old timers look here must be 50+ years only
05-30-2016, 06:37 AM
#2651
Thread Starter
As I sit writing this listening to the thunder bumpers passing, I am considering the test mentioned above, Now tests is and area that I do not do well . I think I have a mental problem I remember my flight exam (amongst others) when asked a question I had a hard time answering but in the practical side of the testing I aced it even my examiner noticed.
Test when administered without bias is a good thing but unfortunately too many times I have seen were incompetent persons were passed and much more competent persons failed especially where I live. (let's not get into the details)
It is aknowledged some form of competency test is mandatory for the safety of all but what happens when a person fails on a regular basis?
Here we try to control the situation but only when someone takes the time to get involved, And sometimes a person refuses assistance
Just playing the devils advocate.
Test when administered without bias is a good thing but unfortunately too many times I have seen were incompetent persons were passed and much more competent persons failed especially where I live. (let's not get into the details)
It is aknowledged some form of competency test is mandatory for the safety of all but what happens when a person fails on a regular basis?
Here we try to control the situation but only when someone takes the time to get involved, And sometimes a person refuses assistance
Just playing the devils advocate.
Last edited by donnyman; 05-30-2016 at 08:43 AM.
05-30-2016, 06:55 AM
#2652
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Measnes, La Creuse, France.
Posts: 2,132
Received 146 Likes
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123 Posts
If it's still raining where you are, as it is here, and if you're not in your workshops building models, you may care to read the following which I wrote years ago for a British magazine which explains how I became interested in this hobby. Sorry if I've posted it before. 
In 1960 was about 12 years old and this is when I built my first model aeroplane. My father had never built a model aircraft but two of my uncles had, and so it came to pass that I was assisted in this process by my Uncle Geoff, an architectural draughtsman, who built beautiful free flight models and who had married my mother’s sister; gliders were his particular passion. The first model was the Keil Kraft “Ajax”, a 30” span rubber powered model, itself an enlargement of the more popular “Achilles.” This was followed by a small Keil Kraft glider. Neither was well-built and neither flew very well. Neither did I get a positive reaction from Uncle Geoff who criticised my inadequate workmanship and urged me to take more time over my next model!
Had I given up at this stage I would not have been writing this now, but I bought a Mills .75cc diesel engine with the proceeds of my paper round and a Veron “Cardinal” to suit it. This was a 36” high wing monoplane with a sheet fuselage. Stung by Geoff’s earlier criticism, I took my time over its construction, double-glueing all of the joints with balsa cement, and it came out looking pretty good even if I say so myself.
Now for the covering; the flying surfaces were not a problem, I had decided to finish them in yellow lightweight tissue. However, I’ve always been one who wanted to stand out from the crowd, (years later several people told me, too late, that I should have been an actor,) and I wanted to finish the fuselage in purple but in those days you could not buy purple dope but you could buy red dope and you could buy blue dope; I bought a tin of each. Had I finished the model in either of those colours the model would have looked good in a conventional colour scheme but I mixed the two together and they came out brown! The wing and tailplane were covered in yellow tissue, given two coats of dope and a coat of fuel proofer and looked really smart. Then there was nothing for it but to take my brown and yellow Cardinal round to Geoff to show him.
To do this I had to go to his parents’ house. It was the summer of 1960, Geoff had contracted cancer and he and his wife had moved in with his mother and father so that all three of them could look after him. He was to die of this disease the following winter, just a few months after his baby son was born; he was only 31. He was very positive about my improved workmanship but questioned the use of heavy coloured dope on the fuselage until I explained that it had a sheeted fuselage. He didn’t mention the colour!
So after showing him the model, I went with my father and his brother, my Uncle Ivor, who had also built model aircraft, to Forton Aerodrome to fly the model. Geoff wasn’t fit enough to join us. Forton was a WW2 training aerodrome. It was here that the great fighter ace Pierre Closterman first flew a Spitfire. In 1960 most of the main runway hadn’t disappeared beneath the plough and we flew the model from the intersection of the two runways. It was a beautiful windless summer’s day and having trimmed the model over the proverbial long grass I put some fuel into the thimble-like fuel tank and launched it. The model climbed to height, as the fuel ran out the engine revs would rise and the model would climb more steeply. When the engine cut, the model would stall, regain flying speed and glide back to earth in wide circles. As there was no wind, we found that we could fill the fuel tank which gave an engine run of over two minutes by which time the model was a tiny cross in the sky, then there would be a repeat performance, the revs would rise, the model would stall, regain flying speed and return to land just a few metres away. I can still see the sun shining through those yellow wings. I didn’t know it then but I was addicted.
In the next three years a succession of free-flight and control line models followed but none had the same impression as the Cardinal. Then in 1963 I took my first girl to the pictures and for the next 25 years, aeromodelling gave way to sex and drugs and rock’n’roll and I’ll plead guilty to all three. In fact was still leading rock bands until 2008 before I realised that I no longer had the power and range that is required to perform this role. Besides there’s something rather ridiculous about a sixty year old man singing about making love “All Niiiight Looooooooooong!!!” I still have all the stuff, amps, electric guitars,mikes and loudspeakers and sometimes dream of forming one last band but the thought of organising everything puts me off. Maybe if somebody else…ah well, never mind.
