Author Topic: Flights of Fancy  (Read 84723 times)

TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: Flights of Fancy
« Reply #525 on: 01 February, 2024, 08:08:25 pm »
Quote from: JefO
Any of you guys fly in South Essex at all?
Not me, sorry.

Quote from: DuncanM
I need to sort out some sort of hatcam so I can take video.
Or recruit some ground crew? :)

Quote from: DuncanM
The F18 is still making progress, I need to do a lot of sanding and fit the tail feathers, but hopefully it will be done in a few weeks...
The FH40 it marches very slowly also. Five months and counting.  Got the base covering on and water shrunk by Sunday last & have been doping it this week prior applying disruptive pattern A.  Bits as seen below 29g, expecting a built weight of about 35g.

Covered & water shrunk


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TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: Flights of Fancy
« Reply #526 on: 08 February, 2024, 09:02:51 pm »
The FH40  done and I'm too tired to upload snaps to imagebb so have a dekko at HPA
Τα πιο όμορφα ταξίδια γίνονται με τις δικές μας δυνάμεις - Φίλοι του Ποδήλατου

Morat

  • I tried to HTFU but something went ping :(
Re: Flights of Fancy
« Reply #527 on: 09 February, 2024, 04:37:08 pm »
Congratulations! That's fine work :)
Everyone's favourite windbreak

TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: Flights of Fancy
« Reply #528 on: 09 February, 2024, 07:00:33 pm »
Thank you.  There's now a (short) retrospective build thread for those that are interested in that sort of thing, here..  Warning, the opening post is a bit verbose if you're not into the minutiae or whys and wherefores of this sort of thing.
Τα πιο όμορφα ταξίδια γίνονται με τις δικές μας δυνάμεις - Φίλοι του Ποδήλατου

TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: Flights of Fancy
« Reply #529 on: 11 February, 2024, 10:20:04 am »
Well it survived, more or less.

Smidgen more down thrust, ditto right thrust and a less beefy motor next time.  Having to rebuild the airscrew assembly is, silver lining & all that, good because I can reset the thrust lines of the prop. button and lose the shims that were tacked in yesterday.

Snaps and a video link from the meeting which, as well as including some early FH40 trimming flights and the CFIF (controlled flight into fixtures and fittings) has some first rate flights from properly trimmed models.

And while I'm here a Flying Boat Build for PedalDog
Τα πιο όμορφα ταξίδια γίνονται με τις δικές μας δυνάμεις - Φίλοι του Ποδήλατου

Morat

  • I tried to HTFU but something went ping :(
Re: Flights of Fancy
« Reply #530 on: 16 February, 2024, 09:10:54 am »
Congrats! and thanks for the flying boat. It reminds me that I've got a 1/72 Italieri Sunderland kit waiting on me..
Everyone's favourite windbreak

Re: Flights of Fancy
« Reply #531 on: 24 February, 2024, 09:36:05 am »
That looks like it would fly really nicely with your small adjustments. I see you have been absorbed into the squirrelnet empire! :)
My F18 is basically finished, but I won't get to see how it flies for at least another week or so. I took it to the club "bring a model" night, so you can actually see it (and the FT Mini Mustang from autumn) here: https://oxfordmfc.bmfa.club/bring-a-model-night-2024/ (pictures 31 and 32).

TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: Flights of Fancy
« Reply #532 on: 24 February, 2024, 12:26:17 pm »
DM > I see you have been absorbed into the squirrelnet empire!
Tsk, tsk. Dear me, no, Chris is merely retained as a sub-contractor for my video hosting requirements. :)

DM > My F18 is basically finished, ...
I particularly like the Hornet, what's with the elastic band on the P51?

Taken a week, but the repairs are done.  Mildly irritated that the prop. is now unbalanced.  I may add another coat of paint to the lighter side as I suspect it's where I had to clean the prop. down for the reassembly and one blade was sanded down a bit more than the other.

Can you see the join? 

