Flight Lines 2021 May - Hamilton Model Aero Club
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May
2021
Flight Lines
Cover Page: Those magnificent men and their flying
machines. Bi Plane days are always popular.
2
FLIGHT LINES
HAMILTON MODEL AERO CLUB INC.
May 2021
www.hamiltonmac.org.nz
PATRON Graeme Bradley – Retired and living a well-deserved
life of luxury when not hooning
around the field with his Aces Stik
PRESIDENT Grant Finlay 027-273-7461
VICE PRESIDENT Gordon Meads 021-125-2911
SECRETARY Alan Rowson 07-843-3889
TREASURER Alan Rowson 021-025-93002
CLUB CAPTAIN Sel Melville 027-482-3459
BULLETIN Ed. Dave Crook 021-123-6040
(Editorial Email: send to: chloecat@xtra.co.nz )
COMMITTEE:
Mike Sutton
Chris Tynan 022-353-9231
Sel Melville 027-482-3459
Dave Crook 021-123-6040
Lyndon Perry 021-0251-8474
Wayne Cartwright 022-1534-679
WEB SITE Grant Finlay
CATERER Colleen Tynan
CLUB NIGHT: Wednesday 12 May, 2021 7.30 pm
VENUE: Beerescourt Bowling Club
68a Maeroa Road - Hamilton
Club Night Theme: An introduction to Hanger Rats and other nasty
rubber powered planes.
Club Themed Flying Day: Float Plane Day at Lake Puketirini, Huntly
on May 23
3
Presidents Report
Grant
Here we go heading into the month of May
with the cold weather starting to take hold.
Even so, we have still been having some really
nice flying days which the retired Grey Ghost
Squadron have been making the most of….not
to mention gloating about the amount of flying
they’ve been doing mid week…that’s whilst
the rest of us work to pay for their Gold
Cards…jealous, who me….heck yes !!
More flying time if you have one of
these
I did manage to get down to the IMAC
scale aerobatics event at Galatea a couple
of weeks ago and thoroughly enjoyed
some aerobatic competition flying for a
change. Competition can be challenging and fun and really helps
improve your flying skills, so next time we hold a club event, maybe
give some thought to taking part yourself.
4
Club nights. Aprils Club night was a “bring your project” for show and
tell. Thanks to those guys that brought aircraft and associated model
items along. These combined with a photo show of recent events
provided for an interesting evening. As always, we are continually
looking for ideas for club night topics, so please pass on any requests to
the committee for consideration and follow up.
Mays club night is a prelude to a planned Indoor Rubber Powered
aircraft evening at the Te Rapa Sports Drome. Dave Crook will be
running us through the in’s an outs of constructing some simple indoor
rubber sport models, including the Hangar Rat. This popular model owes
its existence to the 'Sig Parasol,' a simple, easy-to-fly, tissue-covered
profile model and can be purchased as a kitset. We hope to run the
indoor meeting in mid to late July which will give you plenty of time to
build your own model.
Aprils themed club flying day was booked in as a bi-plane and multi
wing flyin. At least six biplane models were dragged out of their hangars
for a pretty good day of flying. I spent an hour assembling my silver
Tiger Moth model, had one flight and then accidentally knocked an
aileron resulting in a stripped servo gear. That was the end of my bi-
plane flying for the day with another hour spent pulling it all apart again!
All up though, it was a successful day of flying.
Mays monthly club flying event is float plane day “number two” of five
for this year. This time we will be flying at Lake Puketirini in Huntly.
This venue is a little more challenging than Lake Kainui, but is still a
good flying site that provides plenty of entertainment. We are only here
at Puketirini once this year, so if you want to experience a different lake
site, this is it. As always the rescue boat will be on duty with Captain
Phil in charge of the salvage operations for the unlucky.
Okay, that’s my lot for the month. Make the most of the fine flying days
while you can.
And as always…remember… safe flying is no accident.
Grant.
5
Message from the
treasurer:
Alan
I would like to thank all members who
have paid their subs. The majority were
all in by the 31st March and that made
my job so much easier.
Sadly there are seven subs still to come
and it would be appreciated if they could
let me know if they intend to rejoin or resign.
Just remember if you are not affiliated to MFNZ you are not permitted to
fly at any registered flying fields.
Since the start of this year we have received 13 new members in the club.
Please enjoy your flying at our field and keep safe.
__________________________________________________________
6
And from the Bulletin
Editor:
Dave
Thank you to all those that have
responded to our proposed Indoor Flying
evening. By the numbers the evening
looks like it’s a starter. At this stage first off is to build your Hanger Rats,
either as a kit (plan provided) or from the plan alone which I can supply
on club night. The choice is yours.
