Multi-engined planes

[jimwalker]

I guess I'd just like to pick everyone's brains a little bit here.

Gary Jones, a friend of Jason Nowell I think, sent me an email showing his model of a B-36. He has many pictures of it on his web site. It's powered by 6 N20 direct drive motors. It is very impressive and he says it was inexpensive to do.

I've seen some ARF kits for multi-engined planes, but I'm a builder at heart and I can't afford those kits anyway. I am really intrigued with multi-engined planes using the N20's. Does anyone have some ideas, suggestions, past projects, conversions, etc.. they'd like to share for such a project?

The goal would be to build something that looked fairly decent ala sorta-scale, use the readily available and inexpensive radio gear on the market such as the GWS line of products, N20 motors, and be inexpensive on the whole.

Let me know what you think, all input is welcome...

Thanks

[ 07-04-2001: Message edited by: Jim Walker ]

[Grizzly Greg]

Jim,thanks for posting the link..great site,very cool B36 and the others also....I would vote for a B17 first,then an A26 invader..let us know what ya build.
Grizz.

[jimwalker]

Here is a link to Gary's website and photos of his B-36 if you haven't seen it yet.Photos (http://community-2.webtv.net/sr71fantx/FlyingPushingAirDown/page13.html)

[ 07-04-2001: Message edited by: Jim Walker ]

[ 07-04-2001: Message edited by: Jim Walker ]

[Ralph B]

Jim:
I think you would have great results using the GWS radio with N20 motors and U-80 props, direct drive. I saw the B-36 at the SWAC show and it was very impressive. One thing that realy impressed me was the fact that Gary used N20's with U-80 props, direct drive. I flew a small 4 motor model 3 years ago using 4 pager motors geared 4 to 1 on u-80 props. My equipment at that time was much heaver than the GWS system. I have no doubt that I could fly it on the GWS N20 combination today. In case you have not seen it, here is a link to my brothers website with a couple pictures:
http://pw1.netcom.com/~bradleyp/elec_rc.htm

Ralph B

[check yer 6]

Why not make something that you'd see in an old Popular Mechanics? Like a "massive" 10 engined flying boat. Or just see how many you can stick on one airframe. Anyone else thought of something like this?
null null

[pease1]

Someone's already done the Spruce Goose - that's engines to the extreme!

Saw it in a magazine - forget which one though. Used B-2 motors....

[sr71fantx]

Jim, just a few planes come to mind...B-17, B-24 (Jason already did one), B-25, B-26, B-29, B-32, XB-35, B-50, C-46, C-47, C-54, C-82, XC-99, C-118, C-119, C-121, C-123, C-124, C-125 (3-engine), AC-130, C-131, C-133, and T-29. There's just not enough time, Ya know?

Gary :) null

[pease1]

I cast my vote for the best multi-engine aircraft of all time - DC-3

[jimwalker]

I love all your suggestions, thanks to everyone. The one about the flying boat especially sparked some thoughts. I remember seeing a show on the German flying boat which first made an ocean crossing. It had 10 engines and needed 4 or 5 men just to monitor them. The thing was so huge that the mechanics could crawl through the wing to work on the engines in flight. 10 N20's humming along, hmmmm....

I think I must not have worded my post very well though, because I was hoping someone might have suggestions on a cheap way to make something semi-scale looking without spending a fortune for an ARF kit. Gary said he used a cheap hobby store foam glider wing to make his B36. That's a start, but how did he make the fuselage, the tail surfaces, the scale details? I haven't worked with foam hardly at all so I'm a rookie with it. All my experience is in built up balsa airframes. I don't need a construction article, just a place to start.

Thanks again for all the input!

[Achim Stegmeier]

Jim

the Dornier DO X had 12 engines :)
http://www.flug-revue.rotor.com/FRHeft/FRH9906/FR9906d.htm

Achim

[jimwalker]

Oooops.....

