Wonwings Diary-a blog with a difference. - Page 43

**wonwinglo** · 04-06-2006

The very same aircraft at Enstone airfield,Oxfordshire on 6.2.93 prior to its sale shortly afterwards to Air Atlantique when it was registered as G-BFIR, and flying in its RAF colourscheme as WD413,it was ex maintenance serial 7881M.
Mike Collett the company chairman delivered the aircraft to Baginton where it is now part of the Air Atlantique Classic Flight.

VH-ASM anson 1 This is a true Anson Mk 1 used by Marshalls Airways at Tamworth NSW,Australia ,this aircraft has been shipped to the UK and after a spell at Duxford is now on display in the RAF Museum complete with a mid upper turret,and painted as an RAF example with serial W2068 which is its former RAAF serial.
Via N.M Parnall phptograph.

Picture-Aviation Archives.

G-AMDA Avro Anson 1 picture shows David Ogilvy putting G-AMDA/N4877 coded FV-X through its paces at a Skyfame Staverton airshow in the seventies,the aircraft was built in 1938 with two Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah 9 engines and became part of the Derby Aviation magnetometer fleet which together with civilian Mosquitoes performed extensive research work for minerals in Canada.
On the demise of the wonderful Skyfame museum, which was way ahead of its time and started by Peter Thomas and his wife the aircraft were transferred to Duxford where they carried on the work of aircraft restoration with the Imperial War Museum collection.
The aircraft is on display after undergoing extensive restoration by a team at Duxford.

N4877 shown at Duxford on an unknown date picture by Dave Peace.

A recent photograph of G-AMDA being restored at Duxford to non flying condition,a turret will be added during the work on this aircraft,note that work had already started on this when the photograph was taken.
Picture

ave Peace.

This lovely early shot of G-AIPA has recently come to light,it clearly shows the underslung magnetometer equipment in the form of an ECM Bird which was trailed behind the aircraft,note also the legend 'Canadian Aero Services' on the nose.
Gemini Aerofotos files picture.

**wonwinglo** · 05-06-2006

Fly-past for Britain's oldest man
Henry Allingham will be 110 on 6 June.The RAF has scheduled a fly-past over the East Sussex coast to celebrate the 110th birthday of Britain's oldest man.
Two tornadoes from 31 squadron are to fly over the Grand Hotel in Eastbourne for the anniversary on Tuesday.
Mr Allingham, a World War I air service veteran, lived in the town after retiring, but recently moved to a care home near Brighton.
"He really does marvel at the fact he has reached the age he has," said close friend, Denis Goodwin.
"It's going to be a tremendous day for Henry and I'm sure he will enjoy it."
Mr Allingham will be joined by senior figures in the RAF for the fly-past.
He will later have a private lunch with family members from the US.
He served as a mechanic with the Royal Naval Air Service during the war, before transferring to the newly-created RAF.
He is the last remaining founder member of the RAF and the only remaining survivor of the battle of Jutland.
He has five grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.
In March, Mr Allingham was given the freedom of Eastbourne, where he had lived since the 1960s.
Three weeks ago he moved to St Dunstan's, a care home for ex-service personnel, in Ovingdean.
Scale-Models sends its best wishes to a man with a remarkable and long life,enjoy your very special day Henry.

The Battle of Jutland (known as the Battle of Skagerrak in Germany), fought between the British Grand Fleet and the German High Seas Fleet in 1916, was the largest surface naval battle of the metal ship era, the only major fleet action of World War 1, and the last major fleet action that the participants will ever fight. It also played a key role in the demise of the reputation of battlecruiser, saw the first use of a carrier based aircraft in battle and is one of the most controversial naval actions in the Royal Navy's long history.

**Bunkerbarge** · 05-06-2006

Barry,

If you have ever read any of the "Forgotten Voices of...." series of books you will have enjoyed some of the most enlightening first hand experiences of any conflict.

My own favourite was the First World War Royal Navy one that covers the Battle of Jutland. I cannot possibly begin to comprehend what it must have been like be in the middle of the ocean whilst your out of sight enemy hurled huge great lumps of metal at your ship in thier attempt to sink it before you managed to do the same to them. It hadn't really progressed very far from the Roman times when they did pretty much the same with rocks and catapults.

