Patch News – May 2013

It doesn’t seem like a month since I wrote the last Patch News but it’s been a pretty busy month and time has flown even more than we have. I had a week on holiday in Marrakech, many of the active fliers had a trip to Blackbushe, and we’ve still managed to get a fair bit of flying in despite the weather.
I won’t say too much about the Blackbushe model airshow as no doubt Nick will be writing a report for the website. Suffice to say some members shook the moths out of their wallets and splashed the cash. Woody was spotted with a large box of Texan, it’s the Art Tech one which has had some good reviews so we expect great things very soon. As he rearranged his Ripmax Mustang the other day the Texan may have moved nearer the front of the queue! Or been put further back I suppose…

When we decided ice-creams were required Smiffy didn’t want to be left out and as usual he had to go bigger, better, and more expensive than everybody else…

Of all the models there Ali’s English Electric Lightning stole the show for me, very impressive both on the ground and in the air.

No doubt Nick’s report will have lots more on it. Meantime have a look at this 5 minute video, it might be short but it’s excellent and gives a very good impression of how the day went: Blackbushe video
While we were watching the jets I remarked that I really liked the Viper Jet and Smiffy dragged me (kicking and screaming obviously) to look at one on the Al’s Hobbies stand. I decided that £120 was too much for just a foam airframe, it still required the fan, motor, esc, and all the radio gear so the total cost would be pretty high.  But no sooner had I got home than Smiffy emailed to say he’d ordered one! Of course his is a bigger better one and comes complete with 90mm fan, motor, retracts, lights etc and cost about £350. Knowing Smiffy it shouldn’t be too many years before we see it at the patch!
We haven’t seen too much of newish member Chris Hard for a few months  but recently he has reappeared and has been flying a couple of impressive flying wings. I failed to get any details about either of them but am happy to report that they fly very well and Chris is a skilful pilot. (Note to self: break his thumbs!)

 
Slightly off topic, as you may know you can see the International Space Station when it passes overhead, weather permitting of course. It’s quite a thought provoking sight as it streaks across the night sky, well worth standing outside in the cold for a few minutes. So how do you know when and where to look? Go to http://spotthestation.nasa.gov/  and enter your mobile number and location. If the space station is due to pass  you’ll receive a text in the morning giving the time it will appear, a compass bearing, and how long it will be visible for. It’s easy to spot as it’s brighter than the stars and moving quite quickly.
 
Burly Turley has also been visiting the patch more recently and getting back into flying. He’s got a Chris Foss Uno Wot which, like all Foss models, flies very well despite Peter’s help! Until I took this photo I never realised how long the Uno Wot fuselage is…

New member John Wheeley has a helicopter B certificate but nothing for fixed wing so having purchased a Wot4 Foam-e from George Worley of 4-Max he decided to take the plunge and go for his fixed wing A certificate. Despite it only being his seventh flight with the Wot4 he flew it fine and once I’d explained the way the BMFA want the figure eight done he sailed through the flying part.  Not so the questions, he answered the first one “What’s in the brown envelope?” with “Nothing”!  I was forced to resort to proper questions and unfortunately he knew the answers so I had to pass him! Well done John.
The combat flying that Steve Hastings dreamt up is being to come to fruition. Nine of us agreed to build the models, either a P51 or an ME109, both very similar profile models made from EPP. Steve sent off a large order to HobbyKing and we have now all received the stuff we ordered.  Steve says “Never again” as it was a pain in the backside to get all the orders together etc, so a big “Well done and thank you” is due to Steve. My order was for a P51 with motor, esc, 3 servos, and 4 x 3 cell lipos, all of which came to £67. I’ve put it together and have had eight flights so far. It isn’t a pretty model (I’ve never liked profile fuselages) but I’m pleasantly surprised by its flying qualities, it doesn’t have any vices and will do any aerobatics you can dream up. I took mine to the field to fly on Friday but it was gusting 20mph and I decided not to risk test flying a very light model in those conditions. My granddaughter was happy to pose with it for the photo, her clothing is an indication of the windy conditions! However I went back in the much calmer evening for 4 flights and had another 4 the next evening. I’m enjoying flying it too much to risk smashing it in combat!

 
A plane was taking off from Kennedy Airport. After it reached a comfortable cruising altitude, the captain made an announcement over the intercom, “Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking.  Welcome to Flight Number 293, nonstop from New York to Los Angeles. The weather ahead is good and therefore we should have a smooth and uneventful flight. Now sit back and relax — OH MY GOD!”
Silence followed and after a few minutes, the Captain came back on the intercom and said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, I’m so sorry if I scared you earlier, but while I was talking, the flight attendant brought me a cup of coffee and spilt it in my lap. You should see the front of my pants! A passenger in Economy said, “That’s nothing, he should see the back of mine!”

Colin Cowplain

This entry was posted in Patch News. Bookmark the permalink.

6 Responses to Patch News – May 2013

  1. Smiffy says:

    I felt so ill after eating all that ice cream…

  2. Colin Cowplain says:

    Serves you right Smiffy!

  3. MMM says:

    Nice report Colin, I liked the Blackbushe video, shame I couldn’t make it.

  4. Chris Hard says:

    A few details on the flying wings….
    The smaller one is a Ripmax Wild wing, using a 3S 2350mah lipo, 150Watt 1700KV outrunner, 6X5.5 prop.
    The larger one is a Great Planes Slinger that has been stripped of original covering and strapping tape added and recovered etc, as it was suffering from flutter at high speed. It has basically the same power set-up as the Wild Wing.
    Both these wings are good cheap fun with the motor prop combo on 3 cells being a good combination i.e. cheap, with adequate power and long flight times. They are also almost indestructable as I have found out from a few of my dodgy hand launches. (that’s the only down side to these wings…..they are difficult to hold and launch)
    To keep the noise down from the pusher prop I just keep the prop at least 2″ from the trailing edge. It makes a big difference.
    Cheers,
    Chris.

  5. Colin Cowplain says:

    OK MMM, next year you go to Blackbushe and I’ll have 2 months in Florida!

  6. Smiffy says:

    Cheers Chris, I was amazed at how much stamina those wings have.
    Sometimes only having 3 1/2 minutes before having to land the Phantom is a little tiresome and trolling around in dull old pattern ship just isn’t for me!
    Your wings would seem like a good compromise although I still don’t know how you remember which way is up it is!
    Andy

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *