I have started a new build and something a little different for Scale model builders. It's a 36" Piper Super Cruiser built for the Oxford MFC's new Rubber Scale Duration Class. This is a duration class for scale models with a max time set at 90s so very much a scale/duration hybrid class. For this model I've used under cambered wings borrowed from a Coupe and I'm fitting a D/T . The design is basically a double size KK Piper SC
For the D/T I've used the same method that I've used on several FF sport models for a flip up tail DT where the fin fits into a slot in the rear of the fuselage in the DT position. This locates the tail and fin assembly and stops it coming off in use ...not a good thing
The same structure to create the slot is used to locate a 1/8" dowel for a rubber band that simply goes through a hole in the fin. The pivot point is the LE of the tail against rear former, I'll add some small retainers later just above the LE to stop it riding up but this arrangement creates an over centre pull by the band to pull the tail up . It's held down by the D/T line tensioned with a band to the timer
DT is activated by a mini timer from Mike Woodhouse Free Flight Supplies based on the TOMY timer mechanism. I have several of these now and they work well , I'm a bit of fan of old technology - no batteries to fail, no RDT TX to forget, no fuse to light, just a simple clockwork mechanism. They get left in a box all winter, then just wind them up when you need them and off they go
If you want to know more there's a webpage on the Oxford MFC site that outlines the class and the rules https://oxfordmfc.bmfa.club/omfc-rubber-scale-duration/ (https://oxfordmfc.bmfa.club/omfc-rubber-scale-duration/)
I'm currently at the covering stage , having just finished the basic airframe with Asuka tissue and doped with 30/70 Non-shrinking dope
It's not yellow enough. :D
Do like that, shame that it's far, far too big for Trinity.
Well Christmas Day wouldn't be Christmas Day without sneaking in a bit of aeromodelling ... not much just a tiny bit of trim in black tissue after all it was only wafer-thin!
Managed a bit time in the workshop this afternoon and added the tissue markings. I need to fit the Dt properly, glaze the cabin and make a prop and hub ...nearly there
To all intents and purposes it's the same now as the 40" KK power model, which also featured a rubber conversion! Should go well
Model looks great. Really appreciate the translucent quality of the doped tissue.
Also, great to see this new version off HPA up and running.
Lovely model. Any plans for the maiden yet?
Steve
Thanks Steve. Still a bit to do but hopefully I can at least test glide in the next few weeks
A bit more progress today with the D/T being fitted.
The timer is held in with small bamboo 'nails'which are cyano'd in. The line is held captive by 2 U shaped staples from 26swg wire with a dressmakers catch which is too large to go through the staple to take a rubber band to the timer. Another u shaped staple takes the turn to the fin where a simple hook is attached to the fine. I've added some half round balsa dowel to the underside of the tail as well to loctate it in the same position each time. The tail has been set to the usual 45 degs for DT which is governed by the band hook being stopped by the u shaped staple
One thing I have added as well to the timer is a guard for the waggler as on a previuos model I found an errant strand form the motor can and did find it's way to it and wind itself round it stopping the DT from functioning !!!
A pilot from the cut out Paul Plecan Pilots sheet has been added and the left side glazed.
I started making up the hub but realised I didn't actually know what I was doing :o
I have two laminated balsa blades and was going to attach them to a carbon tube hub but realised unlike the coupe prop I was thinking of I need to add a freewheel clutch of some sort ...any ideas ???
I have a bearing set from Mike Woodhouse for the thrust as well and a hlaf moon hook to take a Tim Grey Hook but lack of a plan for the free wheel brought me to a halt ...I'll go and do some research
The glazing has now been finished. It was packaging clear acetate stuck on the canopy glue and swearing. Canopy glue would be so much easier to use if it had some tack ::)
Many thanks to Mark M who sent some pics of Ivan Taylor's prop he made for his very similar Auster. That allowed me this afternoon to copy the design with dowel to hold the blades and a tube hub. I was hoping to use some Carbon tube but typically I didn't have any the right size so in the end resorted to the heavier brass option. I have drilled the nose block with 5 deg down and 3 deg side thrust but it will be adjustable. I will make up the two brass plates to hold the rear of the prop shaft tube bearing tomorrow. This will be to the same design I used on a Miles Falcon, a design sent to me by Mike Mulholland in build thread on the old HPA . It's simple and worked very well on the Miles
The driver for the freewheel clutch will just be the prop shaft bent to 90 degs but I need to finish the adjustable rear mounting and spray the prop black before I can do that. After that I think I'm done apart from balancing ...it seems promisingly ballpark at the moment but we'll see, particularly once there's a motor in it
Oh and paper undercarriage fairings need to be made. The biggest remaining job is probably to build a transport/storage box for it
The neat glazing in particular caught my eye Chris - especially the front section. It looks great but as Lurk mentioned - it's not yellow enough ;D .
Good luck withe trimming.
John
Thanks John
Well I'm calling that done now. I'll wait for the weather to warm up and ground to thaw out before I try some test glides. The nose block now has an adjustable palte at the rear. I couldn't find or don't have thin sheet brass so I made it out of an old food can lid. The larger plate locates the rear of the brass prop shaft bush in a slot to allow side thrust adjustment while downthrust is adjusted on the the slotted mounting holes. Another smaller plate locks it in the side thrust adjustment
It's a big old prop but the same size as Ivan Taylor's on his Auster so we'll see how we go. Weight is now over 100g but it balances out pretty well with the CG on 35% MAC without balast
I even got time to make a transport/storage box ;D
V. nice Chris, v. nice indeed.
Impressive. What's all that white stuff? :)
John
Quote from: OZPAF on Jan 05, 2026, 01:32 AMImpressive. What's all that white stuff? :)
John
Not sure :-\ we get don't much anymore but if you read the papers I think it's called 'seasonal disruption' ??
