Sports & Scale R/C Aircraft
How It All Began

1/10 Scale, Fun Fighter ( original Cambria kit )
42 inch span
3 channel

In early Spring 1983, I was given the airframe for a Funfighter Bf109. I wondered if I could make it a 2 channel glider, but the local model shop advised I'd be better with a trainer to learn on.

The Messerschmitt was put to one side, and I left the model shop with a trainer kit, engine, and a lead on a set of second hand 5 channel radio, a Futaba 5LK set.

Hunter 29 - May 1983

High Wing Trainer ( LMC )
52 inch span
3 channel trainer
OS .35 Max engine

The Hunter 29 was a Leicester Model Centre kit; a traditional balsa/ply three channel trainer. The traditional built up construction was the best, and almost only option back then. In 1983, the nearest thing to 'Almost Ready To Fly' was a veneered foam wing and heavy polyester fibreglass fuselage. These models usually ended up heavy and less than ideal as a trainer.

It served me well for 18 months, and I was able to fly it inside out and do things with it, it was never designed to do. It finally met its end when it was shot down by another modeller switching on using the same channel as me. 

The wreckage photo to the right was actually a black and white image that has been coloured. The engine and radio survived to go into my next model.

Graduator 54 - August 1984

Low Wing Aileron Trainer ( Monarch kit )
54 inch span
4 channel trainer
OS .35 Max engine

The first image is a coloured and adjusted version of a later incarnation of the airframe, as I never got a photo of it when first built. In addition to being a low wing aerobatic trainer, it was used for aerial photography using a Halina 15 shot film, disc camera, seen here.

Tyro Major - 1984

 High Wing Trainer ( David Boddington Models )
54 inch span
3 channel
OS .28 Heli, Merco .29, HP .40

This model was my dad's trainer. It was later modified to 4 channel for sports flying  and was also used for aerial photography using a Halina 15 shot film, disc camera. In the snow scene, I'm one of the figures in the bottom left of the image. In the other image, I'm next to my dad who is wearing a red hat.

It was covered in doped nylon and was pretty bullet proof, surviving an elevator servo failure which caused it to bunt into the ground, hitting wings level and inverted. I do not remember what happened to the airframe.

PFM Team Special - 1984

Aerobatic Biplane ( Pat French Models kit )
60 inch span
4 channel aerobatic
HB .61 engine

I never had a photo of the complete model. I had one picture of the kit box, and two photos of the airframe after two separate crashes, both black and white images. The first was as a result of an untraced radio fault. The model was rebuilt, and some time later crashed through switch failure. It pitched into a high speed vertical dive, crashing into frozen ground, destroying the airframe, engine and radio.

The complete image is a another Team Special model, with a lot of photoshopping to put it into the scheme seen on my aircraft, to show how it once looked when complete. 


Baron 20, Baronette - 1985

Basic Helicopter ( Kalt Helicopters ) 
48 inch rotor diameter
5 channel
OS .28 Heli engine

For a long time, I thought I only had one poor quality image of the Baronette at the OMEX show, the Oxclose Models Exhibition. Recently, going through some old negatives, I found two more images shortly after the heli was first purchased. It was eventually sold.

Ridge Racer - April 1985

Slope Soarer ( Soar Ahead Sailplanes )
72 inch span
Originally 3/5 channel

The Ridge Racer was completed in time for the Primrose Valley modelling week and was flown from the cliffs at Filey several times during the week, including my first "cross country" flight involving a long walk along the cliff tops while flying. The aircraft was modified for aero-towing several years later, with a tow release in the nose and split rudder/brakes.

Model was sold late 1980's or early 90's.

Colt - 1985

Slope/Thermal Soarer ( Avoncraft )
72 inch span
2 channel

From memory, the model was bought at a club auction for £5.00. It had an ABS fuselage and veneered foam wing. I have no photos of the Colt, but the picture to the right shows an Avoncraft Cub, a similar design to the Colt. The ABS fuselage eventually cracked beyond repair, and the wing was damaged, but the wing went on to be reused in a future model.

