Foamy S-3b Viking - by FoamyDM Lockheed

FoamyDM

Building Fool-Flying Noob
Moderator
Foamy S-3b Viking - By FoamyDM, 1:15 scale, original design by Lockheed
Build Thread
800px-US_Navy_030601-N-9712C-003_An_S-3_Viking_is_the_last_aircraft_in_history_to_launch_from_the_flight_deck_of_USS_Constellation_%28CV_64%29.jpg

3-views
1591289474106.png
Background:

i looked through my motors while attempting in vain to organize and clean my hobby room and discovered that I have purchased over the years, a pair of edfs ranging from 55mm, 64mm to 70mm with one 90mm. This led me to start thinking... it may be time to work on some jet planes!

Inspiration:
Why the pick this plane? I have a work associate that I happened to be on a plant tour with. while on this we introduced as having some things in common... came around that our interest was in aviation. Where he proceeded to tell me about his 21 yr. naval and aeromedical experiences, and I relayed my recent and avid interests in Aviation. He mentioned that as a pilot and Flight deck oversight guy (real technical... I know.) he has flown nearly every plane the navy has, In part, to know what pilots landing on his Aircraft Carrier are dealing with to be able to talk them in if needed. This was like a dream come true. and I could have talked to him for weeks likely, however we were together for work.

But in that brief discussion, I explained my love to discover the history of, design, and build aircraft I previously knew nothing about... when he talked about the tendencies of planes, I would relay that the same tendencies would appear in the RC models too. He told me that he really took his hat off to us remote pilots, that it is a marvel to him how we can pilot outside the craft. I told him about FPV and he seemed very interested. He seemed curious to learn more.

I told him I love to deign and build aircraft and had attempted 27 to date, and asked him what was his favorite plane? He answered the S-3 Viking. He said it was because it flew well, no bad tendencies, it was maneuverable, and versatile it is the workhorse of the air in much the way a P-38 of Yesteryear could assume many roles. from Recon, to fighter escort, to bomber, to transport. I mentioned that If I build a plane on his recommendation, I would be honored to give him a ride after the maiden flight proved it airworthy. At that point, it was a deal!

First Hand Experience:
He sent me a few photos:
1591290538845.png

This is a picture of him taking off

1591290783092.png

This is, "me leading a four ship dropping rockeyes on a moving water target."

1591290738585.png

This is him ready for at Cat Launch. He said at one point,"I bagged 33 landings 34 cat shots in less than an hour."

Quite the pilot. I would love to see an FPV Waterdeck Launch/Landing simulation. And see if we could manage that feat!
Hmmm :unsure::geek: (at 1:15 scale... that would be 72' long...). Maybe I'll work up a much smaller version later.

So this is an attempt to build this and be worthy of his inspiration and service.
decided to build this to with a ~54" wingspan... that brings it to 1:15 scale... using the two 55mm motors.

