Flying Scale Models Issue 202 (2016-09)

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DART KITTEN SCALE THREE-VIEWS ● CLOSE-UP DETAIL ● TYPE HISTORY

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CLASS IC SCALE BUILD - FLAIR’S DH 82 TIGER MOTH ● MICR O PIETE NPOL!

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FORMATION SEP 16 Tony OK

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THE ISSUE AHEAD...

Formation...

FLYING SCALE MODELS - THE WORLD’S ONLY MAGAZINE FOR SCALE MODEL FLYERS

ON THE COVER

Looking for a nice, simple yet attractive subject for your next winter scale project? The Dart Kitten II offers simple elegance of line - so how about it? Full details, close-up photo study and scale drawings in this issue.

PHOTO: Richard Riding

SEPTEMBER 2016 NO.202

8

4 CONTACT Just for starters

8 WACO 9

A 48” (1219mm) wingspan electric powered scale model designed by Peter Rake,

12 MASTER MODELS: FLAIR TIGER MOTH John Thomas’ classic kit built

18 Gloster GAUNTLET: PART 2

Jeff Harnoll completes construction of his 1/5th scale model of the R.A.F.’s last open-cockpit fighter biplane

24 GAUNTLET SCALE DRAWING 1: 40 fine-line three-views

26 GAUNTLET FLYING COLOURS

The flamboyant colour schemes warn among the squadrons in the mid-1930s

28 GAUNTLET TYPE HISTORY

Overshadowed by the later Gladiator, the Gauntlet was a significant fighter aircraft in the mid/late 1930s

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32 THE QUIET ZONE

Peter Rake offers an ideal scale starter-model for the coming Indoor flying season, also good for balmy summer evening outdoor flying

38 SWARMS

Bruce Corfe spends part of his year in Australia and always enjoys this annual scale rally, not least because it is predominantly Scale

42 THE FOKKER MONOPLANES: Part 1

Gary Sunderland continues to work his way through the myriad range of early and WW1 aircraft types

46 SUBJECTS FOR SCALE: dart kitten

Highly regarded in the late 1930s for its fine flying characteristics, the Kitten offers the scale modeller an elegant, yet uncomplicated shape

54 DART kitten SCALE DRAWING 1:30 scale three-views

18 www.flyingscalemodels.com

56 kitten IN DETAIL

Close-up photo study for scale modelling

60 BMFA free flight INDOOR scale nationals 2016 Alex Whittaker attends the UK's premier Free Flight Scale indoor event

SEPTEMBER 2016 FLYING SCALE MODELS 3

CONTACT SEP 16 Tony OK.QXT

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Editor: Tony Dowdeswell Publisher: Alan Harman Design: Peter Hutchinson Website: ADH Webteam Advertising Manager: Sean Leslie Admin Manager: Hannah McLaurie Office Manager: Paula Gray FLYING SCALE MODELS is published monthly by ADH Publishing, Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Beds, LU6 1QX. Reproduction in part or whole of any text, photograph or illustration without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. While due care is taken to ensure the contents of Flying Scale Models is accurate, the publishers and printers cannot accept liability for errors and omissions. Advertisements are accepted for publication in FLYING SCALE MODELS only upon ADH Publishing’s standard terms of acceptance of advertising, copies of which are available from the advertising sales department of FLYING SCALE MODELS. EDITORIAL ADVERTISEMENT & CIRCULATION: Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Beds, LU6 1QX. Tel. 01525 222573 Fax. 01525 222574. Email: [email protected] CIRCULATION TRADE ENQUIRIES: Seymour Distribution, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PT 020 7429 4000. NEWSTRADE: Select Publisher Services, 3 East Avenue, Bournemouth. BH3 7BW. 01202 586848 Email: [email protected] SUBSCRIPTIONS: Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Beds, LU6 1QX. Tel. 01525 222573. Fax. 01525 222574. PRINTING: Henry Stone Ltd., Oxfordshire (c) Copyright Flying Scale Models 2016 ADH Publishing. The paper used on this title is from sustainable forestry

4 FLYING SCALE MODELS SEPTEMBER 2016

CONTACT

As the man from The A Team used to say “...I love it when a plan comes together...”

ontacts and co-operation are vital in the monthly production of a magazine like Flying Scale Models. For quite a while now I’ve been hoping to give one of Britain’s more obscure light aircraft the ‘Subjects’ for Scale’ tresatment, which was triggered when I was flipping through some very old issues of AeroModeller. And there it was, a scale three-view and description of the Dart Kitten, a very nicely shaped low wing light aircraft; elegant straight-tapered wing, flat fuselage sides and flat underside, with upper rear deck also with flat panels, plus simple fixed main undercarriage and not even cuff fairings between fixed flying surfaces and the ailerons, elevator and rudder. The co-operation commenced with an enquiry to Andy Sephton, who kindly identified Robert Fleming as the current owner of the sole surviving Kitten of the three that were produced. From there, I was able to contact Robert, who hangars his aircraft at The Real Aeroplane Company’s base at Breighton airfield, North Yorkshire. That was quite a stem from me in west Hertfordshire, to get a close-up ‘In-Detail’ photo study, but Robert kindly arranged a first class ‘walk-round’. Finally, from Richard Riding, came an excellent range of ‘period’ photos of all three of the Dart Kittens built, together with the inside story of the type from inception back in 1936. To Andy, Richard and Robert, my grateful thanks for all your help.

C

So who would be prepared to tackle the Dart Kitten?

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16/02/2015 15:01

WACO PLAN 521 Tony OK

21/7/16

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FULL SIZE FREE PLAN FEATURE

WACO 9

A 48” (1219mm) wingspan electric powered scale model designed by Peter Rake, with the prototype model built, photographed and flown by Pat O'Donnell es, this is yet another design that has taken a long time to reach you. After at least one builder got the model almost completed, before dropping off the radar, it hung around on my computer until Pat took it on. For that, and the other builds he has done for me, I am extremely grateful. The result is the model you see here.

Y

THE MODEL There’s absolutely nothing complicated about the way this model is built so detailed, step-by-step instructions are hardly needed. If you do need them, maybe this isn’t an ideal model for you to be building just yet. However, with that said, I am only an e-mail away and always happy to offer what help I

can if something is puzzling you along the way. No, that doesn’t mean I’ll describe every step of construction, but will answer specific queries. I haven’t included many shots of the fuselage assembly other than those that refer to specific aspects. After all, we all know how to build a basic fuselage box, glue on a few formers and add some sheet balsa. If you don’t, but are still considering a model of this type I would suggest that possibly you might actually be better suited to a different hobby or the very least, to a different model. You don’t have to be an expert builder by any means, but you do need a basic working knowledge of construction techniques. Yes, I know you are capable of working things out as you

progress, but there are a lot of flyers who are so immersed in the RTF world that they have no working knowledge of basic building and wouldn’t know where to begin. Please, don’t think that is elitism of any kind. I just don’t want somebody with no building experience to attempt this model, only to be bitterly disappointed when it all gets too much for them. That isn’t to say that it can’t be built by a novice builder, it’s just that said novice will need to brush up on basic techniques, and hopefully practice them on simpler models before approaching a scale model of this type. It is an easy to build model, but only if you already know what’s involved in building such a model. More experienced modellers often forget that things we accept as ‘old hat’, and do

Another naked model shot for you but this time it really is Pat’s model.

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WACO PLAN 521 Tony OK

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This is how I like to make laminated outlines, but I probably wouldn’t use duct tape to protect the foam template.

How those laminated outlines get used on the tail surfaces.

As you can see, construction of the lower wing panels is totally traditional - lots of lovely balsa and ply.

without really thinking about it often come as a horrible shock to new builders. Okay, miserable curmudgeonly bit over. A quick perusal of the plans will show that it’s all straightforward, traditional modelling and should pose no problem for even a reasonably competent builder. There are, however, some options open to the builder. As you can already see, Pat didn’t quite stick to the drawings when making up the motor access hatch and dummy engine. The model was designed with the idea that commercially available vac-formed items could be used to simulate the dummy engine but Pat wanted more from his model. So, a minor modification to the hatch shape and how it was created allowed him to install a more realistic dummy engine. Some Waco 9 aircraft don’t appear to carry those large aileron balances but, because of the way they are designed it’s no problem to cut them off if they shouldn’t be on your chosen prototype. It will make precious little difference to how the model flies. Unless I’m mistaken, (always a distinct possibility) I don’t think Pat’s chosen prototype had them but he included them to stay closer to the ‘as drawn’ design. Cowls are cosmetic, chopping off aileron balances is a bit more drastic a change.

is highly likely to score and crack them in places. Since laminated outlines gain their strength from the fact that they have a continuous grain, cracks and crushing are potentially very bad news indeed. As you can see from the photo I’ve included Pat, like myself, prefers to use a protected foam formers (the tape around the edge preventing the glued up strips sticking to it) and hold the strips against it with bits of scrap balsa. I find the secret to success is not to use too hard a balsa for the strips, to glue them together while still dripping wet and to PULL them around the former maintaining tension at all times. Whilst all the curves on this particular model are gentle, it is possible to create quite tightly curved outlines without the strips cracking and voids forming in the laminated part.

LAMINATING OUTLINES I always like to highlight this step as there are various ways of going about it. Many builders use a ‘fence’ of pins to form the outlines around but I’m not keen on that method. Since the strips of balsa have already been softened by soaking, they will also have tended to become a little swollen and spongy too. As you can perhaps visualise, trying to pull those strips around a line of pins

TAIL SURFACES Having gone into such depth about laminating the outlines I suppose the tail surfaces would be a good place to start the construction article proper. Once you have laminated your outlines, and allowed them to dry thoroughly before removing them from the formers, the rest of the operation is very straightforward. Using the cut parts (you did, of course, buy the laser cut parts the publisher will be offering to accompany this article) and balsa strip just assemble the tail parts over the plan. When building the elevators it is as well to make the leading edge part one continuous length and leave them joined until after you have the wire joiner bent. Now, you can use the joiner to indicate where the holes (into which its’ ends will be glued) need to be drilled and drill them while the elevators are still connected by that continuous leading edge. Cut the groove for the joiner between

Pat opted to use lightweight GRP on the centre of the top wings, but it really isn’t needed.

the holes and glue the joiner in place. Working this way makes it almost impossible (no doubt somebody will manage it) to end up with an assembly that doesn’t match the precise size of the tailplane or with elevators that don’t align with each other. Once the glue is thoroughly dry cut away the section of leading edge that shouldn’t be there and sand your tail surfaces in readiness for covering. The covering stage is a lot easier if you fit control horns after covering, rather than trying to cover around them.

