Topic: Heath Robinson Aerial Contraption

A good few years ago I built an Avicraft Panic biplane, very slightly modded but the finish made all the difference. The wings were painted in patchwork quilts, bedsheets, tarpaulins etc, the fuselage glassclothed but stained and grained underneath so it looked like varnished wood, bashed together and assembled using knotted string, bent nails etc etc. The tailplane was painted to look like an old lath and plaster wall, cracked up and showing the laths. The rudder was an outside bog door, the flap a scaffold plank, complete with the metal strap ends etc. Looked great until some to55er switched on and sent it to its end. Well, nearly its end, I repaired it and sold it to the instructor of the guy who switched on. It was then sold on and appeared on a club website down sarf with a description of how many hours it took the guy to do it all, along with his phone number so you could phone him and ask advice on doing similar. Needless to say, I phoned and asked his advice on sheer 'brass neckery'!!

Anyhoo, the time has come again that I need a Heath Robinson gadget in my shed. Enter a somewhat weary Flair Hannibal. The plan is to turn this model into a machine Heath Robinson would be proud of. The idea is that it'll be a 1/4 scale model of what could have been, just for ar5ing about with on wheels and floats, possibly towing a HR glider or two too. Heres a couple of preliminary sketches to give you the idea. All ideas welcome, not neccesarily used of course, but very welcome non the less. Finishes like this can easily be over done, too much, so only a few ideas will be incorporated. The pics are a bit Carp, but some things on there already include the patchwork covering, lath and plaster, rivetted iron, broom holding up the rigging or a weather vane, essential for any keen aviator, understairs cupboard panels for the fin, barrel front end, palletwood floats, knotted string, barbed wire rigging etc...blah blah blah....

Ian.

What about a very poorly repaired break to a major component; ie- broken wing panel or fuselage break, stuck back together with sticking plaster, nails or just tied with a piece of cloth.

Subscribed, I think it's an ace idea 

I still think you should have a dub step sound system 

and a pilot with dreadlocks and a spliff!

I once saw your Panic at a show somewhere and though it outstanding!

I look forward to seeing how you do the Hannibal (lovely model).  What are the undercarriage struts going to be? Bamboo poles?  Recycled fishing rods?

I like the upturned brush as a king post.

stu k

I think you have about covered all the ideas    I have been thinking for some time about building something cartoon scale myself inspired by Dick Darstedly.

I think this was a Heath Robinson design - A magazine page I saved years ago

Twas indeed mate, with his typical style portly gent as driver

Aint seen that aerial gadget before

Saved, Cheers

Ian.

ive seen one which has a ships cannon instead of the normal spandau which is rather neat perhaps wheel from an old cannon or cart = good old fashioned wooden spokes.

ive seen one which has a ships cannon instead of the normal spandau which is rather neat perhaps wheel from an old cannon or cart = good old fashioned wooden spokes.

This one is going to have a Canon of a different sort, more tea vicar??!!

Ian.

Wheels from a pony cart 

I wish I'd seen your original Ian - it sounds great. Love the concept sketches for the new one though 

Here's your next one Ian ......



It appeared on the cover of Flight in December '68, a composite of a wide range of Handley Page aircraft and an advert for the Company. 

IIRC you've already got the starboard upper wing!

Alan

Hi All

  dunno if this needs a new thread or not, you tell me.

  after some twiddling and fiddling on computers and machines i have a couple of samples to show the interested amongst you, i decided i like the idea of a HR inspired aircraft but not having the rescourses (cash) to buy a ready built i decide to make my own design based loosely around the dimensions of the aforementioned Hannibal, so here we have it, the wing section is unknown (CJP1  ) its extrapolated from a DH9 file i allready had (thanks Andy) note the neat snap off build tags  , and the formers are to build the fuselage "box" that will house all the bits, engine,tank,RX,servo,s et al, my design other than that is still evolving on my roll of wallpaper, more anon till then,  place yer orders here

  here you see the firewall 9 mm birch ply with one of the rear and front formers that will eventually be where the le and te sit  and an acrylic wing rib test piece (i get that free balsa/lightply i have to buy) so a complete set / kit will be 24 ribs 3two formers and a fire wall, some wing tip cores perhaps!

  first set of ribs will be cut next week, formers done wingtips in design studio, (my heed)

  enjoy

  Chris

How about your Driver smoking a Meershaum pipe and wearing a Deerstalker hat?
 Following the idea of a cannon as armament, the so-called bowchaser and sternchaser from the days of sail were rather slimmer and more elegant (usually brass which also is prettier), rockets as per Guy Fawkes  night mounted as underwing armament, could get a smile too.

