
- 125 2573
- 126 2644
- 125 2562
- 104 0469
- 154 5463
- 133 3364
- 110 1069
- 134 3462
In flying shape - 104 0449
- 154 5440
- 106 0660
- 106 0658
- 125 2536
- 130 3009
- 126 2608
- 110 1100
- 132 3267
- 129 2940
- 126 2638
- 100 1511
- 126 2628
- 122 2293
- 100 1512
- 104 0479
- 147 4782
- 133 3308
- 125 2597
- 111 1101
- 105 0541
- P0000079
- 154 5403
- 104 0478
- 125 2541
- 125 2512
- 150 5070
- 140 4029
- 129 2907
- 125 2571
- 154 5453
- DSC01219
- 110 1066
- 106 0694
- 107 0704
- 106 0671
- 100 0040
Merlin - 126 2609
- 110 1073
- 107 0737
- DSC01209
- 147 4790
- 105 0543
- 110 1065
- kt ruth wed 0021
- 107 0716
- 107 0707
- 154 5458
- 129 2950
- 125 2568
- 125 2588 2
- 110 1067
- 129 2983
- kt ruth wed 0076
- 110 1099
- 142 4243
- 100 1514
- 142 4231
- 115 1507
- 110 1070
- 154 5462
- 134 3421
- 147 4775
- 107 0738
- 105 0539
- 133 3327
It's looking a bit big Note we have an exhaust (muffler) now also. - 110 1063
- 107 0745
- 105 0542
- 104 0445
- 154 5444
- 154 5464
- 154 5442
- 123 2337
- 105 0505
- 142 4267
- 106 0693
- 104 0477
- 154 5457
- 142 4272
- 125 2572
- 104 0429
- 147 4776
- 134 3420
- 125 2595
- 129 2979
- 140 4006
- 106 0633
- 133 3328
The exhaust It's shiny now. I'm sure that will change. The silicone pipe runninf from it is a fuel tank pressurisation aid. There's no fuel pump - a certain amount of exhaust gas is used to push the fuel into the carb of the engine. Quite neat, really. - 125 2538
- 107 0709
- 127 2735
- 125 2559
- 126 2643
- 129 2938
- 126 2639
- 107 0715
- 133 3341
Outdoors [2/4] - 125 2569
- 154 5418
- 125 2542
- 105 0538
- 105 0544
- 147 4757
- 106 0676
- 129 2949
- 110 1071
- 105 0548
- 107 0743
- 129 2912
- 107 0744
- DSC01211
- 126 2614
- 123 2326
- 129 2980
- 128 2849
- 126 2682
- 129 2975
- 110 1095
- 129 2951
- kt ruth wed 0075
- 129 2955
- 125 2557
- 142 4229
- 105 0540
- 129 2909
- 125 2586
- 125 2563
- 106 0659
- 140 4030
- 106 0686
- 142 4270
- 123 2332
- 123 2324
- 129 2959
- 107 0740
- 106 0670
- 100 1539
- DSC01245
- 154 5421
- 142 4265
- 110 1062
- 106 0651
- 154 5467
- 140 4021
- 154 5435
- DSC01330
The village to be 2003-03-29 Where am I? In the village. 2003-03-29 - 106 0673
- 100 0041
Merlin - DSC01216
- 115 1506
- 106 0669
- 126 2640
- DSC01210
- 125 2558
- 154 5465
- 107 0705
- 123 2323
- 142 4259
- 140 4022
- 104 0420
- 129 2903
- 154 5469
- 150 5071
- 105 0545
- 129 2946
- 126 2693
- 104 0476
- 104 0422
- 154 5459
- dsc sp5 0001
Canon EOS 10D - 142 4240
- 110 1072
- 125 2570
- 133 3329
Rotor hub It's really busy up here - I can't imagine this thing spinning as fast as it will need to. - 125 2537
- 129 2957
- 125 2546
- 154 5441
- 154 5419
- 142 4248
- 133 3326
Progress! With the main rotor blades on, it's starting to look like a helicopter now. - 122 2295
- 107 0742
- 154 5471
- 125 2543
- 107 0703
- 900 0024
Random shot - 129 2945
- 100 1538
- 106 0638
- 125 2567
- 110 1064
- 125 2560
- b0024
Air Canada [2/3] - 129 2947
- 126 2615
- 125 2588
- 105 0566
- b0008
Heart-somethingorothers [4/4] - 125 2552
- 106 0682
- 106 0653
- 104 0423
- 133 3331
The body/canopy This will be it's ultimate shape. - 133 3337
Wires/servos Much cabling. Notice how I had to trim some of the servo "horns" - they interfered with the ball-link attachments. - 129 2948
- b0025
Air Canada [3/3] - 126 2641
- 106 0662
- 154 5470
- 154 5405
- 134 3464
Rear rotor servo cabling - 129 2966
- 126 2612
- 129 2967
- 129 2935
- 129 2958
- 106 0657
- 140 4005
- 129 2982
- 110 1075
- 129 2904
- 100 0027
Glenn in workshop [1/2] - 125 2586 2
- b0023
Air Canada [1/3] - 105 0510
- 125 2540
- 106 0675
- b0018
A bird Might be a goose - 106 0650
- 133 3335
