ELECTRIC FLIGHT U.K. - British Electric Flight Association

Chairman’s ChatterWelcome to issue No 73, I hope by now those with internet access will have seenthe new item on our wed site front page! It's called RECENT NEWS, and we hopeto update daily or when there is urgent news that cannot wait for our magazine.One of the items on Recent News is the as from 2004 BEFA will require all flyersthat attend BEFA Fly-ins to hold an "A" in any fixed wing disciplines (electrichelicopter pilots must have an "A" helicopter certificate).Why I here you all say? Well have you been to a fly-in recently? Safety in the pitshas gone to pot; the same has happened on the flight line, I could go on. No oneseems to give a damn - well the BEFA committee do. If this improves the standardof airmanship we can hold off implementing the "B" for fly-ins for some time.The committee has also deemed that the E400 models will have Graupner Speed400 motors only, label not too be removed. All voltages can be used; the onlymodification allowed will be changes to timing - NO TAKING APART (as now).This change will stop flyers using other motors that look like a Mabuchi 380/400motors, but not based on them, e.g. Johnson. This change is not being introducedthis year. Remember E400 was started as a NOVICE event.I repeat the offer below - as to date no one has come forward to be tested! Perhapsyou will now!After the discussion at the TWS, and receiving e-mails and letters re the electricthermal "A" and "B" tests. (Some members thought that the tests had not beenapproved by the BMFA) I have now received the approval from the BMFA andTerry Rounce the Chairman of the Achievement Scheme Review Committee forour members to take the test at this year's fly-ins. But we must follow the rulesset out below.1. If you are a country member of the BMFA i.e. not a member of an affiliatedclub, all you have to do is ask myself or other silent flights examiner's inBEFA for you too take either an "A" or "B" at one of our fly-ins.2. If you are a member of an affiliated club, the examiner would have to havea letter from either your club Chairman or Secretary saying that it's OK foryou too take the tests away from your club environment.Remember these are for electric thermal type of aircraft only! By the way we arenot asking for everyone to have an "A" or "B" at our fly-ins this year!If you are a SF Chief Examiner and would like to help us please get in touch withme ASAP. If you wish to email me, will you please use this new address as I amgoing away from Hotmail due to spam - befa@rlmahoney.co.ukThat's all for now so KEEP THE WATTS UP!E.F.-U.K. 5

The second new model is alightweight version of the F4-UCorsair. Despite being light atunder 12.7 to 14.8 oz. (360 to420g), it has a span of 35.5”(90cm) and a wing area of 233sq.in.. (15dm 2 ) and uses 4channel radio control.Again a couple of power variantswill be available. The low power& lighter version uses the GWSEPS-350C unit driving a 10” x 8” propeller and 6 to 7 cells between 270 and 600mAh. The higher power options uses a EPS-400C unit driving a 7” x 3½” propelleron 6 to 7 cells of 400 to 600 mAh. Price and final specification still to be determined.Next is a small F3A pattern shipcalled Formosa, shown in a lowinverted pass. It has a span of35.4” (90cm), a wing are of 256sq.in. (16.5dm 2 ) and a weight of12.7 to 14.8 oz. (360 to 420g).This also uses three EPS-350Cpower unit driving a 9” x 5” or9” x 7” propeller on 7 or 8 cellsin this case. Again 4 channelradio is required. Again price andavailability to be decided.The final offering is a scale model of the DC-3 (or C-47 if you fancy). This will beavailable in 2 versions using either a pair of EDP-100 or EDP-300 units. Both willuse either 6 or 7 cells between 400 and 600 mAh. The span is 43.5” (110cm), area212 sq.in (13.7dm 2 ) and flying weight from 13.6 to 18.3 oz. (385 to 465g). Controlcan be 3 or 4 channels with 2 to 3 servos and micro equipment. Price TBC.10E.F.-U.K.

Left, from BMJR models, is theBaby Phoenix-PF (PF standsfor Park Flyer). It is based onthe 1949 free-flight design byFrank Ehling. The BMJR kitis true to the original designexcept for the fuselage being 1/4" (6 mm) wider toaccommodate electric powerand micro RC.This 35” (89 cm) span model may be flown in lazy circles as a Park Flyer or climband do some thermal hunting. The kit price is $33 +P&P. The original design has61 laser cut parts, and this kitshould be same.On the right is the “Flash-E”,inspired by the old CometPhantom Flash rubber model.It incorporates classic plan formfeatures such as the taperedwing and semi-elliptical tailsurfaces.As designed, with a wing spanof 44" (112cm) and around5½oz./sq.ft. (17 g/dm 2 ), it wasintended to be a small motorpark- flyer. However, it has proven to be a pretty good soarer and an excellent floatplane as well. The kit price is $38 +P&P has laser cut parts, full size plans, acomplete hardware package including a pull-pull control system, and detailedbuilding notes by the designer.The BMJR recommended powersystem for these park-flyers istheir EPU-3 unit, which lookslike a GWS Carbon brushedmotor with 3.5:1 BB gearbox anda GWS 6” x 5” propeller. Withthis set-up they suggest 7 cells.For more information on theseproducts check out their websiteat www.bmjrmodels.com,email bmjr@bmjrmodels.com12E.F.-U.K.

Readers' ModelsYour chance to show the members your model(s).Another shot of Rich Flinchbaugh’s “Royal Gull” shown a few of issues ago, thistime held by Alexandra. I think the flying surface could be described as challenging!Michael Carella of Connecticut USA holding his Grandfather’s (Rich Flinchbaugh)“Dreamboat”. Span 42” (107cm), powered by a Mega ACn 16/15/5 motor, 7” x 4”propeller, Castle Creations Phoenix 25 controller and 8 Sanyo 4/5AR Twicell NiMH1700 Cells. Weight 34.5 oz. (980g) and 17.3 oz./sq.ft. (52.8g/dm 2 ).14E.F.-U.K.

Above is Bernie Winter and his Hangar Rat from the Model Flyer plan. It has awing area of 350 sq. in. (22.6dm 2 ) and weighs a mere 7 oz. (200g) giving a lightwing loading of 2.9 oz./sq.ft. (8.85g/dm 2 ). Below is a FlexiFlyer Rogallo (planavailable from the Editor). Both use equipment originally fitted to Pico-Sticks.Bernie’s garden has an effective flying area 90 ft by 30 ft (27m by 9m), which ismade more restrictive by flowering shrubs and trees. Bernie says the Hangar Rathas just got the edge over the FlexiFlyer for gentle landings and handling, butboth fly well in this small space.E.F.-U.K. 15

Above: Anthony Hill’s attractive 1/4 scale RAF SE5a with a span of 80” (203 cm)and an all-up-weight of 18 lb. (8.2 kg). Powered by an Astro 60 with Superbox(2.75:1) on 32 cells and driving a 22” x 14” propeller producing 1kW.Below is a Flair Bristol F2B fighter (yet to fly), again from Anthony Hill. Thespan is 76” (193 cm) with an all-up-weight of 10½ lb. (4.8 kg). Power is from anActro 12-5 brushless motor with 12½” x 6” propeller on 16 cells producing 600W.16E.F.-U.K.

Above is another Anthony Hill model, a Henschel 129B. It is powered by 2 x 480motors driving 6” x 4” propellers and runs on 7 cells.Below: is the final submission from Anthony Hill. This is a 1/3 scale Druine D31Turbulent. Anthony stated the all-up-weight as 13 lb. (5.9 kg) but didn’t give thespan, however, the scale makes it 86” (218 cm). It is powered by a direct driveAstro 60 fitted with a 16” x 8” propeller and running on 24 cells.E.F.-U.K. 17

Above is John Anderson’s “Spartan”, which has won several vintage competitionsover the last few years including the Hayes Fly-In in May this year. It is poweredby an Atomic Force (540) buggy motor with 3:1 Master Airscrew gearbox drivinga 10” x 6” propeller running on 7 RC 2000's.18E.F.-U.K.

Above and left are two photographs from a friend of John Anderson in Tasmania.The Hawk has a Mega 16/15/5 motor and goes like stink, whilst the other 2 havestandard Speed 400's. All three models shown are from free plans in UK magazines.E.F.-U.K. 19

This is a Grumman Wildcat built by Rob Ireland from a plan by JP Neate. At 1/12scale he hasn't gone mad with modifications this time. It is of course convertedfrom i/c to direct drive electric, and the rather chunky wing profile was changedto Clark Y. The power set-up at the moment is drawing an excessive, and inefficient,23A static from 8 x CP-1300 cells, but it gives a very respectable 88W/lb. input.After 4 flights, the performance can be described as authoritative! As well as beingfast, it is also perfectly stable when slowed down, and fully justifies the months20E.F.-U.K.

spent building and finishing it. The battery tray is designed for a 7 or 8 cell packof Sub-C NiCds, so when “propped” more suitably the flying time should increasefrom 4 to about 7 minutes. This will ideally be at a power loading of 60W/lb.The subject modelled is a General Motors built FM-2. It left the military for civilianlife in 1957, when it became a crop sprayer. After a crash in 1958, the damagedairframe eventually became owned by the Yankee Air Corps by 1981, being restoredand flying again by 1987, now under the ownership of the Confederate Air Force.This particular aircraft took part in the US Navy's celebration of the 50thanniversary of VJ-Day, when in August 1995 it launched from the deck of thenuclear-powered carrier USS Carl Vinson.Model Stats:MotorSpeed 600 8.4V (no flux ring)ESC Kontronik SUN 3000Battery8 x CP-1300 SCRPropeller Kavan 8” x 6”Current 23A (static)RxHitec HFS 04MIAilerons 2x Graupner C241Elevator Hitec HS-81Wingspan 39" (100 cm)Area 1.9 sq.ft. (274 sq. in. or 17.7 dm 2 )Flying Wt. 33.5oz. (950 g)E.F.-U.K. 21

This is Bill Macleod’s Hercules, which he bought as a finished model and repainted.The wing span is 72” (183cm) and it has a wing area of 504 sq.in (32.5dm 2 ). It ispowered by 4 Speed 400 7.2 V motors with white Günther propellers. The batterypack is either 7 RC-3000HV NiMH cells giving 15 minutes or 12 RC-2000 cellsgiving 12 minutes. The thick black lead represents am air-air refuelling hose.22E.F.-U.K.

uzzflight167 Duffield Road, Derby. DE22 1AJTelephone: 01332 601693Email: pete@buzzflight.co.ukWebsite: www.buzzflight.co.ukHummingbirdthe definitive control-line trainer - ideal for youngstersDeluxe Kit - complete with motor, propeller, prop. adapter, spinner, wheels, balsa,u/c wire, control-line / power wire, on-off switch, battery connectors, sundries,building instructions & full-size plan, bellcrank and control handle. The onlyother items needed are the covering and a 12v 7AH battery. £39.99 + £2.50 P&P.Standard Kit - contains balsa, u/c wire, control-line / power wire, on-off switch,battery connectors, sundries, building instructions & full-size plan, bellcrank andcontrol handle. Again the covering and a 12v 7AH battery are not included. £24.99+ £2.50 P&P.Plans & Instructions - £7.99 including P&P, add £5.99 for control-line / powerwire and switch. Please contact us for Overseas prices.Please make cheques payable to Buzzflight and allow 14 days for delivery.E.F.-U.K. 23

A number of models from Ivan Goodchild complete the Readers’ Models sectionthis issue. This page features his 1/10th scale A-10 Warthog. It is scratch builtusing fibreglass and balsa, spans 66” (167cm), has a wing area of 5.5 sq.ft. (~800sq.in or 51.5dm 2 ) and an all-up-weight of 11 lbs. (5kg). It has 2 Hacker B50-12Sbrushless motors in WeMoTec Midi-Fans on 10 cells per motor. Throttle control isby two 75A opto-controllers. This gives a thrust to weight ratio of 56%, which isreasonable. It has ailerons, flaps, airbrake, rudder, elevator, retracts and bomb24E.F.-U.K.

