Friday, 29 May 2020

A lock down project moving on!

  Returning to the slopes after lock down has been made even better by flying the new Harrier prototype.  I'm sure that cam through in my other posts.  Being involved with model development is a fantastic experience, combined with a model that's just good to fly makes it even better.

  Boom length, tail and incidence decided and the Harrier positive came out of the CNC machine this week.

  It will be like waiting for Christmas as the molds and first models are made!

  Whilst I'm sure that Zhou will be happy to work with flyers directly, if you have any 'standard' colour scheme suggestions- let me know here!





Thursday, 14 May 2020

post lock-down fun


  I needed fun and the Harrier prototype fits the job perfectly.  It feels like it’s been a long time since that the completed Harrier has been sat waiting for a decent flying opportunity so I wasn’t going to miss the chance.
  While the current model does not look as plush as the CAD files being milled for the production model I wasn’t going to wait any longer than I had to.  Get the nerves over with and away she went as perfectly straight from the hand as I could hope.  I was really pleased with the natural pace that she showed around the sky, 2mm of camber had her thermaling away with the buzzards but it’s the speed and efficiency between the thermals that can make a model.  All that height gained was converted into fun.
  The broader wing root really gives you the confidence to use some big control surface movements without worrying about the wing biting back.  It’s been tweaked slightly since the original Willow models (I’m told it will fit on the willow fuselages)- this only becomes evident when you’re in the air.  I really enjoyed the shorter boom than it’s Willow predecessors, square moves come off far better.
  The fun and performance from the model is fantastic.  The lockdown had given me the time to program in a different set up with racing in mind, what can I say- it felt fast to me and the EM style turns carried through better than I expected on a first day out.   It’s the model that I would try up turns and then roll as a race move.
  More next time after I've taken some other models out too- but getting out again is great!