TOPIC: Old Warden Sept 2021

I was able only to get to the Sunday, but, by all accounts this was the better day, being better attended and far less breezy. We did have a little rain on a couple of occasions, but not enough to worry about if you had brought an umbrella and plastic sheeting and things quickly dried out afterwards. It tended to be very calm after the showers, - perfect for trimming and I was able to het good flights from too new models - the iskra and the SAAB Gripen that had, because of the pandemic and my own ill health, spent too long in the hanger .and ha had only brief trimming flights.
The Gripen in particular looked splendid (I'm tempted to put, 'just like the real thing') in the air.

Piotr Tendera, manufacturer of the new TSP motors will be especially pleased about the Iskra, whose flight pattern was more relaxed than the Gripen (it is a trainer after all!) and I've promised him two sets of 'stick back plastic' templates.





Above: the Gripen and Iskra are now full 'flight tested'. Templates are available.

My Avro Arrow had also spent far too long (8 years no less) in the hangers so it was obviously time to bring it out. It proved harder to trim out than the Gripen or Iskra (why is it that models loose their trim when 'moth balled?) but Daniel was very persistent and meticulous, identifying a wayward rudder that needed fixing in place. After that, and a tad of up right elevon it glided straight, and we were rewarded with a nice, if low level, sortie. The Avro Arrow could obviously do with a bit more power than the old Rapier L-2 Xs [measured at 110-120 mN] I was using, so I will be modifying it for TSP L-2. I reckon 170-200 mN should be about right and the model will then emulate its high altitude interceptor prototype.



The Avro Arrow after a successful, if low level, sortie.

Graham Winch was also using up old Rapiers and his Keil Kraft Attacker made a lovely flight in 'ground attack' mode towards the end of the afternoon.



Above: Graham's lovely attacker, a vintage KK model that flies better than it has any right to!



Above: a very happy Graham after a great flight. Like many of us, Graham was using up old motors. His, I think, were from (gulp!) 2003. I did advise he bought some TSP L-2s. Having flown the KK Attacker with an original ribbed Jetex 50:



Above: a vintage Jetex 50 powered KK Attacker over OW in 2007. This climbed a lot better than Graham's, so I'm guessing that 18 year old Rapier L-2s have lost more than a little of their oomph.I think 150 mN should suit it very well.... we have some very nice TSP L-2s with just that rating



Another shot of the Attacker - note the attention to detail.

Meanwhile, Chris Richards was making contrails with his TSP L-3 powered MiG 29 (another model in our plans archive) and the indefatigable Daniel was showing us all how it was done with his MiG 15,Flitzer (especially), FD-1 and T-38, and Tony Butterworth's Jetex Viper ascended to the stratosphere with a TSP L-2 HP. I lost sight of it when it was just a tiny dot in the sky. I wonder if he got it back?
I hope Daniel will be posting some videos of the day in due course and I'll hunt out some more photos!






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Wow, some lovely looking models. The Gripen looks especially business like. Nice!

Roger adds:

There is a nice thread about the Gripen here:

Semi profile Gripen

Daniel has just sent me a photo of two of his models he flew at Old Warden. The T-38 wwent (as usual) splendidly. The X-15 needs a bit of sorting out, but looked like it could fly!



More later!

Festival of Flight, sorry I cannot find some of the other videos I took it seems a bit one sided of my models.

What a great video, (nice music too).

I was very impressed by the caption pointing out the position of Andy Blackwell. If we ever have need for a winter competition - Spot Andy, something on the lines of Spot the Ball, might be just the thing!

That Supermarine Attacker is a real beauty, those first generation straight winged jets can be very pretty. And the Avro Arrow is just gorgeous.

Thanks for posting Daniel, the Flitzer flight is brilliant, good one.