This a Stearman built by Ivan from a kit. The span is 48” (122 cm), the wing areais approx. 720 sq.in. (46.5 dm 2 ) and the flying weight 7 lbs. (3.2kg). It is poweredby a Kontronik BL400-33 brushless motor with 4.2:1 gearbox, driving a 12” x 8”propeller at 7200 rpm. A 10-cell pack of 3000mAh cells and a 40A opto-controllercomplete the power train. This set-up draws around 33A static and gives flights of8 to 10 minutes. The radio equipment is 4-channel with ailerons (2 servos), rudder,elevator and motor control.E.F.-U.K. 25

This is Ivan Goodchild’s “Mystic” built from the kit. The span is 78” (198 cm),the wing area 1010 sq. in (65.3 dm 2 ) with a flying weight of 10 lbs. (4.5 kg). Themotor is a Kontronik BL600-18 brushless with a 4.2:1 concentric gearbox.The motor and 22-cell 3000mAh battery are connected by a 50A opto-controller.An Aeronaut 12” x 8” folding propeller causes 35A to be pulled (static) giving over90W/lb. Flight times are stated as 8 to 10 minutes.26E.F.-U.K.

The final model (this issue) fromIvan Goodchild is his 1/4 scale SIGCub, which is balsa constructionand “tex” fabric covered.The wing span is 108” (2.75m) andthe wing area is a huge 13.5 sq.ft(1944 sq.in or 125dm 2 ). The weightis 16 lb. (7.3kg) giving a wingloading of 28.4 oz./sq.ft, which isgood for a large model.A Hacker B50-12XL brushlessmotor, 6.7:1 gearbox, 75A optobrushless-controller and 22 cellsprovide the power. The batterystowage an be seen on thephotograph on the left.These drive an 18” x 10” propellerand draw about 32A. The flighttime is 10 to 15 minutes.Next issue:An article on Ivan Goodchild’shuge 1/10th scale, 12’ (3.66m)span, scratch-built B-17 bomber.E.F.-U.K. 27

This the Editor’s AFF Alpha-Jet, which has a span of 35½” (90cm) and a wingarea of 287 sq.in. (18.5 dm 2 ) and weighs 27½ oz. (890g). It is powered by a WeMoTec480 Mini-fan with a Graupner Speed 480 Race motor, a Jeti JES 500 controllerand 8 Sanyo CP-1700 cells. It draws 15.5A static and the typical flight time isaround 6½ minutes of aerobatics. A little more power would be nice, but it’s OK..28E.F.-U.K.

This is another of the Editor’s models, but it hasn’t flown yet. It is a MultiplexKranich with a span of 112 in (2.85m) and a wing area of 850 sq.in. (55dm 2 ). With6 servos, a 700mAh Rx pack and 12 Sanyo RC-2000 cells it weighs 7 lb. 7¼ oz.(3.38kg). Power is through a Hacker 70-3P Opto brushless controller to a HackerB50-9S motor with 6.7:1 gearbox and RFM 14.5” x 10” propeller. This combinationpulls 60.5A static at 11.6V giving 700W which is 94 W/lb.E.F.-U.K. 29

Fun with a B-29or, if two is good will four be better?by Mike SmallridgeAs a fairly recent convert to the electric “power model” (as opposed to poweredgliders), I have been tempted to put finger to keyboard to describe my experienceswith a B-29 from Titanic Airlines via Gordon Tarling.My previous model was a Twin Star, which was (and still is) the most successfulmodel that I have ever had. I almost said ever built, but I can hardly claim to havebuilt it.Despite being about as aerodynamic as the box it came in, it is stable, elegant, asaerobatic as I need and glides better than some gliders that I have known. Add tothis flight times of 18 minutes of gentle flying or 10 to 12 minutes of aerobatics on8 by 3000 NiMH and I was convinced of the advantages of multi’s. My logic wentthat if two motors are good would not four be better. Well read on.In response to some dropped hints Santa Claus left me a large box for Christmas2000. Initial inspection of the contents revealed four enormous sections of fuselagemade from foam, hot wire cut inside and out and skinned with 1 mm balsa. Theadhesive attaching the balsa to the foam was green and appeared to be epoxy.The wings were the normal foam core covered with balsa and the green glue andthe tail parts were sheet balsa. Engine cowls and the hemispherical nose wereplastic mouldings. The plan was a much reduced sketch with some areas enlargedwhere more detail was required, but gave only the vaguest details of where theflight pack, receiver, speed controller or servos were to go and no details at all asto how they were to be fitted in position. The written instructions were excellenthaving been translated by Ian Tunstall.ConstructionI decided to begin with the fuselage and soon realised that all was not right. Thefour sections of the fuselage comprised of left and right sides of the front parallelpart and left and right sides of the rear tapered part. The problem was that eitherthe balsa skin or the glue had shrunk and the parts that should have beensemicircular were partly flattened. They could be squeezed to the correct shape,but would not stay there.My solution was to cut several lengthwise grooves with a saw, fill the grooveswith white glue and secure the fuselage sections in the correct shape with rubberbands. The fuselage sections then fitted together more or less as they should, butthere must have been some weight penalty.I made up and fitted a plate of thin ply to hold the servos for the rudder and the30E.F.-U.K.

elevator and they hang batlike from the top of the inner fuselage. To keep theweight down as much as possible I used Hitec HS-50 servos. A balsa push rodworked the elevator and a closed loop system was arranged for the rudder usingsteel fishing trace. The servos are behind the wing cut out and so I had to make asmall hole in the bottom of the fuselage to reach the servo arm screws. This holealso helps to get a little air over the speedo and the battery.The wing is held to the fuselage by two 6 mm steel bolts with large plastic headsthat would not look out of place in an Ikea flat-pack. These bolts screw into twoalloy tubes placed sideways across the fuselage. I cable tied the Rx to the rearcross-tube and the speed controller to the front tube.I left the flight pack position until last to adjust the C of G. The front of thefuselage foam was faced with a ring of Liteply and a similar ring stiffened the backof the plastic hemispherical nose.The model can be built with several control options. They include rudder andelevator; aileron and elevator; or aileron, elevator and rudder plus of course motors.I think it would be a brave pilot who attempted to fly this model without aileronsand so I went for the full house.The instructions give detailed dimensions for cutting servo recesses in the undersideof the wings and there are grooves in the foam cores to route the aileron cablesout to the servos. After cutting servo recesses I realised that the groves missedMike with his B-29E.F.-U.K. 31

the recesses by about an inch! OK, I should have checked the direction the groveswere taking by inserting a stiff piece of wire into the groves and working outwhere they were going. But I didn’t. I therefore had to gouge out another channelunder the balsa skin to route the aileron wires from the channels to the servos.The servos, Hitec HS-50s again, were fixed in place with silicone sealant.The motor cables live in a channel in the foam behind the leading edge and Isoldered a 15A fuse in the positive wire inside each cowling. Motor mountingsconsist of three pieces of thin ply in a channel section in which the motors arelocated by means of sticky tape! This sounds rather feeble, but has proved morethan adequate. The motor mounts are fitted to the leading edge by cutting slots inthe wing and the ply mounts simply glued in.Part of the mounting is set to line up with the bottom of the wing to set thecorrect down thrust. Because I did not like the thought of the motor mountstearing themselves out and damaging the wing, I cut several lightening holes/weak spots in the ply. Again, I probably could have been braver and cut moreaway, for the mountings have proved more than strong enough.The motors themselves were 7.2v Speed 400, wired in parallel and fitted withGraupner 7” x 4” propellers as recommended in the instructions. Also recommendedis the use of a 7 or 8 cell 1700mAh flight pack. As 2400mAh packs were by nowavailable I fitted one of these.The speed controller was a 40A Fleet unit with BEC. A note in the instructionssays that this set-up should need “half to one third throttle”; this was a littleoptimistic. The alternative set-up is for 6v Speed 280 motors with 5” x 2” propellers.32Mike preparing to launchE.F.-U.K.

slow builder and a slower typist) it was off to the field. A gentle fling around withthe Twin-Star to get in any eye that I might possess, and I could delay no longer.To allow solo hand launching I glued a block of pink foam about an inch square tothe underside of the wing and with the under wing panel left off, this makeslaunching easy. Also the new nose cone made from white foam was lighter thanthe original plastic. The snag was that the repairs had increased the weight andthe wing loading was now a hefty 23.5oz/sq ftWhat a difference! The model now climbs away from the launch with ease. Therate of climb could never be called fast but it is probably a lot better than scale.Handling is still rather twitchy with the model tending to over-bank in turns,possibly due to the small amount of dihedral, but you can look away for an instantto check for other models. Flight times are about four minutes but feel longer!The model looks stunning in flight, especially as it is turning on to finals or on alow (or not so low) pass. Landings are still tricky however. I have never managedto land yet without bending at least two motor shafts. At least they are easy tobend back again!So, success at last! Was it worth it? Of course it was. Would I build another B-29.Well I don’t know about that. While writing this, the thought occurred to me thatthere might be other B-29s out there, with other owners who may have had eitherbetter or worse experiences with this model. My E-Mail is at the end of theseramblings. Perhaps we should form a B-29 owners club.With the help of a friendly weight lifter the beast was away and climbing steeply.Rather too steeply actually. With the stick against the front stop I could justmaintain level flight. I did not dare reduce power and was trying to co-ordinatethe rudder and ailerons properly so I had to struggle for what seemed an age togain some height before sparing a hand to trim fully nose-down. This helped a bitbut the model was seriously tail-heavy and did not seem too stable in roll either.I was now feeling brave enough to reduce power slightly and this seemed to improvethe handling. The important thing was to get the model down, preferably in onepiece and especially without hitting anyone or anything. I must have done a circuit,but I don’t remember it, but suddenly the model was on finals and flopped ratherheavily on to the strip. The only damage was a wing mounting tube pulled loose,three bent motor shafts and the thin ply plate, designed to let the battery escapethrough the front door, had done just that.Once I had stopped shaking the next thing to do was check the CofG. It was, as Ithought, at the forward end of the range. Obviously it would have to come forwardsome more - I moved it forward 10 mm. Also I had realised that the use of therudder was actually slowing the model down in flight and later flights have shownthat use of the rudder is almost unnecessary.The next trip to the patch was both better and worse. For some reason I had thefield to myself and was going to have to launch the beast myself. Now hand34E.F.-U.K.

