Gladys No 105 - Sheffield Society of Aeromodellers

Gladys
International 21C
The Almost Quarterly Journal of The Sheffield
Society of Aeromodellers
Issue 105 Jan/Feb 2013
In this edition…...
A new editor cuts his teeth….the diminutive Pole Cat is reviewed… a
glider of somewhat bigger proportions takes shape...some advice is
given on how to not lose your fingers, a few of last year’s show highlights
are revisited and more !
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Contents
4-Preserve Your Anatomy-David Taylor
6– Nobody Here But Us Chickens– The LMA at East Kirkby– Ed
8– Breighton – East of Java , South of York– Ed Cold
9– Club Notice Board– Anon
10– Sywell Airshow; Bigger Than You Might Think– Ed Start
13– It’s Not a ‘polecat’ it’s a Pole Cat-Brian Clayton
15– The 2012 Nationals– Ed Szu Win
17– An Oldie but Goodie... Or; An On/Off Relationship with a 1/4 Scale
Minimoa-Steve Bentley
21– Sad News From The Slopes– Steve Bentley
22-The Far Side ( Of The Clouds)- Ed Szu Lose
Thanks to Justine Morrison, Amy Carver and Tim for help with the dark arts of
text box use. All photos by Ed. except; pages 4-5, David Taylor, pages 17-21,
Steve Bentley and page 9/ Endpiece, Anon. All misstakes are the Eds.
Editorial
By the time you read this the Government may have been toppled, the BMFA
might have made a decision people like and the nights may be getting lighter.
I’ll put my money on just one of those being true. Welcome back to Gladys. A
new kid is on the block as editor but Gladys, I hope is still Gladys. I don’t want
to faff around introducing myself but suffice to say I came here from Newcastle
in 1975 and simply failed to leave, several times.
I had mooted the idea of becoming editor before the AGM but didn’t want to
deprive anyone else of the opportunity. Who exactly would want to do it I didn’t
know but someone at the AGM would….surely…someone….
Arriving back home from the AGM I announced to my daughter I was now an
editor. Ok, an editor of a newsletter with a circulation of less than 200 but still
an editor. I felt proud. She just laughed. The warmth of a good single malt was
required. On reflection it did seem to me there were 2 prerequisites to being the
editor of a newsletter for an aeromodelling club: editorial experience and the
ability to make and fly model planes. Damn.
2 small drams of Laphroig later the world was once again a happy place.
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Somehow though I knew the amount of expensive peaty whisky required to
maintain sanity was going to pricey and probably catastrophic to health,
especially if no one wrote stuff. But write you did and Gladys is back in
business !
There is no room for complacency though. Gladys is insatiable. Unless we feed
her habit she will be out there on the streets, mugging other magazines for a fix
or shamelessly publishing the phone taps (Oh yes Terry, the transcripts still
exist). So keep writing, keep sending in photos, keep sending anything!
As to my first year as a member of this club, what can I say? It has been fun and
I now have a new hat (with club logo). The AGM seemed to go well and the
Marylyn Munroe look-alike jumping from the giant cake in a stewardess’s outfit
was a master touch. See what you missed not attending. Committee meetings
though are a mystery to me. Can it really be true that they are more of a ‘state of
mind’ than an actual meeting? Do we really need the hoods? Where does the
goat fit in?
I also have a years flying behind me. There are times when I have wanted to
curl up in a ball and whimper but the healing powers of por glue generally
restored sanity; not through inhalation I must add. I have also enjoyed working
on this newsletter and extend thanks to all those who contributed to this edition.
As agreed I will return your loved ones unharmed.
The idea of this edition was to just get Gladys back on the runway and it can
change any which way folk want. All views as to format and content are
welcome. As a final note I just want to say when I got into this game my wife
said she thought it was good I was mixing with ‘normal people’. You can make
of that what you will.
Neil Carver
Castle Dyke Field...no wind… no rain….strange.
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Preserve Your Anatomy ! David Taylor
Propellers of electrically powered model aircraft can produce severe injuries and
yet when inserting batteries we put hands close to them. There is also a
temptation to work from the nose of the plane because the wings get in the way
otherwise.
