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THE ISSUE AHEAD...

Formation...
FLYING SCALE MODELS - THE WORLD’S ONLY MAGAZINE FOR SCALE MODEL FLYERS
ON THE COVER
If aircraft had Family Tree
diagrams, the Gloster Gamecock
would be traced immediately back
to the WW1-era SE5a., but with
the flamboyant RAF squadron
colour schemes of the between-
the-wars period. Gordon
Whitehead’s 1/6th scale model is
our major construction feature in
this issue

JULY 2018 NO.224

4 CONTACT
Just for starters

6 6 gloster gamecock
1/6th scale 59.6” (1512mm) wingspan model of one of the Royal
Air Force's earlier post WW-1 fighter aircraft, designed by
GORDON WHITEHEAD.

14 dummy engine for the gamecock

1:12 scale three-view and close-up photo detail

18 gloster gamecock TYPE HISTORY

An SE5a on steroids! his pugnacious looking little biplane
fighter epitomised the ‘best flying club in the World’ that was
the Royal Air Force of the 1920s and early 1930s

22 gamecock flying colours

Hardly warpaint! Colour schemes carried by the Gamecock
equipped squadrons, during the RAF’s most flambouyant
period

26 gamecock IN DETAIL
Close-up photo study of the painstakingly accurate replica at
the Jet Age Museum, Gloucester

32 Kz III Laerke (lark)

44 1:40 scale three-view

38 subjects for scale:

KZ III Laerke
Try rubber power free flight scale with this 19.5 inch span
model of the Danish light aircraft

44 scale soaring
Chris Williams describes his revised wing construction for two-
piece gull wings

48 cesna c-165 airmaster

full size free plan
An 18" span 'micro' model for electric power and three function
control. Designed by Peter Rake, with the prototype model built
by Phillip Artweger

54 globe swift scale draWING

Corrected1:30 Scale three-view

56 GLOBE SWIFT COLOUR SCHEMES

We ran out of space last month, so here are a selection of
liveries applied to Swifts over the years since it first appeared
in 1945
48 58 RADIAL COWL WITHOUT A MOULD
A simple method of making a cowl without a lot of preparatory effort

62 THE QUITE ZONE

All quiet on the micro R/C front! How to match ultra lightweight
www.flyingscalemodels.com radio to rubber power scale kits

JULY 2018 FLYING SCALE MODELS 3


Editor: Tony Dowdeswell
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CONTACT
n this year which commemorates the
I
formation of the Royal Air Force in
April 1918, it is worth noting that in the
two decades that followed, this the
Wold’s first independent military Air
Arm was reduced to a shadow of its 1918
presence, defending its survival against the
objections to its very existence by Army
and Navy. But the effective use of RAF
Squadrons to maintain ‘Imperial Order’ in
the Middle East helped to fend off total
emasculation, together with the carefully
orchestrated Air Shows and Air Pageants
over home skies where fighter aircraft decked in their colourful and
prominent individual identification schemes provided aerobatic
performances intended to keep the R.A.F in the public eye.
With little else to do in a world where external military threat seemed
minimal and remote, our Air Force was, in many respects “The Best
Flying Club In The World” for the elite, lucky enough to participate,
riding their colourful fighter biplanes.
One of these aircraft that seems to have received scant attention for a
long time now, is the mid-1920s Gloster Gamecock, the last significant
model of which we’ve seen dates back to the mid-1970s, when Gordon
Whitehead first published his 1/6th scale model of the type. So Gordon
gave us permission to re-publish his design, which is presented as our
major construction feature in this issue.
Of fighter aircraft types of that period, there are quite a number for
which there are no surviving genuine examples, and the Gloster
Gamecock is one (assuming you discount the fuselage hulk surviving in
Finland). But skill and determination has produced a first class replica,
using original works drawings, and it resides at the Jet Age Museum in
Gloucester where it can be seen at weekends. Entry there is free and
well worth a visit.
GLOBE SWIFT - WHAT SCALE?
The brain in either my calculator - or alternatively its driver (me) must
have suffered serious brain-fade, while working out the scale of the
Globe Swift three-view in last month’s issue. Rather than the 1:30 scale
intended, it’s something like 1:34.868-to-infinity! It only came to light
when organising an enlargement to quarter scale, so we’ve presented it
again at the correct scale on pages 54-55 in this month’s issue.
Also included is the range of colour schemes carried by individual
Swifts that was squeezed out of June issue when we ran out of pages.
GUILD OF AVIATION ARTISTS ANNUAL EXHIBITION
One of the most enjoyable aviation orientated events that the job of
Editor takes me to each year is the Guild of Aviation Artists’ “Aviation
Painting of the Year” show, which takes place this year
July 9th - 15th, as previously at The Mall Galleries, near
Admiralty Arch, St. James’, London SW1A 2BN.
Building model aircraft is an acquired skill; drawing or
painting pictures of aviation scenes really is something
else and GAVA’s annual event draws together the very
best of the best. This year there will be
388 original works of art on display from 122 different
artists, at the Guild’s 48th Open Annual Exhibition This is
the premier event (the largest of its kind in the world) for
wholly original works of aviation art, each the result of
meticulous observation or careful research of aircraft, events,
personalities and historical achievements blended with artistic skills in
land, sea and skyscapes.
As this year is the centenary year of the
RAF, expect to see more iconic
representations of both well-known and
not so well known RAF subjects.
All eras of aviation will be represented,
from the earliest hot air balloons through
to current airliners and combat aircraft
from the world’s air forces.
The Exhibition will be open to the
public from July 10th to 15th.
CONSTRUCTION FEATURE

GLOSTER
GAMECOCK Mk.1
A 1:6th scale 59.6” (1512mm) wingspan model of one of the Royal Air Force's earlier post
WW-1 fighter aircraft, designed by GORDON WHITEHEAD

I
built my first Gloster Gamecock
model back in 1967. It was my first
attempt at R/C Scale, was Elfin 1.49
compression ignition diesel powered,
36” wingspan and steered by single
channel radio. Once trimmed out, it was
a great fun flyer and thereafter made
me want to build a larger example, with
fully functioning controls.
Harry Folland, Gloster’s chief designer of
the 1920s and ’30s, certainly had an eye
for style - he was responsible for the SE5a
and Gladiator designs. The stocky,
purposeful lines of the Gamecock,
combined with the brilliant and colorful
squadron markings of the period,
produce an air of extrovert gaiety
equaled by very few other aircraft.
Developed from the Gloster Grebe, the
Gamecock served with numbers 3, 17,
23, 32 and 43 squadrons, and saw front

6 FLYING SCALE MODELS JULY 2018

 CONSTRUCTION
1 2
1: Wing interplane struts, showing the lower wing attachment points and rigging. 2: Further views of the interplane struts, showing the
dummy pitot head attached to the left front strut. 3: Front view showing the centre section upper-wing-to-fuselage struts and the dummy
fuel tanks on the upper wing underside.
line. My prototype model represents that
of the then Sqn. Ldr. R. Collishaw, C.O. of
23 Sqn. The outline and shape of this
model is the result of much effort and
careful revision before construction
commenced, and I re-drew all the
outlines twice before I was satisfied -
photos often display significant
differences from published scale three-
view drawings!
Most written accounts of the
Gamecock highlight the handling
characteristics of the aircraft. It was
highly aerobatic, tricky in a spin, and had
a tendency to suffer from wing flutter at
high speed! The latter two characteristics
are enough to put anyone off making a
model Gamecock, but in the end, no
such problems. were encountered with
the model.
First, model structures are inherently
stronger than the full-size, so minimizing
the flutter problem. Second, the model
displays a marked reluctance to spin.
Even so, Is never let one develop, just to
be on the safe side!
The Gamecock represented a turning
point in fighter design. It was the last all-
wood RAF fighter, and the first with
sufficient power to perform a 360degree
upward roll with enough steam left to be
pushed over the top. In its time, it was
the RAF’s premier aerobatic aircraft, and
featured at many air pageants and
shows, piloted by such men as the (then)
PIt. Off. Douglas Bader who was serving
with 23 Sqn. at the time.
However, that’s enough about the full-
size; I hope that I’ve kindled your interest.
I found that reading about the
Gamecock is habit-forming, so unless you
really want a ...... span, highly colored,
crowd-pulling, excitingly aerobatic scale
biplane; turn to another article quickly!
CONSTRUCTION
In general, the structure is quite
straightforward, and most of the finer
points are detailed on the two-sheet
plan. Although the model is only
recommended for the more experienced
builder and flier, any scale fan will want
to start building the relatively more
complex subjects eventually, so I intend
to cover the subject pretty
comprehensively. The majority of the
woodwork was assembled with PVA white
glue, but five-minute and 24-hour epoxy
was also used where appropriate, as was
contact glue.
WINGS
The plan wing sheet shows both left and
right panels for upper and lower wings.
Build both sets of wings as the first stage
of the airframe construction, because
these major airframe components will,
later, be required to aid fuselage
construction. Study the drawings and cut
out all the parts first - construction is
much less of a chore when you make
yourself a pre-cut kit.
Pre-assemble all the laminated parts at
this stage. The lower spars are pinned
down with 1/8” packing underneath,
together with the trailing edge. Ribs are
glued in place; followed by leading
edge riblets, top spars, aileron spars,
aileron ribs and tips. The 1/32” ply spar
webs and the Warren-type bracing are
important for rigidity, so don’t forget
them. The top wings are joined at the
centre using alloy strip epoxied in place.
Besides bracing this area, the metal
prevents the centre section strut
assembly locating studs from splintering
the wood fairings in the event of a
cartwheel. The central’ bolts only locate
the wing and do not tie it down; these
are vital for correct wing alignment.
Install all blind nuts and make up the
interplane struts exactly as shown on the
plan. You’ll need these for centre section
strut alignment, and I do not subscribe to
the view that interplane struts should be
individually tailor-made to each position.
JULY 2018 FLYING SCALE MODELS 7
 O S T E R
GL COCK
GAMEk.1
M sheet p
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cop
Full size ) 8
FSM53
(PLAN
Models
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Se rvic e, Doolit ho e , Bedford
Plans ttern
Lane, To 222573
Doolittle 1QX. Tel 01525 m
LU6 edia.co ;
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£ 2
enquirie 0 plus p&p (U
19.5
Price £ £4.00;
Europe 6.00.
World £
Rest or

Two sets of struts of unmatched lengths
will merely support the wing in a state of
misalignment. The outer vee-struts are not
structural members on this model
(although they were necessary on the
full-size because of the large wing tip
overhang), so they can be tailor-made.
FUSELAGE
The most difficult part is the centre
section strut assembly area. Make a pre-
cut kit once again, to smooth the
building sequence. Assemble the basic
sides from strip and 3/16” sheet. Contact
glue the 1/16” ply doublers in place,
followed by the 1/8” ply strut supporting
doublers. Carefully position and glue the
3/32” ply root facing rib. Join the sides
squarely with F1, F3, F3B, F5a and a cross-
brace at F5. Join the sternpost and add
the remaining cross-braces. Epoxy the
lower wing attachment tubes in place.
Now for that centre section strut
assembly. Start by bending the basic wire
struts to shape and drill holes. The bottom
holes can be slotted to ease adjustment.
Loosely bolt the inverted-vees to the
basic fuselage and bolt the diagonals in
place. Slide the lower wing into place
and plug the top wing into the centre
section strut studs, then bolt the
interplane struts.
Check to ensure that the wings are
square with the fuselage by measuring
from wing tips to fuselage sternpost.
Ensure correct incidence on the top

