My next build. Seagull 63" Miles Sparrow Hawk.

[Mike.K 60]

The Tiger Moth re-cover and the Fly Baby bi-plane projects are presently stalled due to non availability of further supplies of Hobby King 115 Solid Silver covering film. This is obviously highly frustrating...I suppose I should now be making some new cabane and interplane struts for the little Se5a. I regret to say I put the model on the roof of the Peugeot van thing I use to transport the models. Annoyingly, I later opened the electric garage door with the inevitable result....crunch, squash, graunch!

So what is next? Liking the Seagull Fly Baby 69" monoplane, Rob supplied me with a kit and it built quickly and easily. OK, the port wing was warped so that had to be replaced by Perkins but with a new wing fitted, the model is a peach to fly. On the basis of that, I`ve decided to build the 63" Seagull Sparrow Hawk. Here are a couple of links to the model.Seagull Sparrowhawk (61) (1.6m)

Preview Preview 5:58 Seagull Sparrow Hawk Maiden 20 June 2014

More on this kit once I`ve got one in my hands.

Mike

[Mike.K 60]

Ye ha! Got one!!

The Seagull Sparrow Hawk 63" kit is certainly a rare bird presently in the UK. (12/11/2019) Rob told me that J.Perkins currently show non availability with no delivery date being advised. Much as I`d liked to have bought through Rob as a preferred, known and trusted supplier, not to mention pushing as much of my business as possible in his direction, this time I had to resort to an internet search to locate a supplier who physically had a kit on his shelf. This time Leeds Model Shop came up with the goodies. With post and packing, they relieved me of £189.89 to conclude the deal....never be frightened to ask for free postage! The price is competitive and I`d not be able to source one for any less.

I now have to decide what to power train to install in this model. I/C or electric? I seem to have a pile of .61, .75 or .91 two strokes kicking around, not to forget an OS .91 Surpass four stroke which is earmarked for my Fly Baby bipe. I could also snatch either a 360Kv or 420Kv PO5065 electric motor from either the No 1 Ultra Stick or the newly acquired Seagull Fly Baby monoplane. I really don`t want to do that as I`d then loose the use of one of these two fully flying and very well sorted models.

I`ve been attempting to standardize electric motors, LiPo and ESC units across my flying collection so that components can easily be swapped between models. The purchase of another 360 or 420 motor and 70a ESC would fit well into my electric motor stock holding but another quality 4-max motor and ESC would set me back another £135 including carriage. What to do? At this moment, I`m undecided but the cleanliness of electric power appeals from a purely practical standpoint. I/C power though is great fun but I struggle badly humping flight boxes and fuel around and getting down on my hands and knees causes me pain and misery. Having all those two strokes around for no additional cost would save me the £135 cost of buying more new electric gear into stock.

The model kit is due here tomorrow so my Christmas has come early. Watch this space.

Mike

[Mike.K 60]

The Sparrow Hawk is 99% finished now. Just the screen to glue into place. That has been left as the last job due to its vulnerability. The covering standard is not quite as good as the Fly Baby monoplane but some iron work has cured the majority of the faults. The revolting turquoise stripes on the underside of the wings have been removed. In there place yellow Oracover Cub Yellow replaces them as a perfect match. An additional stripe now runs from the underside of the wing leading edge to the wing trailing edge under the fuselage and completes an all over continuity of colour from one end of the fuselage to the other. Definitely a visual improvement on the original nasty turquoise nastiness.  OK, the registration letters are applicable to a red and silver Chiltern Monoplane and the model kit yellow and silver colour scheme is a complete red herring. The six original aircraft which left the factory in 1935 were all painted a cream colour and registration letters are very different from this Seagull kit rendition. So be it. I can live with this. Its the overall impression that counts.

The build is easy enough. Its definitely for an experienced builder. A novice would struggle with it. The landing gear trousers and the cowl are made from thin wall glass fibre and epoxy with a two pack paint finish then having been applied. The end result is more than passable.

Costs. £189.88 inc delivery from Leeds Model Shop. A further £140 spent on motor, ESC, a couple of props, 4mm gold tubular connectors and shrink wrap. Add to that the costs of the Rx, Rx battery, five servos, four assorted servo/y-leads/switch etc.

The model has an identical power train to my No 1 Ultra Stick being fitted with a 420Kv motor from 4-Max. A 70a ESC without UBEC controls motor power. A separate stand alone 2600mah NiMh battery is fitted for receiver and servo functions. With the 4500mAh Lipo fitted well forward and with the ESC mounted on the motor frame, the RX battery sits just forward of the CoG position and perfect balance has been achieved with no effort at all.

So the model is ready to go. Flying field conditions are muddy and the winter temps are presently low. I suspect I`ll keep this model back for the 2020 flying season. More news on the flying once conditions improve and gives me a little more enthusiasm.

 

Mike