Take off and a new Landing

OK Gentle Readers the time has come, I've registered my own domain and I'm moving the bulk of content and future posts to my new website. The new site incorporates my hobbies (ALL OF THEM!!!) my curmudgeon's muttering, mumbling and griping, my writing  and my other pursuits all in one place. This blog will still be maintained but as a mostly archival site so if you want to find out what I did/said/promised months or years ago you might find the answer here.

If you want to check out my new site then this is the address

www.grumpys-den.id.au

Help Needed.

I walked into the local Hobby Shop the other day to buy some supplies and there hanging from the roof was a vintage model aircraft - well - a new vintage model aircraft and of course I fell in love with it - I'm sure you understand - there are somethings you just HAVE to buy!

Any way - the logo on the fin says KEILCRAFT - yep - now you understand don't you? The model was fitted with a (choke) electric can motor but I forgave it that indiscretion and I will fit a proper IC engine to it.

My problem is I can't identify it! 60 inch wingspan and it does look like a typical Keilcraft model but - I don't know what it is. So dear reader - can someone please put me out of my misery and tell me what it is PLEASE. Photos attached.

OK Folks - thank you - it seems what I have is definately a Keilcraft Junior 60.  Nice model and built very lightly so I'm fitting a 30 4 stroke to see how it goes.

Update - June 2013

Well - I've done it and thinned down the collection to an almost manageable level. The Senior Telemaster, The Powerhouse and the Fournier RF4 have gone to new homes and I'm considering an offer on two more models. As well as that I've sold 31 model engines and given away a heap of unused plans. The result of all this is that I now have some room in the hangar to get moving and finish a couple of projects that have sat on the wall for to long.

As well as that there are a couple of new projects that I've been going to start for some time now but haven't got past the thinking about it stage.

SO - the current build list has been modified - What? - OK - Yes - again.

1st priorities: -
 1. The Texan to Wirraway conversion
 2. The Lancaster build
 3. The much neglected and overlooked Aero Commander.

2nd Priorities: -
1. The Mosquito build
2. The PBY Catalina. - I'm going to build this one to represent an Australian "Black Cat" from WWII

"Tidy ups"
I'm putting the finishing touches to the Bird of Time, The Asso Champion and the Phoenix.

"Our Father" moments.
 I'm still learning to fly the heli's.  I've managed to avoid any real catastrophe's but I admit to - errrrr -  a few bits of bark off here and there. So far I've replaced one set of main blades and two sets of tail rotor blades - miraculously without damage to anything more than a couple of connections and one belt on the Shuttle ZXX. So far the Kalt Space Baron has survived unharmed from my fumbling fingers and thumbs.

Drastic Measures

Well, it had to come and I had to finally make myself do it. I think it's called selling off the farm.  As I mentioned before this I have to many projects and not being a multi  millionaire or having all that much lifetime left it's time to "trim down the load."

I'm selling off all but a dozen models with their attendant engines and radio gear. As well as that I have a heap of plans that will go and a collection of IC engines as well. If any one is interested in a list of what is on the "it must go" list send me an email at: -

echo.echo100@gmail.com  

- you never know -you might get a bargain!

Confusion - My normal state of existance

I don't know if every one else has this problem but the more half finished models I give away because I haven't got the time or the motivation to finish them the more that seem to turn up on my "TO DO" list!! My current list consists of 15 fixed wing and three helicopters. Of those I only have 2 fixed wing and two heli's that are currently flyable!

The flyable fixed wing models are: -
1. A 58 inch conventional Trainer
2. A 104 inch,  power assisted glider.

The Heli's are: -
1. A Vintage Kalt Space Baron 
2. A Vintage Hirobo Shuttle ZXX  

OK you say, fair enough, but what about the other 13 fixed wing models and the one Heli? Errrrrrr, Ummmmm, that is where the rot sets in.

I have 4 models that need repair because they had an unfortunate encounter with that shameless hussy called Gravity. In one case Gravity was assisted by one of those evil jumping trees.

The unfortunate victims of Gravity's attack are: -
1. A 84 inch Powerhouse Old Timer. (Shameless and viscious Gravity attack assisted by cross wind and jumping tree.)
2. A 58 inch Asso Champion ARF (Once again Gravity attack assisted by hung port retract)
3. A 62 inch Sport Aerobat of questionable heritage(Gravity was assisted this time by brain fade and tangled thumbs)
4.  A 94 inch Senior Telemaster that decided to shed some of it's covering in flight! - Reason yet to be diagnosed but yes I did use "Stick It " (similar to Balsaloc) and it is a quality brand name covering. I haven't yet worked out how to blame Gravity for that repair.

