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GliderIreland - The Irish R/C forum
News:
New MACI membership registration system - https://www.gliderireland.net/forum/index.php/topic,4395.0.html
Recent Posts
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PSS / Re: PSSA 40th Anniversary Mass Build
« Last post by billscottni on January 10, 2026, 16:17:16 PM »Dates for the Mass Build event on the Great Orme, LLandudno, North Wales are 19th & 20th Sept 2026.
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Jets / Re: Nostalgic for the Falcon 120? Is "Serpent" for those who love to build!
« Last post by sandrocacciola@gmail.com on January 06, 2026, 15:11:06 PM »This flu is causing me a lot of problems, but we're slowly moving forward.
This kit has been designed and manufactured with the aim of ensuring ease of transport and speed of assembly in the field. The solution adopted by Nicol Iad was to create a central part of the wing that houses the landing gear and remains attached to the fuselage. At the ends of this part are the two spars, to which the two vertical rudders are glued, which support the horizontal stabiliser at the top. The fuselage, the central part of the wing and the rear part with the vertical and horizontal rudders remain permanently assembled; in the field, however, the two wing halves must be assembled, which are attached to the central section with carbon bayonets and reference pins. This allows the entire model to be transported in a car with reduced bulk and easily assembled in the field. However, in my opinion, attaching the two wing halves remains awkward, as it is done using a through bolt on each wing half, supported in the wing structure by a block of plywood locked into the spars and ribs at that point. To attach the wing halves, everything is assembled, the bayonet and bayonet holder are drilled at the same time, and the through bolt or screw is inserted. No problem, except that it is clear that once the bayonet has been removed and the wing taken off, the next time we assemble the wing halves, we will have to match the two holes by rotating the bayonet, which is not easy. Everyone here can find the solution they prefer.
This kit has been designed and manufactured with the aim of ensuring ease of transport and speed of assembly in the field. The solution adopted by Nicol Iad was to create a central part of the wing that houses the landing gear and remains attached to the fuselage. At the ends of this part are the two spars, to which the two vertical rudders are glued, which support the horizontal stabiliser at the top. The fuselage, the central part of the wing and the rear part with the vertical and horizontal rudders remain permanently assembled; in the field, however, the two wing halves must be assembled, which are attached to the central section with carbon bayonets and reference pins. This allows the entire model to be transported in a car with reduced bulk and easily assembled in the field. However, in my opinion, attaching the two wing halves remains awkward, as it is done using a through bolt on each wing half, supported in the wing structure by a block of plywood locked into the spars and ribs at that point. To attach the wing halves, everything is assembled, the bayonet and bayonet holder are drilled at the same time, and the through bolt or screw is inserted. No problem, except that it is clear that once the bayonet has been removed and the wing taken off, the next time we assemble the wing halves, we will have to match the two holes by rotating the bayonet, which is not easy. Everyone here can find the solution they prefer.
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Slope Soaring / Re: Robbe Vampir
« Last post by rogallo on January 04, 2026, 11:42:43 AM »It has been a long time since my original post but the day has arrived for me to restart this project. I bought the model part started by Wolfgang in Germany, he had a bit of work done and the wings joined. I asked would he take a saw to the winga and post it to Ireland. Thankfully he did and so my journey begins. It has sat in the workshop for the last few years but about 2 months ago, I picked up ankit and thought I better finish this one.wings are now rejoined and filler applied to all the surfaces.
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Jets / Re: Nostalgic for the Falcon 120? Is "Serpent" for those who love to build!
