Mode Zero

Hello All

During the Christmas period I knocked out a few Vic Smeed models as light relief after spending the best part of 7 months building a CNC Router for my workshop.

The models I built are a Poppet and a Tomboy.

I had previously built a Poppet back in 1966 when still in school. It was built as a Free Flight plane and it flew exceptionally well, so well in fact that it eventually flew off never to be seen again. It seemed only right to build another one 53 years later.

When building the Tomboy I decide to increase the wingspan by two rib bays overall with a corresponding one rib bay on the stab. Both the Poppet and the Tomboy are powered with refurbished Cox 049 Babe Bee engines which I had accumulated over the years.

The intention with both models was to fly them rudder only using the SC transmitter I had built 18 months ago using Martins single channel transmitter design.

The Poppet is yet to fly however I have been having great fun flying the Tomboy. Testing was done using proportional radio to start with and then switched over to using the SC transmitter once I had a feel for the model.

Using a button again certainly brings back memories of the late sixties with an OS Pixie set flying a Veron Mini Concord.

I attach a link to a short video of the Tomboy flying last weekend.

Congratulations Ian, the grin at the end says it all
I liked the background music, most appropriate

Thanks Wayne. Yes having a fun time flying these single channel planes. Its starting to feel strange now when I pick up a proportional set. Progress on the Deacon has been slow but should have airborne in the not too distant future. Cant wait to hear the sound of the Allbon diesel hauling it aloft.

Sunbird wrote: ↑09 Feb 2019, 11:25 At the field with Zebra.jpg

luv it - only in Sith Efrica

Not the famous Salisbury Plain Zebra's then..... no, I didn't think so.

So, a question from someone just about to build his first s/c model in 20...erm 30.... erm 40 something years, which is nicer to fly? Poppet? Or Tomboy?

I used to have a pet Zebra, called spot.

Ron.

The Poppet is the nicer flyer if radio is fitted. I have one at the moment, (my 5th) and it's free flight, but I have made radio versions in the past, rudder is all that is needed.
The Tomboy is another great FF model, but for radio build it exactly to plan apart from fitment of a rudder. Don't over power it. All it needs is a little gentle nudge every now and then to keep it in the field.
The Tomboy duration comps are a different matter, they really need a spruce wing spar for that, and elevators.

Stew.

Thanks Stew, that's just the kind of information I was looking for.

Neil