I stand corrected (blush).

Which only makes it more impressive.

[Jason Nowell]

Jim,

You probably have seen this already, but my B-24 Liberator was VERY cheap to build also. In hind sight, I might have used the $4.00 Hobby Lobby throw glider wings, but it flys great with the Lite Stick wings. There is a fairly detailed construction and setup post here:
http://www.rcmicroflight.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=3&t=000066

Good Luck, let us know what you do! I'm starting a B-17 for NIRAC's demonstration flight at the Confederate Air Force's AirSho 2001.

I'll post pics soon, time to go to Hobby Lobby :)

[jimwalker]

There's a Home Depot near my home, so I'm sure I could get some of the 3/4 foam sheet you mentioned. How did you cut it? You said that you cut 3 profiles. Did you then laminate them to get the full shape? I think that's what you're describing. What grit sandpaper worked best when sanding to shape? What was the easiest way to hollow out your fuselage?

Thanks...

[check yer 6]

If you don't care about the smell or can do it out side, you could use a sodering gun (the BIG ones, no the pen kind). Take piano wire or a coat hanger and bend it to shape. Stick it in were the bit usualy goes. Let it heat up and start cutting. You might be able to profile body the same way. Well the pen kind may work too!?

[pease1]

Well the cheap solution is use your electric knife to ruff it out then sand away. The better solution is to use a hot wire cutter. Your local railroad store should carry one made by Woodland Scenics for around $30 which will cut large enough to make fuselages. To make wings just make a bow and use the cutter's power supply to heat a larger wire.

Al

[jimwalker]

Thanks guys, those are some good suggestions. I think I'll give them all a try.

I found some 3views of the Dornier Do X on the net this weekend and printed them out. If I used 12 N20s with the 2.5" B-2 props, the wing would still have to be HUGE! I got a gleam in my eye though, so who knows, maybe I'll give it shot if I can get going with the foam techniques....

[gjohnson]

Jim,
Try the following link. I found it in an Ezone discussion. This guy will cut wings (and maybe other things) for you using a CNC controlled foam cutting machine for apparently similar prices to buying standard foam cut wings (I think they do a lot of sailplane wings). He can cut spars,etc. This may be a way to get started and get flawless wings. You can specify what airfoil and taper, etc you want, and they cut it.
http://www.flyingfoam.com

--Gordon

[ 07-16-2001: Message edited by: gjohnson ]

[Jason Nowell]

Jim:

Those are all excellent suggestions, to be honest though, on the Liberator I just used a utility knife and cut everything a little oversized and the roughed it out with 100 grit. I then fine sanded it with 400 grit (lightly) It took me some hours, but the end result was worth it.

The CNC cutter that was mentioned is an EXCELLENT option. I have so many Lite Stick Kits laying around (I buy them for the motors) that i use the wings for just about everything. It's one of the best INDOOR airfoils around.

For Outdoor flying, any of the hand launch foam glider wings will do. I get them from WalMart, Hobby Lobby, and just about any toy store. WalMart has one made out of a blue-grey foam that feels stiffer than the white foam ones from Hobby Lobby, and at $3.99, you cant go wrong. Just be sure to leave the LEADING edge in tact if you have to cut a sweep or taper into it to be scale.

With any luck, i'll be posting my B-17 progress within a week or two. I just moved and finally got my new workshop back in order (added 75 square feet) :)

Let us know how it's going,

[jimwalker]

I checked out that CNC site and it is very impressive! Especially considering the price.

I know how you feel Jason, I just moved and am just now getting things sorted out in my new garage/workshop. I purchased an old 6 foot government desk (it was HEAVY) for $20. It has several large drawers and a huge perfectly flat top. If I can ever get all my honey do's done and things will quit breaking (my car's electrical system died and it took me 2 weeks to diagnose it with my digital volt meter) I can get the ole plane assembly line rolling again.

Happy Flying!