8 FLYING SCALE MODELS JULY 2018

wing, drill the fuselage bolt holes and
bolt up tight. Then epoxy and screw the
diagonals only in place. When set,
remove the wings and centre section
strut assembly, carefully storing the latter
on one side. Bolt and epoxy the
undercarriage lugs in place, then finish
the fuselage.
Engine side thrust is built-in, but down
thrust is achieved by using thrust wedges
under the mounting lugs. Sorry about the
tank position, it has to come out to get at
the radio, but feeds okay, and the short
nose ensures that there is no noticeable
fore/aft balance shift between full
and empty.
Inside the fuselage there is plenty of
radio room, but keep the gear well
forward. Study the throttle linkage; I
turned the carb back-to-front on the one
I used so that the throttle linkage would
not snag on the silencer. Fill and vent
tubes pass through F1 and emerge under
the cowl.
MAIN UNDERCARRIAGE
The sprung landing gear shown is simple,
strong, and preferable to a soldered-up
wire job. Note however, that the front
legs are not soldered to the axle; if you
incorporate the springing and solder the
bottom joint solid, the rear strut ends will
fracture due to flexing - I speak from
experience!
ENGINE COWL
The cowl is easy to make and care with
the fastening and location lugs will reward
you with a rigid, but quickly removable,
assembly. I used Veron Hawker Tomtit
cylinders (yes, it was built that long ago!)
but one of the Williams Brothers radial
cylinder sets could be cannibalized to suit.
Alternatively, balsa dowel wrapped with
string would no doubt provide as effective
representation.
TAIL SURFACES
As usual with short nosed models, the tail
must be kept LIGHT, LIGHT, LIGHT, so
ingrain that though on your mind when
you make a start on the tail surfaces and
select the lightest balsa you can find
consistent with strength. I incorporated an
adjustable lead-crew to vary the tailplane
incidence, because I was uncertain at
what angle to set the surface. The final
setting, unchanged since trimming flights,
is that shown on the plan. The mechanism
weighed two ounces - equal in effect to
one pound of lead in the cowl! Since my
model carries one pound of lead in the
front cowl, I left the device off the plan to
save you problems. As a matter of
interest, the full-size aircraft had a +5.5 to -
2 degree variation in tail incidence.
The horizontal tailplane, minus elevators,
slides into place and is held by the
bracing wires. The elevator surfaces are
slid onto the joiners and held by the
hinges. Do not fix permanently until
covering and colouring is complete.
COVERING AND FINISHING
The prototype was nylon covered, tail unit
included and the structure is strong
enough for the use of heat-activated
fabric. Two coats of clear dope filled the
weave, and then the final colour finish
was applied. Two thin base coats of white
were sprayed on, followed by two of silver.
A beautiful silky sheen results, due to the
white undercoat reflecting the transmitted
light back through the silver. Don’t just
spray silver straight onto the nylon or you
will never get it opaque.
The roundels were sprayed by
successively.masking off the various
colors, and the squares done likewise. The
metal paneling was added after all spray
work as follows:
METAL PANELS
The metal is thin alloy sheet. I used litho
plate, but I believe it is possible to buy
adhesive-backed alloy sheet. Before

CONSTRUCTION

4 6

4: Removal of fuselage underside centre section hatch reveals the fuel tank installation. 5: View from the rear shows the centre section
struts arrangement and lower wing-to-fuselage fillet fairing. Note also the cockpit mounting stirrups. 6: Upper wing lifted from its anchor
points , showing the wing struts, dummy engine and underwing fuel tanks.

JULY 2018 FLYING SCALE MODELS 9

 CONSTRUCTION

7 8

7 & 8: Details of the centre section wing support struts and the cockpit windscreen:

cutting the metal, make paper templates
of all panels to be simulated (see FSM
April ’08 Issue pages 16-21) for the
technique.) Now take the inverted vee
centre section strut structure made
previously, together with its outer struts.
Cut away the top decking to allow the
insertion of the centre section strut
assembly and bolt the latter in place.
Don’t worry about the unsightly holes
you’ve just hacked into your pride and
joy, all will be well!
Add the wings and interplane struts and
check that you can align them as before.
Also check that you can bolt up the outer
centre section struts to the wings without
straining anything. All okay? Now remove
the lot and take the paper template that
you made for the decking. By trial and
error, slot the template so that the strut
vees will pass through neatly - see photos.
To check this, you’ll have to engage the
vee struts in the slots and lower the lot into
place all at once. When satisfied it’s right,
cut the metal to size and check it for fit as
just described. Remove the lot again arid
smear contact glue around the outer
edges of the metal and around the outer
perimeter of the area to be covered.
Lower away and press the paneling

10 FLYING SCALE MODELS JULY 2018

accurately into place.
At this stage, you will be able to admire
a fuselage with alloy paneled front
decking and slack Vee struts. Now
smother the strut structure fuselage joints
with 24-hour epoxy and loosely bolt the
complete ‘W’-assembly in place. Add
wings and interplane struts again, and
bolt the C/S strut assembly to the wing.
Re-align the wings (you’ve had plenty of
practice by now) and bolt the centre
section strut assembly on tight, leaving the
adhesive to set. Don’t use five-rninute
epoxy here unless you anticipate working
like super-duper greased lightning. Give
yourself plenty of time to align that strut
assembly. If in doubt, add up the number
of hours it’s taken you to get this far and
compare with 24! Nuff-said?
Leave to set overnight, then panel the
rest of the cowlings. You’ll find it easier
and strong enough only to use adhesive
around the’ outer edges of the panels.
Well, that took some explaining, but the
hints will apply to oodles of other biplanes,
so if you’ve always wanted to metal
panel a biplane, go to it!
RIGGING
The-wing bracing is functional on this
model, and the anchoring method is
strong and effective. Do NOT use nylon
clevises, but DO ensure that the metal
clevises used for the flying wires are of the
type in which the pin passes through both
sides of the clevis. The cheaper single-
sided metal clevis may be used for the
landing wires where the side Ioads on the
pin are not so critical. Although the wires
are functional, their job is only to support
the wing in flight - not to hold incidences
or hold the model together (the nuts, bolts
and rubber bands do this). With the
model at rest, only the slightest tension is
required - sufficient to remove any
excessive droop. Do not try to take warps
out with the rigging - too much tension,
coupled with flight loads might pull the
CONSTRUCTION
9 11
10
9, 10, 11 & 12: Engine bay showing the10cc. (0.60 cu.in.) size engine and the battery for the airborne control system. The dummy engine
attaches to the firewall.
pins from even the best quality clevises.
Are clevises strong enough? Well, after
one glorious day’s flying I set about
dismantling the Gamecock for the
homeward journey only to discover
(having flown the model through three
rolls, two loops, one split S, one flick roll, an
Immelman and two stall turns) that both
bolts were missing from the left-hand side
of the centre section struttery. In the pre-
flight rush, I had forgotten to put them in.
At least I proved the worth of the rigging
attachments!
When dismantling for transport, merely
unclip the clevises, unclip the aileron links,
unscrew the centre section bolts and the
lower wing interplane strut bolts. The top
wing will then lift off complete with
bracing wires. Assembly or disassembly
takes less than ten minutes, and provided
you don’t shift the radio gear, you’ll find
that the trim will never vary from week to
week. One tip - keep the eight bolts you
use to assemble the model in a little
plastic box all to themselves. Then you’ll
know whether you’ve omitted any bolts
during assembly!
THE BEST BIT...
FLYING THE GAMECOCK
Dig out your favorite stash of sheet lead
ballast and use some of it to coax the
fore/aft balance point to the required
position; then double check. There is a
story relating to the balance point of this
model. I calculated (probably
erroneously) the location point which, so
evaluated, was 3/4” behind the present
one. Great! No lead was necessary at this
stage. At the flying field, I cranked her up
and off she went - just like a lift. Within
three seconds she was higher than a
house and bucking like a wild bronco!
Besides having the balance position too
far to the rear, the tail did not have
enough positive incidence. Laterally, the
Gamecock was stable, which is a great
feature of this model. Cutting the motor, I
guided the model down a switchback
flightpath and ended the flight with a
glorious cartwheel, due to ‘landing’
about five feet too high at long range.
Only minor damage, a broken prop,
dented wing tip and a sprained joint at
the top right aileron root. 1.1/2 pounds of
lead moved the balance point forward
just over an inch, and further flights were
like sweet music. Landings, though, were
pretty awful, the model usually ending
the landing run with a nose-over,
sometimes onto its back.
Obviously, the forward limit of the
balance was dictated by the wheel
position, so I had to change tail
incidence. On succeeding flights, I
removed lead and increased tail
incidence. There is now one pound of
lead up front and I can usually keep her
on her feet with the true-scale
undercarriage position as shown on the
plan. However, for first flights, make an
extra long pair of rear undercarriage legs,
perhaps an inch longer than scale,
maybe even more. I haven’t done this,
but it should solve landing problems.
The Gamecock cost the RAF a lot of
money in busted props, so if you enter a
competition, make the flight judges
aware of this! Since you shouldn’t need
that noseweight, you shouldn’t have any
real problems. Strangely enough, I don’t
go through many props at all!
Now to your first flights. Use maximum
power for take-off; this shortens ground
roll and lengthens model life. The
elevators are fully effective with the
engine at full blast, so you can let the tail
rise quickly and fly her off easily. Slight
right rudder will keep her straight. Once
airborne, perform a wide left hand circuit
to gain height, then trim her for straight
and level flight. Cruising power is about
1/2 throttle.
Now practice turning. Left turns are
easy, but right turns require the use of a
little co-ordinated right rudder. The
12
JULY 2018 FLYING SCALE MODELS 11
 CONSTRUCTION
13
13 & 14: Complete tailcone, showing the wire tailplane-to-fin bracing wires. Note also the detail of the line of the eyelitted draw-cords that
secure the fabric access panel on the rear fuselage under the fin.
15
15: Front fuselage underside, showing the main undercarriage and inverted mounted engine. 16: The tailskid mounted to the lower
fuselage tailpost.
torque, slipstream and adverse yaw
effect of the ailerons seem to gang up to
make the model reluctant to turn right,
and at first the effect feels rather odd.
Application of about ten degrees of right
bank and pulling a little up elevator just
doesn’t turn her, but by feeding in some
rudder, around she goes nice as you
please. Perhaps she’d be better turning
on rudder-elevator?
The adverse yaw effect is well known in
full-size flying circles, but I had never met
it on a model before. Any inherent turn
either way should be trimmed out with
aileron, not rudder.
Aerobatics with the Gamecock are a
joy to behold. The sun glistens on the silver
dope finish - the squadron markings are
gaily flaunted like banners and the wires
sing as she performs almost any evolution
you wish.
Now for the landing. Throttle back and
note how slowly she loses height. The
square circuit landing approach needs to
be surprisingly large and the final turn
onto the glide path will be quite a long
distance away. At touchdown, flare out
and as she touches, give a blip on the
throttle to force the tail down. Keep a
small amount of power on to maintain
airflow over the tail, keep up elevator to
12 FLYING SCALE MODELS JULY 2018
14
16
force the skid onto the ground and she’ll
soon slow up.
The procedure just outlined is not really
complicated, but don’t tangle your
fingers up with the sticks! The model is
very forgiving in all flight regimes. On one
occasion there was a 15-20 kt. wind
blowing and when coming in to land, I
got her to the edge of the landing circle
and the wind gusted and stopped her in
mid-air! She was hovering 4 ft. up! I
opened the throttle and up she went -
vertically. I closed the throttle and she
remained there. Gradually, by co-
ordinating throttle and elevator, I coaxed
her down, vertically, but missed the
landing circle.
Yep! She sure is stable. The whole-
evolution lasted less than15 seconds, but
seemed like a lifetime.
Just one more hint. Ever had difficulties
starting inverted engines? This is what I
do. I remove the glowplug and squirt
neat fuel up into the head and up
through the carb. I then crank the engine
to free her and clean out all the
accumulated oil and juice. I sometimes
even poke a rolled tissue up the plug hole
to soak up the liquid. Then I squirt the
plug, and get all the oil off that, then
finally connecting the battery to ‘burn’ it
clean. Just before my flight, I tank up and
screw the plug in.
Turn the prop to open the shaft valve
and squirt a jet of fuel up the carb and
flick six times to distribute the fuel. I
connect up the battery and one flick starts
her - it never fails! With a warm engine, just
prime and flick, connect up and she’ll fire.
Full-size engine mechanics used to ‘drain
the bottom cylinder’ of radials before
starting up, so I do the same.
CONCLUSION,
I hope you’ve enjoyed the foregoing and
I hope I’ve covered everything, which will
enable the reader to make a successful
model of one of the most appealing
aircraft ever to be flown by the Royal Air
Force. If I seem to have dwelt on bad
points, that’s because I had a lot of flying
with this model, and I want to give you
the benefit of my experiences. It might
even help you when designing your own
scale biplane. (How about a Siemans-
Schuckert D.IV? That’s even more stubby
than the Gamecock!)
I’m not a masochist, but if the model
was devoid of idiosyncrasies, it just
wouldn’t be as interesting! Don’t you
agree? I
JULY 2018 FLYING SCALE MODELS 13
1

2
SCALE TECHNIQUE

THE
BRISTOL
JUPITER ENGINE
WITHOUT A FULLY DETAILED DUMMY ENGINE, ANY MODEL OF THE GLOSTER GAMECOCK WILL
LOOK NOTHING LIKE RIGHT!