« Last post by sandrocacciola@gmail.com on January 02, 2026, 15:11:47 PM »The first thing to do is to divide the parts of the kit according to the various sections of the aircraft: tail, wings, central section, moving parts, fuselage and steering supports. And this is where the first problem arises: the laser-cut sheets are not divided into sections, but may contain parts for the wing, servo supports or spars with ribs of moving parts, as is the case with some sheets. This would not be a problem if all the parts were labelled with the name of the part they are going to build, but this is not the case. Others are printed with sequential numbers to be followed when assembling the wing or elevator, etc. Unfortunately, this kit does not even contain a drawing of the model with the various parts to be assembled, and I pointed this problem out to the manufacturer, Iad, but I received no response other than the advice to look at the photos on the Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1350973201704574/). There are indeed many photos, but they are not enough to overcome some minor obstacles that may be encountered when assembling certain parts. A diagram is definitely essential for this kit, or at least it would be advisable to mark all the cut pieces with specific codes.
However, with a little care and by browsing through the hundreds of photos available, you can overcome any difficulties. Those who have already built similar kits will have an advantage, while novices will have to work harder. For assembling the various parts of the kit, I generally used Pattex vinyl glue and aliphatic glue, while for structural gluing I used two-component epoxy glue.
The fuselage of the kit is a single piece moulded in epoxy resin and fibreglass, and feels a little light to the touch. Before assembling the model, I reinforced the attachment points of the landing gear and wing with 160 g/m² carbon fabric to give it greater strength. The internal stringers and the front landing gear tower fit perfectly, while the hole in the fuselage for the landing gear to exit must be cut by the model maker; a plywood template is provided for this purpose, as for the wing landing gear bays. The front of the fuselage has a removable cone that allows access to a solid plywood base locked in place with the last fuselage frame, which will be used to house the batteries. All very functional. The central part of the wing is locked into the fuselage by means of a front joint on a frame and two nylon screws that lock onto a support glued into the fuselage.
However, with a little care and by browsing through the hundreds of photos available, you can overcome any difficulties. Those who have already built similar kits will have an advantage, while novices will have to work harder. For assembling the various parts of the kit, I generally used Pattex vinyl glue and aliphatic glue, while for structural gluing I used two-component epoxy glue.
The fuselage of the kit is a single piece moulded in epoxy resin and fibreglass, and feels a little light to the touch. Before assembling the model, I reinforced the attachment points of the landing gear and wing with 160 g/m² carbon fabric to give it greater strength. The internal stringers and the front landing gear tower fit perfectly, while the hole in the fuselage for the landing gear to exit must be cut by the model maker; a plywood template is provided for this purpose, as for the wing landing gear bays. The front of the fuselage has a removable cone that allows access to a solid plywood base locked in place with the last fuselage frame, which will be used to house the batteries. All very functional. The central part of the wing is locked into the fuselage by means of a front joint on a frame and two nylon screws that lock onto a support glued into the fuselage.
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Club Talk / Re: Merry Christmas and a Haappy New Year
« Last post by Fred on January 01, 2026, 00:06:57 AM »Happy New Year to all of you guys!
Looking forward to see you all at a slope or a flying field
Looking forward to see you all at a slope or a flying field
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Slope Soaring / Re: Merry Christmas to all
« Last post by Fred on January 01, 2026, 00:05:40 AM »Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!!
Hopes for lots and lots of flying
Hopes for lots and lots of flying
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Jets / Re: Nostalgic for the Falcon 120? Is "Serpent" for those who love to build!
« Last post by sandrocacciola@gmail.com on December 30, 2025, 17:51:47 PM »The assembly of this kit is aimed at model makers who have a minimum of experience in building pre-cut wooden kits, but I must say that, being only on my third experience, I realised that this kit is particularly accurate in the precision of the joints and the cutting of the pieces. To assemble everything, you need a few tools such as a sander, a mini drill, etc., as well as spirit levels and 90° squares for checking. In my workshop, I have a wide range of Proxxon accessories that I use for my work, and I must say that they have never caused me any problems. The great thing about these tools is that they come with a huge range of accessories of all kinds, perfect for building wooden/balsa wood kits. I have tried alternatives, but then I went back to buying Proxxon. This may sound like an advertisement, but since I now have a lot of tools at home, I can only emphasise their quality. Then again, everyone has their own preferences...
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Jets / Re: Nostalgic for the Falcon 120? Is "Serpent" for those who love to build!