The other thing that really surprised me was the phenominal size of the fleet we had at that time, all bought and paid for by the British Empire.

Very interesting books if you ever get the chance.

Nigel.D · 05-06-2006

Re the battle of Jutland read the experiences of a young man named John Carlos it was inspiring

**wonwinglo** · 06-06-2006

The Twister Bell 47G electric helicopter has taken the model helicopter world by a storm to new degrees of reliability and lots of fun without the hassle of many larger helicopter subjects.
These small models can be tucked under your arm and flown in a small paddox or even a larger garden,after flying mine now for several months under calm outdoor conditions ( usually late evening or early morning when the air is still ) it has made me realise the potential and convenience of these small designs which offer so much in terms of fun and flying pleasure.
The one thing that must never be overlooked with any working model helicopter,is maintenance,admittedly there is not much of that on this model but there are a few pointers that will keep your Bell 47 flying smoothly in order for you to get the very best of service from it,the one thing that will get damaged at some stage is the rotor blades,there are two opposite handed sets on this model which are very efficent,just make sure that they match up in terms of weight,they can vary between 3.5 & 4 grams for each main blade,a set of jewellers scales will prove invaluable fo this simple task,weigh each blade and compare the results,if they match then that is fine,but if not carefully sand a little from the heavier blade or add a small amount correction fluid to the underside of the light blade,believe me it makes a big difference in the way that the model behaves in flight.
If you have the misfortune to strike the flybar in a mishap then do not attempt to straighten it,get a new one and do yourself a favour,it will pay dividends in the smooth operation of your model,make sure that the flybar weights are well secured inside the vinyl boots,you do not want those flying out like a bullet ?
Anything that is damaged is best replaced soon as possible,keep a spare set of parts in your toolbox at the ready,all that you will need for this one is an extra small phillips screwdriver to undo the tiny self tapping screws,be careful and do not drop them onto the floor,they are difficult to see.
The plastic main frame will get the occasional bump and possible breakage,you can use cyno with a bit of kicker to fix any non structural skeletal part with reasonable success,the vulnerable bits are the small outrigger rear planes,and any part of the framework,just make sure before flying that nothing is floating around that will get caught up with the rotors.
Normally I would say keep the antennae as straight as possible,but with this model the antennae is just in the way and gets chopped by the whirling bits,if that happens then you will almost certainly loose range or at the worst radio contact,tests have proven that looping it around from tail to nose has no harmful effects,in fact my model has flown at great height without any bother so be careful of this often overlooked point,you could even find some stiff thin plastic tube to lead the antennae well away from the tail,but be careful of the centre of gravity if you take this route,the model should balance with a slight nose down trim from holding it just under the rotor head.
The double sided tape holding down the combined receiver and gyro is best also supplemented with a small elastic band,if that works loose then you will loose the gyro operation and probably crash,it is not worth the risk.
Likewise with the lithium battery which is slung underneath and held via some velcro,add a band as well for extra security.
Tomorrow I will discuss the flying of this little gem and tell you how to get the vey best from her,even if you are a raw beginner,she really is a fun model to handle.