Then in 1988 I was living in North Devon and saw a man flying a radio controlled model in a field. I stopped the car, walked over to him made some enquiries. I bought a kit, a St Leonard’s Models “Gemini” at an auction where I was buying furniture, bought an unused radio off a carpenter who was setting up “on his own,” and was given an Irvine 21 car engine by a kid who’d wrecked it. I got it to go and the rest as they say is history. The Gemini was not a success owing to my own lack of physical co-ordination. I put the engine and radio into a vintage Junior 60 which I covered in olive drab parachute silk which suited me much better. I swapped the Gemini for a damaged Telemaster, the 66” version with the plywood fuselage and that led on to other things!
I'm building another Cardinal right now, May 2016, but this time it will have a radio in it to save me from chasing it! There is a build blog on RC Groups, Vintage and Old Timer Section: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2645020 for those who are interested.
Aeromodelling: How I Became Addicted.
Had I given up at this stage I would not have been writing this now, but I bought a Mills .75cc diesel engine with the proceeds of my paper round and a Veron “Cardinal” to suit it. This was a 36” high wing monoplane with a sheet fuselage. Stung by Geoff’s earlier criticism, I took my time over its construction, double-glueing all of the joints with balsa cement, and it came out looking pretty good even if I say so myself.
Now for the covering; the flying surfaces were not a problem, I had decided to finish them in yellow lightweight tissue. However, I’ve always been one who wanted to stand out from the crowd, (years later several people told me, too late, that I should have been an actor,) and I wanted to finish the fuselage in purple but in those days you could not buy purple dope but you could buy red dope and you could buy blue dope; I bought a tin of each. Had I finished the model in either of those colours the model would have looked good in a conventional colour scheme but I mixed the two together and they came out brown! The wing and tailplane were covered in yellow tissue, given two coats of dope and a coat of fuel proofer and looked really smart. Then there was nothing for it but to take my brown and yellow Cardinal round to Geoff to show him.
To do this I had to go to his parents’ house. It was the summer of 1960, Geoff had contracted cancer and he and his wife had moved in with his mother and father so that all three of them could look after him. He was to die of this disease the following winter, just a few months after his baby son was born; he was only 31. He was very positive about my improved workmanship but questioned the use of heavy coloured dope on the fuselage until I explained that it had a sheeted fuselage. He didn’t mention the colour!
So after showing him the model, I went with my father and his brother, my Uncle Ivor, who had also built model aircraft, to Forton Aerodrome to fly the model. Geoff wasn’t fit enough to join us. Forton was a WW2 training aerodrome. It was here that the great fighter ace Pierre Closterman first flew a Spitfire. In 1960 most of the main runway hadn’t disappeared beneath the plough and we flew the model from the intersection of the two runways. It was a beautiful windless summer’s day and having trimmed the model over the proverbial long grass I put some fuel into the thimble-like fuel tank and launched it. The model climbed to height, as the fuel ran out the engine revs would rise and the model would climb more steeply. When the engine cut, the model would stall, regain flying speed and glide back to earth in wide circles. As there was no wind, we found that we could fill the fuel tank which gave an engine run of over two minutes by which time the model was a tiny cross in the sky, then there would be a repeat performance, the revs would rise, the model would stall, regain flying speed and return to land just a few metres away. I can still see the sun shining through those yellow wings. I didn’t know it then but I was addicted.
In the next three years a succession of free-flight and control line models followed but none had the same impression as the Cardinal. Then in 1963 I took my first girl to the pictures and for the next 25 years, aeromodelling gave way to sex and drugs and rock’n’roll and I’ll plead guilty to all three. In fact was still leading rock bands until 2008 before I realised that I no longer had the power and range that is required to perform this role. Besides there’s something rather ridiculous about a sixty year old man singing about making love “All Niiiight Looooooooooong!!!” I still have all the stuff, amps, electric guitars,mikes and loudspeakers and sometimes dream of forming one last band but the thought of organising everything puts me off. Maybe if somebody else…ah well, never mind.
Then in 1988 I was living in North Devon and saw a man flying a radio controlled model in a field. I stopped the car, walked over to him made some enquiries. I bought a kit, a St Leonard’s Models “Gemini” at an auction where I was buying furniture, bought an unused radio off a carpenter who was setting up “on his own,” and was given an Irvine 21 car engine by a kid who’d wrecked it. I got it to go and the rest as they say is history. The Gemini was not a success owing to my own lack of physical co-ordination. I put the engine and radio into a vintage Junior 60 which I covered in olive drab parachute silk which suited me much better. I swapped the Gemini for a damaged Telemaster, the 66” version with the plywood fuselage and that led on to other things!
I'm building another Cardinal right now, May 2016, but this time it will have a radio in it to save me from chasing it! There is a build blog on RC Groups, Vintage and Old Timer Section: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2645020 for those who are interested.
