Miles Magister

[Trevor 25]

Well, the Miles Magister flew today. First flight it was obviously too nose heavy so I removed a large lump of lead from the front and second flight was much better, though still a bit nose heavy. I will try removing some more lead (there was about 1lb of it to bring it to the recommended CoG) and try again next week. Overall I was very pleased with the flight characteristics even in the cross wind we had today.

 

[attachment=0]mm_7.jpg[/attachment]

[Jimbo 0]

Well done Trevor - she looked great in the air

[Peter 0]

Nice one Trevor being a Miles Aircraft fanatic I love to see models of great aircraft

Pete

[Trevor 25]

Someone asked if I had any more detailed pictures of the construction, so here are some. (Can't believe how long ago this was!). Picture shows an ASP 80 4 stroke with silencer routed to scale outlet position and how it fits inside cowl. Hope these help!

[GrahamR 0]

Hello Trevo, thank you for the information and advice during our telephone conversation yesterday and thank you also for responding so quickly by adding the other pics on the forum. The model is magnificent and way beyond my capabilities but it will help me greatly during my own Magister building project.

 

Regards GrahamR

[Trevor 25]

Graham,

Thanks. It might be as well to post any questions you have on this forum, as I could give a more considered answer than over the phone and others might be able to provide better answers. Also, others could benefit from them.

[GrahamR 0]

Trevor. ok thank you that is fine, I have no doubt that I will need some advice from time to time.

Regards Graham.

[GrahamR 0]

Hello Trevor, I contacted you last year for some advice about your scale Magister. I have now completed my own stand off (by a very long way!! ) scale Miles Magister but it does at least look about right. However I wonder if you could give me some idea about the amount of control surface deflection you found adequate in each case and in respect of the ailerons, did you set any differential up and down.

Any guidance you can provide would be very much appreciated, thank you.

 

Kind regards, GrahamR

[GrahamR 0]

Trevor, one more question if you dont mind. From your posts I see that you started with about 1lb of ballast in the nose, approximately how much did you end up with to achieve reasonable handling qualities.

 

Thanks once again, regards Graham

[Trevor 25]

Hi Graham,

I am glad you have nearly completed yours. How about some pictures?

Mine has about 20mm up/down deflection on the elevators and about 12mm up/down on the ailerons with no differential. I did try some differential but I found that zero differential was about right.

 

I ended up with about 12oz lead in the nose. This moved the CoG about 10mm back from that on the plan which gave a much "lighter" feel to the plane but I would suggest sticking with the plan position to start with before experimenting as it becomes very sensitive if CoG is too far back. I have a Laser 75 engine in mine which is quite a heavy lump. The amount of weight you need to add will obviously depend on the size of engine you fit.

 

Hope this helps

[GrahamR 0]

Hello Trevor, thank you for responding so quickly.This information is most helpful, thank you.With reference to the C of G, from reading your earlier posts, bearing in mind I was only attempting a stand off scale project at best, I dispensed with the top rear fuselage planking in favour of an open structure finished in solartex, in an attempt to reduce the weight aft of the CG. Also I have fitted an ASP 80 Which as you Know is quite a heavy engine The result is that with about 6oz of ballast I have achieved the plan CG position.

I am quite pleased with the overall result and I hope you can recognise it for what it is but I have not incorporated the detail which you have in your model because, frankly, that is beyond my skilllevel. I just hope it flies at least straight and level and round corners!!

Bearing in mind that I am not a member of your Club if it is permissable to post a pictureI will do so just before the first flight, which will not be until we have some better weather.

 

 

Thank you once again for your help, kind regards, Gaham

[arun 0]

Please do post a picture!

[Trevor 25]

Graham,

It is fine to post pictures, we would like to see some

[GrahamR 0]

Hello Trevor, I thought you might be wondering about my "semi scale" Magister project! I completed the model at the end of April, but I did not consider that I have enough model flying experience to undertake the first flight. A friend with vast experience agreed to take the responsibility but because of the limitations of our flying field (size, slope and obstacles) he wanted to wait for suitable conditions (northerly wind of about 7/8mph ) We finally flew the model last week.

Immediately after take off the model banked to the left and full right aileron trim with constant half right stick deflection was required to recover and maintain level flight.There was insufficient aileron control remaining to turn right, so all turns were made to the left! Also considerable nose up elevator trim was needed with the result that on landing there was not enough elevator deflection remaining to complete a proper flare and the model landed quite heavily and nosed over. Fortunately there was very little damage which was remarkable all things considered and was only achieved as a result of very considerable skill.

After close examination by very experience modellers it seems that there is a slight twist in the port wing either due to an error in the wing construction or when joining the wing to the centre section. Needless to say I am VERY disappointed and without correction it is not really a viable flying model.

I do have some photos which I will post when they are available. The pics of the Magister in straight and level flight do not convey how close the model came to disaster throughout the short flight!! Regards Graham

[Trevor 25]

Graham,

I would like to see some pictures. Sometime a wing warp can be straightened by shrinking the covering in the correct place, hope you manage to correct it and get it flying again.