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I
first heard from George, who lives on the Isle of Wight, in
mid 1992 when he was planning to build a PSS model of this
majestic flying boat. The initial article in our
newsletter was included in issue No.24 published August
1992. Since many members will not have had a copy, a
full report on the project together with additional
photographs are included in this issue.
George
has suffered from Multiple Sclerosis for over 20 years, but
this has not prevented him from indulging in his long held
hobbies of designing and building model aircraft and
boats. I leave George to bring you up to date with
his latest news and views, followed by details on the
"Princess".
I
thought it was about time someone from the 'Deep South' had
some input into the PSSA magazine.
Firstly,
the magazine gets better every issue! It's always a
delight to receive, and admire the models described and
pictured, whether for the quality of build and finish, radical
design or the quantity of output from some PSS'ers. Well
done the lot of you!!
As
for myself, I've done virtually nothing as regards PSS for
nearly 2 years. 1997 was taken up by my involvement with
my local Model Engineering Society, indeed for the past 56
years. I like scale boats (electric), and have a 1917
Vosper CMB, 3 Tugs, and currently working on Parsons
"Turbinia" (electric - 3 shafts -
and
NINE PROPELLERS!!). At 50" length.
To
try and keep my hand in with flying, I resurrected my
"Soarcerer" and made my "Fiesta" user
friendly by fitting the servos in the wings for ailerons and
airbrakes. It stopped the stripped gears after my usual
landing. I'd only been to the slope once last year, back
in July. I did have a great day out and brought both
models home intact, I surprised myself.
Issue
36 of QFI was a good one, a good plug for PSS. The
variety of PSS designs never fail to amaze me.
The'Valkyrie' must be awesome in flight, as well as the B-2
Stealth Bomber. Who would have thought Jack Edwards
dainty little Hawker 'Fury' biplane would perform in
PSS? As for those P-47 Thunderbolts, I can hear the
pundits saying "That wont fly - it's too
bulky!!" Well done to the builders and fliers for
proving them wrong - again. When I was building my
Saunders-Roe "Princess" that was the most heard
comment from the slope soaring and thermal crowd. In
fairness I suppose a 12"x 8" fuselage cross section
is a bit bulky. Anyway, I've sent some photo copies of
the "Princess" flying just to prove it. She
didn't perform too well at Crooks Peak in '95, but as you can
see she looks good in the air.
Now
that a lot of people are going over to CAD I've been very
lucky in getting a top of the range Draughtman's parallel
motion and protractor unit for a nominal price i.e. £
15:00. This fits straight onto my drawing board, so now
I can get on with drawing up some PSS designs. I have
managed to draw up a few PSS planes but just when I think I'm
on to something different, somebody beats me to it! Sods
law!!
I'm
still plodding on with my 108" span B-52 from Simon
Cocker's plan but progress is slow. The wings, tailplanes,
fin and rudder are finished, I've started cutting foam for the
fuselage, I'll get there eventually. I've done too
much to stop now!
This
is the original article which appeared in the PSSA Newsletter
way back in August 1992.
The
Saunders-Roe SR45 "Princess".
George
Dexter from Newport, Isle of Wight, is a newly joined PSSA
member. Over the previous months we have exchanged
letters about his plan to build a 'Princess' which is now
almost completed. Details provided by George on his
construction method are as follows:
"Since
writing to you before Xmas '91 1 have jumped into PSS 'Big
Boots, The Deep End, OTT, call it what you will. The
truth is I am well under way with a 1/2" to V (110"
span) Saunders-Roe SR.45 'Princess' flying boat.
The
hull, fin and rudder, tailplane and elevators are nearly
finished, however the matter of a suitable wing section is
bothering me. Do I stick to the full size section (a SR
mod. Goldstein), or one of the many to choose from in 'Silent
Flight' magazine? I enclose the model's full size
section for your perusal. Any advice would be most
welcome.
Since
starting this particular model, several other modellers have
taken
an interest, with ideas of making a spare set of wings to take
a pair of engines, or 4 electric motors. We'll
have
to think about that!!
August
22nd 1992 is the 40th anniversary of the Princess's first
flight. As the three aircraft were built locally, and I
can vividly remember the first flight, it would be great to
see that beautiful shape in the air over the island once
again.
My
model has a blue foam fuselage, split down the centre line and
a 1.5mm ply spine/keel on each half. Fin and tailplane
are white foam, obechi skinned. Hull weighs 1 kilo (so
far).
Another
query is: In a model this size are flaps needed, (i.e.) take
off and/or landings? I have roughed out the simple
fittings to obtain the 'back and down' position of the full
scale a/c flaps - but are they worth the extra work?
Well
Alan, any information will be most welcome, and I'll keep you
up to date on the model's progress."
Editor's
note:- I recommended George should use a thickened Clark Y
wing section and that flaps could be optional. A recent letter
brings us up to date as he now explains.
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George
Dexter lends scale to his awesome Princess Flying Boat |
"A
quick progress report on the 'Princess'.
I
put the model in our local Model
Engineering
Show over the weekend, and as the prototype was a local
product in the 1950's, nostalgia reigned and we all got wet!
One
of the local flying clubs - Solent Heights M.F.C. - which I
recently joined, have given me nothing but
encouragement. Comments like, "PSS? Hmmmm.
Between us we ought to manage 4 or 6 coxs. Dig a trench
and fill it with water etc.etc.!" A lot of the more
experienced types are keen to get power into her, but I'd like
to see how she goes as a PSS. There are a few mumblings
about hull side area, bulk of the hull etc - but if Ray
Blake's 'Hercules' flies as well as she looks, I'm in with a
chance!!
As
you can see, I succumbed to local pressure and kept the
original aerofoil (SR. modified Goldstein) not Clark Y, partly
because it looked too skinny on the model. It just
didn't look right.
A
few details to go with the photos. Hull is 6' 6" x
12" deep x 12" beam and weighs 2lbs (blue
foam). Tailplane is 1 metre span of white foam vvith
obechi skin, System 2000 from Barrie Lever. Fin tip is
28" high from keel datum - same construction.
Tailplanes and fin weigh 1.5lbs. Main plane is 54"
span, another 23" per side making 110" span, made
with balsa ribs stringers 3 spars (main, rear and flap).
Skinned in 1/64" ply and System 2000. Weight 2lbs.
How are we doing so far? Outer wings to be white foam etc.
I'm
working on the flap mechanism at the moment, the original had
Fowler type flaps, but a simpler method of operation had to be
made; at the moment I am jigging up a rack and pinion gear on
both ends of the 23"x 3" flaps in order to get the
scale effect.
The
tail fairings are made in fibreglass, but as yet not
fixed. They are portable for access to rudder and
elevator clevis's."
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