O
ne prominent feature that is inescapable when
modelling Gordon Whitehead’s 1/6th scale Gloster
Gamecock, is the Bristol Jupiter engine. It absolutely
dominates the front end of the aircraft! So a fully
detailed dummy engine is essential.
The drawings here are to 1/12th scale - so just enlarge to twice
size. The photos shown are of the engine installed in the Jet Age
Museum’s replica aircraft, but the engine is a genuine Jupiter, on
loan from the Royal Air Force Museum. I

5 6

1: PLUMBER’S NIGHTMARE? View from lower right showing just how the exhaust piping and central collector ring dominate the appearance of
the Bristol Jupiter engine. 2: Close-up of the exhaust and inlet pipes from cyliners to collector 0n the lower engine cylinders, viewed on the left
side. 3: Cylinder close-up. 4: View of the engine from the left side. Note the drive dog on the front centre of the spinner for attachment to the
Huchs Starter. 5: One of the upper cylinders, viewed from the right hand side. 6: Engine cylinders, viewed from the rear.

JULY 2018 FLYING SCALE MODELS 15

 Detail of the Y-style exhaust pipes and collector Detail with the exhaust system deleted and showing the crankcase

Bristol Jupiter Mk.XFBM with twin exhaust pipes and exhaust collector. jupiter VIIF installation in in Bristol Bulldog,
showing downstream head fairings and Y-
Pipes to front exhaust collector.

16 FLYING SCALE MODELS JULY 2018

Bristol Jupiter VIII (Geared) showing exhaust piping .

SCALE 1:12
jupiter VIa as used in Bristol Bulldog 2 with
direct drive valve gear covered and with
Y-Pipes to front exhaust collector.

JULY 2018 FLYING SCALE MODELS 17

 Captain Howard
Saint, chief test
pilot of the Gloster
Aircraft Co. leans
nonchalantly
against Gamecock
Serial J.7910
probably at
Hucclecote in 1926.
This Gamecock was
fitted with narrow
chord ailerons
during many anti-
flutter tests.

TYPE HISTORY

An SE5a on steroids!

GLOSTER
GAMECOCK
This pugnacious looking little biplane fighter epitomised the ‘best flying club in the World’ that was the
Royal Air Force of the 1920s and early 1930s

O
ne of the most inevitable
consequences of all-out war
is the inescapable cost to all
participants, winners or
losers. WW1 left Great Britain
seriously overstretched financially, while
WW2 left the country stoney broke for the
following two decades.
In such circumstances, military spending
is one of the first casualties. During the
decade immediately after WW2, Britain’s
front line fighter defences relied on jet
aircraft that had been developed during
the war, in stark contrast to USA where all
sorts of new avenues were explored in

18 FLYING SCALE MODELS JULY 2018

During the 1920s and early 1930s, Air Pageants were seen as a useful means of maintaining
the independent status of the Royal Air Force against the constant opposition of the other two
British armed services, both of which resented their loss of control of military aviation. Here,
No.43 Squadron Gamecocks line up in preparation for an event at Birmingham.

developing new and progressively higher
performance fighters. Thus, by the time
the Royal Air Force was deploying its first
generation of swept-wing transonic
fighters, the USAF was preparing to
progress to the truly supersonic-in-level-
flight F-100 Super Sabre. It’s all a matter of
money and will.
In the immediate post-WW1 years, it was
difficult to perceive from where a military
threat might come. Germany was laid
low, riven by internal political strife, while
in Great Britain’s overseas empire, the
imperial authority was as yet
unchallenged by demands for ‘self
determination’ that emerged after WW2.
Thus, the notion of the ‘Ten Year Rule’,
which held that no new military threat was
likely for the next decade, was the
touchstone which led to the drastic
denuding of British military forces and, in
particular, the newly formed Royal Air
Force. The problem was that the ‘Ten Year
Rule’ always seemed to recommence
from the date that every successive
politician invoked it.
In the immediate aftermath of WW1,
when thousands of combat aircraft were
bonfired, the standard fighter aircraft of
the R.A.F. was the late-WW1era Sopwith
Snipe and indeed by 1920 the
metropolitan aerial defence of the British
Isles wrested on just one squadron of
Snipes!
Hindsight is, or course, a wonderfully
accurate thing, but it has to be said that
at the time of this headlong drive for
disarmament, there was no perceived
threat to the Britain and its far-flung
empire.
NEW LAMPS FOR OLD?
So thoughts of fighter re-equipment did
not begin until well into the 1920s, when
the RAF drew up a number of
specifications that eventually resulted in
Two views of the Gloster Aircraft
the Armstrong Whitworth Siskin and the Company’s demonstrator Gamecock
Gloster Grebe, the latter entering service G-EBNT.
with 111 Squadron in late 1923.
The Grebe, designed by H.P.Folland, had
ancestry in the SE5a via other Gloster
types including ‘Mars’ and ‘Grouse’, built
only for export which, like its famous
forbear, had an all-wood airframe and
mounted nothing more lethal than twin,
forward-firing machine guns. It is also an
interesting commentary on aircraft
development at the time, to note that the
32 mph speed increase offered over the worthwhile advantage!
Sopwith Snipe was regarded as a At the time, one of the major problems
were deficiencies in the 14-cylinder
Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar radial engine
then powering both Siskin and Grebe,
which were so serious that squadron
strength was regularly reduced to only
20% of aircraft on charge.

THE GAMECOCK IS HATCHED

More promising was the lighter and
simpler Bristol Jupiter IV radial engine,
experimentally applied to a Gloster Grebe
in August 1924 and service tested at the
Martlesham Heath test centre in early
1925. This engine/airframe combination
received an enthusiastic test report,
which, later in the year, prompted an Air
Ministry order for 30 (push the boat out
carefully!) examples under the new
nomenclature of ‘Gamecock’.
Most of these went to No.23 Squadron at
RAF Hendon in May 1926, the Squadron
thereafter retaining the Gamecock until
Back in May 1929, R.A.F. Northolt was in a lot more countrified 1931, when it was the last to relinquish the
surroundings than today. type in favour of the Bristol Bulldog.
Here, a No.23 Squadron Gamecock take off during that year’s Sassoon Cup competition.
The initial order for 30 examples, was
Note the outboard V-style interplane struts that had, by then, been applied to most followed by a further 42, with a final order
Gamecocks. for 18 at the end of the same year, all
Mk.1s

JULY 2018 FLYING SCALE MODELS 19

A pair of No.23 Squadron Gamecocks at RAF Northolt, during the annual Sassoon Cup compeition.

A BIT OF A HANDFUL
The Gamecock needed care in handling.
Four were crashed in the first year of
service and a further 18 in 1927, a large
number of these being the result of
spinning and landing accidents, and in
one case, due to aircraft break-up in the
air. Wing flutter was one problem that
caused concern, which prompted the
prompted the introduction of extra
stiffener struts outboard of the interplane
struts.
Nonetheless, after years of operating
war-weary Sopwith Snipes, the
Gamecock was a welcome breath of
fresh air which, subject to experienced
handling, proved to be a good aircraft
for aerobatics. But right-hand turn spins
were specifically banned to Service pilots.
In certain situations, aileron flutter was a problem with the Gamecock. This one has been
experimentally fitted with narrow chord ailerons that feature a trailing edge in line with the GAMECOCK MK.II
rest of the wing tailing edges, for anti-flutter trials during 1927
In an attempt to prolong the demand for
the type, Glosters produced a revised
version of the basic Gamecock, featuring
a larger rudder and narrow-chord
ailerons, acquired as a prototype for
evaluation by the R.A.F. in early 1928. It
displayed markedly better handling
characteristics, but no follow-on orders
were generated.
In the export field though, the
Gamecock gained interest from Finland.
After demo flights in UK, two pattern
examples were shipped to Helsinki prior to
licence construction in that country.
The Gamecock also saw service with
the Imperial Japanese Naval Air Force,
built under licence as the Nakajima Type
3, where the type was used in action
during the ‘Shanghai Incident’ of 1932
Another experiment applied to the Gamecock was the installation of a Hele-Shaw variable pitch and early stages of the second Sino
propeller, during 1929. The much enlarged spinner that covering the mechanism adds a much Japanese war from 1937.
more streamlined appearance. Louvres on the spinner were applied to cool the bearings.
CURTSAIN CALL
Operational service for the Gamecock
Mk.1 in R.A.F. service ended when No. 23
Squadron re-equipped with Bristol
Bulldogs in July 1931 and the type was
officially declared obsolete in 1933.I

A flight of No. 23 Squadron’s Gamecocks,

one is tempted to say... ‘flying into the
sunset’. All Gamecocks were declared
obsolete in March 1933, the last of the
RAF’s wooden biplanes.
Finland acquired three Gamecocks in 1928
and licence-built a further fifteen between
1929 and 1930. The type remained in service
with the Air Arm there into 1944. This one is
fitted with skis on the main undercarriage -
vital for operation during the winter weather
there.
Gamecock serial J.7902 of the first
production batch ordered in September
1925. This line-up of No. 23 Squadron was
taken at Henlow or Kenley; the markings
were red and blue squares.
The Squadron commander’s aircraft of No.
23 squadron (note his flag on side of
cockpit). This photo was taken at Henlow in
late 1927 or later when extra interplane
struts were fitted to all Gamecocks as a
further attempt to cure wing flutter. Note the
Hucks starter about to be applied to the dog
on the airscrew hub.

SPECIFICATION
Length: 19 ft 8 in (5.99 m)
Wingspan: 29 ft 91/2 in (9.07 m)
Height: 9 ft 8 in (2.94 m)
Wing area: 264 ft2 (24.52 m2)
Powerplant: Bristol Jupiter VI 9-cylinder
radial, 425 hp (317 kW)

GAMECOCK ANATOMY. Detail of the fuselage
airframe internals; the aircraft carried oxygen
cylinders for higher altitude operation and carried
radio communication equipment, but beyond that, is
very much WW1era technology.
PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: 155 mph (135 knots,
250 km/h) at 5,000 ft (1,520 m), 145
mph (126 knots, 233 km/h) at 10,000 ft
(3,050 m)
Range: 365 mi (316 NM, 587 km)
Service ceiling: 22,100 ft (6,735 m)
Rate of climb: 7,066 ft/min (36 m/s) at
1,000 ft (305 m)
Climb to 10,000 ft (3050 m): 7.6 min
Endurance: 2.5 hours
ARMAMENT
Guns: 2x 0.303 inch (7.7mm) Vickers
machine guns

Gamecock J.8037 of the second production batch ordered in July 1926 carrying the
black and white squares of No. 43 Squadron based at Tangmere in1929.

JULY 2018 FLYING SCALE MODELS 21

GLOSTER GAMECOCK FLYING COLOURS

22 FLYING SCALE MODELS JULY 2018

JULY 2018 FLYING SCALE MODELS 23
 Wing rigging deta

Cowlings natural metal

Fabric covered areas, basic
silver dope finish
SCALE 1:50
ail GLOSTER
GAMECOCK
Mk.1
No. 32(F) Squadron, Kenley.
1926-1928

Fuselage dimensional detail

IN DETAIL

GLOSTER
GAMECOCK
There are no genuine Gamecocks any longer (appart from a fuselage hunk in Finland) but the Jet Age
Museum at Gloucester has a replica the provides all the detail a modeller could possibly need.
GAMECOCK ANATOMY:
1
1: The full size replica at the Jet Age Museim, Gloucester, was built for pieced-together
works drawings. Part of the airframe is left without covering.

