Surplus Plans for Sale

I've been yelling and shouting at myself to clean out my plans collection and get rid of those that I am never likely to build. After much agonising  - and a realistic look at my age - my bank balance - and the time it takes me to build a model I have - reluctantly - decided that I must pass on the following list to new homes. I'm not interested in trying to sell them at a profit - A nominal fee of $AU5.00 per plan plus postage seems to be fair. All plans are brand new, unused in mint condition and will be shipped rolled in a mailing tube.

PayPal is preferred payment method but I will accept direct deposit  by arrangement from buyers within Australia - Over Seas - PayPal only.

SCALE

Boeing B17F  Flying Fortress - By Royal Products Corp -  2 sheets - 1/16th scale - 77 3/4" Wingspan - for 4 x .25 two strokes

DH2e - RC Modeller Plan -  2 Sheets - 1/6th scale - 60 " Wingspan - for a .60 2 stroke. NB: This model has ALL the scale rigging!

Albatross DVa. - Tom Polapink Design  - 2 Sheets - 1/6th scale - 71" Wingspan -  .120 four stroke

Sikorsky S39 Seaplane  - RC Modeller plan -  1 Sheet - 1/6th(?) scale - 76 1/2" Wingspan - .60 two stroke

Supermarine S5 - Schneider Trophy Seaplane- RC Modeller plan -  2 sheets -  1/8th scale - 40" Wingspan - .19 - .25 two stroke

DH103 Hornet -  Aviation Modeller plan - 2 sheets -  ?/? scale - 80" Wingspan - 2 x .56 size two strokes.

Albatross C111 - Dave Hurrell design - 2 sheets -  Sorry SOLD

Douglas Sky Raider  AD 7 (AH-1) - CAP plan #11 - 3 sheets - 1/10th scale -  62.5" Wingspan - .60 two stroke

Vickers Wellington Mk X - RCM & E plan - 2 sheets - 1/12th scale -  86" Wingspan - 2 x .30 - .35  2 strokes 

Sopwith Tabloid -  1 sheet - 1/6th scale - 51" Wingspan - .45 size four stroke - NOTE: This is a CHALLENGING build!

NON SCALE

1940 Playboy Snr - Cleveland Plan - 1 Sheet - 80" Wingspan - Engine size not nominated on plan - I suggest .60 size engine or electric.

Das Ugly Stick -  2 sheet - The original Phil Kraft design - Sorry SOLD

Killer Kaos - Joseph Bridi design -  1sheet plus full size templates - 62 " Wingspan - 61 size two stroke - Classic pattern model

Super Kaos - Joseph Bridi design - 1 sheet - 58.5" Wingspan - .61 size two stroke - A classic 70's era pattern model

Daddy Rabbit -  Jim Whiteley design - 1 sheet - 67.5" Wingspan - 60 size  two stroke - 1966 US Class 3 Nationals Champion Pattern  Model

If you want to buy a plan - or plans - or want to make extra enquiries please email me direct at echo.echo100@gmail.com

Vale "Shifty"

This hero died with barely anyone's notice.

"Shifty" By Chuck Yeager Shifty volunteered for the airborne in WWII and served with Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Infantry. If you've seen Band of Brothers on HBO or the History Channel, you know Shifty. His character appears in all 10 episodes, and Shifty himself is interviewed in several of them. I met Shifty in the Philadelphia airport several years ago. I didn't know who he was at the time. I just saw an elderly gentleman having trouble reading his ticket. I offered to help, assured him that he was at the right gate, and noticed the "Screaming Eagle," the symbol of the 101st Airborne, on his hat. Making conversation, I asked him if he'd been in the 101st Airborne or if his son was serving. He said quietly that he had been in the 101st. I thanked him for his service, then asked him when he served, and how many jumps he made. Quietly and humbly, he said "Well, I guess I signed up in 1941 or so, and was in until sometime in 1945 ..." at which point my heart skipped. At that point, again, very humbly, he said "I made the 5 training jumps at Toccoa, and then jumped into  Normandy . . . do you know where Normandy is?" At this point my heart stopped. I told him "yes, I know exactly where Normandy is, and I know what D-Day was." At that point he said "I also made a second jump into Holland, into Arnhem ." I was standing with a genuine war hero ... and then I realized that it was June, just after the anniversary of  D-Day. I asked Shifty if he was on his way back from France, and he said "Yes... And it 's real sad because, these days, so few of the guys are left, and those that are, lots of them can't make the trip." My heart was in my throat and I didn't know what to say. I helped Shifty get onto the plane and then realized he was back in coach while I was in First Class. I sent the flight attendant back to get him and said that I wanted to switch seats. When Shifty came forward, I got up out of the seat and told him I wanted him to have it, that I'd take his in coach. He said "No, son, you enjoy that seat. Just knowing that there are still some who remember what we did and who still care is enough to make an old man very happy." His eyes were filling up as he said it. And mine are brimming up now as I write this.  Shifty died on Jan. l7 after fighting cancer. There was no parade.  No big event in Staples Center.  No wall-to-wall, back-to-back 24x7 news coverage.  No weeping fans on television. And that's not right! Let's give Shifty his own memorial service, online, in our own quiet way. Please forward this post to everyone you know. Especially to the veterans.  Rest in peace, Shifty. Chuck Yeager, Maj. General [ret.] P.S. I think that it is amazing how the "media" chooses our "heroes" these days... Elvis, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston & the like.

