Laaaarge Fixed Wing-any clues?

[houseofcharm]

HI all, I've had this big fixed winger for maybe 15 years+. There were dozen or more this size at a huge antiques importer(bigger than us at 1/4million square feet) and they sold like mad-I ended up with one of the last ones, thus the orange color. This one's mainly intact-a modeler looked at it years ago and said it was airworthy but from engine/radio.

Anyone know what plane model this is and perhaps the maker? I'm guessing 1970s with at 6'-7' wingspan.

And, could this be electrified? It had no damage(just jinxed myself) or repairs but needs a canopy. Apologies for the lame pics but it's 19' up on a ledge-will take some better pics.

 

[Joker 53150]

I can't tell you what it is, but just about any plane could be converted to electric. Some are easier to do than others, as the old nitro planes often don't have a hatch big enough for a battery, much less a battery tray to hold the battery. It may require some surgery, but that isn't necessarily bad, as stripping off the old covering lets you know what kind of hidden damage you may have. It also lets you find any bad glue joints, soft wood, or "questionable" build techniques from the past.

I've done a few rehabs of old planes like this and find it very rewarding. It's also usually far cheaper and faster than building from a kit or from scratch, although you have problems to solve during the process and more often than not you don't have the instructions or plans to work from.

 

[houseofcharm]

Thanks for that-not certain if I want to keep it or sell it. I think these were bought back then as decor and were flying(!) off their shelves at 650. each. Pics to follow...

 

[Joker 53150]

650... DOLLARS? If it's never been flown or had an engine in it, the value would be higher than if it's been used. I see planes of similar size at swap meets from $50 on up. The 1/4 scale Cub I'm finishing up is larger, with an 108" wing span, came with a 23cc gas engine and all of the servos for $100. That was a screaming deal, but it's all obviously about the motivation of the seller and what people are willing to pay. If you post some good pics we can probably figure out who's kit it is. Some of those old kits are sought after.

Personally, I love the bigger planes like yours. To me they're easier to fly, more realistic looking, and have a great "WOW" factor. But transporting them can be a pain, the electronics and engine are normally more expensive, and they make a bigger crater when you lawn-dart one.

 

[houseofcharm]

I think this one was used but stripped of it's gear. All ailerons and flaps work, tires maybe a tad old...we had some life altering diagnosis today so pics may be delayed.

 

[houseofcharm]

Found a couple more crapola pics but a tad better-any idea what electric motor would haul this beast? I imagine there are different qualities to rc controls also...

 

[houseofcharm]

I did noticed the bomb-bay doors are missing...

 

[Joker 53150]

Life-altering diagnoses can be a real pain. My wife got one with cancer in November (doctors think it's been completely removed now) and more recently my daughter has had an issue which so far doesn't require us to panic. Fingers crossed your situation goes well.

Tires are cheap to replace - the bigger issue would be any structural problems that may be there. The "T" style tail is interesting, and should help people identify what plane or kit this is. I posted on a different forum to see if anybody happens to know and will report back.

 

[Joker 53150]

Sometimes the internet doesn't disappoint! Here it is, the Pazmany PL-4A. This must be the one your model is copying, as it's got the same N number on it! I've never heard of this plane, apparently it's a home-build design.

 

[houseofcharm]

I did noticed the bomb-bay doors are missing...

 

[houseofcharm]

Sometimes the internet doesn't disappoint! Here it is, the Pazmany PL-4A. This must be the one your model is copying, as it's got the same N number on it! I've never heard of this plane, apparently it's a home-build design.

View attachment 85721

Holy mackeralandy! Thanks! That guy sure looks lifelike at the yoke(!) Now I just need to find an owner and offer him a scale model to hang from his ceiling.

Think this one could handle an electric conversion? I'm stymied by the $$ on some of those exotic gas engines-more than rebuilt small-block.

 

[Joker 53150]

Just about any plane that was built for gas or nitro could be converted to electric. Some are easier to do than others. The older gas/nitro planes were normally built to handle the stress and vibration from the gas engine, where planes designed for electric are often built lighter since there is far less stress on the airframe. The price on the more exotic gas engines is high, but the quality, power, and especially the sound is simply incredible. As much as I'd love to own one (or a bunch of them!), a single cylinder basic 2-cycle gas engine covers my needs.

 

[houseofcharm]

This a whole new world to me viewing it as an adult. I had tethered planes as a kid but it's like seeing a movie 30 years later from childhood-like an entirely new film. Thanks for the primer and patronizing a 100% noob.

And any thoughts on the engine/battery needed for a plane this size? The real one has only a 20' longer wingspan.

 

[Joker 53150]

There are a lot of variables involved with selecting the right motor/battery/speed control/etc. The size of the plane, the final weight, what kind of flying you want to do, how long you want to fly, how much room is there for a battery, and more come into play. The motor alone would probably run $75-125 (maybe more, depending on the variables above), a speed controller to run that size motor adds another $50+, and then the batteries could easily run $75/ea. Not to mention a battery charger, servos for the control surfaces, Transmitter/Receiver, and other misc pieces that come up, such as buying or making a canopy. That's also assuming the rest of the structure of the plane is good and no repairs are needed. Getting a bigger plane like this fully equipped for flight isn't cheap, and all the equipment mentioned above could easily exceed $450.

Big electric planes are fun to fly, and I've got 2 (soon to be 3) in that size range. To cut down on the overall costs I try to pick planes that can share some of the electronics between them. All 3 of the big electrics in my hangar use the same battery pack, which means I don't have to buy a lot more expensive batteries. They also can use the same prop size, so I don't need too many spares.

My recommendation - if you want to keep the plane and fly it yourself you're far better off keeping it as a decoration for a while and spending far less money to buy a good Ready-to-Fly trainer. You can easily find great deals under $200 for everything needed. In the future this could be a good project.

If you are seeking information to help sell the plane, I wouldn't wander too far down that path. Most people looking to buy something like this probably know what is needed to do the job. You can probably sell it fairly easily just with good details about what it is, not what it could be.