The Privateer Amphibian, catamaran hulled seaplane

[leaded50]

Described as "the first new Amphibian design in over 60 years" , the lines in design of this plane have "intruged" me for some time.... enough to get on my "wanna - build - list" . This unique twin-hull amphibian aircraft design with a shroud design around the propeller mounted on top that resembled no other aircraft. Its unique hull configuration was meant to offer stability and reduced drag, but it provided better balance both in the water and in the air. The twin ellipsoidal hulls allowed the aircraft to hydroplane while landing, taxiing or departing, making for maximum control during water operations. The elliptical hulls allowed the plane to better travel on water and to be more efficient in the air .
The planes history says the designer want something special in a plane, not any plane gave him, when tried.....and he started design it him self together with a former Boeing engineer. Later this effort was increased and a company started. They made a couple models, one RC controlled.... and a full size prototype made its first flight in 2018 , and by waterlanding/take-off in 2019.

To fit a suitable motor laying around here, i decided build it at approx 850mm wingspan. The plane is pretty "square in size" by its the scaled 830mm length.
No 3D drawings is to get, and the build can only be made by pictures and movies of the prototype, making estimate measures crucial , and scaling things against known measures on the plane.

 

[leaded50]

the start of the 750mm long "pontoons" :

 

[leaded50]

"pontoons" quite ready, without where the wing is coming, and started working with the fuselage.... The fuselages "top bow" here, is for forming the shape, and will be removed later for the hatch/ battery & electronics compartment. Its already skinned some in front, back to where the front window comes.... and is made by 8 skin parts....

 

[leaded50]

fuselage with motorpod pretty much done... and wing bottom.

 

[leaded50]

a lot of testing, a lot of adjusting, to get the prop shroud correct, now its approx 2mm clearance all way, a touch more at bottom. Its not exact scale, since wanted have posibillity for using a 6inch prop, it needed be a little bigger. Thats also reason rhy the motorpod was raised a little.. To find 5.5inch or 5.7inch diameter props is a close to lost cause.. Prop shroud is made in that "foamed pvc" borads i got, thats used some before in other builds.
Fuselage is sanded, and ready for sprayfiller, and sandingtest to see how badly imperfections is.

The plane is more or less got a 6 inch BDF

 

[leaded50]

seems like the imperfections of interest is quite gone on fuselage.. Hatch is already done.

 

[leaded50]

closer, and closer to end this build too...

 

[leaded50]

ready painted, and working with the electronics, setup as 4ch.

 

[leaded50]

ready for water testing...

 

[JetCrafts]

nice

 

[leaded50]

water test. Floated perfect, and was watertight

 

[b-29er]

That plane has some real "thunderbirds" vibes to it, looks awesome! Did you take it off the water yet or just float testing?

 

[Matthewdupreez]

water test. Floated perfect, and was watertight

View attachment 204166 View attachment 204167

dude you've outdone yourself on this build.... absolutely magnificent.... i'm thinking that maybe you purchased that plane from horizon hobbies.... that thing is gorgeous..........

 

[leaded50]

That plane has some real "thunderbirds" vibes to it, looks awesome! Did you take it off the water yet or just float testing?

just floattest here... the riverpod wasnt big enough to try do something more with trees hanging over.

 

[leaded50]

dude you've outdone yourself on this build.... absolutely magnificent.... i'm thinking that maybe you purchased that plane from horizon hobbies.... that thing is gorgeous..........

Horizon..... do they offer it? (i see no royalties )

 

[Matthewdupreez]

Horizon..... do they offer it? (i see no royalties )

i meant as in your builds look soooo perfect

 

[leaded50]

i meant as in your builds look soooo perfect

i did understood and THANKS!

 

[JetCrafts]

good job

 

[cyclone3350]

I won't mind it if U keep building as long as U don't mind me saying the same thing each time. "Damn that looks awesome!"

 

[leaded50]

Thanks for liking it!
This is my third seaplane build where WIG (wing in ground effect) features are influencing its functionality, by here forming a air-cushion between the catamaran hulls to ease the lift-off.