General Aeromodelling Discussion

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That was a quick response br. should there have been some photos?

At this precise moment this computer is really playing me up - taken ages to open this page so I'm going to say thanks for being the first to post and will be back later (over a minute to get the smilies to open!)

Tug

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As a lad, I used to fly this speed aeroplane at the Rand Model Aeroplane Club. It was powered by a 6.5 cc K&B Torpedo engine. Great fun, even if it go home as "pieces of eighth" at times...

As an aside, some years later, I was having dinner with a friend. Conversation eventually got round to aero modelling, at which stage his son gave me a sideways look and asked whether I used to fly a 40 speed 'plane at RMAC. I did. To which he replied that he and his friends used to hide behind the car when I flew!

I'm don't recall if I have a photograph of mine DD but I'll see if one exists.

That's the very reason my wife did not want me to fly mine on our home patch. She was a constant co-pilot in my aeromodelling adventures but she drew the line at me doing that! At some point our National Championships could not be flown at Barkston Heath and the control line events were held at a disused RAF base - Oakington. I don't recall the usual cages for speed and T/R being there but I do recall Jim Springham testing his pulse jet speed model and those of us watching did just that - hide behind a car. It began to undulate in flight clipping the ground one one side of the circle each time producing a stream of sparks - from the ali skid!

Wonderful!!

Tug

BTW It appears my computer problems are broadband speed based - that'll be fixed asap

Edited By Ramon Wilson on 25/01/2021 19:21:03

Are you in SA DrDave?? I used to fly at RMAC too - many years ago. Actually learnt to fly there..If you are in SA, do you know Neil Dawson - Good pilot that Chap!

Joe

I was in SA many years ago, but no longer, Joe. I used to fly speed in the mid-seventies, when Basil Mengies was the King of Speed.

Then university got in the way...

I started model building with a KK Luscombe Silvaire, rubber powered kit, typical for the range of kits was 1/16" sq stringers to give the fuselage shape, tissue covered and doped. I know now I spoilt the performance of the model by adding red paint all over, it did fly but only very short duration.
Next was a KK Dolphin, a towline glider which gave decent performance and kept me out of mischief for a good period of time.
Xmas gift was an ED Hornet, 1.5cc diesel, this was fitted into a newly built KK Champ? profile fuz and single sheet solid wing control line trainer, always hand launched by a pal over long grass to help reduce the risk of damage for the early training flights.
I build and flew a good number of c/l models including a Midge speed model and after swapping a Diana air rifle for an ETA29 I built the KK Pacer, class B team racer.
The last c/l model was a Mercury Crusader stunt model powered by a new OS 35 glow engine, had a lot of fun with that model on 50ft lines.

Then came my change to Radio Control, that's another much longer story for another time.

Emgee

All these mentions of control line flying is making me nostalgic, especially the pulse jet model The two photos are of my British Juggernaut Pulse jet model of the V 1 Doodlebug. This was 1948, so such things were still very much in our memory. It flew on 100ft long flnes of Bowden cable, that I still have someware. Crudely timed at 90-100mph. Take off was on a dolly that dropped off when airborne, Sparks were from a Ford Model T trembler coil ,that I discovered in a local scrap yard, Hand pump air to start it was useless,so we obtained a large inner tube from a lorry, pumped that up and connected that to the fuel spray. We eventually got banned from all the local recreation grounds ,due to the noise, so I swapped it for an Olson 23 sparkie that I converted to using home made glow plugs. Four of us clubbed together to buy a yard of platinum wire and cut it into 4 pieces. Using a spark plug that unscrewed, we put a small slit in the central electrode and another on the plug rim. About 4 coils around a piece of piano wire then peen the ends into the slit. They worked very well. It really was a true Do It Yourself time, One of these days I will insert pictures correctly!!

When I was eleven years old (1956) I was still very much Meccano orientated.

We had moved from one end of town to the other which meant a change of school. Visiting a school friend from previous days he had discovered the joys of the Keil Kraft 'Flying Scale Series' and was building an Auster. This was my very first sight of a model aircraft and I was totally smitten that you could actually do such a thing.

