THE FLYER YARRA VALLEY AEROMODELLERS NEWS LETTER

Transcription

1 THE FLYER YARRA VALLEY AEROMODELLERS NEWS LETTER September 2015 The Committee: President Jon Goudge Vice President Adrian Whiter Secretary David Nichols Treasurer Alister Nicholson Registrar Alister Nicholson Public Officer Hugh Coleman Editor - Hugh Coleman Damian Mouldes Jet Cat Powered Glider seen at the YVA field yesterday Witnesses still able to string two words together after seeing it fly said that the flying display presented was better even than some seen at Avalon! Wish I d been there with my Camera! Thanks to Ross Bathie (Via Facebook) for the Photo Next Meeting The Next General Meeting will be on the Monday 28th of September 2015 at 8.00 PM Venue - Red Earth Centre in Mooroolbark. Newsletter now on our website at:-

2 Mary Hipwell Accounting Services Lilydale Tel: The YVA Committee would like to acknowledge the generous and ongoing support of Andrews Scale Models 20 Hewish Road Croydon VIC 3136 Tel: Scale Model Kits, ARFs, RC Radio Equipment. Spares, Balsa and Building Supplies. If he hasn t got it, he will make every effort to get it in. Andrews Scale Models has now introduced a VIP Club. Call in to Andrews to pick up your card to be stamped at the time of each purchase. For sale Brand new (hardly used) Large float set to suite 20 to 30cc models $50.00 or nearest offer. Contact the president

3 Presidents Report Hello YVA members one and all and welcome to the September edition of YVA news. Well another couple of excellent flying days have come and gone but I must say the weekend of the 19 th and 20 th was magnificent where a few of us ended up. Not so for the scale day competition on Sunday with strong northerly winds blowing at 90 degrees to the strip. Anyway I trust you have been able to get out and have a fly as many of us did over the last month. What s happening at the field. More mower trouble has caused a bit of a hiccup in proceedings and it is starting to look like we may need the new mower sooner rather than later. The committee has taken the following actions to resolve this matter. We are researching the purchase of a new machine and plan to spend up to $9000 in order to get a decent machine. This will involve a short term loan from the VMAA at 0% interest to be paid back over 5 years. The club fees will be increased to fund the repayments by a small amount yet to be determined. This will of course be subject to a successful business case approval by the VMAA treasurer. Stay tuned for further advice on this subject. The Committee is yet to submit its application but will address this as a priority. Lipo Lurgy (Turnigy brand) A recent model recovery from the front paddock led to the discovery of two Lipo s laying in the grass. I mentioned this at the last club meeting and received a great suggestion regarding a working bee. I would like to get as many members out at the field as possible to do a sweep of the flight envelope with an objective of recovering and model hardware or components lost in flight, accidents or incidents! We cannot afford to have this type of material out in the elements especially as we approach the summer months. If you recognise the battery from the photograph to be your please come forward to claim it. See you at our next meeting on the 28 th September Happy Landings; Jon Goudge The Yarra Valley Aeromodellers 2015 Annual Auction will be held at the August General Meeting Monday 30 th of November, 2015 at the Red Earth Centre, Mooroolbark. Members are encouraged to scour their sheds, workshops and book shelves for all Models, Kits, Engines, Plans, Publications, Tools, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos and any other items that they think other members might be prepared to pay good money for. All items presented for sale WILL be put on the stand. A great opportunity to pick up some early xmas presents!

4 Rigging for Biplanes Part 2 David Hipperson I m sorry for the delay in the continuation of scale rigging but here we go. Following on from part one the real question for any prospective builder is how scale do you want to go? Being completely honest unless you are going to F4C level and anyone who does will need no help (or hindrance) from me but a bit of advice to the beginner may not come amiss. Although I don t build enough pioneer and WWI aircraft they do carry some real advantages to many of us. Despite the superficial complexity from roughly 1910 to 1930 these early aircraft were in reality relatively simple in construction. A considerable number of military and civil aircraft were little more than box fuselages mated with ribs and sparred wings much like our models. A few curves were added in here and there but it was all pretty basic stuff. The obvious win from our point of view is that this is much easier to replicate. It is in the area of what I ll call wire bracing that builds in the strength and adds any difficulty if one is to represent these aircraft closely. A great many model rigged aircraft have self supporting wings but examination of early fully size aircraft will show the wing structure is comparatively fragile. It is the rigging and bracing which adds much of the strength and though I m simplifying all of these wires do four jobs. They support the wings during flight hence, flying wires. They support the wings during landing and at rest. They keep the wings in shape and finally, a number of biplanes carry wires from somewhere close to the nose back to the leading struts which literally prevent drag from pulling the wings aft. For the bulk of us I think that it is fair to say that many of us will find it totally acceptable to use conventional round wires up to quarter scale size models. Even with that we then have to decide whether we will accept single wires or fit double wire rigging. Each of these things must be considered before starting on the build because you have to build in suitable hard points on to or into which you can attach your wires. Should you be building quarter scale or over you must decide for yourself whether to fit streamline wires to your scale model. If so, this type of steel cable is readily available and sources such as Mick Reeves would be a good starting place. One of the irritations is that our models almost always have to be assembled and disassembled every time we go out flying and the bigger the model the more likely this is the case. Full size aircraft were not dismantled every night although if they had been it might have shortened the air war during WWI. Not impossible but it is an irritation so the simplest method is usually the best choice for the sport and casual scale flier. A personal bugbear for me is the genuine turnbuckle. Though more scale in appearance and use it may require adjustment in tension through the assembly procedure and with it goes the need to lock-wire each adjusted turnbuckle. Is it any wonder that some give up and think it easier to build a Spitfire? (Next Month, I ll be looking at the theory of Aircraft Construction and the need to Rig at all Ed)

