New Project-Big is beautiful B-29 Superfortress

[RRCA]

Well hey there guys 

This is my first thread in this forum and nowt like starting it with something big I say 

I have chosen for my winter project this year to build a B-29 Superfortress. Specs are as follows :-

Wingspan -106"
Length -84"
Motors -4 x 500kV Brushless Outrunners with 4 x 65Amp ESC's with BEC
Servoless trunion retracts with sequencing doors
Channels x 7 Aileron, Elevator, Rudder, Throttle, Flaps, Retracts, Bomb bay
Power -2 x 6 Cell 5000mAh Lipo batteries

Construction will be with balsa, ply and depron to keep it light with carbon fibre for strengthening. Their are no plans for this size of model and I will be basically using the Guillows B-29 plan as a guide. I have spoken to a local printer who has kindly said he can print the plans out in sections to the desired size then I will make the changes needed to build this large airframe. I'm hoping to get the final plans reprinted to be made available for others if they wish to build the bomber for themselves.

Its going to be a challenge but I think it will be well worth the effort once complete. This is going to be the official thread for this build so keep checking for the progress and look forward to your input (keep it kind, don't want any negative input or I'll cry and give up lol  )

Thanks for reading my first thread

Rob ( RRCA) https://www.facebook.com/RobsRadioControlledAircraft?ref=hl

[Lindy]

Now that sounds like an ambitious project! Any historic nose art in mind?

[RRCA]

Now that sounds like an ambitious project! Any historic nose art in mind?

I'm favouring the bomber in the image in my first post Miss America '62 from the 40th Bomber Wing, however I do have a selection of B-29 Decals that I can print out resized to the scale of the Fortress onto clear adhesive sheet and they are for as follows:-

Lucky Leven
Double Exposure
Dearly Beloved
Celestial Queen
The Outlaw
Joltin' Josie
United Notions

Images of all these decals are provided below. I'm assuming most of you would think Enola Gay or Fifi would of been on the list but no. These are common B-29's that are modelled and wanted something rarely seen at shows etc

[DavidJP]

One of my favourite aeroplanes!  I shall observe with great interest.

I do have several books on this aeroplane and so if you want any "detail" I may be able to help.

Have you thought of doing a Korean one?

[RRCA]

One of my favourite aeroplanes!  I shall observe with great interest.

I do have several books on this aeroplane and so if you want any "detail" I may be able to help.

Have you thought of doing a Korean one?

I've not actually to be fair Dave, however you could help me very muchly. I am in need of some good quality cockpit images and I mean all around the cockpit and also good drawings. If you could muscle up some of them for me that would be great and also gun turrets etc, anything you think I should have to gie the bomber a good scale appearance

Many thanks

[DavidJP]

Might be an idea then if I could have your email address as there are quite a few pictures but this is a sample.....

[RRCA]

Might be an idea then if I could have your email address as there are quite a few pictures but this is a sample.....

Thanks Dave. Ive PM'd you my email address

[Lindy]

I'm favouring the bomber in the image in my first post Miss America '62 from the 40th Bomber Wing, however I do have a selection of B-29 Decals that I can print out resized to the scale of the Fortress onto clear adhesive sheet and they are for as follows:-

Lucky Leven
Double Exposure
Dearly Beloved
Celestial Queen
The Outlaw
Joltin' Josie
United Notions

Images of all these decals are provided below. I'm assuming most of you would think Enola Gay or Fifi would of been on the list but no. These are common B-29's that are modelled and wanted something rarely seen at shows etc

You have some great choices there, I agree with you on the common ones... Over done. My vote would go for either "Celestial Queen" or "Double Exposure"

[RRCA]

Thanks Lindy. Your actually favouring the one I'm more turning too 'Celestial Queen'. The more I look at that nose art the more I wanna do it

As regarding the progress of the plans, I have managed to calculate that the pdf files of the Guillows B-29 need to be increased to 57%. Doing the plans to this size doubles the size of everything perfectly. So far I have worked out the two wing panels to be 49.5", the fuselage is 74" in length, 82" once the fin, rudder and tailplane have been added and 7.5" wide, the tailplane is 34" in span and the fin 15.75" in height. The construction will be about 80% the same as the Guillows model, the other 20% will be modifications regarding reinforcing for the retracts and outrunners in the engine nacelles, the wings for the flaps, (I want to try and have the flaps incorporate the rear section of the engine nacelle that also drops with the flaps) and also mods for the wing attachments and bracing rods and joining spars. I'm going to design the model to be broken down into four sections. The two wing halves and the fuselage will be split about six inches aft of the trailing edge of the wing for ease of transportation.

