Welcome to Chins Chins, my chance to chin-wag.
Each month I will be looking at something new in the modelling industry, some history from the same month a quarter of a century ago and current BumpyGreen projects I am involved in.

For my quick project this last busy month I decided to breathe new life into a 15 year old OS engine. Having loosened the internals with a generous squirt of fuel I thought it would be nice to give it a clean up & see if it actually ran. Even if it would no longer run, it might look nice mounted on display. Read my 'brief' report in the Articles section. Apologies to regular readers for the late arrival of Chins this month. Hopefully be back on track from April.

One of the best things about spring arriving is the longer evenings. Time to get home from work even in typical M25 traffic & still have time for a few flights at the local field. With a number of new planes arriving at Bumpy Green (both brand new & second hand) the number of spare servos soon dwindled & I decided it was time to invest in some new high speed micro servos for some of the Bumpy Gliders.

Specifications: Speed: 0.11sec /60º at 4.8v - 0.09sec /60º at 6.0v Torque: 2.6kg/cm (36.10oz/in) at 4.8v - 3kg/cm (41.66oz/in) at 6.0v Weight: 19g (.67oz) Size: 29.8 x 12 x 29.6mm (1.17 x .47 x 1.16in)

Hitec do a large range of radio control equipment to suit all modelling applications.

The HS-81MG (metal geared) Micro servo is in the low-mid price range at around £20 each ~ remember that when you need 6 servos in a model. They are very small & light, very well built & supplied with a full mounting & control set. This model version has an "S"/JR connector & is also available with Futaba connectors. A full range of spare components is also available.

Visit the Hitec homepage for details & specifications on the whole range of Hitec aircraft & surface radio control equipment.

www.hitechrcd.com

Application.


Where are these servos going to be used? Tony has just bought a Highlight 2M - a serious carbon fibre aerobatic slope glider. The requirement is for 6 high speed servos with considerable strength as this glider really shifts. Features all carbon moulded fuselage & wing leading edges. 4 wing servos (aileron & flaps x 2) & 2 V-tail servos.


A sneak preview of the Highlight 2M during flight trials at Ivinghoe Beacon, in the wind & rain no less.

What was going on in March 1976 in the modelling world. Take a look back at some snippets from a magazine of the era.


More editorial mutterings over the growing 'non-contest' flyers & the reluctance to spend out on 3rd party insurance. Mention is that homeowners insurance may cover this area, but I am sure BMFA or other suitable insurance is much easier (& cheaper by comparison) to come by these days. When did you last check your insurance?


Cover picture & featured kit was the Belgian Svenson kit of the Fairey Britten-Norman Islander. An impressive model & quoted as an ideal starting point for twin engined model flying. 1/7th scale 54 sheets of die-cut parts & 84" in span. Roy Yates reviews & reports it flew very well on 2 x H.P. 40F engines including some 'out of character' aerobatics.


Peter Chinn tests the K&B 61 series 75 engine with perry pump & pressure carb. High performance engine with pressure-regulated fuel supply. Output up to 1.43bhp & capable of swinging a 14 x 6 prop @ 9,500rpm. Quality construction, cast aluminium throughout using a hard chromed liner & baffled piston. With a carb choke of 60 sq. mm ~ twice the size of the un-pumped version, the fuel consumption was rather high when under heavier loads. Fitting a silencer reduced maximum bhp to 1.25 & reduced max rpm over the whole propeller range from 400 to 600rpm.
NB: Bumpy Green recently donated an un-pumped version of this engine, brand new & unrun in it's original box to a fellow r/c modeller who helped us sort out the BG construction facility central heating.


Featured plan was the Acrobits IV ~ Jim Wordens Mk 4 bi-plane trainer. 48" span sports aerobatic bipe for .61 size engines & 4 function radio control. Construction guide with pictures


Subjects for Scale full size feature on the Boeing Kaydet. Better known as the PT-17 or Stearman. Useful information for scale builders, specifics for markings of US Army & US Navy as well as civil aviation variants. Also includes some historical accounts including a Cuban defecting to Jamaica in one during the Spring of 1962.



Minehead Soaring Club make the only group appearance this month while the Soarers column looks at some of the 'commercialising' at top slope venues with a chargeable list of sites in England & Wales causing much emotion to be voiced by the locals & an explanation of the 'Laminar Separation Bubble' & how it is affected by different wing section types.

Recognise yourself from any of the pictures featured, we'd love to hear from you at Bumpy Green.

Next month a shiny new toy will be seen over the various Bumpy Green flying sites in the shape of the new Graupner Mini-Starjet. 850mm span, single motor version of the Startjet delta. Designed for high performance 480 motors & 6 - 8 cells.

That's it for another month,
See you in April .

Article by Chinman from Bumpy Green Model Aerodrome
17th February 2002