26 FLYING SCALE MODELS JULY 2018

2 8

4 9

2: Gun trough, left fuselage side behind the Bristol Jupiter engine. 3: Gun trough, right fuselage
side, showing dummy gun. 4: Access hatch immediately behind the cockpit, left side. 5: Radio
aerial insulator terminal, just behind the access hatch, top of fuselage. 6: Rear fuselage,
6 showing the lacing of the fabric access cover. Note also fin-to-tailplane brace wire and hole,
to accommodate tailplane incidence adjustment. 7: Rear fuselage sub-fin. Note wire barce to
tailplane underside. 8: The centre section struts (call them ‘cabane’ if you must) viewed from
the left side. 9: Centre section struts viewed from right. Note the fuel line from the fuel tank
mounted on the upper wing. 10 & 11: Two views of the sprung tailskid.

10 11

JULY 2018 FLYING SCALE MODELS 27

12 13

14 15

16 12: The flat cockpit windscreen, viewed from the front: 13: Windscreen viewed from the rear.
14 & 15: Front of fuselage, showing prominient exhaust pipe and wind-driven generator on lower left
wing. Latter also present of lower right wing. 16: Oil cooler mounted under the centre fuselage
between the lower wing panels, viewed from left. 17 & 18: Two further views of the oil cooler, viewed
from the right. 19: Rudder control horn. 20: Top of fin, showing the radio aerial attachment. 21: Detail
of typical rudder hinge. 22: Tail light unit. 23: Tailplane/elevator, showing the elevator hinges.
24: Close-up of elevator horn. One of the rudder hinges also shown. 25:Tailplane/elevator underside.
27: Further view of the wire barce between the tailplane and sub-fin.

19 20 21 22

17

23 25 26

18

24

28 FLYING SCALE MODELS JULY 2018

27 28 29

30 31 32

33 34 27: Wind driven generator, inboard on the left

lower wing underside. Right wing similar.
28: Aileron drive rod, right lower wing
underside. 29: Nav. light, outboard on left upper
wing. Right wing similar. 30: Pitot head on front
left interplane strut. 31: Formation light,
positioned inboard on left upper wing. Right
wing similar. 32: Insulator radio aerial anchor
point, top right wing. 33: Propeller spinner,
showing Hucks Starter attachment dog. 34:
Prop. blade showing metal faced leading edge.

36 37

38

35

39

35: The wooden propeller hub and metal

spinner. 36: Anchor point on upper aileron of
strut drive link. 37: Aileron connector strut
anchor point on lower aileron, upper surface.
38: Left upper wing aileron. Fabic covering
seals gap. 39: Lower left wing, showing
aileron strut drive link and rear interplane
strut anchor points.

JULY 2018 FLYING SCALE MODELS 29

40 45 46

41

42 47 48

43

44 49

40: Fuel tank set into the left upper wing

underside. Right wing similar.
41 & 42: Fairing on wing tank houses fuel
guage. Note also the feed pipe. 43: The
same fairing viewed from rear, showing
the dial of the fuel guage that can be
viewed from the cockpit. The long rod
with the red end is the fuel tank transfer
tap that can be hand operated from the
cockpit. 44: The left wing fuel tank,
viewed from the rear. 45: Bristol Jupilter
engine installation. 46-49: Inlet and
exhaust piping is a domiating feature of
the aircraft

30 FLYING SCALE MODELS JULY 2018

50 51 52 53

50 & 51: Interplane struts & bracing wires.

52: Upper wing underside, showing front strut and bacing wire
anchor points.
53: Further view of interplane strut anchor points on the left lower
wing, together with bracing wires.
54: Main undercrriage wheel.
55: Main undercarriage shruts and axle.
56: With cover removed, view of the rubber uncercarriage shock
absorber at the top of one of the uncerraige legs.

54 55 56

57 59

57 & 58: Two views of the main 58 60 61

undercarriage and axle.
59: Close-up of the the wheel
axle and leg struts. 60: One of
the main undercarriage wheels,
with hub cover removed to
reveal wire spokes. 61: The
upper anchor point of one of
the main undercarriage legs.

JULY 2018 FLYING SCALE MODELS 31

FREE FLIGHT SCALE

SAII KZ.III
Try rubber power free flight scale with this 19.5 inch span model of
the Danish light aircraft designed by J. A. Fleming.

32 FLYING SCALE MODELS JULY 2018

 T
his 19.5 inch span model was built to
provide information for the design of a
1/8th scale diesel-powered version and,
with a larger-than-scale tailplane, flies
quite well.
The original KZ.III Lark was first produced in
Denmark in 1947 and has generally more
character than the majority of modern light
aircraft.
The following details will be of interest. Spanning

LAEKE
31 feet 6 inches, it is 21 feet 7 inches long and
cruises at 106 m.p.h. Full load take off run of this
two-seater is 77 yards with a landing run of 55
yards.

NOW FOR THE MODEL

All parts are from 1/16” balsa with the exception
of the 1/32” sheet nose covering and laminated
balsa nose. Fuselage sides are built first (outlined
in tint on the accompanying plan) from hard
1/16” square. Note the integral mount for the
tailplane and rear motor peg. While both sides
dry, the fin and rudder and tailplane are cut out
and the wing commenced.
Wing trailing edge is one strip of 3/8” x 1/16” and
the mainspar a strip of 1/8”square. Pin these and
the 3/16” x 1/16” leading edges in place and add
ribs and wing tips. When dry, remove from the
plan and add 1-inch spacers for the wing struts,
crack along the centre line and add the dihedral
brace. Note the diagonal strips of 1/16” square
between ribs R2 and R1. Cover with coloured

JULY 2018 FLYING SCALE MODELS 33

tissue of your choice, water spray and
apply dope before adding to the
fuselage.
Now remove fuselage sides from the
plan and the only difflcult part in the
construction will be the sharp curve in the
34 FLYING SCALE MODELS JULY 2018
sides from F3 to F1. Steam from a kettle
will assist here. Only four formers are
necessary, with fairings for the top,
bottom and sides. Ensure that F3 to which
the 18 S.W.G. undercarriage is sewn, is of
hard balsa. The dotted lines on F3 are cut
away when the fuselage is complete.
With F3 and F4 in place, add the cabin
roof and the remaining top, bottom and
side formers. Now cut away the dotted
line on F3 and cement in place the
sailplane, fin and rudder. Cement the
wing in place and add 1/16” square
fuselage stringers. The top fuselage
stringer ends at the point on R1 where
diagonals join. Side stringers are faired at
the front into the basic fuselage side and
at the rear end at the leading edge of
the tailplane. The space between formers
F1 and F2 is covered with 1/32: sheet and
on the upper fuselage this extends back
as far as F3 before being trimmed as
shown on the side view. Drill a hole for the
nose plug in the hard balsa nose block
accurately. A 5” diameter propeller gives
a reasonable flight though a 6-inch
propeller is recommended. Sew the
secondary undercarriage leg to the lower
fuselage stringer. Scale-type legs are
simulated by thin card on the main legs
JULY 2018 FLYING SCALE MODELS 35
3/8” wide, on the secondary (centre) legs
3/16” wide, while the rear legs are 1/8 x
1/16” strips sanded to aerofoil shape.
Use the front windscreen template as a
guide before cementing the celluloid in
place and with the side windows in place,
the fuselage is ready for covering. Water-
36 FLYING SCALE MODELS JULY 2018
spray and use only one coat of dope; do
not use coloured dope. To give the final
touch to the model, add dummy exhausts
and ink-in (with Indian ink) the control
surfaces and cabin door. Registration
letters are cut from black tissue and
doped in position. Finally, add the wing
struts but do not cement the nose block in
place until the required amount of
downthrust and sidethrust has been
decided from the first test flights.
Balance the model where shown,
adding ballast at the nose or tail as
necessary and test glide. Trim with the four
strands of 1/80”inch rubber installed, but do not
wind the motor until a stall-free glide is
obtained. Now insert temporary packing behind
the top of the noseblock to prevent nosing-up
under power, also slight right side thrust and you
are ready to pile on the winds. Remember that
small models like this perform best in near-calm
conditions and-Happy Flights! I
RUBBER & PROPELLER? TRY...
FLITEHOOK, 42 Players Crescent, Totton, Southampton. Tel: 023 8086 1541.
www.flitehook.net email:flitehook@talktalk.net
FREE FLIGHT SUPPLIES, 12 Marston Lane, Eaton, Norwich, NR4 6LZ. Tel: 01603 457754.
www,freeflightsupplies.co.uk email:mike@freeflightsupplies.co.uk
JULY 2018 FLYING SCALE MODELS 37
 SUBJECTS FOR SCALE

The Danish ‘Storch’

SKANDINAVSK AE
KZ III & VII ‘LAER

38 FLYING SCALE MODELS JULY 2018

ERO INDUSTRIE
RKE’ O NE of the prettiest light planes of the
early post-WW2 years, the KZ.III
Laerke (Lark) as it is known in native
Denmark, was designed during
WW2. The designation was derived
from the first letters of the names of the co-
designers Kramme and Zeuthen, but although
numbered ‘III’ it was, in fact, their fourth design.
The prototype’s first flight took place in
September 1944, while Denmark was still under
German occupation, followed by preliminary trials
were contrived by it becoming an ambulance
plane, complete with Red Cross, in which guise
some flying was possible under otherwise
impossible late WW2 restrictive conditions.
However, really complete trials could not be
carried out and so the dismantled
machine was quietly taken by rail to
neutral Sweden and re-erected for
further tests. This ‘under cover’ prototype bore the
Swedish registration SE-ANY on silver dope and
flight trials showed that very little modification was
necessary before the machine could be built in
numbers.
With trials completed, the new KZ.III went into
production at the end of WW2 in 1945 and was in
production until 1947. Like the British Auster, the
Laerke enjoyed an initial monopoly in Denmark
which the war had left denuded of light aircraft.
Airframe construction is conventional and the
Laerke seated two comfortably in its four-foot
wide cabin, although other dimensions are smaller
than usual for its class. A central forked joystick
and dual rudder bars provide controls for training,
in which role the Laerke did done good work and
its docile characteristics make it an easy, though
non-aerobatic machine for pupils. This is largely
due to the slow-flying aids in the form of almost
The KZ III-U was a floatplane variant, one of which was
LN-DAN seen here. Owned by Wideroes Flyveselskap
between April 1946 and july 1953. Note also the four
engine flying boat in the right background.Perhaps a
Short Solent or Sandringham?
JULY 2018 FLYING SCALE MODELS 39
 SPECIFICATION
Span: 31 ft. 6 ins.
The KZ VII was a later development of the KZ III with seating for four occupants Length: 21 ft. 7 ins.
including the pilot. This British registered example seen at Elstree April 1946 had red Height: 6 ft. 11 ins.
fuselage, and silver flying surfaces.
Max. speed: 115 m.p.h. (sea level).
Cruising speed: 106 m.p.h.
Full load take off: 77 yds.
Landing run: 55 yds.

full-span fixed slats and the large slotted flaps that produce a
gentle stall and landing speed as slow as 34 m.p.h. It is
interesting to recall that, when the prototype had been fitted as
a glider tug, the glider stalled before the Laerke towing it!
Powerplant was the 90 h.p. Blackburn Cirrus Minor II engine
driving a two-bladed wooden propeller.
A larger version of the Laerke, the American Continental C125
flat-six-powered KZ.VII superseded the KZ.III in production for military
as well as civil use, but not before the Laerke had spread
throughout Scandinavia and as far afield as Malaysia and Australia.
In Switzerland a KZ.III was regularly flown on skis and at least
one was converted for twin-floatplane configuration for
operation from water, in which guise it proved eminently useful in
communications tasks with outlying Danish islands.
Colour
Larks are doped to owner’s taste and specimens seen in the
United Kingdom have been bright red all over, silver and cream
with black, black and green, and green and blue lettering
respectively. I

40 FLYING SCALE MODELS JULY 2018

 SCALE 1:40

FACING PAGE:
All these photos, including
the cockpit interior close-up
are of the later Coninental
125 hp powered KZ VII and
include both civilian
registered and Danish
military examples.

