Wednesday 12 February 2014

Electric Merlin

  A little bit of news on the Merlin developement.  We're completing work on a new fusleage for the Merlin designed for an electric conversion.  The Merlin's fuselage has the room so there'll be plenty of room for lipos and a serious motor.

  The Merlin's handling with ballast has convinced me that it will carry the weight of the electric with ease.

  I'll post some pictures of the new fuselage when I get them.

Monday 10 February 2014

Whitesheet goes sub 30 as 2 Merlins make the top 6

  What a day at Whitesheet!  With the wind varying from 40-60mph all day ballasting decisions were easy- all of it.  My own race mirrored that of many pilots, with my best air coming on my first flight (crowing through allowed us to have 2 rounds per flight) the Merlin took off.  Only my thumbs kept me from going sub 40 and only Martin Newham kept me from the round win.
  The rest of the day saw my flights being ‘nearly’ good- often with half the course having good lift and on the other half I was relying on the Merln’s forgiving handling.  JP was showing just how fast the Merlin can fly and showing how he got it to 3rd in the league.

  Martin continues his strangely intimate relationship with his FS4’s but really did show he knows how to make them go.  The other most popular model looked to be the Needle 124s, good looking models that I love to beat with my Merlin.
  Flying ‘2 up’ and so having the CROW through really made me grateful that the Merlin seems happy to sit on CROW without biting me back.  Unfortunately it does mean that you only get 4 flights.




  As the day wore on it was clear that the tough conditions really started to take their toll, I think I counted 5 models that either his the front of the hill or landed in the puddle on the road behind the hill.  It’s never nice to see a crash.  Even the SportBrellas were struggling.


  Although the whitsheet record of 26.84 (set on the Bwlch) wasn’t beaten I’m sure the new course record of 29.94 will take some beating- as will the number of sub 40’s!  3rd and 6th in the southern league for the Merlins in their first year, I’m really pleased with- summer leagues here we come!