TOPIC: New Models for 2020

Daniel has been cracking on with his Firebee:



which is looking just great. He sent me a photo of his 'Jetex' squadron:



This is a fine collection .... he now needs to go flying. But then, don't we all?

I wonder what he will build next - perhaps he needs to start designing - making a 'scratch built' model sure slows you down!

Except if you are Steve Bage, of course!

Daniel has been a bit cagey about his latest model, another design from the 'Steve Bage back catalogue'. However, I can now reveal it is a German WW II 'might have been', originally designed for pulse jet power:



Daniel opines it is rather an 'ugly duckling', but a colourful, if fanciful, colour scheme will do wonders! Here is progress so far:






I like the tinted canopy . Steve designed this for Rapier L-1 (so it's just as well we now have a stock of TSP Tender L-1 motors).

Daniel is now waiting for some tissue to cover it with. I suggested he uses toilet paper - in the old days (and I speak from experience) impecunious modellers would use 'Izal' (of unfond memory).

But, I suppose, even Izal is in short supply these days and probably too precious. Actually, I'm surprised SAMS has any tissue left - I would have expected it to have been snapped up and used for other purposes.

Thanks Roger, Always looking to the next project I am seriously contemplating the Hawker P. 1121 I've found a few fanciful schemes which I'm being drawn too over the prototype white scheme.
Roger adds:







Above: Steve Bage's very tasty P.1121. It flew very well indeed (see below):



Above: Steve's P. 1121 doing its stuff at Peterboro Flying Aces, Sept 2005.

Daniel, who is a good example to us all, has made good progress with his Me 1079





I love the nose decoration. Next up, says Daniel, are the canopy framing and he's ' waiting on the decal sheet'. These little things (a) add a lot to a model, and (b) take as much time to do as the basic construction!

I wonder where he's getting the decals from .... there are 'bespoke' services out there, but I've never used them ( I 'roll my own') so I'd be very interested in his experiences with these guys.

The P1121 was one of my first attempts at Rapier power models. It did fly pretty well but if i were to build another one today i would make one change, I would incorporate the trough design with downward deflection angle at the rear, as used on my later designs (the Firebee being a good example).
This works similar to down-thrust on a propeller driven model and means you can use a wider range of motor powers (and much more powerful motors!). The model can also be better trimmed to fly well both under power and in the glide.

Hi Steve,
A trough with downthrust was a splendid innovation. As to the P.1121, are you saying you would incorporate MORE downthrust than there actuallyappears to be on the plan?

Below is a detail of the plan with the Rapier (red) and some of the stringers removed to show the angle of the trough and the motor exhaust coming off the trough. There does seem to me (I could be wrong) to be quite a bit of downthrust already.



Are you advising Daniel to add more?