FTFC’18 WW2 Stearman XA-21

[Ketchup]

FTFC’18 WW2 Stearman XA-21 by Ketchup

I have officially decided to build the Stearman XA-21 ground attack aircraft for the WW2 design/build challenge.

Here it is! The electronics for the aircraft are on the way (except for the power pack C twin, out of stock) so I will be designing and building most of the aircraft sometime this month.

 

[b-29er]

Looks neat, and simple too! may double as a nice FPV design. How big are you thinking on this guy? 1/10 would be 78". Also you going to be doing the stepped windscreen or the pictured streamlined windscreen?

 

[Fidget]

That's really cool. Looking forward to it!

 

[Ketchup]

I’m doing both windscreens and a 48 inch wingspan which will put it at a scale of 1 to 16 point something

 

[Ketchup]

Both cockpits

 

[Ketchup]

The scale would actually be 1 to 16.24

 

[b-29er]

So just a thought, if you're going with a 48" scale, maybe go with a B or lighter kit, considering the Sea Duck hovers on a twin C and is very well powered on a B, and has 8" more wing.

 

[Ray K]

I have a pair of C motors in the Guinea Pig I retired. If you have trouble getting yours in time for your project, you're welcome to them. If you need them, I'd only ask that you reimburse the shipping if possible. ESCs and 2-bladed props included, of course. Very low time units. Up to you.

 

[Ketchup]

Sea duck is 8 inches bigger! Hmm, I might increase size but I think the c pack is still better because I need the power to take off in the tall grass at my field, Maybe I can increase to 54 or 56 inches though, more bomb space. Also, are you using a bomb drop that can open and close, or are you just using the traditional ft style where it only opens?

 

[Ketchup]

Thanks for the offer Ray K but I only have to wait until the C pack is back in stock. b-29er, I might increase wingspan a little bit to 54 or 56 inches. Also, are you using a bomb bay that opens and closes, or an ft style one that just opens?

 

[b-29er]

Looking at one that opens and closes. Originally was going to look at a scaleish one with bi-fold doors, but that seems unnecessarily complex.

 

[Ketchup]

Okay then, also, are you using servos for the bomb bay? and how are you going to make it? I am also planning on a 5 foot wingspan which should put the scale extremely close to one fifteenth.

 

[b-29er]

Plan is two to four servos for the bomb bay. Ordinance will either be controlled via a Kingduino Mega and light duty (read cheapest possible) servos with inputs fed by a bombardier, or have onboard controls. Pig is supposed to be working on an FPV model of the MK17 bomb, but i think his work has him tied up for the moment, as mine will soon. At this point, the full b-36 is going to be complex enough to warrant dual operators, second pilot will prob have bombardier role.

 

[Ketchup]

Cool! I’m just using two 9 gram servos for my bomb bay to keep it simple, I am also just going to use a huge group of mini bombs (the rules don’t state minimum or maximum size on bombs ) so hopefully one of the bombs should hit the target.

 

[b-29er]

Cool! I’m just using two 9 gram servos for my bomb bay to keep it simple, I am also just going to use a huge group of mini bombs (the rules don’t state minimum or maximum size on bombs ) so hopefully one of the bombs should hit the target.

Ha! I was more joking when i mentioned carpet bombing the event. If i do, it will most likely be for entertainment. Like i said, Pig's supposed to be coming up with an FPV Mk.17 bomb, which even in this scale will make any of the FT Minis look like a toy, and also take advantage of that 1m advantage.



By the scale i'm using, that would make it 26" long by roughly 5.5" wide. for the bomb.

 

[Ketchup]

That bomb is big. For entertainment I might drop some of the cards that Michael763 made, but I am not kidding about the carpet bombing thing. Also, what is the 1 meter advantage?

 

[Ketchup]

Oh that’s what it means(searched it up) you are lucky that you have another pilot.

 

[b-29er]

I really don't think you'd have much of an issue getting a second pilot for drop, its more going to be the hardware, having a bomb or bombardier system to utilize a second pilot. In my case i think the Mk.17 will have the release onboard instead of on the weapon, so the whole bomb can be freely controlled by a copilot. In your case, that big greenhouse in the nose may also be beneficial, especially if you put an FPV camera on a gimbal facing down at 45 or 50 degrees, or even hardmount at that angle. That way you'd have a crude bombsight for you or a bombardier to use to drop with, while flying level.

 

[Ketchup]

You are right about getting a pilot and about hardware, because unless somebody is willing to let me drop their plane into a target, I can’t actually do another controlled aircraft, so carpet bombing seems good.

 

[Ketchup]

the electronics for the plane came in the mail! I will start designing soon