17 April, 2013

Two Tucanos


In 2011 I took part in the Radio Control Models & Electronics (RCME) magazine's website Webbit Mass Build. That was a non-scale model, this year is a stand-off scale model of the Shorts Tucano designed by Nigel Hawes.

I've always wanted one of these, actually I've got another designers rather more scale like  version still in it's box but that's another story. Not content with building one for the 2013 Mass build, I've set out to build two! One as you might expect with a 2 stroke glow engine; the second one though will not have a power source, it will be a slope model.

I'm a bit late getting started and I may have taken on more wood than I shape but I'm going to give it a good run. Since the original design was for electric power there will be much customisation as I go along. The slope version will be built from a laser cut kit and the IC version will be built roughly to the plan - using the kit for templates where possible.

 
The slope version is coming on well as shown in this photograph.
I have most of the main parts for both models cut out but in many ways that's the easy bit, kitting them out with control snakes, servos, receivers, power and batteries and then the final finishing is likely to be far more demanding especially since the centre of gravity must work out right without having to add too much weight.

Once again RCME Mass Builders will be meeting up at Greenacres near Walsall in June 2013.

The full build story is here.