Specifications:
From the Wikipedia pages:
Data from Standard Aircraft Characteristics[41]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 4 (Pilot, Co-Pilot/COTAC, TACCO, Sensor Operator/TFO)
  • Length: 53 ft 4 in (16.26 m)
  • Wingspan: 68 ft 8 in (20.93 m)
  • Width: 29 ft 6 in (8.99 m) folded
  • Height: 22 ft 9 in (6.93 m)
  • Height tail folded: 15 ft 3 in (5 m)
  • Wing area: 598 sq ft (55.6 m2)
  • Aspect ratio: 7.73
  • Airfoil: root: NACA 0016.3-1.03 32.7/100 mod; tip: NACA 0012-1.10 40/1.00 mod[42]
  • Empty weight: 26,581 lb (12,057 kg)
  • Gross weight: 38,192 lb (17,324 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 52,539 lb (23,831 kg)
  • Fuel capacity:
  • Internal fuel capacity: 1,933 US gal (1,610 imp gal; 7,320 l) of JP-5 fuel
  • External fuel capacity: 2 × 300 US gal (250 imp gal; 1,100 l) drop tanks
  • Powerplant: 2 × General Electric TF34-GE-2 turbofan engines, 9,275 lbf (41.26 kN) thrust each
Performance
  • Maximum speed: 429 kn (494 mph, 795 km/h) at sea level
  • Maximum speed: Mach 0.79
  • Cruise speed: 350 kn (400 mph, 650 km/h)
  • Stall speed: 97 kn (112 mph, 180 km/h)
  • Range: 2,765 nmi (3,182 mi, 5,121 km)
  • Combat range: 460.5 nmi (529.9 mi, 852.8 km) [43]
  • Ferry range: 3,368 nmi (3,876 mi, 6,238 km)
  • Service ceiling: 40,900 ft (12,500 m)
  • Rate of climb: 5,120 ft/min (26.0 m/s)
  • Wing loading: 68.5 lb/sq ft (334 kg/m2)
  • Thrust/weight: 0.353
Armament
Avionics
  • AN/APS-116 sea search radar, maximum range 150 nmi (173 mi, 278 km)
  • OR-89 forward looking infrared (FLIR) camera with 3× zoom
  • AN/ARS-2 sonobuoy receiver with 13 blade antennas on the airframe for precise buoy location (Sonobuoy Reference System)
  • AN/ASQ-81 magnetic anomaly detector (MAD)
  • AN/ALR-47 Electronic Support Measures (ESM) emitter-location system, with boxy receiver pods fitted to the wingtips, to locate adversary communications and radar transmitters
  • AN/ASN-92 Inertial navigation system (INS) with doppler radar navigation and TACAN
  • Up to 60 sonobuoys (59 tactical, 1 Search and Rescue)
Design:
I originally wanted to use the 55mm EDFs that were unused before this project...
I took the three view image, scaled it so the Turbines were 55mm and started to work. I used the 3-views with the Cross sections, to set up the core, and then worked. up the wings, pods and then tackled the skins. I leaned on paper craft work, to get the major forms right and them matched measurements.
Consider the room inside the fuselage, I will possibly make the core much larger to accommodate a cargo bay for troop drops.
With the check it through wingcalc yielding this:
1591293660316.png

So that Said, it means, the RC Design Specs are as follows:
Length :43"
Wingspan: 55"
Power system (125g) (2x) (1 system Claims 950g thrust)
D2627 4300kv Brushless by Powerfun 4s ready​
55mm EDF 11 Blade​
40A ESC w 5V/3A BEC 2-4S ready​
Battery 1300mAh 100C Ovonic, 4S (189g) (2x)
Min 4 - 12g Metal Gear Servos - 36g
5 sheets of Foam Board - ~500g

Estimated Thrust - 1900g
Estimate AUW - 1,176
Thrust Ratio - 1.6 : 1

Wing Area : 385si

Plan: (V 0.1 alpha)

Build Pictures:
Cutting:

Assembly:

Electronics:


Flight Video:

Maiden Success Here


Takeaways:

Ambitions:
Bomb Drops, Cargo Drops. Folding Wings. and Full FPV Cockpit with working light instrument panel
 
Last edited:

Crow929

Active member
This should be a fun project, looking forward to seeing this built.
The NASA here in Cleveland has one of these old birds. I believe they've used it to help the Department of Natural Resources do surveys of Lake Erie. I'm curious what else they do with it.
 

jfaleo1

Junior Member
Foamy S-3b Viking - By FoamyDM, 1:15 scale, original design by Lockheed
Build Thread
800px-US_Navy_030601-N-9712C-003_An_S-3_Viking_is_the_last_aircraft_in_history_to_launch_from_the_flight_deck_of_USS_Constellation_%28CV_64%29.jpg

3-views
View attachment 170928
Background:

i looked through my motors while attempting in vain to organize and clean my hobby room and discovered that I have purchased over the years, a pair of edfs ranging from 55mm, 64mm to 70mm with one 90mm. This led me to start thinking... it may be time to work on some jet planes!

Inspiration:
Why the pick this plane? I have a work associate that I happened to be on a plant tour with. while on this we introduced as having some things in common... came around that our interest was in aviation. Where he proceeded to tell me about his 21 yr. naval and aeromedical experiences, and I relayed my recent and avid interests in Aviation. He mentioned that as a pilot and Flight deck oversight guy (real technical... I know.) he has flown nearly every plane the navy has, In part, to know what pilots landing on his Aircraft Carrier are dealing with to be able to talk them in if needed. This was like a dream come true. and I could have talked to him for weeks likely, however we were together for work.

But in that brief discussion, I explained my love to discover the history of, design, and build aircraft I previously knew nothing about... when he talked about the tendencies of planes, I would relay that the same tendencies would appear in the RC models too. He told me that he really took his hat off to us remote pilots, that it is a marvel to him how we can pilot outside the craft. I told him about FPV and he seemed very interested. He seemed curious to learn more.

