Download - British Electric Flight Association

THE MAGAZINE OF THEBRITISH ELECTRIC

FLIGHT ASSOCIATION

ELECTRIC FLIGHT U.K.

ISSUE No. 74 AUTUMN 2003

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E.F.-U.K. 3

Electric Flight - U.K. Issue 74 - Autumn 2003

"To Encourage and Further all Aspects of Electric Model Flight inthe British Isles and Elsewhere" - B.E.F.A. Constitution

CONTENTS

NEXT ISSUE. The copy date for the Winter 2003 issue is 15th November 2003,with the magazine due for publication by 19th December 2003.

Cover Photo: The cover photograph is the Editor’s Foamworks Fokker D VIIwith model Nicole. It is powered by a GWS IPS motor and gearbox, a 10” x 4.7”GWS propeller and 7 N-250AAA NiCd or 6600mAh NIMH cells.

BEFA Committee 2002/3 ......................... 4Chairman's Chatter ................................. 5Current Lines ......................................... 5New-2-U ................................................. 6Readers' Models .................................. 17An Electric Conversion ........................ 25The making of Sally B .......................... 29TLC from your TLO .............................. 37Bigtimer ................................................ 43North London Electric Open Day ......... 45

Ivans Lanc’ - Part 1 .............................. 57Middle Wallop 2003 ............................. 63Woburn Abbey 2003 ............................ 67Event Calendar ..................................... 70Technical Workshop details ................. 71For Sale / Wanted ................................. 74New to Electric Flight? Start Here ........ 76BEFA Sales ........................................... 78Advertisers Index ................................. 78

DISCLAIMERB.E.F.A. and Electric Flight U.K. wish to point out that the content, techniquesand opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the individual authors anddo not necessarily represent the views of either the Editor of this magazine orB.E.F.A. and its committee.All reasonable care is taken in the preparation and compilation of the magazine,but B.E.F.A. and its committee cannot be held liable for any error or omission inthe content of this magazine or any subsequent damage or loss arising howsoevercaused.To allow proper appreciation of the photographs used, colour copies of them willbe posted on the B.E.F.A. website after publication of this magazine. If you can,check them out at www.befa.org.uk

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BEFA Committee 2003/4Chairman Robert Mahoney

123 Lane End Road, High Wycombe, Bucks. HP12 4HFEMail: [email protected]

Secretary Peter Turner37 Church Street, Horsley, Derbyshire. DE21 5BQEmail: [email protected]

Membership Secretary David Andrews2 Gainsborough Road, Kibworth Harcourt, Leicester. LE8 0SGEmail: [email protected]

Treasurer Bob Smith1 Lynwood Avenue, Tollesby, Middlesborough, Cleveland. TS5 7PDEmail: [email protected]

Editor EF-UK Jan Bassett111 Plantagenet Chase, Yeovil, Somerset. BA20 2PRTel. 01935 472743, E-mail: [email protected]

EF-UK Printer Brian Boughton'Red Roofs', Vicarage Road, Thetford, Norfolk. IP24 2LH

Events Co-ordinator Terry Stuckey31 Dysart Avenue, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey. KT2 5QZEmail: [email protected]

Competition Secretary David Beavor34 Chestnut Close, Brampton, Huntingdon, Cambs.

Midlands Representative Roger Winsor14 Butler Gardens, Market Harborough, Leics. LE16 9LYEmail: [email protected]

Northern Representative Bob Smith, details as TreasurerSouthern Representative Dave Chinery

251 Station Road, Hayes, Middx. UB3 4JDEmail: [email protected]

South West Representative Jan Bassett, details as Editor EF-UKIndoor & Free-Flight Rep. Gordon Tarling

87 Cowley Mill Road, Uxbridge, Middx. UB8 2QDEmail: [email protected]

Technical Liaison Officer Alan Bedingham17 Highcliffe Close, Wickford, Essex. SS11 8JZEmail: [email protected]

Public Relations Officer Dave Perrett10 High Lees, Sharnford, Leicester. LE10 3PWTel: 01455 272297, Email: [email protected]

Webmaster Jan Bassett, details as Editor EF-UK - (www.befa.org.uk)Safety Adviser Stan Rose

Tel: 01636 525029, Email: [email protected] enclose an SAE with all correspondence to the committee.

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Chairman’s ChatterDear Members.Welcome to our autumn issue of your associations magazine. I hope you enjoyedthe fly-ins that your committee organised for you this year. I think the 2003Middle Wallop weekend was the best we have ever organised, and the e-mails thatI received after he event seems to agree with me! I received one from Jean-PaulSchlösser, Jepe, it said that the Middle Wallop event was the best event/flying theyhad ever been to, and what is the date of next year's event? My only answer to himis how do we make the event better than it is now. (I have one - that we do awaywith the All-Up-Last-Down to give the majority more flying time). If you have anyother ideas please let me know?Your committee had a meeting at the end of September and has asked me to do asmall piece on courtesy when flying in competitions. It seems that some competitorsleave their landing spots if they land early and walk back to there cars! We haveseen competitors walk in front and behind of the others still flying! This can putoff the other, especially if they are in the process of landing themselves! We nowask all competitors to stay on or near there landing spots till all competitors havelanded there aircraft.I hope to see you all at the Technical Workshop on the 2nd of November. That's allfor now so KEEP THE WATTS UP and SAFE FLYING!

Robert Mahoney

Current Linesfrom the Editor

Not much to say this time. Firstly, this issue was delayed slightly to allow moreinformation on the Technical Workshop to be included, but the next issue shouldstill be out before Christmas.I am just managing to find enough articles and photographs to fill each issue.However, it would be nice to have a small buffer of information to carry forwardto the next issue - just in case. Please let me have any articles, photographs andpertinent information you think might be of interest to some of the readers.I’d also like to make another appeal to manufacturers, wholesalers and retailersto let me know when you have something new to offer the readers. I spend a lot oftime trawling the ‘net’ to find new items, which the trade should already knowabout. The New-2-U section of the magazine is specifically designed to promotenew electric flight items and best of all IT’S FREE. Go on, do me a the readers afavour and let us know what new items we can (or will soon be able to) play with.

Jan Bassett

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New-2-UA Brief Round-up of New Items of Interest.

If you are a manufacturer or retailer that has something new they want toshare with the readers, please send details to the Editor (addresses on page 4).

First up this issue is a new electric helicopter.Ultimate Helicopters are pleased to announcethe new QWW (UK Spec) EP10 (10 cell)helicopter.The EP10 is a complete with a pitch range from-10° to +10° to provide a very stable power toload curve.Blade size is 440 mm, giving a 945 mm rotordiameter and the weight of the kit bare is 1kg.All side frames are precut to accept standardsize servos with the configurationset to CCPM.The motor mount is predrilled to accept 2different motor sizes with the recommendationbeing an Aveox 36/24/2 or equal.

Very few extras are available due to thehelicopters being mostly CNC Ali andnot needing upgrades, although an autorotation hub and 3-blade unit areavailable as optional extras.The RRP is £189.99+P&P for the kit.See www.ultimatehelicopters.co.ukor telephone 07989 738868 for furtherinformation.

The empty EP10 frame

Shown right with equipment fitted, andbelow ready to fly.

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The next new item is the Bob-E-Cat fromthe Electric Jet Factory (EJF). Theynormally don’t do things by halves, butin this case they have as there are 4versions of the model with wing spansof 45” (2 off), 33” and 23”.The model shown in all the photographson this page is the 45” wing span, 56” long composite version which has theoptional EJF retract system installed. This version has a moulded fuselage andnacelle, a CNC cut foam wing, with the remaining wooden parts being laser cut.To reduce the cost a completely laser cut version is also available in this size.

These two versions are designed for usewith 3½" (90mm) fans like the WeMoTecMidi Fan, Jepe, etc., powered by aHacker B50-18S, HP 290 or Mega motorwith 14 to 20 CP-1700 or 2400SCR cells.The model can also be bungee launchedif the optional fixed or retractableundercarriage is not fitted.The price of the composite version is$249.95 (US), and the laser cut versioncosts $149.95 (US).

The 33” span (40” long) and 23” span (30” long) versions are only available withall laser cut balsa and former parts and with a CNC cut foam wing. The 33”version is designed for use with 27/8" to 3" fans like the WeMoTec MiniFan 480 orHW-609, Kyosho, Wattage, etc. It can be hand or bungee launched or fitted withfixed gear or Robart 1/2A retracts. It requires aHacker B40-S, HP 200, Astro 05brushless or mini Mega motors and 10 to 12 cells of CP-1300 or CP-1700 type.The 23” span version is for use with 2" to 2½" fans like the WeMoTec Micro Fan,EDF 300, Vasa 55, etc. It features laser cut parts, foam wing and canopy. It isintende for hand or bungee launch onlyand not to have undercarriage.The 33” model sells for $109.95 (US),and the 23” version for $99.95 (US).The EJF air up/down retract system has2 main gear and 1 steering nose retractswith the tubing and struts. No tank,valve or filler adapters are included,Robart equipment is recommended. Theprice for the set is $139.95 (US)

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This is the 68” (172cm) span composite LearJet 31 from the EJF for 3½” (90mm) fanslike the WeMoTec Midi Fan.It has a composite epoxy fuselage andnacelles along with laser cut former parts,and a foam wing and surfaces.Capable of both bungee launch, fixed orretractable landing gear. This jet gives youreal presence at your flying field. Bring newexcitement to your field when your able toTaxi out, Takeoff, Fly your patterns, Landand Taxi back to your flight line.The pictures show the EJF retract system(shown on the previous page) installed.Suggested motors are the Hacker B50-18S,HP 290 or Mega motors and from 14 to 20CP-1700 or 2400SCR cells.The price for the kit is: $795.95 (US)

Another new EJF offering is an all laser-cut F-4 Phantom II designed by DarenSavage with kit design by EJF.The kit includes all laser cut balsa andformer parts and a CNC cut foam wing.The model has a 29" (73.6cm) wing spanand 49" (124.5cm) overall length.It is designed for use with 27/8" to 3" (7.3 to7.6cm) fans like the WeMoTec MiniFan 480or HW-609, Kyosho, Wattage, etc.It can be hand or bungee launched withoutundercarriage or can have optional fixedor Robart 1/2A retractable gear.Price : 129.95 US$More information on sny of these EJFproducts, see their website www.ejf.com,email [email protected] or telephone USA+1 520 579 5609.