The B-29 climbs away, very realistic appearancelaunching a 5lb low wing model sounds tricky but perhaps more by luck thanjudgement it climbed away perfectly.It was obvious however that the CofG was still not right. The rest of the flight wasuneventful and the landing caused no damage at all. I felt that the tail-heavinesswas controllable and decided to try again. I should have gone home then! Afterrecharging the battery I launched the model again. My hand slipped on the lowerfuselage and my mighty heave became a feeble throw. The model staggered a fewyards but there was never any doubt. One of those pointed wing tips stalled andthe B-29 rolled into the ground.I hardly dared to look at the result. The fuselage was broken in two over the wingcutout, the battery had taken the quick route out and the plastic nose cone wasshattered, but, I suppose, it could have been much worse. Repairs took a week ormore and it was at this time that I discovered that with the battery moved forwardsonce more it could now be placed in front of the wing and also on the bottom of thefuselage thus lowering the CofG as well as moving it forwards. The CofG is nowan inch forward of the position shown on the plan. I also took the time to thinkcarefully about the rest of the model.Now I know that ideally you should make adjustments one at a time, but as wellas the battery repositioning, I reduced the angle of the wing under the fuselagewith about 4 mm of packing over the leading edge and adjusted the ailerons togive about 3 mm of wash-out to the wing-tips.E.F.-U.K. 35

Sudden ‘ush!by David ChineryMy Grandson Jake continues to have undeserved “adventures” with his learningprocess; this time his Pico-Jet just went “dead” whilst in flight. The nearly-newmodel fell “out of control“ into the long grass, fortunately without serious damage,but what was the problem?Tests at home with a “slave” Rx NiCd showed the radio was still functioning, sothe BEC supply from the speed controller was obviously the culprit!Jake’s Pico-Jet uses the standard Multiplex Rondo speed controller mounted directlyto the back of the motor. I tried removing the motor from its foam “bed” to get atthe controller, but it was stuck fast, and I didn’t want to disturb this critical jointunnecessarily. Instead, I carefully cut down the sides of the foam upper fuselage/fin moulding and gained access that way.As I removed the top of the model, I noticed something rattling around in thebottom of the fuselage recess. It was the voltage regulator chip from the speedcontroller, which had become completely detached (see photo). A few minuteswork with a small soldering iron had the chip back in place, and the model wasfunctional again.A chip off the old block!Multiplex Rondo ESC with the BEC chip complettely detached (shown on elevon)36E.F.-U.K.

These chips are cantilevered off the three legs, their only support, as they otherwisehang in mid-air to allow maximum access for cooling. There was originally verylittle solder on the legs of the chip and matching pins on the small circular PCB,so I made sure I built up good strong blobs of solder when refitting it.BEC voltage regulstor chip soldered firmly back in place.I would recommend that anyone building a Pico-Jet, or any other model using thistype of controller, should check the security of these solder joints before “burying”the speed controller inside the model. Jake’s model was easily repairable after thecrash, but the episode hasn’t done much for his flying confidence. In differentcircumstances, the model might have been a write-off! I wonder if we would havereceived a refund from the manufacturers?(Editor: As warrantees normally exclude incidental damage, it is probable thatno compensation would be forthcoming for the model. If negligence can be provenlegal proceedings might result in compensation, but the timescales are protracted.The vast majority of the cooling effort from this type of regulator is from themetal heatsink. Therefore, it would be a very good idea if the plastic body of theregulator were bonded to the circuit board with a suitable adhesive.)PostscriptSince I originally wrote the above, another clubmate has had a similar problem,this time only one of the three legs of the chip separated, but the model crashed onits first flight and the owner is highly dischuffed with Multiplex!E.F.-U.K. 37

Flying in Indyby Rom MurynI have recently been seconded to work at Indianapolis and have taken theopportunity to get involved with the local flying folk.My first impression was that there were not many model shops over here and Iwas right, I have found two and am aware that a third exists. The shops are muchthe same as aver the rest of USA and pretty similar to those in the UK. Most folkuse the mail and web as a first source.What has struck me is the number of flying clubs. There seems to be one on everycorner of the city, but all seem to be favouring the wet form of flying. However Idiscovered by accident that things are in fact rosier if I look.I discovered that indoor flying was starting up in town. The indoor golf dome wasapparently available from 8-10 at night. Local club members just can see from thepicture that its quite a size, probably 80 feet by at least 300 feet.The sides are soft and the only real obstacles are the golf balls and the truckdriving around collecting them. GWS got is making a fortune over here, theremust have been a dozen Tiger Moths in the dome and it was easily the most38A view down the Golf DomeE.F.-U.K.

The Golf Dome “Pits” area - impressivepopular model. Close behind was the GWS Slow Stick, this too was common andbeing bigger was more amenable for modification. There were many home buildsand light kit builds. A couple of light models were seen from Herr Engineering theStarLite shown only weighed 5 oz. (140g) and flew really well.The Herr Engineering StarLite a 36” (91cm) indoor or park flyer with laser cut & stripbalsa and hardware pack. Normally 3 to 4 oz. (85 to 115g) and 261 sq. in. gives a lowwing-loading. 5 mins from 7 x 50 mAh pack or over an hour with a 9v Lithium pack.E.F.-U.K. 39

A Mini Laser 3D, a small & manoeuvrable Park Flyer. This is a kit from Laser BV ofBelgium. Wing span 31½ in (80 cm), wing area 278 sq.in. (17.9 dm 2 ), weight 16 oz.(450g). The kit requires 4-channel radio (4 micro servos), 11A speed controller, 7-cell500 mAh battery pack, covering material and glue. It is powered by a 300 motor with3.75:1 gearbox. More details from www.lasermodels.com or info@lasermodels.comA small unknown delta that has an extremely light structure with balsa strip ribs andDepron fins. The span is approximately “ (cm) and powered by a GWS EDF-50.40E.F.-U.K.

E.F.-U.K. 41

BMFA Northern Area Indoor Fly-In23rd March 2003 at Harrogateby John Thompson(PRO Northern Area BMFA)Despite the calm sunny conditions outside twelve flyers turned up with anassortment of models for this second event at the Army College.There had been some concern that the Iraqi conflict would cause entry problems,but my contact at Jarvis Construction had smoothed the pathway superbly andwe all enjoyed an afternoon at this excellent venue. Near the end we were able totake advantage of the whole 50 x 35m hall and this opened up the possibilitieseven further.Four Tiggies were airborne together at one point. Und-Nu's are showing increasedpopularity with IFO's on the wane.Doug Potter caused a lot of interest with his Pusher version of a sort-of Und-Nu,and it flew surprisingly well after a hand launch. A mod has now been done to theUC to improve take off. Several foam Scale park flyers were found to be too fastfor indoor.It is hoped to make this a monthly event in the winter so watch out for it in thevarious events calendars44E.F.-U.K.

A Zagi-FiXXby Rom Muryn & Jan BassettAfter attending the indoor flying in Indianapolis, pangs for flying drove to purchasemadness. I really wanted the Zagi-FiXX from Trick RC, however, a phone call tothem was helpful but they don’t sell to the public any more. I have a Zagi importedsome 5 years ago before they became the huge hit they are now and I wanted thelatest. The full kits were $150 but I just wanted the wings.Through sheer luck I was in Milwaukee and the local model shop was able to sellme a set of wings for $69. The FiXX is made of a very different material to just theplain foam of the original Zagi.Whilst it is still foam-like it has a shiny finish with the flashing exhibiting a latexquality. The upper surface is white, with the underside (including the outside ofthe fins) being red. The inner material seems more crumbly than most foam,rather like Polyurethane in a dry mix. Time will tell if its good.The completd Zagi-FiXXThe design itself is dead sexy. Swoops and curves all over the place. I am anengineer by trade and impressed with the design considerations put into place.More than just a moment has been spent in designing this model. It is basedaround the ubiquitous GWS motor found in the Lite-Stick.To start a short stick is used both as a motor mount but also as a locking tool forassembly. The mouldings are also arranged to provide engine mount support. Thedesign and installation provides good cooling for the motor and battery.E.F.-U.K. 45

The equipment layout of the Zagi FiXX. The battery needed to be at the front of theequipment tray to achieve the recommended CofG position.The top surface of the wings each have a moulded servo well designed for theexcellent Hitec HS-55 servos. The servos fit beautifully and even the lead lengthhas been allowed for. As can be seen on the photograph above, Zagi “Z” decals arealso supplied to cover the servos once installed.To sum the Zagi-FiXX up, assembly is a doddle. In assembling the FiXX, It isobviously that the model is very specifically designed around a particularconfiguration of equipment. I have costed the equipment supplied in the full kitand must say that the price of $130 is excellent.With the model completed, it was necessary to wait for the wind to drop before thetest flight could be completed. I asked a the member of the Indianapolis West RCClub, to make the test flight. With the test flight completed without problems,although the wind was still a little strong. At this point Jan takes over the story.Rom offered me free accommodation in Indianapolis (Indy) so I decided that Iwould take him up on his offer. Rom’s Zagi-FiXX was completed and test flownjust prior to my visit, so the opportunity was there to get some “stick time” inThe BMFA insurance doesn’t cover flying in the USA or Canada. However, allthat is necessary is to contact the BMFA and they will provide a cover note, freeof charge, for the duration of the visit.My first impressions of the FiXX were good as it seemed to be quite robust andamazing light. The quality of the mouldings was excellent with the join betweenthe wing panels an extremely close fit.46E.F.-U.K.