JULY 2018 FLYING SCALE MODELS 41

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On Silent Wings with Chris Williams

SCALE SOARING Chris describes his revised wing construction for two-piece gull wings
was a little too refined in comparison with
the more basic abilities of the actual
troop carriers such as the Waco, but they
did the job that was required of them).
Some years ago, clubmate Colin Cousins
built models of both the TG-2 and the TG-
3 to one-quarter scale. When my pal
Motley (A.K.A. Geoff Crew) spotted the
TG-3 at an aerotow event, want-itis set in,
and he squared himself up to build one at
1:3.5 scale, as shown in a previous
column. After all the hassle of a house
move, it became time again to look for a
project, and, with a little prompting from
me, he decided to produce a TG-2 as a
stablemate. All too soon, it was time for
the maiden flight, which duly took place
at the County Models Flying Club’s
peerless site, near Shaftesbury in Dorset.
Taken up behind our pal Smallpiece’s
tug (A.K.A. Barry Cole), this important
event took place without undue incident,
Geoff Crew with his Schweizer collection (TG-2 in the foreground) and it has to be said that the two models
together make a fine spectacle.
he TG-2 was first envisaged, in could be used. Since the US Army had no Hopefully, the prevailing slope-unfriendly

T USA, as a two-seat club training

glider, but when the Germans
invaded Belgium in 1940 with a
fleet of forty DFS 230 troop-
carrying gliders, it became clear to the
Americans that a similar methodology
previous experence of such military
tactics, any attempt to match such a
capability would, as a first stage, be
appropriate pilot training and the TG-2
was the most suitable machine available
at the time. (Ironically, its performance
weather patterns will change, and we will
see her come to life flying from out local
hills. Meanwhile, for a taste of the action,
the TG-3 video is still available on YouTube.
Just Google: AIRBORNE WITH THE TG-3

The TG-2 at rest

44 FLYING SCALE MODELS JULY 2018

1st stage of the Petrel wing construction
With the sub spars added, the wing spar is now an H-beam
BUILDING A BETTER MOUSETRAP
I have been building gull-winged models
for most of my adult life, and until recently
the procedure has always been the
same. The inner and outer panels are built
separately, and then jigged into the
correct position with the spars spliced,
joined and then reinforced. As this is not
the way the full-size had their wings built, I
have endured a certain amount of
criticism from the ‘Scale Police’ over the
years, even to the point of once spending
a night in a Scale Police cell! (The food
was terrible).
Full size glider gull wings have a relatively
smooth transition from one plane to the
other, rather than the more abrupt
transition in my wings, but I considered it a
minor point, pertinent only to the purist.
Enter the Micro Wolf, recently described.
At this size, a one-piece wing seemed
sensible, both to simplify construction, and
to save weight. As the Wolf has no
dihedral, it was a simple enough matter,
and the job proceeded without a hitch.
Next up, the 1/7th scale Gull 4: once more
a one-piece wing, but this time with
dihedral. After some heavy cogitation
and the imbibing of a suitable amount of
Falling Down Water, the following
procedure suggested itself; lay the lower
The wing is now jigged at the correct anhedral angle
One piece gull-wing!
spar flat over the plan and add the ribs,
leading edge, and trailing edge etc.
Now, raise one side of the wing on “ By now, I had
tapered jigging supports and add the top
spar. Then, add the ply webbing plates to realised that one of the
the front of the spar, and add the sub-
spar in front of the plates after first cutting un-recognised benefits
out the appropriate notches. (Sounds a
like a faff, but is a really simple of smaller models, is
procedure). What you end up with is a
dihedralled wing with a classic H-beam that they will fit neatly
spar, an engineer’s delight, and a very
strong and light structure. in between the larger
Next up, came the 1/5th scale version of
the Wolf, and then it was time to think of
models in the hangar,
the next project. By now, I had realised
that one of the un-recognised benefits of
thus maximising all of
smaller models, is that they will fit neatly in
between the larger models in the hangar,
the available space! ”
thus maximising all of the available space!
I opted to build a 1/5th scale version of
the iconic Slingsby Petrel, and of course,
this has a gull wing.
After more cogitation, and more Falling
Down Water, a plan emerged to build the
perfect gull-wing, enabling in one fell
swoop to simplify, safe weight, and stay
out of ‘Scale Prison’.
The wings will be separate this time, but
as with the Gull 4 wing, the initial build is
flat over the plan. Once again, the wing is
JULY 2018 FLYING SCALE MODELS 45
 The TG-2 in action at the CMFC club

then set up on the tapered jigging true. The resultant wing is strong, light (8ozs
supports, the top 3mm sq. spar added, without servos!) and has a perfectly
followed by the webbing plates and the seamless gull transition. It remains to be
sub spars. Compared with gull-wings on seen if this version of the Petrel will live up
my larger models, this is simplicity itself, but to my expectations...
it gets better. As the Petrel has less
anhedral than many other gliders of its A BIGGER WOLF
type, it has proved possible to sheet the As described last time around,
wing in balsa without a join at compound the 1/5th scale version of the
curve at the gull break. This is helped by Wolf was ready to be
wetting up the balsa at the break area covered and painted.
when taping the top sheeting into place. Smaller models have
As this is the final procedure that locks the issue that the
the wing into its final shape, the structure AUW is more
is placed on shaped transverse jigging critical than
supports that ensure that it is straight and their larger

46 FLYING SCALE MODELS JULY 2018

 brethren, so a completely Solartexed
airframe (assuming you can find any)
is contra-indicated. This means that
the flying surfaces need to be film
covered (plenty of sources for that)
which also means that the traditional
finishes on many the old gliders that
had translucent fabric covering,
through which the airframe could be
visible, cannot be replicated.
Because few full size Wolfs were
built and hardly any remain, it’s back
to a fantasy finish, and I chose the
equally traditional pairing of red &
white for my version. The fuselage is
covered with ’Tex, painted, and to
my eyes at least, the result was
pleasing enough.
The maiden flight was from an
aerotow launch behind my pal
Smallpiece’s trusty tug, which went
off without any issues, and
subsequent flights showed that she
was equally as aerobatic as the
smaller version. (The full-size was
stressed for aerobatics, remember). A
few flying sessions later, we could be
found attempting to video my 1/3rd
scale Habicht performing an inverted
pass and, fired up by the process, I
decided to do the same with the
Wolf. Alas, as over-excitement is one
of my many failings, I over-cooked
The 1/5th scale version along with the 1:3.5 scale Petrel Author before the Wolf’s maiden flight
The Wolf in action at White Sheet
JULY 2018 FLYING SCALE MODELS 47
the speed, causing the ailerons to
flutter madly and destroy the gears in
the servos that I could now see just
weren’t up to the job.
The Wolf spiralled down to be
reunited with Terra Firma in a less
than elegant fashion, as I wondered,
disconsolately, over to inspect the
remains. Thanks to my foresight in
making the fixing of the wings a
flexible one, there was no damage
to talk about, and the fitting of some
more robust servos restored her to
operational condition.
DAVID & GOLIATH
At the first of the Open Slopes events
at the White Sheet club, something
occurred that caused the many
witnesses to rub their eyes in disbelief.
What they saw was a mid-air collision
between my fragile 1/7th scale
wooden Wolf, and the club
chairman’s mighty, muscular, carbon
F3f killing machine.
Inevitably, one airframe kept flying,
whilst the other fell to earth in two
pieces. What we couldn’t believe,
was that it was the Wolf that
remained airborne and the super-
strong F3f glider that was brought
low. It just goes to show...sometimes,
the pen is mightier than the sword. I
 FULL SIZE FREE PLAN FEATURE

CESSNA 165
An 18" span 'micro' model for electric power and three function control. Designed by Peter Rake,
with the prototype model built by Phillip Artweger

could take up their straight taper from the the same incidence angle. Because the

T
his design came about for two, not
particularly related reasons. Firstly,
because I was drawing up some
more micro models and needed a
suitable subject, and secondly
because I’d never been totally happy
with the fuselage shape of the model’s
larger sister. At the time, I’d attempted to
keep the wing fixing simple to assist
potential builders, but it just resulted in a
fuselage that looked too fat.
Whilst perusing the drawings, the
solution suddenly leapt out at me. As long
as there was a fill-piece between the wing
mount sections of fuselage, the longerons
correct point and the resulting fuselage
shape was much more in keeping with the
slim appearance of the original. The
added advantage of this is that the
simple wing mounting can be retained
without the fuselage becoming bloated
looking behind the wing.
The way the model is set up is such that
the mounting of the wings sets both
incidence and dihedral pretty much
automatically. The little pegs you see are
not intended to be load bearing, they
simply ensure (given a square fuselage
assembly) that both wings MUST go on at
holes for the pegs must be accurately
positioned, I strongly recommend that you
purchase the set of laser cut parts the
publisher is offering.
Equal dihedral on both wings is set up by
the spar extensions being glued securely
to the F4/F4A assembly. F4 gives them a
secure mount, while F4A ensures that the
dihedral is correct. Naturally enough, this
does require the assembly in question to
be accurately fitted into the fuselage,
and glued securely in place.
While we’re discussing the set up of the
model, please note that the tailplane

Pretty as a picture, Phillip's 165 is all set for the off. After the tree incident, the registrations never quite made it.