The electronics arrived All the servos are on, the receiver is mounted and hooked up. - 129 2998
- 106 0637
- 106 0668
- 125 2545
- 154 5429
- 154 5443
- 133 3325
- 125 2547
- 125 2539
- 107 0741
- 115 1508
- 154 5420
- 133 3368
- 125 2553
- 142 4260
- 154 5466
- 154 5427
- IMG 0663
- 154 5472
- 154 5446
- 142 4225
- 104 0446
- 105 0546
- 126 2611
- 107 0708
- 125 2587
- 106 0667
- 129 2969
- 129 2960
- 900 0020
Tara ...enough already. - 154 5445
- 106 0665
- IMG 0662
- 134 3419
- 129 2905
- 132 3275
The swash plate This little device is freaky. In a nutshell, the pitch of the blades varies through their rotation, according to the motions of the aileron/elevator servos (called cyclic on a helicopter) and the collective pitch. It's all a bit mad and I onyl slightly understand it so far. - 123 2336
- 133 3338
The radio I decided to start small. A 6-channel JR transmitter. It came with the servos and a 7-channel receiver. - 142 4236
- 123 2322
- 126 2610
- 133 3330
So far... - 105 0562
- 154 5434
- 129 2936
- 129 2902
- 134 3418
- 106 0663
- 106 0680
- 125 2587 2
- b0010
Pansies [1/2] - 154 5473
- 129 2962
- 105 0509
- 104 0448
- 142 4241
- 140 4007
- b0028
Merlin [2/4] - 137 3751
Camera mount Allows me to bolt a camera, or other things, to the side of the Helicopter - 125 2585
- 106 0681
- 126 2642
- 154 5437
- 125 2554
- 129 2972
- 154 5433
- b0027
Merlin [1/4] - 100 0038
Tara! - 125 2556
- 142 4244
- 105 0547
- 106 0654
- 154 5428
- 154 5426
- 125 2544
- 142 4249
- 106 0639
- 140 4031
- 106 0648
- 105 0508
- 129 2968
- 104 0444
- 107 0706
- b0020
Bird in a tree [2/2] ...it's in there somewhere - 142 4230
- 129 2961
- 140 4033 crop
- 107 0739
- 129 2970
- 133 3336
Busy busy There's a lot going on with this machine. - 154 5431
- 100 0028
Glenn in workshop [2/2] - 140 4033
- 100 0025
Glenns truck [3/3] - 106 0649
- 100 0014
More house - 100 0012
Our house... - 100 0013
...in the middle of our street - 129 2937
- 154 5438
- 154 5430
- 154 5423
- 105 0555
- 119 1969
- 154 5432
- 106 0678
- 115 1505
- 126 2613
- 133 3339
I fired it up... So, I took it outside, just to fire up the engine. Nobody else around to take pictures, so this is after the event. They definately make good lawn mowers - notice all the grass and grass stains. I'm so far away from flying this thing (still practising on the simulator) but I thought it would be good to give the engine and mechanics some exercise before it does fly. These things are not quiet! - b0019
Bird in a tree [1/2] Can you spot the bird? - 142 4237
- 125 2585 2
- 132 3274
Side view - b0029
Merlin [3/4] - 154 5468
- 154 5425
- IMG 0645
- 142 4238
- 106 0664
- IMG 0658
- 132 3276
The engine OS 32 helicopter engine. Here it is with the Raptor cooling fan attached, basically a centrifugal fan. - 100 0018
Blueberry tree - 104 0421
- 100 0026
Glenn inside a truck - 134 3463
Rear rotor servo Moved the servo from the front of the chassis to the tail boom to shorten the control rod - less chance of flexing - 106 0687
- 900 0022
Tara ...I'm outta here. - 134 3412
- DSC01325
Depot #1 2003-03-29 A view of the depot. 2003-03-29 - 115 1511
- 129 2974
- 129 2973
- 142 4232
- 900 0018
Tara Okay, I'm bored now... - 142 4257
- 154 5436
- 142 4233
- 105 0563
- b0022
A plane - 129 2971
- b0021
The sky - 100 0015
Cherry tree - 900 0017
Merlin [6/6] - 132 3278
Engine, other side - b0026
Dartmouth Street - 100 0022
Back porch - 129 2963
- 106 0652
- IMG 0661
- 115 1509
- IMG 0664
- 154 5424
- 104 0447
- 100 0016
Brumbrum - 105 0560
- 142 4245
- 100 0017
Brumbrum - 129 2965
- dsc sp5 0004
Canon EOS 10D - 154 5422
- 123 2335
- 129 2901
- 104 0404
- 142 4235
- dsc sp5 0002
