It all started as
I was browsing through the Bumpy Green For Sale pages one day, and saw an
add for plans of an F-14 tomcat. Now this is a model that I've always fancied
having a go at, but usually have been put off because either it is too expensive
or it has been designed to have a glow motor strapped to the front of it niether
of which were for me.
The Proud Designer Shows off his model...
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And here it is ready for action... |
I must appologise to the designer of this model
as it was a couple of days before curiosity got the better of me and I asked
Matt to send me some pictures of the finished model. As soon as I saw these
pictures A plan and canopy was ordered straight away.
This model is for Electric ducted fan, Two 480
sized motors and We mo Tec fan units and a 46amp speed controller. Minimum
power required, I beleive is a pair of Graupner speed 480 BB motors However
it is my expeirience that you get more or less what you pay for in this life
and it would be well worth going for something with a bit more go in it.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Wingspan: Min. sweep 57" Max. sweep 34"
Length: 48" Span
Price: Plan and Canopy £20.00.
It is very easy for us these
days to become locked into a part of this hobby that exists only within the
pages of the modelling magazines. That is not to criticize these fine publications
in any way, but lets face it unless you are freindly with the person or company
in question how else would get to hear about new products and designs unless
you saw them advertised in the glossy pages of the press (Enter: Bumpy Green).
A very high level of detailing is seen here. This model
can be made to look very convincing... |
Artistic liscence? Looks good with the wings swept back
though doesnt it?... |
This is particularly true in Gliding circles where most of
the very best products are made by small cottage industries who cannot afford
to pay for commercial advertising, Particularly in the early days and if they
could many of them are in eastern europe and we dont get to hear about them
very often..
With this in mind It is a real pleasure to discover a designer
such as Matt who really has pulled out all the stops to provide plans of excellent
quality and of such a popular aircraft at an incredibly low price. Not only
that but he also has a website:
Matts Website with details if his models
The website offers building tips and full colour photgraphs as it is being
built. Further details are available here of some other designs of his.
Above and Right: You can clearly see here the quality
of the constructional photo's on Matts website.... |
 |
I started designing my own models
about 10 years ago. My first R/C own design was a Chance Vought Corsair,using
my lightweight building techniques, it weighed 7.5lbs ready to fly with an
O.S.91 Surpass and had retracts and flaps. I entered in the British .Nats
a few years ago and found the 'scale' flying was not for me so I opted out
half way through and decided to just have a ball with the flying instead.
Matts nats corsair... |
People watching thanked me after for making the scale more
interesting to watch. The attitude of the organisers and other competitors
there were a little superior for my liking,and the way they expect people
to fly high powered WW2 fighters was clearly wrong. If you watch them fly,they
are at tickover practically. WW2 models need punch!
Anyway, I didn't get any points for that flight! I decided
against competition after that,as I felt that I preffered a more realistic
style of flying
Matts unusual Yugoslavian U.T.V.A... |
Cockpit detail... |
I then designed a Yugoslavian aircraft called a U.T.V.A. 'Vihor'.Plan
featured by Traplet June 2000.Lovely model that one. It flew straight off
the board. The unusual design and markings too-made a change from the P-51's
and Spits. I sold that model and moved onto jet designs, Worked on the Sukhoi
S.37 'Berkut',a very unusual model of a 5th generation Superfighter prototype,
This flew well, (although the club 'experts' said it wouldn't fly at all)
This model is currently kitted by the Balsa Cabin.
Onto the F-14-my most favourite jet aeroplane ever! Ever since
watching Top Gun in 1986 I have hankered for this bird it's a wonderful looking
machine! In my eyes truly beautiful, a kind of Supermodel amongst aircraft
designs. I waited,waited and waited for someone to design one wich never happened.
As I am a scale builder,it had to be as close as possible to scale. The Great
Planes F-14 model is very semi scale so that wouldn't do.
Yum... |
I set about designing my own. 3 years
ago and aquired some accurate 6 views then set about my task. 5 weeks later,about
7-8 hours a day before the drawings were finished complete with .Swing wings
etc.but a .32 two stroke up front. Kept it unflown for ages.
Recently I went to my flying field and flew one circuit,then
landed. Didn't try the wingsweep although I'm confident there are no problems
with this. Now I have pressed on with the EDF conversion.Currently,there are
about 30-33,can't remember now,being built around the world! It is my most
successful design to date,even sold one plan to an ex US Navy F-14 pilot!
My model, under construction now will have 2 x Shuebeler
DS-50 3-ph all carbon fans,brushless motors/controllers. Spring Air micro
retracts. (still deciding on what make controllers/motors) State of the Art
stuff. The wingspan wingspan of 23% larger version is 60 ins. I think that
it is a nice sized model and I'm hoping to demo it in the air at Wings And
Wheels North Weald this Summer.