Yeah , yeah, I know - that still leaves 9 models and one heli. OK - here's the confessional list: -

Models I'm still building and how long they've been in the process: -
1. A 72 inch Fournier RF 4 - 13 months - maybe longer
2. A 76 inch Aero Commander - more than 24 months!
3. A 90 inch Lancaster - not sure but around 2 years!
4. A 76 (?) inch Mosquito - been planning it for a long time but just started the build 2 weeks ago.

 OK - now we come to the real source of my problem. Restoration and rebuilding. If some one brings me a wreck and tells me it can't be rebuilt I just have to take up the challenge. I also like finding old models that have sat around in a shed or an attic or somewhere similar and bringing  them "back to life". Here is the horror list:-

1. A Bird of Time that started life as an electric powered ARF Glider and ended diving in from around 200 feet when a servo link failed. The owner was adament that it could not be repaired. It's almost ready to fly again as a pure glider. Restoration time so far 97.5 hrs.

2. A "something vaguely like" a Fokker EIII monoplane that I built many years ago. The model surprised me and flew very well so I decided to "detail it up". It then got damaged in a move and has sat at the back of the hangar ever since. One day I intend to rebuild it and do the dressing up. Every so often I put it down off the wall and think about it. Restoration time so far about 15 hrs.

3. The Harvard/Texan to Wirraway Conversion. Yep, I have a 90 inch Harvard/Texan that I'm rebuilding as a CAC Wirraway. Because I have a particular attachment to this aircraft I'm doing a "super scale"  restoration. Restoration time so far 617 hrs.

4. A 90 inch Chinese ARF P38 Lightning. I was silly enought to swap  my good Ugly Stick float plane for this kit which is a nightmare. The only way to recover something from the kit is to completely disassemble it and rebuild the bloody thing straight and true. So far I've stripped it down and it is waiting it's turn. Don't hold your breath. Restoration time so far 4 hrs.

5. A very large 3D model powered by an ASP108 glow engine. I bought it off another club member for virtually the price of the propellor!! Why ? Well it was a bargain and now I'm not even sure what I'm going to do with it. It does need restoration though and a bit of a redesign so it's on the list - and has joined the other models on the waiting wall. Restoration time so far - still thinking about it.

If I was into a full confession I'd admit there are a couple of other models or projects lurking around as well but the only other one I'm admitting to at this stage is the Kalt Space Baron restoration - yes - that's right  - I have two. One flies - this one doesn't as I recovered it from the rubbish tip. It is restorable and that will give me a pair of vintage IC engined Kalt Space Baron Helicopters!! Time I've spent on the heli restoration - counting chasing parts? around 150 hrs.

Well yes - SOME things are happening

It's getting near that time of year again - down here in the southern hemisphere today is the 6th day of Winter - it's also the Anniversary of the D Day landing in Europe for those who have a short memory or are to young to know - remember though that a lot of the men who went ashore that day were also very young and never got to grow old and forgetful. Lest We Forget!

The model I am building of a Lancaster is an aircraft from that conflict and while we marvel at the engineering of the engines and radio that will go into the model never forget that many of the men who flew the real thing never had that sort of technology but still pressed the attack to the enemy. MY model will be finished to represent an aircraft flown by a Tasmanian pilot and crew. I have added some information and some more photos to the 6th June update on the Lancaster page.

Some readers may note that my Lanzo Bomber build page has disappeared - no sorry - I haven't lost it but handed the half built model onto a member of my club to finish. He wanted it - I have to rationalise the number of projects I'm trying to build at once - and TRY to get some control and order to my hangar.

The Things you Find!

I don't know if this really fits into a radio control blog because it's a non flying model but  - there will certainly be a lot of building involved.  Our Club President and I got invited to have a look at a collection of models and assorted radio's, motor's, and general bits and pieces that were stored under a house. As is often the case with this sort of thing there were some real treasures - like a 1/3rd scale Cessna Skylane, ditto Mk 9 Spitfire, ditto Ryan PT 19 and to go on is to painful because - as is also common in these cases - everything had badly deteriorated, the owner thinks they are worth much more than a knowledgeable buyer would pay - and so they will sit there while he tries to get his price - no one will pay it - the models etc will deteriorate even more and eventually it is likely they will all end up in the bloody dump!!

However - I did make one rescue - but - other than the fact it is approximately 1/8th scale - is a static display model and is a Fokker DR 1 Triplane I don't know much about it. 

It may be one of those "buy a bit a week with a magazine" type things and a quick look around the internet after I came home suggests it might be of UK origin.  Photos attached - if any one can identify it AND if any one knows where I can get some building instructions I would be most grateful. 

Please email me direct at  echo.echo100@gmail.com  if you can help. I'm also interested if anyone has some parts - particularly of the the tail feathers as they are non existent in what I brought home.