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The EJF F-15 eagle kit has a 35" (89cm)wing span. The kit includes laser cut balsafuselage, formers and tail surfaces, wire cutfoam wings, foam nose and vacuum formedcanopy and tail-pipe. Controls are taileronsand throttle.A bungee is required for no gear or dollylaunches, however, fixed or retractablelanding gear is recommended. This jet givesyou real presence at your flying fieldespecially when fitted with retracts.Designed for the 3.5" (90mm) EDF unitslike the WeMoTec Midi Fan.All laser cut with similar construction asour popular EJF KC F-18 kit. The picturesshow the EJF retract system installed.Recommended motors are Hacker B50-18S,HP 290 or Mega with 14 to 20 CP-1700 or2400SCR cells.Price : $149.95 (US)

The final model from EJF is the F-106 Delta Dart.The original design was by Dan Savage and kitdesign by EJF. The F-106 has a 29" (74cm) wingspan and a 49" (124cm) overall length.The kit includes all laser cut balsa and formerparts and features a fully built-up structure.It is sized for use with 27/8" to 3" fans like theMiniFan 480, HW-609, Kyosho, Wattage, etc.It can be hand or bungee launched withoutundercarriage or fitted with fixed gear or Robart1/2A retracts. Price : $129.95 (US)

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Above and left are the two versions ofthe GWS EDF-64 fan units, which willbe available soon.The GW/EDF64-150 as shown top left(with motor, black duct (for EM150motor), rotor and adaptor), weighs 67g(2.4 oz.) with connector & capacitors.The GW/EDF64-300H (gray duct forEM300H motor) weighs 73g (2.6 oz.)with connector & capacitors.The retail price is not yet known, butshould be as competitve as normal.

The following table gives the stated performance figures:

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Next this issue is anaddition to the Roadkillseries of models from D JAerotech, a Ryan PT-16. Itis reported that the overallhandling and general "feel"is similar to a .40 sizedsport model (Editor:whatever that is). It hasflown successfully indoorsin a basketball court, butits more at home as abackyard or park flyer.As with the other Roadkill Series models, construction is laser-cut balsa and thinply, and assembly is very very quick. A reasonably experienced builder should beable to finish it in a weekend. The kit includes instructions for covering theunderside of the wing for better top speed and inverted performance for moreadvanced aerobatics and for park flying in more wind. If the builder desires, therudder can use an independent servo for more elaborate aerobatics.The specification is 28.1” (714mm) wing span, 20.2” (513mm) long, a 4½ to 5½oz. (127 to 156g) flying weight, 2 or 3 servos, and 2 or 3 Li-Poly 700mAh cells (orsuitable NiMH pack). Required equipment: Lightweight servos like the Pico, MX-30 or HS-50, a light-weight receiver, such as the GWS-R4P, an ESC with BEC (egCastle Creations "Pixie 7P"), 7 cell NiMH or 2 or 3 cell Li-Poly Battery pack.Electric (MPS-2A) motor with gear reduction, propeller and spinner included!Highly prefabricated using laser cut wood parts for an accurate fit giving veryshort building times! Price for the kit: $59.95 (US)3 or 4 functions: Throttle, Rudder, Aileron and Elevator (Rudder can be coupled

to the Aileron servo or a separateservo). Complete and accurateplans and building instructions!There are now 19 models in theRoadkill range in 3 groups:World War I: Sopwith F1 Camel,Fokker DR-1 Triplane, CurtissJN-4 JennyWorld War II: Boeing B-17,Curtiss Warhawk, MitsubishiA6M2 Zero, Mitsubishi A6M5Zero, Vought F4U Corsair,Lockheed P-38 Lightning,

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Messerschmitt BF-109G, Douglas Skytrain, Supermarine Spitfire Mk 1, NorthAmerican P-51 Mustang, Ryan PT-16.Civilian Series: Lockheed Electra, Dougles DC-3, Curtiss Jenny, Piper J3 Cub,Ryan ST, Curtiss Junior.To compliment the aircraft, DJ Aerotech have introduced 2 and 3 cell LithiumPolymer packs in 250mAh, 700mAh and 1200mAh capacities.

More information on the whole Roadkill range of model aircraft, battery packsand chargers is available from:

www.djaerotech.comemail [email protected]

Telephone: USA +1 937 773 6672

Phil Dorren of Spot On R/C Aircraft is now able to supply the model flyer with theexcellent Sakura range of batteries at very competitive prices.The range includes Rx & Tx packs in various capacities and voltages, powerpacks from 550 mAh to 3000 mAh Sub-C's (coming soon 3300mAh) and gel cells aswell. Examples:-

Rx 4.8V 550mAh AAA NiMH 50g £5.50Rx 6.0V 1000mAh AA NiCd 130g £8.00

E.F.-U.K. 13

Power packs7.2V 1700mAh Sub-C NiCd £11.007.2V 2100mAh Sub-C NiCd £14.009.6V 2100mAh Sub-C NiCd £18.007.2V 3000mAh Sub-C NiMH £20.00

This is just a small sample of the range, please contact them for further details.Electric Moonraker gets a nose jobOur original Vacuum former has closed down and while all the tooling is backwith us we have decided to refine some of the aspects of the electric design.Feed back from some flyers indicated that the battery box area could get verycramped with certain controllers and that with certain lighter new motors theyhad difficulty getting the C of G in the right position.So we have designed a new longer cowl and motor mounting system for bothversions of the electric Moonraker. This gives much more flexibility with positioningof battery packs for C of G and leaving room with most motors, for the speedcontroller to be fitted on the motor mount under the cowl directly in the airflow.

Older Electric Moonrakers can beupdated with the new motor mountand cowl if the flyer wishes. Theopportunity has also been takenwith more space around the batterycompartment to improve thebattery box shape.The new cowl has also had the effectof enhancing the existing sleekdesign, just look at the photo.Prices are unchanged, for more infoplease contact Spot On.

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Spot On R/C Aircraft are releasing electric versions of the Howard Metcalf designedVendetta and Chandelle. They are available as you read this press release. Ofcourse if you wish to have the old versions of these models they are still available.The modifications for electric have been done with the intention of keeping theexcellent flying characteristics of these models. They are designed around thenewly available outrunner style motors which can turn a reasonable size prop ona sensible number of cells. This keeps the weight down to around the same as theoriginal i.c. versions; keeping the full aerobatic repertoire of the original models.Motors recommended for these models are Twister 19 or 29, AXI 4120 series (youwill need a different motor mount) and Flyware 325. If you wish to use a differenttype of motor to these you will have to satisfy yourself that it is up to therequirements of the model.The supplied battery compartment is easily reachable without having to take thewings off and can take up to 24 cells, but with the above mentioned motors I feelthat you will not need to go above 14-16 cells for sparkling performance.For those of you who have not been fortunate enough to have acquaintance withthese models before here is a recap of the specifications:-

Robust quick build pre-joined ABS fuselage with colour cost options forother than whiteFoam veneer wingsPre-shaped tailplaneSupplied with all fittings(all you need is glue, wing coverings along with radio, motor & batteries).

Chandelle72" (183cm) span 5-7 lbs (2¼ - 3¼kg) weight depending on engine/motor. Smoothprecision aerobatic aircraft that with the rates set-up properly could be your firstlow wing aircraft and keep you entertained for years (I have had requests for

The Chandelle Electric with coloured fuselage

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The Vendetta electric with coloured fuselage optionreplacement aircraft from flyers who have been regularly flying their Chandellesfor over 8 years).The Chandelle Electric is £106.00 +P&P, fuselage colour option +£10.00Vendetta60" (152cm) span 5 - 6.5 lbs (2¼ - 3kg) weight depending on engine/motor. Formore aggressive aerobatics but still with that safe solid flying on rails feeling.The Vendetta Electric is £101.00 +P&P, fuselage colour option +£10.00

This shows the extremely neat looking battery pack access hatch and tray arrangementin the top of the motor cowling (Editor: if only other electric model manufacturers gave

battery access anywhere near this much thought.)

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Twisters come to Great BritainSpot On R/C Aircraft are now sellingthe Twister range of brushless motors,which work on the LRK principle, thesemotors are reaching efficiencies between89% and 90%.The Twister 19 it can be used on 7 - 14cells or up to 16 cells with helicopters.Depending on the number of cells usedthe output is the equivalent to a 2-strokeof .30 - .46 cu.in. Rated for an output of450W continuous and 650W for short bursts. The current rating is 30A continousand 45A intermittent. The KV is 1000 rpm/volt at 4° timing and 1100 rpm/volt at30° timing. The motor body is 44mm diameter by 43mm long and weigha 170g.The Twister 29 can be used on 10 - 20 cells or 24 up to with helicopters. Using 18cells is equivalent to a .90 cu.in. 4-stroke, 20 cells is equal to a .70 cu.in. 2-stroke.It has a rated output of 660W continuous and 900W for short bursts. The currentrating is 30A continuous and 45A intermittent. KV= 600 rpm/volt at 4° timingand 660 rpm/volt at 30° timing. This motor is the same diameter (44mm) but48mm long and weighs 230g.Spot On also sell a speed controller to go with these motors. This is the auto set-up Flash K2 40/60 with adjustable timing, 6 - 18 cells Opto or 7 - 12 cells BEC.The following is a small sample of results from a French magazine.Twister 19 Prop 10” x 7” 8 cells 8000 rpm 21A

12 cells 10300 rpm 35AProp 12” x 7” 8 cells 7300 rpm 26A


12 cells 8100 rpm 46ATwister 29 Prop 11” x 7” 16 cells 9200 rpm 22A




12 cells 7600 rpm 21AAs you can see these motors have excellent flexibility and performance.

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Prices: Twister 19 £75.00Twister 29 £95.00Flash K2 40/60 £75.00

For more information on any of the Spot On R/C Aircraft products, please contactthem Phil Dorren at:

Address: Spot On R/C Aircraft, Treetops Cottage,Week st Mary, Holsworthy, Devon, EX22 6UH

Tel: 01288 341117Email: [email protected]

Readers' ModelsYour chance to show the members your model(s).

This is Joel Trotter (15), who builds & flies these small aerobatic foamies whichweigh around 10 oz. (280g) with 2/3 serovs. He has been flying electric models &gliders since he was 10. He is working on a school GCSE project on electric flight

Information on new electric flight products is included in the New-2-U sectionof EF-UK free of charge as a service for the readers.If you are an electric flight manufacturer or retailer and have a productsyou would like included in the New-2-U section, please inform the Editorusing the contact details listed on page 4.

