Guillow's Model Builders Forum

by **jensheydel** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 5:16 am

Hello everone,

As the title indicates this thread is all about the conversion of a Guillows free flight Bf 109 kit (No. 401 LC) to RC. I would like to share pictures thoughts ideas and hope all of you who care to read along will do the same. Although this is not my first RC plane it is a my first Guillows conversion. So it ought to be interesting to see if I can get this to work.

Should my english seem a bit unusual from time to time I do apologize in advance as it has been 7 years now since I lived in the USA and have as a result gotten a bit rusty in its use. So lets get out the box of tools a good Beer and lets have some fun with this box of sticks.

Jens

by **jensheydel** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 5:24 am

So as is required by good form and tradition the table with the unbuilt model. Sharp eyes will notice the lack of Swastikas anywhere on the kit. This is due to German law that requires that no NS era symbology be displayed. Being German myself I appreciate Guillows doing such a thorough job of getting even the plans suitably changed. No need to see those signs ever again (even on a model aircraft of that era, but that is just my opinion).

Cheers, Jens

by **SteveM** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 9:44 am

Interesting, I didn't realize there was such a ban on historically accurate models from that era.

Here is a link that you may find useful:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=827861

by **ADW 123** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 10:02 am

wow that law is interesting.

by **jensheydel** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 10:47 am

Go to any LHS here and look at the models and you will not see any that have NS symbols on them. Though Germany has free speech it does practice an understandable rejection of any and all NS symbology, understandable in light of the what the second world war cost the entire world. Not one of our historical bright spots.

Jens

by **jensheydel** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 10:53 am

Ah the wonders of laser cutting, hats off to Guillows for modernizing ... in about 15 minutes all you need in terms of formers and ribs is lying on the table waiting for the friendly tube of glue.

Jens

by **jensheydel** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 11:11 am

All builds start like this ... a few sticks a couple formers and the good hope it might actually fly.

Keeping things straight or at least trying to goes a long way towards this goal :-)

Well what do you know it actually looks like a fuselage.

Alright the instructions call for some little bit of cardboard to serve as a dummy bulkhead ... ah no better not do that lets make this piece out of balsa and extend the stringers to meet up. Will end up looking better when you cover it.

Cheers Jens

by **jensheydel** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 11:16 am

Hi SteveM,

That thread is my holy grail of info for these conversions, I would have posted there but a since its a Guillows and since there is some interest here as well I thought I would post the thread here (hope that is ok with everyone?)

Cheers Jens

by **jensheydel** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 12:06 pm

A messy tradition.

Sharp eyes will notice the missing side keels, not needed since there is no rubber band trying to crunch the plane. Also the removed the center portion of the wing saddle, not needed anymore.

Some more "spare parts" ... any takers for left over balsa here ?

Thin balsa from the kit on the sides and a 5 mm chunk out of the spares bin on the bottom.

5 minutes of work with the Bosch grinder, and two hours with the files and some fine paper. Now the 109 has a real air intake which will come in handy when the ESC which will live in there runs up to temp.

Cheers, Jens

by **jensheydel** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 3:55 pm

Since Guillows decided to put rain gutters in the model instead of gun troughs we will just shorten them and make them smaller.

Scoops exist to scoop stuff, in this case air. I am a firm believer that the electronics could always use a gulp of cooling air even if it is a small gulp.

Cheers, Jens

by **Supercubber95** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 7:22 pm

I think I want a laser cut cut model

! The only problem is the price... :shock:

But if it helps keep Guillows goin it's worth it!!!! Looks awesome!

by **scigs30** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 8:03 pm

I love these new laser cut kits, make for a quick build.

by **Squishyp38** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 8:52 pm

looki'n good!
Cheers from Vermont!

by **jensheydel** » Sun Jun 12, 2011 2:31 am

Hello everyone,

Yeah laser kits are the bomb as the kids would say ... I built my first one over ten years ago, it was a Herr engineering Pitts, I still have it as a decoration item in my hobby room.

Next up on the 109 is a battery tray and the servo trays. Then the tail feathers ... and cable pull/pulls for the tail, weighs next to nothing and is slop free.

Gotta go with the wife on a field trip to the Spree Forest outside of Berlin untill tomorrow. Hope all of you have a nice weekend.

Cheers, Jens

by **Phugoid** » Sun Jun 12, 2011 10:55 am

These laser cut kits sure do look very good.

I hope that they do the 300 and 500 series kits soon....

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