In my workshop!
The above picture was taken some time back and a number of models can be seen...some of them have in fact either been since written off in a crash or passed to some fellow fanatic of the hobby.
The model on the table is the DeHavilland Tiger Moth in its final phases of completion prior to painting..more on this model can be found in my pictures link.
Hanging from the ceiling is the refurbished Christen Eagle, and up against the wall is the beginning of a new wing for my F3F Bearcat, which had an unfortunate mishap. More details can again be found in my pictures link.
My latest project - A ten foot Twin engined Cessna 310R!!!
I had long wished for a twin engined model, because that was about the only line in the hobby which I had not tried! After reading all about twins and getting to know what will surely happen if one engine cuts, I was still wanting to get one! As usual, big models are my weakness, and one day somebody told me that in the dark lofts of an ex-member of the Association, there were two boxes full of balsa wood, ply put together by Bud Nosen for building a 10 foot twin engined Cessna 310G!!! I caught the scent and tracked down the chap, who was in fact willing to part with the boxes for a small sum. A look at the plans immediately gave me the impression that the aircraft was ugly, and I had to do something about it. Back home I spread out the plans and took out my references.....there!! Bud Nosen drew a 310G but the 310R was much more nice to look at! The G had a short nose and ugly engine nacelles while the R had an elegant long nose, shapely nacelles and looked very exciting. I therefore decided to alter the plans and build the R version.
As can be seen from this first photograph, the fuselage of the monster is taking shape, and the pilot has already booked his place in the cockpit! As the kit did not contain any hardware and because of the modifications involved, the cockpit front canopy had to be molded. The procedure followed in order to get the correct shape and the continuously curving sides was to plank the entire top of the cabin and keep on planking where the cockpit canopy was to be positioned, so that finally I ended up with the correct shape. All I had to do after was to cut off the shape of the canopy, reinforce the structure and mold the acetate on it. This is easier said than done, and in fact it presented one of the major headaches of the model.
The second photograph shows the underside
of the centre section of the wing in a rather advanced construction stage.
Closer looks will reveal the two aluminum tubes which retain the outer
wing panels in place, the retaining bolt of the panels and the retract units,
which are of Italian origin (BB models). These units are air operated
and their maximum load is of the order of 20Kgs! I hope that I will
not exceed this weight!!
That was episode one of this project, which began in August 1995.
The project was finished in April 1997, and the result you can see for yourself...
The model won Best of Show in the annual Open days event. The maiden flight
took place on Tuesday 13 May, and I will attempt to give a brief description
of what happened....
More to come! Please revist!!
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