John Bird Trophy at Waverley 2024
The task was simple but hard.
"Get the maximum flight time from a supplied basic rubber powered model.
You may not alter the model in any other way.
You will get at least 3 attempts (probably more if time allows). You may launch from anywhere in the Court. The flight time is measured from hand launch to the first contact with any surface (floor/wall ceiling/hoop etc.).
There will be a supply of #18 elastic bands and Scotch tape on hand. Bring your own scissors, and blu-tak and tape if you want.
Rubber motor winders are allowed for those who can’t count. There will be at least one simple Hobbyking one available to borrow for the non-professional rubber fliers.
Some hints based on flying a test sample will be offered by the President on the morning but you should treat them with the respect they deserve."
"Get the maximum flight time from a supplied basic rubber powered model.
- You get to collect a rubber model in a sealed packet from 10:00am on Wednesday 21 August at Waverley. There are 19 models available; all are identical. First in – best dressed. The instructions are printed on the packet and are both indecipherable and only in Chinese.
- It is possible to assemble and fly the model with only what is supplied; however, some minor modification is permitted:
- You may add blu-tak for balance (although it is not necessarily required to balance the model as the wing mount slides on the fuselage stick).
- You may stiffen the fairly flimsy wings with Scotch tape (recommended).
- You may replace the supplied rubber motor with any combination of #18 elastic bands which will be supplied.
You may not alter the model in any other way.
You will get at least 3 attempts (probably more if time allows). You may launch from anywhere in the Court. The flight time is measured from hand launch to the first contact with any surface (floor/wall ceiling/hoop etc.).
There will be a supply of #18 elastic bands and Scotch tape on hand. Bring your own scissors, and blu-tak and tape if you want.
Rubber motor winders are allowed for those who can’t count. There will be at least one simple Hobbyking one available to borrow for the non-professional rubber fliers.
Some hints based on flying a test sample will be offered by the President on the morning but you should treat them with the respect they deserve."
Some photos from Julie Bird
Click on the left and right triangles to scroll through them.
Or click on a thumbnail to view one of the pictures.
Note that one or two of THE pictures MAY BE cropped at THE top. IT SEEMS TO DEPEND ON THE BROWSER THAT YOU USE.
It MAY BE a bug in the web publishing program.The originals from Julie were just fine.
photos and a Youtube video from David Benner
There was a good turn out with 19 members present plus Julie Bird, John's wife, and his brother Laurie as usual.
The competition proved quite challenging. The President, who had flight tested an initial sample of the model was overheard to remark that it looked like it had been designed by a Chinese soft toy manufacturer who had once seen a rubber powered plane from a distance.
The winner was the very cunning Andrew Halstead who drew on his vast modelling experience to deduce that the model as supplied had only three minor faults which needed attention: It had no aerodynamic efficiency, the motor was grossly mismatched and the wing had no structural integrity. His effort to obtain 3 flights of just over 20 seconds each was impressive.
Peter McCarthy and Ian Miller were 2nd and 3rd respectively with best flights of 11.0 and 9.5 seconds.
A big thanks to Colin Smith who donated the models for the competition.
Julie took some excellent photos on the day. And David Benner has done a video about the day.
The competition proved quite challenging. The President, who had flight tested an initial sample of the model was overheard to remark that it looked like it had been designed by a Chinese soft toy manufacturer who had once seen a rubber powered plane from a distance.
The winner was the very cunning Andrew Halstead who drew on his vast modelling experience to deduce that the model as supplied had only three minor faults which needed attention: It had no aerodynamic efficiency, the motor was grossly mismatched and the wing had no structural integrity. His effort to obtain 3 flights of just over 20 seconds each was impressive.
Peter McCarthy and Ian Miller were 2nd and 3rd respectively with best flights of 11.0 and 9.5 seconds.
A big thanks to Colin Smith who donated the models for the competition.
Julie took some excellent photos on the day. And David Benner has done a video about the day.