Canon EOS 10D - DSC01248
- 105 0506
- 100 0030
Glenn and Tara and Wine - IMG 0669
- 105 0556
- 137 3753
Still in one piece Front view, it's been out flying a couple of times now - 105 0561
- IMG 0657
- 133 3340
Outdoors [1/4] - 100 0035
Merlin [5/5] - 104 0417
- 104 0415
- 136 3612
- 142 4246
- dsc sp5 0003
Canon EOS 10D - 900 0019
Tara ...yes, I know you have a new toy... - IMG 0668
- b0011
Pansies [2/2] - IMG 0656
- 100 0034
Merlin [4/5] - 100 0029
Glenn and Tara - 142 4250
- IMG 0667
- 129 2964
- 100 0031
Merlin [1/5] - 136 3613
- 105 0507
- 119 1968
- 100 0024
Glenns truck [2/3] - 132 3286
Look at the mess! - IMG 0655
- 132 3283
Assembling the rotor head These bits will eventually sit atop the swash plate. - 106 0640
- 104 0419
- 100 0021
Blueberry tree - IMG 0660
- 142 4258
- b0012
Tulips - 125 2555
- b0016
Tigger [1/2] - 132 3277
Engine, closeup - IMG 0659
- IMG 0671
- 104 0405
- 133 3306
Digital servo The Gyro came with this servo. Because the tail rotor pitch is being computer controlled, and you want it to react fast, you have to use a fast servo. Better yet, you use a digital servo, which mostly means the servo PWM's the motor inside much much faster. This is a reasonably speedy digital servo. When it's going, it whines a bit, but I am pretty sure that's normal. - 104 0414
- 100 0033
Merlin [3/5] - 100 0019
Some other plant - 142 4247
- 106 0688
- 104 0406
- 136 3614
- 115 1513
- 100 0032
Merlin [2/5] - 103 0394
- 104 0407
- IMG 0650
- 137 3756
Front view - 132 3273
Getting started When I remembered I wanted to take pictures of the construction, this is far as I was already. - 104 0413
- IMG 0665
- 104 0416
- 136 3611
- IMG 0674
- 100 0023
Glenns truck [1/3] - 104 0402
- b0017
Tigger [2/2] - 104 0403
- 104 0408
- IMG 0646
- 103 0390
- IMG 0666
- IMG 0675
- 150 5072
- 105 0559
- DSC01318
The village to be 2003-03-29 A lady waits in front of a cottage in what is to become the village. 2003-03-29 - 132 3282
The engine The slot-shaped hole you can see is where the exhaust (muffler) pipe will attach, when it arrives. - 104 0409
- 900 0016
Merlin [5/6] - 105 0557
- 104 0401
- 106 0646
- 100 0020
And some more foliage - 103 0399
- 103 0391
- 115 1503
- 103 0395
- 142 4251
- 105 0558
- 103 0393
- IMG 0673
- 133 3305
Gyro This is described by many as the "most cost effective" stabilisation gyro on the market at present. It's job: keep the machine pointing in the direction you want it to. In the old days, you would program a "revolution mix" into your radio which altered the tail rotor blade pitch according to what you were doing with the throttle/collective, the idea being that you could match the rotational energy being put out by the main rotors to make the tail rotor counteract it, and keep the machine steady. Technology these days simply measures the rotation and does what it needs to counteract it. Funky. This is what makes the difference between whirly-top-with-dangerous-bits and simply "dangerous". - IMG 0670
- 900 0009
Merlin! - 136 3610
- 104 0411
- 899 9944
Tara! - 142 4234
- 136 3616
- 136 3617
- 132 3290
Tail rotor assembly This was a fiddly piece to put together. - 132 3288
Flybar again - b0014
Wasp [2/2] - 133 3304
Clutch The silver drum in the centre of the picture is the clutch bell. Inside this is a clutch disc, which runs directly from the engine below it. It's designed to be fully diengaged below about 7000rpm and fully engaged above 10000rpm. The rotor blades operate at a fraction of this speed, not normalyl going faster than about 1700 rpm. - 132 3285
