Avro Lancaster 102" Dambuster

Looking forward to seeing the taxi runs Ralph !
What sound system are you using ?

Hi Crash

I'm using MRRCSound. He offers 2 systems i have the 4.1 with extension amplifier which gives a total of 4 transducers (not loudspeakers) to produce the sound. Its quite effective. I have a transducer in each wing and 2 in the fuselage.

Weather looks promising for Sunday. Fingers crossed it stays good.

Taxi trials went very well. Sorry no video as i was on my own and not able to video and control the plane! :lol: :lol: I guess if i indentify myself as a women i'd be able to multitask and take the video whilst controlling the plane!! :S :S :blink: :evil:

The plane tracked straight and true. Speed was good so happy with the motor / battery / prop combination. On the third run at half throttle she lifted off flew straight a couple of feet off the ground, no roll, and landed some 20 yards later. A few things to sort. The sound system didnt start, undercarriage mounting point is too flexible so needs strengthening and wiring needs tidying up. Also got to fit the spinners and rear turret. Otherwise a successful test.

Absolutely over the moon for you Ralph, she looks gorgeous mate, a real credit to you.
I hate first flights even with the humble creations I build so I can't imagine how you felt the first time you opened the throttles....

Looks fantastic Ralph ! I don't know if your sound system works the same as my Ess-Air, but if you use a separate battery to power it you need to common the negative with the receiver battery.

Thanks Crash, not heard of having to do that but will check with the manufacturer.

I don't know how the sound system works -
but if you are taking a signal from the receiver - to tell it when to switch on, and which noise to 'play', then you need a complete circuit.
That means a signal, AND a return.
So even with a separate drive battery for the sound, you need a negative wire to the receiver, to complete the signal circuit, as well as one to the 'noise' battery - even though the red positive is not connected to the rx.

Beautiful , well done indeed.

Lovely looking model Ralph, well done sir.

Thanks FN, You'll be pleased to hear that now the Lanc is finished the Firefly is back on the building board to get finished.

Did you sort out the sound on the Lanc?

Hi Eric

Yes got it sorted thanks. I had plugged the 2nd amplifier into the speaker ports on the main amp. I should have connected it to the ext ports. Works quite well. Here is a video of it in the workshop / conservatory so sound is echoy. The props are off for safety. I will get a video of it in the open next time its out.

Spent a pleasant morning making the spinners, all 4 of them!

As i'm using Christian Ramoser's Varioprop the hub does not lend itself to adding a scale spinner, well not easily. So I had to come up with a back plate to mount the spinner onto. After several designs I came up with this.

A large penny washer, skimmed in the centre on the lathe to remove the thickness from the contact patch with the hub. This allows more of the hub nut to bite on the 8mm thread. I then designed a 'cup' that would attach to the washer with 3 countersunk 2mm screws and hang past the blades so I could fix the actual spinner onto the skirt of the back plate. I used small screws, 0 size, from Model Fixings to attach the spinner to the back plate. Looks quite scale. This was printed on my Creality 3D printer. All good fun.

Very nice, what you might call a " proper job".

Well not good news. The Lanc is no more.

The maiden did not go well. On initial taxi trials a few weeks age she lifted off level and climbed slowly so I set her down again. On the day of the maiden she lifted off and banked severely to the right. Unfortunately I wasn't able to correct the situation and she went in nose first from about 10 feet. Not sure what the issue was but I suspect pilot error in that I let her lift off too early and she tip stalled. :oops:

The damage is quite significant. Only the fuselage from the wing trailing edge back and port wing remain intact. The starboard wing broke in two but is possibly repairable. I would need to remake the fuselage from the trailing edge forwards.

Its only a toy plane and no one died! At the moment I'm not making a decision whether to scrap or rebuild it. I shall leave it a few weeks before making the decision.

So here are a few pictures of the maiden. Two Lancs were built and maidened on the same day. My Dambuster and one by a flying buddy, his was the Tallboy version. Annoyingly his flew beautifully.