On past experience and the Trick RC website, I estimated that the maximumcurrent the GWS motor would pull would be around 2A in this configuration. Iwondered whether the massive 16W power supplied by the GWS motor wouldreally be sufficient to power this 40” (100cm) model weighing about 10 oz. (285g).If you calculate the power to weight ratio, 16W provides only about 25W/lb. As ithad been test flown, I knew it flew, but would it be possible to throttle back andachieve a good flight time.A trip a few moments down the road and we were a bit of parkland alongside theUnion Football Center. As can be seen by the photograph the area is large with anice, pretty flat, grass surface.Rom with his Zagi FiXX in the grounds of the Union Football Center.For my first flight on this lightweight model, the wind was a little strong ataround 10 mph. As the wind was steady, I decided that it would be OK to fly andaway she went. I was instantly impressed with the authority of the model, whichcertainly didn’t lack power.I found that the model would maintain height with the throttle stick in a centralposition, which should allow nice long flights. As the wind strength was increasingthe flight was cut short after about 13 minutes, pretty good in this wind.One thing that was fairly obvious is that the model was a little unstable in yaw.This was manifested by the model “fish-tailing” around the sky. Whilst, this wasn’ta real problem it is unnecessary.E.F.-U.K. 47

The fin extensions fitted to the FiXX to improve the lateral stability.The model as set-up had excessive control throws which made it a little twitchyand it would stall out with full up elevator. Reducing the throws made the modelmuch nicer to fly, but retained the ability to roll and loop (from a shallow dive).With the control throws reduced the model became much more docile and allowedRom to do some flying. One criticism of the kit is that the instructions make nomention of the recommended control throws.Rom and I discussed the yaw stability and we decided that a little modificationwas in order. Hunting for material a foam egg-box was found that was about thesame thickness as the FiXXs' fins.I traced the fin shape onto a piece of paper, and then sat down to determine theshape of the fin extensions. The size was limited by the flat area available on theegg-box lid, at least it was from a dozen eggs. I wanted to retain flowing lines andhave a real liking for the design of the Rutan ARES. The fin extensions weretherefore made with a sweeping trailing edge as can be seen in the photograph.Using in the largest area possible gave around an additional 5 sq. in. per fin. Theweight increase is negligible, and no change to the CofG position was perceived.The slight increase in the weight will require more lift, but if the model fliesstraight the drag could actually be reduced and an overall increase in flight time.As with all things like this, the proof is in the flying. It was pretty obvious the"fish-tailing" was much reduced and hardly noticeable. I think that this modificationis well worthwhile as the benefits much out way the drawbacks.48E.F.-U.K.

During the time I was in Indy I had 8 flights, totalling just over 2 hours. Anaverage flight time of over 15 minutes is pretty impressive for any model, butespecially for one at the small end of the scale.The weather conditions varied from almost flat calm up to about 15 mph withmoderate turbulence. The FiXX coped with all these conditions, but was not sonice to fly in turbulent conditions. I would recommend the FiXX as a model, butsuggest that 10 mph is about the sensible wind limit.The instructions and kit and very good, with the exception of the lack of controlthrow recommendations. Below is an extract from the manual, showing a coupleof the step by step instructions.The standard kit (left) contains themodel, motor, gearbox, propeller, 5A ESC,8-cell 370 mAh NiMH battery and acomplete hardware pack.In the USA the kit retails for $130 (~£80),which is reasonable value considering thecontents. They also make a number ofenhanced kits with Radio equipment and/or charger. Which of these kits will beintroduced to the UK remains to be seen.E.F.-U.K. 49

Electric WorldChampionshipsby Bob SmithMost members of BEFA know that there are two well established categories forWorld Championships which are based on electric powered flight. These are forF5B (multi-task electric gliders) and F5D (electric pylon racing).CIAM, the Commission for International AeroModelling, is the part of the FAIwhich is responsible for the organisation of World Championships, and allocatesall of the championships National Organisations on a bi-annual basis. In recentyears the F5 championships have been held in Germany 1998, USA 2000, andSwitzerland 2002.We are delighted to confirm that the 2004 Championships will be held in the UK.Under the auspices of the BMFA, a group of individuals from various aspects ofelectric flight in the UK prepared and submitted a successful bid to CIAM, as aresult of which the Championships will be held for the first time in this country.The dates chosen are 9th to 15th August 2004 and the location is the Knavesmirein York. The Knavesmire is a racecourse close to the centre of York and many ofyou may have attended the annual electric fly-ins organised there by the Eborclub. If you have done so you will know that it consists of a large area of flat, wellmaintained grass pasture, ideal for such an event.If you have a good memory you may remember that a highly successful F3BWorld Championships were held there back in 1983 so that there is some historyto the location. Those of us who are on the organising committee feel that the siteis an excellent one and that the reputation of York as one of this countries premiertourist attractions will help to ensure a good turn-out of International Competitorsand spectators.Event planning is making good progress even though we have a full year in frontof us. The BEFA Committee was involved (through me) in all of the initialpreparation of the bid and will, in due course, turn it’s commitment into a morepragmatic participation. The main requirement will be manpower and we hopeour members will be amongst the first to volunteer to help at the appropriate time.The intention is to turn this event into a showpiece of electric model flight in theUK and show the rest of the world that this country can organise and stage anevent which will stand comparison with the best. This will be the result of lots ofhard work by everyone involved at all levels. All we need is to transfer theenthusiasm we all possess for electric flight into the preparation and running ofthis World Championships and it will be the success we are aiming for.50E.F.-U.K.

The following is a paragraph from the CIAM submission.“The Organising Committee believes that World Championships are anopportunity for all involved to participate to the best of their ability in afriendly, fair, and enjoyable atmosphere.The competition organisation must be efficient and effective but thesupporting features of the event need to encourage competitors, supporters,and visitors to appreciate the pleasure of involvement in model flying tothe highest international standards.The location of the event in York, a renowned centre of tourism, and theprovision of on-site camping/caravan facilities with additional nearby lowcostaccommodation will help to create the right environment. Thecommittee will build on this and other features of the proposal to fosterthe ideal ambiance.”The current calendar and timetable are:Friday 6th August Arrival date plus initial registrationSaturday 7th August International Open F5B, F5D registration/processingSunday 8th August International Open F5D, F5B registration/processingMonday 9th August Opening ceremony, Official practice day & briefingsTuesday 10th toFriday 13th August F5B / F5D / F5B World Championship roundsSaturday 14th AugustSaturday eveningSunday 15th AugustSpare day (plus tours)Banquet and Prize GivingElectric Flight FestivalThere is a website at http://ewc2004.users.btopenworld.comCompetitor liaison and enquiries will be welcomed by the Communications Officer,George Shering, email George.Shering@btopenworld.comThe official contact and information source is:British Model Flying Association,31 St Andrews Rd, Leicester, LE2 8RE. UKTelephone: 0116-244-0028, or Fax: 0116-244-0645Email: admin@bmfa.orgAs they say “watch this space”.E.F.-U.K. 51

Wizard Prang!by David ChineryThe Dam Busters commemoration at Brooklands was very successful, in spite ofan unpromising weather forecast. A blustery southerly wind made flying tricky,but the rain held off until the event was over. The event was open to electric andIC models, and about a dozen actually flew in the competition.The ModelsThe competition encompassed three classes, the premier of which was Scale, whichhad three entries, all Lancasters, from Tony Nyhuis, John Ranson, and an ICpowered example by veteran modeller Eric Faulkner, who sold me my first-everproportional radio (RCS Tetraplex analogue) in the nineteen-sixties.Tony Nyhuis entered his “big” Lancaster, which was flown on the day by“bombardier” Dave Stevens. Tony’s Dam Busters conversion allowed for scaletypebackwards rotation of the bomb before release.John Ranson’s Lancasters are better known for dropping “Grand Slam” bombs,but one was converted to “Operation Upkeep” standard especially for the day.Technical problems prevented the third IC powered Lancaster from flying.52Preparing the “Lake” at BrooklandsE.F.-U.K.

The “innsrds” of the Nyhuis model, The white rubber band at the left of shot is to spin upthe bomb before releaseThere were also classes for non-scale IC and electric “open” models. I will mentionthe electric entry first, as there was only one, a Pico-Jet masquerading as a Vulcan,modified to drop a single golf-ball. I was staggered to see that not a single Multiplex“Cargo” (bomb doors as standard) was entered in the competition!The IC class had several entries, notably the semi-scale “Whitwells” of Tony Majorand Mark Stannard. A pastiche of Armstrong Whitworth Whitley and VickersWellington bombers, these models are about six foot span, and are powered bytwin, very well-sorted four-stroke engines.Normally used for toffee-bombing, their conversion to Dam Busting was apparentlyquite straightforward. A bright yellow IC twin was entered by John Bransgrove,featuring a “magazine” of four or five “bombs” to allow several attempts perflight. Several other models were entered in the IC Open class, notably JackRogerson’s converted “shovel”.The DamThe target for the day was an 18-foot foam “dam”, complete with towers, arrangedat the end of a “lake” formed by tarpaulin draped over drainpipe frames to raisethe edges. After aligning these with respect to the wind and the safety distancefrom the crowd line, the lake was filled by courtesy of the Brooklands Fire Brigade.In order to score the accuracy of bomb drops, linear scales were arranged at theE.F.-U.K. 53

John Ranson’s Lancaster had correct cylindrical bomb, but incorrect Squadron lettersside of the “lake”, in front of, and behind the dam, to measure the linear error.To add an altitude aspect to the scoring, a vertical reference was used, modelspassing below the sight-line scoring only a single “error” figure, while passesabove it had their error score doubled. The winner would be the model with thelowest final error score.To make things more interesting for the paying spectators, who had made thetrek from the Brooklands Museum at the other end of the site, pyrotechnics wereplaced to detonate when impacts occurred during the competition.Water “bombs” were placed just beyond the lake, as detonations in the lake itselfmight have blown holes in the tarpaulin! To complement any impacts behind thedam, different pyrotechnics were placed upwind of the dam. As a final touch, moreexplosives were placed inside the dam itself, ready for the Grand Finale.The FlyingDespite the blustery wind, competitors were eager to take the air to practisebombing runs, as soon as the “lake” had been filled and the area declared clear.First up was John Bransgrove with his “yellow peril” which had ample powerand enough “density” to ignore the gusty conditions.He made several passes, using his magazine of bombs to good effect. The“Whitwells” soon followed, and the other entrants got into the act. Unfortunately,the Pico Jet was hit by a gust of wind on its practise flight, and ended up in morepieces 54 than the original kit! E.F.-U.K.