This device is cheap and simple and isolates the battery until the plane is ready
for pre-flight checks/takeoff. It is based on an idea published in RCM &E in
May 2012 by Martin Hardy, but is, I think, an improvement.
It consists of an EC3 connector used to form an “ignition key." All you need is a
packet of E 63 connectors and some 14 AWG connecting wire. The socket is
fitted to the plane at a convenient place and the plug forms the "ignition key."
To fit this, unsolder the red lead from the ESC to the battery connector at the
battery connector end. Solder on a 4 mm plug or socket and fit it to the blue
plastic socket. Take your connecting wire and solder on another 4 mm plug or
socket and fit this to the blue plastic socket. There is a useful U-tube video on
how to solder these connectors at www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8aF3-4uBkQ .
Internal wiring
Socket viewed from
the outside
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Fit the blue socket to the plane at a convenient place and solder the red wire to
the battery connector. Insulate the joint with heatshrink sleaving. This
completes the modifications to the plane.
To make the ignition key, take plugs and sockets that are mirror image of the
ones you have already used and link them with a short length of connecting
wire. I would suggest making a few spare “keys” while you are at it as they are
easy to lose.
You can now fit the battery in perfect safety, and then at a convenient moment
insert the plug on the plane and you are ready to fly!
Plug or ignition key
Armed and ready for flight. Note wire link between gold terminals
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Nobody Here But us Chickens: The LMA at East
Kirkby:Ed.
The LMA kicked off the RC year at East Kirkby, home of The Lincolnshire
Aviation Heritage Centre. This airfield/ museum, of course houses Lancaster,
‘Just Jane,’ (below) an airworthy Dakota and a Hampden restoration project.
Sadly the weather did this event no favours but we did see some energetic jet
flying.
Tim and Terry located bargain batteries from the disappointingly small array of
trade stands with remarkable speed. It took them a little longer to work out the
origin of the slightly odd odour that pervades the entire museum site; chickens,
lots of them. A mere £248 gets you around 20 minutes in the Lancaster but it
never gets faster than walking pace in its tail down taxi. Mind you it does
sounds magnificent it as it trundles out to the airstrip and back. A 15ft scale
Lancaster B111 complete with Bouncing Bomb did fly however, despite a stiff
breeze. I must admit though, to my eyes there is something a little odd seeing
such a venerable beast tear downwind with the scale speed of a Hawker Hunter.
There are of course 2 real flying Lancasters, but there may, at some point be 3.
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The campaign to return ‘Just Jane’ to the sky again has (ahem) taken off this
year but she isn’t going to be flying when the LMA return to Kirkby on the 4 th
and 6 th of May 2013. (What happens on the 5 th is, at the time of writing a bit of a
mystery.) This is a definite case of ;check ( or chick) before you go.
There is something
about the design of
planes built between the
wars that is hugely
attractive and makes for
great looking models.
This Regal Eagle may
be a work of fiction but
it still captures the
period .According to
one source it is made of
cardboard. Can this be
true?
No sign of a Hampden
but a selection of
stalwarts were there for
Bomber Command in the
guise of a Wellington and
Lancaster
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Breighton :East of Java, South of York: Ed Cold
If you are a fan of the Percival Mew Gull (pictured on the front cover) you may
know the original flies from Breighton airfield, hideout of the Real Aeroplane
Company. Entry to events at Breighton is mainly only open to Club members
paying the £25 annual fee. That might sound expensive but think on. This year
one member can take friends and family at no extra cost to any weekend as well
as to the 9 planned events at the airfield. In other words: a bargain.
Breighton’s shindigs are fairly low key but friendly and the flying is up close
and personal. There is always some luck in what arrives but I have never been
disappointed. This year a BBMF Spitfire gave an impromptu display. At an
earlier event a certain Vulcan tore the place up and I have seen a Jet Provost so
low I am sure he would have had to climb to get the undercarriage down.
This Soko P-2
Sparrowhalk can
practically fly
backwards It dropped in
at the LMA event at
Elvington and its photo
also appears in RC
Model World
Even if there is a low visiting aircraft count Breighton is worth a visit. The
‘home flight’ includes a Miles Magister, a unique Arrow Active from 1932, a
1942 Ryan and a 1934 Dart Kitten. A Westland Wasp helicopter and Sopwith
Pup are currently under restoration on site
This year, among other interesting events an international Bucker fly in is being
planned. As ever though ,the scheduling of outdoor events can be fraught, so
check their website for full updates at www :http://www.realaero.com/.