 
Millibar - March 1986

Sports aerobatic monoplane ( Dave Day Plan )
52 inch span
4 channel
HP.40  engine

This was another model purchased at the flying club auction a year after the Colt. It crashed soon after purchase when radio went dead.  The radio issue remained untraced but was probably down to a switch fault. I only have this one small picture of it flying. It was finished in a 1941 Fw190A colour scheme.


Mini Team Special - May 1986

Aerobatic Biplane ( 75% Scale Team Special )
45 inch span
4 channel aerobatic
HP .40 engine

This was a scratch built model with self cut foam wings and a traditional built up fuselage. It was covered with tissue and dope as an experiment in the technique. The colour scheme was based on a biplane based at Sunderland airport before its closure in 1983.

For a short time, it was fitted with the Halina disc camera for aerial photography. The figure in blue beside the runway is me

The aircraft was refurbished several years later and was fitted with an Irvine .61 engine. It was then sold and its fate is unknown.


Impala - 1986

Sports Glider ( Veron Models )
66 inch span
3 channel glider
including aerotow release

After Modification
72 inch span
5 channel glider
fitted with a longer aileron/airbrake wing

The model started out as a 2 channel slope or thermal soarer. I added a tow release mechanism in the nose and for some time aero-towed the model sucessfully. After a wing fold resulting from descending too quickly for the next tow, the model was rebuilt with a new longer wing which had ailerons and airbrakes. The glider was fitted with a camera in the nose and took these pictures of its tow plane during the aero-tow. Fate unknown.


Evans Volksplane - June 1987

1/7 scale scale model ( Scratch Built )
42 inch span
4 channel
OS .20 FP engine

Featured an all moving tailplane and fin, but suffered from tail stall on landing until tailplane lower surface turbulators were fitted. Fate unknown.

Flat Iron - October 1987

A 3/1 scale model ( Scratch Built )
17 inch span
30 inch long
3 channel
OS .20 FP engine

  I built two flying Flat Irons. The first was all blue foam and had the black handle. The second was an all balsa construction and had the white handle. Seen in characteristic nose high attitude. It would hover in the slightest wind at 80 degrees nose high, and could land like that. The foam version suffered from foam fatigue after some time, hence the wood version.

 

Double Exposure - April 1988

Camera Plane ( Scratch Built )
96 inch span
6 channel, including camera bay doors and camera trigger
2 x Irvine .61 engine

Aircraft featured two pilot control, and was built as part of an 'A' level design project.

Fw190D - July 1988

1/10 Scale, Fun Fighter ( original Cambria kit )
42 inch span
4 channel
OS .28 Heli engine ( then Enya .30 engine )

The Fw190D was an original Cambria kit, from the time before the company was sold the the kits revamped. It was given to me in a poor state, covered in black and white solar film, in a non-scale scheme.

After stripping and some repairs, it was painted in a Fw190A style scheme with paints that I had to hand, hence the rather bold blue. It was fitted with flaps to aid the hand launch take off in calm conditions, as the model wasn't as light as it should have been.

It was lost to a head on mid-air collision with a Gangster 75. The piano wire landing gear leg from the Gangster hit my engine where the carburetor joined the crankcase. This destroyed the engine and reduced the fuselage to pieces around 8 inches long. The wing survived in two pieces.

Almost all the parts were recovered from the field, and it was rebuilt, switching to a new Enya 30 engine. The new winter colour scheme was based on that of the Ju52 from the film "Where Eagles Dare". Its ultimate fate is unknown.



Sierra Sportster - March 1989

Sports aerobatic biplane ( Clive Smalley Plan )
36 inch span
4 channel aerobatic
OS .28 Heli engine ( until that was destroyed in the Fw190, then Enya .30 )

This model was very tricky to fly and was given to me in an all yellow scheme as I was the only one who could fly it. I recovered it, based on a Pitts Special colour scheme. It was badly damaged in mid-air with another similar sized biplane but was rebuilt into a new scheme.

