Or make them functional. Go to a fishing store, buy some lead sinks, put them on a piano wire, and glue on. I did that on the rudder on my Comet. The rudder linkage was a bit flimsy initially, so I made it as a safeguard against flutter.

Which reminds me: One of the knock-on consequences of moving the rudder hinge line back is that there is even less room in the fuselage to accommodate an internal rudder horn. This can result in some slop in the rudder linkage. That said, I didn’t fit a weighted counterbalance to mine and haven’t suffered from any flutter problems.

Trevor you are right there is no limit to how deep you can go into this. The good thing is that sometime I dream of flying this, so it has to be completed!

Mike it is amazing in how many different ways we can approach each issue. I could have never thought of the cotton buds! Apparently, you beat me on the cost issue!

Arvid your advanced ingenuity puzzled me. Are you really an Airbus pilot?

Trevor on the rudder line issue: I see you remember all the details! Yes, after lots of planning my decision was to forget about the internal rudder horn, I will make it on the left side of the fuselage. I thought nobody will ever notice but with all of you watching here, it seems there is no escape…

T: 108:25

The vertical stabilizer and Rudder are constructed in similar matter.

The V.S length is increased by 30mm and so the rudder is 30mm shorter in order to move the rudder line further back.

I'm an oldfashioned 737 Captain in SAS, currently working in China.. So no Airbus yet..

Arvid I am sure you still enjoy the pleasures of flying an "old fashioned" aircraft!

It is a great thing if you still have a job under these difficult times, and I wish you all the best!


T: 112:25

The vertical stabilizer and Rudder are also covered with 1/32 balsa sheet.

At this point Ivan states that weight of fuselage and tail with radio, servos, pushrods and covering must be about 18oz. (510 grams.)

My fuselage is not covered, and the two pilots are not hired yet, but my weight is 478 grams.

I believe I am standing good, because I covered almost all surfaces with thin balsa, and I can still save lots of weight from batteries and motors.

Considering the size of this fuselage and comparing with other airplanes in my lab, these numbers are exotic!

I still need to fix the fuselage tail cone before I start with the wing, but I will take at least a week off before I continue.

Looking Great :-)

lots of different ways of tackling different problems, all with their own advantages and disadvantages

Thank you Wallis!

T: 114:25

Some part of the fuselage (tail area) was done yesterday.

The two pilots arrived from Modellbau Lindiger, together with two rolls of black Oracover.

The pilots will have to be trimmed at their bases, to fit in their positions.

Also, some enamel painting will be required to bring them to scale standards.

Decals for the Black Magic are ordered from Callie Graphics.

The shipping time for decals is 5-6 weeks, because of the Coronavirus situation.

T: 118:10

I am now constructing the bottom part of the fuselage in the tail area.

I spend quite some time there to reproduce some scale appearance, without adding much weight.

Looking good Ari

Thank you Mike!

T: 121:10

The tail cone is cut from thick ¾” balsa block.

It is formed after checking some hundred times with the photos I have.

A ventilation hole is cut through the Vertical Stab support.

As Ivan mentions this rear fuselage part has to stay open for fuselage ventilation.
(Batteries tend to get hot especially in the summer).

A small dummy navigation light will be glued at the rear end.

I would never have thought of that shape. How unusual, nice modelling.

Have you ever had problems with overheating SCs Ari?

Yes, that tail fairing is weird! I can’t help feeling that the elevator was originally meant to come closer to the fairing, and then they discovered it clashed with the rudder!

Thank you Mike!

Only twice I had such issues.

Since 2005 I fly only electrics.
After decades of flying IC I was so impressed by the performance and reliability of electricity so I became a fanatic, and gave away all my IC equipment.
Since 2005 over 8000 flights and had ESC issues only twice.
Once in a GWS Tiger Moth with a very cheap ART TECH ESC which caught fire during flight. Second case with an awfully expensive JETI99OS running an AXI5320/18.
This system was flying a Hangar 9 P-51 60 and during a hard touch and go the prop hit the ground and moved a ball bearing in the motor shaft. The friction caused fire in the ESC when the plane was on a pattern downwind. I lost power but maintain control and landed on the runway, I was very lucky to be able to extinguish the fire.
Usually I allow for good ventilation for the ESC and make several setup tests before maiden flight.
If the prop is too big and draws more Amperes that I need I adjust the throttle end point from the Transmitter.
Simple rules, and peace of mind, I love electric flight!

Trevor you are probably right, it would look nicer, but it will limit rudder movement.
This cone is quite unusual and adds a lot to the artistic Comet appearance.
When I first noticed it in the photos, I knew I would spend lots of hours there…

I'm not TOO late to the party!
I'm most of the way through a DH 89 Dragon Rapide kit from Dumas and I've ordered a Manzano DH 88 kit which is currently winging it's way across the Atlantic to me. I'm really looking forward to it. Unfortunately now I've seen this I'm going to have to up my game considerably. You have some beautiful details there Ari. Can't wait to see the finished machine!

I just noticed this on "The Amy Johnson project"
"When Black Magic takes to the skies once more it will be the only aircraft owned by Amy Johnson to fly again."
Not exactly a glowing reference is it!