05-30-2016, 04:37 PM
#2653
Telemaster, thanks for the story regarding your interest in modeling. I, from early on, always had an interest in aviation. I built models as a kid. During my HS years, I visited airports and looked for invites to board n see the planes. Mainly the cockpit and instruments. This was way before all these security issues. When proportional RC systems came out a friend got me interested in RC airplanes. So I became an RC pilot for a few years but my main interest was general aviation airplanes. So I left modeling for GA. All these years I often thought of returning to modeling but never did. About 2 years ago I decided time to leave GA, so I have returned back to RC airplanes again. I've been scratch building planes.
Today, I had planned to do some flying at my home field. But it was not to be. I have had a crew rebuilding an old fence line. Well, they showed up bright n early today to work. Never expected them today. So flying was canceled as the flight pattern would be over the work area. The plane is a first flight after a crash n rebuild. No need taking a chance on something going wrong.
I went to town n on the way back I see these political signs. The election is over. I stop at the store n ask the owner for the signs and I get permission. These signs are 4x8’ n I had to put them in my Jeep. They had to go over my head so I could close the rear hatch. I already have 4 4x4’ signs n I may be able to get 4 more tomorrow. All 4MM. I will be all set for my SPAD airplane builds.
Once I got home I decided I needed to do something with a freebie airplane I got. I've had it in my carport off my workshop. Not a good location as wind driven rain would get to it at times. So I decided to hang it from a truss in the new storage building. The plane is 8’ long and pretty heavy. I had to turn it sideways to get it thru the door. (I still need to build my equipment entry doors) A pulley setup let me hoist it to the top. In the second picture on the left side you can see the top of a fin. This is a second similar airplane I was given. It is not as complete as this one. On the right side you can see the fin of my Kadet LT-40 that I built and a Kwik Stick I that I need to finish. On another shelf is my Ugly Stik. All three builds need their maiden flight.
Can anyone ID this airplane? What runway length would be needed for an airplane this size?
I worked a little on my current build before calling it a day. Then off to BBQ.
Looks like this week will be another rain event.
Best wishes to all the Veterans. Remembering those who have fallen.
US NAVY MCPO
Today, I had planned to do some flying at my home field. But it was not to be. I have had a crew rebuilding an old fence line. Well, they showed up bright n early today to work. Never expected them today. So flying was canceled as the flight pattern would be over the work area. The plane is a first flight after a crash n rebuild. No need taking a chance on something going wrong.
I went to town n on the way back I see these political signs. The election is over. I stop at the store n ask the owner for the signs and I get permission. These signs are 4x8’ n I had to put them in my Jeep. They had to go over my head so I could close the rear hatch. I already have 4 4x4’ signs n I may be able to get 4 more tomorrow. All 4MM. I will be all set for my SPAD airplane builds.
Once I got home I decided I needed to do something with a freebie airplane I got. I've had it in my carport off my workshop. Not a good location as wind driven rain would get to it at times. So I decided to hang it from a truss in the new storage building. The plane is 8’ long and pretty heavy. I had to turn it sideways to get it thru the door. (I still need to build my equipment entry doors) A pulley setup let me hoist it to the top. In the second picture on the left side you can see the top of a fin. This is a second similar airplane I was given. It is not as complete as this one. On the right side you can see the fin of my Kadet LT-40 that I built and a Kwik Stick I that I need to finish. On another shelf is my Ugly Stik. All three builds need their maiden flight.
Can anyone ID this airplane? What runway length would be needed for an airplane this size?
I worked a little on my current build before calling it a day. Then off to BBQ.
Looks like this week will be another rain event.
Best wishes to all the Veterans. Remembering those who have fallen.
US NAVY MCPO
05-31-2016, 07:05 AM
#2654
Well I got my hands on the roll of iron fabric over the weekend. I had family for the holiday so no building was done. I did take my grandson from Kansas to the local field to watch the airplanes fly he was impressed! I did get the fabric unrolled to check the size and conditioned but it appears most of it is damaged with enough usable material to cover one wing. Rather than risk it I'll save the usable portion for repairs and buy a new 5 meter roll of natural Solartex when I have the funds available.
05-31-2016, 07:06 AM
#2655
Thread Starter
While reading the last two posts It came to mind of the similarities amongst us, many of us have a period of time in our stories in which modelling took a back seat to the activities of our lives only to be revived later on. this happened to me after my son was born for at least ten or so years. but was reawakened when he asked me for my falcon 56 that was laying around the garage since he was born.
He cleaned that thing up so I had to set him up to fly it. which opened a era in my life that is still underway. I can't count the number of models I was blessed to build and fly during this time of my life the shop is full of balsa chips as i type this.
I have been blessed to fullfill my dreams of fantasy and turn them into reality, and will admit the dream was better. and continues today.
It struck me a few days ago when I saw a pictue of a F-94 Eureka kit I purchased while working as a delivery boy in New York (1955-6) it was powered by a Tiger jet engine (pulse jet) which I also purchased. I only made $1 and hour so these were purchased on a lay away basis. I was about 14 years old.