RC has also begun to appear at Breighton.. Their latest news section on the
website features the RC handiwork of one Andy Ward (does anyone know
him ?) including his build of a Halifax which flew from Breighton during the
war. To join the Club just use a form on the website. Then fill a car with folk
and mosey on up the M18.You know it makes sense.
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Club Notice Board
Warning!!!
If you see this man do not approach him or lend him a battery.
Contact the Men's Fashion Section of the BMFA as soon as
possible. They have a warrant out for his arrest.
The identity of the photographer has been removed in case of reprisals
Legend has it 342 boxed Kielcraft Spitfires were
buried in 1956 in my allotment (which doesn’t
need digging over). Anyone who wants to come to
the allotment (which doesn’t need digging over )
and excavate can keep the models. Ring 0095-1945
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Sywell Airshow… Bigger Than You Might Think
Ed Start
Sywell in Northamptonshire is a very active airfield, home of the Blades
Aerobatic Team, and a fine aviation museum. It also puts on a rather good
airshow. This event supported the local air ambulance and will do so again on
Sunday August 17 2014.Yes 2014. The bad news is this event takes place every
2 years.
I have seen the airshow twice and despite the modest size of the site I think it
punches well above its weight. Mr. Tim Scowcroft was there with me this year
and will verify this: “I can verify this” (said Tim Scowcroft).
As well as immaculate displays from Meteors etc and larger craft such as the
Catalina there were some RC surprises this year, including the launch of 2
radio control planes from the wings of a carrier ( above). It worked, although
one snagged on launch. I await the indoor version. A fair few full size replicas
from WW1 were also in attendance.
The modest entrance fee to the airshow also gets you into the Sywell Aviation
Museum, whose honorary president was a certain Alex Henshaw,a name
eternally bound to Mew Gulls, Spitfires and now Gladys. A favourite exhibit in
the museum is a pre war rubber powered ‘A’ frame. Could they make a come
back ? This show is a small gem…. only 18month to wait !
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One of the few Spitfires to escape burial in Burma...allegedly.
Two Replica Fokker
Triplanes in what
looks like a friendly
fire incident
Postscript
Mr Scowcroft recently leant me around 15,000 old copies of Gladys so I could
get a feel for the newsletter and its history. The earliest edition is etched on
slate and features free flight gliders, covered with mammoth skin. Anyway out
of this pile fell a large RC plan of none other than the Henshaw Mew Gull. If
that’s not a sign I don’t know what is. Get it built Tim, get it built.
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It’s Not a ‘polecat’, It’s a Pole Cat:Brian Clayton
I have often watched our fellow club members fly their Parkzone T-28 Trojans
during the ‘slow fly 2’ sessions at our indoor flying events and I have always
thought that these little models seem so fast and exciting. When I saw that Robot
birds were selling the Park zone Pole Cat at a discounted price at the 2012
BMFA nationals, I couldn’t resist.
On getting my new micro racer home and opening the decorative box, the first
thing that I noticed is how striking this little model actually was. The airframe is
built from brightly decorated moulded foam and modelled on the Cassutt
formula one air racers that compete in the world famous Reno Air Race. The
model features a Spektrum AR6400 DMS2 receiver/ESC, AS2000L ultra micro
servos and a coreless brushed motor.
The box art features a Pole Cat and… a pole.
This model is aimed towards the Intermediate experience level, and comes as a
bind-and-fly (BNF) package which includes a 3.7v 150mah 1S Li-Po, charger
inclusive of four AA batteries, and a pre-cut racing number decal sheet. All that
is required to get this bird in the air is a DSM2 capable transmitter, which is
very handy as most of us indoor flyers are already using Spektrum radio sets.
The setup up and binding process was straight forward thanks to the manual that
accompanies the model. The manual covers everything you need to know
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including how to bind to your transmitter and the recommended control throw
setup, exponential and correct CG.
