Thytur, Model Aircraft Club in Iceland

Here are plenty of pictures from aeromodelling in Iceland. You will see a larger picture if you press on a thumbnail.

Jokull 1

Jokull 2 Here is another picture of this fabulous model. You can see the pilot in the cockpit. (dc3-b.jpg 16k ahb)

Jokull 3 Here is still another closeup picture. Note all the rivets.. (dc3-hur.jpg 21k ahb)

Inside the model Jokull. Can you believe this... Is this picture really from the inside of a model? Sure. Note the functioning lights in the ceiling and the upholstered seats complete with headrest. Carpet on the floor. . The cockpit can just be seen through the door, you should see a closeup picture of it! (dc3inni.jpg 17k kf)

Gljafaxi DC3 being prepared for flight Sturla Snorrason the builder of this plane is testing the engines. This is a scale model of Gljafaxi once owned by Flugfelag Islands. Wingspan is 360 cm, and it is built to 1:8 scale. (sturla1.jpg 26k ahb)

Gljafaxi taxiing to the runway. Sturla Snorrason is preparing a flight. This picture was taken at our airshow last summer. (sturla2.jpg 25k ahb)

Gljafaxi flying. The 1:8 scale model of the DC3 plane Gljafaxi flying. The model weighs over 20 kg and is powered by two 35 cm3 gasoline engines. (dc3flug.jpg 16k ahb)

PT-19. Jon V. Gislason assembling a model of PT-19 built by Skjoldur Sigurdsson. (jvg50b.jpg 43k ahb)

The Red Baron. Bodvar Gudmundsson built this model of the triplane. This is a 1:4 scale model of the DR3 and is powered by a 38 cm3 gasoline engine. (dr3.jpg 29k áhb)

The Red Baron on the runway. The original triplane was not all red. This colour scheme is the correct one. The bottom of the wings is blue. (dr3b.jpg 21k ahb)

Sailplane carrier. The sailplane to be carried aloft by the model "Snoopy" has a wingspan of 4 meters. The model is also used for aerotowing. This model was used in the year 1986 to carry 500 letters between Reykjavik and Akranes (3x30km) (raudka.jpg 30k áhb)

A real one?. Is this a real aeroplane or a model? This is of course a real model! Birgir Sigurdsson built this 1:5 Messersmith. The engine is 35 cm3. Note the smoke!. (lowpass.jpg 11k kf)

An aerobatic model with everything... Rafn Thorarensen with his 1:3 Extra 230 aerobatic model. The model has a 62 cm3 gasoline engine, a smoke system and a built in electric starter. You should see it start in flight after a flameout!. (rafn.jpg 21k ahb)

Some large models. Here you see a DC3 with a 360 cm wingspan, and two models of Piper Cub in 1:4 and 1:3 scale. (piper.jpg 23k ahb)

The model airfield at Hamranes. This picture from our model airfield at Hamranes taken from the air at an airshow in 1990. The field is still under construction, as the we have just sown the grass in the outer parts of the field. Two full size Piper-Cubs have just landed, as well as one red ultralight. Our clubhouse is into the left. Since the picture was taken we have added one 40 feet container where we keep the tractor which we use for cutting the grass, and a small hut for the diesel generator. Iceland is famous for its volcanic activity; you can see an old lava in the left bottom. We have now planted about 2000 trees around the clubhouse. Our clubmate Mr. Arnar Vignisson took the photo from an helicopter. (/vollur.jpg 57k av)

Another picture of the model airfield. This picture is also from 1990. (vollur2.jpg 53k av)

Ultra Hot. Our Clubhouse. The model in the front is an Ultra Hot powered with a Zenoah 62 cm3 engine. It may be overpowered, but it is fun! (hamranes.jpg 20k ahb)

The first Icelandic airplane. This picture is from September 1919. One of the first flights in Iceland is being prepared. The airplane is an AVRO-504. (avro-old.jpg 20k ??)

75 years later.... Avro 504 is ready for its first flight on September 3rd. 1994. The model was flown at exactly the same spot where the historic takeoff took place.

In the year 1919 an aeroplane was first flown in Iceland. An used aeroplane of the type AVRO-504 was bought by some brave individuals and flown for the first time September 3rd that year from the centre of Reykjavik, where Reykjavik airport is now located.

Last year, 1994, exactly 75 years later than the historic flight (to the hour), Sept. 3rd at 17.00, a scale model of this aeroplane was flown from exactly the same spot to commemorate the first flight in Iceland. Several hundred people came to see the flight, including the director of civil aviation and representatives of the ministry of communication. Three weeks earlier we took an active part in a full scale airshow, where the AVRO-504 was the main attraction.

The model is 1/4 scale and partly based on a drawing by David Boddington that appeared in Scale Aircraft. The builder Mr. Jakob Jonsson did not build a conventional model, but rather a museum piece. He paid attention to every detail of the original aircraft (inside and outside), and even made most of the metal parts himself in a lathe. The cockpit is almost a replica of the original with a compass in working gimbals, handmade brass ignition switches, etc. Even the head of the pilot is a replica of Mr. Christian Faber the pilot that flew the plane in the year 1919. Jakob carved his head out of wood by using old photos as a reference. The pilot can rotate his head, as a servo is in his body! The radio and batteries are concealed in his body too. The rudder pedals and the stick, etc. move with the control surfaces when controlled by the radio. The only problem is that now some people want to keep the model in a museum, but I think Jakob wants to keep the model himself and fly it. (flugtak.jpg 32k ahb)

The first Icelandic airplane flying again over Reykjavik? This picture is from September 1994. The model of AVRO 504 is flying over Reykjavik. (avroflug.jpg 20k kf)

AT-6 TEXAN landing at the model airfield. Skjoldur Sigurdsson built this model. (lending.jpg 23k epe)

AT-6 TEXAN landing at Reykjavik airport?. Can you see the model of the Texan AT-6?. (rvk2.jpg 14k epe)

Tvær AT-6 TEXAN. Here you can see the same model! Was the camera lying in the previous picture? (rvk1.jpg 14k epe)

TF-UFO. Skjoldur Sigurdsson owns the model, but Magnus Nordahl owns the full size version of CAP-10 B, which he is sitting in front of. Skjoldur is one of our best model builders, and Magnus one of our best full size aerobatic pilots. (ufo-2.jpg 17k epe)

Skjoldur Sigurdsson and his CAP-10 B, TF-UFO. The model is as aerobatic as the full size one. (ufo-3.jpg 30k epe)

Landing approach at the model airfield. In this picture a Boeing jet from Icelandair is making an approach to the runway. It was flying at less than 200 feet with the landing gears down! Wow! Our clubmate Mr. Arnar Vignisson took the photo.(boeing3.jpg 51k av)

This page is maintained by Agust H. Bjarnason at RT Ltd.

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