HPA

Quote from: livingroomflight on Jun 24, 2026, 07:21 PM....18g without rubber. ... using 3 strands of 1/8...

You may be right but I think I'd start with a simple loop of 1/8" (0.125") and only add the third strand if that proved inadequate.  A couple of my peanuts are around the 15-16g mark without motor and are fine on a loop of 3/32" (0.094").

Nice looking model.

Cheers,
Lurk

I've spent the last few days making pilots primarily for this Deperdussin and for a 1/12 scale CO2 Bleriot XI as well

Theres more on that in the 'Pilots' thread - https://hpa.aeromodelling.gr/index.php?topic=355.0

The expanded foam pilot will need his arm lowering but I have some spare and even a spare arm but I'll do that once he has a seat and indeed wheel to hold to.

I'm not sure I've ever built a model by doing the pilot first 

Very hot here but I have managed a bit more with the pilots. I now have a small squadron or wing perhaps. The Bleriot pilot now has a coat of base paint which showed up the 3d print layers so there's a bit more lw filler gone on to hide that a bit. I don't mind it on his trousers as it makes them look like cords ! I have one for the Deperdussin project though he will need arm surgery so his hand holds the wheel  so I have a couple of spares ...and a spare arm

The down side to using the expanding foam with just two moulds is the cans only seem to do two applications then the valve sticks shut the rest of the contents useless. As a result it took 3 tins to get this little group together. I presume when Dave Banks was doing it he had multiple moulds so he could do as many at one squirting as possible. I remember him coming to own of our Oxford meetings with a plastic container full of them and offering them round free to competitors so he certainly produce them in numbers

The Bleriot pilot now has the magnets in his bum so he sticks to the seat and now weighs 4.5g which compares very well with the Dave Banks previous pilot which is 5.5g

In the picture my Dave Banks recruit looks less than impressed by his novice pilot usurpers

BEAVER DH C2  30 INCH RUBBER POWERED  FREE FLIGHT PARK FLYER  DUMAS KIT 306

Reply # 356      Thur June 25 2026    post 3 of 3

Flight Report #26  of Sun June 21 2026

Pic #1    3611    Here we are passing the Cricket Field,  after some nice flying on a hot sunny morning,  up on the long grass draw between the tennis courts and the baseball diamonds.

Pic #2    3612    Palm trees?

The End of Flight Report #26  of Sun June 21 2026.

Get out and fly!

    Jackson Park is just like that song by Chicago, "Saturday In The Park"

Chicago- Saturday in the Park "Live" (1972)
https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=Chicago+Saturday+in+the+Park+Song&&mid=68AD14C10C50CEC871A268AD14C10C50CEC871A2&churl=https%3a%2f%2fwww.youtube.com%2fchannel%2fUC8w-ihTElKWp0vFz0Xd2VLg&FORM=VRDGAR

Lyrics 
Saturday In The Park (feat. Robin Thicke) [Live]

Song by
Chicago

Saturday in the park
I think it was the Fourth of July
Saturday in the park
I think it was the Fourth of July
People dancing, people laughing
A man selling ice cream singing Italian songs
Will you help him change the world?
Can you dig it? (Oh, yes, I can)
I've been waiting such a long time
For Saturday, Saturday, Saturday
Another day in the park
I swear it was the Fourth of July
Another day in the park
I think it was the Fourth of July
People talking, really smiling
A man playing guitar and singing for us all
Will you help him change the world?
Can you dig it? (Oh, yes, I can)
I've been waiting such a long time
For Saturday, Saturday, Saturday
Slow motion riders ride the colors of the day
A bronze man still can tell stories his own way
Listen children, all is not lost, all is not lost
Funny days in the park
Every day's the Fourth of July
Funny, funny days in the park
Every day's the Fourth of July
People reaching, people touching
A real celebration waiting for us all
If we want it, really want it
Can you dig it? (Oh, yes, I can)
I've been waiting such a long time
For today, for today, for today

Lastwoodsman
Richard

BEAVER DH C2   30 INCH RUBBER POWERED  FREE FLIGHT PARK FLYER   DUMAS KIT 306

Reply # 355      Thur June 25 2026     post 2 of 3

Flight Report #26  of Sun June 21 2026

Pic #1     3607     It landed short of the fence.