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The pictures on this page areof Mike Pirie’s hovercraft,which is based on the NickHughes plan given away freein EF-UK issue 67.It is 700mm (~27½”) long and360mm (~14”) wide andweighs 2.55kg (90 oz.).It has 2 Ripmax Lightspeed600 8.4v motors each drivinga Graupner 8” x 4” Slimpropand it is powered by 2 x 6Sanyo RC-3000s.He says it is incredible fun onwater, with a good top speed& quite controllable during“skidding” turns.Unfortunately Mike has beenbanned from the local boatclub after hitting and sinkinga model boat!

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Above is Mike Moore’s Luscombe Monoprep 218. His interest in Monopreps andother Folkerts/Luscombe planes was fired by an article in an old copy of ModelAirplane News. I was lucky to find a copy of the book "Visions of Luscombe, Theearly Years", shown in the photo as it's now out of print, but if anyone is interestedI know of a source for possibly the last one or two copies. (If you are interested,please contact the Editor who will put you in touch with Mike)The model has a span of 60” (152cm) and a chord of 10” (25cm). The radio systemis Fleet micro and it has rudder, elevator and two aileron servos. Power is from aHacker B40-10L motor with 4:1 gearbox a Schulze Future 45-BO controller and10 Sanyo RC-2400 cells, with a 11” x 7” propeller. The flying weight is stated as82½oz. (2.3kg) and the current draw 22A static.The covering is Oracover (aka Profilm) and the lettering is Solartrim, with a pilotfrom Pete's Pilots. The undercarriage is working more or less like the real thing.This is the last plane Mike built and was finished last season. It has just beenrepaired following an unfortunate first flight due to an unnoticed wing warp.Unfortunately, due to a combination of illness and very windy weather, the secondattempt at a maiden flight has not yet been accomplished but it shouldn't be long.Mike started flying electric in the early 80s, graduating from gliders in frustrationat rarely getting a favourable wind direction at the flying site, never having beenan oily motor fan and was the only electric flyer in our club at the time. I'm stilloutnumbered in terms of total club members but there are often more electricfliers than i.c. at our meets now.

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Above and below are the Hobby Lobby Sortakhoi ARTF (Su-27 lookalike) of BillMcLeod. Powered by a Jeti "Phasor" 15/3 brushless motor with Jeti controller, a 8cell 1200 SCR NiCd and 6½” x 4” CAM propeller. Reasonable performance, big jetlike loops but can be flown at a medium walking pace and stops in 4 ft on grass.There is no problem with hand launching despite pusher propeller.

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Above is Bill McLeod’s indoor Hergt Monoplane. It has a 32” (81cm) span and is poweredby a geared .250 motor.

Below is an Bill McLeod model, a Simprop Taube ARTF, which uses a geared 250motor and 7 cells. It has a flying weight of 10 oz. (285g) and flies very slowly.

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Both photographs on this page and the one at the top of the next page tell thestory of Bill McLeod’s Four-Star 40 (well it was to start with). Bill says he crashedthe model due to pilot error, rebuilding it with a VMAR chipmunk wing. It it fittedwith an AXI 2820/12, an APC-E 10” x 7” propeller and 14 x 200mAh cells. Itweighs 5 lb. 11 oz. (2.6kg). Bill says that although he is rubbish at building, he’snot bad at rebuilds. p.s. Piper Cub rebuild on the way!!!

E.F.-U.K. 23

Below is Bill McLeod’s Elfi from FVK. It is an ARTF and weighs 15 oz. (425g). Ithas a geared 300 with 7 x 500AR. It is a very strong model and flies really wellwith the duation up to 14 mins on 500ARs!!!!!

24 E.F.-U.K.

Bill McLeod’s final model of this issue is his Comper Swift. It was fitted withMaxcim motor and gearbox, 24 x 2000 cells with a 16” x 10” APC-E prop. TheAUW is nearly 14½lbs (6.5kg). The test flight resulted in very slow, wrong side ofthe drag curve, flight. The model was landed safely and sold model to a modellerwho will put a glow back into it. Subsequent Bill found black wire corrosion onthe black battery lead resulting in a max of 20A to motor. Changed wires andrechecked and got 37Amps. So should really have persevered.

Pico-Stick was all that Mike Christensen could get in the car when the familtywent on holiday, but he managed several idyllic flights on the shore at sunset.Wide open sands with no-onw around - Wales in August!

E.F.-U.K. 25

An Electric Conversionby John Norman

This isn’t about the type of conversion you are used to seeing in these pages: nota P.S.S. to electric or I.C. to electric conversion, more an “on the road to Damascus”type of conversion.Last summer I was out for an afternoon’s gliding with my mate, Paul. Between uswe had three models. However, owing to foolish oversights, none turned out to beflyable.“Well”, said Paul, “that’s it we’ve nothing to fly.” I hesitated and then said, “Well,I do have one more in the car, only it’s electric.” Paul gave me a pained look.Now, Paul is what you might call a “gliding purist”. Although a life-longaeromodeller with knowledge and practical experience of most aspects of the hobbyhis maturity has brought a narrow-minded intolerance of any model which relieson anything other than gravity for its motive power.Top of Paul’s hate list are “those electric Zagi things” closely followed by ARTFelectric gliders – “look at it. Goes straight up and comes straight down!” Hedisapproves of models which don’t look like “real” aeroplanes and even eschewsthe use of bungees and catapults – “you don’t need that. Just chuck it off.”

John's first West Wings RF4 proved something of a revelation for at least one of ourbrethren! Span is 1500 mm (59”) and controls are rudder and elevator. Power is

geared 480 motor with 8 x 1300 NIMH cells, weighs 31 oz. (880g)

26 E.F.-U.K.

So you’ll understand why I got the pained look. We went back to the car park,however, and got the model out. “That looks a bit like the Fournier,” said Paul.Now Paul was a professional pilot with thousands upon thousands of hours onhis log and had actually flown a Fournier motor glider. “It’s a semi-scale RF4,” Isaid. I detected a glimmer of interest. “Oh, we might as well fly it then.”As we walked down to the patch I explained that it would effectively be a maidenflight. I’d had the model for about five years but it had crashed on its first flightand, although I had repaired it, I hadn’t got round to trying it out again.So we put the power pack in, checked it over and Paul gave me a nice steadylaunch. I sensed that he was impressed by the climb-out. “That reminds me of aChipmunk,” he said. I throttled back and did a circuit. Paul remarked how well itbanked and turned with just rudder-elevator controls. Could it maintain levelflight on half-throttle? Yes, it could. Get height and try the glide? No problem.“Look, you’re in lift! Now wind her round and you’re away!” A powered loop?“Keep it big and reduce power at the top.” Try a landing circuit? “Now throttleback, say 25%, and pull back on the stick. See how she slows down? Now hold thespeed. OK, go round again and bring her in like that.” I should have mentionedthat Paul is a qualified BMFA power examiner - useful to have at your elbowduring a test flight.

An RF4 variant - short wing with full span ailerons which is interchangeable with thestandard 1500 mm wing.

E.F.-U.K. 27

The flight had lasted a good half-hour. The inquisition which followed lasted longer!Was the model one of my own? No, it was from the West Wings kit. Where did I getit? Hillcott at the Sandown show, but Gliders, S.M.C. and other model shopssupplied them. How much? Still around £40 I thought. What was the kit like?First-class. Good wood, accurately CNC cut parts, excellent full-size plan etc.Warmly recommended. Could you modify it for ailerons? Definitely, drop the dihedrala bit and put a couple of 9gm servos in the wing.Various other mods were possible: I’d beefed mine up a bit and fitted a 480 motor,rather than a 400, together with a mini Olympus gearbox and a 9” x 6” propeller.I’d also arranged for the power pack to go in the canopy area to avoid having toremove the wing for pack changes.What about the battery? I gave a little tutorial on NiCds and NiMHs, explainingthat the good duration we achieved had a lot to do with the 8 x 1300mAh NiMHpack that I was using. Where did I get them? How do you charge them? And so onand so forth.

John's recently completed second West Wings RF4 has ailerons and letter box airbrakes,Pro 480 and Mini Olympus gearbox, 9 x 7 aeronaut folding prop and 9 x 1300 NIMH

cells. Weighs 33 oz. Held by wife, Sue, who also flies.

28 E.F.-U.K.

uzzflight167 Duffield Road, Derby. DE22 1AJTelephone: 01332 601693Email: [email protected]: www.buzzflight.co.uk

Hummingbirdthe definitive control-line trainer - ideal for youngsters

Deluxe Kit - complete with motor, propeller, prop. adapter, spinner, wheels, balsa,u/c wire, control-line / power wire, on-off switch, battery connectors, sundries,building instructions & full-size plan, bellcrank and control handle. The onlyother items needed are the covering and a 12v 7AH battery. £39.99 + £2.50 P&P.Standard Kit - contains balsa, u/c wire, control-line / power wire, on-off switch,battery connectors, sundries, building instructions & full-size plan, bellcrank andcontrol handle. Again the covering and a 12v 7AH battery are not included. £24.99+ £2.50 P&P.Plans & Instructions - £7.99 including P&P, add £5.99 for control-line / powerwire and switch. Please contact us for Overseas prices.Please make cheques payable to Buzzflight and allow 14 days for delivery.

The next evening Paul phoned. He wanted Overlander’s web site and details of thepack I was using. That morning he had bought a speed 400, a gearbox, a speedcontroller and an RF4 kit and already had nearly finished the fuselage. I put thephone down wondering if eating one’s words gave one indigestion!By the time we next met, Paul’s RF4 had become his 1st-choice model. “You know,my Flamingo and Alpina are alright but I much prefer my RF4!” His other flyingbuddies, although privately both incredulous and amused, have been very niceand not teased him at all, even when he’s tried to persuade them to get an RF4.When talking about religious mania, experts say that the converts are the worst.I suspect that applies to our pastime as well. Paul now has several RF4s – a veryaerobatic version with a shortened wing and one or two with stretched wings, onewith a stretched fuselage, one with two motors, all in addition to his first more orless standard version. All have ailerons and most fly impressively.He has made an electric Cub and an Speed 400 twin. Recently, he has beenconsulting me about a D.H. Dragon Rapide biplane. What did I think of a 60" spanscratch-built version with two Speed 600s? I said it would make an excellentwinter project – but I’d go for a couple of brushless out-runners. “You know;” hereplied, “the old Rapide was super to fly. I reckon I’d really enjoy flying a model ofher. Yes, yes, a project for the winter.” - WATCH THIS SPACE!

