The site has lain dormant for over three years for a number of reasons, mainly that my broadband router would not allow me to publish updates! There was a limit to how much time I could afford to spend trying to get it working, and in the end I gave up. I have also been very busy with work and other commitments which has left me with much less time to pursue my hobbies, including building and flying.

People tell me that this site is still visited, and I have seen references to it on Internet forums, both in the UK and the US. So as long as people are finding it a useful resource, I am happy to maintain it, and will add additional information as the opportunity arises.

The site has been updated since February, but this latest update finishes off the Glens Extra, which has now had three flights. Click on the Glens Extra link and page through to get the new stuff. I have also bought a Model Motors brushless unit and speed controller for the Glaxy Piccolo, which is now waiting for its test flight. I also have an unusual model on the bench, which is finished and needs running in and test flying. Watch these pages for more details in the near future.

More progress posted on the Glens Extra. The covering is nearly complete, and I am into the odds and ends which seem to take so long to get the model ready to fly.

Blimey, this year has gone quickly. I can't believe its been so long since the last update to this page. I have been working on the Glens Extra 330 on and off through the summer and autumn, as well as getting the Hangar 9 Aresti 40 finished. I finally test flew the Aresti today, which goes really well with an OS70FSII up front, and I'm very pleased with it so far. This may sound cautious, and this is deliberate - this is only my second ARTF, as I have been avoiding them since the experience with the Flair Super Chipmunk. The quality of the model is excellent - nearly as good as a kit built jobbie, but until I have had a few more flights, I'm not prepared to say that I'm happy with it. Photos on a new page may follow.

More pages and photos have been added to the Glens Extra section, and I'm pressing on with this quite well. Happy New Year to all

23rd August 2003

Due to the excellent summer weather we have been enjoying, web site updates and plane building have ground to a halt! I bought a Hangar 9 Aresti kit at the Weston Park show, and this is nearly completed. Work on the Glens Extra 330 has been very slow, but I am comitted to getting done in the next couple of months. I have also recently built a Multiplex Picojet, as I burnt out the speed controller in the Piccolo, and therefore didn't have a small electric plane. In the interests of something different, I bought the foamie, and it has gone together really well.

Quite a few updates since April. A couple of new planes have been added. First up is the Galaxy models Piccolo, which I've owned for a number of years, but has needed a new canopy in order to restore it to flying condition. The second is the Glens Models 58" Extra 330. This is a new kit which was launched a couple of months ago. It isn't finished yet, and the photos show the current state of play.

A new page has been added - the Easy Rider. This is a model which I've had for the best part of a year, but until now haven't photographed. It's a plan build rather than a kit, and is the club favourite - many have been built by members of the SWRCS over the past few years. The plan is still available from Nexus.

I hadn't realised it was so long since I last updated this page! The Bipablast has been put on hold since Christmas, and I have built a Flair Cub. I decided that I needed to enjoy building a kit where everything was straightforward, and the parts all fitted. The build was very relaxing, and even though I modified the wings to bolt on rather than band on, everything worked out well. I covered it in yellow Solartex, and I have started to paint the markings on. Unfortunately, the Thunder Tiger GP42 has not been reliable, and the second flight ended in a deadstick, with a ditch into the field. The engine is currently awaiting some attention in the workshop, although the airframe is none the worse for it's agricultural adventure.

Latest update to the Bipablast saga. The fuselage is now about 60% complete, and the wings are probably 80% complete, but it has been a bit of a slog to get to this stage. The cutouts in the wing for the interplane struts have been a major pain, firstly marking out for the correct position, and then cutting the recesses into the foam etc. The hardware pack from ATI has also been problematic, with components missing, and a whole load of 2mm clevises when 3mm are required. I'm at the stage when the whole project starts to drag, and I consider shelving it for a while and building something else.

More pictures of the Bipablast build have been added to the gallery. The wings are around 50% complete, and the fuselage around 40% complete. I'm currently working on the lower wing, getting it ready to fit to the fuselage.

The ATI Bipablast is starting to come together. The wings are half complete, and fuselage construction is underway. Click on the link on the contents bar to see more pictures and a description of progress. The pic on the right shows the company demonstrator, photographed at Woodspring Wings, which is powered by a Moki 135.

Not sure mine will be this colour!

Here is the latest creation in the workshop. This was taken a few weeks ago, and at the time of writing, it is ready for test flying. I haven't got a more up to date picture yet, but hopefully I can get some shots before the first flight.

Most of you will have guessed the model is a Cap of some sort, but may be wondering which kit - it's the Flair Cap 230. I've had my eye on this one for a long time, and last year I was in D.W. Models in Bridgend, when I spotted the box on the shelf. Apparently it had been in stock for a while, and Geoff made me an offer I couldn't refuse.

The build has been very straightforward, with no problems, although the cowl is a bit of a pig to glue together. I'll make a proper page in the gallery and give you some more details in the near future.

I have started the ATI Manufacturing Bipablast today, and am taking pictures as I go, so watch this space. This plane is BIG.

The Puppeteer has flown! It had its first flight around three weeks ago. As usual, Dave Agombar was the test pilot, and the conditions were less than ideal with a stiff, gusting wind across the runway. I had added a fair amount of lead to the nose in order to achieve the slight nose down attitude that the instructions require, and balanced like this the plane flew very nicely. The only problem was a reluctance to slow down enough to land, and with the wind direction as it was, a very short landing was needed. After a few go arounds on the circuit, Dave put the plane down in the corn which grows each side of the runway to prevent damage.

Two weeks later, and just back from holiday, Sunday was a warm, overcast, windless day. I flew the Puppeteer four times, and absolutely loved it. This is a dream of a plane for calm conditions, although Dave confirms that it is reasonable in windy weather too. The Saito 56 has performed flawlessly, and the tick over is getting slower as the engine beds in with successive flights. To say that I'm pleased with this model is an understatement. Was it worth the extended build time? Yes, but next time, I'll be faster anyway.

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