Page 36 - MFW March 2024
P. 36

Yeah Right
       Yeah Right







         This little piggy was
            made by Stew,
        This little piggy really
                flew.
        This little piggy was all
             bright pink,
         This little piggy was
           built in a blink.














                                                Stew Cox

    As there was a lot of interest in the model I flew in Aggy at
    the Nats, I thought I’d share a bit of the background and in
    the process, throw out a challenge to others.  For those
    that weren’t there, I flew a Pink Pig in Aggy this year which
    certainly added to the fun for me and hopefully for others
    too. Free Flight Aggregate or Aggy as it is known is a fun
    event where you try to record as much flying time in the 30
    minute window as you can. Motor size is limited to under
    1.5cc and everyone flys in the same 30 minute window.  At
    the  start  of  the  event  there  are  models  buzzing  in  all
    directions with mid-airs and lots of fun and excitement – a
    great  spectator  sport.  The  catch  is  that  there  is  a
    maximum time per flight, beyond which you don’t score
    points, and you have to retrieve your own model  from
    downwind and relaunch from back at the start line. This
    year the max time per flight was sensibly set at 1 minute   similar to what John had drawn, added anhedral rear legs
    due to the proximity of a road and some inquisitive cattle.   for the tailplane (again John’s idea), crafted some wings
                                                              Jedelsky  style  with  thin  EPP  bent  over  exposed  ribs,
    My  wife  Helena  has  for  many  years  used  the  saying   added  some  wing  incidence,  bearers  and  snout
    “…and pigs might fly…..yeah right”, most often when I’ve   reinforcement and sprayed the lot with the most shocking
    reiterated  my  undertaking  to  do  a  task  she  requested   pink paint I could find.
    many moons before. At least 15 years ago having heard
    Helena say this once too often, I decided it would be fun to   For those of you who know my “build as you fly” approach
    get a pig flying at the Nats Aggy event. Back about that   at the Nats which often results in me taking more models
    time  we  were  having  a  BBQ  with  then  neighbour  and   home than I arrived with, the model was duly finished
    aeromodelling friend John Henson and his wife Meg and I   about an hour before the Nats Aggy event was due to
    put the idea to John asking him to do a concept drawing of   start.   I had time for one quick test glide in the garden
    a flying pig for me to progress the idea. John, a very clever   where  we  were  staying  which  suggested  more  wing
    Graphic Artist, came up with a suitable drawing but then   incidence was required and the next flight was during the
    the  idea  stalled  with  me  although  just  before  each   event itself.  Given the Pink Pig had not flown and I would
    subsequent Nats, Helena would ask “Am I going to see the   be trimming during the event, my expectations weren’t
    pig fly in Aggy this year…..”.                             high and I was hoping just to at least record one time
                                                              which meant exceeding the 20 second no-flight time.
    Just  before  this  last  Nats,  Helena  again  asked  the
    question  and  I  decided  that  this  was  the  year.    So  I   To  my  surprise  and  I  suspect  everyone  else’s,  once  I
    grabbed some EPP I had lying around, cut out a body       finally got the motor to run and launched the Pink Pig, it

                                                            35
   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41