Τα πιο όμορφα ταξίδια γίνονται με τις δικές μας δυνάμεις - Φίλοι του Ποδήλατου

Re: Flights of Fancy
« Reply #533 on: 24 February, 2024, 01:01:20 pm »
> Tsk, tsk. Dear me, no, Chris is merely retained as a sub-contractor for my video hosting requirements.
Ah, so it's a sort of reverse takeover where his stuff is the warmup for the main event? Makes sense.   ;D
That looks smart, I cannot see where the repairs were made. :)
The elastic band on the P51 is to stop the hatch flying off. There is supposed to be a tab that a cocktail stick pushes through, but it broke! Once it's flown, if it's good then I might use a magnet instead, but elastic bands are so easy. :) I also realised that the canopy is on backwards - the flatter bit is supposed to be at the front. If anyone noticed on Wednesday they didn't tell me (I suspect the cartoonish nature of it meant no-one looked too closely).

Re: Flights of Fancy
« Reply #534 on: 05 March, 2024, 11:15:34 am »

Morat

  • I tried to HTFU but something went ping :(
Re: Flights of Fancy
« Reply #535 on: 05 March, 2024, 01:55:49 pm »
Drones! Evil! (also those things we've had no problem with for decades) Drones!
Everyone's favourite windbreak

TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: Flights of Fancy
« Reply #536 on: 05 March, 2024, 05:13:56 pm »
This is not a new thing.  Councils have imposed bans on flying model aircraft in parks off and on since the 1950s.  Anyway, drones are evil. :)

It falls into the same category as banning cycling in (some) parks.  There are anti-social gits who don't play nicely so those who do, including careful drone fliers, don't get to play at all.  All in all a pain in the arse.
Τα πιο όμορφα ταξίδια γίνονται με τις δικές μας δυνάμεις - Φίλοι του Ποδήλατου

Re: Flights of Fancy
« Reply #537 on: 06 March, 2024, 01:30:43 pm »
They are removing some of the restrictions on cycling.
And they count anything that is radio controlled and flying as a "drone".

TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: Flights of Fancy
« Reply #538 on: 06 March, 2024, 06:16:09 pm »
Quote from: DuncanM
They are removing some of the restrictions on cycling.
So it's not all bad news then. :)

Quote from: DuncanM
And they count anything that is radio controlled and flying as a "drone".
Yes, well not much you can do about the uneducated and, to be fair to them - much as it galls me to do so, any powered flying object can do quite a bit of damage to someone if it hits them.  You could even argue that a "traditional" powered model aircraft, especially one with an IC engine even may pose a greater hazard than "drones" because the airscrew is unguarded,

They're stuck really.  They have no affordable way of checking if the flyer is someone properly insured via the BMFA, say, with Cert A. or B who knows the rules upside down and backwards about responsible flying and situational awareness or some random who's turned up with a drone from Argos and just wants to hoon it around the sky scaring everybody.

Now... may I introduce you to the pleasures of rubber powered free flight models and the unalloyed joy of bungee launched free flight gliders?  *evil cackle*
Τα πιο όμορφα ταξίδια γίνονται με τις δικές μας δυνάμεις - Φίλοι του Ποδήλατου

Re: Flights of Fancy
« Reply #539 on: 07 March, 2024, 11:53:08 am »
  There are anti-social gits who don't play nicely so those who do, including careful drone fliers, don't get to play at all. 

Having witnessed a Christmas Day afternoon example of "exuberant" - read totally uncontrolled - drone flying crashing into trees by 3 lads around 9 years of age in a crowded Canonbury Park by the Thames I can't say I'm surprised that drones are getting banned.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Morat

  • I tried to HTFU but something went ping :(
Re: Flights of Fancy
« Reply #540 on: 07 March, 2024, 10:01:36 pm »
https://gitnux.org/drone-accident-statistics/
Lots of hysteria, tbh.
Stark Reminders everywhere, but no real news. I especially like "The FAA estimated that about 10% of the more than 6,000 recorded drone sightings in 2018 involved potential safety concerns." Which, to my mind, should read "90% of drone reports are utterly pointless".

