Parnall Elf biplane

wonwinglo

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Barry
Here is another one from the collection,this one I built several years ago from a designer friends drawings to one fifth scale as a prototype,the idea was he deasigned them to market as plans and I tested out the drawings by building the first model,test flying it then making up a set of instructions to go with the plans,did several for him including Miles Hawk Speed 6,Puss Moth,Fairey Battle etc.

Flew them in the scale days at Old Warden until they then introduced those silly 'B' Certificates which dont mean much ! ( sorry, I think that someone who can take off do a few circuits and land at his feet can be a responsible flyer without a bit of paper that proves nothing about the pilots abilities ) and I was not allowed to fly them any more,despite having my own flying school.

The model is quite an handful actually and has awful aileron response with quite a bit of adverse yaw depite plenty of differential,she needs to be flown onto the ground and not three pointed,speaking to the full size pilot he said the real thing is just the same,90 sized motor.

She was laid up and not flown for some years,you need to rig her on the field as she is so big.

Had a lucky escape when the rudder detached at Old Warden on 4 th flight,she went into a left spin,managed remarkably to pull out only feet above the ground and flare out to a soft landing,reason was hinge failure which caused the rudder to flutter and break the other hinges,a freak mishap which could have wrote her off.

Anyway hope that you like her,picture was taken before the full cowling with louves was built,also first flight like this to aid cooling as well.

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PARNELL ELF#080591#WARWICK.jpg
 
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adzam

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she looks ver very nice mate

what sort of build time did it take ?
 

wonwinglo

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A winters project Ad,diary states 950 hours,a lot of extra work with biplanes,extra wings,rigging etc but well worth the effort.
 
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adzam

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do you log all your modelling time and allocate it to each model ?

well wonwinglo, mucho respecto !

looking at it another way, thats 950 hours of your life in that model :respect1:
 

wonwinglo

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Hello Adzam,what I usually do is just keep track of how long it takes to do certain jobs,ie cutting out parts,basic assembly time,finishing usually takes the longest and the radio installation,then I just total it up and make a note,no particular reason just shows as you say what a chunk it takes out of your life,still beats chasing the women eh ! well thats what I tell my wife anyway.
 
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Grahame
Another Elf

Hi

Just thought you might be interested to know that my Elf also has virtually no aileron control but the rudder is super powerful! I built to approx. 1/6th scale, 62" wing span using a Laser 70 with a home made silencer to enable the exhaust to exit in the correct place

19028Elf_Alfresco-med.jpg


The first flight was very "hairy", full right aileron just compensated for the fact that I hadn't used enough right thrust and it flew straight ahead, but the rudder could cause a spin. Coupled aileron/rudder with a lot of exponential and a few more "mixes" and it now flies like a good un.

I decided to make the wings fold, as per full size, so no rigging at the field. It's quicker and easier the get ready than a trainer!

If anyones interested I've got quite a few photos of the construction as well as the finished model I can post.

Greyhead
 
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Grahame
try again!!

19028elf_side-med.jpg
 
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adzam

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lo grey head, a bueatiful model you have there

if you`d like to show more pics please feel free to do so, probably best to start a new thread though. the more info and pics the better mate

Adz..
 

wonwinglo

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Greyhead she is a real beauty ! all of these Parnall Elf models seem to be the same regarding the poor aileron response,I coupled the rudder to the ailerons in the end,by all means as Adz says more pictures please.

My wing fixing is the wings are all assembled with the warren girder struts,four piano wire pins go through from the front and locked with collets.

By the way I was born near Consett only down the road from you,where do you fly from ?

Good to have you onboard here,another biplane fan !
 
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Bluewavestudios

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Nice pic Barry...a nice plane...another one I still have plans for tucked away somewhere.

Secondly Welcome Greyhead.....hope you enjoy the forum, some very nice pics there, the sort of stuff we want to see on here, keep 'em coming.

Regards......Mark.
 
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Grahame
Thanks

Thanks for all the feed back, your remarks have spurred me on to start a new thread which I hope will be successful :welldone: Is there an easy way to attach the photos? At the momment I'm uploading them to the rc discussion group web site and then linking to the url.

I'm a member of the Teesside MFC and fly from our own field at Redmarshall near Stocton, quite a way from Consett, but I fly slope soarers from near Tow Law which is up that way.
 
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