Drain Pipe - C 1989

Sports monoplane ( built from scraps )
36 inch span
2 channel aerobatic
OS .20 FP engine

This model was built using the damaged wing from the Colt glider and a section of 2 inch plastic drain pipe. Wooden blocks were screwed into the drain pipe to allow the engine mount and tail plane to be attached, and two 1/8 ply plates were screwed to the sides to form a flat face for the wing to sit on. The tail and fin were from 1/16 birch plywood, braced with wire.

Spitfire Mk1a - Sept 1989

1/10 Scale, Fun Fighter ( original Cambria kit )
42 inch span
4 channel
OS .20 FP engine

The model was finished in the colour scheme from the TV series "Piece of Cake" that had recently aired. It was damaged as a result of switch failure. The model was repaired and finished as a US MkV Spitfire.

Messerschmitt Bf109J - 1989

1/10 Scale, Fun Fighter ( original Cambria kit )
42 inch span
5 channel ( inc Flaps )
Enya .30 engine

The freebie model that started it all. It was quite bent, resulting in needing a movable rudder to trim the aircraft, and flaps to aid washout at the hand launch.

Greenfield Tourer - June 1989

Sports model with 'Homebuild' appearance ( Scratch Built )
72 inch span
5 channel ( including flaps )
Irvine .61 engine

The Greenfield Tourer was designed as a "Homebuild" type aircraft with a scale appearance without being scale. It was influenced by the Jodel, Emeraude and Cap 10 aircraft. At some point, it was fitted with a 4 oz fuel tank along side the original 16 oz tank, giving a total of 20 ounces of fuel. With this quantity of fuel, and low power settings, I was able to manage long endurance flights. On one occasion, I managed a flight of 1 hour 20 minutes which really taxed my concentration at such slow speeds.

It was converted to a glider tug and was damaged when the glider failed to released and the tow cable dump also failed. At a later date, the aircraft was damaged on a low inverted pass when the engine cut. It was rebuilt with a new foam wing.


Graduator 54 - May 1989

Originally a low wing trainer ( Monarch Kit )
54 inch span
4 channel trainer
OS .35 Max engine

Seen here five years after its low wing trainer days, it was modified for inverted landings with a Irvine 61. The sun set flight was the last flight by a model at the original Chester-le-Street Flying Club field, it being ploughed up a few minutes after my landing.

Graduator 54 / Stonker - C 1990

Sports Twin
54 inch span
4 channel aerobatic
2 x OS .20FP engines

The Graduator was going to be converted to a Stuka like airframe to go with my Fun Fighter Spitfire. The conversion work began, but the plug was pulled on the project when the Spitfire was lost. Instead, the airframe was converted to a twin over a couple of weeks, using two OS .20PF engines. The fuel soaked airframe was eventually scrapped.

Sierra Sportster - March 1990

Sports Aerobatic Biplane
36 inch span
4 channel aerobatic
Enya .30 engine

Damaged following centre wing pylon failure, rebuilt again. Fate unknown.

Super Fli - 1990

1/8 Scale Aerobatic Monoplane
36 inch span
4 channel aerobatic
Enya .30 engine

A tricky little monster, bought second hand, way too heavy, but entertaining and challenging. I think it was sold.

Greenfield Tourer - June 1990

Sports model with 'Homebuild' appearance ( Scratch Built )
72 inch span
5 channel ( including flaps )
Irvine .61 engine

This was the second incarnation of the Greenfield Tourer. Built with a foam wing this time, it was a bit heavier, but the flaps were extended over the full length of the inner wings. I don't recall what happened to this model.

Strike - 1990

Sports 'Tailed Delta' ( Scratch Built )
30 inch span
3 channel ( aileron, elevator and throttle )
OS.20 FP engine

I only have one tiny picture, so have made a graphic of the approximate shape of the twin fin tailed delta. It was one of two built. Fate unknown.