E.F.-U.K. 29

The Making of Sally Bby Ivan Goodchild

Born on the 19th June 1945, B-17G registration number 44-85784 was ferriedacross the Atlantic by Ted White and Don Bullock of Euroworld Ltd on the 15thMarch 1975. In the original colours of the 749th Bombardment wing 457thSquadron based at Glatton, Sally B had arrived. Known to many as the Sound ofFreedom this very special lady is now over 50 years old and arguably the mostfamous war plane of all time - the flying fortress.Now under the watchful eye of Ellinor Sallingboe, and based at the Imperial WarMuseum Duxford, Sally B still carries the starboard inner cowl black and yellowchequered markings - Ted Whites trade mark.

Powered by 4 Wright R-1820-97 Cyclone Radial Engines, each developing1200 HP at 15000ft. (895kW at 4575m)Max Speed 287 mph (460 kph)Cruise 150 mph (240 kph)Empty Weight 36135 lb. (16.4t)Gross weight 65500 lb. (29.7t)Wingspan 104.9 ft (32.0m)length 74.4 ft (22.7m)Height 19.2ft (5.9m)

Having made several large scale electric models Sally B beckoned for our attention- to be scratch built to 1/10th scale exact copy of Sally B.

First the designReaders of Bob Boucher's article "understanding Scale speed" gives a set of formulawhich if followed will ensure that any scale model will fly scale - a prerequisite ofSally B - Astroflight's website (www.astroflight.com) has all of the formula.The initial design calculations worked out as follows:

Scale weight 36 lbs. (16.3kg)Wing area 14.2 sq. ft. (132 dm2)Wing Loading 40.6 ozs./sq. ft. (123 g/dm2)Wing Span 10’ 4½” (3.2m)Fuselage length 7’ 5” (2.3m)Fin Height above ground 1’ 11” (0.6m)Scale Props 12” x 8” 3-bladedScale Speed Max 47 mph (76 kph)Motor Power (each) 0.6 HP Max. (450W)Motor RPM 6500Thrust 5.0 lbs per motor (22N)

30 E.F.-U.K.

As the thrust to weight ratio would be the same as that of the real B-17 it standsthat the take off run, climb and overall performance would be the same. i.e. scalespeed and scale time and distance, climb angle etc. It also meant that we could flywith good penetration in the predominantly 15 - 20 Knot winds we experience inEast Anglia.We now turned our attention to the motors, and following discussion with GordonTarling and several runs on MotoCalc, we settled on Plettenburg HP290/30/13Tmotors being high torque, low rpm around 7000. Each of these being powered by16 cells drawing a maximum of 25A static. Off-loading to around 15A in the airwhilst delivering some 640W of power with over 5 lbs of thrust.This gave a total thrust for take off of 20 lbs. + (55% of model weight) with apower rating of 70W per lb. Clearly more than sufficient power to fly the model.Power being in the hands of the user. So with no gear boxes the 12” x 8” 3-bladedpropellers could be used keeping in scale.Another golden rule is that the weight of the batteries and motor should not beexceeded by the weight of the airframe. With 16 x 3000mAh cells per motor thisgave around 13lbs. of battery and approx. 3 lb. of motors. Our airframe wouldtherefore have to be built for a maximum of 20lbs.We decided to locate the outer motor batteries in their nacelles but due to thelocation of the undercarriage retract system and the wheels when raised, theinner batteries had to go in the fuselage in front of the main spar. This provided

The wing structure awaiting the underside sheeting

E.F.-U.K. 31

the ideal solution to balancing the CofG as we could move the battery tray alongthe long nose section until we balanced. One does not have to move 6 lbs. ofbatteries very far to alter the balance.Each motor would be controlled by a separate Schultz 40A Opto controller, andthe following radio and servo system was designed:

ServosRudderElevatorTailwheel SteeringAileronsBomb DoorsBomb ReleaseFlapsAir Retracts

RadioMain 9 channel Futaba PCMBack Up 5 Channel PCM

BatteriesReceiver Main 6v back up 4.8vOpto Servos 6vLanding Lights 3vUndercarriage

A good view of the main leg retract system

32 E.F.-U.K.

For such a weight the undercarriage had to be scale and we designed one based onthe Unitracts Oleo leg with adjustable spring tension for 15 kg loading. The restof the unit we made ourselves to lift the 6" diameter wheels up into the nacelles.No B-17 ever had both wheels lifting symmetrically as it depended on the oilpressure in each ram. Robart 30 lb. cylinders were fitted in the front of the innernacelles to lift the gear using a ROM air system pressurized at 100 psi (6.9 bar).Flaps, landing lights, bomb doors and bomb releases making up the full complementof system operations.

ConstructionA jig was made for both wings to give a 3° washout as well as camber for the A-frame wing. The inner ribs were made in 3mm liteply with the outer section in3mm balsa. The main spar was ½” x ¼” spruce top and bottom with 3mm balsavertical webbing.The flap mechanism was designed around a 3mm brass tube used as a torque roddriven by 2 6 kg servos. The set up of the mechanism had to be perfect so that theflaps closed correctly into the underside of the wing with no over travel. The flapsoperate to 60°.

The gear down and locked

E.F.-U.K. 33

Each aileron has its own servo and operated from different channels so that fulldifferential could be set, given the large wing area.Motor mounts are made of 3mm hard ply to take the Plettenberg motors, andspeed controller, with the inners also accommodating the undercarriage air rams.The cowls allowed full air cooling through to both.The undercarriage construction is best seen from the photographs. Operated viaa Robart valve system, powered from a mini servo.The retractable tail wheel is also connected to the air system with a steerableservo coupled to the rudder. The use of two separate servos allows the tail wheelto move a smaller degree to the large movement of the rudder. We did not want toground loop the B-17.The fuselage is standard construction using 3mm formers with 1/16” sheet cover.The top section over the bomb bay and cockpit areas is removable to allow accessto battery and control systemsThe elevator has two servos mechanically linked so that if one fails or the modelenters a steep dive there is sufficient torque to pull out. All flying surfaces are fullhinge with multiple support.The turrets are made of blue foam or vacuum formed from hardwood plugs.

The tail wheel retract unit with suspension

34 E.F.-U.K.

FinishingThe entire model is covered in 27 g/m2 lightweight CT500 glass cloth fromCherbourg Models with just one coating of resin. This resin has to be appliedfairly quickly but does leave an excellent finish and is ding proof.The green paint scheme is Olive Drab with duck egg blue under. The stars andbars are also spray finished with masks computer generated and cut. Nose artand lettering is also computer generated.

FlyingWith a main and back up transmitter at the ready and a 10 Kont head wind wedecided it was time for the first flight and just one circuit. The result.Yes she flies, no she is not a glider. Take off is true scale gently opening thethrottle and the 4 motors drive the 12” x 8” 3-bladed propellers in sync. The tailcomes up in about 15 ft. and although it would appear that the take of run is long,it isn't, it is scale, we must remember we are not flying a single engine 10 lb.aerobat.Gently easing up the elevator and off she came keeping the nose down to pick upairspeed, retracts up so that if we had a problem we could land on her belly

The bomb bay doors and one of the servos

E.F.-U.K. 35

without ripping out the bottom. A touch of right rudder kept her tracking straightas we climbed gently to about 100ft then put her in the circuit. With muchadjustment of the trims we managed to get here reasonably balanced.Top rudder needed on the turns and with gentle bank action needed she neededflying like a 1/4 scale cub to keep her in balance. Cruise was on 1/3 throttle about15A per motor. We turned onto base leg selected 5% flaps - with caution - and thenturned onto finals a long approach was considered prudent and with much use ofthrottle and rudder control and patience we got her to fly in a not so straight line,needing a slight drop in throttle after the flair and she was down.With her wing area she does float even at 36lbs AUW. but not far. Not a perfectflight, a study of the trims indicated we needed to readjust the CofG as she was alittle nose heavy and mechanically adjust all of the controls to return them toneutral.Subsequently we have carried out a number of flight tests to find out the flyingcharacteristics, each one resulting in a number of small adjustments. Flight timesare 8 - 10 mins depending on the wind.Would we do it again.

Yes but next something a little different - a 1/10th scale A10.

The B-17G, “Sally B”, ready for the off

36 E.F.-U.K.

A couple more shots of the B-17G, “Sally B”. It really does look realistic.

E.F.-U.K. 37

TLC From Your TLOby Alan Bedingham

Over the eighteen months I've been doing this job, I've had quite a few membersasking for help with interference problems they've had and the interchange ofinformation has thrown up a fair list of fixes.So I thought that this time I'd run through what we'd all learned along the way.You never know, it might be you next! I'll break it down into three categories :-1 The radio link2 Installation3 Suppression

The Radio LinkThere's not a lot of point chasing round looking for faults in your plane unless theradio is performing at it's best so let's start with the transmitter.A lot of you fly oily fans as well as electric models so the first thing to check isyour transmitter. This sounds daft but let me explain. My flying buddies are alloily fan drivers and are a very friendly bunch, they even tolerate this loony whoonly flies electrics.Often they offer me a go of their 'planes and I always refuse. Why? It's not mebeing snobbish, it's just that their transmitters are always covered in oil and Ihave to dig out my spray bottle of soapy water to wash my hands afterwards sothat my transmitter doesn't get covered in oil.That oil gets everywhere, including the telescopic antenna of the transmitter. Itthen collects dust and dirt and gradually the continuity of the antenna isdowngraded, effectively making it shorter.Extend your antenna, grab a clean cloth soaked in methylated spirit and give theantenna a wipe. I bet it comes away black with dirt! Retract the antenna, extendit again and give it another wipe. Keep going until the cloth comes away clean.If you've had your set for a few years, think about investing in a new antenna, it'llonly cost you about a tenner, well worth it for peace of mind. I've seem some thatare so battered and tatty that I wouldn't use them as drain rods!If your transmitter has a plug in RF module, pull it out every now and then andhave a look at the connecting pins, corrosion can build up here if it never getsmoved. The same applies to the crystal, especially if you fly on the same frequencyall the time.Don't try to scrape the pins clean, you'll remove the conductive plating with thedirt, get some contact cleaner spray (Maplins, Radiospares), spray it on and insert

38 E.F.-U.K.

and remove a couple of times, that should do the trick.The same applies to the receiver crystal, but more important is to realise that,with receivers, you get what you pay for. A twenty five quid miniature receiverwill be nowhere near as good as a forty quid one from a reputable manufacturer.Good in this sense means selectivity (picking out your signal from all the others),range and interference rejection. You simply cannot buy a silk purse for sow's earmoney. I cannot stress this point enough, many of the puzzling interferenceproblems members have had disappeared when they invested in a decent receiver.OK, it may be a bit bigger and heavier but it's worth it. By better I don't meanPCM or dual conversion. PCM just masks the problem until it becomes terminaland you get a hole in the ground.Dual conversion is just a way of getting over the potential problem of someonebeing twenty three channels below you and swamping your IF. A decent modernsingle conversion receiver will take this in it's stride, I use nothing but singleconversion and have never had this problem.Treat your crystals with care, they are surprisingly delicate if mishandled andcan drift off frequency if they're bashed around. I read of a case of one pilot whosmashed three models before a frequency check at a flyin revealed that histransmitter crystal had drifted.Flight line discipline is important too, make sure you know if anyone is on anadjacent channel to you and stand next to them if you're both flying at the sametime, even good receivers aren't perfect and will be swamped by a powerful signalon an adjacent channel.If anyone wanders out on to the patch to recover their 'plane with a transmitter intheir hand inform them politely that this not a terribly good idea, especially ifthey want to walk home on two unbroken legs.