48 FLYING SCALE MODELS JULY 2018

 CONSTRUCTION
The initial bare bones shot reveals that there is nothing unduly
complicated about this model.
The initial formers and radio tray fixed to one fuselage side and
the basic wing assemblies dry while pinned to the board.
does NOT follow the line of the top
longeron. It is at zero degrees to the
datum line. Careful positioning of parts
FA2 and FS3 (the tops of which are not as
flat as they at first appear) into the rear
fuselage side frames will ensure that the
tailplane does actually end up at the
correct angle.
A simple check for this is to fit the wings
first and then strap some strip wood to
their lower surface (rubber band),
extending back to the tailplane. The
tailplane should be at minus one degree
to those strips.
EQUIPMENT
The equipment shown on the plan consists
of a PZ P-51 motor unit and a Vapor style
receiver. Whilst the model is set up for
those particular items, any similar receiver
and geared 8.5 mm unit will work equally
well. You could even use a small brushless
outrunner but, as with any alternative
equipment, some of the parts will require
either replacement, or modification to
accommodate said equipment.
Whilst virtually anything CAN be used for
With all the parts covered and ready for assembly you can clearly
see the improved forward cabin on Phillip’s model.
The official naked model shot with just about everything in place.
control linkages (lightweight snakes, wood
and wire pushrods, etc) I invariably use
1mm carbon rod with Z-bend wire ends
secured using heat shrink tube and a spot
of CA. It’s about the lightest, and easiest-
to-install system I’ve come across to date.
To make it even easier to install, I like to
get as much of the fuselage covered as
possible, just leaving the bottom rear
open, before fitting the receiver. Then,
using pushrods that only have the receiver
end Z-bend in place, and are well over
length, slip the whole assembly in through
the open lower rear fuselage. By having
one pushrod considerably longer than the
other, the longer one can be threaded
through its exit plate (FS2/FS3) before the
second pushrod gets even close to
anywhere that it might puncture the
covering while you struggle getting the
first one through the slot. Once both
pushrods are in place, the receiver can
be glued (Uhu Por) in position on RT.
Having the pushrods already in position
will allow you to position the receiver so
that there is no binding where the
pushrods exit the fuselage. This is
important because the little linear servos
on the receiver brick aren’t the strongest
imaginable. It doesn’t take much to stall
them and cause burning out of the ‘fetts’.
For the same reason, it is vitally important
that no glue, or specs of grit, get into the
servo gears.
After puncturing the covering in more
than one place while trying to install
correct length pushrods, I very quickly
devised a better way of doing things. Not
only is it a damn sight more difficult, it’s
also fraught with potential disaster for your
neatly applied covering.
COVERING
There are numerous covering options, but
probably the two most suitable for models
of this kind are lightweight covering film or
the ‘traditional aeromodelling’ route of
doped tissue. To my mind the latter option
has its advantages. Although probably
not quite as puncture resistant as a film
covering (even though lightweight films
do still puncture fairly easily), I like it
because of the finishing options. Whilst the
finish takes paint well, masking can be
JULY 2018 FLYING SCALE MODELS 49
 CONSTRUCTION
Phillip opted for a lighter, built up hatch rather than one from
block balsa.
troublesome and always entails the risk
that upon removal, the masking will tear
the tissue.
A good alternative is to use tissue-over-
tissue to provide the colour trim. However,
my personal favourite would be to use
printed tissue. Although it takes a while to
get all the graphics prepared (assuming
you have the equipment), all your lines will
be perfectly straight and it adds
absolutely no measurable weight so things
like scale details and registrations can be
included in the graphics and such details
don’t need to be added later.
How you apply your printed tissue will
depend on what type of ink your printer
uses. Obviously, if it’s a dye type ink (not
waterproof) you want to avoid anything
that contains water, so tissue paste and
thinned PVA are definitely out. The
traditional method of doping the tissue
onto the model works well and allows you
Yes, that is a real runway the model sits on. Phillip is a pilot in real life too.
50 FLYING SCALE MODELS JULY 2018
With the basic front fuselage box assembled you can see how
easy it is to laminate the tailplane outline.
to accurately align the panels before
applying the dope. Glue sticks can also
be used, but that does make accurate
alignment more difficult because they
tend to ‘grab’ almost instantly.
Although I haven’t tried it myself, I know
other modellers have a particular method
of using a glue stick as adhesive and as
an aid for getting panels to align
accurately. The method here, is to apply
glue stick to both the airframe and the
tissue, allow it to dry for about an hour
and then use a trim iron to attach the
tissue exactly as if it were a covering film.
Because it doesn’t grab until you apply
the heat, alignment can be as accurate
as you care to make it and the tissue can
be pulled taut so that the panels can be
applied reasonably wrinkle free.
Above all, remember that water
shrinking isn’t really an option because the
ink will run. Careful (very careful) steam
shrinking can be used, but you need to
avoid getting any water droplets actually
on the covering.
If, on the other hand, your printer uses
pigment ink (waterproof), your options for
applying the tissue to the model open up
quite considerably. Wet covering, using
dope as an adhesive, works well and
allows the panels to be teased into place
accurately and (hopefully) wrinkle free
before the dope is applied. Tissue paste
(or thinned PVA) also works well for tissue
applied dry, and allows for very precise
alignment and wrinkle removal prior to
water shrinking. Naturally, glue stick can
also be used and, if the alignment doesn’t
need to be too precise, can even be
used to cover wet and still stick well.
THE MODEL
So, having pretty much covered any
points of which you need to be aware,
what equipment you’re likely to need and having given you a few
ideas about covering your model, now I suppose we’d better get CUT PARTS
SET FOR THE
that model built so that you can employ all these interesting ideas.

FUSELAGE
As you can see from the photos of Phillip’s model, the fuselage is
built as two distinct sections. There is a relatively substantial, sheet
sided, forward section that will support the motor, radio gear and
wing mounting, plus a much lighter, rear box girder that is attached
after both sub-assemblies are pretty much complete.
There’s nothing really complicated about either fuselage sub-
section, and it certainly shouldn’t need a ‘stick-A-to-B’ type
CESSNA
discourse. If you can’t build a structure as simple as this without step-
by -tep instructions, this model probably isn’t for you.
The main points to watch, involve the alignment of parts. Some
were highlighted above, but the most important ones are that you
165
Get straight down to construction without delay!
ensure all sub-assemblies are perfectly square and that the tailplane This month’s full size free plan feature is supported
seat ends up at the correct angle, relative to the wings. On Phillip’s
by a laser-cut set of ready-to-use balsa and
first model (he’s currently building a second one), the tailplane
somehow ended up following the line of the top longeron, resulting plywood components. This provides the parts that,
in the need for quite a bit of up elevator trim. otherwise, you would need to trace out onto the
One thing I can see I’ve got wrong on the plan is the size of part X. wood before cutting out and includes wing ribs
It should have 1/16 inch trimmed off each side and fit BETWEEN the and tips, tail centre parts, fuselage
top longerons, not on top of them as the plan appears to show. The doublers, top deck,formers etc.
top longeron extends to the rear edge of ‘X’.
As you’ll see from the photos, Phillip had added a more scale
IT DOES NOT INCLUDE STRIP
looking front section to the cabin, between the wings which is Not
AND SHEET MATERIAL OR
essential by any means, but it does add an awful lot to the SHAPED WIRE PARTS
appearance of the model.

TAIL SURFACES
Price £14.00
plus carriage: £11.50 (UK); Europe £26.00
Apart from the laminated outlines, the tail surfaces really couldn’t be
much easier to build. Although feared by many who have never
tried them, laminated outlines are both lighter and stronger than
Order set CUT/FSM539
Shipping Note: For shipping to destinations outside the UK and
outlines built up from cut pieces of sheet balsa - as in many rubber
Europe, you will be charged our standard flat-rate price of £49.
power kits. The result is a much more rigid structure that weighs less
This covers most destinations and secures your order with us.
and is less inclined to warp as the covering is shrunk. The fact that it’s However, we will contact you accordingly with an accurate
easier to simply glue three soggy strips together and shape them total shipping charge prior to dispatch and either issue a
around a template than it is to get accurate joints in a built up tail refund or a PayPal money request for the balance.
outline is just an added bonus.
Visit our secure website:
WINGS www.flyingscalemodels.com
Just like the rest of this model, there’s nothing particularly arduous
involved in building the wings. Personally, I prefer to use the drawing to order yours
on the plan to mark the spar with the position and angle of the root
rib, but there are angle guides included for those among you who
prefer to use that method. Of cause, it also allows for those ‘belt-
and-braces’ types to use both methods as a double check.
I can’t emphasise too strongly the need to use at least bass for the
spars. Spruce would also be fine, but the grain in Obeche might lead
to warps because it tends to wander quite a bit. Since it’s the spars
that carry all the flying loads, it’s important that they are strong
enough to do exactly that. Wings that part company with the
fuselage at the first attempted loop are neither use nor ornament.
If you feel the wing tips may be on the heavy side as drawn, I
won’t be in the least offended if you use a lighter, laminated tip bow
and extended spar. Whichever you choose, the trailing edge will
need to be tapered in thickness to accommodate the tapering
nature of the wing ribs.

FLYING
I’m sure the eagle eyed amongst you will notice there are no flying
shots of this model. That is not down to laziness on Phillip’s part.
During the initial flights one of those sneaky trees leapt out and
smote his model to the ground. It was never the same model after
that, so no flying shots could subsequently be taken.
Apart from the need for a lot of up elevator trim due to the
incorrectly angled tailplane (not needed on the repaired and
rectified model), it was found that the model is quite sensitive to
rudder input. So, at least until you are completely familiar with the
model, keep rudder input small and ‘feel’ the model through turns.
Things tend to happen slowly at first, leading to the temptation to
use more rudder, and that’s when the problems start. Restricting the
amount of rudder throw available significantly reduces the possibility
of over enthusiasm getting you into trouble.
Since this is a cabin monoplane, not an aerobatic type, slow and
gentle looks far better anyway. Don’t use too much power, keep Order direct from:- Doolittle Media, Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane,
control input gentle and simply enjoy watching the model stooge Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX, UK. Tel: 01525 222573/
around. I enquiries@doolittlemedia.com.

JULY 2018 FLYING SCALE MODELS 51

 PLANS ’N PAR Be ready to start building as soon as you unfold the plans with thes
WE CAN ARRANGE a cut parts set for ANY model in the FSM Plan
about to embark on a new scale modelling project from our plans
start on the building process, just call to enquire and we'll do t

De HAVILLAND DH 82a BUCKER BU180 STUDENT

TIGER MOTH Plan price £26.50 Plan No.015
Plan price £26.50 Plan No.051

Component Pack £115.00 Component Pack £120.00

An 80 inch (2032mm.) wingspan, 1:4.33 scale model for
1.20 cu.in. motors and four function radio control sys-
tems, No moulded cowl required - all wood construction.
Three sheet plan.
A big, but manageable scale model of the German pre-W.W.2 trainer,
designed for .90-.120 four stroke motors and four function radio
systems. Four sheet plan shows conventional wooden structure for
airframe, plus alternative foam core wing.

De HAVILLAND
DH60 MOTH
Plan price £19.50 Plan No.054

Component Pack £115.00 BOEING PT-13 STEARMAN

An 80 inch (2032 mm) wingspan, 1:4.33 scale replica
for .90 - 1.20 cu. in. motors and four function radio con- Plan price £19.50 Plan No.243
trol systems.Two sheet plan.
Component Pack £99.00
A 58” (1473mm) wingspan replica of the famous biplane radical
engined trainer aircraft of the WW2 era.Designed for 700 size elec-
tric motors, but with option of i.c.engine power using a .52-.60 four
GLOSTER GLADIATOR WESTLAND LYSANDER MK.3 stroke engine, with modifications shown on a separate plan sheet.
(Ready -cut wing ribs and fuselage formers available - see below)
Plan price £17.50 Plan No.078 Plan price £19.50 Plan No.109 Three sheet plan

Component Pack £135.00 Component Pack £135.00

The RAF’s last fighter biplane, a classic of it’s era, modelled Superb true scale construction replica on the WW2 Army Co-op
to 1/7th scale with a wingspan of 54.5 (1384mm). Suits .46- and Special Operations aircraft in 1.75”: 1ft scale. 87.5”
.60 motors. (2223mm) wingspan model suits .50-.60 size two stroke motors
and requires minimum 4-function radio control. Two sheet plan.

Take the tedium out of building our Boeing PT-13 with this set of pre-
cision laser-cut wing ribs and fuselage formers. It takes the hard graft
out of preparation, while leaving all the fun of the building!

DE HAVILLAND CANADA PIPER SUPER CUB

DHC-1 CHIPMUNK
Plan price £16.50 Plan No.146
Plan price £27.50 (Either scale)

Component Pack £155.00 (Either scale)

Component Pack £95.00
Dave Womersley’s 1/4 scale plan no.341, 103” (2616mm) wingspan G/F Cowl price £17.50
Nationals scale winner, for 1.8 cu.in. four stroke engines.The plans are also A great first-time scale model for novices and sport fliers who want
available in 1/5th scale plan no.342; please specify which scale is required. real scale accuracy. 79 ins span 1:5.33 scale model suits a range of
Please note: no proving prototype of the 1/5th scale model has been built, engines .40-.60. Twosheet plan. Glass fibre cowl available.
the plans are simply a scale-down from 1/4 scale.

D.H. 103 HORNET FAIREY GANNET A.S.I

Plan price £22.50 Plan No.052 Plan price £19.50 Plan No.065

Component Pack £130.00 Component Pack £135.00 SOPWITH CAMEL

80” (mm) wingspan sport-scale replica of the hottest pro- A 1/8th scale 81” (2057mm) span model of the Naval search air- Plan price £14.50 Plan No.188
duction piston engined fighter ever. Suits engines .40- craft. Flaps and retracts shown, plus bomb doors, extending radome
.53. Original retracting undercarriage unit included with
the plans.
and tail hook, and optionanal folding wings. Minimum 4 function R/C
(Two sheet plan). Component Pack £79.50
1/6th scale replica of the famous
RFC WW1 fighter biplane, for .24-
40 size motors and four function
R/C. 56”(1422mm) wing span.
 WHAT DO THE CUT-PARTS SETS CONTAIN?
All the components, in balsa and ply that you would otherwise have

RTS
se laser-cut parts sets
to trace off the plan onto the wood and then tediously cut out prior
to commencing building! Basic strip and sheet wood not included.
Be ready to start building as soon as you unfold the plans!