FUSELAGE Whilst there’s nothing overly complicated about building the fuselage, there are some areas that will benefit from minor explanations from me. Not least of these areas involves the centre section struts. They aren’t difficult to do, but do need to be approached in a specific manner. As you should be able to make out from the plan rather than a front and rear strut, the c/s struts on this model are in the form of left and right pairs, each bent up as a single unit. These then plug into the brass tubes fitted to SM and are soldered together along the top run. Yes, it does sound complicated, but it isn’t. Begin by making the top bends you see in the side view. Don’t scrimp on the wire and leave each end amply long enough for the remaining sections of each strut. Next, working over the sections show, bend both front and rear strut and the parts that will plug into the tubes. Continue to tweak each assembly until they align correctly and then set them aside until you are ready to fit them. It doesn’t matter too much if they aren’t 100% accurate, just that any difference is duplicated through ALL the bends and that both sections match.

SEPTEMBER 2016 FLYING SCALE MODELS 9

WACO PLAN 521 Tony OK

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A test fit of the lower wings and a good shot of the basic part of Pat’s alternative dummy engine.

Here you see how the c/s struts are assembled and fitted into their brass tubes.

The basic fuselage box, revealing those cracked in sides mentioned in the text.

Pat opted for an EMAX 2815 motor and that has proven well suited to the model. Ample power, but not to excess.

This is as far as the original prototype model progressed. How frustrating is that, to have a virtually complete model but nothing further?

Also worthy of a mention is the motor plate. Note that it is fitted to the fuselage at the correct angles for down and side thrust, and remember that when marking its’ position onto the fuselage sides. If you find it easier, it’s perfectly acceptable to make a new mount and fit it square in the fuselage and then pack the motor for thrust lines (2 degrees down and 2 degrees right). I’ve already mentioned the modification Pat made to the cowl hatch and the photo of the original model shows roughly how the vac-formed parts would fit onto the as drawn hatch. Which route you take is entirely up to you but I would suggest keeping the join line as shown for greater motor access should it be required. If you study the photo of the partially assembled fuselage you’ll see how Pat scored and cracked the sheet sides to pull in at the nose. Obviously this worked fine for

him, but is not quite how I would recommend it be done. Whilst Pat has scored the sides on the outside, this results in a gap that needs to be filled with glue and could easily result in a weak spot if not done carefully. I prefer to score the inside face, in the form of a shallow V cut into the wood. Now when we crack the sides inwards we have a nice wood to wood area to glue which should result in a stronger joint. As an aside, although not important on this model, on flat sided types it results in an unbroken run of wood which will sand much more easily that if there is a hefty line of glue/filler running through it. Get you motor mounted fairly early in the fuselage assembly so that you can use the ‘spinner backplate’ to angle the nose blocks to match the thrust lines. Then use the motor to centre part N before shaping the blocks. Once satisfied with the shape, cut N along

10 FLYING SCALE MODELS SEPTEMBER 2016

the hatch line and remove the hatch. Other than the points I’ve raised building the fuselage goes pretty much as you’d expect. Build two identical side frames, join them with formers, plates SM and UC, and then pull in the tail fitting formers and cross braces as you go. Fit the decking and stringers, add doublers, wing seat parts and side stringers and temporarily glue in place the nose blocks. Much planing, carving and sanding later and you should be looking at an almost finished Waco 9 fuselage. The undercarriage can either be bound and glued into place (which I find easier if that area of the fuselage is already covered) or retained using home made P clips and screws. Just ensure that the screws won’t protrude where you’ll be installing your battery pack. Screw points and LiPo batteries is not a match made in heaven.

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WINGS Let’s start with the lower wing panels since they are the easiest. Once again it’s all totally traditional modelling. The only thing you really need to be aware of here is that ribs R1B, R2B and R3B are all different and absolutely MUST go on in the correct order. The reason for this is that the holes through which the brass joiner tubes pass are set at the correct angle to allow straight wire joiners to be used, but still end up with the correct dihedral on the wings. So, rush this step at your peril. Whilst the model may look more interesting with dihedral on one wing and anhedral on the other it will do nothing to improve its’ flying performance. Apart from which, only one set of interplane struts will fit. Don’t forget to angle the root rib (R1B) for the dihedral marked on the plans before adding the top surface sheeting. Although the top wings are very similar in basic construction to the lower panels you will need to install the aileron servos and extension leads. Oh yes, you’ll have to build the ailerons too. Just as a suggestion, that radiator attached to the c/s struts is awfully handy as a way of routing the servo lead into the fuselage. Since there should actually be a radiator hose it seems the ideal means of unobtrusively running a servo lead from top wing to receiver. Note that ribs R1T are ply and have a cut away section between the spars. This forms the recess into which the top run of c/s strut will fit, with brass straps screwed into the ply plates to retain the wing. It isn’t a bad idea if those straps are actually soldered to the c/s struts, but it isn’t vital. Just a type of belt and braces sort of thing.

ASSEMBLY Assembling the model is a very simple affair, but remember that the model was designed to be a one piece structure. It’s easy enough to alter that to make the wings removable, but that’s something I leave for you to decide. At less than 50” span it’s hardly a huge model to leave fully assembled and will fit most cars quite easily. Even my old Fiesta could take a model this size in one piece. Attach the top wing to the c/s struts and check that the strut is seating accurately in the R1T cut out. Slip the lower panels onto their wire joiners and glue in the interplane struts. You might like to consider tack gluing the wings onto the joiner wires to ensure they can’t ease outwards in flight. With that assembly completed you can use that as an alignment guide while gluing the tail surfaces in place. That’s it, the model is assembled. Now you just have to connect up your control surfaces and go flying.

FLYING

CUT PARTS SET FOR THE

WACO 9 Get straight down to construction without delay! This month’s full size free plan feature is supported by a laser-cut set of ready-to-use balsa and plywood components. This provides the parts that, otherwise, you would need to trace out onto the wood before cutting out and includes wing ribs and tips, tail centre parts, fuselage doublers, top deck,formers etc.

IT DOES NOT INCLUDE STRIP AND SHEET MATERIAL OR SHAPED WIRE PARTS

Price £65.00 plus carriage: £11.50 (UK); Europe £26.00

Order set CUT/FSM 521 Shipping Note: For shipping to destinations outside the UK and Europe, you will be charged our standard flat-rate price of £49. This covers most destinations and secures your order with us. However, we will contact you accordingly with an accurate total shipping charge prior to dispatch and either issue a refund or a PayPal money request for the balance.

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Well, after a bit of a wait to test fly the model (funny how the weather never co-operates when we have a new model to try out) Pat was able to report that the maiden flight went off without a hitch. He describes the model as very stable and with impeccable slow speed manners. She does drop the left wing a little in a stall, but recovers very easily. He rates it as a very solid flyer, with no bad habits at all. In fact, once he’s added the remaining flying wires he thinks this model will become one of his regular flyers. Can you ask for a better recommendation than that? I

Cruising steadily by, Pat’s model is as pretty as a picture.

Order direct from:- ADH Publishing, Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX, UK. Tel: 01525 222573/ [email protected].

SEPTEMBER 2016 FLYING SCALE MODELS 11

TIGER MOTH Tony OK

21/7/16

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MASTER MODELS

Classic Scale Kit Build:

DE HAVILAND DH Alex Whittaker gets the low down on John Thomas's fine Tiggie, built from the Flair kit

eoffrey De Havilland came from that era when British aviation concerns were led from the front by their owner. Often, an aircraft from that epoch encompassed a single person’s vision. De Haviland wanted to produce an aircraft in response to Air Ministry Specification 13/31. This called for a trimary trainer which specifically had to provide a safe escape from the front cockpit for a trainee pilot wearing a parachute.

G

The issue was not straightforward. Many 1930s biplanes often housed their fuel tank in that area, which in turn was often encumbered by struts. In a bold stroke of design De Havilland, swept the wings forward and added fold-down doors, both of which became defining Tiger Moth features. At this time, the ‘Moth’ genre was already well established by De Havilland with their earlier Gyspy Moth, Cirris Moth, Genet Moth and Moth Major. In the same way that ‘Hoover’ came to mean any vacuum cleaner, during the 1920 and

1930s the word ‘Moth’ had become the generic for any similar light aircraft.

R.A.F. Service In service with the RAF the Tiger Moth proved to be an outstanding trainer. It was cheap to run, easy to maintain, and had a good safety record. In particular it taught pilots how to handle a tailwheel aircraft, ideal preparation for Hurricanes and Spitfires. The R.A.F. initially ordered 35 examples, and then a further 50. Total production eventually exceeded 7,000, with 4,005 of that number

John’s Tiger is based on the Shuttleworth example breathed upon with “modeller’s licence”. Looks cute to me.

12 FLYING SCALE MODELS SEPTEMBER 2016

TIGER MOTH Tony OK

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H 82 TIGER MOTH being produced directly for the R.A.F. It is a little known fact of aviation history that the Tiger Moth was one of the first ever radio controlled ‘drones’. The RAF added radio control to an un-manned Tiger and called it the DH Queen Bee. It had pneumatic actuators for its servos. About 70 were built and its name provided the derivation of the ‘drone’ concept, and the actual term itself.

The Model Welsh building ace, and Lord of Scale, John

Thomas is well known to these columns as a BMFA Scale Nats competitor. His Tiggie is built to 1/4 scale and spans 82”. Ready to fly, she weighs around 20lbs, and is powerd by an NGH 38cc petrol engine driving a Graupner “Scimitar” 18”x8” prop.

Documentation John wanted this to be his everyday flying scale model, as well as a Nats competitor. Therefore, she is more Clubman Scale than F4C, and none the worse for it. John has based his model on the Shuttleworth

Specifications: Flair Tiger Moth Scale: Wingspan: Weight: Engine: Exhaust:

Prop:

1/4 88” 20lbs NGH 38cc FS petrol Just Engines angled “pepper pot” silencer Graupner “Scimitar” 18”x8”

SEPTEMBER 2016 FLYING SCALE MODELS 13

TIGER MOTH Tony OK

21/7/16

1 & 2: Crisply modelled instrument panels in both cockpits.

13:21

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Page 4

2

3: Flair supply a well moulded grp cowl. 4: Detail blister at the rear engine col line. 5: It’s a purely practical model - the muffler hangs out in the breeze.

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BELOW: The amount of sweep forward of the top wing is apparent from this angle. Note also the struts under the tail.

TIGER MOTH Tony OK

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Page 5

John Thomas about to fly at the 2015 BMFA Scale Nats.

In service with the RAF the Tiger Moth proved to be an outstanding trainer. It was “ cheap to run, easy to maintain, and had a good safety record. In particular it taught pilots how to handle a tailwheel aircraft, ideal preparation for Hurricanes and Spitfires ” example and as he admits, added “a bit of modeller’s licence!”.

