Christchurch and District Model Flying Club
 

NEVER SAY DIE BY KEITH YOUNG

 (OR THE LFE SO FAR OF A JP DECATHLON)

It was first flown a few years ago by one of our members, but it came to a sticky end on the cliff top at Barton-on-Sea.

After the working parts had been removed it was then given to another Club member who repaired it and got it flying again. It was then passed on to yet another Club member as a nice little trainer.

Unfortunately it went out of control at Fawcett’s Field and finished up in bits in a pub car park (that last bit sounds eerily familiar…Ed)

The wings were broken but the main damage was to the fuselage (see photo 1). Terry Butterfield said he would like to try and rebuild it, so it changed hands once more.

So to work. He repaired the wings and then started to rebuild the fuselage: having some of the broken parts as a pattern he re-made the cockpit and nose of the plane. It was beginning to look the part.

Terry constructed a door in the side of the fuselage to insert the battery, which saved removing the wing each time. Once he finished it he covered it in Profilm and added a pilot. Having checked the CG he headed off to Fawcett’s for a trial flight. It was unstable and jerky on the controls.He checked tha lateral balance and lowered the rates on the ailerons then tried again (photo 2 and 3).

Nice one – good work TB.   Back to Contents

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