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Thornbury
model engineer show time again!
I
felt the need to go and see the fantastic models at the
engineering show again this year (and to spend some more money on
goodies!) Again I was blown away by the sheer engineering skill of
the exhibitors. Highlights of the show for me were a 3 wheel
Morgan (about 2ft long), numerous small traction engines, a huge
6ft high (1/3 rd scale?) traction engine outside, the Napier
aero engine etc etc. Also some other oddities I spotted, were some
Meccano airplanes, wooden steam engine models and some SCSA club
members spending some of their own money! I'll keep their
names secret just in case their wives get to read the newsletter
:-)
Regards,
Mike
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Bristol
Model Engineering and Hobbies Exhibition 2007
(Thornbury
Leisure Centre, 17th - 19th August)
The
weather was not looking good for Woodspring, so I decided to go to
the indoor do instead. I had tried on the Saturday when the
rain was persisting down, but the car park was full and the
overflow was in a very muddy sloping field, so I waited 'til
Sunday and walked (only a mile each way from home).
There's
something here for every modeller: trains, boats, planes and
automobiles, but unfortunately not a lot for model flying people.
I think there were more model aeroplanes made out of Meccano than
out of balsa or foam. There was one exhibition - the
Beaufort Model Flying Club - which had a good
display of flyable models, and one person (John Stennard, I think) actually
flying an electric contra-rotating helicopter, in a
space around eight feet square. The other models actually
working were mainly railways, plus a large and very
impressive merry-go-round, lots of Meccano contraptions like a
transporter bridge, cranes and things, and quite a few heat
engines silently rotating, some powered by butane, others
apparently by nothing at all.
Several
stands had very intricate multi-cylinder aero-engines, like
the ones in the picture, and the Gas Turbine Builders Association
had some - yes, you guessed it -gas turbines. One (only) was
installed in a model jet aircraft, and an unsuccessful attempt was
made to run it in the outdoor enclosure (flat battery or
something, I couldn't get close enough to find out). There
were quite a few trade stands but none you would recognize from
the air shows - more the heavy stuff like Myford lathes, and
the intriguing S & M Tools. Don't try putting that
into Google!
Other
outdoor entertainments were the ubiquitous stationary engines,
each one going chug, chug, chug, and being watched over by a fat
bloke in a deck chair; there were some amazing model steam
traction engines; a fairground organ; a boating pool; and the
aforementioned enclosure for running up the engines.
All
in all, very interesting if you happen to be interested in
that sort of modelling, but I would have preferred Woodspring.
John
Bennett
Photos from John, click for larger images
The photos from Mike have been posted at http://ebley.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?set_albumName=album04 or larger images without thumbnails at http://www.ebley.plus.com/limbo/?M=D dated 18/08/07 or slide show
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Michael's Thrush
A few notes on the Thrush for the news letter.
I'd been thinking about getting a
brushless electric glider for quite some time but the thought
of a £200+ cost put me off.
A couple of few back Q&EFI did
an article on the Green Models 'Pretty' which was very favorable.
The Pretty is a 1500mm span ARTF and
is priced at £79.99 including brushless motor and speed
controller. When ordered it was out of stock so the shop
offered me the Thrush (not the best of names) as an alternative.
It is very similar, the main difference seems to be the span
which is 1600mm and the wing plan shape. http://www.greenmodelusa.com/Pretty.html
This link actually shows the Thrush not the Pretty.
The built quality is excellent and all
that's required is to install the servo's, receiver, battery, and
linkages. used a 1000 Ma Lipo as used in the Twister
helicopter which fits in nicely. All the linkages are included and
a draw string for your servo extensions in the wing.
The fuselage is GRP nicely finished but
rather thin, but then for £80! The model is light so it
should be fine assuming no heavy knocks.
A steel wing joiner is fitted as
standard, I'm thinking of changing it for carbon to reduce weight.
The wings come is 2 parts which makes for easy transport.
The 1st flight went well, the climb
was strong but I needed full up trim to keep the glide path
normal. The brake being off on the motor probably doesn't help.
The C of G could also be moved back a bit to liven things up a
bit. The model seems to have no nasty tendencies and landing was
uneventful.
Thanks to John Bennett who kindly
launched it.
Michael Pearce
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