Another Parnall Elf

[Guest]

Parnall Elf plans

Hi, Would you know if plans are still available for the Parnall Elf that you have constructed please? Thanks, Bob

[Greyhead]

You could try Xplans; they have a lot of old MAP / Argus plans, they don’t actually list the Parnall Elf but the list only has plans that have been asked for before.

http://www.uknets.co.uk/rcplansguide/xplans.htm

It was a free plan with Radio Modeller October 1991

I don’t know if it would be possible to copy my plan, it’s double sided and 2 colours, but if Xplans can’t help you I could ask at the local print shop and possibly get a price.

Although I’m sure the model would fly built as per plan it certainly isn’t true scale and the wing hinges shown definitely wouldn’t work so the plan is really only a starting point.

[Greyhead]

I have heard from Bob that unfortunately “Xplans” haven’t got the Parnall Elf plans. I’ve taken my plan to Prontaprint but it isn’t really viable to have a two-colour copy made with an estimated cost of about £60.00 and no guarantee as to the final quality.

[Guest]

Hi Grahame, I have had a computer failure and lost all my contact details. I have started my drawing of the changes to the Elf plan and require your assistance please. Would you please email me again so that I have you address again. Regards, Bob

[Greyhead]

I suppose it had to happen; after 4 years of trouble free flying the Elf bit back today; of course it wasn’t the Elf’s fault it was mine!

It was one of those very rare days at Redmarshall, really hot and a flat calm. The first flight was uneventful apart from a rather fast landing, which inevitably ended with the model on its nose; it’s amazing how much even a slight breeze slows the landing approach.

After watching a few other models flying I prepared for the next flight. By this time the windsock was behaving rather oddly, there was still no wind as such but every now and they the air “moved” and this movement was in random directions; could it have been caused by thermal activity?

I should have known better and changed to flying the ArcoWot, but the other models had had no problems; I opened the throttle but half way down the strip the Elf lifted a wing and cart wheeled along the ground.

It looked a sorry sight; one wheel bent up at 45º, one set of wings at very strange angles and warren girders sticking out every which way. I picked up the bits and did what I should have done earlier; I carried on flying with the AcroWot.

Having got the model home and had a chance to have a good look at it I can safely say it’s not as bad as it first appeared. Most of the bolts holding the Warren girders and cabane struts on one side of the model have sheared but having replaced them temporarily with twists of wire the wings are once again aligned correctly and they fold with no trouble. The axle bent back into position easily, the only real damage is to the rear of the fuselage just in front of the tail plane where some of the sheeting has split, this is not a structural part so it will be easily fixed with a drop of cyano.

I think I really got off lightly, although replacing all those bolts is going to be a tedious job.

[Greyhead]

The Elf is ready to fly again but we’ve got those strong winds back again, most frustrating! I found one more thing that was broken, the cockpit bulkhead, which holds the compass and a couple of switches. It’s not a structural part of the fuselage, it’s only for scale detail and will be quite awkward to replace so I’ve deferred that job for now.

Replacing the 14BA nuts and bolts went a lot easier than I thought it would from my experience of doing the job originally. What made the difference this time was that I had fitted the Warren girders in place temporarily with thin wire.

The Warren girders are the only things holding the wings in the correct positions relative to each other. The first time I did the job I fitted one Warren girder, then the next and so on, this meant that the wings tended to move about as I worked on them making life rather (very!!) difficult. This time I locked the wings in position with the carbon fibre “tongues”, removed one Warren girder at a time, which left 5 still holding the wings, fitted this one with the 14BA nuts and bolts and then removed the next. Whilst still not the easiest of jobs it was a lot better and is a lesson learned for the future.

[Greyhead]

The End of an Era

After giving me much pleasure over many years, both building and flying, the Elf is now on its way to a new home, in South Africa! Deciding whether or not to sell the model was not an easy task as she really is a “one off”.

The offer came just as we had sold our house and storage was a real issue and some things just had to go. It was a toss up between the Elf and the wife but the thought of eating beans on toast for the rest of my life swayed me towards parting with the Elf and in all honesty I don’t think I’d have got as much for the wife.

[Guest]

I'm sure we all feel for you Greyhead. I recently parted with one of my tanks,it was like losing a family member!

"It was a toss up between the Elf and the wife but the thought of eating beans on toast for the rest of my life swayed me towards parting with the Elf and in all honesty I don’t think I’d have got as much for the wife. "

Had me crying with laughter though!

[Greyhead]

Richard

I've received your private message and tried to send you an email but it was returned, have you got a new email address? I can't contact you via the "private message" system.

Grahame