As I had no previous experience flying a micro racer around our indoor sports
hall, I decided to maiden the Pole Cat outside and waited for a calm sunny day.
However, living in the UK with a varying climate, my anticipation got the best
of me, so on a rather less than ideal windy afternoon I headed for Castle Dyke
for her maiden flight.
The Li-Po battery pack is mounted in a cut out underneath the model, and allows
for correct CG placement by allowing for varying positioning of the battery.
After turning on my DX7 transmitter and plugging in the flight pack, I
completed my pre-flight checks and confirmed all flight control surfaces moved
in the correct manner. So after a final check, my air traffic controller (dad)
walked out to the flight line and launched her into the sky.
The first thing I noticed was how quickly the Pole Cat shot into the sky and
despite the wind, the model seemed pretty stable and responsive. Despite the
The Cat, out of the bag but
still in the box
Pole Cat’s small size orientation was good thanks to the Pole Cat’s bright colour
scheme which really showed up against the blue/grey sky.
After a few fast passes I flicked the rates switch into high rates and this little
racer came to life. The roll rate on this thing was ballistic, although I did notice
that the Pole Cat lost momentum on vertical climb outs and didn’t seem to hold
very well on sustained knife edge flight. The model did track very well in the air
and handled loops, rolls and stall turns very well.
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After 8 minutes of flight I decided to bring her in for her first landing and with
reduced air speed I really began to notice the wind. On landing the Pole Cat on
the grass I damaged one of the foam wheel spats, which was later rectified with
some UHU POR. Before commencing the second flight I opted to remove the
landing gear, and found a belly landing into the grass was much more
successful.
So now it was time to turn my attention to the sports hall, which was the main
reason for buying the Pole Cat. At the next indoor session after hearing the call
for ‘slow fly 2’ I marched up to the flight line and place the Pole Cat on the gym
floor. I increased the throttle, pulled back the elevator and she popped into the
air, About a second later I was rolling her over into a left turn to avoid the fast
approaching gym wall. Wow! Those gym walls close in quickly when flying this
model.
The Pole Cat is capable of mild acrobatics and inverted flight round the gym.
Although it seems daunting, the model is remarkably steady. I found that it will
fly quite slowly, but you do lose some stability at these speeds. I also noticed
that at these slower speeds any draft caused by the other Trojans and ‘slow fly 2’
models has a huge effect on the Pole Cat causing it to suddenly drop a wing, or
the nose, resulting in a wall collision if I didn’t catch it quick enough. After the
inevitable mishap though I have damage to the wheel spats, wing, spinner and
motor mount.
In conclusion the Pole Cat is not for the faint hearted especially in the sports
hall, as it requires a degree of skill and concentration to keep her in check. With
that said she is a great looker, makes a great sports flyer and I would recommend
the Pole Cat to anyone whom has a reasonable skill level.
Editors Note: I’ve seen Brian get the Pole Cat round the indoor hall,
something I wouldn’t even dare try, even the right way up. It’s a credit
to his flying that it’s not in tiny pieces. I just wish he would take the
blindfold off and make life just that bit easier. I don’t really have
enough experience to really comment with any authority on this plane’s
merits but I know my Cat is way faster than a Trojan, begs full throws,
flies great outside and can bite. It’s the first properly aerobatic plane I
have flown and I love it. It really was a bargain at the price ( at the
Nats.) and I still find it astonishing that something can fly so well
straight out of the box .Maybe this year I will get to do it justice, at
least the right way up anyway.
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The 2012 Nationals : Ed Szu Win
I had spent several months hearing about that little get together at Barkston
Heath known as the Nationals but was still surprised by its size. Having said that
there were mumbles among those that know about declining numbers of trade
stands. ( How many do you need ? I kept wondering)
It’s impossible to describe the bemusement I felt as a newcomer to model flying
at Barkston. Even with a commentary supplied by my accompanying experts,
( in order of seniority) Gordon ,Terry and Tim, I was still baffled at times. The
dervish dance of the control line team racers made me think of an episode of
The White Heather Club choreographed by Tim Burton. As for the sound:
demented bees just about does it.
Impressive isn’t quite
the word to describe the
level of detail on this
T45 Goshawk ( right
and below)
‘Slow, slow, quick. quick
slow’...entrants in 'Strictly
Come Flying ’ go to it with a
vengeance.