If you wish to go the slightly easier route with the complete kit then
Frazer will have some available on the night.
Hangar Rat (pbgrc.co.nz)
I’m giving you two months head start here with the aim of booking the
hall for sometime around mid July. This is of course subject to the halls
availability around that time but once a date is booked you’ll all get to
hear about it.
I’d like to stress and make this clear that for this event we are requesting
that rubber powered models only be flown. No RC at this stage. We
want everyone to enjoy the evening and get as much flying in as possible.
I’d like to thank Alec Fuller from New Plymouth for responding to our
Indoor proposal. It seems those friendly folk in the Taranaki region have
Indoor meetings on a regular basis, so are well versed in trimming and
flying Hanger Rats. So to the lads at the Auckland MAC who regularly
fly indoor at the Drury Hall. It sounds like we have a lot to learn.
With kind permission from Alec I have included one of his Indoor
reports on page 26 where they fly at the TSB Stadium in New Plymouth.
Alec has provided some very good tips on getting your Hanger Rat
sorted.
Thank you Alec.
7
8
HMAC’s 2 I.C.
Gordon Says………..
………..nothing this month.
But actions speak louder than words so here’s
a picture of Gordon’s prop cuts in the grass
after his failed takeoff with his Seafury
Gordon’s mowing services
Better than one of these ?
9
Real Good Stuff
to Buy
Jeremy has asked that this kit be re-advertised. I can’t believe this
hasn’t been snapped up yet. Winter is on its way folks so you’re going
to need a project to keep you amused in your Man Cave. Otherwise it’s
the dishes and vacuuming for you. Come on people, a fantastic project
for an enthusiastic builder. Also check out the engine for this bad boy.
Never too late….Ed.
JERRY BATES USA Bearcat plans and short wood kit.
1/5 scale.
Came from the
NZ distributor
Avetek.
Cost NZ $620 +.
I’m wanting $375
to a club member.
Jeremy Madley
021 289 4889
10This is what you will be building if you make a decent job of
it.
11But wait, there’s more……
The Laser engine,
A new un run Laser 360 V Twin engine, 60cc, 4 stroke, runs on glow
fuel, zero to 10% nitro, 10 to 15% oil. And uses much less than a 2
stroke glow motor.
Laser are English built, very high quality, and very renowned in the
scale world, having powered many world champs winning aircraft over
the years.
A perfect match to the 1/5 scale Bearcat plans and short kit I have for
sale, they were destined for each other. $375 for the Bearcat,
$900 for the Laser 360. A new one landed in NZ will cost approx.
$1500 in todays market.
Jeremy Madley
021 289 4889.
1213
Aircraft I Dream About— the Heston
Phoenix
Bruce Pickering
In December of 1935, twenty two year old Australian pilot Charles
James (Jimmy) Melrose was recuperating from injuries inflicted during a
disastrous forced landing in his Percival Gull. He had been participating
in the search for Charles Kingsford Smith, missing over the Andaman
Sea. The year before Jimmy had competed in the MacRobertson
Centenary Air Race from England to Melbourne. The only Australian,
and the youngest pilot, to compete in the race he won second place in the
handicap division flying a dH80A Puss Moth with a total flying time of
120 hours. Now at home with time on his hands he began developing
plans to establish from his hometown an “Adelaide to Anywhere Air
Taxi” charter business, using a high performance aircraft. After
researching aeroplanes available in Britain at the time he settled on the
newly designed 5 seat Heston Phoenix, the first design of the new
Heston Aircraft Company Limited.
The Heston Aircraft Co Ltd had been founded the year before, in August
1934, having been renamed from Comper Aircraft Company. Comper,
founded in 1929, had by then produced about 45 aircraft, including the
Swift, Streak, Kite and a prototype of the Cierva C25 autogyro, based on
major components of the Swift. Shortly after their move to Heston
Comper designed the Mouse, of which only one was built. The economic
depression and lack of sales forced the company founder Nicholas
14Comper, along with his brother Adrian and other directors to make the
painful decision to resign and cease trading. A new board was formed
and the company was renamed Heston Aircraft Company Ltd. Although
they continued to support existing Comper aircraft, no more of those
types were made.