Construction This model is built from the celebrated Flair kit. It is mostly balsa and ply, and follows utterly traditional constructional techniques. John says that the whole build went without issue. The kitting is well thought out, and John used all of the supplied Flair accessories.

Cowl The Flair kit comes with a nicely moulded fibreglass cowl. This just needed a bit of sanding back to take the car shop primer spray paint, followed by the Simonise Silver spraycan finish.

Anti-Spin Strakes

These were a later addition to the full size design. This was because, in some cirumstances, the Tiger Moth was found to exhibit unpredictable spin characteristics. After a number of pilots were unable to recover from a spin, experiments were made with strakes near the tail. Many think that wartime production issues may have introduced variability into the original design. Just note that these strakes do not prevent a spin developing. Also note that not all full size Tigers have the strakes. Flair supply neatly moulded strakes in the kit, which John used.

Wheels The wheels and scale DH covers are Flair items, as supplied in the kit.

Engine John chose an NGH 38cc petrol four stroke engine from Just Engines. It comfortably

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provides more than adequate power for this airframe.

Prop John uses a Graupner 18”x8” “Scimitar” for his flying prop. John points out that he is still expeimenting with props, because the chosen NGK engine is so powerful in this airframe.

Exhaust John sourced a suitable “pepper pot” exhaust from Just Engines. This very interesting item has a modified 90 degree outlet which exits after the expansion chamber. This innovative design is claimed to reduce noise and improve power. Just Engines claim its design allows the silencer to fit neatly within the cowl, whilst also allowing exhaust gases to exit at the scale position. The Tiger certainly has a pleasant sound with this combination, power is certainly not an issue.

8

6: The Flair Tiger Moth has the full complement of scale struts and flying wires. 7: Rigging wire cross-over stay. 8: Interplane struts and dummy top wing centre section fuel tank.

SEPTEMBER 2016 FLYING SCALE MODELS 15

TIGER MOTH Tony OK

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9, 10 & 11: The Flair Tiger Moth kit comes with a convincing and practical undercarriage complete with scale DH covers. 12: Anti-spin strakes. Moulded ABS items supplied in the Flair kit. 13: Spring scale tail skid. 14: There is much discussion whether the relative positioning of the fin, rudder and tailplane affected the Tiger’s spin performance.

The Flair kit comes with a convincing full scale undercarriage.

reproduced by using 00 Gauge plastic corrugated sheet, so he followed suit. This item of scale detailing worked well.

Covering

Legending and Decals

The model is covered in Solartex, which gives an excellent representation of the original fabric covering. John notes that it is easy to apply, and also forms a good substrate for painting and finishing.

John hand-painted the roundels to avoid that “too perfect” look, which often intrudes upon scale perspective. He used pre-cut vinyl lettering for the registration.

Painting

The Tiger’s jaunty pilot is a fine commercial item from Roger’s Pilots. Many of Roger’s Pilots are based on the latex moulds developed by dear Peter Richardson (of Pete’s Pilots fame) so their quality is assured. Roger then hand paints them and adds individual touches to build their character. In this way, no two are the same. John sourced

Undercarriage

John uses Humbrol red enamel painted on by brush, over Simonise Silver from a spraycan.

Tank The Tiger has a distinctive corrugated metal tank. John had read that this might be

Pilot

The Tiger Moth has ideal proportions for a radio controlled model. 16 FLYING SCALE MODELS SEPTEMBER 2016

his pilot via: www.rogers-pilots.co.uk

Flying Notes John notes that 2015 provided fewer than average opportunities to test fly a new scale model. Consequently, his new Tiger Moth got most of its proving flights at The BMFA National Scale Championships. These flights immediately confirmed the airworthiness of the Flair design, but also the lusty power of John’s chosen four-stroke. Most of the time the Tiger floats around on far less than half power. John plans further experimentation with a variety of props to find the “sweet spot”. Overall, Johns declares the Flair Tiger Moth very easy to fly. He confirms that it also makes a very good Clubman scale model. I

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22/06/2016 15:59

GAUNTLET PART 2 Tony OK

21/7/16

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CONSTRUCTION FEATURE

GLOSTER GAUNTLET

PART 2: Jeff Harnoll completes construction of his 1/5th scale model of the R.A.F.’s last open-cockpit fighter biplane, and includes surface detail - plus an option for glass fibre or conventional built-up wood engine cowl

18 FLYING SCALE MODELS SEPTEMBER 2016

GAUNTLET PART 2 Tony OK

21/7/16

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Page 3

Covering To cover the fabric finished areas, I used SIG Coverall throughout and detailed the wings and tail with rib tapes from Mick Reeves Models.

Painting The Gauntlet was in RAF squadron service during the mid-late 1930s era when individual aircraft carried the colourful identification markings then prevalent among the units of the ‘Fighting Area’ squadrons which pre-dated Fighter Command. At

that stage, Gauntlets and other fighter types usually carried an overall silver based finish and were prominently decorated with individual squadron identicialtion markings. To be just a bit different, I chose Danish Air Force colours from the late 1930s which carried a camouflage scheme, that I applied throughout using Warbirds paint from Fighter Aces.

Flying With the model completed, the test flying was done at my local Llanelli M.F.C. flying site at RAF Pembrey.

“

A couple of circuits were sufficient to establish correct trim for level flight and no aileron trim correction was required

”

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1

A radio check and engine run-up confirmed the model fit for flying, so there was no doing back now! I opened the throttle gently and the Gauntlet tracked well, requiring only a touch of right rudder to hold a straight line. Then, with throttle fully open, a touch of up elevator put daylight under the wheels and the Gauntlet was airborne. A couple of circuits were sufficient to establish correct trim for level flight and no aileron trim correction was required. General handling proved to be fine and after some further circuits to get the general ‘feel’ of the machine, it was time for the landing. I lined up an approach, reduced the throttle and she came in gently - what a relief! After post-flight check-out, I was ready to further explore the characteristics of the Gauntlet which, again, lifted smoothly into the air in preparation for an exploration of aerobatic capability. Rolls, Loops and Stall Turns, all worked well before dropping the Gauntlet in for another smooth touch-down. I was really pleased with the handling - it’s a fine flyer.

Engine recommendation

1: Dummy Bristol Mercury VI engine in prototype model providss vital realism.

2

2: Equally important in an open cockpit biplane model, a realistic dummy pilot.

20 FLYING SCALE MODELS SEPTEMBER 2016

I used my trusty Laser 300V in this model, which proved to be slightly overpowered, so if you have a Laser 200 or 240, or an equivalent, this should provide ample power.

GAUNTLET PART 2 Tony OK

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3

3: Main undercarriage, showing struts and axle.

6

6: Close-up of lower wing interplane strut attachment and and rigging clevises.

9

Page 5

4

5

4: Gun trough and machine gun in front fuselage side.

5: Wing interplane struts and rigging.

7

8

7: Pitot head mounted on left front outer wing strut.

8: Dummy radiator on fuselage upper surface between the cabane struts, ahead of the cockpit.

10

11

9: Aileron, hinged in three places.

10: Fin/rudder close-up showing the aerodynamic balance.

11: Elevator, showing the aerodynamic balance and the bracing wires.

12

13

12: Close-up detail of aileron hinge.

13: Tread plate detail, lower left wing at root.

14

14: Cockpit mounting stirrup, lower left fuselage side.

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GAUNTLET PART 2 Tony OK

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GLOST

GAUNT ER LET (PLAN

FSM3

31) Full size copies of this p lan are availab Flying S le from Plans Se cale M odels rvice, A DH Pub lishing, Doolittle Doolittle Lane, To Mill, tternho Bedford e, shire, LU 6 1QX. Tel enquirie 01525 222573 s@adh publish Price £ 24.50 p ing.com lus p&p ( U .K £2.50 Europe ; £4.00; Rest or World £ 6.00.

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CUT PARTS SET FOR THE

15

GLOSTER GAUNTLET Get straight down to construction without delay! This month’s full size free plan feature is supported by a laser-cut set of ready-to-use balsa and plywood components.

16

THESE PARTS SETS PROVIDE: formers, doublers, wood wing ribs, blue foam wing ribs, blue foam wing panels (not veneered) and tips, elevator and rudder core sheet.

Price £149.50 plus carriage: £11.50 (UK); Europe £26.00

(Order FSM/Cut 331) 15 & 16: Main undercarriage and dummy exhaust pipe detail.

Engine cowl There are two options here. The prototype model used a glass fibre cowl made from a mould from which designer Jeff Harnoll can supply mouldings ready for use. If you decide to go that rout, then write to Jeff at 34 Vincent Street, Swansea, SA1 3TZ (email: [email protected]).

Make it in wood The plans also show an engine cowl in balsa and plywood. If you decide to make the builtup wooden cowl, first cut out all the parts and lay down the

bottom cowl ring on the building boad. Cut the standoffs to the required size and tack-glue these to the bottom ring. Then, lay down the next ply ring and tack-glue this to the top of the stand-offs. Repeat for all the other rings and then glue the four 1/4” supports, making suring all is aligned. When alignment is true, then plank the cowl up to the top ring. Then, when the planking stage is complete, the balsa front ring can be can be added. I

Shipping Note: For shipping to destinations outside the UK and Europe, you will be charged our standard flat-rate price of £49. This covers most destinations and secures your order with us. However, we will contact you accordingly with an accurate total shipping charge prior to dispatch and either issue a refund or a PayPal money request for the balance.

Visit our secure website:

www.flyingscalemodels.com to order yours

18: Detail of underside tailplane bracing wires.

17: Tailwheel unit.

19: Elevator hinges viewed from underside.

Order direct from:- ADH Publishing, Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX, UK. Tel: 01525 222573/ [email protected].

SEPTEMBER 2016 FLYING SCALE MODELS 23

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GLOSTER GAUNTLET

MK1 & II

SCALE 1:40

GAUNTLET SCALE DRAWING Tony OK

GAUNTLET FLYING COLOURS Tony OK

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GLOSTER GAUNTLET FLYING COLOURS

GAUNTLET FLYING COLOURS Tony OK

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GAUNTLET TYPE HISTORY Tony OK

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Type History

GLOSTER GAUNTLET

Overshadowed by the later Gladiator, the Gauntlet was a significant fighter aircraft in the mid/late 1930s prior to and during the Royal Air Force’s transition to monoplane types integrated with radar backed ground/air co-ordinated interception techniques

D

uring the 1920s and 1930s, the Gloster Aircraft Company was very much in the thick of the fierce competition that existed between leading British aircraft

manufacturers, including Bristol and Hawker for the lean pickings of fighter aircraft requirements. ‘Wish lists’ of new Royal Air Force specifications, issued by the Air Ministry as

BAGS OF SWANK LADS! Gaunlet Mk.1s if No.19 Squadron, first to receive the type in typical, tight air display formation. Fin markings differ between individual aircraft.