     Then the two runners came charging around the corner.    Get a load of this ...
      On Sunday,  we got out there in Jackson Park very early,  and the Sun was beating down and everybody was already out in the park enjoying the start of the day,  with all of their preparations for all the things going on.    The Cricket guys were in uniform on the field playing, this time, in the morning.    So we went to the far South end of Jackson Park,  which had a long swale of grass between the fencing of the two baseball diamonds,  and the indoor and outdoor complex of tennis courts.    Plenty of room to fly six second flights.  I had just flown two perfect flights,  when who comes charging around the corner,  but two big young sweaty strong,  healthy,  in shape men,  in their late 20's early 30's,  doing their big time run (it was generally a Father's Day Walk/Run with kids in strollers etc) .  They had a friendly hello,  and I said  "Wanna see it fly -  I have it just about wound up".  So they stopped and came over.  Afterwards I deduced that they were both cops in civilian clothing ....   
       I lucked out with a perfect 6 or 7 sec flight,  after fully demonstrating how rubber free flight works.    They were really interested,  and they got a big kick out of how elated I was to get a perfect flight.   They were all smiles and congratulations,  and they gave me two fist bumps,  and off they ran.    I am old enough to be their grandfather!     I told them we had fun in the '60's !  LOL
     Later on I surmised that they were plain clothed policemen.   So,  at least I made a good impression of flying finger wound free flight rubber powered balsa model airplanes,  safely in the park where no one else was playing ....   and I got in a good plug for our local Windsor Hobbies store.   I told them that if they are ever wondering what present to buy their kids,   go to Windsor Hobbies.   Nobody leaves there without a good present.   

Pic #2     3608     Long perfect flight for my two interested spectators.

Pic #3     3609     Another nice flight and landing after they continued on their run.   Even had a nice little right turn at the end of rubber runout.   All flights are left turn.

Pic #4     3610     Another perfect flight going left again -  I must point it more to the right,  on launching.

Lastwoodsman
Richard

BEAVER DH C2   30 INCH RUBBER POWERED  FREE FLIGHT PARK FLYER   DUMAS KIT 306

Reply # 354      Thur June 25 2026     post 1 of 3

Flight Report #26  of Sun June 21 2026

 7 flights by tennis courts,   four in-flight pics,  and   fathers day in Jackson Park

Pic #1     3603     The park had the guys playing on the Cricket Field,  so we couldn't fly there.

Pic #2     3604      You can see where the grass was cut,  just on the West end of the field,  by the trees where I fly,  first thing in the morning before the players started.

Pic #3     3605     It's in the air - long perfect flight and landing.
 
Pic #4     3606     Going left -  Oh no!   

Lastwoodsman
Richard

  Vert neat. Good luck with the trimming.

GIPSY MOTH DH 60   DUMAS KIT 336  RUBBER POWER PARK FLYER  30 INCH

Fri June 25 2026       Reply #44     post 4 of 4

Camo Wing Design   Yellow Rib Markers

     We are planning the tissue covering overlaps of five panels,  using yellow rib marker strips of paper,  to mark the spots.

Pic #1     3637     Five panel breaks are to be on the ribs.

Pic #2     3641  med     View from the right wingtip down the wing.

Pic #3     3642  med  2     View from the left end.

Pic #4     3645  med  rot     You can see how shinny the metallic gray marker is.  The panels are cut out and located on the orange rib locations.

Lastwoodsman
Richard

GIPSY MOTH DH 60   DUMAS KIT 336  RUBBER POWER PARK FLYER  30 INCH

Fri June 25 2026       Reply #43     post 3 of 4

Camo Wing Design

Pic #1     3628     Cutting off the extra and squaring up the designs.

Selecting the right color and thickness of the outlines of the camo designs.

Pic #2     3629     The metallic gray marker is too thick and shinny.

Pic #3     3633     Test of the Metallic silver marker.

Pic #4     3636     There were a lot of white acrylic paint touchups and marker touchups.

Lastwoodsman
Richard

GIPSY MOTH DH 60   DUMAS KIT 336  RUBBER POWER PARK FLYER  30 INCH

Fri June 25 2026       Reply #42     post 2 of 4

Camo Wing Design

Pic #1     3617     I stripped the old tissue off of this practice frame.

Pic #2     3618     I will use these two frames for practice.

Squaring Up The Designs

Pic #3     3622     Getting the cut lines of excess white paper boundary squared up.

Pic #4     3625     Close up.

Lastwoodsman
Richard