InstallationWe electric fliers are worse off than the oily fan drivers simply because we'recarrying around our own personal interference sources in the 'plane and theywon't go away. I'm talking about motors, speed controllers and battery wiring.The motor is obvious, suppression can help here - see later.Speed controllers are less obvious. Most speed controllers nowadays have somesort of computer in them running at several MHz and that produces high frequency(electrical) noise. Not only that, they're busily chopping up the high motor currentinto square waves that are notorious for producing high frequency noise.This applies to brushed and brushless controllers with, if anything, the brushlesscontrollers being the worst, at least a brushed controller on full throttle doesn'thave to do any chopping of the motor current. This explains why the worst case

E.F.-U.K. 39

for motor interference is often at half to three quarter throttle, lots of chopping,lots of current.This noise can easily be in the same band as we're using for the radio link, and tocap it all, the wires going to the motor and the battery make pretty good antennas.As far as the receiver is concerned, it's like you trying to listen to the telly while'er indoors is blathering about the new sofa she wants.The further away you can get the receiver from the noise, the better. (Maybe itwould be a good idea to buy a bigger sofa!) The best possible layout is, from thefront of the 'plane :-

MotorSpeed ControllerFlight BatteryServosReceiver and it's battery

Here's a picture of two of my 'planes that show the best possible layout - note thatthe receiver and it's battery are just visible in the rear cockpit fairing.

Almost as good is the setup in my Bristol M1C at the top of the next page.

40 E.F.-U.K.

Not quite as good is the installation in the Silent Dream, I was compromised bythe need to get at the receiver easily to plug in the wing servos. The receiverbattery in this case is behind the servos on an extension of the servo mountingplate. Note also the ferrite ring around the servo leads, needed whether it's anelectric 'plane or not to stop the long servo leads acting as an antenna and upsettingthe receiver.Some gliders have servos right in the tail for rudder and elevator (or vee tail) andthese are a particular problem since their leads will run parallel to the antenna.Experience has shown that using twisted leads and a ferrite ring close to thereceiver can help a lot.A glider with four servos in the wing and two in the tail and carbon tows in thefuselage is definitely the worst case and you may have to faff around trying differentruns for the antenna until you find one that gives good range.

E.F.-U.K. 41

A pretty awful example is the setup in my Pondside, here the receiver is surroundedby high current power wiring and the antenna has to run past the speed controllerand the battery on it's way out.The only way I could get reasonable range was to make up a vertical whip antennafrom a snake inner and run the antenna through it. Ugly, but it works!Unfortunately, a lot of Speed 400 size models have horrible layouts like this andare often fitted with small, cheap receivers in an attempt to save weight.Sometimes you get away with minor glitching because they don't fly very faraway, more often they go in. The sad part is that these models are often the onesthat oily fan drivers buy thinking that they're a cheap way to try electrics. Anotherpotential convert gone.

One other point you may have noticed is that there's not much power wiringfloating around. This is because my battery packs always have very short (20-30mm) leads, not the usual 100-150mm they're generally supplied with.Two reasons - one, the less the tangle of wiring , the less the electrical noise - two,if you're using gold bullet connectors, it's possible, if you're distracted, or a bitcareless, to connect the two battery connectors to each other. The first hint willbe the smell of burning fingers as the battery does it's best to turn it's wires intoelectric fire elements, the second will be the cells themselves exploding.What's really nasty about this scenario is that by the time you've realised whatyou've done, the wires are glowing red hot and there's no way you can pull themapart again! All you can do is watch as your beloved toy gets destroyed. It soundsunlikely but, I can assure you, it has happened!

42 E.F.-U.K.

While I'm talking about connectors, those dreadful Tamiya connectors that batterypacks always seem to be supplied with can cause problems too. They seem to loseconductivity in a surprisingly short time and get in a state where they look allright but are only making intermittent contact. You can imagine the sort of glitchesthis can cause if you're using the speed controller's BEC to power the receiver!

SuppressionMost good quality brushed motors come with the suppression components alreadyfitted, not so the typical can motors that most of us use. In general, any capacitoris better than none, but I use a set of values that apparently are optimum forsuppression at 35MHz.They are 0.47 mF (marked 474, Maplin part no RA52G) across the terminals and.047 mF (marked 473, Maplin part no RA47D) from the terminals to the can.The 10:1 ratio is important as is the type of capacitor -- they need to work well athigh frequencies for best results. They're also small and a pretty blue colour (!).Don't forget to secure the bodies of the capacitors to the motor with (say) a dab ofEvostick otherwise vibration can fracture their wires and cause mysteriousintermittent interference with associated brown trouser moments. Don't ask howI know! Below is a picture of a typical installation on a 480 motor.

You may well still get a fair amount of noisefrom these cheap motors, even with capacitorsfitted.They come from the factory timed at neutral(i.e. they'll run equally well in either direction)so they'll spark at the commutator more than amotor that has been timed for a particulardirection.You can retime Speed 400 motors, Speed 600style motors generally have their backplatessecured with tabs and can't be retimed.

Brushless motors don't have commutators and therefore don't spark, just be awarethat the power wiring is carrying lots of current that's being chopped up at allthrottle settings and therefore should be kept well away from your receiver.

SummaryAs you can see, it's not rocket science, just an understanding of what can causeproblems. Try to eliminate as many as possible during building by going for agood layout and use good equipment - particularly a decent receiver. Did I saythat before?Don't let the smoke out!

E.F.-U.K. 43

Bigtimerby Tony Long

By the time the third Airtimer was completed (EF-UK issue 70), I reckoned I hadmade about enough ‘improvements’ and had an easy flying kind of model.However, one problem continued to niggle - the fact that small (2” (5cm)) wheelsonly like short grass, but bigger wheels imply a bigger aeroplane and so I thoughtthat a 60” (152cm) span instead of 44” (112cm) would, as they say, be nice.A few seconds on my pocket calculator produced a scale factor of 1.37 and a fewseconds more, the name BIGTIMER. However, when I got busy with a sheet ofpaper and a ruler I was astonished that such an apparently modest figure shouldproduce such a big model. No chance now of ‘happening to find it in the boot”!In almost all respects, Bigtimer follows the general plan, but the timber hasobviously been sized up - mostly from 1/8” to 3/16” (3mm to 5mm) square. As in thelaer Airtimers, I have also ‘doubled’ the fuselage back to the battery box.One of the most satisfactory features of the Airtimer - the home-made carbon fibreundercarriage - has been produced in scaled-up form and once again scores wellfor lightness and flexibility.

This is Airtimer Mk 3 and Bigtimer taken by Tony.

44 E.F.-U.K.

As with all the Airtimers, the hardware is pretty basic. The motor is a Speed 600dirving through a Perkins 2.8:1 in-line gearbox mounted in a rolled-ply tube andusing an APC 12” x 6” propeller.The speed controller is a Kontronik 3000. The usual battery is an 8-cell SanyoRC-2000 pack, but the battery box and carrying capacity of the model offer apretty wide margin for other options.The All-Up-Weight with 8 cells is a little over 3½ lbs. (1.6 kg), giving a wingloading of 16.8 oz./sq.ft. The covering is Airspan, double on the fuselage. Thepack use of this material on so large a model may seem odd, but I find it ‘crisper’and less prone to sagging in heat than polymer films.The wings are spli, using a blade joiner and the tailplane and fin are readilyremovable. The undercarriage is, of course, integral with the battery box hatch,which in turn is retained by breakable pegs to provide easy escape for the batteryout of the bottom. These features make the whole model very easy to transport nomatter what size of car you have.No doubt all this identifies me (accurately) as one of the elderly balsa-bashingbrigade, but making a rock-steady take-off followed by a really low, slow, passunder fine throttle control and a perfect landing with an own-design ‘sticks &paper’ aeroplace still turns me on!

This is a shot of the Bigtimer and Airtimer Mk 1 taken by Gordon Tarling at the BEFAWoburn Abbey fly-in on 3rd August 03.

E.F.-U.K. 45

North London Electric Open Dayat Baldock 7 September 2003

by Brian BoughtonDespite ominous forecasts, the weather dawned bright on the day, with light winds,and remained good for the whole day. The North London Club organised theflying with their usual quiet efficiency, and arranged a barbecue as well. Ourthanks are due to them.There was a good attendance, and some very good flying. Dave Chinery gave hisusual polished performance with his Puppeteer, which had what looked to me likea (gentlemanly) simulated dogfight with Martin Tremlett's Nieuport. GordonTarling was an early flyer with his Newtimer, and Pete Nicholson flew his Mustangvery smoothly.An outstanding group of aircraft was shown by David Singer, ranging from aLancaster, several WW2 fighters and a 33" span Hawk, with which he gave askilful high speed display. He told me that the group of aircraft represented athird of his "Air Force". I couldn't think of an answer to that.Other excellent shows were put up by Robin Andrew, Robin Fowler and IvanGoodchild, and several others. Unfortunately the wind direction prevented Ivanfrom flying his B.17, although it was present in his trailer.There was so much going on that I was almost overwhelmed with the detail, somy apologies to anyone who I should have mentioned. There was a generallyhappy atmosphere, and such nice quiet flying.................

This is John Hancock’s Wildbird, which 39½” (1m) span and powered by a GraupnerSpeed 600 with 2.85:1 gearbox and 7 cells.