Anyway, I preferred the gentle topic of people building planes. I'll finish mine soon, and take photos.
Everyone's favourite windbreak

TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: Flights of Fancy
« Reply #541 on: 08 March, 2024, 04:38:38 pm »
Quote from: Morat
Anyway, I preferred the gentle topic of people building planes. I'll finish mine soon, and take photos.
I'd be very pleased to see WIP snaps, if you have any. 
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TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: Flights of Fancy
« Reply #542 on: 09 March, 2024, 09:09:20 pm »
Today at Trinity

No stills I'm afraid,  HPA is v. poorly again so nowhere to post lots of them quickly.  May get around to putting some on imgbb.
Τα πιο όμορφα ταξίδια γίνονται με τις δικές μας δυνάμεις - Φίλοι του Ποδήλατου

Re: Flights of Fancy
« Reply #543 on: 11 March, 2024, 06:32:08 pm »
250g of plastic is not exactly going to cause a huge amount of damage. I'm far more scared of the horses and dogs on the Meadow.
They are consulting on stopping people using proper cricket balls and banning throwing of javelins and discusses as well. Not sure if that includes frisbees! :D

Thankfully, the council have clarified that Port Meadow is counted as an area reserved for model flying, so these byelaws won't stop OMFC flying there.

F18 finished, just waiting for the weather for maiden:
PXL_20240308_164749562 by duncancmartin, on Flickr

TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: Flights of Fancy
« Reply #544 on: 12 March, 2024, 08:31:52 am »
Quote from: DuncanM
250g of plastic is not exactly going to cause a huge amount of damage.
It rather depends upon the velocity of those 250g and where they strike the individual as well as how frail the individual is.  The "rubber" bullets and plastic baton rounds used by HM Forces in NI during the troubles weighed between 130g & 150g and their use* was responsible for a number of deaths.  An EDF, IC or electric powered model with a high wing loading will have to fly fast to stay aloft so will have a good deal of kinetic energy to shed on impact.  A glider of the same weight is unlikely to have enough KE to pull the skin off a rice pudding.  I wouldn't volunteer to be an experimental subject to see what happens.

Quote from: DuncanM
F18 finished, just waiting for the weather for maiden:
Very nice.  We expect video!


*Or misuse.  Used at short range and fired at peoples' heads are a couple of reasons given for the fatalities.
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PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
  • It's only impossible if you stop to think about it
Re: Flights of Fancy
« Reply #545 on: 12 March, 2024, 09:05:36 am »
250g of plastic is not exactly going to cause a huge amount of damage. I'm far more scared of the horses and dogs on the Meadow.
They are consulting on stopping people using proper cricket balls and banning throwing of javelins and discusses as well. Not sure if that includes frisbees! :D

Thankfully, the council have clarified that Port Meadow is counted as an area reserved for model flying, so these byelaws won't stop OMFC flying there.

F18 finished, just waiting for the weather for maiden:
PXL_20240308_164749562 by duncancmartin, on Flickr

That looks fun!

But if you're flying at Port Meadow I think something with floats on would be more suitable at the moment.

Re: Flights of Fancy
« Reply #546 on: 12 March, 2024, 05:27:46 pm »
Yeah, it's living up to the Port bit of it's name now.
I'll mainly fly EDFs at North Berks because they have a patch that is private and flat and smooth. The Meadow is much better for stuff that needs a big area like free flight, or for things that are a bit less manic (and have more scope for going around if a human or a horse wanders into the landing path).

Someone flew a discus launch glider into me last summer. I'd estimate the impact as similar to a one of those foam projectiles fired by a nerf gun.

Re: Flights of Fancy
« Reply #547 on: 13 March, 2024, 07:56:11 am »
A glider of the same weight is unlikely to have enough KE to pull the skin off a rice pudding.  I wouldn't volunteer to be an experimental subject to see what happens.

No need to volunteer as I tested this out on my sister nearly 50 years ago.  The model was a Graupner Amigo* (glider), it hit her on her back, she survived unharmed as did the model.  NB I definitely didn't mean to hit her as there was some risk of damage to the model  ::-)

*I just Googled this to check that I had remembered the name correctly and see that people are trying to sell unused kits for £400  :o

TheLurker

  • Goes well with magnolia.
Re: Flights of Fancy
« Reply #548 on: 14 March, 2024, 05:10:03 pm »
Quote from: JonBuoy
... see that people are trying to sell unused kits for £400  :o
Ah me. People conflating old with valuable and not knowing that anyone likely to be interested in building one will scare up a plan from somewhere (like OZ) for nothing and cut their own parts for pennies.

If anyone wants some more photos of models, accompanied by some leaden prose, then the latest Trinity newsletter can be found here.

ETA  Here we go, one Graupner Amigo I plan complete with part profiles which you can get printed for about a fiver at most print / copy shops.
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