28 FLYING SCALE MODELS SEPTEMBER 2016

invitations to tender, did not always result in firm production orders for anything and even if these did, the order requirements might be quite small. Glosters had a good track record of

GAUNTLET TYPE HISTORY Tony OK

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supplying fighter aircraft to the R.A.F. Their chief designer Henry P. Folland had been the lead designer at the Royal Aircraft Factory from early 1915 during WW1, designing the highly successful S.E.5/5a, before moving on to the British Nieuport Company to design the Nieuport Nighthawk. By 1920, Folland had moved on again, to be chief designer at the Glostershire Aircraft Company, where his flow of fighter designs included the Gloster Grebe and Gamecock, both of which, successively equipped front line Squadrons of the R.A.F. By 1926 though, the need for something to supersede the Gamecock led to the issue of Air Ministry specification F.9/26 that

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required the discontinuance of primarily wood construction in favour of steel and duralumin. Although nothing became of this, beyond prototypes, including the Gloster Goldfinch and Bristol Bulldog, it led, a year later, to F.20/27and a further round of prototypes from Bristol (revised Bulldog), Hawker (Hawfinch), Boulton-Paul (Partridge) and Gloster’s proposed S.S.28. The Bulldog landed the contact, but Gloster’s design showed such promise that the Company elected to pursue further development at their own expense, deleting the Bristol Mercury IIA engine in favour of the more reliable Bristol Jupiter, Jupiter VIIF and then Armstrong-Siddeley Panther III.

It was a good time to be pursuing development of fighter aircraft performance as speeds among both fighters and bombers entering service had increased to a point where the longretained WW1 fighter armament of twin machine guns firing through the propeller arc could be neither ineffective, nor a devastating weapons suite. Thus, in 1931, Gloster’s S.S.18A prototype Gauntlet appeared with drag-reducing Townend Ring engine cowling around a Bristol Jupiter engine and with twin Vickers guns in the fuselage sides plus no less than four Lewis Guns, two on the top wings and two on the lowers, firing outside the propeller arc. Although this increased

SEPTEMBER 2016 FLYING SCALE MODELS 29

GAUNTLET TYPE HISTORY Tony OK

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Wheels spats were seen as a way of gaining a bit of speed during the later biplane era. This is the first production Gauntlet Mk.1, which first flew in December 1934.

The prototype Gloster S.S.19B on air test. The Gauntlet was the last open-cockpit RAF fighter aircraft.

More early Gauntlet Mk.1s, three of which have already lost their wheel fairings. After the 1938 ‘Munich Crisis’ Gauntlets, along with most RAF combat aircraft were hurriedly daubed with none-to-uniform camouflage schemes.

30 FLYING SCALE MODELS SEPTEMBER 2016

armament, installed on an experimental basis, substantially increased the weight of the aircraft, Glosters had managed to coax the top speed from 183 to 188 mph. Whilst the RAF’s leaders remained unconvinced of the value of the increased firing punch in the revised Gloster fighter, Service evaluation tests yielded 204 mph; a performance on a par with the inline Rolls Royce Kestrel powered Hawker Fury. A further revision of powerplant, to the now-reliable Bristol Mercury increased performance to 212 mph and then 215.5 mph. Now, with a 40 mph advantage over the RAF’s then current Bristol Bulldog, an initial Gauntlet production order of 25 was forthcoming, based on RAF Spec. 24/33 in September 1933, that required an NACA narrow-cord engine cowl, twin fuselage mounted machine guns and Bristol Mercury V1S2 engine that yielded 230 mph. No.19 Squadron at Duxford, took deliveries in May 1935 and retained the type until becoming the first Squadron to take the Supermarine Spitfire into service in 1938. The result of the take-over of Glosters by Hawker Aircraft during 1934 led to production standardisation based Hawker airframe construction techniques being applied to the Gauntlet II just prior to the commencement of the RAF’s Expansion Scheme in 1935. That led to a production order for another 104 examples and then a further 100. Now established as an important type within the rapidly developing and expanding Air Defence System of Great Britain (ADGB), more squadrons formed, or reformed to operate the Gauntlet including No.66; 151; 17; 32; 54; 80; 213; 79 and 74 Squadrons. The high watermark of Gauntlet service occurred in mid 1937 and was much to the fore as the RAF strove to create a viable, effective and integrated air defence system. Late in 1936, Gauntlets were used in experiments to prove the effectiveness of the, then, super-secret Range and Direction Finding (RDF) aircraft interception system (later Radar) when a section of Gauntlets were directed by radio communication to successfully intercept an incoming airliner the first time ever that this was achieved be an integrated ground-to-air interception system. (Those on board the airliner remained oblivious to this milestone in air

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Chequerboards and proud of ’em. No.19 Squadron at Duxford.

defence – and in fact the pilots of the section of Gauntlet fighter probably had not much more inkling of the significance either!) At the time of the ‘Munich Crisis’ in September 1938, Britain’s air defence wrested more with the Gloster Gauntlet that any other type, and from that time onward, Gauntlets and most other types in RAF service immediately lost their flamboyant squadron colour schemes in favour of hurriedly daubed and none-tostandardised camouflage. By then though, the Gauntlet’s immediate Gloster successor, the Gladiator was already in service and the Royal Air Force was preparing for service entry of the Hawker Hurricane and thereafter the Supermarine Spitfire. Nevertheless, Gauntlets still had useful tasks to perform in the fighter-training role, being passed on to freshly formed units as their first equipment, to allow them to gain training before receiving more modern fighters. Gauntlets were also shipped to the Middle East, equipping three RAF squadrons. All home based Gauntlet squadrons had re-equipped with more modern fighters by the start of the Second World War in

Equally distinctive - No.46 Squadron at their based at Kenley.

September 1939, but the type remained in service in the Middle East for longer, with a flight of Gauntlets remaining in service with No.3 Sqdn RAAF in the Middle East when Italy declared war in 1940. These were briefly used for ground attack operations against the Italian forces before being retired from operations owing to maintenance problems and even then, Gauntlets continued in use for meteorological flights until 1943. Seventeen Gauntlets IIs were license produced in Denmark, while 25 ex-RAF machines were supplied by South Africa to Finland in 1940 as a result of the ‘Winter War’ when Soviet Union forces invaded Finland territory in late 1939. Already obsolete, these were used as advanced trainers by the Finns. One of these remains, in flyable condition, in Finland, albeit re-engined with a post-WW2 Alvis Leonides. It was still flown at air shows as late as 2006, but now appears to be a permanent exhibit at the Karhulan Ilmailukerhon Aviation Museum is located at Kymi Airfield, Kotka, Finland.

FLYING THE GAUNTLET It has been said that the Gauntlet was the last truly aerobatic biplane fighter in the

R.A.F., its direct successor the Gladiator displaying distinctly ‘tricky’ tendencies, especially at low airspeeds. The enclosed cockpit and landing flaps of the later aircraft undoubtedly contributed to the sense of flying a ‘monoplane with a top wing’. Grossing more than 1,200 lb. heavier than the Gauntlet, the Gladiator never acquired the popularity of the earlier aeroplane. The Gauntlet could become airborne in less than 100 yards at full load with a light (5 knot) headwind, climbing to 20,000 feet in under ten minutes. In the dive prior to a loop, there was always the tendency to overspeed the engine but the airspeed quickly built up and only light pressure on the stick brought the aeroplane round and ‘over the top’ without tendency to stall. Slow rolls were relatively difficult to perform without losing height, and were forbidden below 3,000 feet. Approaching to land, the airspeed was maintained at about 55 M.P.H. up to the boundary hedge, easing back to touch down at slightly over 50. Using wheelbrakes, the ground run was about 150 yards. Visibility in the air was good, but it was necessary to weave on the ground to see ahead. I

SPECIFICATION Wingpan: 32ft. 9 in. Length (Mk.l): 26 ft. 2 ln., (Mk.lI): 26 ft. 5 in. Height (with Fairey prop.): 10 ft. 3 in., Wing area: 315 sq. ft. Powerplant (Mk.l and II.): One 640 h.p. Bristol Mercury V1S2 nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, driving twoblade wooden Watts (on early aircraft) or two-blade Fairey metal propeller (on late production aircraft). Performance (Mk.1 and II similar): Maximum speed: 230 m.p.h. at 15,800 feet. Initial climb: 2,300 ft./min. Climb to 20,000 feet: 9 minutes. Range: 455 miles. Service ceiling: 33,500 feet.

The Gloster S.S.19, Gauntlet forerunner, reveals the six-gun armament configuration, of which four were wing mounted. Designer Folland was clearly ahead in his thinking compared with those at the Air Ministry.

Armament: Two Vickers Mk.V synchronised machine guns with 600 rounds per gun.

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QUIET ZONE

REV Tony OK

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Both models were built by Tom O’Meara, for which I am extremely grateful - without modellers like Tom to prototype these designs, there would be far fewer free plans appearing in your favourite magazine. Okay, who cheered at that prospect?

THE MODEL

R/C SCALE ELECTRICS with Peter Rake t’s that time again, time for more electric flight musings. Okay, don’t panic, this time I’ll be keeping my part of things relatively brief. Instead of the usual reams of waffle, I’ll get straight down to business. It’s okay, there’s no need to go into shock, normal service will be resumed shortly. What we have for you this month is another of those little models intended for Parkzone style equipment; you know, the sort of gear I mean; an 8.5 mm

I

motor unit (as supplied in their P51 Mustang) and a three or four channel brick receiver complete with servos and ESC. The model in question is a 22” span rendition of the Pietenpol Air Camper that appeared in these pages some time ago. Well, to be more precise it’s a half size version of a reduced version of the 58” model that appeared as a free plan back in FSM January 2013 issue and which was drawn up for slightly more conventional equipment.

Rather than go into a blow-byblow constructional description, for which I don’t really have the space to do it justice, I’ll stick to just highlighting one or two specific points about the model. First, and most obvious, this is a small model intended for very light radio gear. As such it doesn’t need to be any stronger than indicated on the plans. These motor units are good for up to around 3 ounces of flying weight, but if you can keep the model below 2 ounces (yes it is possible), you’ll find it will fly in a much more scale-like fashion. So, use hard balsa for longerons and trailing edges, bass for spars and struts, plus a mix of medium and fairly soft for pretty much everything else. In case you’re wondering why I specify hard balsa trailing edges, it’s because I’ve seen what shrinking tissue can do to trailing edges that are too soft. So, if you’re building from the laser cut parts but think the trailing edges seem a bit flimsy (it’s always a balancing act between hard enough and too darned hard to cut without a lot of charring),

PETER RAKE OFFERS AN IDEAL SCALE STARTER-MODEL FOR THE COMING INDOOR FLYING SEASON, ALSO GOOD FOR BALMY SUMMER EVENING OUTDOOR FLYING - IF WE EVER GET ANY THIS YEAR!!! Cruising by overhead. No trim adjustments were required for safe hands off flight.