I love the idea of the "co-pilot" sitting in the back working the rudder.

And there's got to be a pair of bloomers stitched into the fabric somewhere.

Co pilot should have the closed loop going into his hands and the arms moving via servo to make em actually work 

Co pilot should have the closed loop going into his hands and the arms moving via servo to make em actually work 

Ed Zachary 

the wing section is unknown (CJP1  ) its extrapolated from a DH9 file i allready had (thanks Andy) 

Not a problem mate, copy right fees as previously discussed.

Andy C

Is it built yet?
 

Here you go peeps

  these will be off to redshaw towers soon, the first set of ribs for HR wing been busy with the laser cutter need more but ran out of wood
 top ones all 3mm balsa bottom one on its own 3mm lightply.
  Chris

Nice one Chris. Watching all the way as I will be wanting one of these .

Si

Sooo, feeling the need to inject some 'fun' in my toy building time I picked up a Flair Hannibal and started playing. I fancied basing mine on the wacky races 'Slag Brothers' carved out of stone car, and so developed the 'Flair Cannibal' 

Here is a piccy of captain caveman in the hot seat from a week or so ago...







The plan being to have a laugh and put it on floats, in-expensive is the name of the game so I am using stuff I have lying around.

Muds
PS I've heard all the jokes about the dinosaur bone... 

Here we are now,

The undercrackers so far with floating bone axle,



A heath robinson knocked up steering tail skid which can be easily changed to a tail float



I made a curved top deck to match the cockpit (just made up as I went along)



The firewall has been modded to cram in a z38 



and the cowl has been painted to look like stone

I'm liking it mate
Keep it coming

Si

Ha ha! I can see a team......

Yep, Team Crappy Races 

I'm liking it mate
Keep it coming

Si

You stated one yet Si  C'mom!

You stated one yet Si  C'mom!

I will , two little projects to get done       and I will be on it . Can,t wait mate. Going to be ace fun

Si

Yep, Team Crappy Races 

Rule 1 - Must be decorated in the colours of an ace a well known cartoon character
Rule 2 - No stickers, all markings must be painted on
Rule 3 - Leather cockpit edging for all open cockpits
Rule 4 - Must have at least three working, humourous features (eg bolder dropping)
Rule 5  ............. 

Alan

 

Rule 1 - Must be decorated in the colours of an ace a well known cartoon character
Rule 2 - No stickers, all markings must be painted on
Rule 3 - Leather cockpit edging for all open cockpits
Rule 4 - Must have at least three working, humourous features (eg bolder dropping)
Rule 5  ............. 

Alan

Step aside Tappin, there's a new rule makin bad mo fo in town 

Muds 

Rule 1 - Must be decorated in the colours of an ace a well known cartoon character
Rule 2 - No stickers, all markings must be painted on
Rule 3 - Leather cockpit edging for all open cockpits
Rule 4 - Must have at least three working, humourous features (eg bolder dropping)
Rule 5  ............. 

Alan

Love it mate . Its going to be fun 

si

rule 2 should be all markings to be sewn on

  chris

Rule 5 - There is no Rule 5
Rule 6 - No po..... sorry! I was thinking of MP for a minute
Rule 7 - Wheels must be an irregular shape or the axle must be eccentric to the tyre

She's all covered, nearly ready to 'go to paint' 

Simply ridiculous, love the vines!!

Ian.

Thats ace mate .
And where might it be going to paint 

Thats ace mate .
And where might it be going to paint 

My 'Paint Shop' located at Cruttington Mc smallynadgers Towers 

My 'Paint Shop' located at Cruttington Mc smallynadgers Towers 

 

Love that

Si

good morning fellow HR fans

  after seeing Matts progress it made me extract my digit on my OD HR project, so here we are

  progress so far

  after cutting a set of ribs, pic 1, i set about making a simple wing jig,pic 2, pencil in spar lines, rib spacing stick a few bits of stick down and get ready with notes written on board as i go so i dont forget wot i,m doing or lose them.

  chris