NEW - Chrislea SkyJeep

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T6flyer

Charter Member
Following on from the release of the Chrislea Super Ace, we have now released our latest model - the SkyJeep. After the commercial failure of the Super Ace, Chrislea used the same basic fuselage and with convential controls and a tailwheel undercarriage, introduced the CH Series 4 SkyJeep. Also included in the design was a removable top decking which helped in the carrying of cumbersome loads and also turned the aeroplane into an air ambulance. The prototype G-AKVS first flew in June 1950 and only three were built going to Indo China, Uruguay and Australia. The South American example was used by the Fray Bentos Flying Club and was destroyed in a hangar fire in the early 1970s. Nothing is known about the fate of the Indo China example.


Only 10% of the original was used, even though they do look alike. The airframe modelled here which after 90mins of test flying in Devon, was despatched on a ship to Australia. Here it was flown and then rebuilt with a larger engine and a different rear fuselage. But for some reason it was unliked and rarely flew. Its last flight ended in the sea, as it crashed landed on the coast and fell down a cliff into the waters below.


Sold back to the UK, it then had a somewhat troubled existance. Both of the initial rebuilders died and then when restoration was complete and was sold to a new owner in Devon (where it was built), the prop came off in flight and it had to be force landed in one of Prince Charles' polo fields. Restoration was carried on at Eggesford where it now lives and it flew again some 9 months later. Since then, the engine failed and had to be replaced!!!


In all its only flown 150 hours since new.


But, its a lovely aeroplane and well loved by all that have flown it (in this country!). I have about 20 hours experience in her and although its a little different to an Auster, its a fine flying machine and hopefully you will discover this when you download her from www.britsim.com


Happy Landings,


Martin Pengelly
 
Thank you Martin for yet another rare bird. I guess I would have to think long and hard before flying this particular airframe for real....it does seem to be jinxed.
Luckily in FS we do not have to worry too much about our personal safety...so fly it I will.

Cheers
Stefan
 
Sunny9850 said:
Thank you Martin for yet another rare bird. I guess I would have to think long and hard before flying this particular airframe for real....it does seem to be jinxed.
Luckily in FS we do not have to worry too much about our personal safety...so fly it I will.

Cheers
Stefan
Click to expand...

Thanks for the comments, much appreciated. I have no problem at all in flying in her. She is a rare flying machine and always the center of attraction wherever it goes. Although my trips have been inland, she has ventured overseas and two years ago went to Belgium and Eire.

Martin
 
Rallymodeller said:
Downloaded.

Nothing beats having the real thing around for reference to add to the authenticity...
Click to expand...

Thank you - we have always strived to build something as close as we can to the real thing. With this aeroplane and 95% of all that we have built before we have use of the real aeroplane, the flight and maintenance manuals, the owner's input and the ability for ourselves to experience the type in flight. These must be some of the most authentic freeware aeroplanes available.

With two of our intended projects, we now have access to the aeroplanes and intend to carry on in this fashion in the future. If it comes to an aeroplane that no longer exists, it will not be built unless we have good references to work from. The external model may be easy to produce, but its the internal that really matters, as if full detail is not available, we believe the project isn't worth undertaking. Sadly a few ideas have now fallen by the wayside, due to lack of suitable photos or references.

Glad that people are enjoying the SkyJeep.......here's to the next one!!!

Happy Landings,

Martin
 
I know what you mean. The Jahn Connie series I was involved with however had to be completed without any of us getting a chance to actually fly one (yet). I had many conversations with those chaps who were lucky enough to have flown the girls and used in one case my Saratoga to simulate control feel with one of these grey beards flying in the right seat. When he felt the unboosted controls at slow speed in the Saratoga were just about right with the boosted feel he recalled from the L-749/L-1049s he flew I took the airplane back to get that feel.
Then I worked with our FDE guru Luis to translate that feel into FS....he did all the hard work to be honest. I just told him what did or did not feel right to me.

The pitfalls with this approach are of course many. The years that passed between the Connie flights and the Saratoga, the difference in flight controls for FS and the translation of a sensory input into words in e-mails between the team members.

I think if the aircraft is important enough, not having an original to fly is not a complete no-go item. But not having any originals to get the interior modeling as close as possible is another matter. As overall fidelity of FS aircraft has gone up over the years more and more info is needed to get the inside and outsides to look good.

Thanks for all your efforts. I am certainly looking forward to what ever is next.

Cheers
Stefan
 
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