Attila - 1990

Sports Scale ( Flair Kit )
42 inch span
4 channel
OS.20 FP engine

I can't recall whether I bought this model or was given it. I received it complete, finished in red solartex, but repainted it into a more WW1 type scheme. It was damaged a few times, including in a mid-air collision, but was easy to repair. Fate unknown.

Evergreen Wotnot - Sept 1990

Sports model with 'Homebuild' appearance ( Scratch Built )
90 inch span
5 channel trainer
Zenoah 38cc engine

The Wotnot was my first large petrol powered model. It was built to get used to flying large models and to learn the operation of petrol engines. It survived a flat spin undamaged, had the fin and rudder enlarged and was later seriously damaged in a mid air collision which tore the wing off. The first four images, with the small fin, are colourised black and white images.

The wing survived with minor wing tip damage, but the fuselage was destroyed back to behind the wing. It was rebuilt and flew on for several years. It was borrowed by a friend to run in four Zenoah 45cc engines and later sold.


Fokker EV - Sept 1991

1/4 Scale WW1 fighter ( Scratch Built )
7 feet span
4 channel
Zenoah 38cc engine

The Fokker EV was mostly built by a club mate, but never finished. It was originally built to be powered by a geared Webra .61 engine. When John realised he was never going to get around to finish it, I was given the model to complete.

The radio was installed, a tricky proceedure as the scale cockpit and operating control column and rudder pedals meant there was little room for a receiver and servos. The aircraft would be powered by my Zenoah 38cc petrol engine with a large 22x8 Smart propeller. 

Due to the rolled plywood wing, it was quite top heavy on the ground, which made take off and landings tricky, especially on uneven ground or in cross winds, but once in the air, it was very stable and flew very well. 

It flew until my P-47D was ready and needed the Zenoah engine. Later in 1999, is was loaned to a friend and later was destroyed in a crash while in his care.



Spitfire MkVb - 1992

1/10 Scale, Fun Fighter ( original Cambria kit )
42 inch span
4 channel
Enya .30 engine

Refurbished from the RAF scheme. 
Destroyed shortly after take off through switch failure ( PCB separation )

Bf109J - 1992

1/10 Scale, Fun Fighter ( original Cambria kit )
42 inch span
5 channel ( inc Flaps )
Enya .30 engine

Refurbished from its 1989 Memphis Belle scheme. Fate unknown.

Boeing B-17G Fortress - July 1993

B-17G "Hang The Expense"

1/10 Scale, WW2 Bomber ( Scratch Built )
10 feet 4.5 inch span
7 channel
4 x Saito .45 FS engines

First multi-engined scale model. Now on loan and permanent display at the

100th Bomb Group Museum, Thorpe Abbotts, Near Diss, Norfolk, UK


 
UC-64A Norseman - September 1993

1/6 Scale, Look-a-like ( Scratch Built )
6 feet 9 inch span, enlarged later
7 channel ( inc flaps, flare/parachute container drop, and camera  )
Zenoah 22cc engine

The Norseman was planned as a large slow trainer for my dad, but I couldn't find any drawings at the time I wanted to build the aircraft. All I had was a small photo to work from, and as a result, the aircraft was more of a look-a-like than a scale model. It crashed following battery failure during a cold winter flying session receiving minor damage. It was then rebuilt with a change to the tail shape and extend the wings, giving a more realistic appearance, and was finished in a silver scheme.


P-47D Thunderbolt "Republic's Cavalry" - May 1994

1/6 Scale, WW2 Fighter ( Scratch Built )
6 feet 9 inch span
7 channel ( inc bomb drop )
Zenoah 38cc engine

The P-47 "Republic's Cavalry" was my first big scale fighter aircraft. It was scratch built due to the cost of the Byron and Yellow Aircraft kits, but being lighter, flew better than either of them. It was finished in a 78th Fighter Group colour scheme and was featured in Yorkshire news papers when advertising the Elvington model show. It made the front page of the Northern Echo.