Rotor head bearings At this point, I only assembled one end of this piece. The bearing set in the bag fit onto the shaft with a collection of washers, spacers, bolts, loctite and so on. It's all a bit busy. Particularly sicne I forgot to put in a supporting piece rigth in the centre to had to disassemble the thing. - IMG 0653
- 136 3615
- 104 0412
- 900 0012
Merlin [1/6] - 119 1966
- 103 0396
- IMG 0647
- IMG 0654
- 119 1967
- 103 0397
- 137 3749
Fuel line arrangement This t-piece arrangement allows me to load/unload fuel to the tank without pulling the pipwork away from the engine. Just use the right fuel line clip to direct the flow to/from the tank. Similarly, the left clip allows me to inject after run oil without having to do fiddly stuff, or remove the engine. - b0013
Wasp [1/2] - 132 3281
Engine in the frame, other side - 119 1965
- 103 0400
- 119 1961
- IMG 0649
- IMG 0648
- 136 3609
- 119 1962
- IMG 0672
- 106 0643
- 104 0418
- 132 3279
Engine in the frame - 103 0392
- 151 5104
- 132 3287
Rotor head and flybar The fly bar, I think, ,ostly balances the main blades. They are on a single bar whose pitch alters with the cyclic, but not the collective (I think, lots of "I think"'s here!). The bar is supposed to be near-perfectly balanced otherwise it causes really nasty vibrations in the rest of the machine. Rememeber, this thing is a huge spinning top, really. - 103 0379
- 136 3621
- IMG 0651
- 119 1956
- 119 1958
- 103 0364
Trig pulls a new bird - 103 0398
- 106 0641
- 136 3618
- DSC01323
The cottage in the village 2003-03-29 That lady is still waiting... 2003-03-29 - 119 1957
- 132 3294
Tail rotor The orange material you can see through the hole is the belt. The blades twist together, in opposite directions. This is how you point the helicopter. - 119 1960
- 136 3622
- 119 1959
- 900 0013
Merlin [2/6] - 136 3623
- 119 1955
- 132 3280
Engine in the frame, closeup - DSC01319
Towards the industrial area 2003-03-29 Progress has occured in the industrial region with the addition of some storage tanks and a depot. 2003-03-29 - 103 0386
- 136 3619
- 132 3295
Main drive wheel The belt goes back to the tail rotor. The grey spindle meshes with a drive wheel on the engine drive shaft. There is a shaft going up through these two wheels directly to the rotor hub. - 106 0645
- 151 5106
- 119 1933
- 900 0015
Merlin [4/6] - 119 1963
- 900 0014
Merlin [3/6] - 119 1953
- 142 4228
- 103 0389
- 133 3303
Beastie so far - 132 3291
Tail rotor assembly The red coloured pulley is a two-piece item, a flange fits on one end, and it can go two ways round. The correct way si with the shorter end into the pulley, longer end outwards. Otherwise, as I discovered, there is about 2 to 3mm play in the tail rotor shaft. Not good. - 104 0410
- 136 3608
- 106 0644
- 136 3620
- IMG 0652
- 103 0388
- 119 1939
- DSC01317
A village station 2003-03-29 The village Railway Station, yet to be named or decorated. 2003-03-29 - 119 1952
- 132 3292
Coming together nicely now Tail piece is in, various tail-plane bits and bobs. The tail rotor blades are on the wrong way round here (and remained so for a while) until I realised I had the belt on the wrong way. I noticied this long before firing up the engine, thankfully. - 142 4254
- DSC01322
Tunnel ahoy! 2003-03-29 At the rear of the layout, a long passenger train headed by two Class A3s enters what will be a tunnel. 2003-03-29 - 142 4253
- 151 5108
- 142 4252
- 142 4255
- 119 1937
- 114 1496
- 119 1964
- b0030
Merlin [4/4] - 142 4256
- 103 0378
- 119 1954
- 115 1502
- 136 3607
- 119 1951
- 151 5107
- 103 0375
Jappert - 142 4226
- 114 1499
- 142 4227
- 103 0377
- 114 1500
- 114 1489
- 114 1495
- 114 1488
- 114 1487
- 114 1490
- 114 1486
- 114 1494
- 114 1491
- 114 1492
- 114 1493