My name is Dave Whiston, I work and live in Portugal. Previously I worked in Mexico (hence the name) and prior to that 5½ years in Brazil and 3½ years in Spain.

Die Storch ist here! Well I finally got it all sorted and ready to go. I must say it was probably one of the most difficult builds I have done, mostly due to lack of instructions in the Kit but also because a lot of the parts quite simply did not fit ! I put a lot of detail into the model as you can see from the rivets around the windscreens. The paint job was a Humbrol spray can job with a layer of fuel proofer ( tuffcoat) sprayed on top to stop any fuel residue wiping off my paint job. I converted the oil cooler (seen here under the cowl) into a remote glow connector which worked very well so the only bit sticking out of the cowl was the carb adjust screw. The cowl in the kit is crap so I used the one from the Bob Holden plans, it seems to be a perfect fit. The model is fitted with working flaps and all up uses 7 servos to keep everything moving. First flight was a bit of a nervy one, the model got off the ground before I expected, STOL is definitely the name of the game here!! The problem was that aileron input seemed to only have vague response, turns needing a mixture of rudder aileron and elevator to get her swinging, but the end result was a very scale like turn ( I saw a full size Storch fly in Florida) Flight 2 I had put in more throw on the controls and the model was now flying well and responding to the controls nicely landing was nice and slow almost helicopter like with the flaps out. Flight 3 was even better, with a slight breeze and flaps deployed the aircraft virtually hovered down the landing strip, I did 3 touch and goes in one pass !!!. I tried out the roll and loop ability, loops being big but she tended to fall out of the loop, rolls are a no no, she would just about clear the roll if you first dive and then pull up and hold her nose up during the roll. Flight number 4 - Some B@st!!#*d turned on a radio in the pits and shot me down ! Sorry but at times like this, the word “sorry” does not work for me. There is a frequency board in use at the club. I have no time for idiots who just roll up and switch on without checking frequencies. The front end of the aircraft is a complete write-off. The RCV 90 engine suffered a cracked inlet tube. I intend to rebuild the model but I do not have time just at the moment and this will require a new fret saw. (Christmas is coming soon so I might be in luck !!) I will have to “dream up” the replacement pieces due to there being no plans with the kit.

Good news is that my twin is flying happily without any further problems. You may recall my attempts to get this in the air in Mexico resulted in a bit of a bump. Well she now flies very nicely on 2 Thundertiger 25s. And as you can see she gives even a fat old git like me something to smile about. On our way to yet another fine landing. Unfortunately this model is getting on in years; I think she is about 12 years old now. The problem is the foam in the wing is starting to crumble, but all is not lost. I have discovered this guy who makes fantastic wings so he is currently building me a new one and guess what? The 2 magnum 52 four-stokes are going back in !!! You can't beat the sound of a four stroke so two on song at the same time just has to be good thing.

Our club runway was recently the location for an “Encontro” that’s probably as close as it gets to a fly in. the day was well attended and we even had a coffee bar and BBQ on site I took along the twin, Funtana 90 and my Top flite Cessna. . I had a really good day of it no damage to report and all three models enjoying 5 flights each , so it was well into the a early evening before I set of for home. A couple of prangs marked the day worst being our club presidents Sukhoi which for no apparent reason just spun into the ground. We also had a number of those confounded electrical things buzzing around, as you can see from the camera angle this little bugger nearly sneaked up on me. Electric is not natural as far as I am concerned the lack of sound and fuel residue is making this hobby too clean !! Until next time.

Article by Dave Whiston from Portugal
For Bumpy Green Model Aerodrome
November 2005

Comment by Rob Powell on 20060203162428. Rating 5

Nice Storch - shame about the idiot who switched his tranny on - Funny how when someone does that they're always on the same frequency as someone airborne at the time - A lesson for us all - use the frequency control procedures your club uses. Can you let me know whose kit the Storch is? - I fancy doing one myself -I am aware Svenson used to do a kit some years ago. There is an italian firm who do one ARTF but I suspect it wouldn't suit although if I modded the u/c to make it nice and springy it might pass?...... Lastly there is a plan available (DB I think) - Anyone out there know about all things Fieseler?

Comment by iain on 20060212174255. Rating 5

yeah, its a shame about that one...it wasent your fault, unlike the cessna i just lost trying to barrel roll into a loop :)

Comment by Tim Banwell on 20060309214623. Rating 1

What an excellent feature, thankyou from a newbie, Inspirational!

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