46 E.F.-U.K.

Two pictures of David Chinery’s Puppeteer, which is 54” (137cm) span.It is powered by a Kontronik Fun brushless motor with gearbox, Shile 40/16 controller,

14 cells and a 13” x 7” propeller.

E.F.-U.K. 47

Above is David Chinery with his Westland Welkin. It was designed and the structurebuilt by Colin Leighfield and finished by David.It has a 62” (157cm) span and is

powered by 2 Speed 600 Eco motors on 8 cells.

Below is Robin Fowler his own design Britten Norman Islander, 74” (188cm) span andpowered by 2 Speed 600 Lightspeed motors on doubled 7 x 1700mAh cells.

48 E.F.-U.K.

Top is another Robin Fowler model, a Gloster Meteor Mk III. It is 1/12th scale at 43”(109cm) span and has 4 x Speed 400 motors, pushing through Günther propellers and 7

x 1700mAh cells.

Bottom is TonyYarnold and his 54” (137cm) Vikin, which was built by Dietrich Kühl.Power is from an Astro 05 motor and 7 cells.

E.F.-U.K. 49

Top is Tony Long with his 44” (112cm) span Airtimer Mk 2 (geared Speed 400 motorusing 7 cells) and bigger brother the 60” (152cm) span Bigtimer (see page 38).

Bottom is the Grumman Albatross of John White of the Old Warden club. It is 57”(145cm) span, powered by 2 Jamara 480 motors and 8 cells. In the background is Pete

Nicholson’s P-51 Mustang, which is also on page 46.

50 E.F.-U.K.

Above is Ivan Goodchilds model transport trailer complete with B-17G “Sally B” andhis 1/4 scale Piper Cub. More details on the “Sally B” can be found on page 24.

Below is the 1/4 scale Piper Cub rigged and ready to fly. The wing span is 102” (259cm)and it is powered by a Hacker brushless motor with 5:1 gearbox and 24 cells.

E.F.-U.K. 51

This is Pete Nicholson’s 65” (165cm) span P-51 Mustang, which is a Hangar 9 model. Itis powered by an AXI 4120/18 motor and 20 NiMH cells.

Below is Martin Tremlett’s SU3D aerobat. It has a 44” (112cm) span and is powered byan AXI 2820/10 motor.

52 E.F.-U.K.

Two pictures of Martin Tremlett’s Neiuport II. It is 60” (152cm) span and has an Aveoxbrushless motor with 2.5:1 gearbox and 16 cells.

E.F.-U.K. 53

This is the selection of models that David Singer brought with him tothe event. They arean 80” (203cm) Avro Lancaster, 58” (147cm) P-51 Mustang, 30” (76cm) Spitfire, 30”

(76cm) Messerschmitt 109, 33” (84cm) BAE Hawk, 30” (76cm) Smart Dart, Exite Funfly

54 E.F.-U.K.

Above is Gordon Tarling with his Sky Spy “modern” vintage design, which frequentlyhas a camera strapped to it.

Below is an unknown flying wing which looks very interesting If you know more aboutpleae let the Editor know.

E.F.-U.K. 55

A brace of “Funky Chicken” in very different colour schemes. It is made by Graupner inwhite syrofoam and is intended for the Speed 400 plus motor on 6 or 7 NiHM cells ataround 1000mAh capacity. Controls are the tail feathers plus motor control. Span is

41½” (105cm), wing area 270 sq.in. (17.5dm2) and weight around 20 oz. (570g).

56 E.F.-U.K.

Another couple of nice models that information was not available on are “The WickfordFlyer” above and the Bristol Freighter below.

E.F.-U.K. 57

Ivan's Lanc’ - Part 1by Mike Pirie

My search for a winter project during the autumn of 2002 led me to the designs ofCanadian modeller, Ivan Pettigrew. Originally from New Zealand, Ivan has developeda number of large scale, multi-motored models usually using inexpensive ferrites(buggy motors), highly geared and with more cells than you would normally usewith this type of motor.The gearing is carefully chosen so that the motors run at maximum efficiency.What this means in practice, is that they are running at high RPM's while drawingrelatively modest currents. This in turn leads to cool motor running and extendedmotor life.One of the first things you notice about his models is the amount of open framework,sheeting only being used where necessary, e.g. turtle decks, 'D' box sections. Balsais used extensively, hardwoods being utilised for main spars, motor mounts etc.Other features include own-design lightweight retracts manufactured from 10 or8 swg piano wire (more on this later) and lightweight covering (usually Micafilm),.Due to the low currents involved and the use of parallel circuits, battery weightsare also kept to a minimum.Not surprisingly, his models usually boast very low wing loadings which in turnleads to more scale-like speeds and longer flight times. This design philosophyappealed very much to me, and was soon convinced that this was my way forward.I contacted Ivan by e-mail and soon was receiving all sorts of information includinga very comprehensive and informative list of his models to date. I was also pleasedto learn that his plans were available on request.

Which model to build?The decision to build the Lancaster came quite easily as it had been near the topof my 'must build some day' list for a long time, so I quickly sent off the requestedamount of Canadian dollars, and soon plans for a 1/12 scale Lancaster were wingingtheir way back across the Atlantic to me. Ivan advised me that his Lanc had beenbuilt in 1995 and as such, would benefit from several modifications.First of all, the 27-turn buggy motors could be up-graded to Magnetic Mayhems,secondly, for better prop efficiency, the 13 x 8 props (3-bladed) could be replaced by13 x 10's, and lastly, he felt that his retract mechanism was a bit cumbersome (hisfirst attempt at DIY retracts) and he suggested I had a go at re-designing them.

Making a startThe retracts were definitely my biggest worry, so I immediately set about the taskof drawing up a new layout. This proved to be no mean feat, as although comfortablewith geometry and technical drawing, I was totally unfamiliar with the workings

58 E.F.-U.K.

of DIY retractable undercarriages. However, after a lot of head scratching, andwith Ivan's help, I finally came up with something that seemed to work (at leaston paper). With the drawings completed, my next big worry was actually bendingthe 8 swg (4 mm) wire to its required shape, one of the bends being an incredible180º, this forming the slot for the actuating crank (see photo above).I needn't have worried - with my friend Graham Donaldson's workshop to therescue, a combination of brute strength (not to mention skill) and a heavy dutyvice did the trick (see photograph). All bends were done cold.

Purchase of main hardwareFor some reason, I was unable to purchase 'reverse rotation' Magnetic Mayhemsin the UK, so these were purchased along with 'Dave Brown' 5" lightweight wheels(150 grams the pair) from Tower Hobbies.Four superboxes (5:1) were purchased directly from MEC (saving £60 over UKprices) and finally, six Master Airscrew 13 x 10 wooden propellers (to make up thefour 3-bladers) were purchased from John Swain of Fanfare.

Choice of versionAround three years ago, 'Electric Flight International' had reviewed a 1:12.5 scaleLancaster by John Ranson and Trevor Stannard. This model was based on the B

The ‘U’ bend required to get the undercarriage retracts to work

E.F.-U.K. 59

Mk1 'Special', developed in the mid-war years in order to carry Sir Barnes Wallis''bouncing bomb' and later on, his 22,000 lb 'grand slam' bomb. The model was all-sheeted, had a wing loading of around 28 oz/ft2 and used 30 sub-C cells (comparewith Ivan's 20 oz/ft2 and 18 cells).I remembered that along with the plan, a vacuum-formed mouldings packcomprising canopy, bomb-aimer's turret, rear turret, spinners and nacelles wasalso on offer at that time. Now this appealed to me, as besides speeding upconstruction time, it would be an appropriate model to build in the 60th anniversaryyear of the 'Dambusters Raid'. I contacted Traplet to check on the availability andordered the pack straight away. Ivan's Lanc was to be a B1 'Special'.

ConstructionExcept for the modifications required for the conversion to the B1 'Special' and thefact that I was building a one-piece fuselage (as opposed to Ivan's two), the fuselageconstruction was quite straight forward. The wings required more thought!You'll see from the photographs that the wheel box is in a most unfortunate position- straight through the wing main-spar! Ivan had explained previously, he'd had todo this because of the way he had designed the retracts, but not to worry, extraspars fore and aft of the wheel box had been designed to transfer the loads roundthe now redundant main spar.Now as an ex-structural engineer, I must admit that the idea of slicing through amain spar at one of its most critical points didn't fill me with confidence, and Ibecame doubtful about the whole project. Studying the plans, however, I could see

The port wing under construction

60 E.F.-U.K.The undercarriage fitted and being tested in the retracted position

The port inner motor mount before fitting the undercarriagethat the spar, which Ivan put to the front of the wheel box, was a fairly hefty oneand ran the whole length of the main wing. This was re-assuring, but in the end,I still added some 'beefing up' of my own in the area surrounding the wheel boxes.This was achieved by forming an arrangement of rigid boxes, using extra ribs andsheeting top and bottom, around the area in question, the theory being that bendingmoments would be transferred around each side of the wheel box position. I'mconfident now that the wings will be strong enough.

E.F.-U.K. 61

Flaps and retractsThe flaps shown on the plan, besides involving some intricate construction, lookedthin and fragile. Ivan reckoned that, because of the low wing loadings and flyingspeed of the finished model, the flaps would not be strictly necessary. I took hisadvice and dispensed with the flaps.The retracts on Ivan's model were operated from a central sailing winch servo viaa drum - a rather clumsy arrangement he now admits himself. In view of thecomplicated nature of the retract mechanisms and the potential difficulty insynchronising the two wheels, I opted to go for separate wing mounted retractservos. These were quite a challenge to install and connect up, but are nowoperating satisfactorily.

The finished airframeThe airframe weight (as shown in the photo) has come out at a very promising2.2kg (4¾ lb.), giving me an estimated finished weight of 5.1kg (11¼lb.), whichwould correspond to a wing loading of 20 oz./ft2 (61g/dm2).This weight is well below my target weight (makes a change) and gives me scopeto consider the use of Sanyo 'C' cells, which although about 25g (~1oz.) heavier,would give me slightly longer flight times. Elevator control is by a Sullivan 'Gold-n-rod' while both tail wheel and rudders are controlled by closed loops.

A close up of the underacrriage retracts in the ‘down’ position

62 E.F.-U.K.

The completed airframe ready for covering

In 'Ivan's Lanc’ - Part 2', I will describe how I made the 3-bladed propellers and thebomb. I will also report on the covering, the painting and hopefully its first flight.

User Friendly Guide to the Super NovaSee review on www.flyingsites.co.uk - “Recommended!”

