One of my favorites...

Hello,
We are a team of students challenged to design and build a radio controlled 4-wheel-drive (4x4) vehicle to set specifications that can successfully negotiate a series of obstacles and tasks. The vehicles will be tested on a specially designed test track that will emulate that of real life and what a full scale 4x4 vehicle can do. Teams entering the challenge will spend a number of weeks designing, researching building and project managing their 4x4 vehicle to enter it into a regional heat to compete against other schools from their area. Regional winners will be selected through a judging process (please see the rules and regulations 2009/10 document) to go through to the national final where they will compete again but this time against the other regional winners to challenge to become the 4x4 in school Technology Challenge UK National Champions.

You would think I would have other things to do. However, when it warms up I'm going to try taking a video of my new Hereford designed Erla so I made a mount for my pocket camera.

If it works I'll let you know , if it doesn't I won't

A couple of years ago I bought at a model airshow in the NE England a kit for a twin electric Vulcan that was being demonstrated at the show.It performed well so I bought the kit from BRC HOBBIES, exhibiting at the show.
For a multitude of boring reasons I didn't open the box until recently, and discovered --NO PLANS. I have asked BRC to find me some plans, with no success .
Has anyone out there bought this kit and still has the plans??
Having bought the necessary motors,speed controller and Lipo I'd like to use them, so if the Vulcan is to be binned can anyone recommend an electric twin with reasonably docile characteristics that could also be used by a grandson fairly new to the hobby.

Well, I finished my 5th Von Hereford 1/2A Texaco last night. I always take before the crash pictures to show what I finished before I crash it. In other words, I haven't flown it yet. There is no wind this morning, but it is 21ºF and I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to flying in freezing weather.

The build was fairly easy. I changed a couple of things, like making spring loaded landing gear and rubber banded wing mount, but other wise it is pretty much as he designed it.

The power is a Speed 400 7 volt Graupner with esc. I bought 5 from Hobby Lobby last month at $10 each. I should have bouth 10. It is probably too much power, but I'll use a 2S 7.4V LiPo battery with a 8-4 prop and see how that goes.

Flight report to follow.

Arthur

Wife and family bought me a flight lesson for B-day '09. Showed up at Eppley Airfield in Omaha, NE on Wednesday 11-Nov-09. Winds about 15-20 MPH at 10:00 AM CST.

Pre-checked maps and developed a flight plan with my Instructor, Jerome Howard. Retired Police Officer, and a great gentleman. Anyone interested in lessons in the East Nebraska/West Iowa area should ask for him, (402) 827-7616.

Anyway the plan, fly East and practice climbs, decents, smooth turns over a practice area in Iowa. Off to the hanger and did our pre-flight check of the airframe. Anyone that hasn't done this might not realize just how crude and simple the real birds are. Really cold out, 30 some degrees and that 15-20 MPH wind cuts right through you. Did anyone say 'What a great day to go flying, especially since you are new."

Our Aircraft: A Piper PA 28-140. Low wing, 140 HP, 4 banger. Built early 1950's, wow that is almost 60 years old, older than me! (Not by much).

Checked all the instruments, checked with the tower, set the altimeter and transponder. I primed her and we started her up. 1000 RPM idle and we taxied out to the runway. Stoped in a run up area and warmed the oil up to 70 degrees F. Got tower clearance and approval for 3000 foot ceiling (not to exceed 3500), and took her out to the runway. Stearing felt a little heavy on the rudder pedals as they are tied to the nose gear.

Throttle up to 2500 RPM, brake off, and we are rolling. Rudder felt very heavy, I would have thought...Continue Reading

More video of me learning to fly back in 2007.

ifoflying03.MOV (1 min 33 sec)

ifoflying02.MOV (0 min 39 sec)

...Continue Reading

My new kite the LGK (Lime Green Kite) and the 36" YAK.
LGK now has a Scorpion 2208-30 brushless motor that rocks.

I could see 100' so I went for it.
Gotta Fly Something!

Guys

Many of you have asked multiple questions regarding the setup of the KDS FlyMentor Auto Stabilization System

So I started this thread to share my knowledge for all that are interested.

