101" DTFB B-25 Mitchell Build

[earthsciteach]

That thought did indeed occur to me, Joshua.

DUDE! I'm in the middle of hot wiring the fuselage formers using your plotter paper as a template. Butter!
I simply cut out the formers from the parts drawing you printed when I was at your house and attached them to DTFB (removed that horrid paper, of course). Sweet as can be!!!

 

[earthsciteach]

And another thing - I've been thinking about this weight issue. I want this thing to look scale and fly scale. I think I will have A LOT of room to play with to get a scale-like wing loading. May have to hide some bricks in the fuselage.

 

[willsonman]

Yeah, in the wings too. Seriously, I estimate this thing to be in the 30-35lbs range and that's less than half of what it normally does. Like I said... powered kite. Your big issue here is going to be cost. Scale costs money and TIME. LOTS of it. The bigger the plane the bigger it ALL gets.

 

[earthsciteach]

First, I am cheap. Second, ADD. What were we talking about???

 

[SP0NZ]

...What were we talking about???

Squirrels.

 

[earthsciteach]

Fuselage formers are hot wired. Worked so well.

 

[willsonman]

And fast too huh?

 

[earthsciteach]

It took longer to cut the templates out with scissors.

 

[wilmracer]

Yeah, in the wings too. Seriously, I estimate this thing to be in the 30-35lbs range and that's less than half of what it normally does. Like I said... powered kite. Your big issue here is going to be cost. Scale costs money and TIME. LOTS of it. The bigger the plane the bigger it ALL gets.

Ziroli advertizes their 101" Mitchell @ 30-35lbs. Foam construction techniques and building for electric power could probably cut that by 30-50% depending on how you build. Wilsonman is right about the cost too. Its like cube loading... cost doesn't scale linear. But then again neither does fun

 

[willsonman]

Ok, palm to forehead moment. I typed out the advertised weight. Not my estimated weight. So, 10-15 pounds. Keep in mind wilmracer that he still has to have two power plants, two landing gear retracts etc. that are all usually overbuilt for a plane this large that weighs this little. That weight adds up fast.

 

[wilmracer]

Yeah... the advertised Robart retracts are $650. Closer to $800 if you want the electrics.

But of course those are way over built for a 15lb plane. Turnigy has electric retracts for MUCH less that will handle the load and let you use lighter materials in the gear mounts. I'm using wheels from the dave brown line. Nice large foam wheels that are A LOT lighter than other large scale wheels I've found.

If you decide you still want functional oleo struts you can pick up Robart Robo-struts. Just be sure you change the springs out. Or pick up the retracts with the struts included. Lots of options

 

[Flynn]

Fuselage formers are hot wired. Worked so well.

Looking good! And yeah, we'll have to meet up this summer

 

[earthsciteach]

Yeah... the advertised Robart retracts are $650. Closer to $800 if you want the electrics.

But of course those are way over built for a 15lb plane. Turnigy has electric retracts for MUCH less that will handle the load and let you use lighter materials in the gear mounts. I'm using wheels from the dave brown line. Nice large foam wheels that are A LOT lighter than other large scale wheels I've found.

If you decide you still want functional oleo struts you can pick up Robart Robo-struts. Just be sure you change the springs out. Or pick up the retracts with the struts included. Lots of options

Robart retracts will NOT be on my DTFB airplane. LOL!

 

[earthsciteach]

The fuselage spar is being glued together. Once that's done, the formers will be glued in place.

 

[AkimboGlueGuns]

so. much. foam.

And Josh thought the cruiser used up a lot of material!

 

[wilmracer]

Watching with interest. You going to have this at FF?

 

[earthsciteach]

I'm hoping to have it at FTFF.

 

[Joker 53150]

Good thing they've got a long runway!

 

[earthsciteach]

The fuselage box spar is basically done. Next will be attaching the formers to give it shape.

 

[Joker 53150]

Can I set up a tent and camp under the wing at FTFF?