Click here for further details of the P-47D Thunderbolt

P-51D Mustang - Sept 1994

1/10 Scale, Fun Fighter ( New Cambrian Kit )
42 inch span
4 channel
OS .25 FP engine

This aircraft came from the new range of kits when Cambria was bought out and became Cambrian. The model was later converted to a PSS glider for a while before being sold and returning to power.

 

Boeing B-17G Fortress "Spirit of 76"- Aug 1995

1/6 Scale, WW2 Bomber ( Scratch Built )
17 feet 3.5 inch span
8 channel
4 x 3W-40cc engines

First finished in silver for the test flight, then detailed and re-sprayed to olive drab finish. See the link for full details.

 
Click here for further details of the B-17 Fortress

Hand Launch Thermal/Slope Glider - Dec 1995

Sports thermal/soaring glider
58 inch span
3/4 channel glider

Bought second hand, this glider was designed as a hand or tow-line launched thermal glider. Originally rudder/elevator only, a new lower dihedral wing was built with ailerons.

At one point, I made a semi-symmetrical aileron/airbrake wing for flying in strong winds. That is the orange and blue wing seen in the last two pictures.

It is still airworthy today.

P-47D Thunderbolt "Republic's Cavalry" - May 1996

1/6 Scale, scratch built WW2 fighter
6 feet 9 inch span
7 channel ( inc bomb drop )
Zenoah 38cc engine

This is the original P-47 with minor respray into 353rd Fighter Group markings. It crashed later in 1996, as a result of a fracture in the elevator servos signal wire, a short distance from the receiver. It was rebuilt into a silver 5th ERS scheme.

 
Click here for further details of the P-47D Thunderbolt

dH-82a Tiger Moth - June 1996

1/6 Scale, Biplane ( David Boddington Models )
4ft feet 10 inch span
4 channel
Saito .45FS engine

I can't remember where this model came from, but I got it in an all yellow scheme. I repainted it into USAAF colours as a spare aircraft for the model shows that would match the other team aircraft. It was eventually given to a friend. He refurbished the model into the colours of the example at the Shuttleworth Collection and it is still airworthy today as far as I know.


F-86 Sabre - Apr 1997

Power Scale Soarer ( Plan Built )
33 inch span
4 channel ( Inc flaps )
No engine

The model was later sold and the owner converted it to power. It has yet to make a successful powered flight. Fate unknown.

UC-64A Norseman - May 1997

1/6 Sports Scale,WW2 Liaison Aircraft ( Scratch Built )
7 feet 6 inch span
6 channel ( inc flaperons and flare/parachute container drop  )
Zenoah 22cc engine

Rebuilt and modified from the original model, the new look had a slight more scale like outline.


P-47D Thunderbolt "Rebel Angel" - May 1997

1/6 Scale, WW2 fighter ( Scratch Built )
6 feet 9 inch span
6 channel
3W-40cc engine

This is the original P-47 rebuilt into 5th Emergency Rescue Squadron colours. It was sold, and crashed into a fence post in 1999, by a pilot lacking experience on the type, caught out by the torque swing. The bits returned to me for a rebuild.


Click here for further details of the P-47D Thunderbolt
Thrice - June 1997

Sports Aerobatic Monoplane ( Scratch Built )
42 inch span
4 channel glider
OS 20 FP engine

This model was build in a week as an all weather hack. Due to its small wheels, it struggled to get off the ground if the grass got a it too long. It was one of two built. Fate unknown.

Electric Glider - Sept 1997

Sports Electric/Soaring Glider ( Scratch Built )
58 inch span
3 channel glider
Speed 550 motor

The model remains in storage.

