Maidens

SLOPING OFF...

...the Newsletter of Christchurch and District Model Flying Club for March 2021


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AWAITING A MAIDEN (HOPEFULLY)

The trials of lockdown and isolation are too well known to be visited here, but the opportunities for building have been unparallelled. Here are what I think is nearly all the Club members’models waiting for their first flights. April should be a busy month!


	Addiction X, Wabbit and Wots Wot, all by Alex, all rebuilds of crashed models (by other fliers, he has asked me to add!)

Dracon by Christopher (in his usual colours).

There was other Dracon news from Brian who said to David B of an article in RCM&E “It was the longest time between start and finish of any model I ever made, and spanned two centuries. I think I sold you the Cox engine that was going to be used originally. Time and changed technology made it possible to use tiny servos, and a small LiPo battery/ESC/brushless motor setup, not forgetting the very small Spektrum receiver. I am fortunate in having met and spoken with the late “Boddo”, and relatively recently his son Andrew Boddington, who thought that my electric version was a good idea. Not so long ago, the Dracon (not mine) was a free plan in RCM&E, also electrified in similar fashion. I’m glad I kept the model, its a lot of fun to fly, and very handy as it stays in one piece all the time, subject to surviving my landings of course.

Not only was the Dracon the longest build, but it has brought me more in the way of prizes than any model I’ve owned, a bottle of wine for best unconventional model at a PMFC Sunday afternoon “comp”, and of course the very welcome batteries donated by RCM&E after publishing my letter”




			David S’s Gangster (there’s a model from the past!),


	Geoff Harris’s STOL Mk II Originally intended to be part of the 2015 RCM&E 2015 Mass Build, but got sidelined and the 95% completed uncovered airframe got put in a box. It sports an AXI 2814/20 with 40 amp esc, 12 x 5 prop and 3s lipo.

		John Campkin’s 60” Zephyr and Jon C’s Andreas 2m electric glider


	Jan Bassett’s Avios Albatross


	The Ed’s 48” span “Cava” (a late 90’s design by Dougie Eustace, this time electric 1lb 14 oz rather than 4lbs in balsa and ply with smelly engines, Trislander with a new fuselage after a singularly awful arrival at SF and an OD Twin Mustang in Alaska “Anti Camouflage” colours. All graphics by Callie, all construction in Depron and foam sheet


	Richard’s Cambian “Miri” 120” with electric power, 3-D printed Prandtl Wing and Staufenbiel Epsilon XL3 4m


	Roger D’s Siebart Edge Roly N’s Icon-ish, with a Wot 4 wing and looking like it needs a bigger tailplane!

		Trevor’s Aeromaster, a balsa build explained here and his P38, a “bought model” explained here


	The Ed’s OD FW190A, mostly depron, 48” span, Park 480, 3s 2200, 10x7 prop, elevator/ailerons, and Martin H’s Vickers Viscount (see here)

lFrank Bayes 3-D printed “Star Wars” sloper looking very sleek on its magic carpet,

and David Shipton’s very neat Skyleader “Skymaster” aerobatic model, as used by the Skyleader team back in the 70s, brought up to date with electric power. Span 53” and joins his Ganster (above)


	Richard’s Tigra 1.4m flying wing. Itt was a Christmas present from a good friend who was giving up modelling due to ill health

	David Bicker’s Middle Phase Advanced (note the ailerons and lack of dihedral) David Bintcliffe’s Primary Glider, a restoration project


		Shaun Harris’s Limbo Dancer, built from a kit. Also includes the variously described octopus, elephant or in fact “Jack”, their 18 week old Bedlington terrier