A comprehensive and very clearguide to the Super NovaCharger, including menu flowchart, battery hints and tipsand much more.Available at an increasingnumber of leading shops ordirect from the author.Send cheque for £6 (includesUK P&P) to:

Andrew Gibbs,14 Atherley Court,Hill Lane,Southampton.SO15 7NG

Enquiries & overseas sales: [email protected]

E.F.-U.K. 63

Middle Wallop 2003This is a brief photo spot with some of the models at the Middle Walliop weekend.Photographs courtesy and copyright of Gordon Tarling.

This is Tony Nijhuis’s 15’ (4.5m) span, 30 lb. (13.6kg) 1/20 scale Spruce Goose,which boasts a full complement of eight Speed 600 motors with 3:1 gearboxes. Italso has 40 cells arranged in 4 packs of 10. Tony says it flies like a trainer and itcertinly flew around with no problems, really looking the part.

64 E.F.-U.K.

This is Antonov AN-2 of Christer Lagerstadt of Sweden. It is 1:8.5 scale, givingan 82” (2.1m) span and AUW of 16 lbs (7.4kg). Power is from an Actro 40-5brushless motor and 30 RC-2000 cells. It has a 4-bladed Vario propeller for staticdisplay & a Menz-S wooden 18” x 8” flight propeller. It looked great in the air.

E.F.-U.K. 65

A pair of Lancasters queue ready for the next sortie. On of these is another ofTony Nijhuis’s models, but I can’t remember who the other belonged to. They areboth 12’ (3.6m) span and weigh around the 23½ lb. (10.6kg) mark. They havefour Speed 600 motors with 3:1 gearboxes and 40 cells. Tony’s is fitted out for thehighball bouncing bomb, but problems on the day stopped it working properly.Below, an excellent twin EDF Messerschmitt 262, which flew nicely.

66 E.F.-U.K.

Above a neat Avro Vulcan on a very scale like pass.Below, a display of prop-hanging with an electric model. Despite being in thisposition for some time and very good duration was achieved every flight.

E.F.-U.K. 67

Woburn Abbey Fly-In 2003This is a brief photo spot with some of the models at the Woburn Abbey Fly-In.

Above is Ivan Goodchild’s B-17G “Sally B” which unfortunately didn’t fly due tothe small “strip”. More details on page 29 of this issue.Below is the Bristol fighter of Anthony Hill, see EF-UK Issue ??? for details.

68 E.F.-U.K.

Above is a static shot of John Ransom’s large Bristol Beaufighter, taken by RichardKing. The model is 93” (2.36m) span, with a scale section, and weighs 16 lbs.(7¼kg). It is powered by 2 x Robbe motors (equivalent to Speed 700s) with integral3.7:1 gearboxes and 15” x 10” propellers on 28 RC-2400 cells. It features a scale

E.F.-U.K. 69

retracting undercarriage (including the tail wheel), full flaps, working landinglights and twin bomb drop. The markings are of an Australian Squadron thatflew from RAF Langham. The Beaufighter looks amazing realistic in the air ascan be seen by the flying shots and flights last around 8 minutes. The plan isabout to be released by Traplet and should be in their next Scale magazine. It isalso reported that moulded cowls and canopy will be available. The 3 flying shotsare courtesy and copyright of Gordon Tarling.

70 E.F.-U.K.

Electric Flight CalendarIf you would like details of your event to appear in these pages please send fulldetails to the Editor EF-UK, contact details on page 4. Please bear in mind thatthis magazine is quarterly so ensure that the details are sent in good time.For last minute information opn events please check out the events list on theBEFA website at www.befa.org.ukDates, times and, even, locations of events can change at the last minute. You arestrongly advised to check on events with the given contacts before setting out onyour journey to any event.You are asked to please check with the organisers of non-BEFA events for theirqualification requirements before the event.All BEFA flying events require proof of BMFA or equivalent insuranceto fly. Additionally, all models must have been satisfactorily test flownprior to the BEFA event to fly - NO TEST FLIGHTS ON THE DAY.

November 20032nd BEFA Technical Workshop at the Royal Centre, Royal Leamington

Spa. The usual Traders Fair and technical presentations. The Bring& Buy stand will also be present.See next page for more information.

March 20047th BEFA Annual General Meeting 2004, at the Royal SpaCentre,

Royal Leamington Spa. It has been decided to extend the duration ofthe Traders Fair this time. It is planned that the doors will open forTraders to set-up at 8am and for the public at 9.30am. The AGMitself will also be delayed until 2pm to give further additional tradingtime before the meeting. Trading will be allowed to continue rightthrough the AGM, the only proviso is that we vacate the centre by5pm at the latest.The Bring & Buy stand will also be present and trading between 9amand 1.30pm. Please Note: BEFA can not accept responsibilityfor items left at the Bring & Buy stand. All items are left atthe risk of the seller.

Please note that the BEFA Committee has decided that, from the first fly-in in2004, it is introducing a requirement for all pilots to have a minimum of an ‘A’certificate. For flying fixed wing models, any of the fixed wing ‘A’ certificates areacceptable. For helicopters, a helicopter ‘A’ certficate will be requried.This requirement is introduced due to the ever increasing pressure to improvesafety at events with public attendance. For more details contact the Chairman,details on page 4.

E.F.-U.K. 71

BEFA Technical Workshop 2003As usual the BEFA Technical Workshop takes place at the Royal Centre, RoyalLeamington Spa (RLS), this year on Sunday 2nd of November. The main doorswill open as usual at 10am.Traders FairTraders can access the hall from 8.30am to allow for setting up. The Traders thathave reserved tables at the time of going to print are:

Electric Aeroplane CompanyFanfareFVKImporTekniKPhoenix Model ProductsPuffin ModelsSomoso ProductsWest London Models

There are more Traders that have no confirmed whether they will be present.Bring & BuyItems can be left at the stall from 8.30am. The stall opens for sales as the maindoors open and remains open until 4pm. All items deposited that remain unsold,or monies from sales are to be collected from the stand by 4.15pm.If you know are bringing items please copy the registration form on page 73.Alternatively the forms can be downloaded and printed from the BEFA website.Please complete the form prior to arriving as it makes everything a lot quickerand easier. Please Note: BEFA can not accept responsibility for items leftat the Bring & Buy stand. All items are left at the risk of the seller.Technical PresentationsThere will be three presentations this year, but the details are still being finalisedat the time of going to print. It is likely the talks will be on:

• Testing . . . A means to an end (by Bob Smith)• High Tech. Construction• Battery Developments

Check the events page on the BEFA website for the latest info (www.befa.org.uk)For those that have not been to the Royal Centre before, maps of the general andlocal areas are on the next page.If you have any questions, please contact the Editor, see page 4, who will ensurethat your question is answered.

72 E.F.-U.K.

E.F.-U.K. 73

74 E.F.-U.K.

Member's Sales & WantsFOR SALE / WANTED

For Sale by Rob Ireland a Model Designs BRISTOL BLENHEIM (60” span).Finished (stand off scale) as 1st British built aircraft (No. 160) to be supplied tothe Yugoslavian Air Force (Predominantly silver, with Yugoslavian markings).Almost ready to fly and complete with servos (ailerons (2 x HS-80), rudder (HS-300), elevator (HS-81)), 2 x Speed 400 7.2V, 3:1 gearboxes, 10 cell Sanyo 2000SCRpack and Schulze 35be controller. Requires props and receiver to fly - £150. ContactRob Ireland (Northants) on 01327 352609 (evenings).For Sale by Eric Cable, the following motors which are boxed and unflown.Contact Eric on telephone 01935 478974 (Yeovil).

• Plettenberg HP 200/20/12 motor - £75• Astro 05 FAI, 6 turn motor, geared 2.2:1 - £95• LRP Super 400 - £25

For Sale an Elegant 2.6mElectric Glider, epoxy T-tailfuselage with canopy, built-upwing with flaps and ailerons.Covered in Oracove, fitted with4 Graupner wing servos, littleused and all in new condition.Suit a geared 480 size brushlessmotor or geared Speed 600.Cost £270, will accept £210.Matching motor and controlleravailable if required. For more information, contact Stan Rose on 01636 525029or at [email protected] Sale by Dave Chinery, the folllowing items. Contact him on 0208 573-4687 orat [email protected].

• Sanwa RD6000 computer Tx/Rx combo + charger. Not PCM, but 3 modelmemories and the usual mode / mixing functions. 6-ch, mode 2, NiCd’dTx. Dual conversion Rx. Nearly new in box, used only twice - £100 ono.

• Robbe moulded foam “combat” Spitfire (painted version) complete withmotor, controller, Hitex Rx ans servos. Flown and crashed, but repairedand complete ready to fly - £100 ono

• Easy Street airframe with added landing gear & 3 servos in good condition.Complete but extensively flown, hence opnly £30.

E.F.-U.K. 75

• P-47 Thunderbolt, 6ft Span as seen in EF-UK and RCM&E. AMD ARTFkit (glass fuselage & foam wings) with working flaps and retracts. Aprize-winner that flies beautifully on 21 cells! Aveox 1412-2Y motor andAveox controller, compound reduction gearing, including Robbe PlanetePro box and 16” x 10” propeller. Reason for sale is a new 6ft fightercoming along - watch this space.• Model complete, ready to fly less Rx - £300.• Less Rx, motor, controller, gearing and propeller - £150.• Airframe less all the above and no servos, but with retracts - £100.

For Sale by Paul Robinson, 01252 727453 or [email protected], thefollowing items:

• Holzmann Scorpion 400 all moulded Speed 400 pylon racer kit - £60.• An original Howard Metcalfe Crossfire kit - £30.

Wanted by Paul Robinson, a copy of the May issue of RCM&E to buy or borrowas there are no back issues available from the publishers. To be exact he wantsthe Nigel Hawes Speed 600 Tucano plan and article. If you can help contact Paulon 01252 727453 or at [email protected] by the Editor (contact details on page 4) any of the following:

• General or Technical Articles.• Product Reviews.• New products.• Electric Flight Event write-ups.• Hints and Tips.• Photographs of your models (with dimensions, equipment installed and

flight performance please).• New items of interest for inclusion in this magazine.• Photograph prints (6” x 4” or larger please) supplied will be returned if

you supply a return address, unless you specify otherwise.• Digital photographs should be at least 1000 pixels wide, in colour and

uncompressed wherever possible.Requests for inclusion in the For Sale & Wanted pages can be made by email, postor by telephone, to the Editor using the contact details on page 4. Entries can alsobe submitted on-line from the For Sale & Wanted page on the BEFA website atwww.befa.org.ukIf you wish to have pictures included with your for sale or wanted entry, postphotographs, or email graphic files, to the Editor. Graphic files should be in colourand uncompressed were possible.Adverts will be included in both E.F.-U.K. and on the BEFA Website unlessinstructed otherwise.