The plane was never put together as it was all aluminum and was given away by my brother while I was in the Air Force, but the engine was tested and scare the H--- out of me as it glowed a bright orange/yellow and rattled my ear drums.
this is the engine mounted on a plane I had the hots for back then, still looks cool to me.
I built a lot of models while in the service my first was a controline "Ruffy" while I was in technical school in Champaign, Urbana Ill.
Chanute A.F.B. I wasn't the only one building models either, a fellow from another squadron built a Huge F-104 for pulse jet and R/C.
pics edited in .
He cleaned that thing up so I had to set him up to fly it. which opened a era in my life that is still underway. I can't count the number of models I was blessed to build and fly during this time of my life the shop is full of balsa chips as i type this.
I have been blessed to fullfill my dreams of fantasy and turn them into reality, and will admit the dream was better. and continues today.
It struck me a few days ago when I saw a pictue of a F-94 Eureka kit I purchased while working as a delivery boy in New York (1955-6) it was powered by a Tiger jet engine (pulse jet) which I also purchased. I only made $1 and hour so these were purchased on a lay away basis. I was about 14 years old.
The plane was never put together as it was all aluminum and was given away by my brother while I was in the Air Force, but the engine was tested and scare the H--- out of me as it glowed a bright orange/yellow and rattled my ear drums.
I built a lot of models while in the service my first was a controline "Ruffy" while I was in technical school in Champaign, Urbana Ill.
Chanute A.F.B. I wasn't the only one building models either, a fellow from another squadron built a Huge F-104 for pulse jet and R/C.
pics edited in .
Last edited by donnyman; 05-31-2016 at 12:13 PM.
06-04-2016, 05:46 PM
#2657
My Feedback: (6)
Well any one that is 20 years younger than me I call them wiper snapper, an old saying that meny don't under stand, So I-FLy--any-and-ALL your a wiper snapper 
any way I was about 6 when my dad got me my first comet kit as I was bugging my mom and he figured it would keep me out of her way for a bit, did but it took about 20 or more before I got one to fly more than about 5 ft. and have been addicted ever sense. rubber power all thru wwII , then u-control, till girls came along for a bit of distraction but airplanes were top on my list and if the girl did not like it she went her way I went mine of corse there was school work and collage in there to but some how I was all ways involved in airplanes First real job was at the old Convair plant in San Diego with the clean up crew on B-36's sure was a big deval lots of places to look and learn, back to models got bored and decided to start bulging again so built my first radio controlled bird single channel heath kit radio on 27 as I remember, and now at 84 still building but buying good radios and having fun and still learning new things, in between med problems
So al you young guys leep up the good work and have a ball
Sorry for the preaching. and Donnyman you are so right we all seem to have some of the same passion's
Cheers Bob T
Ps the one area that does not interest me is jets, guess I am just to old
any way I was about 6 when my dad got me my first comet kit as I was bugging my mom and he figured it would keep me out of her way for a bit, did but it took about 20 or more before I got one to fly more than about 5 ft. and have been addicted ever sense. rubber power all thru wwII , then u-control, till girls came along for a bit of distraction but airplanes were top on my list and if the girl did not like it she went her way I went mine of corse there was school work and collage in there to but some how I was all ways involved in airplanes First real job was at the old Convair plant in San Diego with the clean up crew on B-36's sure was a big deval lots of places to look and learn, back to models got bored and decided to start bulging again so built my first radio controlled bird single channel heath kit radio on 27 as I remember, and now at 84 still building but buying good radios and having fun and still learning new things, in between med problemsSo al you young guys leep up the good work and have a ball
Sorry for the preaching. and Donnyman you are so right we all seem to have some of the same passion's
Cheers Bob T
Ps the one area that does not interest me is jets, guess I am just to old
Last edited by rt3232; 06-04-2016 at 05:53 PM.
06-04-2016, 06:52 PM
#2658
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Join Date: Jan 2016
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Speaking of passion for model airplanes, I have been building 45 of my 51 years and have quit many things including flying due to time constraints, but have never quit building. I glued many a airframe to the plans because I did not have what was called grease paper. Mama I need some grease paper well honey we use lard for everything !! Guess what I did, It took me a while to figure it out on my own, but Iearned and still continue every day in all aspects from those around me. Granny lived to be 103 yrs old so I guess lard ain't so bad.
06-04-2016, 10:12 PM
#2659
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Measnes, La Creuse, France.
Posts: 2,132
Received 146 Likes
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123 Posts
Good day gentlemen! I'm pleased to report that I passed both of my tests referred to in posts 2643 and 2645.
It dawned very misty yesterday and perhaps 15-20 pilots turned up from each of the three clubs in the Creuse department of France. The examiners chose, quite understandably, to examine helicopter and multi-rotor pilots first, then we all repaired to the clubhouse for an aperitif in true Gallic manner! Being British, I just had a tea then attempted a test flight with the Fun Fly. I found that if you were sensible and didn't allow the model to get too far away, the visibility was alright. By the time the assembled Frenchmen had finished their "aperos" the visibility was enough to allow the examiners to test the glider pilots. Initially electric powered gliders were flown, then it was time for my club's Super Tigre powered tug to be fired up. When the last of the gliders was down I was instructed to start my engine. With my pal Roger Aubard beside me calling the manouevres (in French!) I flew the basic schedule and was flying the last figure, a rectangular circuit prior to landing, when I heard one of the judges say that I had been awarded both the basic and the advanced qualification on the evidence of just the one flight!This wouldn't have happened in England! Perhaps the judge was hungry!