Feel free to ask questions

Elias

I was only going to do the foward cockpit with detail and just half detail the rear ,but it got the better of me and I started to deck out both . So far it does'nt look to bad .
SteveW

For a change, I posted this first on the ITC thread in 'Micro RTF' and now on my blog...guess I was too excited !


Ever seen a 1 1/4 winged plane ?
Well, beside the Luft46 ones of course.

Good progress has been made, perhaps, with getting ITC gear to fly in an average sized livingroom. Although my camera is having troubles tonight, the pic shows PolyFly.
Wingspan: 9"
Length: 8.8"
Weight: 0.45oz
It's a forward motored mildly high alpha flyer, based somewhat on design cues from the Carbon Butterfly by Plantraco. Featuring a semi wing underneath, on which the motors are mounted, the wing surface is intended to act also like a canard.
Indoor trimming is a little difficult tonight, we don't have heat in the house (only our bedroom) and so it will be properly tested out when it's a bit warmer. Also, trimming is better done outside.
However, it floats around in the few tests just now, happily on 1/4 throttle, straight as an arrow in direction on full power.

More pics and video and whatever else (including painting it) if it carries on showing promise.

My second F-105, D Model. Great flier too.
https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=470910

My first F-100 Super Sabre built several yrs ago.
https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=499277

FW-190 D9 built from Hans-Joachim's plans. My build starts in his thread on page 18, post # 258
https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...605291&page=18

Pics by beanie

This was my first F-8 Crusader built from fanfold several yrs ago. Not nearly as scale as the one I later built from GGRN's design.

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=375969

F-104G built from Hans-Joachim's plans and in his thread. My build starts at page 31, post #452

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...=f+104&page=31

Here's a short video bt ATIS at SEFF 2009. The motor burned out after a short run. Now motord by a Scorpion 3020-1400KV and it really HAULS now! Hope to get a better video with the Scorpion.

John Morgan's F-104 StarFighter at SEFF (1 min 10 sec)

The Miss 7-Eleven is making decent progress. The deck sheeting is in place and most of the construction bits are done. There is still more fiberglassing to do but things are looking good.

Currently the boat hull weighs 3lbs 8oz with hull, cowling and tail. That will incrase a bit with more fiberglass, but I think it will be fine. The old Atlas hull weighs 3lbs 2oz and that boat was built very light (and fragile). This boat should be much more durable.

I still don't have the FlightMetal for covering the turbine exhaust, so hopefully that will arrive soon.

For Black Friday at Newton Marine plans I ordered the 1980 Circus Circus - the 4 point canard style boat. The new and improved plan is to build that boat as the second 1/10th scale boat to go along with the Miss 7-Eleven.

I have never blogged before I started this one and this blog thing is growing on me. I like the back road feel of it from the main site and instead of clogging up the works over there, I can clog things up in here.

I lifted this "Biography Information Form" from the AMA main site and edited it a bit to takeout none applicable parts. I don't like writing straight out about myself because it alway seems to come off as bragging to me,so make this my about me for now.

Name W.L.Avis

AMA No. 7224

Birthday 17 Feb 1952

Year you started modelling 1966

City Franklinville State NJ


Background Information
Number of years total in modeling 44

What was your approximate age when you started modeling? 14
How did you get interested in modeling? My father was a model builder since 1938

What year did you first join a modeling club? 1972

What was the name and geographic location of the club? Clayton R/C Club Clayton,N.J.

What was the name of the first model that you made? Guillows DR-1

How old were you when you made it? 14

Did you design the model or use a kit? Kit

Who helped you make the model and how did you know them? Father

What was the hardest part of building that first model? Learning aircraft nomenclature,even though I didn't know what nomenclature was at 14.

What was the easiest part of building the first model or what did you enjoy the most? Cutting...Continue Reading

I have too many planes already! How did that happen.

Two MM Magpies - One Sport one trainer
SA Mudbug
HL Yak
T-Hawk
Ultrafly P-40 - Nearly finished assembling
SloFly 22" - unbuilt