CURTISS JN-4 JENNY

Plan price £19.50 Plan No.038

ns Service range. S0 if you are Component Pack £145.00

range and want to get a head- 81 in. wingspan 1:6.4 scale replica of the clas-
the rest (tel: 01494 433453). sic American biplane. Easy to fly with all the
character of the full size. Suits .52 -.75 motors
and 4 function radio.

TIPSY JUNIOR PERCIVAL PROCTOR AERONCA C3 CHILTON DW1A

Plan price £19.50 Plan No.286 1/7th scale: Plan price £19.50 Plan No.293 Plan price £22.50 Plan No.303
Component Pack Component Pack
Plan price £16.50 Plan No.151 Component Pack £125.00
£95.00 1:5.5 scale: Plan price £24.50 £95.00 1930s sporting monoplanes, the tiny DW1a
A 1:3.44 scale, 79” (2006mm) wingspan Plan No.152 A quarter-scale'' wing span model of the makes a truly attractive subject for scale mod-
replica of the late 1940s Belgian light aircraft, famous 1930s American single seat light air- elling. This 1/3rd scale version comes from
the expert design board of Phil S.Kent. 96"
des9igned to suit .90-1.20 cu.in engines. COMPONENTS PACK: 1/7th scale OR craft, designed by Philip S. Kent to competition
Designed by Philip S.Kent, the model features standard. Suits four function R/C and 1 to (2438mm) wing span, features flaps as per
1;5.5 £115.00 1.20cu.in four stroke engines. Two sheet plan the full size, suits 1.5 to 1.8 cu.in. four stroke
all built-up balsa/ply construction throughout
and makes an excellent entry into R/C scale set engines, and five function R/C systems. Two
modelling. Rudder, elevator, aileron and throttle sheet plan
A scale model of the light communications
controls. aircraft. Plans available in 1/7th scale, with a
wingspan of 65” (1651mm). Engine size .50-
.60 cu.in. .

SOPWITH PUP FOKKER D.VII

Plan price £16.50 G/F Cowl price £17.50 Plan No.177 Plan price (either scale) £26.50
Component Pack £135.00 1/4 Plan No.241, 1/5 Plan No.242

Superb, true-to-scale 1/5th scale replica, features accurate out- Component Pack 1/4 £125.00
lines and rib-for-rib reproduction of the full size wing structure.63
ins. (1600mm) span model is of manageable size for transport and
offers realistic flight performance.For.60size motors and 4 function Component Pack 1/5 £120.00
radio.Glass fibre engine cowl available.
1/4 scale spans 82.5” (2095mm) for 30cc
(1.8 cu.in.) two stroke engines. 1/5th scale
spans 65.7/8 “ (1673mm) and suits 15.cc
(.90 cu.in.) four stroke engines. BE SURE TO
BRISTOL F2B ‘BRISFIT’ QUOTE SCALE REQUIRED WHEN ORDERING!
Plan price £24.50 1/4 Plan No.021, 1/5 Plan No. 023

Component Pack £125.00 (either scale)

Accurate, 1/4 scale replica of the famous WW2 British

two-seat fighter. 117.75” (2991mm) span model requires
25-30cc two-stroke power. Model construction closely fol-
lows the structure of the full size. Three sheet plan set.

HAWKER FURY PIPER SUPER CRUISER PFALZ D.XII

Plan price £17.50 Plan No.091 Plan price £27.50 Plan No.313
Plan price £17.50 G/F Cowl price £17.50
Component Pack £125.00 Plan No.150
Component Pack £175.00
A 1/6th scale replica of the RAF’s most ele- Component Pack £95.00 1/4 scale WW1 German fighter biplane for 1.80 - 2.00
gant 1930’s biplane fighter. 60” (1524mm) cu. in engines
wing span model requires four function R/C A 1/5th true scale
gear and .60 cu.in. motor. 84” (2134mm)
wingspan replica of
the Piper PA-12 light
aircraft, designed for
four function radio
control systems and
.90 cu. in. size
motors.

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Tel: 01525 222573 email: enquiries@doolittlemedia.com
ORDER ON LINE: www.flyingscalemodels.com/plans/
GLOBE / TEMCO
GC-1B

SCALE 1:30
(NOT TO SCALE)
GLOBE SWIFT FLYING COLOURS
At the end of last month’s ‘Subjects for Scale’ feature, we ran out of pages, so here are just a few
of the many non-factory colour schemes carried among the many GC-1A and GC-1B Swifts
subsequent to cessation of production in 1951.

56 FLYING SCALE MODELS JULY 2018

JULY 2018 FLYING SCALE MODELS 57
TECHNIQUE

A RADIAL COWL
WITHOUT A MOULD
HERE'S A SIMPLE METHOD OF MAKING A COWL WITHOUT A LOT OF PREPARATORY EFFORT

F
or many modellers, one of the major obstacles when
building a scale model is the engine cowl. Complex
shapes often dictate recourse to glass fibre mouldings,
but not everyone has the skill to produce the necessary
mould and, when all that’s required is a on-off, then the
amount of effort and time necessary to make a mould and then
the actual moulding is a considerable brake to progress with the
scale project in hand.
The technique shown here is by no means a universal answer to
the problem of producing a radial type engine cowl, quite simply
because some cowls are more “radial”, than others. For
example, types that have compound curve radial cowls, like for
instance the Republic Thunderbolt, or Grumman Hellcat.
However, for types that feature basically simple circular cowl
shapes, like the Hawker Sea Fury, Chance Vought Corsair (F4U-1
but not F4U-4), Hawker Tempest Mk.2 etc, it represents a quick
route to a perfectly workable cowl unit.
Construction is basically a ring of rolled plywood, with balsa front
fairing. Work begins by cutting three discs from corrugated
cardboard (or whatever you have to hand) to the appropriate
diameters, allowing for a final cowl wall thickness of 1/6” (1.5mm).
Assemble these on a cardboard tube as shown and apply

1 2

3 4

58 FLYING SCALE MODELS JULY 2018

5 6

1: The basic jig, over which the cowl will be constructed is made up from a central cardboard tube and cardboard formers, all of which will
eventually be remnoved when the cowl in complete. 2: For either a constant diameter cowl, or with a symmetrical taper shape, make a pattern
from thin card to use as a cutting guide for cutting the plywood wrap-arround skin. 3: The cardboard former wiIh reinforcement strips tack
glued in plate, Cardboard gussets set the former rigs at right angles to the centre carrier tube in both axes. 4: The plywood shell is now wound
around the former and held in place with plenty of masking tape. Either two laminations of 1/32” (0.8mm) or one 1/16” (1.5mm). 5 & 6: Two
laminations of balsa sheet laid inside the plywood skin form the gluing key for the balsa front fairing. Grain should run across the strips, so the
strips will follow the contour of the front cowl rig easily. 7: Build up the front rim with balsa rings, applied in decending size from rear to front.
Note temporary front ring guide. 8: All the balsa rings of the front fairing are here in place. Centre core of the front ring is being used as a
centre reference. 9: Here the front fairing has been rough shaped to contour. Filler may be required between rings. The inside of the front fairing
must also be contoured, Re-inforce the front ring with glass fibre to toughen up.

supporting gussets. These must be at exact right angles, so as to
set the rings at right angles to the cardboard tube carrier. Unless
this right-angle is set up correctly, the two end discs, front and
rear, cannot be used as reference points for cutting the front and
rear of the plywood wrap-around to final shape and you risk
ending up with a mis-shaped cowl unit.
Next stage is to apply the longerons around the discs, tack
gluing with cyano. Eight are shown on the example here - 1/4”
hard strip balsa will do. Having reached this stage, we have a
basic jig over which to wind the plywood cowl ring.
Particularly in the case of a fully symetrical cowl that tapers, it is
advisable to cut a dummy template for the wrap-around
plywood. Make this from thin card and then use it to mark out
the shape onto the plywood sheet. The example shown here was
made up using two laminations of 1/32” (O.8mm) ply, but for a
large diameter cowl at least, a single sheet of 1/16” (1.5mm) ply
would probably work at least as well and would be simpler.
To apply the plywood skin, first check the fit and then tack-glue
one end over one of the balsa longerons using cyano glue and, if
needed, also with accelerator spray. Re-check the accuracy of
the wrap-around and then roll back the ply sheet to add white
glue along all the longerons. The plywood wrap can then be
rolled back into place, fixing the end lip with cyano. Use masking
tape liberally to hold it all in place while the white glue dries.
Got a nose for it ...
The shaped nose rim of the cowl is made from layered rings of
soft balsa sheet, the thickness depending on the size of the cowl
being made. The 1/6th scale Hawker Sea Fury cowl example
here used 1/2” (12mm) thick material.
Start by applying a thickness of balsa strip around the inside of
the leading edge of the plywood ring. Two or three laminations
of 1/6” (1.5mm) balsa sheet about 1/2” (12mm) wide work well. It
will follow the curve easiest if the grain runs across the strip,
otherwise, with the grain running the length of the strip, it may be
necessary to soak the strip of hot water to take the curve line of
the cowl without snapping.
Once this has set, it forms a gluing base for the 1/2” (12mm)
balsa front rim rings. These are cut to shape in descending
diameters towards the front, using a band saw or similar. The
balsa rings are applied ‘bread-and-butter’ fashion, each
successive lamination being applied 90 degrees cross-grain to
the last one.
A small cardboard ring at the extreme nose, cut to the exact
diameter of the front intake will help to ensure the symmetry of
the whole assembly.
Shaping up
Once the front rings are firmly glued, the final shaping of the
nose can be done, fairing the inner and outer surfaces. A card
template here will aid symmetry.
Toughen up
At this stage, you have a fully shaped cowl, but it should be
remembered that, since the engine cowl area of a scale model
tends to take a few knocks from time to time, with nose-overs for
example, some toughening up process may be appropriate. Thin
glass fibre cloth and resin works well for that purpose. I

7 8 9

JULY 2018 FLYING SCALE MODELS 59

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R/C SCALE ELECTRICS with
Peter Rake
As long as you’re careful with the finish,
Glenn Lewis demonstrates what can be
done when converting a small Guillow’s
kit to electric R/C.
62 FLYING SCALE MODELS JULY 2018
ight then, it’s time for more
R electric flight nonsense. Well,
mostly electric flight these days,
since I seem to be wandering
into rubber power free-flight
territory too, with some of the things I’ve
been talking about. Not to worry, it still fits
under the umbrella of the ‘Quiet’ part of
the column’s title since I’ve yet to see a
rubber power model that made much
noise or needed a muffler!
Yet, they can make quite a bit of noise,
and bits of balsa are prone to fly in all
directions, when a fully wound motor
breaks, but that isn’t actually the object
of the exercise. Generally they’re quieter
than our electric powered models.
In case you were wondering where all
this talk of rubber power models is
leading, think back to the last two thrilling
instalments of your favourite electric flight
column. We’ve been looking at the
conversion of rubber power models into
electric powered radio control models.
Well, electric power at any rate; if you
want to keep them free-flight that is
entirely up to you.
CATCHING UP (again)
In case you missed the first two parts of
this series, here’s a brief recap of what
was discussed. In the first part we took a
very broad view of the topic, including
looking at degrees of control; everything
from throttle only through to ‘full house’
control. However, for most of us three
channels is about all we’ll need, be that
R/E/T or A/E/T. It just depends on the
prototype we’re converting.
In the second part, we concentrated on
taking a little closer look at some of the
various kit manufacturers’ products that
might be ‘suitable cases for treatment’;
not particularly individual kits, but more
an overview of what you can expect
from any given kit producer.
Last month I said I had no personal
experience of Dumas kits. Well that has
now changed. I recently acquired one of
their ‘walnut’ scale kits; the 17.5” span
Fokker E.III and from what I’ve seen on
inspecting the contents, these really are
rather nice little kits. The plans are clear
and show a reasonable amount of detail,
the wood selection looks about ideal and
the laser cutting is very clean - maybe
not quite as clean as Vintage Model
Company, but their stuff really is in the
top rank of laser cutting.
Overall though, I’d say the two brands
are very similar in terms of wood selection
and laser cutting. I think both are very
good indeed. Yes, once I’ve worked my
way through my current stash of kits, I can Typical of the receiver for very small models, the DT 2 channel receiver next to a 5p piece.
definitely see more kits from both
manufacturers in my modelling future.
Whether they end up rubber powered, or
get converted to lightweight radio and
electric power remains to be seen.
As regards the other company; I had no
experience of their smaller models (only
having tried the larger types intended for
brushed motors, Ni-Cad batteries and
huge radio gear compared with what
we’re talking about here. The company
in question is Easy Built, and I’m currently
awaiting the arrival of one of their rubber
power kits that features laser cut parts. If it
arrives in time, I’ll add some impressions
here. It isn’t a scale model, but should be
pretty much typical of what you can
expect from similar kits.
As you can, perhaps, deduce from my
earlier comments, although some were
originally bought with the intention of
converting them, there’s every chance
that most of the rubber power kits I have A 6 mm motor unit and micro actuator would be a good match to the receiver for a peanut
scale conversion.
will end up as just that, rubber powered.
Sorry and all that, but I just like the
simplicity of rubber power models, and
the fact it gives me a chance to re-live
my misspent youth.
You’ll find a lot of us old beggars do
things like that. We might not be able to
chase the bloomin’ things any more, but
we still enjoy them. It’s a hard old life
keeping you lot entertained, you know.
Doesn’t half eat into my own modelling
time; just as well I enjoy doing it because
what it pays doesn’t cover the cost of
things I need to buy so that I have
something to write about. As I say; a hard
old life.