"SHIFTY" - an incredible American hero. Please do me a favor and pass this on so that untold thousands can read it. We owe no less to our REAL Heroes. This was sent to me as an email - I'm not an American but I am an Australian - and a Vet - I pass it on to all those who do care about Real Heroes. I don't know if I've trod on any ones Copyright by publishing this - usually I've very careful about using other peoples images and prose - but in this case - for once - I don't give a shit - REAL HEROES desert to be remembered with reverence and respect.

Sometimes you get Lucky!

As most readers will know I'm a died in the wool IC engine fan - just can't get excited about that (choke) *lectric stuff. So when I had the chance to pick up a PAIR of NIB Nova Rossi 60's (10 cc, 16,500 RPM, 2.3 HP!) I HAD to have them. Now that I have them on my bench and I've finished drooling all over them - yep I have the genuine tuned pipes too,  I ask myself - what to put them in?? Hmmm I could use one in a pattern ship - or an all out 3D but I am a scale builder - Hmmmmm something that will accept the tuned pipes and still look scale - something maybe with twin fuselages or booms? It will have to be a fighter of course - Hmmmmm! Now let me see - A P38 Lightning would be good - OR - what about a Twin Mustang or a ....... OK - any suggestions??

One of two

With header and tuned pipe!

A Quick Update

Not a lot has happened since my last post and the recent bush fires here in Tasmania curtailed flying activities to some extent. The building board has also been left to it's own devices for the last few weeks while Christmas and other annoyances got in the way. One thing I have done is to re-post the Powerhouse build photos as a  reference point for a mate in the US.  Unfortunately some of the photos and the original text have disappeared into that same black hole that has claimed all my missing socks - but I've cobbled something together for him and he can email with any other queries if he needs to.

I'm just starting to get myself back into gear and restart my building program. One change is the removal of the Big Lazy Bee project from the blog - unfortunately the project met with a sticky end and it's been scrapped before it was finished. The culprit is doing suitable penance. I still have a copy of the plan and I may have another go at it later but right now I have enough (read more than enough) projects on the go.

You need a Pilot in the Cockpit!

One of the problems for scale builders, and some others who believe there should be a pilot on board, is finding a suitable figure to fill that vacant space in the cockpit.  A real problem comes when there is enough room and you want to fit a full length figure, there are commercial items available but some of them cost a small ransom to buy. I have a couple of the excellent Blue Box figures which are now unfortunately out of production. Another alternative is the Dragon line but they are, at least in this country, very hard to find. Which brings us down to the readily available  12 inch dolls from Action Man and similar sources. A 12 inch doll gives you a 6 foot tall figure in 1/6th scale or a short arse 5 foot in 1/5th. Given the often restricted space available in some cockpits the 12 inch doll can be ideal in that scale.

The only problem with the Action Man type dolls is finding suitable clothing and / or uniforms. Your alternative there is to find one of the  Limited Editions (I have the GI Joe Action Pilot). The other alternative is to grovel to your Wife / Girl Friend / Mother in Law / Grand Mother and talk her into pulling out the sowing machine and running up some suitable clothes for your doll. I've found sources for things like Mae Wests, parachutes and the like available from China and Hong Kong at very reasonable prices.

As I build mostly scale in 1/6th and 1/5th I've built up a small collection of suitable pilot figures, I have a couple of  Blue Box - the Battle of Britain Pilot and the Western Desert Pilot, The Dragon Pearl Harbor Pilot and the previously mentioned GI Joe. As well as that I have a number of pilots I've made up myself with clothes kindly made by a Lady Friend of mine and accessories that I found on eBay.

There are a number of specialist manufacturers of pilot figures both here in Australia and in Britain and the United States. The figures range from cartoon like characters to carefully detailed and accurate representations of actual pilots. You can even get your own head sculptured if you are vain enough! The prices for these models vary from modest to fabulously expensive for the very best.

Check out the photos in  "Blue Box and other Pilot Figures" on the right hand side of this page for a few updates and new photos. You might also like to check out the links to "Proper Little People" and "Cosmic Pilots" as well.

Aaaaaargh!!!!

As noted in my last post I had 21 models, only one of which was airworthy. In order to bring some order to the chaos I divided the models into categories and started on the most easily fixed first. I fixed the float on the Ugly Stik Float plane, the wingtip and a carburettor fault on the Powerhouse and I've almost finished recovering the Kyosho Trainer. I even managed to make some progress on one or two of the unfinished builds.

