frankenfoamy

I have about everything you want to know about the Optica.

rcguy.tripod.com

I have Jack Bale plans which I have yet to build.

I have seen magazine samples of plans but yet to see the real thing.

You will see a testbed called the Frankenfoamy and a mini Optica on my site.

Both fly very well. There is a short clip of the Full Scale Optica on the mini Optica page. ( from the movie SlipStream)

Hi John

 

Thanks a lot for all these links.

 

The geocities site show a great model built from plans but unfortunately is to ambitious for me as it is skinned in GRP. I don't quite understand the pricing of the plans ? Do they mean $48 per plan set or per sheet (P.P. meaning per page) i.e.

 

PRICE

 

Printed plans : US$ 48 P.P. Folded

 

Raster image file : US$ 30 sent by e-mail

 

It is certainly worthy of a future project once I get some experience working with GRP.

 

The link to the Velocity kit is great, what can I say. This is one beautiful model. A little to expensive for me at the moment but certainly one to keep an eye on. The only drawback I can see with this model is it's take of run of around 200 feet. I the club I have just joined (and the only one in my local area) have a strip only 60 yards (180 feet) long. By all accounts the farmer who gives his permission won't allow anything any longer. They are negociating with a local engineering company who have a nearby airstrip to see if limited access may be possible in the future.

 

Such a shame about the Fusco fiasco but these things occasionally happen. Maybe they can sort something out in the future.

 

The link to the Vari EZ was a supprise as I had not found any info about canard models in the UK. I guess I need to sharpen up my search engine skills. The shop that sells them is around 100 miles from me so next time I traveling that direction I'll look in and check it out.

 

The electric craze is becoming more and more popular over here. I guess the huge improvement in battery technology over the last few years has help improve flight times and performance.

 

I have never learned to fly anything yet but I do have three models in various stages of build. A friend has advised me it would be better to learn with a nice gentle glider and then move on from there. I have therefore just bought an EPP foam glider from the German maker Robbe, called a Ranger. I had my second lesson yesterday and thing are going great. Just about all of the UK is having a lousy summer which means I'm trying to learn in pretty stiff winds when I'd prefer something a little easier to start off with.

 

My other models are a Robbe Calibre, a 2mtr glider which I hope to have finished in about 4-6weeks. When that is complete I will be finishing of another long standing project which a Precident T240 a rather large 2.4mtr high wing plane much like a Piper Cub. Third in the line up is something I bought via an advert in a magazine from a plans company and the picture was about the size of a big postal stamp. When the plans arrived I immediatly dropped everything and eagerly pored over them and my heart sank. I was no where near good enough to build this model. It is called an Optica, full name the Edgely Optica. An unusual yet very attractive plane (well I think so) with a large helicopter type bubble canopy at the front and a large ducted fan unit immediatly behind it. You can see some picture of the model here:-

 

http://www.flyelectric.ukgateway.net/optica.htm

 

This version is electric with a larger span than mine and the builder has made extensive use of GRP. The plans I have sent me down the all Balsa/Ply route. It is around half complete and I'm struggling to to understand how to carve the canopy structure. Needless to say all these problems are at the bottom of the pile until I get all the other models finished and flying.

 

I will post pics as soon as I can.

 

Hi Rob

 

If you ever do decide to scale down your plans could you please let my know. I know time is tight with many people and I agree with you that your time would be better spent bulding the full size version. Maybe one day in the future you may be getting a little bored over the winter months and this little project might just fill your quiet time.

 

I've just got back from an Model Air Craft Rally at RAF Woodvale just north of Liverpool and what a great show. The best model by far was a B52, 26 foot span and 8 working jet (or gas turbine) engines. Some great demonstration and lots of large models lined up to look at. Unfortunately there were not so may trade stands, only about 30 and prices were no cheaper than normal magazine ads. Despite that it was a good day out and very, very hot.

 

Just briefly getting back to the electric craze, one of our club members said he had heard about a new type of battery that will be coming to the market. He thinks they were called Saf-Ion, have you any info on these new type of batteries?

 

That's all for now, take care everybody

 

Clive