JUST IN TIOME POSTIE

I’d hardly finished writing the above when
there came a rapping, a rap tap
tapping, on my door. Sorry, could not
resist murdering a bit of Poe there. Yes, it
was the Postie with my Easy built kit. Now
I’ve only had a very quick glance at it,
just to get an overall impression of what
the kit is like, and it’s really quite nice.
Laser cutting is very clean, strip wood
selection appears to be fine and there’s
some pleasant coloured tissue supplied. The very cheap 2 channel radio I bought compared to a Plantraco 4 channel receiver. Not
Maybe the laser cut sheet is a little harder super lightweight but certainly useable.

JULY 2018 FLYING SCALE MODELS 53

 than I’d have chosen, but definitely still
acceptable.
As far as I can see, the only places it falls
down a little involve trying to produce a
modern kit from a vintage design. There’s
a note on the plan about a modified
tailplane (one piece tailplane. Apart from
that note, the plan appears to be exactly
the same as the original I downloaded
from the ‘net.
Yes, I’m nit-picking there, the overall
package appears pretty good and, if
conversion was your aim, it should convert
easily without gaining too much weight.
Bearing in mind how I hate spending
money, I’m pretty happy with what I got.

EQUIPMENT
Moving swiftly along now (as swift as
A selection of suitable motors. 6mm from Nano Stik and Vapor, with a cheap 7 mm unit from anything gets in this column), let’s take a
China. look at some of the equipment you are
likely to be needing for these conversions.
Yes, I had worked out that it pretty much
depends on the size of model you are
actually converting. Do come on, even
I’m not that slow on the uptake. Close,
perhaps, but not QUITE that slow.
The very smallest rubber power models,
those with a class specified 9” maximum
wingspan are definitely best left to the
experts. Yes, they most certainly can be
converted, but it requires pretty
specialised radio gear to achieve that
feat. Tiny receivers, minuscule battery
packs, and probably home-made
magnetic actuators are the order of the
day; definitely not the sort of thing you
can just nip down to your local model
shop and buy.
A little larger (13” span) are Peanut class
models. As you can imagine, you do have
a little more scope with these. Vapor and
Mini Vapor style receiver ‘bricks’ will work,
but are still at the heavier end of what is
suitable. Realistically, you’re still looking at
very small motors and batteries coupled
with, probably, a DT receiver board and
micro actuators if slow-and-floaty is what
you’re aiming for. Obviously, lighter is
Typical equipment for Dime Scale size models. Vapor style receiver brick and 8.5 mm motor better but at least you are starting to get
unit. Just what’s shown on the free plans this month.
into the realms of more easily accessible
equipment that doesn’t always cost an
arm and a leg to buy. Somehow it always
seems counter intuitive to me to build
small, cheap models and then spend a
small (or not so small) fortune on the gear
to go in them.
Bostonian class models could also be
grouped in with this category. They’re a
little bigger at 16” span, but use very light
structures. So, unless you are totally
revising how the model is built, they need
to be kept light. They’re also, by-and-
large, extremely ‘cartoon scale’, so
probably won’t appeal too much to
those wanting a nice, but small, scale
model to flit about with.
Bigger still, at around 18” span, and
using structures that are much more in line
with the KeilKraft, Veron and Guillows kits
we butchered as youngsters, are the
Walnut and Dime Scale models. Not too
surprisingly, many of the Dime Scale
Just how simple installation of the Vapor brick can be. Carbon pushrods are more common offerings are of American origin. The
but wood works well enough.

64 FLYING SCALE MODELS JULY 2018

name comes from the fact that this size of
kit was, in the dim and distant past,
available for purchase at the princely sum
of one Dime (ten cents).
Being vintage designs, there may not be
that many of them still available as kits,
but in plan form there are literally
hundreds to be found on various plan
download sites. (Fine if they’re truly
‘Vintage’, but unscrupulously dishonest if
they’re rip-offs of designs currently
available from magazine publishers
who’ve paid hundreds of Pounds to get
the draughting done in the first place -
quite out of order and ‘OutaZone’-
Editor).
Pretty much all the KeilKraft and Veron
ranges, along with those Andrew Darby
designs I mentioned fall into this group. So,
although the original kits are long gone,
they are still available from suppliers of
‘nostalgia’ models. Yes, just like Vintage
Model Company, the best part being that
they now come with laser cut parts, just to
make our lives that much easier.
Now you really are getting into
commercial radio gear - still lightweight
gear, but gear that is far more easily
obtained. Apart from the three and six
channel receiver bricks, most of which
have a built-in speed controller and come
with two servos already attached (and
sockets for additional servos) there are
numerous stand-alone receivers (some of
which also contain a built-in speed
control) that will accept a wide range of
servos, of both linear and rotary output.
Ex-helicopter (small helicopters) receiver
boards are also eminently suited to these
models; that’s the boards from four
channel helicopters, either fixed pitch or
coaxial. In either case you’ll find that the
tail rotor motor can be dispensed with, or
the gyro (coaxials) disabled and the two
servos then operated as rudder and
elevator (or aileron and elevator,
depending on the control arrangement
you need.
Now these boards can be had really
cheaply if you trawl the web a little. True,
most require their own dedicated
transmitter or a more up-market one that
uses the same protocol, but both together
can be had for less than the cost of a
single Vapor style brick. Once you have
the transmitter, receiver boards are really
very inexpensive - £10 to £12.
Some people claim these units are on
the fragile side, but I can’t see why. The
ones I have are still functioning perfectly
well in the helicopters they originally
came in. Believe me, those boards have
led a pretty hard life with me flying the
helicopters - well, you can’t be good at
everything. It isn’t my fault that I fly fixed
wing in Mode 1 and virtually all the
helicopters are Mode 2.
I usually fly three channel models too,
which helps not in the least. It isn’t funny
when you try to turn the helicopter and
find you’ve side swiped it into something
because the bank (aileron) stick is where
you’d usually have rudder.
Once you get above around 25”
wingspan pretty much any lightweight
radio gear will work just fine. Conventional
micro receivers, servos up to around 5
grams each (9 grams if you’re going a lot
bigger than 25”), small brushless motors
and 2S battery packs are all fine and can
be found pretty much anywhere.
At the smaller end of the range, ‘brick’
receivers (either ex-helicopter or Vapor
style) are still viable and offer a simple,
lightweight solution that doesn’t stretch
the converting skills too much.
MOTORS
Well, I really had intended for finish this
series this month, but I can see that isn’t
quite going to happen (again). So
constructional changes will have to wait
until next time. Instead, we can take a
quick look at some suitable motors with
which to power our conversions.
As I said, once you get above a certain
size of model you find yourself back in
normal electric flight territory and would
just use the same type of motor you
would for any other similar size lightweight
model. So if you would usually equip a 30”
model with a 15 gram outrunner and 2S
pack, that works just fine in a converted
rubber model of similar size.
The very smallest models are, as I said,
the preserve of the experienced
‘converter’; someone who will already
know just what is required and precisely
where to obtain it. Since we’ve pretty
much eliminated the two extremes, both
large and very small, let’s look at the
much more common size of rubber power
models; Peanut, Walnut and Dime Scale.
In other words, anything that falls into the
below 25” span category.
As regards Peanut scale models, that
you expect to fly in a similar manner to
how they would under their original
propulsion, there are a number of 6mm
geared motors available. The can length
and armature wind determines how
powerful they are, but you shouldn’t need
anything too powerful because the
model is going to be REALLY light to begin
with; at least, it is if you build it right. A
model Sopwith Pup that has to fly at a
scale version of Mach 2 simply because
it’s too heavy, is no fun at all and looks
awful. Something along the lines of a
Vapor motor unit should be fine for these
models.
There are very light brushless motors that
would also work, but you really don’t
need all that power - or the larger battery
required to cope with their current draw.
For the Walnut/Dime Scale and models
slightly larger but still not exceeding about
70 grams ready-to-fly, probably the PZ P-
51 gearbox unit is as good a choice as
any. It isn’t too heavy, is readily available
and not too costly. Depending on the
weight of the model, there are various 7
or 8.5 mm geared motors available. I like
the PZ units simply because these mount
easily and suit the built-in speed controller
in the bricks I use.
Once again, there are small brushless
motors that will do the job although they
don’t offer much advantage in terms of
power, but do tend to be more current-
hungry than the geared, brushed units;
viable, but hardly essential.
Hopefully next time we will actually see
this discourse concluded. In the
meantime, if you’d like to contact me I
can be found at PETERRAKE@aol.com. I
JULY 2018 FLYING SCALE MODELS 65
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of the best and most elegant
pre-glass fibre era club single
seat sailplanes. A great flier.
Two sheet plans.
Plan No.006 Plan price £24.50 Plan No.83 Component Pack £135.00
Component Pack £125.00 A 1/4 scale model with a wing span of 147.6”
(3750mm). Suits 60-.90 cu.in.motors.
A superb example of the
machine which is the epitome of
pre-WW2 vintage open cockpit
gliders. 1/4 scale model plans
133.5” (3390mm). Two sheet
plan.

DFS REIHER II KAISER Ka-7

Plan price £24.50
Plan price £28.50 Plan No.158
Plan No.101

Component Pack £135.00 Component Pack £125.00

1/4 scale replice of the famous pre- WW2 1/4 scale 157.5” (4000mm) wing span model of the famous
vintage gull-wing German sailplane. This is one German two seater glider. Performance is superb and simulates
for the enthusiast who loves building. Three the full size very nicely. Plans on two large sheets.
large sheet plan

HUTTER H-17
Plan price £22.50 Plan No.081

Component Pack £130.00

1/3 scale 129.9” (3300mm) span replica of a loverly
vintage scale ‘floater’. Light yet tough. Two sheet plan.

WHAT DO THE CUT-PARTS SETS CONTAIN?

All the components, in balsa and ply that you would otherwise have to trace off the plan onto the wood and then
tediously cut out prior to commencing building! Be ready to start building as soon as you unfold the plans!

P&P CHARGES FOR PLANS CARRIAGE CHARGES FOR LASER

UK Europe W/Wide CUT COMPONENT SETS
£2.50 £4.00 £6.00 UK: £11.50; Europe £26.00; W/W £49.00

DOOLITTLE MEDIA LTD, Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, LU6 1QX, U.K.
Tel: 01525 222573 email: enquiries@doolittlemedia.com
ORDER ON LINE: www.flyingscalemodels.com/plans/