Then my old friend Murphy's Law came visiting and everything went pear shaped - again! The rot started after I successfully sold a number of plans - I'm rationalising over 200 plans that I'll never get to build - or have no interest in building. My Club President - who is usually a good bloke - extracted his evil revenge on me. John is a dedicated  (choke) electrickery fan so I gave him about 20 plans that I had accumulated for electric powered models - as I said I have no interest in them. John was quite pleased with the plans but then he exercised his evil plot and gave me a plan in return - it's the Pilot plan for the quarter scale DH82A Tiger Moth. Now - being a dedicated scale builder - and not currently having a Tiger Moth - my 1/5th scale model has had it's day -  I just HAD to accept it - who wouldn't? So - that's one more major build to add to the list.

My next blunder was going onto eBay - I had to leave some feedback - and a model caught my eye - I tried to look the other way - I really did - BUT Murphy was lurking in the back ground and rubbing his hands with glee - I was trapped - and of course I put a bid on the damn thing - and of course there were no other bidders - and I won myself ANOTHER model. Now this wouldn't be so bad but the damn thing is not ready to fly - it's an uncompleted build that was obviously done by a newbie - with all the attendant faults. SO - it is also now on my rebuild list.

My final error of judgement came yesterday. As I noted in a previous post I recently bought a BNIB Nova Rossi motor complete with pipe and muffler - lovely motor and powerful as a bull. Then some one else mentioned they ALSO had a BNIB Nova Rossi for sale. I was immediately plagued by visions of some sort of aerobatic twin doing impossible maneuvers and making every one go ooooh and aaaaah. I am sitting here sobbing quietly to myself and examining the plan I have for the old Magnum twin - now if I scale it up a bit and fit retracts and ..... SOB

Oh - and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

  - or what ever you celebrate - 

to all my Readers.

The Art of Screwing Up

Oh hell - if I count the two helicopters I have 21 models that are either in need of repair, are build projects that are behind schedule or have ended up unfinished and lurking in the back of the hanger. I only have one model that is still airworthy! In Military terms you might say I have a front line which is over extended on several fronts with a stretched to breaking point supply line. As Commanding Officer I'm about to be relegated to pealing spuds in a POW Camp! - That is - if I get lucky and my troops don't shoot me first.

Luckily for me this is only a hobby and model aircraft do not carry weapons - although stupidity and lack of safe practice can still bite the unaware - so - I can call a halt - re-organise and get my shit together without further sacrifice. I decided to reclassify all my projects, rebuilds and repairs by the amount of work I estimate it will take me to get each model airworthy. Using that formula the only variable I'll have to cope with is time for supply of parts and materials. Some of that variable will be influenced by available funds. I've divided everything into three groups: -

Group A: Repairs and unfinished projects with the materials to hand. This group is restricted to those models that will require less than a day to complete.

Group B: Repairs and unfinished projects with the materials to hand. This group is restricted to those models that will require less than 7 days  to complete.

Group C: Repairs and unfinished projects that require the purchase of materials and/or that need extended time to complete.

In Group A are; -  The Float Plane; The Powerhouse Old Timer; The Asso Champion; Red Ned; The Piper J3 Cub and the Kyosho Trainer.

1. The Float Plane: Repair minor damage to the port side float that was holed by an unseen submerged object.
2. The Powerhouse: Repair minor damage to the starboard wingtip caused by a ground loop.
3. The Asso Champion: Complete the installation of a retractable undercarriage.
4. Red Ned: Replace a gear stripped servo.
5. J3 Cub: Replace a broken port side wing strut and repair minor damage to port wing.
6. Kyosho Trainer: Recover the model with iron on material due to deterioration of original covering. (This is an ARF model)

IN Group B are; - The Senior Telemaster; The Bird of Time; The Fournier RF4; The Lanzo Bomber; The Wittman Tailwind; The Pheonix and my own design WWI style Monoplane.

The Senior Telemaster, The Bird of Time The WWI Monoplane and The Pheonix are all repairs and /or modifications, The others are all projects that are behind schedule. I have all the materials to finish this group already to hand.

The final group - Group C are the problem children. They require a major investment of time and/or funds to complete. The models in this group are; - The Lancaster, The Mosquito, The Wirraway conversion, The Aero Commander Shrike, The Hustler Delta, The Big Lazy Bee and the two helicopters.

I shall fight them on the building board, and the drill press and in the Lathe - I will not surrender! The Club's website is now up and running and as soon as I complete this months Club Newsletter I will mount a full frontal assault on the building board. That's my intention anyway. Now if bloody Murphy and his rotten Law stays on holiday I just might succeed!  Stay tuned and place your bets on whether or not I'll screw it up this time.