What's It all About ???

This page is all about the building and flying of radio controlled model aircraft. It's a highly diversified hobby that takes in as many skills as you like to use. Everything from electronics to carpentry, to painting, to drawing and designing with a little bit of metal work thrown in. Some builders even go into doing their own machining, pattern designing, fibre glassing, moulding and engine design. You can use electric motors, 2 stroke or 4 stroke internal combustion engines or even minature turbine (jet) engines for power. My own models use 2 and 4 stroke internal combustion engines and range in size from about a metre in wingspan to well over 3 metres from tip to tip!


Thursday, January 31, 2013

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

Saturday, January 26, 2013

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.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

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!



Monday, January 14, 2013

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.