To be fair my flying has improved immensely since moving to France almost a year ago mainly because you have to land on a ten-metre wide strip of tarmac unless you want to risk having your undercarriage ripped out on the adjacent glider-landing grass strip which is very bumpy indeed. I was pleased with my flight; my horizontal eight was almost perfect, and as one of the judges explained afterwards, the QPDD, the more-advanced qualification, is simply a means of demonstrating that a pilot can fly accurately enough to be safe at an event at which the general public may be admitted. My flying of the basic schedule was accurate enough to convince the judges of my competence.
We then retired to a lunch of sausages and pork steaks with French beans and peas, plus as much alcohol as you wanted. In the evening we had roast lamb with beans. No potatoes you'll notice. The French often eat in this way, if they include potatoes, they often don't serve vegetables. Four of us ended up carousing till late so I'm suffering slightly this morning. We're all going over to the club house at eleven to do the washing up and generally clean the place.
Reflections on a long and tiring day.
Of all the models which participated only two were powered by i/c engines, one of which was mine.
There were only about five models built from kits, again including my own model, all the rest were ARTFs. Here I'm assuming that some of the gliders were built from kits but even these had ready-built glass fibre fuselages.
Some of the gliders had wingspans of up to 3.5 metres and though gliders are not really my thing, they do look magnificent in the air.
Finally, have you ever noticed that some of the loveliest models are built by the scruffiest modellers? It's not always the case of course!
It dawned very misty yesterday and perhaps 15-20 pilots turned up from each of the three clubs in the Creuse department of France. The examiners chose, quite understandably, to examine helicopter and multi-rotor pilots first, then we all repaired to the clubhouse for an aperitif in true Gallic manner! Being British, I just had a tea then attempted a test flight with the Fun Fly. I found that if you were sensible and didn't allow the model to get too far away, the visibility was alright. By the time the assembled Frenchmen had finished their "aperos" the visibility was enough to allow the examiners to test the glider pilots. Initially electric powered gliders were flown, then it was time for my club's Super Tigre powered tug to be fired up. When the last of the gliders was down I was instructed to start my engine. With my pal Roger Aubard beside me calling the manouevres (in French!) I flew the basic schedule and was flying the last figure, a rectangular circuit prior to landing, when I heard one of the judges say that I had been awarded both the basic and the advanced qualification on the evidence of just the one flight!This wouldn't have happened in England! Perhaps the judge was hungry!
To be fair my flying has improved immensely since moving to France almost a year ago mainly because you have to land on a ten-metre wide strip of tarmac unless you want to risk having your undercarriage ripped out on the adjacent glider-landing grass strip which is very bumpy indeed. I was pleased with my flight; my horizontal eight was almost perfect, and as one of the judges explained afterwards, the QPDD, the more-advanced qualification, is simply a means of demonstrating that a pilot can fly accurately enough to be safe at an event at which the general public may be admitted. My flying of the basic schedule was accurate enough to convince the judges of my competence.
We then retired to a lunch of sausages and pork steaks with French beans and peas, plus as much alcohol as you wanted. In the evening we had roast lamb with beans. No potatoes you'll notice. The French often eat in this way, if they include potatoes, they often don't serve vegetables. Four of us ended up carousing till late so I'm suffering slightly this morning. We're all going over to the club house at eleven to do the washing up and generally clean the place.
Reflections on a long and tiring day.
Of all the models which participated only two were powered by i/c engines, one of which was mine.
There were only about five models built from kits, again including my own model, all the rest were ARTFs. Here I'm assuming that some of the gliders were built from kits but even these had ready-built glass fibre fuselages.
Some of the gliders had wingspans of up to 3.5 metres and though gliders are not really my thing, they do look magnificent in the air.
Finally, have you ever noticed that some of the loveliest models are built by the scruffiest modellers?
It's not always the case of course!
Last edited by Telemaster Sales UK; 06-05-2016 at 07:29 PM.
06-05-2016, 02:31 AM
#2660
Outstanding! Glad to see your tests went so well - a huge CONGRATULATIONS!!
06-05-2016, 04:52 AM
#2662
Thread Starter
Mid twenties???? I got Sox older than you! "Whipper snapper". I am partial to F-86's so if possible can you show us a picture of yours, I have a fiberglass fuse. of the 86 for ducted fan I plan to modify for turbine use one of these years.