32 FLYING SCALE MODELS SEPTEMBER 2016

replace them with harder wood. In fact, while we’re on the subject, if you can’t get balsa strip of the correct hardness, I’d suggest substituting bass. I’m not an advocate of cutting your own strip because the strip never comes out as hard as the sheet of balsa appeared. To get it that hard, the sheet would be almost impossible to cut accurately because the grain would cause the knife to wander. Bass, on the other hand, whilst just a little heavier than hard(ish) balsa, cuts brilliantly. Just make sure it is bass and not obechi or you’ll really find out just how much grain can wander and wood warp usually after it’s built securely into your wings.

POWER As I said, keeping these models light is the key to success with this equipment. However, please don’t be tempted to think that adding more power will allow you to build a heavy model that still flies in a scale-like manner. To be honest, the very small brushless motors (5 grams) may well be lighter than the brushed unit I advocate but won’t actually produce as much thrust; add in that there will be more wiring and probably a separate ESC and they become heavier too. It will consume more current and need a bigger battery too, so it doesn’t take long before what should be a 2 ounce model is pushing twice that

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QUIET ZONE

REV Tony OK

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CUT PARTS SET FOR THE PIETENPOL ABOVE: A slightly closer shot of the suspended ‘Micro Piet’, albeit still awaiting struts.

LEFT: Here you see the motor plate in place, the radio tray and the strut doublers fitted. Motor and receiver brick stand by all ready for installation.

weight. Okay, so maybe such isn’t THAT excessive, but the structure was designed for a light, slow flying model that didn’t try to emulate an F-16 Fighting Falcon in terms of scale speed. Besides, since you will, if using laser cut parts, have paid good money for the items required to mount the P-51 type motor it seems pointless to throw them away and cut replacement parts to suit a different motor. I’ve gone to all this trouble to make your life easier, so take full advantage of it.

RADIO EQUIPMENT Although a Vapor brick is what’s actually shown on the plan, any of the ParkZone ‘bricks’ will do just fine without changing anything. You could, if you don’t mind a little extra weight (I do mean a LITTLE extra), use one of the boards from a four channel, fixed pitch helicopter. That, from the WL Toys V911, springs instantly to mind as a suitable candidate (providing you have the correct transmitter), but you’ll have to play around with the mounting and position of the pushrod exits. Those shown, and provided with the kit are specifically designed to suit the receiver shown, mounted in the position shown.

COVERING There is a whole selection of possible covering materials suited to this model. However, I would just like to point out that Solartex and Monokote aren’t among them since they’re just a shade on the heavy side. Oh all right, they’re hugely on the heavy side for such a lightweight. It’s surprising how much better the model will fly if the wings don’t resemble a propeller.

Something like So-Lite would be fine although a bit transparent, but I would probably use a printed tissue finish simply because I find it easier to create colour schemes on my computer screen than to paint them onto the model. The fact that I actually like the model-like appearance of a doped tissue finish also has a large bearing on that preference. Tom, however has used very light document laminating film to cover his model and finished it off with a painted colour scheme. I do stress that it’s lightweight film he uses, not the sort of thing you find used for laminating pouches in your local stationers. Tom quotes it as being 1.2 mil thick and he paints it using household paint. He describes the paint as latex, but I think that’s what we in the UK refer to as emulsion.

AIR CAMPER Get straight down to construction without delay! This month’s full size free plan feature is supported by a laser-cut set of ready-to-use balsa and plywood components. This provides all the parts that, otherwise, you would need to trace out onto the wood before cutting out.

IT DOES NOT INCLUDE STRIP AND SHEET MATERIAL OR SHAPED WIRE PARTS

Price £18.00 plus carriage: £11.50 (UK); Europe £26.00

Order set CUT/FSM521 Shipping Note: For shipping to destinations outside the UK and Europe, you will be charged our standard flat-rate price of £49. This covers most destinations and secures your order with us. However, we will contact you accordingly with an accurate total shipping charge prior to dispatch and either issue a refund or a PayPal money request for the balance.

Visit our secure website:

www.flyingscalemodels.com to order yours

FLYING Well, what can I say? Tom says the maiden flight took place in slightly more blustery than really ideal conditions, but that the model flew well right from the off. No trim adjustment was required and it could be flown hands-off straight away. Having seen a video of the flight I’m not going to argue with that. For such a small model, in less than perfect conditions it did remarkably well. Once again my thanks to Tom for the work he put in on the model and we’ll see more of his larger version another time, but as a full construction article. Should you wish to contact me for any reason, although I can’t always promise a swift response, you’ll find me at [email protected] I

The little Pietenpol makes a low pass for the camera. Right from the outset the model was a smooth flier.

Order direct from:- ADH Publishing, Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX, UK. Tel: 01525 222573/ [email protected].

SEPTEMBER 2016 FLYING SCALE MODELS 37

SWARMS Tony OK

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PHOTO REPORT

SCALE AUSTRALIA Bruce Corfe spends part of his year in Australia and always enjoys this annual scale rally not least because it is predominently Scale WARMS are the South West Associated Radio Modellers Society, operating from their club field near Capel, a town in the South West region of Western Australia located 212 kilometres south of Perth and midway between Bunbury and Busselton on picturesque Geographe Bay. The annual SWARMS Scale Rally weekend is a much anticipated event in the modelling calendar and your scribe tries to make the trip down from Perth every year. Last year I attended on the Sunday and we saw lots of flying - Saturday had been a bit of a blow-out. This time the Saturday flying was brilliant, but I attended on the Sunday again and we braved very windy

S

weather all day. It didn’t stop many of those present from flying, though numbers were down compared to the previous day. Of note is the new club pits area/ hangar, which is enormous, and adds to the already excellent facilities at the SWARMS field.

Bill Hempel Clipped-Wing Cub Each year that I have attended the show there has been a sizeable contingent of attendees from the Waneroo Club North of Perth. One such is Adrian Byrne who brought his 40% example of the Bill Hempel Kits Clipped-Wing Piper Cub, not in ‘Cub Yellow’ but in a great blue/white sunburst finish. Adrian’s Cub has a big twin-cylinder petrol engine

The aircraft (‘model’ sounds wrong, somehow) comes as an ARF from Bill Hempel in the U.S.A. The Cub has a 3.7m/ 12ft wingspan and is 3m/ 10ft in length; AUW is 18kg/ 40lb. The flat-bottomed wing has ailerons only as the Cub is able to fly very slowly. Control surfaces and movements are HUGE! Adrian flies the cub with great authority and it really looks the part in the air. (I believe Adrian has recently moved South and is now a member at SWARMS).

Warbirds and more Gary Ashton’s big 110” Mk.1 Spitfire is from the Austars kit and Gary has equipped it with a DL85 engine. The lovely Spit has not flown yet, but it looks magnificent! Lots of

Scott’s ESM Pantera, powered by a Kingtech K80, is a jet trainer which looks scale and style after the Grumman F9F-6 Cougar.

SWARMS Tony OK

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The new pits hangar at SWARMS is huge - a brilliant addition to already great facilities.

Adrian Byrne brought his 40% example of the Bill Hempel Cub.

Some serious hangers-on here!

Adrian’s Cub has a big twin-cylinder petrol engine.

attention to detail. Ray Anderson’s electric-powered VQ Models Northrop P-61 Black Widow has featured previously in FSM (March 2016 issue), as have others of his excellent scale warbirds. The model is an ARF (although don’t mention that to Ray - it took ages to get the kit sorted and into the air!) and is of largely traditional built-up balsa-and-ply construction, kitted in Vietnam. With 14 servos and retracts, the P-61 has 2x4S 4,400mAh Hyperion cells in each engine nacelle, although Ray may upgrade to six cell packs. With Hyperion 90A ESCs, the E-flite 90 motors pull a continuous 50A. The three-bladed Master Airscrew props were a nightmare to balance! 14x9 or 15x7 props pull the same

amps, but 16x8s are close to overload (I see what you mean Ray, that’s six of the beggars!) The Black Widow is Ray’s most complex model to date and his first large multi electric. Another of Ray’s models which I had not seen before was his small-ish (for a jet) Global Jet Club models Douglas F4D Skyray (later re-designated F-6), which was probably designed for ducted fan. The kit came equipped with retracts and Ray has fitted a Wren 54 Mk.2 turbine which he built from a kit. The small size of the Skyray makes for a very tight installation. Ian Clapp’s electric VQ Models FockeWulf Fw190 has been re-covered and repainted after an ‘arrival’ and has had

new retracts fitted. It now looks better than it did originally and flies just as well, in fact Ian wouldn’t have bothered, had it not been such a rewarding flyer.

Gary Ashton’s Austars 110” Mk.1 Spitfire with 85 DL Engine has not flown, but looks magnificent!

Ian Clapp’s electric VQ Fw190, re-covered and painted and with new retracts.

Ian ‘Humphro’ Humphreyson fettles his O.S.80 FS -powered 1.7m span Sportsman Aviation Victa Airtourer.

Sportsters and Aerobat: Ian ‘Humphro’ Humphreyson flew his O.S.80 FS-powered 1.7m span Sportsman Aviation Airtourer. The Victa Airtourer is an all-metal light low-wing monoplane touring aircraft that was developed in Australia, and was manufactured in both Australia and New Zealand. Victa Ltd was best known for making lawn mowers and light twostroke engines - more of this later! It is an interesting design that is worth reading up on - there were several

SEPTEMBER 2016 FLYING SCALE MODELS 39

SWARMS Tony OK

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The VQ Northrop P-61 Black Widow on short finals with gear extended.

Ray Anderson’s Global Jet Club Douglas F4D Skyray was possibly designed for ducted fan.

To say the Wren 54 Mk2 installation is tight is a bit of an understatement!

Humphro’s Great Planes Super Skybolt has only had two or three flights and still needs decals and cockpit detail adding.

club pits area/ hangar, which is enormous, and adds “ Of note is the new to the already excellent facilities at the SWARMS field ”

Scott Pittick’s huge 3.1m Composite ARF Super Extra 330, DLE 170 2-cylinder 2-stroke powered.