Before the competition proper, we were entertained by some different models, flownfrom the main Tarmac runway. The first was a big IC-powered ducted-fan TSR-2,which appeared really demanding to fly, with its tiny wing area. Even the 500metre runway was a bit tight for the landing, but it alighted successfully.In the apparent absence of wheel-brakes, it ran right to the end and had to be“ground-looped” to stop it hitting the tyre barrier! A turbine-powered taillessmodel also flew successfully, however its short undercarriage wheelbase causedsome amusing but possibly damaging “bunny hops” on the landing roll-out.Whilst on the subject of turbine models, a non-flying exhibit in the pits was alarge Harrier airframe, incomplete and awaiting installation of a two-spool turbine,fully rotating nozzles, and hot gas puffer-jets to make it fly. This impressive projectis expected to weigh 80lb (35kg) ready to fly, and has been worked on for manyyears by Tom Stone, a narrow-boat builder from Bromley Hayes, near Lichfield. Ihope he succeeds!The CompetitionWith the “lake” clear, and the pyrotechnics armed and ready, the signal was givenfor the bombing runs to start. In view of the weather conditions, Tony Nyhuishad declined to make any practise runs earlier, so when the big Lancaster tookthe air it was for the first time at the venue. Guest pilot Dave Stevens took themodel up and made a couple of dummy runs over the lake for limited practise. OnJohn Ranson’s Lancaster over the DamE.F.-U.K. 55

the third run, he was “right on the money”, and dropped the big spherical “Highball”bomb.It scored a direct hit, right in the middle of the dam, and the impact was rewardedby a “water bomb” explosion. This zero-error score would be impossible for any ofthe other competitors to beat, but several later came close. Being over the sightlinefor bombing height, Tony’s score was doubled, but twice zero is still zero!The competition allowed three drops per entry, so despite it being impossible toimprove on the first score, the big Lancaster was landed for a quick reload andanother flight on the same battery charge. Unfortunately, the left main-wheel hita hole on touchdown, ripping the entire retract unit out of the model, and leavingthe big “Lanc” resting on a wing-tip and tail-fin base.Whilst the big model was taken away for repairs, the “Whitwells” had a go, scoringmoderately with their golf-balls. Some passes were very low, in spite of theturbulence at low level, see photos. “Unders” and “overs” were accompanied bythe appropriate bangs and attendant water splashes or puffs of smoke.John Ranson’s smaller, but still large, Lancaster was flown, dropping a moreappropriate cylindrical “Upkeep” weapon, but the drop accuracy was less goodand he had no chance of even equalling the best scores. There seemed to be a delayin the bomb release mechanism, as most of the drops were well “over”.The remaining, non-scale entries had their goes, then it was time to tot up theresults.56“Pull-Up, Pull Up!”, Tony Major’s “Whitwell”climbs away from another go!E.F.-U.K.

Encore! The Nyhuis Lancaster drops the bomb early on the victory flightTony Major’s “Whitwell” over the DamE.F.-U.K. 57

The Lancaster climbs away as the bomb splashes down - The Dam is about to blow!A58Tony Nyhuis’ “Lanc” before the “Encore” flight, is that tail already a little wonky?Joyn Bransombe’s”Yellow Peril” and Tom Stone’s big Harrier in the background.E.F.-U.K.

The ResultsFrom the start of the competition, it was obvious that Tony Nyhuis’ Lancaster’sfirst and only drop would be the outright winner. He was presented with thespecially-made Barnes Wallis Trophy, representing an “Upkeep” weapon splashingdown (see photo). John Ranson came a very creditable second in the Scale class.The Open IC class winner was Mark Stannard, flying one of the “Whitwells”, withTony Major and John Bransgrove coming equal second with “Whitwell “TB-T” andThe “Barnes Wallis Trophy”, awarded to Tony Nyhuis for Dave Stephen’s direct hitE.F.-U.K. 59

60Tony Hyhuis receiving the “Barnes Wallis Trophy” from Kit Wallis (no relation)E.F.-U.K.

the “Yellow Peril”.There was no Open Electric competitor left after the crash of the Pico-Jet.The Finale – Nearly Too Final!With the competition over, it was time for the newly-repaired winning model to“take a bow”. The model was taken off again by Dave Stevens, and flown round toline up with the dam. Flying this time a little higher, about 20 feet, the modelapproached the dam and the bomb dropped.As it impacted, a little short this time (no-one is perfect), the dam was “blown”.This was quite spectacular, as pieces of the dam reached the height of the modeland only just behind it! This was captured on at least one lot of film, although myown shot had been taken an instant earlier as the bomb was dropped.The model was climbed away from the dam, and turned round for a diving pass infront of the crowd. Immediately, shouts of alarm came from observers, as all wasvisibly not well with the model. The tailplane appeared loose in “roll”, and wasnot aligned with the wing.Once the pilot realised the situation, the model was slowed down and positionedfor an immediate landing, keeping as far from the crowd as possible.It touched down OK, but as the tail dropped, the entire tailplane assembly, includingthe tail-wheel, detached from the model, which nosed-over gently due to removalof the weight in the tail. Thankfully, no serious damage was done.The cause of the problem probably included several factors. After the first landing,the model came to rest on its port wing-tip, allowing the bottom of the port fin totouch the ground. The tail assembly is attached by screws into captive nuts in themiddle of long, narrow cross-pieces in the rear fuselage.These are amply strong for all normal loads, but the twisting force caused by thefin resting on the ground appears to have cracked the cross-members at the midpointwhere the captive nuts were inserted.This weakness was not identified during the repairs to the port main leg unit, andthe model was flown without more investigations.The final pieces of the jigsaw occurred over the dam. The flight up to the point ofbomb impact appeared normal, but when the dam was “blown” two mechanismscould have triggered the failure of the weakened structure.Either the tailplane was hit by a piece of the dam, or the pressure-wave from theblast “shocked” the tail and caused the crosspieces to start to fail at their midpoint.This allowed the tail assembly to become loose in “roll”, at which point the problembecame apparent to all observers.Mercifully, the close fit of the short piece of lower fuselage under and integral withthe tailplane prevented the tail incidence or yaw angle changing much, so controland stability were retained.E.F.-U.K. 61

However, if more “up” elevator had been applied, the weakened and bent crossmemberscould have failed completely, allowing the tail to detach from the model!If this had happened, Tony would have needed a VERY large bin-bag to take themodel home in!DebriefThe Dam Busters event was very successful in spite of the weather conditions andbeing held on a Saturday. This event was a one-off, so I won’t say that I will begoing again next year; will I see you in 2013 instead? However, the venue could begood for a BEFA Fly-In sometime in the future, so watch this space!Victory parade! Left to Right: Mark Stannard, Tony Major, Tony Hyhuis (kneeling),John Bransgrove, Kit Wallis and John Ranson.62E.F.-U.K.

Maxi AXIby Dave ChineryIn addition to the existing selection of smaller motors, like the 2814 and 2820ranges, Model Motors have produced a new larger size AXI “out-runner” motor,the 4120. Intended for 14 to 20 cells, these new motors are available in two winds,the hotter 14-wind and the torquier 18-wind.Diameter 49.6mm (about 2”) and 61.1mm (2.5”) long, the motors weigh 12oz.(320g). With 650 rpm per volt, the 12 to 16-cell 14-wind will turn a 14” x 7”propeller at about 9000 rpm on 14 cells with an efficiency of about 85%.The 16 to 20-cell, 18-wind motor is 510 rpm per volt, turning a 13” x 11” propellerat about the same speed on 18 cells, with a marginally higher efficiency.These motors will be ideal for converting the hordes of 0.40 to 0.60-size ARTF andkit models that are on offer these days, and they deserve to be very popular,considering their very affordable prices.An amusing touch is the label fitted to the rotating "can" reminding absent-mindedinstallers that "This part rotates!". I bet someone would otherwise try and mountthe motor in a clamp or tube and wonder why the shaft wouldn't go round!The Model Motors AXI 4120/18 out-runner motor from Puffin ModelsE.F.-U.K. 63

The frront mouting arrangement of 4 x M4 holes at 30 mm centres and 6 mm shaftThe rear end showing the separated coils for air cooling64E.F.-U.K.

The word from Eastern Europe is that, eventually, longer versions, the 4128 series,may become available for up to 30 cells. The new 4120 motors, together with thefull Model Motors range of smaller AXI and brushed motors, are available in theUK from Puffin Models, of Bristol, phone 01454 314139 Fax 01454 316953 or seetheir website at www.puffinmodels.comGot one!I have my hot sticky fingers on one of the first 4120s in the UK (see photos),which is now fitted in my Sukhoi 31 to replace the geared Aveox set-up. Runningon 14 cells, I am using a 14-wind version, connected to the new high voltageModel Motors controller, the 5024-3 Opto 8 to 24-cell 50A controller.A 70A version, the 7024, is also available for use with other motors (the AXIs arelimited to less than 50A). The 4120-14 motor swings the same 14” x 7” APCelectric propeller as the geared set-up, but at higher RPMs (see below).Sukhoi it and see!Fitting the AXI to the Sukhoi raised several issues. Fitted with the Aveox set-up,the balance point was marginal, the model being neutrally stable in pitch. Themodel had to be flown all the time in pitch, and a loop required only a “kick” of upelevator to start it.The elevator was neutralised going round the loop, then a “kick” of down wasneeded to level out! Steady inverted flight required slight “up” elevator! OnceThe motor and controller around £185 + P&P from Puffin ModelsE.F.-U.K. 65

The AXI 4120/18 motor direct-drives anAPC 14” x 7” electric propeller at 39Astatic on 14 cells.accustomed to this effect, the model wastolerable to fly, but a little too excitingat times! This nervous behaviour wasin spite of the motor mount being movedforward over an inch from its originalposition, and fitting a big 700mAh RxNiCd to the motor mount.There was no scope for the usualsolution of moving the main NiCdpacks forward due to constraints in theNiCd compartment. If nothing elsechanged, the AXI set-up would belighter in the nose, making the modelpotentially tail-heavy, so I needed to domore than just change over the motorsand controllers.Although I could have fitted the AXI tothe existing mount by opening –outsome of the holes in the front plate, Idecided to make a new 4mm ply motormount. This allowed me to extend thenose by another ½” or so, getting themotor weight further forward.I was further helped in this by the short,fat, shape of the “out-runner” AXIcompared to the long, narrow Aveox andin-line gearbox.This, in itself, moved the motor centre of gravity forward by at least ½” (13 mm).The power and sensor wires of the Aveox set-up were rather rigid, making the“natural” position for the motor controller axially in-line behind the motor.This placed it in the “fuel tank bay” behind the firewall. The flexible leads of theAXI motor and controller allowed me to fit it on top of the motor mount, in thevoluminous space of the Sukhoi’s radial cowl (see photos). Although not expectedto be a problem, cooling of the controller would be improved over the rather“buried” position of the Aveox unit.The large cockpit of the Sukhoi looks rather bare without a pilot, so a latex onewas acquired at Sandown. In anticipation of the slight extra weight behind theCG, the receiver was moved from underneath the cockpit floor to a position abovethe main NiCd packs over the wing LE. Whilst this is theoretically less ideal fromthe viewpoint of separating the receiver and the power electrics, in practise itseems to be no problem with a good-quality Rx.66E.F.-U.K.

