Handley Page HP42E 'Helena'
 

Here's a few pics of a model I'm finishing at the moment. Its an 1/8 scale Handley Page HP42 airliner. Spanning 16' 6" or 198", powered by 4 Zenoah 22 petrols. I've been keen to get all the controls of the full size working on the model, including the rudder balance panels, the leading edge slats and frise ailerons. The slats and their linkages consist of about 30 separate components each side. The slats are fully automatic, ie they cannot be pushed out by radio, but can be locked shut for safety. The HP42 has to be one of the UK's, if not the worlds most iconic aeroplanes of the era, and was he first 'million mile' airliner with an unblemished civilian safety record. The main work still required is in the top wings, fitting servos, wiring and the obvious covering.

Ian.

RE: Handley Page HP42E 'Helena'
 

Isn't that cool

RE: Handley Page HP42E 'Helena'
 

Ian, you are without question in my mind one of the greatest scale builders ever! It's not only your building skills, which are mind-boggling on their own, it's also your brave choices on aircraft to model.

RE: Handley Page HP42E 'Helena'
 

Cheers Don, but in this case the brave choice was that of the late great Peter Neate. This was Peters current model at the time of his death. I am simply adding to his great work with my own mods and preferances. I'll update later.

Ian.

RE: Handley Page HP42E 'Helena'
 

...Standing on the shoulders of giants, eh?

RE: Handley Page HP42E 'Helena'
 

A giant indeed. I was/am honoured to have been asked to restore his old Junkers Ju52 a few years ago, I still fly it occasionally but the conditions have to be right since it still has its original 1978 OS open rocker 60fs motors. Not a lot of power for a 11' 6" model weighing 35lb or so!!

Back to Helena, this model is an enlargement of Peters smaller HP42 Hannibal from the early 1980's. The basic fuselage and lower wing panels are as Peter built them. The tail surfaces are a new build, as largely are the top wings, to incorporate the slats and scale hinges for the ailerons. I also rejigged the thrustlines and incidences from the smaller one as it doesn't always work the same from a smaller design. They are now closer to the full size angles, though I can't find any definate info since most of the Handley Page factory documents were ordered to be burn't, presumably when the company was liquidated in the 1970's!!! Some documents survived due to workers not carrying out their orders, but sadly not for much of the older designs.

On the original LMA paperwork for the model, the planned weight was 50lb, very optimistic to say the least! The weight at present is 75lb or so, which still gives a ridiculously low wing loading of about 1.5lb per foot if my memory serves me. The U/C has been ungraded too, since it was bottoming out too easily. I put two springs into each oleo, a hard one and a soft one. This is so the oleos compress about an inch just from the static weight of the model, then the harder spring takes the bumps out. This makes a model look much more realistic when taxiing as the suspension takes up the lumps and bumps. I also fitted rubber chord inside length of the springs, acts to soften the bounce back too.

Ian.

RE: Handley Page HP42E 'Helena'
 

One wing topside covered, in Silver Solartex, its amazing how long it takes to do a neat job around the fiddly hinges, brackets etc. I'll get the other done tomorrow, the wiring should arrive soon after and the bottomsides can be covered. For such a simple electrical system, it still has about 20m of wiring in it for the radio. I did work out and buy the wiring before, but I seem to have misplaced it all. Its in a bag and put somewhere safe!! Best way to find it is to buy some more, it'll all turn up for sure then!
I can then put the top skins on the slats. I decided against fitting the skins before the wings were covered purely because the finished covered wing is what they have to close up against. I'll tape some polythene from the back of solartex onto the wing, then laminate the top skins into place with finishing resin. This should hopefully be plenty strong enough to keep the slats warp free, especially the rear half which are very thin in section. They are easily removable though, just two wire pins that run in the snake inners that were built into the slats as they progressed. The bottom skin of the slats is a laminate of 1/32 balsa, grains opposite to keep them stiff and very light, with a bottom rear edge of 1/32 ply. The ply will be feathered at the back edge to keep the slats sharp.

Ian.

RE: Handley Page HP42E 'Helena'
 

What a beautiful project to finish Ian. When finished this should be a magnificent sight in the air, looking forward to that.