 Wizard - Jan 1998

Sports Aerobatic Monoplane, Galaxy kit
44 inch span
4 channel aerobatic
OS 20 FP engine

This was Lynne's first R/C aircraft. Lynne did around 80% of the building on this model and about 60% of the covering. We increased the wing span a little to make the roll rate a little more docile. It is still airworthy today.

UC-64A Norseman - May 1998

1/6 Sports Scale,WW2 Liaison Aircraft ( Scratch Built )
7 feet 6 inch span
6 channel ( inc flaperons and flare/parachute container drop  )
Zenoah 22cc engine

The Norseman received a colour scheme change for the 1998 season.

Hammerhead - Mar 1999

Sports aerobatic monoplane
62 inch span
4 channel aerobatic
Irvine 72 engine

This model was a commission build for the developer of the kit. I was given the kit and the engine. Upon completion, I was unable to contact the owner and eventually sold the model as I didn't like the way it flew. It was to straight and true, flying like a pattern aerobatic model which I didn't enjoy.

P-47N Thunderbolt "Big Stud" - Apr 1999

1/6 Scale, WW2 fighter ( Scratch Built )
6 feet 11 inch span
7 channel ( inc bomb drop )
3W-40cc engine

P-47N "Big Stud" was built as a replacement for my original P-47D. The 'N' version of the Thunderbolt was the largest version with a larger wing containing more fuel. The wingtips were cropped slightly to improve the roll rate following the root extension. This model featured a three piece wing for easier transport. It is still airworthy and currently in storage.



Click here for further details of the P-47N Thunderbolt

 P-38J Lightning - 1999

1/6 Scale, WW2 fighter ( Enlarged Plan )
8 feet 6 inch span
6 channel 
2 x Zenoah 38cc engines

I bought this P-38 as a crash damaged wreck, and got quite well on with the rebuild when the original owner decided to buy it back.

 P-47M Thunderbolt - June 2000

1/6 Scale, WW2 fighter ( Scratch Built )
6 feet 9 inch span
6 channel 
Zenoah 45cc engine

This is the original P-47 following another crash when an inexperienced pilot hit a fence with it. The model was again rebuilt and sold, flown, damaged, sold again to a friend of mine, who started a restoration and then sold on the parts.


Click here for further details of the P-47M Thunderbolt

 Fokker E111 - Oct 2000

1/8 Scale, WWI Fighter ( Scratch Built )
44 inch span
4 channel ( inc wing warping )
OS 20FP engine

The EIII was built from scraps of wood left over from other projects. This included gluing offcuts of balsa together to make a piece big enough to cut wing ribs from. It featured wing warpinghis aircraft was flown many time before being sold on Ebay.

  Boeing B-17G Fortress - Oct 2000

Resprayed as B-17G-BO1 "Hang The Expense", in authentic 100th Bomb Group colour scheme following successful test flights

1/6 Scale, WW2 bomber ( Scratch Built )
17 feet 3.5 inch span
8 channel
4 x 3W-40cc engines

Crashed and damaged as a result of suppression failure of the landing gear motors. It was rebuilt, flying again in October 2000. In early 2012, the B-17 was finally de-commissioned.


Click here for further details of the B-17 Fortress, crash and rebuild

A-35B Vengeance - May 2001

A-35B "Vult E Coyote"

1/6 Scale, WW2 Dive Bomber ( Scratch Built )
8 feet span
7 channel ( inc Bi-fold Bomb Doors )
Zenoah 38cc, then 3W-40cc engine

The aircraft was 'Shot down' in October 2001, diving vertically into a concrete runway. The aircraft was rebuilt with a 3W-40cc engine, as the ZG38 was totally destoryed. It suffered a forced landing following battery failure and is currently under restoration.


Click here for further details of the A-35B Vengeance

  Mini P-47N Thunderbolt - June 2001

1/11 Scale, WW2 Fighter Aircraft ( Scratch Built )
45 inch span
5 channel ( inc retracts  )
Enya .30 engine

The pictures to the right show the P-47 not far from completion, just needing the canopy finishing and attaching and the engine/radio installing.

