363 Delta

Wingspan: 48 inches

Engine: OS 46FX

Type: sports delta

Description
This is the model that I built to test all those fiddly things that you can do with a model, but can never normally be bothered with. It has air operated retracts and doors that are sequenced to open for the wheels to retract and shut after the wheels have retracted and vice versa, etc, landing lights that operate with the retracts down, a steering front wheel, and navigation lights.

I will probably never build a plane with retracts etc again because they are too delicate for flying from a grass site in anything other than perfect conditions, require too much time and maintenance, and frankly, I just cannot be bothered. However, the experience has been very interesting, and I love flying the 363 with the wheels up, it looks so smooth and the aerodynamics are distinctly better with the wheels up.

Wheel retract sequence

Wheels down/doors shut.	Wheels down/doors open.	Wheels up/doors open.	Finally wheels up/doors shut.

Score: 9 out of 10

However, the most exciting moment came when i was flying with a new engine that my dad loaned me. It stopped in mid-air shortly after take-off, which meant landing dead stick, possibly off strip, with the wheels down, (they could easily be bent or possibly ripped out of the plane).

In a split second I decided to open the doors, (one switch), retract the wheels, (another switch), then close the doors, (first switch again), and whilst I was doing this fly the plane at a steep angle to keep the speed up (deltas does not glide) and belly land on the strip. The landing was OK, but I had to lie down on the grass for a few moments to recover. I thought model flying was supposed to be fun!

After this I fitted the OS and installed the wheels/doors sequencer. The key to low heart rate and relaxed flying is engine reliability and simplicity of operation.

Below are some flying shots, taken by George - thanks.