DB Models Auster J1

[LJK]

BillFirst let me apologise for the slow reply but we’ve been away a lot recently and I’ve only just had a look at my thread.

I have built the model as per the plan with the split pins for the wing strut, we’ll have to see just how practical it is to rig. In other models I’ve built that have struts they have been for show only so a simple clip on fixing could be used but in this case I’m sure the wings would fold if the struts were omitted and a more robust fixing is vital.

I visited my local model shop recently where the proprietor has flown this model in the past and wasn’t at all complimentary about its flying qualities. He said that it was very unresponsive to aileron but extremely responsive to rudder that made it ‘interesting’ to fly so be careful on its first airing.

I’ve added an on board glow system as an experiment and really it just wants painting and it should be ready for flying, I was hoping to get it painted when the weather was warm enough to have all the doors and windows open but somehow this didn’t happen with one thing and another.

I’ll bet that living in Spain you don’t have to work around the weather as we do!

When it’s complete I’ll post a couple of photos.

Let me first congratulate you on what looks like a superb job.

This is my first post to this forum as I am not normally a modeller, however while browsing the web for Auster information I came across several sites mentioning these particular Auster models and was intrigued. I am now very tempted to get one for the Winter evenings.

I am a 'real' Auster 5a owner and pilot (G-AOFJ) and I can tell you that 'real' Austers also respond well to rudder input and the ailerons appear rather ineffectual without rudder input. All turns must be strongly coordinated (unlike Cessnas etc.) and for best results lead with the rudder.

I also have a completely disasembled Auster J1N 1:1 'scale model' in my garage back in the UK awaiting reassembly (G-AGXU), complete with Gipsy Major Engine! The metalwork has all been powder coated and all the woodwork renewed, unfortunately that was over 3 years ago and it has languished since I have been working abroad.

Good luck with the project.

 

[Glider Guider]

The Auster is now complete and ready to fly.

I have fitted a glow-switch set so the glow lights for the bottom 20% of throttle, this has two benefits, 1) there is no need to connect the glow to a supply, which can be fiddly with a fully cowled engine, and 2) it gives a nice slow tickover and smooth pick up from tickover. The glow-switch was supplied with a single NIMH cell (nominally 1.2V) that gave a dull red glow, however the Laser likes a bit more heat to start, so I replaced the battery for a 2V lead-acid sealed battery.

Here are a few photos of the Auster complete with Action man pilot.

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[wonwinglo]

The model really looks superb and will without doubt prove to be a really good flyer,Auster's have a real character of their own whether full sized or lovely models such as this.

The Auster is now complete and ready to fly.I have fitted a glow-switch set so the glow lights for the bottom 20% of throttle, this has two benefits, 1) there is no need to connect the glow to a supply, which can be fiddly with a fully cowled engine, and 2) it gives a nice slow tickover and smooth pick up from tickover. The glow-switch was supplied with a single NIMH cell (nominally 1.2V) that gave a dull red glow, however the Laser likes a bit more heat to start, so I replaced the battery for a 2V lead-acid sealed battery.

Here are a few photos of the Auster complete with Action man pilot.

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[JollySeagull]

Fantastic Model, you have inspired me to have the courage to go ahead and order a kit

The Auster is now complete and ready to fly.I have fitted a glow-switch set so the glow lights for the bottom 20% of throttle, this has two benefits, 1) there is no need to connect the glow to a supply, which can be fiddly with a fully cowled engine, and 2) it gives a nice slow tickover and smooth pick up from tickover. The glow-switch was supplied with a single NIMH cell (nominally 1.2V) that gave a dull red glow, however the Laser likes a bit more heat to start, so I replaced the battery for a 2V lead-acid sealed battery.

Here are a few photos of the Auster complete with Action man pilot.

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Thank you so much for putting up such an understandable and helpfull post. I am looking forward to getting started in the next few weeks. I may come to you for some advise along the way if that is OK.

 

[Glider Guider]

Although not a first model by any means it went together pretty well. The only big problem was bending the longerons just aft of the cabin as I mentioned earlier in this thread. The trick, which I only learnt of after the event, was to dampen the longeron with ammonia which aids bending the balsa and would really help with this problem.

Any problems get back and I'll try to point you in the right direction if I'm able.

 

[JollySeagull]

Thanks again

I will let you know how I get on.

 

[Glider Guider]

The Auster has been down the field twice but has yet to fly.

The first time I just trundled the fuselage down to the strip as I wanted to run up the engine before going through rigging (if I had a pound for every wag who said that it would fly better with a pair of wings I'd be a good bit better off). The Laser 80 started and ran well, as always, but there was a fuel leak, faulting the plumbing on this model isn't a field job so I got it into my workshop and found that the round fuel tank had split. As it was at least 8 years old the plastic must have gone brittle although it didn't feel too bad however a replacement tank was obtained from DB Sport & Scale, the latest tank is a bit longer and has a slightly larger diameter but still fits fine.

Back to the field and an engine test was fine with no leak. Having the onboard glow set to light the plug for around the bottom 20% movement of the throttle stick gives good starting and a very steady and an 'as slow as you want' tickover with reliable pickup on throttling up. When it came to rigging the wings and wing struts however I hit a problem with the bottom fixing of the strut to the fuselage. The fixing on the fuselage is an aluminium strip with a hole in each end that bolts to an aluminium end of the strut by 'nyloc' nut and bolt. As it was very fiddly to connect this nut and bolt, especially at the field, I epoxied the nut to the upper surface of the fuselage aluminium strip. However this broke free and I had no tool with me to hold the nut so it was back the the workshop. Cleaning the epoxy off I held the nut with a pair of latching forceps which is not ideal and not the job for a cold day down the field. I considered replacing the aluminium strip with brass and silver soldering the nut to it but it would involve a major operation. I would certainly replace the aluminium with brass if I was building another Auster or come up with a totally different way of fixing the strut.

 

[Glider Guider]

Regards my above post, thinking about it silver soldering the nyloc nut would totally ruin the friction material so it would be better to silver solder the bolt with the thread pointing downwards.

 

[Kiwi]

I'm in the process of building a 57" Auster J 5 but it differs from your one in that it is for electric power (no worry with a split fuel tank there!)

The other major difference is that I am doing a float equipped version so I can take it to our annual float fly. Also as a ex Air Force type I wanted to do a Air Force aircraft.

Fuselage, wings and tail are basically finished and I am drawing up the floats.