76 E.F.-U.K.

New to ELECTRIC FLIGHT?START HERE . . . . .

You may be taking up Electric Flight for the first time, you may be convertingfrom another discipline. Whatever your situation, help and advice is available.BEFA has prepared an information sheet which details further sources ofinformation which you may find useful when just joining the hobby. To receive acopy, please send a Stamped Addressed Envelope (SAE) to Robert Mahoney, addresson page 4.

BEGINNER'S GUIDEA Beginner’s Guide to Electric Flight is available, which explains many of the'Mysteries' of Electrics’ and will, hopefully, set you off on the right foot. Pleasesend £3.00, per copy required, to The Editor of EF-UK at the address on page 4.Please add £1.00 extra for overseas postage and remit in Sterling, cheques payableto BEFA.

TECHNICAL HELP SERVICETechnical help is now available again for the use of all members. We regret thatno telephone service is available, but all questions in writing (or email) will beanswered by our new Technical Liaison Officer (TLO). Please refer your queriesto our TLO, to the postal or email address on page 4. Please ensure that youinclude an SAE for a reply.

CONNECTIONS SERVICERequests are frequently received from members who wish to be put in contactwith other members living in the same area. The easiest method of doing this isto place a free 'wanted' advert in the classified section of this magazine.Alternatively, a request may be made IN WRITING to the Membership Secretarywho is allowed to divulge such information to members ONLY. Please supply asmuch information about your location as possible and please remember to includean SAE for your reply.

B.E.F.A. MEMBERSHIPMembership of the Association is open to all members of the BMFA. Those whoare not members of our national controlling body may only subscribe to EF-UKwith no other benefits of membership. Overseas members are very welcome andwill be classed as full members if they belong to their own national controllingbody.

CONTACTFor full details, please send an SAE to the Membership Secretary (address on page4) requesting a membership application form. Those with Internet access mayvisit the B.E.F.A. website at http://www.befa.org.uk, where you will find all themembership application form & information you should require.

E.F.-U.K. 77

MAIL ORDER MODEL SUPPLYGOLD PLUGS Ideal for Speed 400/6002mm plug 75p; cuts into two giving one plug/socket2mm solder socket 43p. 2mm plug and a 2mm socket £1.15Lightweight 2mm plug and socket 55p; Max 15A motor current drawSpares. 2mm light plug 40p. 2mm light socket 20pPack of red/black shrink: 3.2mm or 4.8mm 50pGOLD PLUGS 600 or larger motor4mm plug 90p; cuts into plug/socket. Very low resistance4mm hollow plug and a separate 4mm solder socket £1.15Spares. 4mm hollow plug 85p. 4mm solder socket 43pLightweight 4mm plug and socket 75p; Max motor current 35A suggestedSpares. 4mm light plug 55p. 4mm light socket 25pPack of red/black shrink: 6.4mm £1.25: 4.8mm 75pProviding that you bear in mind the suggested amp ratings all the 2mm and 4mm plugs areinterchangeable. All fit any of the same size.EXTRA FLEXIBLE WIRE. 0.5mm2, 129 strands, Max 10A, 35p/metreRed or Black or White. Park Flyers etc. or servo extensions.EXTRA FLEXIBLE WIRESupplied in packs of 1 metre of red and 1 metre of black, i.e. 2 metres of wire0.75mm2, 196 strands; ideal for weight saving, Max 15A, £1.00/pack1.00mm2, 258 strands; ideal for weight saving for speed 400, Max 19A, £1.40/pack1.50mm2, 378 strands; ideal for speed 400, £2.00/pack4mm2, 1036 strands; £3.50/packSILICONE INSULATED WIRE. Pack of 1 metre of red and 1 metre of black1.5mm2, 378 strands. £2.502.5mm2, 651 strands. £3.00All wire can be cut off the roll, in longer lengths if required.CELL HEATSHRINK metre lengths25mm 50p; suits single AAA or AA cells or any same size48mm 75p; suits single sub C cells/sticks or packs of dumpy 60065mm 85p; suits 1700 or 2000 packs, also RC oblong sticks etc.94mm 95p; suits double deck packs (1700 etc.)All sizes layflat width, supplied in clear. 48mm available in opaque blue also.WIRE HEATSHRINK metre lengths1.6mm 50p; 2.4mm 60p; 9.5mm £1.00. Black only3.2mm 75p; 4.8mm 80p; 6.4mm 95p. All in red or black.

ALL ORDERS PLUS POSTAGE: 60p UK; £1.10 Europe; £1.70 WorldM. E. DONKIN, 37 WYDALE ROAD, OSBALDWICK, YORK, YO10 3PG

Tel/Fax 01904 414738. Mobile 0771 202 8329.E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]

All messages - an attempt will be made to contact you. (I work shifts)Computer faxes must send start signal before my fax will respond!

78 E.F.-U.K.

B.E.F.A. SalesBEFA Round, Coloured Rub-down Decals - 50p each

EF-UK Back Issues - No's 38, 40, 41, 44, 52, 53, 55 to 63 (inclusive) at £1.00each for BEFA members, or £2.00 each to non-members. Issues 64 to 73 are alsoavailable to BEFA members at £3.00 each, or £5.00 each to non-members. Theseprices include UK P&P, overseas rates on application.Please Note these are the ONLY back issues now available and stocks are verylimited of several issues.

EF-UK Index. A comprehensive index of EF-UK from issue 28 to 59 is availableby sending a £1 coin to cover copying and postage cost.

Binders:- are available to hold eight issues of Electric Flight U.K. Produced indark blue with gold lettering on the spine, these cost £4.50 each including U.K.postage. Please add £1 for European postage and £2 for Worldwide postage.

Sweat Shirts & Tee-Shirts: Stock of these is now almost all gone - pleasecontact Robert Mahoney regarding remaining stock, sizes and prices.

Please send all orders to Robert Mahoney at the address on page 4.

PLEASE REMIT IN STERLING ONLY,WITH ALL CHEQUES MADE PAYABLE TO B.E.F.A.

Advertisers IndexBEFA Sales .................................................................. 82Buzzflight .................................................................... 23E-Zone ...............................................Inside Front CoverFanfare ............................................... Inside Back CoverFor Sale / Wanted ........................................................ 79ImporTekniK ............................................................... 41Mail Order Model Supply............................................ 81New-2-U ........................................................................ 8Traplet ............................................. Outside Back Cover

EF-UK advertising rates are £25 per cover (inside or outside), £20 per full page,£10 per half page, all per issue. Contact the Editor for more details (see page 4).

– MAIL ORDER –SPORTS ELECTRIC FLIGHT

FANS AND GEARBOXESwww.fanfare.f9.co.uk

FANSMorley ‘Jet Elec’ Fan .............................. £15.00Adaptors for 480 & 410 motors .............. £3.00WeMoTec Micro-Fan (280/300/330) ..... £14.00WeMoTec Mini-Fan (400/480) ............... £28.00WeMoTec Midi-Fan (540/ 600/930) ....... £38.00

GEARBOXESMaster Airscrew 2.5, 3, 3.5:1 ............... £16.00MP Jet Planetary 3.33 & 3.8:1 - 400’s ... £25.00MP Jet Planetary 3.33 & 3.8:1 - 480’s ... £25.00MP Jet Planetary 3.33 & 3.8:1 - 5/600’s £25.00Mini Olympus .......£8.00 Olympus ...... £12.00

MOTORSWEP Turbo 10 ........................................ £55.00Speed 500 E Race ................................. £13.00Speed 600 8.4v BB SP .......................... £15.00Speed 600 8.4v Race ............................ £18.00Speed 650 9.6v BB Race ...................... £33.00Speed 700 ............................ £14.00 to £22.00Speed 700 Neodym ............................... £38.00RE 380 / Rocket 400 ................................ £5.00Speed 480 PB .. £14.00 BB ................ £21.00Pro 400 ...............£5.00 Pro 480 HS .... £6.00

MAXCIM BRUSHLESSMax Neo 13Y 1430 rpm/v ................... £160.00Max Neo 13D 2470 rpm/v .................... £160.00Maxu 35D, 21 Cell Controller ............... £140.00Maxu 35C, 25 Cell Controller ............... £180.00Superbox 1.6 to 4.28:1 ......................... £50.00Monsterbox 4 to 6.8:1 .......................... £60.00Motor Mount ........................................... £12.00

MOTORS / GEARBOXESMFA Rocket 2.5:1 N.I.L. with 600 .......... £21.00Speed 400 FG3 ..................................... £17.00SpeedGear 400 4:1 Inline ...................... £37.00SpeedGear 480 3.45:1 .......................... £55.00SpeedGear 600 2.8:1 ............................ £52.00SpeedGear 700 2.7:1 9.6v .................... £70.00SpeedGear 700 Neo .............................. £90.00Mini-Olympus & RE380 .......................... £12.00Olympus & 540 ...................................... £19.00Jamara 600 2.9:1 ................................... £24.00Jamara 650 2.9:1 ................................... £26.00

PROPSM.A. Folding 12x8 ............... £14.00

15x12 ............. £15.25M.A. Wood Electric 10x6/10x8 ........ £4.00

11x7/11x9 ........ £4.2512x8/12x10 ...... £4.5013x8/13x10 ...... £5.00

Carbon Folders 7x4 ................... £6.00(Perkins) 8x4 ................... £6.00

11x8 ................. £9.00Slimprops 8x4, 8x6, 9x6 ........... £3.50APC Electric 5½” - 12” dia ....... £3 to £4(full range available) 13 ” - 20” dia. .... £5 to £15

Selection of Graupner & Aeronautfolding & fixed props.

CHARGERSSpeed 1 Pulse / Pk

Det 4-8 cells ........................................... £27.00Speed Ex Digital

as above with discharge ...................... £55.00Simprop 25 cell .................................... £100.00

Wheels, Wire, Servos, Fuses, Caps,Powerpole, 4mm & 2mm gold conns.

FANFARE • 18 HILLSIDE ROAD • TANKERTON • WHITSTABLE • KENT • CT5 3EX‘Sports Electric’ Helpline - Phone / Fax: (01227) 771331 - E-mail: [email protected]

Now online at - www.fanfare.f9.co.uk

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