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Wherever you went (and that’s a lot of wherever) club members were encountered
clutching bright new shiny flying things. Terry was seen in conversation
with numerous canines and worked the second hand stalls in the way only a seasoned
pro could. It took him mere minutes to sniff out a box of bargain balsa.
No batteries this time though.
Don’t you light the
other end ?
Above: A Thunderbolt is
restrained by it’s handler.
Restraint should
always be by the tail.
(Note the strong, bite
proof shoes)
As the day wore on, eardrums were assaulted by pulse jets ( above), we didn’t
lose Gordon once and it didn’t rain (when we were there). My highlights were
sounds as much as sights. I am not really one for heavy metal but the shock and
awe of those control line jets was spectacular. Equally enjoyable was the silence
after the engine was cut on the turbine powered glider.
I left feeling slightly overwhelmed and fairly certain my wife’s theory about
‘normal people’ ( see Editorial) was well and truly shot.
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Oldie but Goodie….Or; An On/Off Relationship With a
¼ scale Minimoa ! Steve Bentley
I haven’t been always been a fan of vintage gliders; considering them on the
whole, clumsy looking and unwieldy: unlike the modern sleek fibreglass things
of supreme performance from the stables of Alexander Schleicher (ASW, ASK,
ASG, ASH derivatives), and Schempp-Hirth, by way of the Discus and
Nimbus, and the DG series by DG Flugzeugbau. However, the genesis of (in
this case) Schempp-Hirth can be traced right back to such as the Minimoa in the
1930’s.
These two gentlemen were also the inventors of the scissor mechanism airbrakes
that are now fitted common place to gliders. I’d built enough Middle Phases and
indeed anything Chris Foss; that I needed a good sized wooden scale aircraft to
build. I’d been on the slope and mused on this quandary with a couple of our
regular builders; and Mark Farrand mentioned that as he’d recently flown his
magnificent Slingsby Petrel (17 foot wingspan) he had now no desire to build a
Minimoa from the original RCM&E Chris Williams’ plan. A deal was struck
and I found myself with three sheets and a canopy with the words “It’s a
builder’s model”…
Research on the glider isn’t difficult to come by, but the downside is that of the
90 something that were originally built, only three remain flying. The Chris
Williams plan reproduced the red and white HB-282 and the full size ,as far as
I’m aware is still in flying order.
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I didn’t want yet another red and white ’Moa, and as yet haven’t settled on a
colour scheme.
With the plans opened out the model looked to be huge. Not just in length and
wingspan, but in the huge wing area tail areas. The build is further complicated
in that each wing is built in two parts: the inner panel that is straight (Just under
three feet long) that exits the wing root at an angle of 8 degrees, the outer panel
that tapers, and sweeps back to the tip; oh, and at the join the outer panel is
angled down, giving it a slight anhedral at the tip. The total gull wing span is
just under 14 feet.
Elevator and stabiliser
Complete stabiliser and rudder
I decided to start with the stabiliser and rudder. There is no separate fin that the
rudder hinges to; it is instead hinged to the rear of the fuselage. The plan showed
up its first flaw by having the hinge spar of the stabiliser left/right dimensions
being different lengths, to the tune of about ¼ inch. The build of this is
reasonably straightforward otherwise, building up to a very strong structure,
sheeted in balsa. The rudder is quite an undertaking! It starts out with a curved
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The Rudder
Two views of the fuselage
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trailing edge cut from spruce, forming the filling in a balsa sandwich. To this,
ribs and uprights are attached and again finally skinned in sheet balsa on the
leading edge. The trailing edge is left as an open structure that will be covered
in Solartex.
The fuselage: Ah yes… This is built one half first on the board. I began with
pinning the upper and bottom main spines, the forward crutch and to this the
port side formers. I believe there is an extra former on the Traplet plan but either
way, three of the formers will be removed from the cockpit area after
construction; more of which later. Stringers are attached to the cut outs in the
formers and run the length aft of the cockpit to the tail. There is the wing joiner
box to make up too…
Taking shape…..
This piece continues in
the next edition….order
your copy now !