I told him I love to deign and build aircraft and had attempted 27 to date, and asked him what was his favorite plane? He answered the S-3 Viking. He said it was because it flew well, no bad tendencies, it was maneuverable, and versatile it is the workhorse of the air in much the way a P-38 of Yesteryear could assume many roles. from Recon, to fighter escort, to bomber, to transport. I mentioned that If I build a plane on his recommendation, I would be honored to give him a ride after the maiden flight proved it airworthy. At that point, it was a deal!

First Hand Experience:
He sent me a few photos:
View attachment 170929
This is a picture of him taking off

View attachment 170931
This is, "me leading a four ship dropping rockeyes on a moving water target."

View attachment 170930
This is him ready for at Cat Launch. He said at one point,"I bagged 33 landings 34 cat shots in less than an hour."

Quite the pilot. I would love to see an FPV Waterdeck Launch/Landing simulation. And see if we could manage that feat!
Hmmm :unsure::geek: (at 1:15 scale... that would be 72' long...). Maybe I'll work up a much smaller version later.

So this is an attempt to build this and be worthy of his inspiration and service.
decided to build this to with a ~54" wingspan... that brings it to 1:15 scale... using the two 55mm motors.

Specifications:
From the Wikipedia pages:
Data from Standard Aircraft Characteristics[41]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 4 (Pilot, Co-Pilot/COTAC, TACCO, Sensor Operator/TFO)
  • Length: 53 ft 4 in (16.26 m)
  • Wingspan: 68 ft 8 in (20.93 m)
  • Width: 29 ft 6 in (8.99 m) folded
  • Height: 22 ft 9 in (6.93 m)
  • Height tail folded: 15 ft 3 in (5 m)
  • Wing area: 598 sq ft (55.6 m2)
  • Aspect ratio: 7.73
  • Airfoil: root: NACA 0016.3-1.03 32.7/100 mod; tip: NACA 0012-1.10 40/1.00 mod[42]
  • Empty weight: 26,581 lb (12,057 kg)
  • Gross weight: 38,192 lb (17,324 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 52,539 lb (23,831 kg)
  • Fuel capacity:
  • Internal fuel capacity: 1,933 US gal (1,610 imp gal; 7,320 l) of JP-5 fuel
  • External fuel capacity: 2 × 300 US gal (250 imp gal; 1,100 l) drop tanks
  • Powerplant: 2 × General Electric TF34-GE-2 turbofan engines, 9,275 lbf (41.26 kN) thrust each
Performance
  • Maximum speed: 429 kn (494 mph, 795 km/h) at sea level
  • Maximum speed: Mach 0.79
  • Cruise speed: 350 kn (400 mph, 650 km/h)
  • Stall speed: 97 kn (112 mph, 180 km/h)
  • Range: 2,765 nmi (3,182 mi, 5,121 km)
  • Combat range: 460.5 nmi (529.9 mi, 852.8 km) [43]
  • Ferry range: 3,368 nmi (3,876 mi, 6,238 km)
  • Service ceiling: 40,900 ft (12,500 m)
  • Rate of climb: 5,120 ft/min (26.0 m/s)
  • Wing loading: 68.5 lb/sq ft (334 kg/m2)
  • Thrust/weight: 0.353
Armament
Avionics
  • AN/APS-116 sea search radar, maximum range 150 nmi (173 mi, 278 km)
  • OR-89 forward looking infrared (FLIR) camera with 3× zoom
  • AN/ARS-2 sonobuoy receiver with 13 blade antennas on the airframe for precise buoy location (Sonobuoy Reference System)
  • AN/ASQ-81 magnetic anomaly detector (MAD)
  • AN/ALR-47 Electronic Support Measures (ESM) emitter-location system, with boxy receiver pods fitted to the wingtips, to locate adversary communications and radar transmitters
  • AN/ASN-92 Inertial navigation system (INS) with doppler radar navigation and TACAN
  • Up to 60 sonobuoys (59 tactical, 1 Search and Rescue)
Design:
I originally wanted to use the 55mm EDFs that were unused before this project...
I took the three view image, scaled it so the Turbines were 55mm and started to work. I used the 3-views with the Cross sections, to set up the core, and then worked. up the wings, pods and then tackled the skins. I leaned on paper craft work, to get the major forms right and them matched measurements.
Consider the room inside the fuselage, I will possibly make the core much larger to accommodate a cargo bay for troop drops.