Motor and controller mounted in the Sukhoi 31The cumulative effect of these changes more than offset the difference in motorweight, so the model ended up a little lighter and better balanced as well.It’s a breeze!The model is fitted with the same 14” x 7” APC electric propeller that was used forthe previous Aveox set-up. Incidentally, this size of propeller was also used initiallyto fly my big 71”, 11lb. (180 cm, 5 kg) P-47 (on a geared Aveox 1412-2Y and 21cells) so it is not lacking in thrust!Model Motors recommend using folding propellers to protect the motor shafts,but the slim APC electric propeller will flex or break long before the 6 mm shaft ofthe AXI gets bent. Static testing showed the motor draws 39A static on 14 cells,well within the 55A maximum quoted for the motor. The testing was done indoorsdue to bad weather, and the thrust appeared to be very good; the airflow rearrangedthe contents of my garage for me!Power play!Wanting to test the model in time for the Bickley fly-in the following week, I hadto brave the traditional windy Sandown weekend weather. This made testing moredemanding than it might have been, however the model flew well with no mishaps.With everything checked-out, the model was lined-up into the 20-knot breeze andthe throttle opened. After a 10ft (3 m) ground roll, the wheels were off the groundE.F.-U.K. 67

and the 6.5lb (3 kg) model rotated into a 45-degree climb, alarming, except thatthe model was accelerating all the way.Frantic re-trimming of the elevator stabilised the climb angle at about 45 degrees,until a few seconds later power was reduced and the model levelled-off at 200ft (60m). A few circuits at half to three-quarter throttle allowed the trims to be finetuned,then it was time to have some fun!There was loads of power at full-throttle, with no discernible deceleration of themodel going up loops, the speed over the top positively encouraging the scalepractise of closing the throttle on the downward part. My normal technique forstall-turns had to be modified. Previously, I had left full power on until the modelhad yawed round and was coming down (technically a Chandelle).The extra power of the new set-up required me to dip the throttle to slow themodel when going vertically up, then apply a burst of power to kick the modelround with rudder over the top. Even my favourite Lomcevak manoeuvre requiredthis dip in power when ascending vertically, or it was uncertain whether themodel would stop going up at all!With all the power available, a lot of time was spent at part-throttle, and the firstflight (on 2400mAh NiCds) was cut short at five minutes only as a precaution inthe prevailing weather conditions. A second flight allowed exploration of somemore aspects of the model.68The Sukhoi 31 model (pictured before conversion)E.F.-U.K.

A highly unusual breakage of a servo plug limited the testing to two flights only,however, the rough air conditions made flying a bit of a chore, so I wasn’t toodisappointed.As I write this, I have yet to discover if the model will actually prop-hang, andwork on some new manoeuvres such as rolling loops.Running-out!Since the pioneering Actro out-runner motors first appeared on the market,numerous manufacturers such as Model Motors, Flyware, etc., have recognisedand exploited the technical advantages of out-runners, and I think they will soonbe the most popular motors for the more committed electric flyers.Whilst I cannot comment on the quality and performance of other makes, AXImotors, and the new 4120 in particular, offers a very high performance package atreasonable prices.For those modellers wishing tomove up from simple seven-cellmodels, there is a huge variety of0.40-size plans, kits and ARTFsavailable, with spans between 52”(130 cm) and 60” (150 cm).An AXI 4120-14 on 14 cells willpower all of these admirablywithout the complications ofgearboxes, etc., and at about halfthe price of “first generation” inrunnerbrushless set-ups, whichmostly need gearing to give theirbest performance.The AXI 4120 14-turn and 18-turnmotors and controllers areavailable from Puffin models (seeabove), retailing at £94.99 for themotor and £109.99 for thecontroller.Puffin presently (May 2003) offersa 10% discount for the combo,making the overall price £184.48plus P&P.As I mentioned earlier, a larger4128 motor is promised, for up toAn underside view showing the narrow carbonundercarriage and NiCd compartmentE.F.-U.K. 69

TLC from your TLOby Alan BedinghamThis time I want to talk about some of the rules of thumb I use to help me get tothe right battery / motor / propeller combination for an electric aeroplane to besuccessful. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t invent them, other, more qualified peoplethan me thought them up, I just use them!I had a question from Mike Rollason that shows how they can help.I am in the process of building a Ford Tri-Motor from a plan. The spec for themodel is as follows:Wing span 74 in. (188 cm),Weight approx 5 lbs. (2.3kg)Wing area approx. 6 sq.ft. (864 sq.in. or 56dm 2 )The original power unit recommended was for 1 off 40 four stroke. I would like tofit three electric motors so could you suggest a suitable power train. This couldbe either brushed to keep down costs but if necessary I am prepared to invest inbrushless motors (i.e. AXI).If we go the brushed route I will have to use in line gearbox due to lack of space.Also if you could indicate what battery packs and controllers I would need tocomplete this project.The first point is that Mike is asking the wrong question! It’snot the motors that are important, it’s the battery. If youthink about it, the battery in an electric plane is the realsource of power, motors just convert thispower into thrust via the propellers.The first job then is to try to estimate howbig a battery this project will need, then wecan look at choosing suitable motors andpropellers to convert this into thrust.Based on a three view I’ve got (seeright) , a 74 in. span Ford Trimotorwill have a wing area ofabout 850 sq. in.The first rule of thumb is thatsport and scale models will needone 2000-2400 mAh size cell forevery 50 sq. in. of wing area.(Aerobatic or high speed, agilemodels will need one cell for70E.F.-U.K.

every 35 sq. in of wing area.) This isn't hard and fast, but it will get you close. Inthis case we're talking 17 cells. Note that I haven't mention NiMH cells which cannow go up to 3300 mAh in Sub-C size - the reason is that they have a similarability to source current as Sub-C size NiCds, so the rule holds good for them aswell, you'll just fly for longer.Another rule of thumb is that you need around 50W/lb input power for sport andscale models and as much as you can get for fast or aerobatic models! TakingMike's estimate of 5 lb, we're going to need around 250W of input power.We can convert this to a battery pack size by assuming that each cell can deliver1 Volt and 30 Amps, i.e. 30W. Why 30A? Well, a 2400 mAh cell is, looking at itanother way, a 144 Amp minute cell. 30A is just over 4½ minutes of full powerwhich will give us an easy 7 to 9 minutes of flight time with use of the throttle,plenty enough. 250W converts to eight cells!This is obviously wrong, no aeroplane designed for a 40 four stroke will fly oneight cells! I think we need to assume that the 5 lb is empty weight and add onanother three pounds for the motors and battery. The wing loading is still eminentlyreasonable at 22 oz./sq. ft., so no worries there.Now we're talking 400W (just over half a horsepower) which is much more likelyfor a 40 four stroke. 400W is around 14 cells, which leads on to another rule ofthumb I use when thinking of a glow conversion -- the 'Rule of a Thousand'.Take the displacement of the engine the aeroplane is designed for in cubic inchesand multiply it by a thousand to get an estimate of how many Watts input you'llneed. A .10 cu.in. engine then equates to 100W, a .25 cu.in. engine equates to250W, a .40 cu.in. engine equates to 400W and so on.This one tends to under estimate a little, but it all balances out in the end becausemost glow powered models use propellers that don't run the engine at anywherenear their maximum power and an electric model can generally use a propellerthat is bigger and more efficient.So, after all this head scratching, we're talking about using 14 - 17 cells for thisaeroplane. I like to have some power in reserve for those days when the grass is abit long and wet, so I would plump for a compromise of 16 cells which will allowthe use of two 8 cell packs in series, which you might already have anyway forother aeroplanes. I've long since given up using 7 cell packs, I've found that thesmall weight increase of going to 8 cells is more than made up for in performance.The next task is to choose the motors and propellers - at last! My 3-view showsthe scale propellers for the Ford Tri-motor to be surprisingly small at around 7½”diameter, so anything around 7 or 8” would be alright. Now to find some motors.Their choice is highly dependant on whether they're running in parallel or series.Take the parallel case first, each motor would see the full 16 cell battery voltagebut would only need to take a third of the current, i.e. 10A. I can't think of manyE.F.-U.K. 71

motors that would do this, generally high voltage motors are designed for aeroplanesthat use only one motor and so tend to be big and heavy. One exception is the AXI2814/10 which is reasonably small and light but three of them (and three controllers)would be a bit on the expensive side.If we look at three motors in series it would mean that each motor would see athird of the battery pack (five and a third cells) and the full 30A current. Actually,I should point out that this would be a whole lot simpler if we were talking abouta twin or a four motor aircraft.A twin using 16 cells would be easy, 8-cell motors that could stand 30A are easilyfound! A 4-motor with the 4 motors connected in series-parallel so that each motorsees 8 cells and 15A would be just as easy. A 3-engine 'plane is not quite so simple.Right, we're looking for a motor that will draw around 30A from 5 cells whileturning a propeller in the 7 to 8 inch range. Sounds like a direct drive buggymotor to me!Now I turn to that invaluable aid for this job - ElectriCalc. It saves me all the griefof poring through manufacturers catalogues trying to find the right motor. Feedingthese numbers in and trying a few readily available motors I get one that lookshopeful, the Graupner 600 Race 7.2V #6370. This will turn an APC 7” x 4” at 26AA Ford Tri-Motor suspended in mid-air above one of the halls of the Smithsonian Air &Space Museum, Washington DC72E.F.-U.K.

or an 8” x 4” at 33A, which is just about where we want to be.A 17-turn buggy motor gives very similar numbers. I think what I'd do is to buyone 17-turn buggy motor and try it on 5 cells and a 7” x 4” (and maybe an 8” x 4”as well), if the current looks good, I'd go and get the other two. If the current istoo low, go down a turn, too high, go up a turn. Most car racing shops sell thearmatures separately, so this wouldn't be an expensive process.Did I mention that you need an Ammeter that will read up to 40A? Don't eventhink about this sort of experimental model without one, I'd be lost without myAstro Whattmeter, but you can get a 40A meter for around £15 if funds are tight.The money you save in burnt out motors and controllers will pay for it in no time.The speed controller would need to handle 16 cells and 30A with very little coolingbecause it will be inside the fuselage, I think it would be a good idea to go for atleast a 50A rating hereThere is another factor here to worry about, as I found out the hard way! Apparently,motors with three to five poles on the armature (buggy motors are all three pole),when run in series, are electrically noisy and can make speed controllers heat upmore than you'd expect at low to mid throttle settings.It's all to do with recirculating currents in the drive and brake FETs causingthem to get hot, another reason (other than potentially poor cooling) to use agenerous rating. Note that speed controllers for 16 cells and 50A will almostcertainly not have BEC, so a separate flight pack battery will be needed.I've found that a 4-cell 270mAh NiCd pack is easily enough capacity for a days'flying, even with a 6-servo aeroplane, and only weighs around 2 oz. Don't forget,you won't be spending ages with the radio on starting engines and fiddling withneedle valves, just switch on and fly. Do remember to charge it though!That's Mikes aeroplane sorted using some quite simple rules of thumb, but pleasenote that they just get you in the right area, you may well need to experimentfurther, particularly with propellers. To summarise my recommendations:Battery Pack: 16 Sub-C cellsMotors:3 x 17-turn Buggy Motors (direct drive)Propellers: 7” x 4” or 8” x 4”Controller: 16-cell minimum, 50AReceiver pack: 4-cell, 270mAh NiCdLuckily, these are the cheapest part of the aeroplane, so there's no excuse not buyhandful of various sizes to try. You wouldn't believe the difference an inch eachway on diameter or pitch can make to the performance of your 'plane.The same goes for the actual type of propeller, my current favourites are the APCElectric ones, admittedly they're fragile in a nose over, but they seem to give thebest performance of any I've tried.E.F.-U.K. 73

