Modifying the P51 Mustang's Retracts.  The plethoria of foamies on the market now out number the tradtional balsa ply and many come RTF (ready to fly) or ARF (almost ready to fly) Generally all the components are pre-fitted and all the user needs to supply are a receiver and battery power.

How do they sell them so cheap? By using cheap components, servos, ESC, etc, etc. Also depends on the importer requesting changes to the components, Century UK do.  I believe that these large EPO warbirds are made by Starmax and branded to the contract purchaser.

But can we improve them?  Of course, but may vary in expense to get the job done right.  . For the foamies with due respect, modern blow moulding methods mean models can be produced with excellent scale characteristics and in vast quantities.

We first saw this airframe at least 18 months ago when Dave Rogers brought it up to our Scale Day.  Dave was now entering the turbine owners club.  In his opinion it was in garish colours, pink, white, yellow. That would have to be changed!  With quite a few issues to resolve and not a lot of time to spend on it with life/work to contend with.  However, finally we get the nod that it is ready for it's maiden flight.  The Avonds F15 in now in a military scheme, nearest to US 65th Squadron (Aggressors).  Powered by a Jet Munts 140 turbine it really flew very scale.

The Messerschmitt Bf 109 (aka Me 109) was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s. It was one of the first true modern fighters of the era, including such features as an all-metal monocoque construction, a closed canopy, a retractable landing gear, and was powered by liquid-cooled, inverted-V12 aero engines.

Another warbird for John's Soviet fleet? The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 was a Soviet fighter and interceptor aircraft used during World War II. It was a development of the MiG-1 by the OKO of Zavod No. 1 to remedy problems found during the MiG-1's development and operations. Image left shows a MIG3 durng WWII on Winter assignments.

Here in 2018 we now have a MIG3 based at Cashmoor thanks to John Ireland.  He has spent some considerable time on this model from ESM managing to install a canister exhaust within the fuselage to keep the outline scale.  The exhaust exits near the tail onn the underside. Powered by 3W55 swinging a 23x8 wood prop.

The MIG 3 was maidened at Cashmoor on the 30th August 2018 and test flown by jon Tappin.  Flew well and as the new engine beds in more power will be on tap.

Club Night October 2018 saw members enjoy presentations from two notable members, John Ireland and Simon Dean with their giant scale models.

 John Ireland started with a short PowerPoint history of a Russian warbird, the MiG-3 and described his construction of a large model of the aircraft from a now unobtainable kit. John has incorporated some worthwhile modifications to the original kit, notably the internal mounting of a tuned pipe which not only improves the scale appearance, avoiding the usual disfigurement of an external expansion chamber, but also significantly augments the power of the 3W 55i motor while reducing noise.

Scale Day 2 was blessed with a bright sunny September Sunday after the washout of previous Saturday. Quite a reasonable turnout although more pilots were expected. Numbers may have been down due to holidays. We had members from Salisbury MFC and Wincanton too. Unfortunately, due to a lack of a tug after an issue on Slim Gregory Day we did not have any scale glider models arrive on site. However, a number of members just came to watch the flying and picnic including friendly banter. There were also a couple of visitors and families who seeing the road signs came up to watch too.

With quite a wide range of models flying there was eyecandy for everyone. From WW1 biplanes, British and German to WWII fighters, the venerable Spitfire and the P47 Jug (on it's maiden flight) to Korean and Cold War jets.

After a disaster some years ago Pete decided to build another Hawker Hurricane, the initial backbone of the RAF at the start of WWII.  Lighter than the original and powered by a DLE55 petrol engine. On a rather dull, overcast, grey chilly day at end of April 2018 it was time for it's maiden flight.  With the engine never been started before it was fuelled up and ran for several minutes and some tweaking of the carb needles. Leaving the cowl off for the first flight the Hurricane was piloted by Jon Tappin and put throught a number  of manouevres. The engine never faltered.  Before the second flight the cowl was refitted. Some of the action is captured here in this video watched by members of Wimborne MAC.