Under Chief designer George Cornwall (previously with Saunders Roe
and Hawker Aircraft) the first product of this reformed company was the
Heston Phoenix, no doubt so named as a nod to the Greek myth of a
phoenix that emerged from the ashes of its predecessor to fly again. Of
wooden construction, with ply and fabric covering, except wing leading
edges and ailerons which had metal skins, the Heston Type I Phoenix
featured hydraulic retractable undercarriage fitting into a stub wing, and
a faired tailwheel. The N type wing struts normally employed as
interplane struts on biplanes would appear to be excessive by later
standards. A design decision to omit flaps or slots was vindicated during
test flights by its landing speed of 65 knots (120 kph). The 200 hp
deHavilland Gipsy Six engine pushed it along at a cruising speed of 201
kph (maximum speed was 241 kph). Made to carry five passengers in
comfort, it gained a reputation for low noise level in the cabin.
Six aircraft were built, in different variants, from 1935 to 1939. Four
were operated in England, one went to Greece and one (Jimmy
Melrose’s) went to Australia. By 1944 only one was still flying, the
15others having been crashed or scrapped. The last one, operated by
Standard Telephones and Cables Ltd as a flying laboratory, disappeared
on a flight over the French Alps in 1952.
16Other aircraft Heston produced included the T 1/37 trainer, Type 5 Racer,
a half scale prototype Boulton Paul P92/2, the JC6 and the interesting
flying test bed Youngman-Baynes High Lift. From early in its operations,
Heston Aircraft Company supplemented its aircraft manufacture by
contracting to other companies to make aircraft components and sub-
assemblies. During WWII they subcontracted to other firms in repairing
military aircraft. Following the war they expanded this support role as
Hestair.
Unfortunately, 26 year old Jimmy Melrose’s dream was short lived. His
aircraft, VH-AJM had its first test flight on 24 March 1936. Less than
four months later it was destroyed. Melrose took delivery of his
aeroplane at Heston and, already experienced in long international
flights, made plans to fly it to Adelaide. On 6 April he departed but was
forced to return to have some urgent repairs made. Three days later he
took off once again. Flying via Marseilles, Naples, Baghdad, Karachi,
Calcutta, Singapore—with stops in between—he finally arrived in
Adelaide sixteen days later. He loved his aircraft, saying, “I have a
perfect aeroplane....it is one of the latest products of British aeronautical
brains... it is luxuriously appointed... including a radio receiving set."
He made just a handful of charter flights before his fatal final flight. A
mining engineer chartered him to fly from Melbourne to Darwin, but
30km west of Melbourne his aeroplane broke up in turbulence and
crashed, killing him and his passenger. Just six weeks had passed from
when he established his new enterprise. Interestingly, the Accidents
Investigation Committee believed that the structural failure of the port
wing was not caused by turbulence—they said conditions were not
severe enough—but more likely caused by excess strain imposed by the
pilot’s manoeuvres after becoming disoriented in cloud. Needless to say,
that generated much discussion and conjecture.
Nevertheless, the Heston Phoenix is an especially attractive aeroplane
and would make a very nice model. Constructing the retractable
undercarriage would create a challenge, but the rest is straightforward.
Others have built it so why not have a try?
17The accurate 3-view is a good start, and there are free copies of the
Aeromodeller free flight plans available at:
https://freercplans.com/plan-heston-phoenix-5339.htm
Here is an electric model made from those plans:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYhYU6NkbO0&feature=youtu.be
And here is a large model of Melrose’ aircraft, demonstrating interesting
take off and landing techniques!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wi8Ro5zmM7I
__________________________________________________________
The 1946 Convair Model Flying
Car……Really ?
18So what happened during the month of
April ?
The Vintage Regional Champs were held at
Awatoto, that’s what.
Barrie Russell (MFHB)
May I express my congratulations and very grateful thanks to all of you
who competed and supported / assisted over the weekend.
For a while things looked a bit dodgy with the weather on Saturday, but
with great camaraderie we prevailed and Sunday, though testing at times,
saw ten of our registered twelve fly and compete and Bryan and Terry
who for fair reason did not fly both departed Sunday afternoon with
smiles and having enjoyed the weekend.
As usual we are indebted to Barry Kerr and Dave Cantell who fed and
watered us over the weekend with 40 plus hamburgers and to those other
club members who both supported and helped both days.
Thanks again for your support and making it a great weekend. Results
attached.
RESULTS FROM Awatoto Vintage regional championships 10th &
11th April 2021.
VINTAGE PRECISION.
1 Don Mossop…. 600
2 Dave Crook ….. 591 HMAC
3 Stan Nicholas…. 587
4. Brett Robinson …583
5. Harvey Stiver … 565
6. Barrie Russell …. 520
CLASSIC PRECISION.
1 Mike Shears …. 590
2 Barrie Russell … 575
193 Brett Robinson .. 571
4 Grant Fulton …. 548
5 Stan Nicholas …. 538
VINTAGE ½ E TEXACO.