« Last post by sandrocacciola@gmail.com on December 28, 2025, 08:37:11 AM »Well, I couldn't resist and ordered a kit, which was delivered to me after about ten days. The packaging is excellent and protects the contents well, despite being a medium-sized box. Opening the package and checking the wooden sheets, I immediately noticed the quality of the cut and the ease with which the various components come apart. I was surprised by the presence of all the necessary pieces already cut, including the balsa boards for the rudder covers, the moving parts, the servo compartments, etc. Iad also supplies the canopy, also moulded in epoxy. For those who want it, Iad also has complete landing gear and servo controls in its catalogue. In short, it is a decent kit that sells for £540, equivalent to about €620. It is a pity that this kit does not come with drawings or assembly instructions. This is not the first time I have built balsa kits, but I must admit that it was tiring having to spend a lot of time checking a series of images on the group dedicated to this jet. Furthermore, the photos are roughly grouped by assembly sections and in “random” order, but you need to pay attention and look carefully before gluing. I pointed this out to Nicol, but he couldn't give me an explanation. In my opinion, it wouldn't have been difficult to provide a printout of the drawing, even if not to scale, to avoid so many inconveniences. In any case, I recommend (but those who are already experts know this) assembling the various sections first and only gluing them when you are sure they are correct.
(To be continued)
(To be continued)
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Jets / Nostalgic for the Falcon 120? Is "Serpent" for those who love to build!
« Last post by sandrocacciola@gmail.com on December 28, 2025, 08:35:35 AM »Do you remember the legendary Falcon 120, the jet that started out as a propulsion engine and was later adapted to a turbine? It was an economical model (the first kits cost around £200) and flew reasonably well. It wasn't beautiful and didn't have many frills, but it was affordable for many beginners in the world of turbines. It's a shame that it's no longer on the market (I searched the entire web for days), except for a few rare boxes from private sellers asking exorbitant prices.
Well, while surfing the net, I came across a British website offering a kit similar to the Falcon 120, but with a wingspan of 195 cm and a length of 192 cm (excellent!). It is called “Serpent” and is made by Iad Model Design (https://www.iadmodeldesigns.co.uk/serpent.php) , owned by Iain Nicol, a very helpful person.
It is a well-made CNC/laser-cut wood/balsa kit, derived from a design from a few years ago, but completely revised and updated. The recommended motorisation ranges from a 45N to an 85N turbine, for an estimated model weight of between 5 and 6 kg. The kit (unusually) includes all the wood needed for assembly, including spars, strips, leading and trailing edges, balsa sheets for covering, reinforcements, etc. For the fuselage, the kit provides a single vacuum-formed laminated piece (very light), for which all the reinforcement frames, bases, landing gear supports, bayonet holder and carbon bayonet are provided, ready and cut to size for gluing. Retractable landing gear is not provided, but is available as an option with wheels and brakes; I installed a set from JP Hobby complete with legs and wheels with brakes.
Well, while surfing the net, I came across a British website offering a kit similar to the Falcon 120, but with a wingspan of 195 cm and a length of 192 cm (excellent!). It is called “Serpent” and is made by Iad Model Design (https://www.iadmodeldesigns.co.uk/serpent.php) , owned by Iain Nicol, a very helpful person.
It is a well-made CNC/laser-cut wood/balsa kit, derived from a design from a few years ago, but completely revised and updated. The recommended motorisation ranges from a 45N to an 85N turbine, for an estimated model weight of between 5 and 6 kg. The kit (unusually) includes all the wood needed for assembly, including spars, strips, leading and trailing edges, balsa sheets for covering, reinforcements, etc. For the fuselage, the kit provides a single vacuum-formed laminated piece (very light), for which all the reinforcement frames, bases, landing gear supports, bayonet holder and carbon bayonet are provided, ready and cut to size for gluing. Retractable landing gear is not provided, but is available as an option with wheels and brakes; I installed a set from JP Hobby complete with legs and wheels with brakes.