Current Projects

Some pics of Bill’s Precedent Bi-Fly. Bill won this kit at a draw when attending a bring and buy sale in Portlaoise of the Midland Club some years back. There is also a pic of Mick McEvoy presenting the kit to Bill. Sadly the kit is been slow tracked and is languishing on the sidelines.. but not as long as his Precedent Druine Turbulent.. Maybe he should give up buying Precedent Kits !!

Alex has brought us a couple of new models, one of which is the Seagull P51 Mustang. Alex has been flying this for the past couple of months and in fact celebrated it’s maiden flight on our flying strip. It really is a pussy cat to fly, exhibiting all the characteristics of a first low winger. Alex has moved the wheels forward to assist in ground handling and suspension and it has made a big difference… Have a look at the photos page to see the Mustang on a low straffing run !!!

UPDATE !!!! Alex’s P51 is now holding the record for the most flights of any model in Ballivor.. !! It has been re-engined and having been hangared for a short while is now back flying sorties along the Westmeath border to ensure that all intruders are kept out.. !!

This is a new model from our esteemed treasurer, Ron.… a Ripmax Expression. Ron told me that the kit was not the best.. lots of work over and above the norm for an ARTF to be done.. wings did not align, weak structure holding the nose wheel, lots of head scratching even for an experienced builder. However, it is finished and has flown and will provide Ron with good stick time.

NEWS !!! Bill crashed his Ripmax Fantom…!! Classic example of over confidence.. flying upside down along the strip and deciding to pull up instead of down… a deep, crisp and very uneven spread of foam and servos etc….However, Bill being one to persevere went back to John and got another one.. and this has had it’s public debut on New Year’s Day and is still surviving. This one was modified to have the servos on top of the wings and some extra strong re-enforcing tape along the fuselage bottom.

Jim Loughran having flown his Stearman is now building a Ripmax Harmony twin engined model. Very prefabricated is Jim’s verdict. !! The following is a picture of it…

Bill is also starting a twin engine model, namely the Seagull Dual Ace… it is pictured above beside Jim’s twin. Some more pics of the Dual Ace below.. it is really a very easy model to assemble. I figure someone could easily have it ready to fly within 5 good evenings of work. Bottom 2 are on the flying field on 10^th Feb. Plan was to have engines run in on the day but that other four letter word “WORK” got in the way !!

Paul Laffan appeared with his first electric glider, namely the Greensleeves from JP Perkins. This is a lovely model to fly being of 80” wingspan and comes with motor, folding prop and very well built and covered.

Bill is also building an ultra small indoor model.. a foam profile model of a Stampe Bi-Plane from Falcon Models. What is interesting about this model is the radio equipment. A 4 channel receiver that weighs 1.9 grams !! this includes failsafe circuitry.. two servos which each weigh 1.6 Grams !! Receiver picture on the left and servo is on the right. !!

Bill has a couple of models from kits such as a Weston Cougar... again!! Also a Multiplex 70” Easy Glider which is an all foam glider fitted with a geared electric motor, folding propeller and Li-Po battery. Bill bought the RR version... i.e. Ready to Roll as it had the motor and gearbox fitted as well as an ESC (Electronic Speed Controller), 2 Multiplex servos fitted in the wings and 2 more in the fuselage for the elevator and rudder. Apparently it took less than an hour to assemble the model, fit the radio receiver, battery etc and setup the model and another 2 hours to apply the transfers!!!

Here’s a photo of Bill’s electric airforce…. And there are a couple more to follow like a Shock Flyer, Electric C-130 Hercules and ANOTHER MultiPlex Twin Jet !!!you can’t keep a good lectric plane down !!

The Easy Glider is at the top.. followed by a foam ‘stand way off scale.. Yak 50 bought for €19 as a kit in Prague while on hols… the last model is a makey uppy one from 2mm and 4mm Depron using a cheap Bell brushless motor, cheap e-Sky receiver and servos.. and a grand lump of lead to help with the short nose .. it flies like an underpowered gnat in a bad summer haze !!! but like a lot of us in secondary school.. has potential !!!

Bill and Paul Laffan have a joint project underway to build 2 Super 60’s from plan. All wood bought from the UK and furious cutting out of ribs and longerons is currently underway. They are going to be ‘super scaled’ in appearance and will probably be renamed ‘Superb 60s’!!

Dessie O’Neill has been brewing a Fairchild A-10 ‘WartHog’ tank buster electric model from the GWS kit. Apparently, Dessie likes this plane. The T-Shirt he wears has one, the wall paper in the front room is covered in A-10s, each window in the house has an A-10 etched into it. Discussions are ongoing between Dessie and his good wife regarding re-decoration of the house or the alternative.. ie decking of Dessie !! Hurry up Dessie and finish the plane first !!