Supermarine Stranraer

piker · October 22, 2013, 02:06:03 PM

Well, it's a little early to kick off this build thread, but I'm so excited about this build and I just turned in my plans to be enlarged. The plans I ordered from England are for a 1/12 scale Stranraer, which puts the wingspan at 85". Well, I figured that was too tiny, so I'm enlarging to 1/10 scale for a wingspan of 102" That's pretty big for a biplane, but the wings are pretty high aspect ratio (long and thin) so even at this scale, the plane will not be TOO big. The fuselage will still be smaller than my Sandringham, as will the wing cord.

I'm excited about this build because it's a twin engine, biplane flying boat. It'll be all built up from balsa and a little ply, and I'll glass the fuselage and use silver, 21st Century fabric on the wings and tail surfaces.

I'll try to get as much building done this winter as I can, but I can't be sure that I'll have the plane flying next summer.

I don't plan to start on the Stranraer until the new year as I've committed to myself that I'll finish my Water Bomber, repair the Sandringham, and finish my building project from last winter, the SE5a before I start. But I may have a moment of weakness and start cutting balsa before then.

Wingnutz · October 22, 2013, 02:15:45 PM

Wow! What a cool choice! Keep us posted! Looking at the rest of your list, I'm wondering if you have floats for the SE5?

piker · October 22, 2013, 02:19:57 PM

I've considered it.

I figured it's time to get serious about this float flying thing. And I'm having thoughts of a new strategy for next float flying season

Wingnutz · October 22, 2013, 02:22:56 PM

So...the new strategy?

piker · October 22, 2013, 03:26:06 PM

I said I was having thoughts. I didn't say I HAD a strategy yet

But I'm thinking along the lines of a combination of scheduled events, various locations, flexibility to take advantage of good flying conditions, and a simplified retrieval system. I'm open to input and discussions.

BTW, some of the nicest float flying is done from wide open water, like Lake Ontario, when the water is vast and calm. It offers such a sense of freedom that you can't experience at a grass field (other than perhaps a sod farm... but even that isn't as flat or smooth), or a small lake, pond, or bay. I hope to do as much of THAT type of flying as possible next year... somehow. Maybe we're talking about sunrise flying. That might be REALY nice.

bfeist · October 22, 2013, 04:51:47 PM

I think we should change the winter scratch building course to be this plane. what a beaut!

Wingnutz · October 22, 2013, 06:43:30 PM

Quote from: piker on October 22, 2013, 03:26:06 PM
I said I was having thoughts. I didn't say I HAD a strategy yet

But I'm thinking along the lines of a combination of scheduled events, various locations, flexibility to take advantage of good flying conditions, and a simplified retrieval system. I'm open to input and discussions.

BTW, some of the nicest float flying is done from wide open water, like Lake Ontario, when the water is vast and calm. It offers such a sense of freedom that you can't experience at a grass field (other than perhaps a sod farm... but even that isn't as flat or smooth), or a small lake, pond, or bay. I hope to do as much of THAT type of flying as possible next year... somehow. Maybe we're talking about sunrise flying. That might be REALY nice.

Rob,
I'd love to respond to your thoughts about Future Float Flying but I fear if I do it here, I will further divert the thread from the Stranraer...can we start a new Float Fly Strategy thread with your thoughts as the catalyst?
Bill

Skyking · October 22, 2013, 09:13:26 PM

I can see why you feel excited about the build.
And about a flying schedule.

Sunrise?
That's before noon isn't it?

Ken

Tom M. · October 23, 2013, 04:57:10 PM

Quote from: piker on October 22, 2013, 03:26:06 PM

BTW, some of the nicest float flying is done from wide open water, like Lake Ontario, when the water is vast and calm. It offers such a sense of freedom that you can't experience at a grass field (other than perhaps a sod farm... but even that isn't as flat or smooth), or a small lake, pond, or bay. I hope to do as much of THAT type of flying as possible next year... somehow. Maybe we're talking about sunrise flying. That might be REALY nice.

The answer is clear Robert- you guys should come down here to beautiful Norfolk county, where we have BOTH a sod farm flying field AND Lake Erie, (which is much nicer than Ontario, BTW.) Simple!

Your project is amazing- it'd be great to hear what you have in mind re: power, AUW etc.
Tom

piker · October 25, 2013, 05:59:26 PM

Tom, maybe we should take you up on that offer sometime next summer. It would be a great road trip.

I'm thinking of a couple of E-Flite 60's on 6 cells each at this point. I MAY consider 90's on 8 cells each, but at this point I don't think I'll need that much power. It'll be a lumbering type plane

Robert

piker · November 15, 2013, 04:53:00 PM

Well my plan to stay focused on my repair and completion jobs, before I start building the Stranraer, has gone out the window. THAT stuff is no fun when all I want to do this time of year is to get into balsa building. So, I got the plans enlarged, and figured out how the thing will be built, and then today at lunch I made a trip to the hobby shop and bought a bunch of wood and glue. I got A LOT of wood, but this is only the first batch. Here's the bundle on the way back to work

Ededge2002 · November 15, 2013, 05:33:57 PM

There he goes bragging about how much wood he's got.

piker · November 15, 2013, 06:11:59 PM

Oh, there's a lot more wood where THAT came from... And I hope to use some of that wood when I get home tonight...

Wingnutz · November 15, 2013, 07:09:52 PM

Curious about where all that wood is...between something I'm sure!
Picked a colour scheme yet Rob? Canadian???

piker · November 15, 2013, 10:18:02 PM

It was on the front seat of my truck.

Colour scheme? Weren't they all just silver? I certainly would like to do a Canadian version, but I'd like to keep it WWII era. Do you happen to have a picture of the Canadian WWII version?

How about this one?