Plan: (V 0.1 alpha)

Build Pictures:
Cutting:

Assembly:

Electronics:


Flight Video:

Maiden Success Here


Takeaways:

Ambitions:

Awesome plane! Should fly well. Good luck.
 

PsyBorg

Wake up! Time to fly!
Gotta love wrist rockets. Those were some serious machines for the size. Super versatile too. We had them on Nimitz and they were used for many things from sub hunting to SAR to scouting. They could pack a serious punch depending on weapons load out.

Will have to keep up on this thread to see what you do with it. Good luck
 

FoamyDM

Building Fool-Flying Noob
Moderator
Gotta love wrist rockets. Those were some serious machines for the size. Super versatile too. We had them on Nimitz and they were used for many things from sub hunting to SAR to scouting. They could pack a serious punch depending on weapons load out.

Will have to keep up on this thread to see what you do with it. Good luck
I just watched the movie yesterday "The Final Countdown" (italics or quotes?) which focuses on the Nimitz going back in time to right before pearl harbor. The opening scene is a viking S-3 Landing on the deck. Near the end... The left loaded out, that was serious a load. See the stats above.

I think I'm doing the skins wrong.:unsure:

IMG_20200605_214603550.jpg IMG_20200605_214558106.jpg
IMG_20200607_130315826.jpg IMG_20200607_130242356.jpg
 

PsyBorg

Wake up! Time to fly!
They finished filming that movie JUST before I got on board when Nimitz hit dry dock in New Port news ship yards.

Nimitz is a one of a kind ship. It has a lot of prominent history run under its keel. Nothing like living aboard for extended periods of time. To this day I have yet to see or have a more peaceful time then watching the sun rise off the fan tail on the Eastern Med right after a thunderstorm. I got lucky to have photographed one morning like that and caught the sun burning thru the clouds opening a hole where you could see separate beams of light shining thru.

Gave those pics and all the ones from the Vatican away to friends and family only to lose the negatives years later defaulting on a storage unit.
 

FoamyDM

Building Fool-Flying Noob
Moderator
They finished filming that movie JUST before I got on board when Nimitz hit dry dock in New Port news ship yards.

Nimitz is a one of a kind ship. It has a lot of prominent history run under its keel. Nothing like living aboard for extended periods of time. To this day I have yet to see or have a more peaceful time then watching the sun rise off the fan tail on the Eastern Med right after a thunderstorm. I got lucky to have photographed one morning like that and caught the sun burning thru the clouds opening a hole where you could see separate beams of light shining thru.

Gave those pics and all the ones from the Vatican away to friends and family only to lose the negatives years later defaulting on a storage unit.
Thank you for sharing the memory @PsyBorg , as you explained it I'm sure we all had a version of it in our heads. I know I did, and it was beautiful:cry:.
cd28b0a900f028a6e455ccd419b44836.jpg

Progress:
I started forming the skin sections, and trimming down the former sections as I over-sized them by about 3/8". As I trim and fit, it should start coming together. With any luck, this will come along quickly... BTW Dollar General Painters tape isn't the best for keeping the section skins together...
IMG_20200608_165514844.jpg

I've been thinking about the landing gear, and I really want to fashion retractable for this. I'm thinking of 1/8" wires, with pen springs. and polystyrene tubes (or 3d printing). using paperclips for hinge pins. the back strut will be the motivator... considering the travel, i will need to mechanically increase travel distance. I have also considered using a closed cell dense foam for the shock adsorbers.
s-3b_right_gearwell.jpg


Here's a source I'm using to set up the gear: https://www.cybermodeler.com/aircraft/s-3/s-3_03.shtml
 

FoamyDM

Building Fool-Flying Noob
Moderator
I spent a little more time with this again. I continued to trim/fit the sections to the skin ends.
IMG_20200608_215509841.jpg

The nose ended up being super strong, and the core has proven to be quite strong. In the cockpit area I needed to make 2 cuts to the core to slide through the down angles cockpit base. Visible here:
IMG_20200610_020756998.jpg

The wings and tail are just resting on the fuse. The nacelles are dry fit. And will be quite snugg and removable. Things are really taking shape.. for scale, i wonder what edfs should be in there. 70mm to 90 I guess. This with the non-fitted canopy.
IMG_20200610_021119005.jpg
 