40 FLYING SCALE MODELS SEPTEMBER 2016

marks including some which saw military service. The Airtourer is very realistic in the air. It needs someone up in that big bubble canopy office, Humphro! Another of Ian’s models present at the meeting was his new Great Planes Super Skybolt. The model has only had two or three flights so far and still needs decals and cockpit detail adding, but it already looks the part. Ex-Kentishman Nigel Ruffle is another regular attendee from up in Waneroo. This year Nigel brought his Great Planes Aeromaster biplane. The immaculate model has a DL50 engine up front and Futaba electronics inside. Nigel had the big bipe up in the blustery air as often as possible and put on a great display for the camera. Club Secretary Scott Pittick had a model to rival Adrian’s Cub. His Composite ARF Super Extra 330 - at 3.1m/ 10ft span and DLE 170 two-cylinder, two-stroke powered, it runs a three-blade carbon prop and weighs in at 19.5kg/ 43lb. Scott is the third owner, having flown the Extra for two years. The immaculate model is eight years old. Scott was rarely out of the air with the big beast and put on faultless

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Humphro’s Airtourer is very realistic in the air. Needs a driver under that huge cockpit canopy!!

Peter Radwanski’s Black Horse PZL Wilga - its DLE 35 has an auto starter. The prototype is a Czech glider tug.

high-speed aerobatic displays. (If you are wondering why so many SWARMS members choose DL Engines petrol-power, it’s because Scott is the W.A. agent for these motors). Scott’s ESM Pantera is a jet trainer that is a semi-scale model of a Grumman F9F Cougar. Powered by a Kingtech K80 jet, it’s the owner’s first jet model. It flies extremely convincingly and its only vice is a bit of Dutch Roll.

Weird & Wonderful!

Links: S.W.A.R.M.S. www.swarms.org.au Many more images: http://tinyurl.com/Sw armsRally

Peter Radwanski’s Black Horse Wilga has an auto starter on its DLE 35 engine. The rather insectile-looking prototype is a Czech STOL glider tug. Peter’s model flies well and has an extremely short take-off run. Second Victa prototype of the day, after the Victa Airtourer, was Peter Radwanski’s Lawnmower! It is from a US Skycutters foam and balsa kit and is fully aerobatic on an O.S.55 glow motor which gives it a vicious twinkle-roll rate. Yes of course it’s a scale model - it’s a 1:1 Victa Mower! Believe it or not, The Victa Mower Company of Australia also produced the Airtourer as already mentioned - I’ve included it because of the link between the models and because it’s a bit of fun! I’ve tried to capture the flavour the event through the photos and captions. If you’re ever down this way, check out the club, you won’t regret it! I

Nice low slow Aeromaster pass for the camera - thanks Nigel!

Yes of course it’s scale - it’s a 1:1 Victa Mower!

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THE FOKKER MONOPLANES REV Tony OK

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THE FOKKER MONOPLANES REV Tony OK

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FOKKER MONOPLANES Parts 1: The V.23 Experiments GARY SUNDERLAND CONTINUES TO WORK HIS WAY THROUGHT THE MYRIAD RANGE OF EARLY AND WW1 AVIATION TYPES

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ony Fokker returned from the first ‘Fighter’ competition in triumph. Held in January 1918 for Dcategory interceptors (in other works single-seat biplanes with two machine gun armament), Fokker designs won both the Rotary and In-Line Mercedes engine categories. The Fokker V.21 design went into largescale production as the famous Fokker D.VII, to be built be several manufacturers into licence. Not a person to rest on his laurels, Tony Fokker soon had his design team hard at work on a monoplane version of D.VII which was given the project number V.23. In those early days of aviation, there were no aeronautical engineers as such and few design standards. Progress was very much a hit-or-miss affair and each new design depended on good engineering judgement and much luck in equal measure. Tony Fokker was a shrewd engineer and a superlative test pilot who reduced the luck factor by designing a large number of prototypes, mostly at his own expense, to test his theories. Some of these experiments did not even fly and a few more were abandoned after a few flights. The V.23 Monoplanes was one of the latter. Fokker had always favoured monoplanes, from his ‘Spin’ of 1912 (see FSM March 2003) and the Eindekkers of 1914-15. But while the Army favoured biplanes, or even triplanes, the Fokker Company was prepared to oblige. With these design tasks completed, Fokker evidently decided that the future lay with the monoplane. He was certainly of one of the first aircraft designers to subscribe to the adage:- ‘simplicate-andadd-lightness’. While many aircraft firms had tried to build cantilever structures, the Fokker works had developed strong and lightweight wooden spars utilizing selected Keifer pine wood and birch ply

webs, following the theories of Doctor (of Engineering) Koner. For the true story of the early Fokker design department, readers should refer to the author’s articles in the ’14-18 Journals 2013 Volume 1 and reprinted in ‘Over the Front’ Autumn 2015 Volume 30 no.3. Given this background, plus a couple of blurred photographs and a dubious threeview drawing, a model of the V.23 looked to be a reasonable. If the fuselage, undercarriage, tailplane and elevator were Fokker D.VII components, then I already had drawn these up to quarter scale. Only the monoplane wings were completely new. As it turned out, the wings were an added attraction to me, since those of the full size V.23 were plywood surface skinned top and bottom - and not painted - just coated with Shellac, to show the birch plywood finish. All the later Fokker monoplanes had the wings painted, usually in a grey/green colour, covering up the plywood skin beneath. For a long time, I have admired the varnished plywood wings built by modellers of vintage sailplanes. My local model shop was able to supply sheets of the 0.4mm thick three-ply birch as used in such models and I was interested to see if it could be a practical and true-scale covering for a quarter scale WW1 model. So now, I had two reasons to build a model of the V.23. One change from the original full size design was incorporated into my model: all of the Fokker V-series prototypes featured one-piece wings with cantilever spars tip-to-tip. Where a wing went through a fuselage, the structure was cut away to fit around the wooden box spars. A steel tube bridging piece was then bolted on, to connect the longerons of the fuselage. For simplicity, my model adopted the design of most ARF models, with a carbon tube to transfer bending loads and four c

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FOKKER V.23 IN THE BUILD... 3: The fully plywood skinner wing with the original size aileron cut away. 4: After nitial poor aileron response, these were extended inboard, by separating a bite of wing trailing edge and re-hinging. 5: The revised aileron. A simple link-pin connects the additional inner and is driven by the existing outer aileron panel. 6: The other major change after initial test flights was that to the vertical tail surfaces, borrowed from the designer’s 1/4-scale Fokker D.VII. (Pays to retain damaged airframes!). 7: The fuselage, tailplane and elevator were built straight over my 1/4scale Fokker D.VII plans, except for the very small V.23 rudder. 8: The straight-taper wing panels were also an easy build.The Fokker aerofoil ribs were platted from F.VII data. 9: The basic V.23 structure complete. Seat and undercarrige mounted, ready for covering. 10: The undercarraige mounting was changed to bolt-on style, with four 4-40 cap screws.Otherwise, it is the same as the D.VII.

4-40 cap screws to hold the wing panels in place; not only easier to rig, this two piece wing arrangement meant that the model would fit into my car and my trailer would not be necessary. As I intended the model for ‘fun’ flying rather than competitions, this change suited the intended role, being easy to build and to operate. At this time, I was made aware of a large 1/3rd scale model of the V.23 flying in Germany, so it was with some

confidence that I started construction of my much more modest, quarter scale model.

WINGS Building the plywood-covered wings provided a few surprises. The basic two spar wings were no problem. With my usual Hoop Pine and webs from thin ply at the root and balsa outers. The wing ribs were cut from 3mm balsa and are few in number, meaning more widely spaced

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than usual - just to save time and balsa. Being an old, full size glider repairer, I tried all the usual methods to bend the model’s plywood leading edge without success. Water, steam, ammonia and weights were useless. Finally it dawned that the plywood used for the full size is mainly wood (in proportion, that is, to the amount of adhesive that holds the wood laminations together). This thin model ‘three-ply’ is mainly glue! A few experiments with the wife’s

THE FOKKER MONOPLANES REV Tony OK

25/7/16

electric iron soon produced the desired result, since plastics deform with heat! I then found that my old heat-sealing iron (for iron-on covering), turned up to full, was just the thing to form the leading edges. The only problem experienced was in one area where I became too enthusiastic and produced a tighter radius that required. This, in turn, produced a buckle to the plywood in the leading edge on one side, which was very annoying. However, the buckle seems to have made no effect on the flight characteristics that I can see, so I have left it alone. Because this plywood is very thin and mainly glue, scarf jointing, as in full size practice, is not an option. My plywood joints are made over the spars, or with internal joiners, with the external sheet sections butting together.

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FLYING THE FIRST VERSION My completed quarter-scale model of the V.23 in photos 1 & 2. Note the lack of a fin and the small rudder. This would have been quite a logical design feature for Tony Fokker. The big rear fuselage could act as a stabilser in yaw and the rudder size and shape was similar to the 1915 Eindekkers, which had proven successful for Fokker. The small rudder caused much comment at my club flying field but seemed to be adequate during the first few flights. The model flew well enough. It was stable, but rather slow and lacking in vertical performance. Even a simple loop was barely possible. My first choice for an engine had been an O.S.200 four stroke, on the basis that one powered my quarter-scale Pfalz D.XII that weighed 9 kg. As the new V.23 weight the same, I assumed the O.S.200 would do the job. Wrong! That big boxy fuselage and the big monoplane wing obviously produced a lot of drag, so a more powerful engine was needed. My quarter-scale Fokker D.VII models - I have built several - had flown quite well with 30cc two stroke glow engines driving 20 x 8 propellers, so a step in this direction was indicated. Fortunately, a friend had an unused O.S. BGX-1 at the right price and a deal was done. With lots of power, the performance was much improved and loops were easy, if not exactly circular.

inboard sections of the wings to lengthen the ailerons, as shown in Photos 4 & 5. Hinges were installed and a shear pin links the new inboard aileron sections to the original outers. The roll rate thus achieved was noticeably improved and most manoeuvres were now possible, but still untidy. The problem was that small rudder. It seems that my friends’ criticisms had been correct after all! The final step thereafter, was to build and install a Fokker D.VII fin and rudder assembly and with that applied, the model is now reasonably pleasant to fly - and is shown, with this configuration in Photo 5.

