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From the Editor – February 2024
I’ve now had a full consultation with the surgeon who will perform the necessary operation (fittingly enough, a Dr. Duncan!) Takes one to cure one …..?!? Anyway, it has been decided that an attempt will be made to shrink the tumor prior to surgery, since this will minimize the area of stomach wall that has to be removed. To that end, I have met with a doctor from the BC Cancer Agency, who has put me on tumor-reduction medication. This won't do its work overnight, and I will be monitored on a regular basis to see how well the tumor is responding to the medication. As long as the tumor keeps shrinking, they'll hold off on surgery. When the tumor seems to have shrunk as much as it's going to, they'll try to take it out. It thus seems unlikely that surgery will take place prior to the coming summer, and that's assuming that the medication is effective. The major challenge right now is the possibility of side effects from the medication. I'm told that the majority of people don't experience severe side effects with this medication, and hopefully I'll be one of them - so far, such effects have been minimal. If significant side effects do present themselves, they'll have to be managed. I'm told that I should expect to remain on the medication for up to three years - sigh!! Meanwhile, I remain on blood thinners to help deal with the blood clot issue. For the moment, engine testing is out - I can't afford to get any significant cuts as matters stand. I also have to avoid too much contact with others, since one effect of the medication is to compromise my immune system to some degree. With Covid hospitalizations and deaths in BC at levels not seen since the Omicron peak while continuing to be ignored by both Government and the public, the risk is very real. I’ll keep you posted regarding any further developments. There's not much news to reports this month - I've been otherwise preoccupied! I did add a new story to my "Readers' Recollections" section. This one was submitted by my good mate Don Imrie of Scotland. It covers the true story of the resurrection of a classic free flight model after some 47 years spent in the attic! I think you'll enjoy it - my sincere thanks to Don!
A review of the status of articles “in progress” revealed that I had three more articles well along in the preparatory stage. As a strategy for deflecting concerns about my future well-being, I’ve been chipping away at their completion day by day. Far from being a burden upon me, this has been a welcome diversion from dwelling upon my other challenges! No testing was required – just thinking about my favourite topic (model engines!) and typing! Over the weeks, I’ve been able Two of the articles are related MEN transfer topics upon which I’ve been working off and on for some time. The first is my in-depth review of the Hornet range from Fresno, California. The Hornet 60 is one of the most significant 10 cc racing engines of them all, since it established the design pattern for big-bore racing engines which was to dominate high–performance model engine design for much of the following three decades.
Finally, I was able to complete an all-new article, again one upon which I had been working for a while. This takes the form of a review and test of the Webra Bluehead diesels which were the very last diesels to bear the Webra name. I’ve taken the The Webra article includes a brief commentary on the Webra-influenced “ED by West” diesels which continue to be offered by Weston UK. These fine engines are produced to very high standards, being well worth the attention of any diesel aficionado. My example of the ED by West .28 cuin. model turned out to be a I can’t make any firm promises to get anything out for March, but I will promise to give it a try! I have actually commenced work on a couple more MEN transfer articles as well as an all-new piece which was already quite well along. I hope to have these ready to go for March, but you never know ................ Given my medical situation, it seems quite likely that the site will become frozen at some point, at least for a while. I’ll keep you all posted on any significant developments. In the meantime, I really appreciate all the expressions of support that I’ve received from so many of you! Take care, and I’ll see you on the other side of this issue! Adrian Duncan British Columbia, Canada ___________________________________ Note regarding material to be found on this site - unless specifically otherwise noted, all images and text which appear on this site are my own work, and I hereby assert my right to be recognized as the originator of this material. For the record, this material is made freely available to all upon two firm conditions:
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Greetings to one and all! Well, I’m still on deck, albeit still living under the twin threats of the stomach tumor with which I’ve been diagnosed and the possibly-related blood clots in my lungs which were discovered during testing. Thanks to the wonderful support of my much-loved wife Lorna, I’ve managed to weather the storm so far, although I’m still facing a lengthy period of treatment, including surgery. The eventual outcome remains uncertain, but I'm told that I have a pretty good chance of beating this. 
to complete these articles, so I may as well get them out there for my valued readers – they’re no use to anyone just lurking in my website database! 
I’ve also completed my related article about the various approaches taken to improve the performance of the basic Hornet design. In this article, I examine 
superb piece of work, although my present medical situation has precluded any attempt to test it up to this point. While I'm on blood thinners, I daren't risk getting even a small cut of the kind which can all too easily accompany the testing of our little mechanical marvels. | |