AEROGRAMME HOME  > AEROGRAMME #13 [Sent 10th January 2025]

Hello Friends

As we stumble, knuckles dragging into the new year, nursing post-Christmas hangovers and casting somewhat larger shadows…

Sorry.

Scratch that.

As we spring into the new year, loins girded and raring to go, we’re full of excitement, hope and renewed vigour for the challenges ahead!

And what marvellous challenges 2025 has offered us already.

The weather up here in the Peak District hills has been horrendous, with snow hampering our efforts to get into the workshop and blocked roads preventing Royal Mail from collecting since we started back on Monday 6th (luckily, yesterday Tim was able to deposit a large number of parcels at a friendly local Post Office using his ginormous 4x4).

If you’re still waiting for an order to be delivered, I’m truly sorry - it shouldn’t be too long now.

I spoke briefly last time about the introduction of the new General Product Safety Regulations (GPSR) updates on 13th December 2024 that led to us suspending orders/deliveries to the EU and Northern Ireland.

Well, we’re pretty confident that this will be resolved in the next week or so, as we appoint a “Responsible Person” for the EU and update our safety labelling - please bear with us.

So with the boring stuff out of the way, onwards and upwards…

2025 Model Releases

As promised, 2025 will see VMC producing a whole raft of new models to tempt you.

Fokker Dr.1 “Red Baron” Triplane

Following Andrew Darby’s super successful test flights before Christmas, development of his new rubber-powered, free-flight Dr.1 is progressing well.

He’s now neck deep in the muddy lagoon of instruction book writing and plan annotation.

I for one, have immense admiration for Andrew, Chris Long and indeed anyone who can battle through hours of painstaking and tedious writing - thanks chaps.

Balsa Basics Mini Range

Now these kits might just be a game changer for us.

Starting with the ubiquitous Piper Cub and Spitfire, Chris Long has shrunk down our standard Balsa Basics kits to produce a pair of models that nestle beautifully under the 250g weight limit for CAA regulation.

The 25” wingspan Mini Cub all-up weight with a 350mAh battery is 193g.

Also with a 25” wingspan, the Mini Spitfire doesn’t weigh very much more.

We have great hopes for these two models and we’ll be doing our darnedest to keep their prices down so that as many of you as possible can get your hands on one.

We’ll never be able to match the Chinese RTF “Parkzone” foamies, but then you don’t get the joy of building one of those as well as flying it.

Our aim is to get these out before the summer to give you maximum enjoyment time.

Aerographics Fokker EIII Eindecker

Photo: Portwyn, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Following on from his very popular updated AG Blackburn Monoplane kit, Chris is working on a complete rehash of the Aerographics EIII Eindecker.

We’re at the test cutting stage, so a mid-summer release should be realistic.

Balsa Basics Bf109 & Cinnabar Glider

Updated versions of these kits will be released soon featuring the new method for fitting hinges as seen on the Cubs, Spitfire and Hurricane.

AVRO Lancaster

Photo: Cpl Phil Major ABIPP/MOD, OGL v1.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=92469814

We have everything crossed that Chris’ new Lancaster design will be into full scale production in time for Christmas 2025. We are asked about Lancasters and “Red Baron” triplanes constantly by the general public at Christmas markets, so we know that there’s huge demand out there.

As well as the new model releases, we’ll be increasing the range of accessories, tools and materials we offer along with a few tweaks to the website to make it even easier to use.

Of course as a subscriber to this newsletter you’ll be the first to know about all new developments.

COMMUNITY BUILDS

We have a few superb submissions from community members this week.

First up, Rod Bools, who was one of the long-suffering “volunteers” to man our stand at Blenheim Palace Christmas Market.

Rod built this ace Spitfire Nightfighter and was therefore more than qualified to advise customers on the stand.

Thanks for all your efforts Rod!

Next up, Maria Freeman sent in this pic of her KK Champ control liner.

These retro models just look so good - thanks Maria.

Adrian Culf from Canada sent in these pics of his VMC Cessna 140.

Adrian said:

I took some time over the hols to build a Cessna 140. Finished in Paperchase silver tissue & EzeDope. Registration letters were CriCut by John C., a flying colleague.

I tried to represent the example on display at the Calgary Hangar Flight Museum: https://thehangarmuseum.ca/our-collections/cessna-140.

Geographically this is approximately as far away from me (in the same country!) as you are to me in Ottawa.

Total weight is 22.0 g. Flight tests next week (indoors).

Thanks Adrian.

Not a VMC model, but Alex Sweatman sent in this lovely Tony Ray Bleriot.

Alex said:

I thought you might appreciate my most recent project, a Tony Ray models Bleriot XI built for 3-ch r/c. In my opinion with all scale models, appearance in the air is vastly improved by the addition of a pilot, and your excellent lightweight foam pilot figures were the only ones online I could find. I was very impressed with the high level of detail, low weight and ease of painting that it had. I hope you are able to keep these figures or similar products available on your website as I expect they would be a top seller.

Thanks Alex - we’re doing our best to get Dave Banks to produce some more of his excellent pilots.

Last but definitely not least is this VMC Messerschmitt Bf-109 from Adam Reid.

Braving the cold he has been carrying out trimming/test flights on his models and as you can see from the video below, they’re going very well indeed!

Thanks Adam.

That's it for this week folks, but please keep the submissions coming in!

All the best

Hadi & the VMC Team

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