TOPIC: New Models for 2022 Flying Season

Hey chaps sorry for absence, back with a new build here Habu SR71.


it's bit of a heavy weight at 30grams sans motor. I cheated and added some sticky uppy wings and washout... got to give it a fighting chance.

300mN will be the order of the day and Roger on the catapult!! HEADS!!! Decals next...it looks nicer in the flesh honest.

So, a few more parts have been printed. I'll try and post an assembled pic soon. In the meantime I leave you to speculate...



These parts total 39gms with a span of 27cm.
If I can get it to fly it should be a hot little ship...like the full-size.

Hi Terry,
it's not a 'Buccaneer' is it?




The Buccaneer's shapely lines would be difficult to reproduce with formers and stringers, and, at 27 cm span and 39 grams it's gonna need a TSP L-2HP! As you say, a 'Hot Little Ship''.

Mr Simmonds you have won a major prize!



It's come out a bit tail heavy so I'm going to have another go with a slightly larger version.
Although that might sound a bit barmy there'll be more wing area and, I hope, lighter wing loading.

This model is printed using lightweight PLA and printed in what is known as 'vase mode'. This means the skin of the fuselage and wings is the thickness of an extrusion thick, 0.2mm. There's no internal structure. So larger components will have the same, or if I can manage it, an even thinner skin. (Vase mode means that a solid base is first printed then the shape is built up with a continuous spiral extrusion of plastic. In this case the wing roots and the fuselage central bulkhead is the base. But I may try a different arrangement for the mark 2)

The vertical and horizontal tail are printed conventionally and there's some scope there for adding lightness. I've also given the wings a little washout.

Those were the days! I saw a Bucc do a low, high speed pass at RAF Finingley just before I joined the RAF. Back then the carrier Ark Royal had F4s, Buccaneers and AEW Gannet's. A better Air Force than many Air Force's! (Actually the RAF didn't get a working AEW aircraft until the Gannets were scrapped and their AEW Radar mounted on Shackeltons.)

What is the weight please, Terry?

Daniel sent me the latest picture of his OD SR 71 Blackbird:



We shared some thoughts about his unique model:

Daniel writes: the picture doesn’t show it but the motor is 1/3rd sunk into a trough. Catapult in and motor trim tab added. I need to make some decals next and larger engine intake cones as the ones it has look rubbish…hey ho.

I wrote: looking forward to the trimming tests. I’m not sure about the lack of gap between the ‘trough’ and the motor. You may need to raise the motor a bit to protect the foil.
As to catapult launching, this is a good idea, especially as the new TSP motors ignite well with fuses. This gives you time to single handedly light the fuse, engage the rubber in the hook, pull back, and Ping!
There is an alternative which I write about in my upcoming Aeromodeller article:
“As to lighting up and launching under power, Piotr Tendera’s recommendation (on ‘Health and Safety’ and fear of litigation grounds) is that TSP-powered models should be launched by catapult immediately after lighting the fuse. Experienced rocketeers, used to launching their Rapier models by hand, might be tempted to ignore this, but it is surely worth thinking about as, (a) catapult (or, more strictly, bungee) launching may be easier for the reactionary rookie, new to the discipline and (b) it could even be considered authentic, as it was how Keil Kraft recommended their models were launched, and Albert Hatfull included a helpful explanatory illustration in his plans”





Anyone else building anything?