Hello folks,

Some months ago I searched the Forum for any info on this model and there was not much.....but I found a thread by a certain 'Work in Progress' who was intending to scale one up from the kit that he had. A few PM's and some silver dollars saw his unbuilt kit arrive on my doorstep, thanks mate!

Internet searches for 'Flair Tiger Moth' only usually come up with info on the 1/4 scale one (which I already have).

I am really not sure if this one is still available as the company have been quiet lately after an ownership change and moving the factory, hope that they intend to continue selling them.

On to the build, thought I'd start at the very beginning (best place probably!)
What is it? Well, it is 25" span, designed to be free flight and rubber powered.
So why are you posting here? Cos' I want to make it R/C and electrified and it is scale OK?!

What's in the box? You get three nice plan sheets, printed parts (not cut ), stripwood, wire, tissue paper, transfers, vacform cowl, wheels etc, a big propeller and a big rubber band!

There are also eight A4 pages of instructions, I would think that they were written by Dudley Pattison (Flair's former owner) judging by the injected humour (more later).

Some photos of bits and pieces, don't expect I will get very far tonight.

Cheers

Gary

Hah! not only intended to scale up, but actually did. Only a bit, mind you, to 1/12 scale.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=309087
But it's "resting" now, still part-covered, as I learned from it what I needed to before I flew it - basically to get my craft skills back in order after a 10+ year layoff. One day I might go back and get it going, it only needs the gear installing and the fuselage covering.

Anyway, I'll watch this one with interest. LPS?

It's been pleading with me to be built! Cutting 'sticks' with a razor blade at the moment, I need some new glasses!

Well I've ordered a GWS-IPS, cheap enough if it doesn't fit or work out, whatever happens I need to build two fuselage sides which is what I'm at now.

Maybe some piccies later.

Oops, duplicated

What gearset IPS box have you got? on my approx 12% larger one the A drive spur gear was a VERY tight fit in the cowling and I actually had to go down to a smaller spur gear to prevent it scraping intermittently.
You might want to have a measure-up before you get too far advanced, in case you need to let the nose out a bit.
For the very small stuff like this the smaller, lighter, LPS drive is an easier fit. Can use the same motor. I've got some around if you find the IPS too bulky.

Yes, the IPS does look tight, can't beat having one in your hand. the length of the propshaft might mean that the gear could be behind the front former.

I just checked what I ordered,tis the IPS DX2BB with 84/12 gearing which as luck would have it should be the smallest gear wheel!

What is the LPS? Missed that one. Will only be building stuff at the moment which will not be affected by the conversion.

Some piccies then a small beer or two I think.

Cheers

Gary

This should be a good build!!!!!!!!

I hope so, I am not the tidiest or lightest of builders. I tend to rush things a little but that is getting better with age for some reason! Will try to take care with this one.

Forgot to mention that the film I am building it on is the backing film from 'Solarfilm' iron on covering, nothing at all sticks to it. I buy the damaged rolls from the shop just for the backing film, paid a whole £1.00 for the last roll!

Cheers

Looks nice, and I'm sure it'll look lovely once it's done.

For future reference, did you try Sams in your search for a kit? They list it though I've no idea if they'd actually have one in stock:

http://samsmodels.com/acatalog/Flair_Mini_Classics.html

Matthew

This looks like a nice size little Tiggie. Some sick part of me would like to see this sitting next to the Dumas 17" version, as well as Pat's 35" and 44" versions

Martin

Yep, 25" is a new size to me, I had the Hacker Moth, still got bits of it!(was crushed by another model in the car) which was Gasparin 120 CO2 powered, think that was about 18" span. I also had the Mercury 33" span Tiger with a Mills 0.75, not a bad flyer but not very scale, cheap and cheerful and aimed at the quick builder perhaps, some people improved the looks of it quite a lot.

I have a 50" Veron Tiger Moth which is a superb flyer on rudder/elevator and an OS FS40 (Slimer I know but the technology wasn't there 15 years ago), must blow the cobwebs off that one.

Then there is the big one, radio assisted free flight! 89" span, carpentry at this scale. Working rigging wires so silver solder was the only way. I've posted this photo before, sorry about the ugly bloke!

Did I mention I like Tiger Moths BTW! There is a bigger one which I can talk about later.

Thanks for the tip Matthew, I know of SAMS (about 40 miles from me), most people advertising this kit don't actually have it in stock. I was a bit loathe to build it thinking it might be collectable one day (too late now!). The same has happened with the Balsacraft Spitfire, a classic kit out of production fetching silly money on eBay when they appear.

This does still appear on Flair's website but it seems to be elusive, I have seen some of their (more profitable?) kits on the shelf recently with the new logo so there is hope.

Hope I can keep the momentum going with this one.

Cheers

Gary

A bit more progress tonight, been slightly distracted by another project (large glider, look in 'scale sailplanes' if you're interested in these things).

Second fuselage side built over the first and amazingly I have two identical sides (this does not always happen!).

Lightly sanded and glue blobs removed (hope this isn't too much detail for you guys) and had a quick look at the instructions (been caught out before).
There are three abrubt cross section changes in plan view on a Tiger which are achieved by cracking the 1/8th stringers at various points. The instructions suggest doing this later which is fraught with danger and usually ends up in a handful of matchwood in my case, much, much better to score and crack the sides before they are assembled which I did (very carefully).

I noticed that the fuselage frame matches the full size tubing almost exactly as you can see in the photo. I also like the separate framework plan which would help beginners a lot by avoiding the confusion when building over the often 'busy' fuselage side view.

So far all the printwood components match the plan views and fit very well, have built a few that do not.

I almost joined the sides and then realised that I had not sanded the insides of the tailpost for a nice fit, have left a note on the board to remind me.

Some photos.

Cheers

Gary

Yes, I did mine the same way. It's much safer to get those bends sorted out before you join the fuselage sides than after.

Was having a look at your thread again, forgot how far you had got. Is it possible to finish it? That IPS does look tight in there, mine hasn't arrived yet.

A brisk weekend's work and mine would be finished. Trouble is, I am very short of time at the moment, having to work at least 6 days most weeks, and long days at that. Anyway, finishing the little Hurri is next on the must-do list. Speaking of which I'd better get back to that as I have two hours available now and that's my whole modelling time budget for the next week.