**wonwinglo** · 07-06-2006

Due to its clever design the Twister Bell 47G is a very stable model helicopter,two electric motors working in opposite directions cancel out the torque from the rotors,there is no tail rotor on this model as the built in gyro detects any swing of the boom and makes tiny inputs to the receiver and corrects any such movement,input of the (rudder) from the left stick enables swift turns to be made,in fact the most difficult of helicopter manoeuvres the nose in hover is made very easy due to the inherant stability of this design,the helicopter gives confidence to those who have struggled in the past with conventional helicopter designs,that is not to say the model is dull or un-challenging to fly,far from it as you begin to experiment and appreciate with the flight envelope.
Being such a small model the skids tend to dig into anything but bowling green quality grass on take off,I take out a small take off platform in the form of a small piece of plywood sufficent to get airborne,this will save the flustrations of turning the helicopter over as the skids wrap around the rough ground,I do not recommend flying over tarmac or concrete as an heavy landing will do untold damage,at some stage you will make mistakes with heavy arrivals and landings,so at least use pastureland as natures cushion.
Point the model into wind ( do not fly in strong wind as this model due to its small size will not be able to cope and drift sideways out of control ) and slowly open up the throttle,begin to get a bite with the skids light ie just entering into ground effect,add a bit more throttle and tower into the hover,once about ten feet into the air carefully move the right (Elevator ) stick forwards and the helicopter will gain a bit of speed and make headway and start to climb,at the same time ease off the forward pressure otherwise the helicopter will continue to climb very fast and quickly,so always go into the manouevre and then check it ( the term check means to centralise the stick and if necessary then go back a small amount into the opposite direction,practise will make perfect ) now it will be time to make a turn otherwise the model will be shooting into the distance,remember this model is small and will quickly get out of your optical sight,always fly within your own personal limitations to avoid dis-orientation especially with helicopter models.
Place the model into a slight bank,this helicopter has no preference to direction as the self cancelling rotors take care of any natural tendency to take a natural preference,follow this at the same time with the left stick and the nose will quickly come round,do not over control otherwise the boom will swing past the centralised point and then you could be facing in the wrong direction ! the Twister Bell still calls for precise flying in the turn but you will quickly learn to not over control.
Keep flying until the battery shows that it is loosing power and the helicopter fails to climb any more,now is the time to land so aim for a smooth area and once again get into the hover and slow the helicopter down by pulling up the nose gently and gently settle onto terra firma once again.
Thats it,all that now remains is for you to practise and practise again,try to make a couple of flights every day unti you can do it backwards ( yes this model will go backwards but that skill will come much later ) this really is a great little helicopter and one that will give hours of enjoyment.
Happy lndings.

**wonwinglo** · 08-06-2006

What is Meccano? Meccano was probably the first metal construction toy to reach the mass market. It was developed in Liverpool by a British toymaker named Frank Hornby around the turn of the century. Hornby founded Meccano Limited, which also manufactured toy trains (Hornby Dublo) toy vehicles (Dinky Toys) and many other types of toys over the years. Hornby’s formula of a relatively small number of general-purpose metal parts like girders, brackets, pulleys, shafts, and gears was widely imitated, most notably by Gilbert, which created the familiar Erector Sets that were discovered under virtually every American Christmas tree during the 1950’s. Meccano Limited ceased manufacturing operations in the UK in 1980, however, but a French firm kept the name alive and now manufactures Meccano sets for the world market. In the U.S., Meccano of France now owns the trademark "Erector" and manufactures "Erector" sets for sale in the States. These Meccano-built "Erector" sets are not compatible with the old Gilbert Erector sets, but are simply relabeled Meccano products. The parts are completely identical. Several other firms manufacture metal construction sets that are compatible to some degree with Meccano. What incompatibilities exist are mostly due to English/metric measurement conflicts. Although considered toys, metal construction sets like Meccano present opportunities to robotics crazies who do not have access to machine shop tools, or who simply don’t have the mechanical skill to machine their own small parts for robotics experiments. Both sets and spare parts are available mail-order in the U.S., Europe, and South America. What is the "Meccano Standard ? Any construction set depends on there being a set of standard dimensions that all the various parts adhere to. All the bolt holes must be of the same size, and holes in girders must have the same spacing, and so on. To be compatible with Meccano parts, another manufacturer must adhere to the same standards as Meccano uses. * What are the Meccano standard hole and shaft sizes? Meccano bolt holes on parts manufactured today (in France, a metric nation) spec at 4.1mm. The holes used to be bigger. Parts made in the Thirties have holes that clear a #16 drill but not a #15, so they were about 0.178". Today’s parts have holes that *barely* clear a #19 drill bit, which makes them almost exactly 0.166" (it’s a real tight fit, especially on painted parts.) When holes are arranged in a linear run, (as for girders, plates, and so on) they are 0.5" on centers. To turn freely within 0.166" bolt holes, the shafts must be a little smaller, and mike out at 0.1603" on my Sunday-only mike, giving about 0.005" play. The shaft diameter is thus almost precisely 4mm, and if you can find metric drill rod 4mm works beautifully. Almost as good is #20 drill rod (0.161") which is available at Industrial Pipe and Steel. 5/32" rod will clear holes and hubs, but at 0.156" it’s a pretty sloppy fit and I don’t recommend it for anything other than simple models.