1 Barrie Russell … 1378
2 Bernard Scott … 1202 HMAC
VINTAGE E DURATION.
1 Stan Nicholas … 869
2 Barrie Russell … 863
3 Don Mossop …. 806
CLASSIC DURATION.
1 Barrie Russell …. 900 + 299
2 Brett Robinson .. 891
3 Wayne Cartwright 825 HMAC
4. Mike Shears …….. 741
5. Don Mossop … 713
6. Dave Crook …… 694 HMAC
7. Bernard Scott … 590 HMAC
CLASSIC E TEXACO.
1. Don Mossop …… 697
CLASSIC ½ E TEXACO
1. Bernard Scott … 804. HMAC
20The editors Dixielander
fly’s gracefully overhead
Wayne timing for Bernard in the
Classic Duration event
Classical ½ E Texaco
“Hot Dog” pales in
comparison to Brett
Robinsons (MFHB) 96
inch wingspan Lanzo
Bomber
21Dad I’m Sure, once
bored, can we the sleeping
go home ? tablets I put
in your drink
wear off
Father and Son bonding with Bryce
__________________________________________________________
Oh for a lovely Sunday afternoon
22__________________________________________________________
Gordon, left,
getting Brads
GeeBee ready to
go while Grant
assists Phil, right,
with minor issues
on Phil’s Fokker
DVII
23While some of us are out working the
Gold Card members are out playing…….
Sending a couple of photos taken during the week of Gordon going to
test fly his world models Spitfire and Sel to give his ESM Spitfire an
annual flight.
Gordon had a good couple of flights and the model flew very well.
Sel also had a good flight but had to do a belly landing as his retracts lost
air and would not retract.
No damage but a perfect belly landing.
Cheers Alan
Sel with his ESM
Spitfire
Gordon with his
World Models
Spitfire
24And let’s not forget about Stan’s Spitfire now
making real progress
Finally on its wheels with lots of sanding ahead
25Hanger Rat flying meeting
Alec Fuller
TSB Stadium Indoor Meeting New Plymouth Friday 5th March
2021
A fabulous venue for indoor freeflight with a clear height of about 12
metres to the rafters. Just perfect for Hanger Rats.
By 7 o’clock that evening, there were 11 people ready to fly Hanger Rats
and 6 of them were newcomers. That's an amazing turnout . It was going
to be a pretty intense night with trimming flights as well as up to 6
official flights for each contestant.
With 50 odd flights to get through we had 3 or 4 people flying at once,
even while official flights were going on. There were no mid-air
collisions and newcomers were instructed that they had to walk and
move slowly as though they were in Golden Syrup to reduce air
turbulence.
It was nice to see the old hands like Allen Lawrence, Alan Reed and
Steve Blackman helping the newcomers with trimming and tips and
tricks
The first part of the evening after the wings are attached is trimming to
get a good glide by putting just 200 turns on, basically to stop the prop
creating drag and hand launching for a long flat glide with a circle to the
right. The two variables here are C of G - moving the wing forward or
backwards on the fuselage and changing the wing incidence. They both
go hand in hand so as soon as you change one then you need to change
the other as well to maintain that nice flat glide
Then every flight you add 200 more turns and watch how it flies and
make sure it behaves itself with more and more power.
Maybe think about increasing or decreasing the motor down-thrust or
maybe adding some right thrust to get it circling right. Right thrust also
26helps to some degree in reducing that tendency to stall out on the initial
power surge from the rubber motor just after launching.
The Hanger Rat Team from New Plymouth
Photo by Rachael Alford
_______________________________________________________
Galatea – Photo Grant, Pilot Lyndon, Plane Radian
27HMAC Presents “The Aces Stik Grand
Prix”
Lots of fun
watching several
Aces Stiks flying
the circuit till they
ran out of fuel.
Who won ?
Nobody knows.
Who came last,
probably Brad.
28A lot of fun was had by all and surprisingly no repairs this
time.
29Galatea IMAC Event
Frazer’s Extra
Grant’s Yak 55
30Lyndon’s Katana
The competitors
31To our newest member Stuart
Savage. Hope all your landings
are good ones.
Sel about to launch Stuart’s Radian
Here at HMAC expect the unexpected
32Matamata Scale Competition
Alan and Gordon
Flight Line
Matamata Scale Comp
Group
3334
Repair workshop with
Jeff.
Does anyone have any foam
C.A. ?
That’s
better.
