent performance., at about 8lb in weight.
Ian

Hello Ian,

it looks like Flair is using the same wing struts for all models :)
Axi are good motors. Should fly great, but I'm too conservative in case of WW I aircrafts. They should.... smell and smoke ;)

How it flied with Laser?


__________________
greetings

mRqS
http://rc.marekszulen.net

[farnboro flyer]

Yes, these centre carbane struts are just alloy painted silver........
The Laser sounded just right, and was more than enough power.........I flew it once when the owner let me have a go on the "sticks"......lovely.
Ian

[farnboro flyer]

Opps, I'v just realised that I'm in the "Dark side"..........sorry about that chaps.........thought this was the Electric thread.

Ian

[Ken Eddon]

I have just aquired a partially completed Flair Brisfit. This will be my first Bipe. I intend to power it with either an ASP 91 F/S or an OS91 F/S depending on the state of my piggy bank.

I have previously built a Flair Cub, a Sig quarter Scale Cub and an Airsail Chipmunk. I find that the Flair kits are very good and would not hesitate to build another, wheras I am not too sure about the Airsail kit.

Ken

[mRqS]

As I read in RCM Magazine's review, .91 engine gives more than enough power.

How you'll finish it?

Mine will be covered by Oratex to achieve fabric-like finish.

Marek

[Ken Eddon]

Marek:

Mine will be covered in Solartex, again a fabric-like finish. It is probably the same stuff under a different name.

Any idea which issue of RCME the review was in?

Ken

[mRqS]

Oratex (http://www.oracover.de) is stronger and a bit heavier than Solartex .
In general, Oracover products are easier to work with.

RCM Magazine was September 2002 (http://www.rcmmagazine.com/e/env/0001NjdJCMVf0gMeAM0m0S0/issuespage.html?link=/issues/2002/sep2002/r-cp-sep-092002-1.html)

Marek

[Capt G]

Just found this thread - Here's one of my Flair YAK 55M. Cover is Ultracote and flys great on a Moki 1.80. G.

[O'brien, Paul]

G'day guys, i hope you can help me....im in the market to buy myself a sopwith pup from flair now i've been looking for the kits all over the web and have found nothing, could you guys put me in the right direction on some sites that sell them?
I'm itching to get stuck into building,

Thanks guys take care and happy flying

Paul

[Tim Farrar]

Paul :

This guy has or carries Flair, http://radicalrc.secure-mall.com/shop/ I forget his name, but Ive ordered from him before, I think he is our last distributor in the US, If he quits, I dont know what we will do.
I have contacted Flair before and they always refer me to him and two or three others, but I guess they dont know the two or three others dont carry them no more.
This is Flairs site, http://www.flairmodels.co.uk/
By the way, I have their Pup and it flys great. 8.5 lbs and just floats with a Magnum .52
Im building their Bristol F2B now, It a nice kit too.
Oh!, Dont use their nuts and bolts, they are a thread that I had never heard of till I got one of their kits, It is (ba) thats (British Assosiation) and they dont match metric or standard. I replace them with 4-40 (theirs are 6ba). They arnt socket head, plus if you ever lost one you would be screwed. (no pun intended) LOL
You probably couldnt find their Sopwith Pup on the internet, because they call it the Pupateer, I dont know why , but they got a different name for all the planes.
I guess it would be more correct to say we have different names for the planes, because arnt these their planes we love so much ?

SEEYA , TIM

[Tim Farrar]

Paul :

I see now your not in the US, Im not sure where you are, but Flairs website has a location guide for their distributors, Im guessing Austrailia, If Im correct, your distributor is mail@kellettshobbies.com

SEEYA, TIM

[farnboro flyer]

Tim, Their models are only based on the designs, but for the Fokker D7

So the Puperteer is losely based on the Pup.


You may pick up some Flair Scout kits on E Bay.......


Ian

[O'brien, Paul]

sorry i didnt say where i was from, Im in australia i will take your infomation and see how i go, thanks again

Happy Flying
Paul

[Tim Farrar]

Paul :

I was wondering, did you find your Pup yet !

SEEYA, TIM