I returned home fired with enthusiasm. Money was tight but I did manage to save the three shillings and ninepence (just under 20p) and bought my first model kit the KK 'Flying' scale Sopwith Camel. Flying is in inverted commas as obviously, though I did manage to build it without help the last thing it could do was fly. Maybe the lack of dope (more expense) was the reason but it did look (well to my eye that is) like a Sopwith Camel. Undaunted by this disappointment it was followed by the Mustang and Lysander neither of which flew anything more than a hop either so advice was sought from the model shop proprietor, one Stan Gooderham. Try this he said - a Veron Goblin, a lovely little model with a diamond fuselage but at the limit of price range. Skills were improving and I even had some dope by now an lo and behold it actually flew and flew well. It would even ROG but with limited flight pattern but it FLEW.

I have been hooked on building and flying them off and on ever since and the hobby has followed me life long.

'Engines' would come along about eighteen months later but that's another tale.

Regards - Tug

Tug

Keith - you must have been a wealthy lad to have had a pulse jet in 1948 - that would have been very impressive at the time - love the comment about the noise and making home made glow plugs too - quite a baptism. I wonder how much platinum wire would be now?

Emgee - that's the type of high wing model I should have bought for any success in achieving a flight but that arrived eventually. I can imagine the Pacer with an Eta 29 in would have taken some hanging on too. I had one with an ED Hunter in but it didn't last long. Much later in the Army I spotted a Dooling 29 in the local model shop window for a fiver - built a Mercury Thunderbird for it. Somewhere I bought a can of K&B high nitro fuel (20/25%?) that made it really sing but burnt off all the fuelproofer.

Oh happy days indeed

Tug

Keith I have a Juggernaut pulse jet complete with a battered box, it’s never been run but time has not been kind to the tail pipe.

Plenty of aeromodelling photos in my album under "Aeromodelling' (what else).

Current efforts are concentrated on float planes as live only 300m from a large lake. (Lake Hume)

I recently picked up an original Jetco Navigator kit and shall probably power that with a Taifun Hurrkan and also have all the materials ready for a Mighty Barnstormer (on floats) powered by a new Saito FA-100T which should get it off the water. Considering adding flaps.

* danny *

Edited By Danny M2Z on 26/01/2021 06:51:31

Ramon,

I was an apprentice Patternmaker at Drummond Bros. They were a very forward looking company and had started a group bonus scheme that everyone got a share of just prior to the annual holiday in July. My bonus was £10.00. The Juggernaut was £6 10 shillings,so I splashed out. My father did not approve. He thought I should spend it buying the tools I needed.

Keith

Old School,

Interesting that you have one that has not been fired up. If I remember correctly, mine appeared to have been nickel plated on the tail pipe, but it soon burned of when it got red hot.

Keith

Wow Keith that was some bonus in 1948.

My first job as an apprentice welder on the shipyard in 1960 saw the princely sum of £2 11 shillings a week rising to £2 14 shillings shortly after due to a boiler maker apprentices 'strike' in the north of England. - I didn't earn much more that that until in went in the army.

I remember my mother going mental when I spent most of some birthday money on the Hobbies lever tensioning fretsaw. Cut out a few ply formers with that and still have it though never use it - hangs on a nail in the loft!

I bought a pulse jet at Henry J's whilst in the army - never did use it and have no idea where it went - probably in exchange for another engine. Engines have, to the main part been, very transient things and I've had many over the years - somehow they seem 'attracted to me' as I certainly don't collect them. When I sold up a couple of years ago I kept back five or six - since returning to flying C/L they are already accumulating steadily way beyond that number.

Tug

Edited By Ramon Wilson on 26/01/2021 15:26:24

Keith it’s the nickel plate that has gone rusty in places, perhaps giving it a run might improve its looks.

Old School,,

Now that you have given yourself the idea,you must carry it out. Think of the noise it will make! Check the leaf valves are still OK first.though.

Keith

I made the Aeromodeler Braunner pulse jet back in 1967.It needs a new leaf valve, but how do you cut them out without a laser printer etc ? Would love to get it going again just to wake the neighbours up !!

Bob

Bob,

Did the Brauner jet use a commercial available leaf valve?

I have a friend who had/has several jets and spares - I could ask him for you if he can help if you know exactly what you require.

Tug