35MIMLOCT or the …
Memorial International Mass Launch Of Cloud Tramps
Not all aeromodelling events have to have serious competition or a
winner. The MIMLOCT is in its 26th year and over that time has never
had a winner in the usual sense. The event is a memorial to C.H.Grant
who had a huge influence, for better or worse, on early aeromodelling
although it is doubtful that CHG is high in the thoughts of most
MIMLOCT flyers. Rather, the event attracts because it gives the chance
for flyers around the world to feel part of that intangible (and possibly
mythical) “aeromodelling community” of which we assume we are part.
The event uses Grant's 1954 rubber model, the Cloud Tramp. Designed
as a beginner model, the CT performs better than it looks but a fly-away
is not on the cards if you fly in NZ as the event’s single flight is
launched at the same moment around the globe. This year the launch
moment in England will be 5pm on the first Saturday of August.
Accounting for for British Summer Time, NZ daylight saving, and NZ
being 12 hours ahead of GMT, the launch moment in Hamilton is 5am,
Sunday 8th August at Tauhara Park in Rototuna.
Get off the “fun-fly” treadmill by doing something really different with a
Cloud Tramp! Everything intending MIMLOCT fliers need to know can
be found at
https://www.endlesslift.com/tag/cloud-tramp/
A powerful torch and an LED on your model are helpful, ready for an
early rise on the 8th August to startle residents on the Tauhara Park
perimeter. Using the park entry at the end of Bramley Drive gets you to
the best flying area – see you there.
Bernard Scott
3637
38
And yet more great stuff –
You know you want it.
I have a Kaos 60 short kit for sale at $180
Attached is photo it is still sealed
Contact Arn Carr 021 027 03151
39Warwick
Underwood
On achieving your Wings Badge (BP)
One happy chappy – Warwick with Gordon giving the
thumbs up
(Is that an electric Aces Stik I see Sel ?…Ed)
40HMAC Field Action
Top – Part of the flight line
Top Right – Mike O’Grady’s Fly
Baby
Bottom Right – Ian Sweeney’s
Helicopter
41Above – one Pilatus Porter and a couple of Cubs
Below – Warren and Lyndon
42Brad’s GeeBee about to touch down
__________________________________________________________
43Parting Shot
44Coming Events 2021
May 2021
• LMANZ Large Model Rally (and LMANZ AGM)
May 1, 2021 - May 2, 2021 @ Matamata-Piako MAC, Jaggers Road,
Waharoa (Matamata)
• RC Aerobatics Competition
• May 1, 2021 - May 2, 2021 @ Galloway Farm, Norsewood (Southern
Hawkes Bay)
• HMAC Club Night
May 12, 2021 7:30 pm - @ Beerescourt Bowling Club Club Rooms, 68A
Maeroa Road (behind the tennis pavilion)
• RC Pylon Racing Series – End of season BBQ
May 15, 2021 - @ JR Airsail Airfield, 299 Native Rd, Pukekawa
• RC Aerobatics Competition - Pukekawa
May 16, 2021 - @ JR Airsail Airfield, 299 Native Rd, Pukekawa
• HMAC Float Plane Day @ Lake Puketirini, Huntly (confirmed)
May 23, 2021 9:00 am - @ Lake Puketirini (Weavers) Reserve, Rotowaro
Road, Huntly (confirmed)
• RC Classic Aerobatics Competition
May 29, 2021 - @ Matamata-Piako MAC, Jaggers Road, Waharoa
(Matamata)
June 2021
• Warbirds on Paradr (full size airshow)
June 6, 2021 9:00 am - @ Ardmore Airport, Auckland, 9am-4pm, $30 entry
• HMAC Club Night
June 9, 2021 7:30 pm - @ Beerescourt Bowling Club Club Rooms, 68A
Maeroa Road (behind the tennis pavilion)
• Tauranga MAC – world famous model auction
June 13, 2021 8:30 am - @ Jean Batten Drive, Mount Maunganui.
Registration from 8.30am, Auction from 10am.
• Thermal Thaw Competition – Auckland Soar
June 20, 2021 10:00 am - @ Ambury Farm Park, Mangere Bridge, Auckland
45July 2021
• HMAC float plane day @ Lake Kainui (confirmed)
July 11, 2021 9:00 am - @ Lake Kainui (D), Lake Road, Horsham Downs.
HMAC Club Night
July 14, 2021 7:30 pm - @ Beerescourt Bowling Club Club Rooms, 68A
Maeroa Road (behind the tennis pavilion)
August 2021
• Cloud Tramp Free Flight Rubber Competition (5a.m.) at Tauhara Park
August 8, 2021 5:00 am - @ Tauhara Park - Hamilton (Using the park entry
at the end of Bramley Drive)
Next Flight Lines June 2021
June Newsletter deadline – Wednesday 2 June 2021
For further up to date event info please visit:
http://www.hamiltonmac.org.nz/
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