Back to Basics

Hi Brian
If for your next project you fancy restoring a 'basic' flying machine I will be happy to hook you up with the model in the attached picture. It belonged to ex member Richard Sheldon who has had to give up model rc planes. Now that machine looks pretty BASIC!

Thank you Simon, the model looks very much like a Panic, totally outrageous in the air. I look forward to having a go at refurbishing it especially as it has an engine already fitted.

The chap lives in an apartment with amazing sea views in Canford cliffs. It will mean you going to get it. If that’s ok I will let him know you will call him to arrange if that’s ok with you Brian

No problem Simon, look forward to getting the info.

On the general subject of scratch building, just take a look at this:



I thought that scratch building scale aeromodellers could be a bit OCD now I know that we are matchlessly sane.

The Lazy Bee is now kitted out with a set of floats, I fitted a more powerful motor and rebuilt the battery stowage with a waterproof compartment. The model used to fly with a 3S 1300mA LiPo, the new set up uses a 3S 2200. By a sheer fluke, with the battery housed vertically against the front bulkhead, the Cof G turned out to be in the right place. For the finish I used a mix of old (very old) dope which had turned a nice shade of brown, and some newer dope that was only fifteen years old. This is to make the new floats look the same as the nearly twenty year old air frame. I thought that all that was left to do was tidy up the litter made during the float build and get back to the delayed build of the Kadet. However a brief note from Simon put a stop to that, and now I have a tired old Panic with an even more tired SC .52 four stroke. I couldn't resist having a look at the engine, very clean on the outside, but seized solid. A bit of warming with a gas torch and a good slurp of after-run oil had the engine turning over, but no compression at all. Lifting the rocker cover showed that the exhaust valve was stuck open. I thought the rocker arm was the cause, but it turned out to be the exhaust cam follower. Now all the bits are clean and free from baked on oil, I have a problem. Does anyone know if the timing arrangements on a SC .52 are the same as an OS FS .52? The only timing aid is a dot on the cam gear.I'll be back on the Kadet soon!