CONCLUSIONS The modified model V.23 flies well enough and looks interestingly like a modern aerobatic type. These latter incorporate symmetrical profile wings and big fin and rudder surfaces, plus even more engine power, but such developments were very much in the future during WW1. Back in 1918, Tony Fokker was not aware of the need to blend or fair in wing-to-

fuselage junctions to avoid airflow separation. He had flown the early Junkers monoplanes, but thought them over-complicated and heavy, with their wings blended into the fuselages. Another problem with the mid-wing V.23 layout was the pilot’s vision, or the total lack of it under the aircraft. Not only did this make landing the aircraft difficult, but during WW1 the flying speeds were relatively slow and the best method of attack was from a steep dive. Being Unable to see below severely limited the pilot’s chances of success. The obvious solution to both problems was to raise the wing above the fuselage on a parasol mounting. The Fokker V.29 parasol features a D.VII fuselage and tail, but was too late to enter production before the November 1918 Armistice. In the interim, Fokker had been experimenting with a whole series of Rotary engine powered monoplanes, culminating in the parasol-wing V.28, which entered production as the Fokker E.5. But that is another story, to be featured in Part 2. I

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ON A ROLL... Now another problem presented itself; the roll rate was painfully slow. While the flat bottom wing section was part of the problem - sustained inverted flight is never going to be possible (or even required!) anyway. But just rolling into a Split-S manoeuvre, or our of an Immelman Turn proved to be agonisingly slow. After putting up with this for some months, I could see why Tony Fokker had abandoned the V.23 after a few flights!

BIGGER AILERONS So I decided to try out some simple modifications to the model to see if it could be improved, partly to satisfy my curiosity, but mostly to achieve a better model to fly. The first step was just to fit bigger ailerons. The simple solution was to cut away the

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SUBJECTS FOR SCALE

DART KITTEN II Highly regarded in the late 1930s for its fine flying characteristics, the Kitten offers the scale modeller an elegant, yet uncomplicated shape. With photos from the Richard Riding Collection he rapid development of aircraft during the four years of WW1 propelled aviation from an oddity of strictly limited utility into, for those with the vision, something with great potential for the future although even those who sensed the

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possibilities it offered could hardly have envisaged just how big those possibilities would be, or how much scientific effort would be required. Nevertheless a degree of air mindedness and desire to fly took hold, initially assisted by the availability of war-surplus military

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aircraft for private use. At the beginning, growth of interest was slow but the landmark introduction of the De Havilland DH 60 in 1925 greatly increased the affordability for either individual ownership or collective ‘Club’ operation, although the former certainly required real wealth

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and costs of the latter still needed enthusiasts to be reasonably well healed. That left a limited market window for enthusiasts by no means well off, seeking to satisfy their desire to own and fly aircraft on a low budget, often to the exclusion of other of life’s pleasures and to satisfy this demand a few very small aircraft manufacturing concerns emerged, producing ‘affordable’ aircraft, usually in very small numbers. Among these was the Dart Aircraft Company founded by Alfred R. O. Weyl and Erich P. Zander in 1935, initially as Zander & Weyl Limited at Dunstable, in Bedfordshire, but changed to Dart Aircraft Limited in 1936. By that date, Weyl had aready designed two powered light

aircraft, first the Dunstable Dart (renamed Dart Pup - see FSM October 2013) and the Flittermouse. The company was clearly quite busy, on a small scale, also making German-designed Hutter gliders, and constructing replicas of several historic aircraft including, in 1937, a replica of the Blériot cross-channel aircraft.

MORE THAN A LIGHT AIRCRAFT DESIGNER Alfred Richard Oscar Weyl, A.F.RAe.S., A.F.I.A.S., F.B.I.S., born in Berlin during 1898, came to the UK in 1935 as a refugee from Nazi Germany. Previously in Germany, he had held a number of responsible technical posts following active service in the Royal Prussian Air Corps during WW1.

He was a senior staff officer in the D.V.L. (Research Institute for Aeronautics) and was subsequently principal assistant to the professor of the aeronautical engineering department at Berlin University. At other periods he was in charge of special projects and did a considerable amount of test flying of prototypes. After WW1 he turned to design work and was responsible for a light sporting monoplane built by Udet-Flugzeugbau at Munich (later the Messerschmitt works). Alfred Weyl was also an authority on armament (on which subject he subsequently contributed some important articles to the prestigious Flight magazine), also on self-sealing fuel tanks, and in later years his researches included tailless

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An airbourne study of Kitten II G-AEXT in the experienced hands of John Fricker in 1950. The cockpit was large and comfortable, situated almost over the centre of pressure of the wing to allow for different weights of pilot.

aircraft development, guided-missile design and aircraft plastics technology.

THE KITTEN With the needs of the shallow-pocketed amateur flyer in mind, Weyl commenced design of the Dart Kitten in October 1936, and as a result of enthusiastic work by the staff of Dart Aircraft Ltd., the prototype made its first flight on January 15th, 1937. Powered by a French 24/27 h.p. ‘Ava’ flatfour two-stroke engine, the Kitten Mk.I was registered G-AERP and was flown by a

range of pilots, both expert and novice. With the Ava engine, the Kitten Mk.1 was not exactly overpowered, delivering a maximum still air speed of 75-80 mph, a cruise speed of just 65 mph, but with a gentlemanly stall speed of just 37 mph. In the light of experience gained from intensive flying of the prototype, modifications were embodied into the Kitten II, the main one being the discarding of the offensively noisy Ava powerplant with its downward directed exhaust )which made its own contribution

to the noise nuisance, and which imparted a decidedly ‘Walrus’ appearance), in favour of the 36 h.p. American Aeronca-JAP J-99 engine which iimproved the rate of climb and cruising speed. Airframe revisions included a redesigned rear fuselage decking, larger windscreen with an alternative cockpit canopy, which completely enclosed the cockpit if desired, plus a neater undercarriage. Each leg of this consisted of two telescopic steel tubes in which rubber discs absorbed landing shocks,

The Kitten I, G-AERP at Broxbourne, sporting the later Aeronca J.A.P. J99 engine. This prototype aircraft crashed at Broxbourne in November 1952, going in almost vertically and killing pilot Bill de Vos; the cause was attributed to pilot error. The original ‘fork’ main undercarriage legs are plainly seen in this picture.

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with further blocks performing as dampers. Initially, the Dart Kitten was offered for sale at an all-in price inclusive of engine, at £345, which at present day prices, translates to £19,400. June 1937 saw the maiden flight of this second machine, registered G-AEXT which was then flown in many pre-WW2 air races. The Kitten’s capabilities included a take off in eighty yards in still air and ‘mushing’ down almost vertically until within a few feet of the ground. At the time, the Kitten was widely regarded as the best ultra-light yet produced, the Kitten II G-AEXT being capable of flying into and out of fields too small for a DH60 Moth - which really does mean small! Other comments by experienced pilots were that the Kitten was easily taxied and that the machine was perfect for beginners, with its light controls, freedom from flick stalling in tight turns and a general tolerance of mishandling which the Kitten would take without harm. Also notable among the aircraft’s flying qualities was its very gentle stall during which little height was Iost due to the design of the wing, with its thick root section that changed in two steps to a thin, undercambered profile at the tip effectively introducing a droop in the leading edge and to create an illusionary gull-wing appearance. This system had the peculiarity that, with increasing wing incidence, the stall first occurs at the middle of each outer panel and then progresses inboard, there causing warning buffeting, the tip stalling last, so that aileron control is retained up to a rather high incidence. Not long after its first flight in May 1937, the Kitten II (G-AEXT) was fitted with a fully enclosed, detachable cockpit canopy and with wheel spats, in which configuration it was flown in that year’s Isle of Mann Air Race, although the aircraft failed to finish, due to engine problems. In an attempt to capitalise on the experience with the Kitten, during 1938, Weyl projected a further side-by-side two seat trainer/tourer variant called the Weasel. With enclosed cabin, and a projected 100 mph speed, this projected 80/90 hp Cirrus powered type was aimed primarily at the newly-formed Civil Air Guard, but the Weasel never went beyond the drawing board stage.

The wings of the Kitten I were removable leaving a width of 7ft 3in, for towage on the road without a special permit as allowed at the time. The Ava-powered Kitten I was offered for sale at £345 (£19,400 at 2016 prices) and was described in February 1937 by The Aeroplane as one of the most practical small aeroplanes of the time.

Kitten I G-AERP was fitted originally with a 27 h.p. Ava flat-four, two-stroke engine. The four long straight exhaust pipes created a massive sound footprint and at maximum revs the engine vibrated in sympathy. The crude fork-mouthed undercarriage, with legs of rubber-ball compression shock absorbers, spoilt the generally pleasing lines of the first Kitten. Note also the original rounded fuselage rear top deck.

LATER LIFE After several changes of ownership preWW2, prototype G-AERP spend the war in a Surrey shed while ’EXT whiled away its time with the Taylorcraft/Auster works at Rearsby. Post WW2, prototype ’ERP was re-engined with a JAP J-99 before crashing in 1952, killing the pilot. Kitten II ’EXT continued in use until crashing in November 1964, again with fatal consequences. The third and final Kitten, the Mk.III was built by Weyl in 1951 and was placed on to the UK civil aircraft register as GAMJP, but the intention to market the type was defeated due to the lack of a suitable engine.

SURVIVOR Following the crash of Kitten II G-AEXT in 1964, its remains were the subject of a

Kitten II G-AEXT seen at Broxbourne, on 27 August 1939, just a week before Great Britain declared war on Germany. This improved version of the Kitten was fitted with a 36 h.p. Aeronca J.A.P. engine. (E.J. Riding photograph)

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A further aerial study of Kitten II G-AEXT being flown by the late John Fricker during an air test in 1950. The Kitten had a very gentle stall and was considered perfect for beginners. In 1937 several experienced pilots considered it to be the best ultra light yet produced.

MAIN IMAGE: Kitten II G-AEXT has been rebuilt several times. It was very badly damaged when it crashed at Willingdale in November 1964, killing the pilot. Restoration took many years and ’EXT eventually flew again in September 1985. The Kitten is seen here at West Tisted during a rally of pre-1940s aircraft held under the auspices of the late Ron Souch in June 2010.

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lengthy restoration beginning in the late 1970s, and was finally completed to airworthy standard in September 1985. After more ownership changes both during and postrestoration, Kitten II G-AEXT is now proudly owned by Robert Fleming and is hangared with The Real Aeroplane Company at Beighton Airfield, North Yorkshire, where it can be viewed up close any day of the week.

KITTEN LAID BARE Structurally the Kitten is striking for its reassuring size and its unusually strong construction. The fuselage is completely plycovered and the roomy cockpit is lined with ply, which suggests that the pilot would come to little harm in event of a crash although two fatals in three airframes is perhaps not a good record. The equally strong wings are detachable by means of simple screw-fastening tapered pins, enabling the Kitten to be housed in a small shed. All parts have a high safety factor as is evidenced by the welded 14G engine bearer tubes, which would need to be of 22G only to satisfy all stress requirements, In practice, this means that no weakening due to corrosion, such as is likely to occur under amateur conditions, would constitute a danger. The Kitten is robust to such a degree that it seems unfitting to class it as ultra-light, for it has none of the frailties that that term suggests and is altogether an immensely practical, long-living

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single seater, which combines simplicity with strength, ease of maintenance and safety. The whole airframe is of spruce and ply with mild steel fittings. A!I control surfaces are fabric covered. Wings are of singlespar construction with centre-section entirely ply covered, as is the leading edge of the outer panels which forms a torsion box. and much of the wing is ply covered aft of the main spar. Fuel is carried in a 10-gallon tank in the decking forward of the cockpit and there is a locker in the upper rear fuseage behind the cockpit for luggage. I

A comparatively recent photograph of G-AEXT taken at Shoreham and featuring Lancing College in the background. Unlike many ultralights of the period the Kitten was very robust with its ply-covered fuselage combining simplicity with strength.