Beautiful build....and who doesn't like yellow!? Hopefully some inflight videos?
I managed to get out to day a try a few test glides with Piper.
I couldn't get it go at all with the huge prop on and a small number of turns pulled it into the ground. I removed the prop and rebalanced the model and it has a nice glide. I think on that basis I'll reduce the downthrust and reduce the prop size a bit
That looks nice Chris. Great way to spend some time - it loooks calm and quiet and plenty of open area.
John
Thanks John
Back on the bench I rebalanced the model with the prop and motor added. It needed just a tiny bit of tail weight to achieve the 40% MAC CG that worked on the glide. The prop has been cut down from 15" to 12.5" so lets see how I get on with that
Ofcourse it's raining again now ::)
Today I finally maidened the Piper on Port Meadow.
In rather senior moment I discovered only when I got there that I hadn't actually made a fitting for my stooge to fit the bulky fuselage !!! I had to resort to hand turns only but it's looking good and like it's going to go well on full power after some thrust line adjustments.
There a video here though you have endure the FF Tomboy and Tom Thumb as well
That looks as though it'll go quite well.
A.
Easy syarting diesels and a successful maiden of a rubber model on a sunny day - what could be better.
Ron
Another entertaining early morning video - thanks Chris.
What a great combination - Tomboy and Mills and without much wind!
The Cruiser looks a very promising performer on it's new prop. incidentally how large was the initial prop - the cut down version looks close to 45% of the wing span. With enough rubber and turns that could be a very fast climbing model.
What a way to spend a morning! :)
John
Thanks Ron and John. In the wet and windy weather of today I can hardly believe that was only yesterday
The cut down prop is 12.5" on a 36" model so more 35%. It still destroys the glide to some extent but it does glide now . It'll be interesting to wind it up a bit more and see what happens when it gets some height and goes into freewheel
What an uplifting video! The Piper looks pretty good even just on hand turns. Can't beat a blue sky and a YMHM!
Thanks Pete, it was glorious weather...not sure where that went
Here's the job I should have done before going flying yesterday
Sorry, by 'YMHM' I meant 'YHWM' obviously! (I don't know what a YMHM even is!))
Fri Apr 3 2026
Yellow Piper Super Cruiser Maiden Flight
Hi Chris.
That is a really great video. It was great to watch the models track through that glorious sky, with those magnificently, multi gray scale-colored, cloud formations, on a partly sunny day, dipping in and out of the sun. Just the right combination of sun and cloud. That beautiful background really adds to those equally magnificent flights of your detailed models. I'm no expert, but those Cumulus and Cumulonimbus clouds are about as picturesque as they can get.
Free Flight Port Meadow April 2026
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc3XGFi7pho
Thanks for all your videos. Well done. Some guys really do have serious hobbies .... 8) 8)
Lastwoodsman
Richard
Thank you for your kind words Richard, very much appreciated. It's great to get some FF on Youtube so people can see what we do, you never know they may even be tempted to give it try ....hopefully
I tried the Piper yesterday at Lodge farm with longer motor... I can't remember checking the cg with the new motor which was no doubt a mistake ::)
My first attempt it shed a prop blade but made a rattly single bladed flight. 2nd flight with prop re-glued and 3/4 winds it reared up and nosed in which would have been fine but the motor jumped off the prop hook with the inevitable results
Is there a law of physics that means any damage like this ALWAYS goes through the markings ??
Anyway back on the bench the motor did a fair bit of damage, though easily sorted in an afternoon, just the tissue reg letters to add and next time I'll check the cg and the glide again
That is a quick very neat repair following that bit of bad luck.
QuoteIs there a law of physics that means any damage like this ALWAYS goes through the markings ??
Perhaps the real question is - Why do full size aircraft have the registration on the fuselage exactly where the rear anchor needs to be? :)
Hope it all trims out ok.
John
Hi Chris, I have many sweet spots when it comes to model airplanes, but the high wing monoplane is among the sweetest. I recently finished a Porterfield Collegiate and am waiting for the planets to align correctly to fly it. In the meantime your Cub escapades are making me itch for the field. Gee but it's a pretty thing ain't it. All yellow. Great clouds that day!
Hey thanks Crabby glad to help inspire you. I know how you feel it's just taken me a year of waiting to finally have everything align to fly my GWE Bantam, hopefully you won't have to wait that long
Right all back together again now ready to try again
Quote from: Crabby on May 06, 2026, 01:07 PMHi Chris, I have many sweet spots when it comes to model airplanes, but the high wing monoplane is among the sweetest. I recently finished a Porterfield Collegiate and am waiting for the planets to align correctly to fly it. In the meantime your Cub escapades are making me itch for the field. Gee but it's a pretty thing ain't it. All yellow. Great clouds that day!
Crabby
I had heard of Porterfields but never really looked into them. The Collegiate is a cute little plane. I looked it up and stumbled onto the Porterfield 35-70, that looks basically like a Collegiate with a little 5 cylinder radial. Could make a nice little subject.
IMG_4147.png
Yeah Flygrimm I have been smitten with the Collegiate since the first time I walked up to one. The skinny fuse with tandem seats, that big wing I could go on. But mine is actually the Dave Rees plan reduced. It was a fun build even if it is a toothpick factory.
So the same effect this build is having on me I always ignored the Cub till I took the time to fully drink in its appeal. Now I have the Comet kit in queue or the Golden Repro Taylor Cub.
Anyway hats off to Squirrelnet for injecting our mojos with the good $#|T!!