06-05-2016, 05:06 AM
#2663
Thread Starter
Well any one that is 20 years younger than me I call them wiper snapper, an old saying that meny don't under stand, So I-FLy--any-and-ALL your a wiper snapper any way I was about 6 when my dad got me my first comet kit as I was bugging my mom and he figured it would keep me out of her way for a bit, did but it took about 20 or more before I got one to fly more than about 5 ft. and have been addicted ever sense. rubber power all thru wwII , then u-control, till girls came along for a bit of distraction but airplanes were top on my list and if the girl did not like it she went her way I went mine of corse there was school work and collage in there to but some how I was all ways involved in airplanes First real job was at the old Convair plant in San Diego with the clean up crew on B-36's sure was a big deval lots of places to look and learn, back to models got bored and decided to start bulging again so built my first radio controlled bird single channel heath kit radio on 27 as I remember, and now at 84 still building but buying good radios and having fun and still learning new things, in between med problems
So al you young guys leep up the good work and have a ball
Sorry for the preaching. and Donnyman you are so right we all seem to have some of the same passion's
Cheers Bob T
Ps the one area that does not interest me is jets, guess I am just to old
any way I was about 6 when my dad got me my first comet kit as I was bugging my mom and he figured it would keep me out of her way for a bit, did but it took about 20 or more before I got one to fly more than about 5 ft. and have been addicted ever sense. rubber power all thru wwII , then u-control, till girls came along for a bit of distraction but airplanes were top on my list and if the girl did not like it she went her way I went mine of corse there was school work and collage in there to but some how I was all ways involved in airplanes First real job was at the old Convair plant in San Diego with the clean up crew on B-36's sure was a big deval lots of places to look and learn, back to models got bored and decided to start bulging again so built my first radio controlled bird single channel heath kit radio on 27 as I remember, and now at 84 still building but buying good radios and having fun and still learning new things, in between med problemsSo al you young guys leep up the good work and have a ball
Sorry for the preaching. and Donnyman you are so right we all seem to have some of the same passion's
Cheers Bob T
Ps the one area that does not interest me is jets, guess I am just to old
That wasn't preaching just good reading! I remember "WHIPPER SNAPPER"...... your talking Gabby Hayes
Now that's going back a while.Thanks for the memories!
06-05-2016, 05:59 AM
#2665
Thread Starter
Speaking of passion for model airplanes, I have been building 45 of my 51 years and have quit many things including flying due to time constraints, but have never quit building. I glued many a airframe to the plans because I did not have what was called grease paper. Mama I need some grease paper well honey we use lard for everything !! Guess what I did, It took me a while to figure it out on my own, but Iearned and still continue every day in all aspects from those around me. Granny lived to be 103 yrs old so I guess lard ain't so bad.
Now you fired up my memory banks I remember the use of lard it cooked up some good chicken, but looked terrible when it got cold.
I protected my plans with wax paper that had wax on it not this stuff on the market now days.
06-05-2016, 06:41 AM
#2666
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Measnes, La Creuse, France.
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Thanks to everybody who has congratulated me on getting through my tests.
I turned up at the club house, slightly the worse for wear at 11.00 this morning as arranged. We needed to do all of the washing up and to clean the club house of all of the cut grass which everyone traipsed in to the place yesterday. We were well stuck into our work at 11.50, when Fabrice, the club's treasurer and resident chef de la cuisine, turned up. He'd only brought two chickens and some more peas with him! A party was sent out to get some wine and and champagne and we had another four course meal! I think I'm putting on weight!
I feel a little tired as a consequence of all of the alcohol I've consumed over the last 36 hours. I've come to realise that I'm not 21 anymore!
06-05-2016, 11:21 AM
#2667
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Donny, what is grease paper??? I have never used it, I have been building on plate glass and using today's wax paper with a steel board and magnets. I have not used pins since 2009. Yes congrats telemaster on the completion of your tests.
06-05-2016, 07:41 PM
#2668
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Measnes, La Creuse, France.
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http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/...20Fuselage.jpg
06-06-2016, 05:51 PM
#2669
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It's known as "grease-proof paper" in the UK and it's normally used in baking or to wrap sandwiches in your lunchbox . It's translucent and prevents the glue from sticking to your plans. I normally use the backing paper from covering material these days or the plastic which covers the components of ARTF kits. Picture of my new Veron Cardinal under construction.
http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/...20Fuselage.jpg
http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/...20Fuselage.jpg
06-07-2016, 09:57 AM
#2670
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Measnes, La Creuse, France.
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Those who enjoyed the first Cardinal article may care to have a look at the follow-up article.
[TABLE="class: MsoNormalTable, width: 100"]
[TR]
[TD="width: 90%"] "How the Cardinal Met its End!"
[/TD]
[TD="width: 10%"] [/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
You may recall my Uncle Geoff referred to in a previous article; he taught me how to build model aircraft. He died of cancer in 1960 while his son was still a baby. Spool on 35 years and his son, Nick, is now a dentist living in Norfolk in the east of England while I'm a jobbing builder living in Devon in the south west of England.
Now Nick was once the Midlands Area Schoolboy Cycle Champion and still regularly competes on his bike, however, in the mid Nineties the bicycle racing had forced him to go into hospital to have an operation on his knees. At the same time his mother gave him a plastic bag containing his father's old model aeroplane engines and suggested to him that he could build a model while he was recuperating. The engines included; an ED Racer; an ED Competition Special; an ED Bee; a Mills 1.3 and three Mills .75s. He phoned me to recommend a suitable kit and I suggested the Cardinal.
