foam board Lancaster bomber?

sidneylopsides

Junior Member
I've got a micro quad I'm not using, so have Four small 2900kv motors and speed controllers, and a bunch of 5030 Three blade props.
I was thinking of using them for a small foamboard Lancaster using the construction techniques learnt from the Swappables series.
I'm guessing it would be around 1m, maybe bigger, wingspan.
Does it sound possible? If so, this wilk be a build thread...
 

FlyingMonkey

Bought Another Trailer
Staff member
Admin
2900 kv and 5030 props are a combo better suited for park jets. A lancaster would be a "heavy" slow plane, that would probably be better suited to a lower KV motor.

Is it possible? Yes.
 

Foam Addict

Squirrel member
Try it. If built well and lightly it will fly.

I will post a link to an RCgroups build thread a little later.
 

pgerts

Old age member
Mentor
You say the motors are from a micro copter.
Is it a one or two cell copter?
Will the bomber be of approximately equal weight?
I imagine something in style with the Parkzone Mosquito but a 4 engine bomber.
Please keep us updated with some pictures of your work :applause:
 
foam board Lanc

Hi,

I've just built a Lancaster from foam board, I used 4 x 2822 1450KV motors - probably a little too powerful but they are the same as I used in my swappable Spitfire so they will be spares when (if) the Lanc crashes :)

Lanc_1.jpg

I found a set of balsa plans for a 72" span and printed them at 55" then compared them to the Spitfire - all the construction was obvious so just started cutting foam.

Here's a YouTube clip of it flying.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgtfvVIc-oE
 
Kevin would love to try this. Any chance of sharing your plans. Should start a build thread so we can try. If you can. OUTSTANDING. Cool video too.

Thanks for the comment.
I don't have a complete set of plans as such, but I found a set of balsa plans on this site ...
http://www.outerzone.co.uk/browse_plans/index.asp
This should take you there ....
http://www.outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=2860

When I looked at them I could see so many similarities to the FT swappable Spitfire.
So having printed out the Lanc plans at 75% (this gave a 55" span) I worked with the Lanc outline but the Spitfire build technique and it all seemed to come together.

I had to 'invent' the engine pods (they don't exist on the Spit), but they are just square box sections with semi correct side profile form the Lanc drawings. I ended up using M4 nylon nuts & bolts to attach them to the bottom skin of the wing.
The wings are made in three sections - I started with the center section by copying the Spitfire idea of a folded leading edge and center spar. having made that I did both sides the same as the Spit wings but using the Lanc plan profile.

There are no rudders so the tail is very simple, just the normal paper hinge elevator with a linkage forward to servo just aft of the wings.


Here's the printed plans laid out to see if the size was ok
Lanc_2.jpg

and here's the part built thing
Lanc_3.jpg

If anyone is keen to have a go then build the Spitfire first to get the general ideas right. Then simply adapt the size and shape to suit the Lancaster.
It does fly like a dream, a little heavy - hence the faster than scale speed. But I'm learning how slow I can fly it now and it looks a lot better.

Kevin
 
I crashed my Lancaster - big time !! :-(
Probably more work to repair than to build a new one.
But it did fly well and was great fun.

If I build another, is anyone interested in some pictures as I go? .... I might even write up how I'm doing it if anyone is interested.

Kevin