  Wotsit - 2001

Sports Aerobatic Monoplane ( Scratch Built )
54 inch span
4 channel
Irvine .61 engine

Scratch built low wing monoplane. I have no photos of this aircraft which was effectively just a box fuselage with a foam wing, very much along the lines of the Thrice, but bigger. This photoshopped image of the Thrice gives an impression of the all white finished plane.

  Northrop N9Ma - 2001

1/6 Scale, Experimental Flying Wing ( Scratch Built )
10 feet span
5 channel
2x geared Irvine .61 engine

Part complete and currently in storage.

 

  UC-64A Norseman - June 2001

1/6 Sports Scale,WW2 Liaison Aircraft ( Scratch Built )
7 feet 6 inch span
6 channel ( inc flaperons and flare/parachute container drop  )
Zenoah 38cc engine ( upgraded from ZG22cc )

It was resprayed in 2001 for the starring role in a documentary about the loss of Glenn Miller. It was stored for almost two decades after that before being sold after my dad died in 2019.


Lakelander - 2001

Sports Aerobatic Floatplane ( Scratch Built )
56 inch span
4 channel aerobatic
Saito .45FS engine

It is still airworthy and currently in storage.

  Weyfarer - July 2001

Sports Aerobatic Biplane ( 75% scale Scratch Built )
36 inch span
4 channel aerobatic
OS .25 FP engine

It was built from a reduced size plan of the original Weyfarer aircraft. The colour scheme was based on a Boeing/Stearman PT-17 Kaydet. It was loaned to a friend and I don't know what happened after that.

PBY6a Catalina - Nov 2002

1/23 Scale, WW2 Flying Boat ( HVP Modell Kit )
54 inch span
4 channel
2 x Speed 480 motors

I bought the Catalina after seeing an Albatros flying boat from the same manufacturer. It arrived with a slightly damage wing, but a replacement was sent. The repaired wing would be used on another project. It looked great flying over the sea, launched from a beach. The floats were fix in the flying position to water take offs and landings were not possible. It is still airworthy and currently in storage.


Spacewalker - Nov 2002

Sports Aerobatic Monoplane ( Seagull Models Kit )
64 inch span
4 channel aerobatic
Saito 45 FS engine

This was Lynne's second model, an ARTF which was recovered into Cadbury's Colours for her. It is still airworthy and currently in storage.

P-47N Thunderbolt "Woody's War" - Apr 2008

1/6 Scale, WW2 fighter ( Scratch Built )
6 feet 11 inch span
7 channel ( inc bomb drop )
3W-40cc engine

P-47N "Woody's War" was a repaint of "Big Stud", nine years after "Big Stud" first flew. It was time for a new colour scheme. It is still airworthy and currently in storage.


Click here for further details of the P-47N Thunderbolt

Slope Soarer - Aug 23rd 2009

Sports Aerobatic Glider ( Scratch Built )
54 inch span
3 channel Aerobatic Slope Soarer

The glider was scratch built, making use of a spare Catalina wing that arrived slightly damaged. This glider can be packed away fairly flat for easy transport when taking it on holiday. The wing is flat and one piece, but both tailplanes are removable, leaving a thin fuselage with nothing to break off. It is still airworthy and currently in storage.


My Workshop, Old and New

My old workshop was an extension on the house, behind the garage. It was around 20 x 12 feet in size, with benches around most sides. It served me well for 21 years, building projects ranging from plastic models, model railways, radio controlled aircraft and a 1/1 scale Jeep.

After a house move to Durham, my new workshop was a room 20 feet square, although part of one corner was taken up by the entrance to another guest room.

Once again, benches were fitted around most sides. This gave me several different work areas, plus a large floor space. There's the main building bench, a spray and resin area, metal working area and wood working area. A shallow cupboard just in from the door became my display cabinet and photo studio.