FTFC'18 WWII Ryan FR-1 Fireball designed by Strix

[Strix]

Thanks Rockyboy for organizing this! I'm looking forward to losing more living space to foamboard prototypes.

"The Ryan FR Fireball was a mixed-power (piston and jet-powered) fighter aircraft designed by Ryan Aeronautical for the United States Navy during World War II."

Wikipedia Entry on Ryan FR-1 Fireball



Carrier take-off. Note the jet engine supplementing the Wright Cyclone in the nose.


This one at the Chino Air Museum says 'TEST' in huge yellow letters. How cool is that?!




I'll be starting with this 3-view.




Of course I'm planning to have an EDF as well as a prop. I'd like to have retractable gear, too... but could live without it.

The presence of mixed power, however, is non-negotiable.

 

[rockyboy]

Awesome! Looks like we get two of these prop and edf designs now!! Very excited to see how they work!

 

[rockyboy]

Bump!

Any progress on this one?

 

[FoamyDM]

This is a pretty righteous plane.

If you still in it to win it we'd love your input in the Team ALLIED FORCES page.

This would be a really neat plane to see fly.

 

[Strix]

No real progress to report, but a co-worker of mine has donated a fan. It's a (discontinued) 64mm 10-bladed alloy EDF from HK with a 3300KV motor. https://hobbyking.com/en_us/alloy-d...cted-fan-assembley-3300kv.html?___store=en_us

A YouTube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qf1eXkDQfBM) shows 850W, 60A, 1050g thrust. I think that's more than enough. I just need to pick up an ESC for it now.

 

[Kunphushun]

Watchin this fo sho!

 

[varg]

Very cool. Are you going to use a slick wing design like nerdnic's speed wing? This has the potential to be fast if you use a fast prop/motor combination, but the prop also has the potential to be a source of drag if you're outside of its envelope.

 

[Strix]

I haven't decided much on wing design yet, and you are correct that the prop is a huge source of drag.

On the real aircraft, the pilot could stop the engine and feather the prop for high-speed jet-powered operation. I won't be able to feather the prop, but I should be able to stop it. If the ESC prop brake is insufficient to completely stop propeller rotation, I will add a mechanical brake as well. I don't care so much about the extra drag of a rotating propeller... but I want the prop stopped in flight while making high-speed passes powered by the 'jet' engine.

As for the prop's motor, I won't be going for speed. That's what the EDF is for! 250W or so on the prop should be plenty. It just needs enough power for a decent take-off and some sedate aerobatics, then the plane will switch to the EDF and increase the top speed by 50% or more. I'm going to aim for around 40 MPH top speed on the prop, and hope for 60+ under EDF power.

I think it will be great fun to take off on the propeller, with no hint of the EDF lurking within. Spectators would think it was a Hellcat or something, until it starts making whooshing noises and the propeller stops.

 

[Strix]

UPDATE: As I haven't really made any progress on this project, and I have many other things vying for my attention, I have decided to put this on the back burner for now. I simply don't have the time.

But I'm looking forward to seeing everyone else's work at FliteFest!