Harrier model developement

  Lock down has been a great chance for many modeller's to get on the building board.  I've been doing a little of my version of this and the result is the Harrier.  The aim of the model is to be the best sports  performance model possible.  A high performance wing with a sympathetic plan form, short tail boom and a strong effective tail.

  The wing has the depth to fit both servos and ball raced frames in, to make a durable and slop free assembly.

  The fuselage is a little bigger than some of the race models out there but more room to build and strength in the design are great attributes.

  A beautiful looking model as well!

  As the models are built I'll keep posting.

First Assembly

  Time to get the goodies out of the box.  The wings are looking good for the new model.  Just 750 grams per wing, stiff strong and looking very nice.

  A short boom looks to suit the wing shape and should give a forgiving model that I can throw around the sky.  It should be a fun project to get it together while the CAD fuselage progresses.  I can't wait!

Lock down time working together

 With action on the slopes not available it's been an opportunity to spend some time thinking about what I'd like from my next slope model.  Having being contacted by Zhou a few weeks ago we have been discussing different model options.  Our fuselage design is looking very nice (but I'm biased)

  The quality of the production from Zhou has continued to improve, including an integrated servo tray and ballast tube in the CAD design is a sure sign of development.  Although I won't be taking a commercial interest in the model, it is great to be part of the design process.

  I'll keep you up to date with the new model but I received a box from Zhou this week.  Great, things to make, weigh and take pictures of.  You know that they are top quality production but the first thing I found in the box says more about Zhou the man in these troubled times.-  A bulk packet of face masks.  Thank you Zhou- top lad.

Working/building from home

  Its certainly some unprecedented times, it’s been a week or 2 since I have been working from home.  That made it all the better when I met the Cubitts on my last trip to the slope.  Great flying but finding out Joe is a Grandad- that explained the scale model!

  Working from Home has given me one outlet to keep my mind distracted.  It was great to receive confirmation that the shipments sent out by Zhou are arriving at customers.   Despite the lack of people moving round the world, good seems to be getting through.  I’ll be getting some building time in where I can.

Traffic painful, weather dubious, flying- fantastic!

  It’s been a good while since free time and flyable weather coincided but I managed it yesterday.  You know that you are getting a bit desperate to fly when you time your trip to the slope with the one patch of blue sky being blow through on the latest storm.  The dog’s enthusiasm for being walked was dropping as we got closer to the edge- but not mine.

  I love flying the SOR in these conditions, I deliberately placed the canopy a hand grip away from the wing to help self-launching in blustery conditions.  When I have been talking to Zhou about his models he told me how much stronger has had made the wings, but with the weight of the wings dropping to 800g I had to see for myself.

  So 1.2kg of ballast in these conditions was a great opportunity to test them-  I couldn’t get them flexing!  Lots of aileron differential to help pull the nose down and pull the SOR over at the top of the turn.  It makes me think of having a go at racing again but after just flying on days like that is so much fun.

Just for the fun of it

  A full day’s racing so close to Christmas wasn’t possible this weekend but as my fingers went numb and my phone battery dead on Saturday afternoon it didn’t seem that bad a plan to just have a few on the slopes.  I don’t think it was me but soon after I arrived at the slope the other pilots left, muttering something about brass monkeys and I had the evening air to myself.  The plan was to fly the SOR and the Merlin but as the evening sun became hazy enough to get the Merlin away again I was having just too much fun to put it down and fly the SOR.

  With 1kg of ballast it was a great lesson in driving through the turns and building the energy either leg after leg or as I just screamed around the sky.  The Merlin does remind me of my old Compacts- (or is set up like one) and after flying this one around the world I should be used to it by now.  Balanced and solid feeling in every respect.  I know that I should have been practising bunts to gain energy from the slope but the thermal camber just made things too easy when I did want to slow down and gain height into the wind.

  The sheer pleasure of flying meant that my headlights came on as I started to try and warm up in the car.  I wonder if the money saved not shopping will justify the 450usd for a spare Merlin?  Smiles for your buck the Merlin must be worth it😊

Getting out with slope dog

  A cold weekend but Slope dog is getting into the swing of flying.  I’m going to have to get more organised when the spring finally comes and make more flying trips in the warmer weather.  Some really light winds to go and play with the SOR but I’m never one to turn down and opportunity and it does fly really nicely in the light air.  One of those days that 3 months ago the slope lift would have been enough to get you going before you started to pick up some thermal help for fast runs. 

I was going to take my Opus XL out but, as is often the case, once I got flying the one model I kept on just flying that one.  next time! The Opus XL is growing on me as a really nicely behaved sports model, it's slippy wing could be interesting if I ever get to race.