BEFA League 2003by Dave PerrettAs many of you will know, BEFA runs League competitions for Electroslot glidersin two classes, one for Speed 400 type motors and the second for any motor. Bothclasses are limited to a maximum of seven cells and the aim is it fly for twelveminutes and land close to a spot for maximum points.The motor can be run for up to one and a half minutes for E400, and one minutefor the open class . E400 is flown over three rounds and the open class over five,but in the latter class the battery may not be recharged. (All the rules are on theBEFA and BMFA web-sites). Three events have been flown this year so far:-1. Pillerton Hersey, 27th April. John Lewthwaite kindly provided us with a fieldbut, despite running the event a week later than last year, the weather was againbad with a strong, near gale force wind. Rather than cancel the event, as at thetwo previous April meetings at Pillerton, it was decided to run the open class.Once airborne most models just about coped. Landing was a different matter andmost of us were happy to put the model down safely anywhere in the field.Despite that one or two did score landing points including one maximum fromBob West. Given the weather, or perhaps because of it, we had two mid-airs, Onewas between Steve Mettam and Tony Brindle, and the second between Bob Westand Trevor Wain. Steve and Trevor were both put out for the remainder of thecompetition. The conditions were such that the E400 class had to be cancelled2. Billesden, Leicester, 18th May. Arriving at Billesden it looked as though itmight be a washout with rain and threatening cloud. However it did eventuallyclear but once again it was very windy not helped by the fact that this field,although ideal, is fairly elevated by comparison with the surrounding countryside.However a few people elected to fly the open class and several managed to pick uplanding points (including some maximums) aided by the fact that Billesden is lessturbulent than Pillerton.In the third round I fell foul of modern speed controllers. I failed to reconnect mybattery, realised when the start was called and then connected the battery withthe receiver and transmitter switched on. The result-Nothing!! I should haveturned both off before connecting the battery. When I realised this and got themotor to run I was outside the ten second start time. I aborted the flight andscored nothing for the round.Only later did I appreciate I could have flown in the remaining slot time andwould have lost only the few seconds between the end of the start time and whenI got my motor to start. Ah well, we live and learn!! The moral seems to be fly ifyou can and sort out your score afterwards. This does provide of course that yourtimer keeps proper account of all the times. Once again the 400 class was scrubbed.3.74Leamington, 1st June. At lastE.F.-U.K.a decent day and we were able to run both classes.

This was a relief to newcomer Mick Barnett, who had attended both our previousmeetings with his E400 model. Our only problem was raising the school caretakerto open the toilets!Conditions were such that most slots were capable of being flown to a maximumand landings became important. Timekeepers had to keep an eye out for full sizeaircraft from an air show at the nearby Bagington Airport but apart from a fewpleasure flights we saw little off it. I think all of us enjoyed the outing.The top three in each event so far are shown below:-For those of you familiar with World Superbike Racing Tony Brindle seems to bein the same position as Neil Hodgson is in that championship. Certainly he is theone to beat-but time may tell. There are five more events still to be run . A numberof newcomers have joined us to enjoy the fun – why not you?Stan Rose prepares his ESlot model for another roundE.F.-U.K. 75

Electric Flight CalendarIf you would like details of your event to appear in these pages please send fulldetails to the Editor EF-UK, contact details on page 4. For last minute info checkout the events list on the BEFA website at www.befa.org.ukDates, times and, even, locations of events can change at the last minute. You arestrongly advised to check on events with the given contacts before setting out onyour journey to any event.You are asked to please check with the organisers of non-BEFA events for theirqualification requirements before the event.All BEFA flying events require proof of BMFA or equivalent insuranceto fly. Additionally, all models must have been satisfactorily test flownprior to the BEFA event to fly - NO TEST FLIGHTS ON THE DAY.The BEFA has not yet set minimum qualifications to fly at our events, i.e. noBMFA certificates are required to fly. Currently all that is expected of pilots is areasonable level of flying competency.July 200320th27th27thGrand Electric Fly-In at Pontefract Park (off J 32 M62) presentedby BMFA Northern Area with Pontefract & District Aeromodellers.10am to 5pm. Low key events for Scale (Flying), Sport, Vintage,AULD, & Helicopters (if numbers allow). Pilots £2 per event,spectators free. Proof of BMFA insurance essential. All frequencies.Raffle. Free boot sale. Traders by prior appointment only. Sorry nocamping. For details see http://www.pandasclub.fsnet.co.uk/ orcontact John Thompson on email j.thompson3@ntlworld.com ortelephone 01924 515595 (reasonable hours please).BEFA League event at Leamington Spa. ElectroSlot / E400 leagueevent. For info contact Dave Perrett at d.l.perrett@btinternet.comBath SpaRCS All Electric Fly-in at RAF Colerne Wiltshire. Airfieldsite with grass and Tarmac runways. No competitions. Proof of BMFAinsurance required. Regret no facilities for spectators. Pilots brief1000. Contact Bob Partington Tel 01225 891441 orbob.partington@ukonline.co.ukAugust 20033rd76BEFA Fly-In at Woburn Abbey. This event will include Scale andAll-Up-Last-Down competitions. BEFA members can gain freeadmission to the site by presenting their membership cards at theentrance. Pilots' briefing will be held at 10am and it is essential thanE.F.-U.K.

all pilots are in attendance. A map of the area can be obtained fromwww.streetmap.co.uk by entering OS grid reference 496549,232722.For more information contact Jan Bassett on 01935 472743 orbefa@electric-flight.org.uk10th BEFA Fly-In at Leamington Spa. The site is the North LeamingtonSchool, with entry being from the end of Park Road. If you have aninternet connection you can get a map from www.streetmap.co.ukby entering the OS grid coordinates 432050,267640. For moreinformation contact Roger Winsor at Rogerwinsor7@aol.comIn an effort to increase the visibility and accessibility of the E400competition, an E400 event will be held during this fly-in instead ofthe All-Up-Last-Down. The event will not form part of the BEFAE400 League, but prizes will be awarded on the day. In addition theusual Scale competition will be held.16th/17th Greenacres Fun Fly at Walsall Airport. Cost per frequency £2.50.The usual arrangements for camping, trade, etc. For furtherinformation contact Andrew Moult on telephone 01922 724311 oremail Andrew@tmoult.fsnet.co.uk or alternatively Peter Hubbard,on 07754 058872 or email hubbardp@blueyonder.co.uk17th31stSeptember 20037th7thBEFA East Anglia Fly-In hosted by the Phoenix MFC, Lowestoft.All electric flyers with BMFA insurance are welcome. Fun flying withthe addition of Scale, All-Up-Last-Down & Vintage competitions. Evenfrequencies only. Barbecue / liquid refreshments available. Pilotsentrance fee of £2.00. Location at Pakefield, Lowestoft, Suffolk. Forfurther info contact Tom Taylor, 01493-668555 or emailtom.t.usn@lineone.net. Additional info and location map availableat the Phoenix MFC web site at www.phoenix-mfc.freeserve.co.ukFurness Model Aircraft Society annual Electric Fly-inbeginning at 10am. The venue will be the Rakesmoor Lane flying siteat Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. Entry fee will be £4 per modeller.Proof of insurance is required on the day. Further details from GaryKnight, 12 Dale Street, Askam-in-Furness, Cumbria. LA16 7DH. Tel.01229 467447 or email gp.knight@ukonline.co.ukOpen Electric Day at North London RCMFC, Baldock. Entry£5 on the day. No Free-Flight. Limited Trade welcome by priorappointment only. Proof of insurance essential. Food & drinkavailable. For more details call John Raines on 01462 893059.West Calder Aeromodellers fly-in. Tarmac & grass runways.Snacks available. Free entry. SAA/BMFA insurance required. 10amE.F.-U.K. 77

to 5pm, all welcome. More details at www.modelclub.orgSeptember 2003 (continued)13th The Northern Area BMFA presents the Annual Pudsey Swap Meetand Indoor Free Flight event. Pudsey Civic Hall, near Leeds.Doors open 8.30am. Tables £3 each, admission £1. Flying starts 1pm.Classes for: Small Scale; ARTF Butterfly; Foam 200 & Civic / miniGyminie Cricket; Dart; and Hamster. Charge will be £1 per classentered (Juniors free). Details Gordon Warburton 0113 2852947 orNorthern Area Website (http://members.aol.com/bmfanorth/) oremail bmfanorth@aol.com14th BEFA League event at York. ElectroSlot / E400 league event. Formore details contact Dave Perrett at d.l.perrett@btinternet.com21st Pillerton Hersey fly-in courtesy of John Lewthwaite, including anAll-Up-Last-Down competition. Contact John Lewthwaite for moreinformation on telephone 01789 740 688.28th BEFA League event at Pillerton Hersey. ElectroSlot / E400 leagueevent. More info from Dave Perrett at d.l.perrett@btinternet.comNovember 20032ndMarch 2004BEFA Technical Workshop at the Royal Centre, Royal LeamingtonSpa. The usual Traders Fair and technical presentations. The Bring& Buy stand will also be present. Note: All items deposited onthe Bring & Buy are left at the risk of the seller.BEFA 2004 AGM at the Royal Centre, Royal Leamington Spa. Ithas been decided to extend the duration of the Traders Fair this time.The doors will open for Traders at 8am and for the public at 9am.The AGM itself will also be delayed until 2pm to give 1½ hoursadditional trading before the meeting. Trading can continue rightthrough the AGM, the only proviso is that we vacate the centre by5pm at the latest. The Bring & Buy stand will also be present andtrading between 9am and 1.30pm. Note: All items deposited onthe Bring & Buy are left at the risk of the seller.Please note that the BEFA Committee has decided that, from the first fly-in in2004, it will be introducing a requirement for all pilots to have a minimum of an‘A’ certificate. This requirement is introduced due to the ever increasing pressureto improve safety at events with public attendance. For more details contact theChairman, details on page 4.If you have an electric-flight event that you want publicised send the details to the78E.F.-U.K.