SPECIFICATION Wingspan: 32 ft. (9.75m) Length: 21 it. 9 in. (6.63m) Height: 7 ft. 11 ins. (2.41m) Wing area: 129 sq. ft (11.985 sq.m. Empty weight: 507 lbs. (230.5 kg.) Loaded weight: 749 Ibs. (340.5 kg.) Maximum speed: 95 m.p.h. (152 k.p.h) Cruising speed: 83 m.p.h. (133 k.p.h.) Climb rate: 600 ft/ 183 m. per min. Range: 340 miles / 545 km. (4) hours).

Kitten III G-AMJP differed from earlier Kittens in being fitted with brakes and for some reason was 30lb heavier than its brethren. Flown extensively by Capt E. L. Mole, this Kitten bore the name ‘Mole-Catcher’. It crashed at Hillington, King’s Lynn on 6 June 1966; its pilot Geoffrey Bramhill escaped injury.

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This rather rough image shows the fully enclosed cockpit applied to Kitten II ’EXT, at an early stage, but how long it remained installed is unknown.

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p 27 ModellersGuide 116.indd 1

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IN DETAIL

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1: Tailplane mounting, top rear fuselage decking. 2: Underside view of tailplane mounting, also showing control wire run to the rudder and the hinged access panel for the elevator control horn.

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CLOSE-UP PHOTO STUDY FOR THOSE WHO LIKE TO PILE ON THE DETAIL Robert Flemming, owner and operator of Dart Kitten G-AEXT kindly arranged this close-up detail study of his aircraft, which is a really attractive subject for scale modelling.

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3: Centre-line elevator joiner, just in front of the vertical fin. 4: Detail of one of the elevator hinges. Rudder hinges similar. 5: Fuel tank filler and breather. 6: Cockpit mounting step, fuselage bottom, just behind cockpit: 7 & 8: Luggage hold, just behind the cockpit; 9: Additional access panel, rear of the Luggage hatch. 10: Top of the main undercarriage leg also showing the metal strip that covers the wing inner/outer panel line on the underside. 11: Wing tip hand grip. 12: Wing upper surface, showing the metal cover over the inner/outer panel join line. 13 & 14: Upper surfaceaileron horn and control wire. 15: Pitot head, left wing outer panel, underside. 16: Underside aileron control horn and control cable.

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17 - 20: The JAP J-99 engine is a prominent visual feature of the Dart Kitten II. Note also the neat, polished sheet metal cowl which has a minimum of compound curves.

21: The main undercarriage of the Kitten II is far simpler that that of the original prototype.

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23: Top end of the undercarriage leg.

24 & 25: Two views of the tailplane, fin and rudder. Fabric tapes help to reveal the structure underneath.

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26, 27 & 28: The spring steel tail skid.

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29: Control column and wooden rudder pedals. 30: Simple instrument panel with minimum of dials and switches to reproduce in miniature! 31: Throttle lever and cable, left front cockpit side.

32

33

32: Leather mapholder, right hand cockpit side. 33: Simple single curvature windscreen is a plus for model making. 34: Pilot’s headrest and straps.

36

34

35

35: Further view of the cockpit winscreen. 36: Bird’s eye view into the cockpit, reveals the pilot’s seat. 37: Another view into the cockpit, showing the instrument panel, throttle lever on the left, control column and rudder pedals.

37

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PHOTO REPORT

BMFA INDOOR FREE FLIGHT SCALE NATS 2016

INDOOR HEAVEN! Alex Whittaker attends the UK's premier Free Flight Scale indoor eventt ith all the uncertainty concerning the current BMFA outdoor scale events calendar, it was a great relief that the 2016 BMFA Indoor Scale Nats proceeded unmolested. The chosen indoor venue was once again the sports centre on the Walsall Campus. This is a very good modern space, with a good public viewing area, an integral cafe, and free parking. Cross country communications via M6 lie only couple of miles away.

W

Events and Entries Over recent years, the number and type of Indoor Scale events has grown. The F/F Scale Indoor Nats now comprise five main Comps: Rubber Electric / C02 Peanut Scale Pistachhio Glider Kit Scale

(16 entries) (9 entries) (21 entries) (10 entries) (12 entries) (30 entries)

Kit Scale Glider Tow The realatively new kids on the block are Kit Scale and Glider Tow. I have been delighted by the growth of Kit Scale. These are classic scale subjects that will be instantly recognisable to those readers of a certain aeromodelling vintage. However, the growth of entries to Indoor Scale Tow Glider is very encouraging too. It has risen from almost a novelty event, to become a hard fought comp. Indoor scale flyers have clearly put a great deal of effort into

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many of us brought up on Keil Kraft gliders, tiny built-up models “likeForthese hold a special place in the heart. However, just note that new foam glider airframes are now making their mark too ” Spectators could look down on the flying models from the mezzanine.

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Robert Pajas at a critical moment.

Dave Crompton’s Evans Volksplane (Peanut).

Robert Pajas’ immaculate Standard Airlines Fokker climbs out with authority.

Brian Stitchbury’s Piper Cub.

coaxing rather impressive indoor flights from these tiny tow models. This demands traditional trimming skills, and a good dose of low cunning.

Chris Blanch’s interesting Turbo Ag-Cat bipe.

For many of us brought up on Keil Kraft gliders, tiny built-up models like these hold a special place in the heart. However, just note that new foam glider airframes are

The view of the pits from the mezzanine floor.

62 FLYING SCALE MODELS SEPTEMBER 2016

Andy Sephton’s Westland Widgeon (Peanut).

now making their mark too.

The Pits This large Sports Hall allows a huge

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Laurence Marks’s crisp little Piper Pa-17 Vagabond.

working pits. It is is a light and airy space, with bags of bustle. All the effort being expended on trimming and tweaking models really peps things up. There is more than sufficient space for models to be set up, tuned, and repaired. The adjacent flying area (with a vast viewing

gallery on the mezzanine floor) is right alongside. A tour of the F/F Indoor Scale Nats pits confirms the sheer quality of construction of these tiny scale marvels. The tone in the FF indoor Scale Nats is always calm, scholarly, and completely focused. Attendance looked to be up on

last year. There was definitely more flying and trimming going on throughout the day than last year. Unlike some areas of traditional aeromodelling which are in decline, all this scale activity felt healthy. It was also very gratifying to see star competitors from Europe, such as the

Robert Pajas’ ambitious Savoia Marchetti SM 82 triple-engined float-plane airliner.

A casual persusal of the tables in the pits yields great riches!

Peter Fardell’s Blackburn 1912 Monoplane.

Peter Fardell’s 1/18th scale Antionette IV is rubber powered and 28” in span.

Mike Stuart’s Boeing P-26A Peashooter.

Gary Flack’s utterly superb Westland Wyvern.

Divs Masters’ S.E.5a Pistachio.

Wout Moerman’s nifty Peanut Class Fokker F II.

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Pete Iliffe and his Me 262. More details soon.

Peter Smart’s amazingly detailed rubber powered R.E.8.

The 2016 Dutch Team: Matwin, Gerard, Mindin, Gert, Wout, Matt and my auld mate Roel.

Peter Iliffe’s astoundingly good Me 262.

Dave Bank’s sublime R.E.8. in close-up. Superb riggong

Danny Fenton’s S.E.5a.

great Robert Pajas, taking part. As ever, our Dutch neighbours sent a strong team, of all ages, who flew across all the major disciplines. It was great to chat with them again and see their fab models.

models also fly so very well. It was great to get the opportunity to see his ambitious models flown in the UK. Robert does not lack ambition: at one point he flew a triple-engined airliner - on floats!

scale competitor. His travelling store was more impressive than ever, with a healthy stack of kits. Kevin bringing some new SAMS Models CNC-cut kits to market. More details will soon be published on the SAMS Models website.

Pajas Returns

Trade Support

European visitor Robert Pajas is from the Czech Republic (Czechia). We have seen this young man’s exquisite flying models before. How he achieves such fit-andfinish isastounding, but of course, the

Once again, well-known scalista Kevin Wallace had brought his whole travelling model shop, otherwise know as SAMS Model Supplies. Kevin is a great contributor to our hobby, as well as a keen

Mike Stuart’s magisterial DH 83 Fox Moth sailing through the aether.

64 FLYING SCALE MODELS SEPTEMBER 2016

The Verdict Shooting tiny indoor moving targets in a dimly lit hall remains a technical challenge. As usual, the Peanut models charmed me the most, and overall, this

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Richard Crossley’s immaculate Lockheed Vega.

probably remains my favourite class. However, it has to be said that the Kit Class models really has caight the imagination of competitors. I hope the snaps convey a genuine taste of this many-faceted event. It is a bit too diverse to convey accurately in print. A superb feast of an indoor scale day, inside a comfortable venue. Motorway access is excellent, and travelling cross-country on a Sunday is usually a doddle. Once again the FF Scale community demonstrated their ability to

unearth stunning prototypes that we radio modellers often overlook. I came away with my scale batteries recharged.

Acknowledgements Andy Sephton once again organised the event, which by now has become a very slick operation. High quality judging is a hallmark of all such BMFA events, so all credit to the Scale Judges who served us well. As usual Trish Dennis and Gordon Warburton worked tirelessly on the scoring

of events. Their technical ingenuity also ensured that BMFA Official Results were available overnight. Quite a feat given the scope of the various comps. For my part, when I arrived first thing, John Minchell and his mates had even made space for th FSM portable studio next to a power socket! Scale modelling is like that: from our own modest Club events right up to the Mighty Nats, we rely upon on each other’s voluntary contributions. I

Brian Lever’s foam construction indoor towline glider in good air.

Ralph Sparrow’s superb Bristol Scout almost tickling the rafters.

Ken Bates’ Hornet Moth nicely banked into the circuit.

Monz Lyons with her indoor towline glider.

Some gliders were launched from the mezzanine. Russ Lister’s face is a picture of concentration.

Kevin Wallace of SAMS Model Supplies with his new Douglas Skystreak. Ducted fan, too!

SEPTEMBER 2016 FLYING SCALE MODELS 65

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