P-40 Flerkenstein

Intashu

Elite member
So Flerken plans in hand, I knew I wasn't going to build a standard plane. I started considering all the sci-fi swept wing planes out there, and there are many that look terrific. but while pondering how I was going to go about this build from the corner of my eye I spot a box containing the parts of a cartoon P40 I have yet to build. A quick google search led me to images of the Battlestar Galactica Vintage Viper.

The nose cone is nearly the ideal size, and while the P40 plane fuselage is a little short I can easily stretch it! While I won't be doing a twin engine design, I am already forming the beginnings of the design, and it shouldn't actually be too hard to build... till I think about ways to complicate it unnecessarily!

This leads me to consider a few things before I get too far along however. I may put some forward Canards on it. In the style of the P40 horizontal stabilizer. I COULD make this active instead of static fins, but then I have no experience in how that would impact performance, if I'd want to keep the tailerons setup the same way or make them alierons and use the canards as forward rudders, would be more of a functional reverse airplane or is this is a terrible idea?

I'm not worried about it being nose heavy from the added material, I got a slightly larger than suggested motor to put in this monster. although the overall weight may end up being this plane's downfall I hope I can build it light enough to fly still given enough thrust.

I'll be rounding the wing tips (via extension, not cutting them down) to be more P40 in style, and I'll keep the flerken positioned horizontal stabilizers, but they'll be shaped like the P40's.

I imagine this will turn out like something out of Crimson Sky in styling when I'm done. I'm sure it will fly like a brick and kiss dirt, only to end up decorating my ceiling after a failed maiden, but then again, half the fun is building and seeing "will it fly?"
 

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Intashu

Elite member
Well I got the easy part done. The flerken wings and mid chassis are assembled.

This week I'll need to shape up the body, add some custom formers.

Pardon the visible mess.. Whenever building I tend to go full chaos in my area with stuff piling up everywhere!

Edit:
I've got a few things unsolved to consider still, if I'll make an access hatch in it for the battery, like a swinging door along the top or bottom behind the cowling to access batteries, or if I'll just make the nose section removable like the Flerken does.

Also got to determine just how serious or comical I am making this bird because the canopy window is cartoon style and really tall. it would look funny on this plane. but I could make it work... OR I could just go with a more serious looking one. I'll figure that out after I get the nose built up for it and see how it's starting to take shape.

The hardest part I think will be what's behind the Canopy however, as it will start as that oval shape, but quickly taper to a round where it needs to meet the pusher motor nose cone. Going to be a bunch of scratch foamboard shaping I suspect as I ain't doing any cad work and measurements, just good ol fashion cut and fit and trim and fit and sand and swear and repeat.

And lastly the body of the P40 will be narrower than the flerken was between the wings, I'm undecided if I'm going to add to the inner wings to meet the body, or add mock jet intakes there, or some mix in between the two. Again, I think I'll shape up the front part of the plane and give it a good look over before I decide what I want to do from there.

Ordered a Nano-Flerken already too. You bet your butts I'm tracing the parts out so if this puppy flies I'm building a mini version!
 

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Intashu

Elite member
Made some progress..

So as I said earlier, it was a cartoon P40. I was going for a semi comical semi serious build here.. But it looks more and more like darkwings ducks airplane as I make progress...

Added the front nose area. Extended it out. I could take an inch off the length still if I really wanted but I'm on the fence about it.

I also narrowed the center chassis of the flerkin. It was simply too wide no matter how I looked at it. I wonder what consequence that will have to the overall stability.

It will have a door on the underside to access the battery.
 

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Intashu

Elite member
And got a few more pieces attached before stopping for the day. I will say, in Hindsight I really should have gotten some Poster-board from Walmart and built the center sub-frame out of that for added rigidity. specially after chopping it I had to add a few strips of scrapwood to stiffen it up, and I'll likely need to add a little creative design to the underside to ensure the wings don't flap or wiggle/twist in flight!
 

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Aslansmonkey

Well-known member
With 3 props, that thing is gonna be FAST I bet.......

:oops::unsure::coffee:
It would, but he's only using one pusher on the back. He'll put the big spinner on the front to make a pointed nose, but only run a single motor, albeit a bigger one than is usually on the Flerken.

His inspiration comes from the "Vintage Viper" found here...https://goarspace-app.com/viper-wwii

But he's using the Flerken as a base and going to a single prop. The inspiration model has two pusher props that have to be synchronized as they overlap in the middle.
 

Intashu

Elite member
With 3 props, that thing is gonna be FAST I bet.......

:oops::unsure::coffee:
I got a motor that's about the size of a C pack motor, but it's 1800kv. Going with a single motor on the back for simplicity, swinging a 8" prop on 3s for maiden. if it flies, I'll see what it can do on 4s. It should still be fast. But it will fly longer than if I went with two or three motors strapped to the same plane!

If this turns out fantastic I'd be really tempted to do another with twin motors in the back (or make one with a 70mm EDF I got sitting in a bin!) But I don't think I'd ever try to squeeze in three motors on this setup. just starts adding too much weight... and I'd be intimidated trying to throw what is essentially a blender in the air!

I have a Nano flerken arriving today that I'll be tracing the parts for..Maybe I'll make a mini version in the future?
 

Aslansmonkey

Well-known member
If anyone is wondering, my son is using parts from a Cartoon P-40 kit bought from Park Flyer Plastics here...https://parkflyerplastics.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=24_62&products_id=576

We've also built the P-47 Thunderbolts from them. They're amusing planes, though a little more difficult to fly. I also have the P-40 kit, unassembled, and may take inspiration from Intashu's design if he gets it flying. Though I'd probably mix it up a little just to be different.

Right now I'm working on a Scout XL, but I'm taking my time with it because we don't get good flying days this time of year in Minnesnowta.
 

Intashu

Elite member
If anyone is wondering, my son is using parts from a Cartoon P-40 kit bought from Park Flyer Plastics here...https://parkflyerplastics.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=24_62&products_id=576

We've also built the P-47 Thunderbolts from them. They're amusing planes, though a little more difficult to fly. I also have the P-40 kit, unassembled, and may take inspiration from Intashu's design if he gets it flying. Though I'd probably mix it up a little just to be different.

Right now I'm working on a Scout XL, but I'm taking my time with it because we don't get good flying days this time of year in Minnesnowta.
If anyone builds their own, I'd suggest stretching the wings out a little more than the plans call for. and ensuring there's some undercamber on the tips. they're very flippy and squirrely in the air. mine took a nose dive after a brief flight and roll-over and I ended up yanking the motor for another bird.

And oi, Ol' man, this is MY thread, go make your own to talk about what YOUR building! shoo! :LOL:
 

Intashu

Elite member
No new updates this week on the flerken stein. Got caught up in a few other things.. But I did knock out the nano flerkin. Waiting in 4" props to maiden. But it turned out alright.
 

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Intashu

Elite member
Got some more work done this weekend. I decided on a cone shaped bottom, I tried a tight narrow body first like the P40, but it just looked wrong with the flat sections on either side.. Then I tried a more flerken shaped boxy design which also looked wrong.. So I went with a rounded shape instead.

I'm using aluminum tape to cover up the seams on this bird.. And it's all hacky with no measurements taken anywhere! It's as I always say, cut thrice, then make it twice on the first try!

Haven't decided who to 3d print as a pilot for this plane yet either.. But it's slowly getting there!
 

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