The model was duly built, the lad had obviously inherited his father's skills, and he brought it down to me for help with the covering. We chose Solarfilm, (Yes I know!) yellow fuselage and dark blue wings, (Yes I know!!) but we didn't have the time or weather to fly it before he had to go back to Norfolk.
The following summer he asked me to come and paint the outside of his house. My painting kit went into the van. Then he asked me to fit an outside tap. The plumbing kit went into the van, and to wallpaper the lounge, the wallpapering kit went into the van, and to wire up a couple of spurs for the hi-fi and computer. You get the picture.
In the end there was no space for even my smallest R/C model so I dragged the Cardinal out of a thirty year retirement the night before setting off for Norfolk. The engine still turned but the yellow tissue was now very brittle. I soon had that off and ironed on some pale blue Solarfilm (YES I KNOW!) that I had lying about, ironed Solartex onto the top and bottom of the fuselage, degreased the remaining brown paint and painted the fuselage with dark blue Hammerite, a type of metallic paint which dries to a hammered finish intended for protecting metal, but in the time available.... The tailplane was missing but I still had the plan so I built a new one and covered that in the same pale blue Solarfilm.
I got to Norfolk, got stuck into the job and one beautiful summer's evening we took our Cardinals out into the fields near Nick's house. We glide-trimmed both models, then we started Nick's engine for the first time in over forty years. We launched it on low power but it dropped its starboard wing and hit the ground. We persevered for a long time trying various trim tab settings but in the end we agreed that Nick had incorporated too much right side thrust and that that was causing the problem.
By now dusk was falling, but we started my Mills and observing that Nick's engine required about half a tank to run for twenty seconds I put the equivalent amount of fuel into the thimble and launched the old thing! It climbed in right-hand circles, and climbed .... and climbed until it was a tiny cross in the sky, reminding me of its performance over thirty years ago but this time there was a slight breeze and the fields in Norfolk are divided by dykes rather than hedges, so we couldn't chase it. It was a long way from us when I thought I saw it land in front of a stand of pines. We went back the next night and the following evening but couldn't find it. We enlarged the holes in the engine bearers of Nick's model, straightened up the engine and flew that successfully but we didn't manage to find my model.
I put a couple of notices in the pub and the local post office. "£5 Reward for the Recovery of a Small Model Aeroplane." No response until the following Saturday when I was in the house by myself for Nick and his wife Nikki had gone away for the weekend, and the phone rang. The voice on the other end said that he'd found something which could be the remains of a model aircraft. I went round and saw the chap, a local farmer. He took me to the spot where he'd found all that was left of the Cardinal. It was a long way from where I'd thought it had landed and all that remained of it was the engine, the bearers, the undercarriage and the pale blue Solarfilm.
"Where's the rest of it?" I enquired.
"The cows have eaten it," he said,
"Where are all the cows," I asked.
"They're all dead," he replied. I had visions of the biggest insurance claim in history being lodged against British Model Flying Association but then he added,
"I took them to the slaughter-house the day before yesterday!"
It seems that cows like vintage models but don't like Solarfilm.
I expect most of you vintage model enthusiasts are the same!
Happy Landings!
[TABLE="class: MsoNormalTable, width: 100"]
[TR]
[TD="width: 90%"] "How the Cardinal Met its End!"
[/TD]
[TD="width: 10%"] [/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[HR][/HR]
Now Nick was once the Midlands Area Schoolboy Cycle Champion and still regularly competes on his bike, however, in the mid Nineties the bicycle racing had forced him to go into hospital to have an operation on his knees. At the same time his mother gave him a plastic bag containing his father's old model aeroplane engines and suggested to him that he could build a model while he was recuperating. The engines included; an ED Racer; an ED Competition Special; an ED Bee; a Mills 1.3 and three Mills .75s. He phoned me to recommend a suitable kit and I suggested the Cardinal.
The model was duly built, the lad had obviously inherited his father's skills, and he brought it down to me for help with the covering. We chose Solarfilm, (Yes I know!) yellow fuselage and dark blue wings, (Yes I know!!) but we didn't have the time or weather to fly it before he had to go back to Norfolk.
The following summer he asked me to come and paint the outside of his house. My painting kit went into the van. Then he asked me to fit an outside tap. The plumbing kit went into the van, and to wallpaper the lounge, the wallpapering kit went into the van, and to wire up a couple of spurs for the hi-fi and computer. You get the picture.
In the end there was no space for even my smallest R/C model so I dragged the Cardinal out of a thirty year retirement the night before setting off for Norfolk. The engine still turned but the yellow tissue was now very brittle. I soon had that off and ironed on some pale blue Solarfilm (YES I KNOW!) that I had lying about, ironed Solartex onto the top and bottom of the fuselage, degreased the remaining brown paint and painted the fuselage with dark blue Hammerite, a type of metallic paint which dries to a hammered finish intended for protecting metal, but in the time available.... The tailplane was missing but I still had the plan so I built a new one and covered that in the same pale blue Solarfilm.
