R/C Model Aeroplane..

A few months ago I 'piggybacked' someone else's thread with a few photographs of a large 'MkV Hawker Tempest' that I've been building for about 2 years.. well it is getting closer to the painting stage... now have the cockpit installed, most servos in and operational to movable flying surfaces and have spent the past few days fitting the fiberglass cowling (it was bought from the USA but had quite a few imperfections in it that I've had to repair)

The photos probably don't do it justice, it has a wingspan of 8 feet and the leading edge is actually about 12 inches above the ground..currently it's together on my lounge room floor (the wing comes away from the fuselage) as I was trying to get an idea of how much weight I was going to have to put in the front of it to get it to balance.. It appears that the whole thing will weigh in at about 15 - 17kgs including around 3kg of weight I'm going to need up front for balance..

It's going to be powered by a 80cc single cylinder 2 stroke petrol engine swing a 26" prop with around 10" of pitch - top Rpm expected to be about 7500 - 8000..

So a few more weeks of work on the 'fit out' and then to the spray booth... then to start marking all the panel lines and rivet marks...(don't want to think about how many of these!), about 10 different colours to be sprayed on in total including all the nose art and squadron markings... (I'm tired thinking about it!)

Excellent job Bhoffo. A mate of mine is into R/C planes and choppers big time. He has a 100cc stunt plane. ( can't remember the actual model ) He can stand it on its tail just a few feet off the ground. Very impressive. Is there room in the cockpit for "Paul" ?

Nice mate. I wish I had your patience.

Hammy wrote:Excellent job Bhoffo. A mate of mine is into R/C planes and choppers big time. He has a 100cc stunt plane. ( can't remember the actual model ) He can stand it on its tail just a few feet off the ground. Very impressive. Is there room in the cockpit for "Paul" ?

Nearly room in the cockpit for the whole family!

A mate of mine does the 'Stunt' flying like you described.. it's called '3D' aerobatics and he can make his plane dance too! A big aerobatic 'Yak' with an engine around the 100cc mark.. He's actually going to be the pilot of mine on it's first maiden flight... a way better pilot than me and even though I don't normally let others fly my models I think it's a better choice to allow him to do it rather than me... around a $4k investment as well as the many hundreds of hours building.. too much to risk.. Hopefully will have a video to show when it's all done and up in the air..

And.... I don't know about patience... I'm severely lacking in that now and just want it finished and out in the garage! (have a 3rd bedroom converted to a model building room)..

Hammy wrote:Excellent job Bhoffo. A mate of mine is into R/C planes and choppers big time. He has a 100cc stunt plane. ( can't remember the actual model ) He can stand it on its tail just a few feet off the ground. Very impressive. Is there room in the cockpit for "Paul" ?

I was going to suggest it was big enough to take him on a holiday but you beat me to it


I actually have a voucher on the fridge for a ride in a glider ( & they will let me fly it ) I'm just waiting for the weather to calm down ( read: windy in Adelaide this time of year ) before I book it ....................so may just be able to fly yours for you Bhoffo , especially if the motor conks out

Lets hope it doesn't come to that!! Hoping to have its test flights in an area where there are plenty of 'out' areas to bring it in in the event that something does happen and it has to come in 'dead' stick... Enjoy the ride in the Glider though.. I had a ride in one when I was a little nipper.. great experience - strange to be up there with no sound except the wind....

Yes, Yak, that was it.

Looking forward to the pictures / video of its maiden flight Bhoffo

paul wrote:Looking forward to the pictures / video of its maiden flight Bhoffo

You can take a video camera up with you Paul. You will have your hands free because it will be controlled by someone on the ground. he he he

Hammy wrote:

paul wrote:Looking forward to the pictures / video of its maiden flight Bhoffo

You can take a video camera up with you Paul. You will have your hands free because it will be controlled by someone on the ground. he he he

make sure your decent , I may do a fly-by your house

Pierre Clostermann would give it the thumbs up. One of the best looking planes ever made.