5 HK Big Efair David Hipperson As is the case with me the purchase if this electric sailplane was something of a whim but it looked interesting and then I saw one at a VARMS meeting and was convinced. It is very much a traditional, basic, built up balsa model with a wingspan just over 2.4 meters. Certainly not flashy because the fuselage is a simple box style but that wing can be dismantled into three sections. I m not pretending that it is cheap because the $120 (approx) I paid is just the built, covered, airframe but no hardware other than directly related to the airframe. To this I added a Multiplex spinner which is needed as it is about 52mm diameter, 12 X 6 blades, a 960kv Turnigy inrunner/outrunner, 40 amp ESC, and four servos all contolled by my Spektrum receiver. The maiden flight was in poor weather being grey and gusty but I got it up and down in one piece which is always a win. Further flights made me decide that it needed a reasonable amount of differential to the ailerons and I mixed in a little rudder. A couple of flights one lovely windless Thursday had the model up and responding to the slightest bit of lift. On launch it will happily climb out at 60+ degrees for as long as you want and then will just drift along gently. I ll admit that I did not realise just how good this sailplane might be and no matter how odd the name is it is a real goodie so it certainly gets a big tick from me. Hobby Horizon B-17 This long, cold, winter has made me a bit peevish as there have been a great many days when it was just too cold and soggy to be out at the field. By sheer chance I was invited to go flying indoors and for me there were two convenient places at both the Boronia and Waverley Basketball courts courtesy of the Men s Shed. The only restriction mutually imposed is that power can only be 1S. At first I was a little hesitant but there are numerous types available running from the lightweight Vapour style through to scale. My own favourite is my Spacewalker but then I got tempted into the B 17 which is definitely a little more challenging. It has taken a bit of balancing and trimming to get it right but I think I m pretty close. Take off is brisk and once up it cruises nicely with all four motors whirring away. Landings mean that you reduce the power click at a time as this model does not glide. When you get it right it is a real treat however. A set of semi-wheels are provided and then the model can be hand launched outdoors in calm weather. I must admit I m looking forward to giving that a try but the wind will have to be absent. Flight time is around about 6-8 mins and when indoors that requires all your concentration as those walls can seem mighty close at times.

6 Big Sticks! Members who were at the last meeting will recall seeing Karl Warhenburger s Big Stick the first off the production line at the Wednesday Night Build Group meetings. Well, here are some progress photos of the other Sticks being built! Right and Below Alistair Nicholsons Stick nearly completed and awaiting only electronics to finish! Below David Nichols two wing halves and Balsa Fuselage (Everybody else has used ply!) Below Al and Euan discuss the finer points of wing construction (there has been an awful lot of thought going into the building of these machines With one aim in mind The Climb and Glide event at the Club Day!) Right El Presidente, Jon Goudge finishing his wing for covering. The Fuselage of Als Stick in the Back Ground!

7 Arthur Green Over the years, Arthur Green has been building scale model after scale Model! The list of models completed and flown since 1970 is extensive Curtis D Waco Biplanes 2 Hawker Fury s 3 Cessna 150 s 1 Avro Baby 1 Hawker Tomtit (Veron Kit) 2 Sopwith Camels 3 SE5a s 1 Citabria 2 Druin Turbulent s 2 Cap 10B s 1 9 Foot Bird of Time s Piper Observer Aircraft 3 ¼ scale Piper Cubs 2 DHC1 Chipmunks 1 PZL Polish Fighter 1 Fairey Fantome 1 Westland Lysander 1 Mustang 2 Subaru 2000s 1 Hawker Sea Fury 1 Dalair 2 Gypsy Moths 1 Fokker D7 1 Jeep Pylon Racer And 1 DH Mosquito Most of these have been built from Arthurs own plans drawn in pencil on AO Cartridge Paper. I had a look at Some of the Plans. They show a profile and not a great deal else besides. Now, unfortunately, Arthur s sight has failed in his left eye and he has trouble with depth perception. Always a worry when sharp implements are involved. So his modelling has slowed somewhat. But he says that he ll have a go when summer comes and he can get some more light in the shed! Let s hope so! Thanks Arthur for showing me around your workshop! (Ed)

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