I got to Norfolk, got stuck into the job and one beautiful summer's evening we took our Cardinals out into the fields near Nick's house. We glide-trimmed both models, then we started Nick's engine for the first time in over forty years. We launched it on low power but it dropped its starboard wing and hit the ground. We persevered for a long time trying various trim tab settings but in the end we agreed that Nick had incorporated too much right side thrust and that that was causing the problem.
By now dusk was falling, but we started my Mills and observing that Nick's engine required about half a tank to run for twenty seconds I put the equivalent amount of fuel into the thimble and launched the old thing! It climbed in right-hand circles, and climbed .... and climbed until it was a tiny cross in the sky, reminding me of its performance over thirty years ago but this time there was a slight breeze and the fields in Norfolk are divided by dykes rather than hedges, so we couldn't chase it. It was a long way from us when I thought I saw it land in front of a stand of pines. We went back the next night and the following evening but couldn't find it. We enlarged the holes in the engine bearers of Nick's model, straightened up the engine and flew that successfully but we didn't manage to find my model.
I put a couple of notices in the pub and the local post office. "£5 Reward for the Recovery of a Small Model Aeroplane." No response until the following Saturday when I was in the house by myself for Nick and his wife Nikki had gone away for the weekend, and the phone rang. The voice on the other end said that he'd found something which could be the remains of a model aircraft. I went round and saw the chap, a local farmer. He took me to the spot where he'd found all that was left of the Cardinal. It was a long way from where I'd thought it had landed and all that remained of it was the engine, the bearers, the undercarriage and the pale blue Solarfilm.
"Where's the rest of it?" I enquired.
"The cows have eaten it," he said,
"Where are all the cows," I asked.
"They're all dead," he replied. I had visions of the biggest insurance claim in history being lodged against British Model Flying Association but then he added,
"I took them to the slaughter-house the day before yesterday!"
It seems that cows like vintage models but don't like Solarfilm.
I expect most of you vintage model enthusiasts are the same!
Happy Landings!
06-07-2016, 10:34 AM
#2671
Interesting story, Telemaster, thanks for sharing. When you say Cardinal, do you mean this model by Veron?
http://www.outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=4418
If enlarged would make a nice RC floater, IMO.
http://www.outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=4418
If enlarged would make a nice RC floater, IMO.
06-07-2016, 12:09 PM
#2672
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Measnes, La Creuse, France.
Posts: 2,132
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Yes that's right GG except that I'm building one from a kit produced by The Vintage Model Works of London. The dihedral has been reduced and the fin and rudder have been increased in size in the r/c version. These were approved modifications by the designer Phil Smith who was the leading light of Veron Models.
I will be using the engine un-throttled and driving the rudder and elevator by a pair of Hited HS 55 micro servos. The receiver will be an Orange. What size receiver battery will I need for the Cardinal, bearing in mind that it only has a 36" wingspan? Will four cells be ok?
I will be using the engine un-throttled and driving the rudder and elevator by a pair of Hited HS 55 micro servos. The receiver will be an Orange. What size receiver battery will I need for the Cardinal, bearing in mind that it only has a 36" wingspan? Will four cells be ok?
06-07-2016, 12:52 PM
#2673
Interesting story, Telemaster, thanks for sharing. When you say Cardinal, do you mean this model by Veron?
http://www.outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=4418
If enlarged would make a nice RC floater, IMO.
http://www.outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=4418
If enlarged would make a nice RC floater, IMO.
Glow version - aerofred.com/details.php?image_id=80099
Electric - http://aerofred.com/details.php?image_id=80933
06-07-2016, 03:13 PM
#2674
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The UK BMFA C TEST FOR AEROBATIC MODELS IS A CRACKER.
I regarded myself as a better than average pilot and had competed in aerobatic competitions with the full FAI schedule.
I found the C test schedule to be a much more testing affair
See what you think. https://bmfa.org/DesktopModules/Brin...Id=0&TabId=220
I regarded myself as a better than average pilot and had competed in aerobatic competitions with the full FAI schedule.
I found the C test schedule to be a much more testing affair
See what you think. https://bmfa.org/DesktopModules/Brin...Id=0&TabId=220
06-07-2016, 08:21 PM
#2675
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Measnes, La Creuse, France.
Posts: 2,132
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The UK BMFA C TEST FOR AEROBATIC MODELS IS A CRACKER.
I regarded myself as a better than average pilot and had competed in aerobatic competitions with the full FAI schedule.
I found the C test schedule to be a much more testing affair
See what you think. https://bmfa.org/DesktopModules/Brin...Id=0&TabId=220
I regarded myself as a better than average pilot and had competed in aerobatic competitions with the full FAI schedule.
I found the C test schedule to be a much more testing affair
See what you think. https://bmfa.org/DesktopModules/Brin...Id=0&TabId=220
I wouldn't be able to pass that exam, that's for sure!
This is how far I've got with the model. Who can resist assembling it when you have got it to this stage?
Last edited by Telemaster Sales UK; 06-07-2016 at 09:44 PM.