FoamyDM

Building Fool-Flying Noob
Moderator
Last night got some more work on this done. I fine tuned the canopy fitment. Now it sets flush and locks in somewhat to the large relief tab cut to accommodate the core box.
IMG_20200611_132943813.jpg IMG_20200611_132939380_MP.jpg IMG_20200611_132918799.jpg IMG_20200611_133023214.jpg
I finished the main fuse sections. (Set as 3 main pieces) and determined the location of the wing, and made the cut. It's the wing section cutout of the fuse. It is not hard goof and have the wing all cock-eyed. To avoid it, I measured the wing thickness. - eyeballed at 2.5". Then measure down on the end section. Wich turns out to be 3/16" (~6mm) above the box spar. This fortune gave me easy convenient references. And I just looked down the core top to ensure I was aligned correctly. Marked the horizontal cut line. Then measured Frome the chord top to the wing rear, at the center. 9". Marked it. Then played a ruler on the side flat to connect the 9" point and the top center of the fuse. Dropped a pencil line. Repeat on the opposite side. Looked from the top to check symmetry. Lastly was the cut. It's important to cut parallel to the wing surface to achieve a snugg fit.
The result is a wing parallel to the table set a the right location, seated solidly to the core, and snuggly fit, right between the mid and rear sections for removal for transport. A key piece for me.
IMG_20200611_120608686.jpg IMG_20200611_120618609.jpg
If I manage to make the wings fold, then I may make the wing part of the fuse.
IMG_20200611_120648510.jpg
The other piece to see was how the nacelle's scale was fitting. Before, when the wing was sitting atop the fuse, I was concerned. However, I am happy to see these look just about perfect!
IMG_20200611_120631891.jpg
I could also see it would be easy to install 64mm or 70mm to similar effect. I also expect to be including these alternative nacelles in the plans.

Next work is empanage and electronics.
 

FoamyDM

Building Fool-Flying Noob
Moderator
With all this I keep looking for a great example to verify the Angles of the Elevator, both Front to back, and the dihedral. the Elevator looks level with the wing, with about 3° of dihedral.
https___s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com_the-drive-cms-content-staging_message-editor%2F15717308092...jpeg

The picture above and in this post were found This site which covers a story about a pilot in the S-3b and the versatility of the craft focuses on Submarine Hunting: (from site linked)
Submarine-fInd-s3-Viking-A-6-Intruder-us-west-2-pic16.jpg

Then I'm looking through the pictures, and I see this one:
https___s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com_the-drive-cms-content-staging_message-editor%2F157173329597...jpg
1591903624941.png

and I think at first, " I can't forget to add the punch-outs for the look. (maybe use a pen case)
then I start thinking too much...

RC Model Chaff cannon

I'm thinking like a modified confetti popper!... so let's figure out how they work:
Based on a comment the explosive is a form of TNT:
1591908361249.png

deeper down the hole.
which is the Same Stuff to make these:
or I could get a touch excitable and make This:
To make sidewinder missiles to do this:

Alright, I need to stop (for now).
 

skayes

Member
some idees about the landing gear on this website : http://papykilowatt.free.fr/ go to the menu galerie and look for the S3A Viking ( you can look the other model, they are very impressive, but it's in french ;))
the guy was a french designer ( sadely not alive today) who was a precusor in building rc foam planes
 

FoamyDM

Building Fool-Flying Noob
Moderator
i dont know if you saw the pictures of the model so i put directly on this thread
I didn't see them these are incredibly helpful. I had a similar thought on my own... I was working out the knee restraint.
 

FoamyDM

Building Fool-Flying Noob
Moderator
Looking at the center bay. I built out the center section. This is for plan adds. Bit tomorrow a.m. I will glue it down.
IMG_20200616_020216932.jpg

@skayes I poked around the site some more and found them. Thank you for the directions.
Tomorrow, I hope to have some good progress.
 

FoamyDM

Building Fool-Flying Noob
Moderator
For my internal Reference - a Plastic model kit with Great details. http://tedtaylor.hobbyvista.com/88-paragon-s-3a-/page-88.html
Also looking HARD at the Bay doors...
1592314177111.png

I'm noting that the rear lower doors return to close, the upper stay open as one peice, and the lower front door follows the gear.
1592314610802.png
I think it about time to start mocking things up and see what works.

I also have my eyes on putting together a bomb drop mechanism too. This might be too complex, but it's a start.
1592323425555.png