Modifying a Display Kit for Rubber Powered Flight
by Dave “Bomber Boy” Gee
The first thing one notices when beginning a static-to-flying conversion of the Easy Built Hampden is that the wing roots are glued onto 1/16 fuselage sticks. Not too sturdy! I reinforced the fuselage sides and built balsa boxes that pass through the fuse at the wing’s leading edge and main spar. Then I extended those spars when I built the wings such that they slipped into the fuse securely and gave me a chance to align the wings before gluing them.
The elevator has an airfoil and I built it that way. Mistake! Should have made it flat for easier trimming. Also I increased the stab area about 20%, which required adjusting the rudders and mounting area. All of the canopies and parts fit together quite nicely.
I cheated shamelessly when it came to the nacelles! They are open all along the bottom and have motor sticks which protrude an inch behind the wing. To make them any longer would have required much more nose ballast. As is, there is only about 6 grams of clay up front.
The bomber flies very sweetly but is somewhat pitch-sensitive, probably due to the lifting stab. 2 loops of 1/8″ rubber behind each prop provide lively motivation.
Last tip: if you have seen the new Sharpie marker pens in “sand and spinach” colors and thought that you now have the RAF covered, forget it! The “sand” is a beautiful gold color and the “spinach” is like radioactive astroturf. Take a look at my rather oddly-colored Hampden and see.