**wonwinglo** · 09-06-2006

What is the size of the standard Meccano screws? Meccano screw threads are 32 per inch, and mic out at about 0.152" across the threads. This is just a bit smaller than your standard hardware store 8-32 NC (National Coarse) machine screw, which is supposed to be .164" across the threads. However, a spot check of my bolt drawers shows none that big; most come in at 0.158" to 0.162", with the bulk of them about 0.159". So it’s close. 8-32 screws clear the standard Meccano bolt hole with ease, and may be substituted for the more expensive Meccano screws. I’ve purchased 1/4" 8-32 brass screws from fastener stockholders,modern Meccano screws have an allen-socket head with a 3mm socket. Older Meccano screws have what is called a "cheese head" design, with a screw head shaped roughly like a round of Edam cheese with a screwdriver slot. Older Meccano screws were brass; the newer ones are zinc-plated steel, like most hardware store nuts and bolts. I much prefer the allen-head screws, as they can be perched on the end of an allen wrench and worked into tight spots where fingers don’t quite reach. Metric hex keys are available at larger hardware stores; my favorite has a plastic- coated T-handle and works very well,just make sure that you buy one with hardened steal and not the cheap rubbish. Some Meccano parts come with setscrews having a metric allen head 2mm in size. I keep the 2mm and 3mm T-handle keys with my Meccano parts, and that’s all I need.Will 8-32NC set screws work in Meccano hubs? No! Meccano screws are slightly smaller in diameter than 8-32, and while the thread pitch is the same, the hubs are tapped a little too small to accept 8-32NC set screws. (The tap drill for the one standard Meccano thread is given as 3.25mm. Meccano is made in France now, which is metric.) It is possible to re-tap a Meccano hub to 8-32, but is has to be done very carefully to avoid breaking the tap off in a part that may be worth a lot more than the tap. (Meccano gears, in particular, can be very expensive.) Meccano setscrews are readily available from many mail-order sources including Whistlers,just check the catalogues and order a small quantity before commiting to larger purchases to check on the quality, What are Meccano parts made of? Nearly all Meccano parts are steel or brass,modern gears are made from Sintered brass,these show as a dull gold finish.There is virtually no aluminum in the line apart from some special rods that were made for a Meccano clock kit escapement many years ago. In recent years some plastic parts have appeared which are not liked by Meccano enthusiasts, primarily realistic wheels for special sets, transparent plates for windshields which do not stand up to much re-use, and other small but sometimes oddments,in recent years some rather obscure parts have appeared in the small 'one model type' sets. Some gears are now made in plastic to reduce their considerable cost,never mesh a plastic gear with a metal one it will not last long and eventually wreck both gears, but equivalent gears are in every case normally available in brass. There is a separate line of plastic parts called Meccano Junior, targeted at small children and intended to price-compete with Lego, but I won’t discuss these further here as they have little use to the serious builder.

**Bunkerbarge** · 09-06-2006

...and don't forget that Hornby Dublo was so named as it referred to the scale which was OO scale or double 'O'.

**wonwinglo** · 09-06-2006

***Interesting that the change also reflected the smaller homes of the fifties,whereby the large and sometimes cumbersome 'O Gauge' needed to be laid and uplifted time and again from landings and adjoining rooms,whereby the more compact 'OO' could easily be placed onto permanent boards for use instantly when required.
Also to supplement the trains a new series of 'Dublo Dinkies' came out,I remember having a lovely little pale blue Austin 7 complete with rubber wheels,now you are getting me on the nostalgia roller coaster again here Richard ! but I really do not mind one bit,it is all part and parcel of our love of models and the social history that goes with them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunkerbarge

...and don't forget that Hornby Dublo was so named as it referred to the scale which was OO scale or double 'O'.