|
Hawker Tomtit model aircraft
Pictures and information of a veteran model aircraft.
The 17 year old model Tomtit now fitted with a SC52 four stroke glow engine. This airframe has lasted well.
|
Both of the wings on the Hawker Tomtit are of similar area. The planforms vary slightly though and ailerons are only mounted to the lower wing as per the big one.
|
The Hawker Tomtit was used by the RAF as a basic training aircraft during the period between ww1 and ww2. The biplane shared a similar appearance to many other Hawker aircraft of the era including the Hawker Hart and the Hawker Fury.
This model is based on the excellent Veron model aircraft kit, which alas is no longer available to my knowledge. It was constructed from scratch from a kit plan of this aircraft now some 17 years ago at the time of writing.
Wingspan for this model is around 52 inches, the construction is very conventional all balsa, spruce and plywood with plenty of piano wire for both the undercarriage and the cabane. Tomtit is covered in silver solartex for the most part, with some red painted fibafilm over some areas and red painted white solartex on the tail end. The aircraft was recovered some years ago when it needed some rebuilding after a few too many hard landings, it used to be all silver.
The aircraft has had plenty of new tailplanes and fins fitted due to various causes which include walking into doors with the model, having other aircraft taxi into the tail, treading on the tail etc. etc. The fin and rudder is now cut from solid 1/4 inch sheet balsa instead of the built up structure it was originally.
|
Oil stained left lower wing root the result of oil from the exhaust (real life weathering)
|
|
Tomtit has had a variety of engines fitted during it's 17 years of service, first engine was an OS40FP (the plain bearing engine), this had plenty of power for the aircraft but had a nasty habit of cutting out a bit too often due I reckon retrospectively to a poor choice in glowplugs.
Next the model was re-engined with a Merco 40 engine which also gave plenty of power but kept blowing plugs. So came the third engine, a Merco 60 which came out of my camera plane, this had bags of power and was a proven reliable performer. The aircraft flew very successfully with this model engine but always felt over-powered for the aircraft type (like sticking a double wasp in a Sopwith Camel).
Finally the Tomtit was fitted with the SC52 fourstroke, an engine which is both very reliable in operation and sounds pretty good in this old scale biplane. The engine is now stuck out the front of the aircraft with no cowling. The prop's also about half an inch further forward due to clearance required between the rear mounted carb and the firewall bulkhead. At least being stuck out in the breeze it will be well cooled!
|
Wheels on this model are slightly over scale but they were the nearest I could lay my mitts on.
|
The model used to have a neat cowling around the engine which was mounted to a 1/4 ply engine mount.
The aircraft now has a 6mm aluminium plate engine mount and the cowl has been cut away.
|
Rigging the Tomtit takes only a few minutes, the wings are banded on and shearing elastic is used for flying wires which provide a (very) little extra strength if used under tension, the main purpose of their use on this model though is to keep the interplane struts secure and look good, and of course to provide a bucket load of air resistance.
A second Tomtit is half built (been that way for some time) which when I get around to finishing will most likely be fittted with fully functional bracing wires. I also have a full set of Veron dummy engine cylinders and markings waiting for the second Tomtit. Another modification I would like to make to the number two would be to bolt the wings on instead of using elastic bands.
The engine for the second model will certainly be a four stroke.
|
|