Very nice mate.
Would be good to see it fly.
I grew up on rc things,and my 73 year old father, has been making models since he was in his early teens,so i can respect those that take the time and effort,to actually make a model, not just buy one complete,as many do these days.
Hope all goes well.

You guys might appreciate this model out by Lake Macquarie on Saturday.

What about a Coffman Cartridge starter for the suzuki bandit. Bugger an electic or kick starter. oooooooh..... wouldn't that be fun!

Re-Cycled wrote:You guys might appreciate this model out by Lake Macquarie on Saturday.

Wow a Catalina Flying boat, didn't know there was any still going

madmax wrote:
Wow a Catalina Flying boat, didn't know there was any still going

Same here. I didnt know any were still flying

2wheelsagain wrote:

madmax wrote:
Wow a Catalina Flying boat, didn't know there was any still going

Same here. I didnt know any were still flying

That one belongs to a Sydney group called HARS http://hars.org.au/ and operates from Albion Park.

Their web site seems a bit out of date with regards to the Catalina restoration. The fellow on the PA at Rathmines said it was bought from Portugal and restored, the Rathmines Historical Society ( http://catalinaflying.org.au/aboutus.htm ) or whatever they are called have also bought one from Portugal which is currently being restored in Sydney and will be permanently housed at Rathmines. No idea why Portugal has the world monopoly on Catalinas though.

You might enjoy this link too http://www.theherald.com.au/story/video-huge-crowd-welcomes-catalina-back-to-rathmines

Bhoffo wrote:A few months ago I 'piggybacked' someone else's thread with a few photographs of a large 'MkV Hawker Tempest' that I've been building for about 2 years.. well it is getting closer to the painting stage... now have the cockpit installed, most servos in and operational to movable flying surfaces and have spent the past few days fitting the fiberglass cowling (it was bought from the USA but had quite a few imperfections in it that I've had to repair)

The photos probably don't do it justice, it has a wingspan of 8 feet and the leading edge is actually about 12 inches above the ground..currently it's together on my lounge room floor (the wing comes away from the fuselage) as I was trying to get an idea of how much weight I was going to have to put in the front of it to get it to balance.. It appears that the whole thing will weigh in at about 15 - 17kgs including around 3kg of weight I'm going to need up front for balance..

It's going to be powered by a 80cc single cylinder 2 stroke petrol engine swing a 26" prop with around 10" of pitch - top Rpm expected to be about 7500 - 8000..

So a few more weeks of work on the 'fit out' and then to the spray booth... then to start marking all the panel lines and rivet marks...(don't want to think about how many of these!), about 10 different colours to be sprayed on in total including all the nose art and squadron markings... (I'm tired thinking about it!)

How's the project coming along. Just as an aside, the attached photo is one of my projects (now sold on). It is a Corby Starlet CJ-1. Interestingly, it's wingspan is only a bit more than double that of your model. The attached photo was of me departing Temora a couple of years ago. Current project is a Jabiru UL 450.

Can't see the photo you put up Keenaviator... However here are a few more of mine. The paintwork is all finished now and I'm in the process of installing all the electronics. Also waiting for the spinner (Nose cone) - which will be painted red, to come back from a mate who is meant to be drilling & tapping the mounting bolt holes around the outside of it - I need it as I have to use it when I give the engine a few hours bench run time before going in the model...So as soon as that's done it will be ready for the maiden flight (exercising the sphincter muscles as I'm pretty sure they will be tight!).

http://sphotos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/550868_561002500592275_492664224_n.jpg

Corby Starlet CJ-1, not a lot bigger than your model.

Cheers, Laurie

Nice looking aeroplane too!

Bhoffo wrote:

I see he's been busy

very nice , i love seeing stuff like this !

came up a treat Bhoffo great job

Bhoffo wrote:Nice looking aeroplane too!

Thanks B. It was a 2 year rebuild project and now lives at West Sale AD.