A choice of joiners

The Willow now has a choice of joiners- the original 6degree dihedral or the new 3 degrees.

Both remain the substantial lumps of carbon they've always been.

  Which is better?- like most things it's a personal taiste thing but I like the way the new one looks in the Willow I'm building (yep not in time for the first southern league race).

The new joiners are just  £22.50 if you'd like to try one in your Willow.

Further developements

  I’ve been impressed with how the Willows fly from the first model.  The Beta model developement has allowed us to make some really big improvements to make today’s models..  We are using more and more CnC parts- including the new wing joiner mold and there is no chance of cutting any corners on materials.

  After having my last Willow prized from me on the slope I’m building another Willow.  You’re expecting me to say this but in addition to the construction quality and strength, the Willow is now a doddle to put together-even for someone with my lack of workshop heating.

  The parts now slip together with a positive feeling click, I really love the way the servo tray slots in place once you’ve cut it to fit your radio gear.  Fitting the switch before you glue the tray in makes it the easiest switch I have fitted in a long time, even with the longer ballast tube there’s plenty of room for all the radio gear! I opted for the 5065s to drive the V tail but there’s room for bigger servos.  

  I’m fitting this one with standard Hi-tec gear again.  The 12mm 5085 servos fit in both the flaps and ailerons really easily.  As we’ve got the horns fitted and hole for the wiring looms built in now there’s not much more than fitting the servos and making the push rods to do.

  With luck this Willow will be ready for the Sunday’s Race.

new toys arrived today

Heading out of the door, so my stroking was limited but the new air one 3m is now finished. it might have taken 2 years from prototype and to production but it's definately worth it.

Pics and a build to come

2 possitive moves

Working with Tony at Sloperacer and actally flying Willows, means that we have lengthened the Ballast tubes in all Willows.

With Tony's help we have also found a way for the Willow to make a possitive difference.

The Bristol Neonatal intensive Care Unit is a cause very close to me.  The Willow started as a project and has grown beyond anything that we could expect.  With the help of Tony at Sloperacer half of the proceeds to Willow f3f will be given to the Neonatal care Unit.

A little bit of fun with a wing

Now we've all heard the stories about how strong wings are- right?

So here's the plan, wait till the missus goes out then get your son to sit on a spare wing and see what happens.....

Not much flex at all.

So how about giving your camera to the boy and sitting on the wing yourself?

So a 17stone prop hands his camera over (feeling more nervous about the camera than the wing) and.....

yeah, the wing bent more this time! but not bad going and not a bad pic with a 4 year old on the camera!

I recon we'll be ready for thhe bigger ballast tubes and winter winds!

Full colours at Sloperacer

Here's the colours that Tony at Sloperacer now has the Willows in- After un-packing them it's clear that they're getting better and better- but also brighter and brighter.

  We've still not had a bad report on how they fly.  We think that with the right servo combination you can be racing a 2.75m full house moldie for less than the price of just about any other model in it's class.  I couldn't resist so I'm making up my new wiring loom tonight for my new toy!- go on guess which one:-)

Day 3 and Welsh open Reflections

   Sitting in my car for the whole of Sunday morning I must admit I was torn between wanting the rain to clear, so we could get on with more racing and really wanting to have round 5 cancelled- the hill and wind simply stopped co-operating for a number of pilots on Saturday and I knew my score would take a bashing.

  But as soon as the rain did ease off I was second up the hill to thrash the Willow about before we managed to get round 5 and 6 in.  The ice-cream slope is one of the more variable ones but this gave different pilots the opportunity to use different styles of flying to get the most out of it.

  Sunday really did emphasise just how much the standard of flying has improved and developed in the last few years (perhaps I missed it before), gone have the days where UK pilots would launch, float around for 25 seconds and then attempt 9 reversals- pretty well regardless of the conditions.  Full or Partial reversals, energy management, Nordic or good old bank and yank turns were all employed by just about all the top pilots at different times and to a very high level.

  43’s were transformed into 39’s and 39’s into 35 second runs by a succession of pilots.  Those fresh faced Norwegians have certainly been practising and as always it was great to see so many of them, as with the Spanish.  The Worlds next year will certainly be a top class affair and With Joel West’s stunning win it gives us Brits some hope.

  2 models that were new to UK racing may well demonstrate the importance of thumbs, Kevin and the Pike perfect looks- Like Kevin flying most of his models, fast, accurate and hard turning.  Only he can tell you how easy it is to get that performance from it and how to release the water that gathers inside the fuselage.  The Artist 3, had the handicap of my thumbs all weekend but for me it was one of the most impressive models at the weekend, it’s pace and handling even made me look competentJ

  I’ll put some pictures up when my camera drys but, thanks to Kevin, Martin and AJ- What a weekend!