FOR SALE / WANTEDMember's Sales & WantsFor Sale by Rob Ireland a Model Designs BRISTOL BLENHEIM (60” span).Finished (stand off scale) as 1 st British built aircraft (No. 160) to be supplied tothe Yugoslavian Air Force (Predominantly silver, with Yugoslavian markings).Almost ready to fly and complete with servos (ailerons (2 x HS-80), rudder (HS-300), elevator (HS-81)), 2 x Speed 400 7.2V, 3:1 gearboxes, 10 cell Sanyo 2000SCRpack and Schulze 35be controller. Requires props and receiver to fly - £150. ContactRob Ireland (Northants) on 01327 352609 (evenings).For Sale by Eric Cable, the following motors which are boxed and unflown.Contact Eric on telephone 01935 478974 (Yeovil).• Plettenberg HP 200/20/12 motor - £75• Astro 05 FAI, 6 turn motor, geared 2.2:1 - £95• LRP Super 400 - £25Wanted by the Editor (contact details on page 4) any of the following:• General or Technical Articles.• Product Reviews.• New products.• Electric Flight Event write-ups.• Hints and Tips.• Photographs of your models (with dimensions, equipment installed andflight performance please).• New items of interest for inclusion in this magazine.• Photograph prints (6” x 4” or larger please) supplied will be returned if yousupply a return address, unless you specify otherwise.• Digital photographs should be at least 1000 pixels wide, in colour anduncompressed wherever possible.Requests for inclusion in the For Sale & Wanted pages can be made by email, postor by telephone, to the Editor using the contact details on page 4. Entries can alsobe submitted on-line from the For Sale & Wanted page on the BEFA website atwww.befa.org.ukIf you wish to have pictures included with your for sale or wanted entry, postphotographs, or email graphic files, to the Editor. Graphic files should be in colourand uncompressed were possible.Adverts will be included in both E.F.-U.K. and on the BEFA Website unlessinstructed otherwise.E.F.-U.K. 79

New to ELECTRIC FLIGHT?START HERE . . . . .You may be taking up Electric Flight for the first time, you may be convertingfrom another discipline. Whatever your situation, help and advice is available.BEFA has prepared an information sheet which details further sources ofinformation which you may find useful when just joining the hobby. To receive acopy, please send a Stamped Addressed Envelope (SAE) to Robert Mahoney, addresson page 4.BEGINNER'S GUIDEA Beginner’s Guide to Electric Flight is available, which explains many of the'Mysteries' of Electrics’ and will, hopefully, set you off on the right foot. Pleasesend £3.00, per copy required, to The Editor of EF-UK at the address on page 4.Please add £1.00 extra for overseas postage and remit in Sterling, cheques payableto BEFA.TECHNICAL HELP SERVICETechnical help is now available again for the use of all members. We regret thatno telephone service is available, but all questions in writing (or email) will beanswered by our new Technical Liaison Officer (TLO). Please refer your queriesto our TLO, to the postal or email address on page 4. Please ensure that youinclude an SAE for a reply.CONNECTIONS SERVICERequests are frequently received from members who wish to be put in contactwith other members living in the same area. The easiest method of doing this isto place a free 'wanted' advert in the classified section of this magazine.Alternatively, a request may be made IN WRITING to the Membership Secretarywho is allowed to divulge such information to members ONLY. Please supply asmuch information about your location as possible and please remember to includean SAE for your reply.B.E.F.A. MEMBERSHIPMembership of the Association is open to all members of the BMFA. Those whoare not members of our national controlling body may only subscribe to EF-UKwith no other benefits of membership. Overseas members are very welcome andwill be classed as full members if they belong to their own national controllingbody.CONTACTFor full details, please send an SAE to the Membership Secretary (address on page4) requesting a membership application form. Those with Internet access mayvisit the B.E.F.A. website at http://www.befa.org.uk, where you will find all themembership application form & information you should require.80E.F.-U.K.

MAIL ORDER MODEL SUPPLYGOLD PLUGS Ideal for Speed 400/6002mm plug 75p; cuts into two giving one plug/socket2mm solder socket 43p. 2mm plug and a 2mm socket £1.15Lightweight 2mm plug and socket 55p; Max 15A motor current drawSpares. 2mm light plug 40p. 2mm light socket 20pPack of red/black shrink: 3.2mm or 4.8mm 50pGOLD PLUGS 600 or larger motor4mm plug 90p; cuts into plug/socket. Very low resistance4mm hollow plug and a separate 4mm solder socket £1.15Spares. 4mm hollow plug 85p. 4mm solder socket 43pLightweight 4mm plug and socket 75p; Max motor current 35A suggestedSpares. 4mm light plug 55p. 4mm light socket 25pPack of red/black shrink: 6.4mm £1.25: 4.8mm 75pProviding that you bear in mind the suggested amp ratings all the 2mm and 4mm plugs areinterchangeable. All fit any of the same size.EXTRA FLEXIBLE WIRE. 0.5mm 2 , 129 strands, Max 10A, 35p/metreRed or Black or White. Park Flyers etc. or servo extensions.EXTRA FLEXIBLE WIRESupplied in packs of 1 metre of red and 1 metre of black, i.e. 2 metres of wire0.75mm 2 , 196 strands; ideal for weight saving, Max 15A, £1.00/pack1.00mm 2 , 258 strands; ideal for weight saving for speed 400, Max 19A, £1.40/pack1.50mm 2 , 378 strands; ideal for speed 400, £2.00/pack4mm 2 , 1036 strands; £3.50/packSILICONE INSULATED WIRE. Pack of 1 metre of red and 1 metre of black1.5mm 2 , 378 strands. £2.502.5mm 2 , 651 strands. £3.00All wire can be cut off the roll, in longer lengths if required.CELL HEATSHRINK metre lengths25mm 50p; suits single AAA or AA cells or any same size48mm 75p; suits single sub C cells/sticks or packs of dumpy 60065mm 85p; suits 1700 or 2000 packs, also RC oblong sticks etc.94mm 95p; suits double deck packs (1700 etc.)All sizes layflat width, supplied in clear. 48mm available in opaque blue also.WIRE HEATSHRINK metre lengths1.6mm 50p; 2.4mm 60p; 9.5mm £1.00. Black only3.2mm 75p; 4.8mm 80p; 6.4mm 95p. All in red or black.ALL ORDERS PLUS POSTAGE: 60p UK; £1.10 Europe; £1.70 WorldM. E. DONKIN, 37 WYDALE ROAD, OSBALDWICK, YORK, YO10 3PGTel/Fax 01904 414738. Mobile 0771 202 8329.E-mail: michael@moms63.freeserve.co.uk or modelsupply@netscapeonline.co.ukAll messages - an attempt will be made to contact you. (I work shifts)E.F.-U.K. 81

B.E.F.A. SalesBEFA Round, Coloured Rub-down Decals - 50p eachEF-UK Back Issues - No's 38, 40, 41, 44, 52, 53, 55 to 63 (inclusive) at £1.00each for BEFA members, or £2.00 each to non-members. Issues 64 to 72 are alsoavailable to BEFA members at £3.00 each, or £5.00 each to non-members. Theseprices include UK P&P, overseas rates on application.Please Note these are the ONLY back issues now available.EF-UK Index. A comprehensive index of EF-UK from issue 28 to 59 is availableby sending a £1 coin to cover copying and postage cost.Binders:- are available to hold eight issues of Electric Flight U.K. Produced indark blue with gold lettering on the spine, these cost £4.50 each including U.K.postage. Please add £1 for European postage and £2 for Worldwide postage.Sweat Shirts & Tee-Shirts: Stock of these is now almost all gone - pleasecontact Robert Mahoney regarding remaining stock, sizes and prices.Please send all orders to Robert Mahoney at the address on page 4.PLEASE REMIT IN STERLING ONLY,WITH ALL CHEQUES MADE PAYABLE TO B.E.F.A.82Advertisers IndexBEFA Sales .................................................................. 82Buzzflight .................................................................... 23E-Zone ...............................................Inside Front CoverFanfare ............................................... Inside Back CoverFor Sale / Wanted ........................................................ 79ImporTekniK ............................................................... 41Mail Order Model Supply............................................ 81New-2-U ........................................................................ 8Traplet ............................................. Outside Back CoverEF-UK advertising rates are £25 per cover (inside or outside), £20 per full page,£10 per half page, all per issue. Contact the Editor for more details (see page 4).E.F.-U.K.

FANSMorley ‘Jet Elec’ Fan .............................. £15.00Adaptors for 480 & 410 motors .............. £3.00WeMoTec Micro-Fan (280/300/330) ..... £14.00WeMoTec Mini-Fan (400/480) ............... £28.00WeMoTec Midi-Fan (540/ 600/930) ....... £38.00MOTORSWEP Turbo 10 ........................................ £55.00Speed 500 E Race ................................. £13.00Speed 600 8.4v BB SP .......................... £15.00Speed 600 8.4v Race ............................ £18.00Speed 650 9.6v BB Race ...................... £33.00Speed 700 ............................ £14.00 to £22.00Speed 700 Neodym ............................... £38.00RE 380 / Rocket 400 ................................ £5.00Speed 480 PB .. £14.00 BB ................ £21.00Pro 400 ...............£5.00 Pro 480 HS .... £6.00MAXCIM BRUSHLESSMax Neo 13Y 1430 rpm/v ................... £160.00Max Neo 13D 2470 rpm/v .................... £160.00Maxu 35D, 21 Cell Controller ............... £140.00Maxu 35C, 25 Cell Controller ............... £180.00Superbox 1.6 to 4.28:1 ......................... £50.00Monsterbox 4 to 6.8:1 .......................... £60.00Motor Mount ........................................... £12.00CHARGERSSpeed 1 Pulse / PkDet 4-8 cells ........................................... £27.00Speed Ex Digitalas above with discharge ...................... £55.00Simprop 25 cell .................................... £100.00– MAIL ORDER –SPORTS ELECTRIC FLIGHTFANS AND GEARBOXESwww.fanfare.f9.co.ukGEARBOXESMaster Airscrew 2.5, 3, 3.5:1 ............... £16.00MP Jet Planetary 3.33 & 3.8:1 - 400’s ... £25.00MP Jet Planetary 3.33 & 3.8:1 - 480’s ... £40.00MP Jet Planetary 3.33 & 3.8:1 - 5/600’s £50.00Mini Olympus ....... £8.00 Olympus ...... £12.00MOTORS / GEARBOXESMFA Rocket 2.5:1 N.I.L. with 600 .......... £21.00Speed 400 FG3 ..................................... £17.00SpeedGear 400 4:1 Inline ...................... £37.00SpeedGear 480 3.45:1 .......................... £55.00SpeedGear 600 2.8:1 ............................ £52.00SpeedGear 700 2.7:1 9.6v .................... £70.00SpeedGear 700 Neo .............................. £90.00Mini-Olympus & RE380 .......................... £12.00Olympus & 540 ...................................... £19.00Jamara 600 2.9:1 ................................... £24.00Jamara 650 2.9:1 ................................... £26.00PROPSM.A. Folding 12x8 ............... £14.0015x12 ............. £15.25M.A. Wood Electric 10x6/10x8 ........ £4.0011x7/11x9 ........ £4.2512x8/12x10 ...... £4.5013x8/13x10 ...... £5.00Carbon Folders 7x4 ................... £6.00(Perkins) 8x4 ................... £6.0011x8 ................. £9.00Slimprops 8x4, 8x6, 9x6 ........... £3.50APC Electric 5½” - 12” dia ....... £3 to £4(full range available) 13 ” - 20” dia. .... £5 to £15Selection of Graupner & Aeronautfolding & fixed props.Wheels, Wire, Servos, Fuses, Caps,Powerpole, 4mm & 2mm gold conns.FANFARE • 18 HILLSIDE ROAD • TANKERTON • WHITSTABLE • KENT • CT5 3EX‘Sports Electric’ Helpline - Phone / Fax: (01227) 771331 - E-mail: john.swain1@virgin.netNow online at - www.fanfare.f9.co.uk