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Sad News from the Slopes:Steve Bentley
It is with sadness that I have to report the death of a well known companion on
the slope. Many members will have seen Shelley, the faithful black Labrador
belonging to Phil Edwards and Andy Middleton. Good weather or bad, she
could be seen enjoying the fresh air and company, snoozing as all around her
were keeping their craft in the air. If the sun was too strong, she'd be resplendent
in her fluorescent green sun hat! Like most dogs she never missed the opportunity
to relieve anyone of their unwanted sausage roll when she wanted a change
from dog biscuits. With a very keen sense of smell, she on more than one occasion
helped to find a lost model in the bracken. I know I'll share the feelings of
quite a few when I say I'll miss her lovely friendly nature. Unfortunately age and
illness overcame her and she'd deteriorated in the last few weeks, but be assured
she didn't suffer.
Shelley with Phil
21

The Far Side (Of The Clouds ). Ed Szu Lose
A good few years ago a mate of mine bought a flat. Wishing to attract members
of the opposite sex he asked me what would improve the ambience of his new
abode. “Plants” I said, “you need plants”. A visit to a garden centre was duly
made. My friend marched up to an assistant and asked; “What have you got
that’s cheap and thrives on neglect?”
30 years later, I found myself in a (vaguely) similar position attempting to learn
to fly. I needed something that would thrive on the aeronautical equivalent of
not being watered. In other words I wanted something that was cheap and could
crash: again and again and again. Said model duly presented itself and the fun
started. Now, as well as Mandarin there are 290 or so languages spoken in China
and I don’t know a single word in any of them. I therefore accept it is
completely unfair to make fun of instructions for a model plane translated from
Chinese to English. I’m going to do it anyway.
According to the instructions the plane has: ‘a brainpower electron scale
velometer’, ‘convenient crate start up’ and (thank goodness) ‘low- pressure
power-off functions’. I felt even more relieved to discover ; ‘the propeller would
pucker with automism to allay resistance when the plane volplaning’.
There are also safety precautions: ‘Children must flight with guardian! Learner
must flight with the experiential man!’ Priceless.
3 ‘experiential men’ spotted while fine dining at the
Nationals
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On top of that the plane features: ‘Nicer invariability of flight, handle for
learner. Increased the stunt function in flying the foundation of stability, the
relaxed realization of ability, pours to fly, horizontal roll to wait the stunt’.
You have no idea what typing the above does to Microsoft Word.
Anyway, at some point I thought I would test the motor. Having removed my
wristwatch, thrown salt over the left shoulder, sacrificed a goat and such I hit the
throttle. And nothing. Fair enough methinks, you get what you pay for. I picked
up my watch and noticed it had stopped at exactly the time I powered up. While
I pondered this coincidence the second hand began moving; backwards. then
forwards… then backwards again. Two hours later it ground to a halt. According
to my watch that was about 40 minutes before I took it off.
The jeweller who fixed the watch had heard similar things described to him by
blokes who messed with massive stereo speakers, but never model planes. We
concluded it must have been something to do with magnets.
It does make you wonder though. Escs of the future could have throttle cut out
and a time reversal function -you get younger every time you fly ! With a bit of
luck they might even thrive on neglect.
By the way the model has flown wonderfully. And yes (he said carefully) the
propeller puckers just fine, but only in the hands of an experiential man.
This ‘experiential man’ kneels
in supplication at the Sunday
Indoor Alter. He carefully
adjusts his ‘electron scale
velometer’and prays for
‘foundation of stability’
before releasing The White
Bird of Depron.
23

Endpiece
This picture seems to capture some of the joys of what we do. Here, under the
bluest of skies sits a most contended looking Brian. In fact he looks like he has
just won the finals of the ‘How to be a Contented Man' competition.
There are a variety of possible explanations for this state of near bliss. The most
likely is of course that first flight of his Flair Fokker DVII, (with a RCV 61SP
upfront) was successful. One other is he has just persuaded someone else to lug
his toolbox ( to the right) back to the car for him.
In the next edition of Gladys ( depending on weather and
writer serviceability) : A glider grows wings…a Spitfire is
fettled ( but not flown) and the truth behind the myth that is
Gladys the person is revealed. Honestly.
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