RE: Handley Page HP42E 'Helena'
 

Got the slat skins sorted, used 1/32 ply in the end to make them reet rigid. I masked around the edges and underside of the slat with the backing off solartex. Then sanded the outer edges of the slats back to match the top skins, plus sanded the blocks around the brackets etc to match the profile. The skins had to be relieved where the rear brackets fit since its all so thin in that area, you can see the 4 corresponding holes in the top side. Bonded it all together after greasing all the internal brackets and tubes to stop any glue getting somewhere it shouldn't. Then, taped it all in place and left to cure. Then onto the other side.

Ian.

RE: Handley Page HP42E 'Helena'
 

Beautifull, looking forward to seeing it on the front of RCMEhttp://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f...ular_smile.gif

RE: Handley Page HP42E 'Helena'
 

Still, very cool. I think I remember pictures of the smaller one in the magazines of the day. Majestic.

RE: Handley Page HP42E 'Helena'
 

Peters smaller one, still 11 feet span though, was in quite a few publications in its day. That one was built 1983 I think. That was powered by 4 open rocker OS61 fourstrokes.

Ian.

RE: Handley Page HP42E 'Helena'
 

I remember the smaller one on the front of a modelling book?

RE: Handley Page HP42E 'Helena'
 

That's right Seamus, can't remember the book title, but on the cover was the HP42 and a De Havilland DH88 Comet racer. It was something like Scale Modelling Techniques or similar.

Ian.

RE: Handley Page HP42E 'Helena'
 

I know the aileron linkages will have the likes of Don whincing, but they'll dress up fine. They are in the scale place too!!

Ian.

RE: Handley Page HP42E 'Helena'
 

[X(] :D WHAT??? WHAT??? You're not going to have rotating aileron linkages???? What is the world coming to! :D

*****

Edited after you added that last photo: My faith in the universe is restored.

*****

BTW, I can't even imagine attempting a model of this complexity.

RE: Handley Page HP42E 'Helena'
 

Made up the rear identification lamp, made from stuff in the scrap box, the light is a 6v 5mm LED, The body of the lamp is simply body putty sculpted around the shrink wrapped 'tails' of the LED. Should look good, along with the navigation lamps and cabin lights on those early evening departures!! This was done so the middle rudder could be finished and covered. For some reason I cannot load pics, bugge r.

Ian.

RE: Handley Page HP42E 'Helena'
 

Anyone else having problems with pictures? I keep getting an internal error message. Ah well.


Ian.

RE: Handley Page HP42E 'Helena'
 

I get that about once a week. Often if I just immediately attempt to upload the photo again, it works the second time. Sometimes all you can do it wait (I'm guessing the system partially "reboots" overnight or something like that). It's annoying...but not as regular as it was for a while.

RE: Handley Page HP42E 'Helena'
 

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RE: Handley Page HP42E 'Helena'
 

Huh??

I always wondered where to get those, now I know!!

Cheers for that, I think!!



Ian.

RE: Handley Page HP42E 'Helena'
 

Finally it let me post a picture again, what causes that problem, anyone know?

Anyhoo, heres a couple of boring pics of the tail lamp, its about 15mm long and very bright. The pic of it lit up is with a camera flash!

Ian.

RE: Handley Page HP42E 'Helena'
 

Nice! It's little details like this that make a model a masterpiece.

RE: Handley Page HP42E 'Helena'
 

Cheers Don. Helena has passed its final 'over 20kg' inspection so can apply for the paperwork to test fly from the CAA. Final weight is 78lb or about 36kg. All radio is installed and the model, although completely flyable now, needs a few details adding, most important is the office, which is empty at the moment. Got all the motors set up and the range checks done etc. I was worried about the power of the Zenoah 22's, but after running them up toay I don't think there'll be any issues. I've had the masks for the rest of the registration markings, plus a couple of other stencils etc, from Flightline Graphics, and a top job they are as always. Here's a couple of pics and a couple of low quality videos of the motors running. Those 'doubled up' props look ace, especially in side view!!!

Ian.

http://s1189.photobucket.com/albums/...t=DSCF0233.mp4

http://s1189.photobucket.com/albums/...t=DSCF0232.mp4

RE: Handley Page HP42E 'Helena'
 

Pete Neates creations could not be in better hands Ian,superb work yet again