Their is still a hell of a lot of work to be done on the plan before the construction begins and as of this moment in time I am revising the power output of the model. I think the original idea of four 500kV outrunners is going to be too powerful and it will fly too fast. The construction of this airframe is going to be strong but as light as I can possibly get it as I do not plan to fly the model in winds resembling the strength of a fart upwards! Pansy your all probably thinking I know, but I like to relax when flying big stuff like this, but with that in mind I am also building into the airframe the ability to access all of the wiring and electronics so if I need to change or alter anything its all going to be easily accessable without having to butcher the airframe to replace components. Its a lot of work I know, but I might as well do it all now and get it right than miss stuff out and have to faff around later making alterations.

Anyway, I'll keep you all posted on the progress as I do stuff. Even I'm getting excited now  

[DavidJP]

These Korean ones are quite cool?

[carpetbagger]

Now that is a huge project - can't wait for the build thread. You should be able to find "official" three-views of the B-29.

[RRCA]

Now that is a huge project - can't wait for the build thread. You should be able to find "official" three-views of the B-29.

This will end up being the official build thread mate and thank you. I have a few three views including blue prints of it

These Korean ones are quite cool?

I quite like 'Atomic Tom' Dave although I'm still swinging towards the 'Celestial Queen'

[carpetbagger]

"Celestial Queen" is my vote because I like hot chiks!

I have never fooled with multis and reading about your project leads me to a question: I assume all motors operate on the same throttle, or do you have multiple throttle controls. And if running on the same throttle command is there a method of synching the motors? Or does one just whap it wide open and go with it . . .?

[RRCA]

"Celestial Queen" is my vote because I like hot chiks!

I have never fooled with multis and reading about your project leads me to a question: I assume all motors operate on the same throttle, or do you have multiple throttle controls. And if running on the same throttle command is there a method of synching the motors? Or does one just whap it wide open and go with it . . .?

I'm not sure how it would work with the old brushed motors but brushless outrunners, they all operate from the one throttle control. Each motor has to have its own ESC though but are all connected via Y leads however in this case I will be using two 14.8v or 22.2v Lipo batteries, one for each side of the aircraft. The two port in other words will run off one battery and the two starboard off the other. If we stick to the left side the power to each motor will run in series. The leads that connect too the receiver will be connected to each other via a Y lead however the outboard motors ESC positive red power lead will be removed from the plug so the inboard esc will take the power but the outboard only takes the control commands, this eliminates the possibility of the two ESC's both providing power to the receiver and leading to a possible confliction resulting in damage to the electrics and ultimately resulting in a crash. Its better explained on YouTube on RCInformers Channel with the build review he does of FMS's P-38 Lightning. I've probably explained it a little incorrect and will be returning to said video when it comes to installing the electrics for the B-29 but basically then you have one lead from the two left esc's coming out of the wing root that connect to another Y lead that then plugs into the receiver. The receiver is powered by a seperate BEC then so the Lipo batteries only provide power directly to the outrunner motors. On the left two motors too, the power control wire and the negative wire are swapped over, this then reverses the direction of the motors so you then get counter rotating propellors which thus eliminates the possibility of torque rolling the aircraft over.

This method will obviously be thoroughly tested before I install it into the model to insure it all works without any issues beforehand on a specially made rig I will be building as I will be testing it with the four scale 4 blades props mounted to the motors to include the extra load on the outrunners with the props being fitted

[DavidJP]

"Celestial Queen" is my vote because I like hot chiks!

I think I recall I did at one time but frankly a bit of a nuisance now!!

My view is Rob, that nearly all  American  service aircraft had a "chick" in the nose-art and it became rather hackneyed.  "Tom" is quite original and I like the blue panels as well.

Have to say as well that reading your comments about setting up the motors does demonstrate how out of touch I am after an absence of some 40 years.   

[RRCA]

"Celestial Queen" is my vote because I like hot chiks!

I think I recall I did at one time but frankly a bit of a nuisance now!!

My view is Rob, that nearly all  American  service aircraft had a "chick" in the nose-art and it became rather hackneyed.  "Tom" is quite original and I like the blue panels as well.

Have to say as well that reading your comments about setting up the motors does demonstrate how out of touch I am after an absence of some 40 years.   

Come on Dave it cant be that bad surely 

Trust me I'm still on a learning curve with it all as only recently since I started doing this again been converted to electric but its fascinating doing it and admit I'm enjoying it more now than ever and its a lot cheaper to buy an outrunner electric motor than it is to buy a glow engine as before.

One thing I've not mentioned yet are the servo's. Their will be 13 in total, one for steering nose wheel, one for rudder, two for elevators, two for ailerons, two for flaps, three for sequencing undercarriage doors and two for the bomb bay doors

[DavidJP]

Still impressed old boy - but I am presently re visiting my well spent youth and building the models I used to fly in my teens! And some free flight to boot! But keeps me fit - I hope!

By the way did you get the pictures I sent by email?

[RRCA]

Still impressed old boy - but I am presently re visiting my well spent youth and building the models I used to fly in my teens! And some free flight to boot! But keeps me fit - I hope!

By the way did you get the pictures I sent by email?

I did my friend thank you. I was meant to reply but I got caught up in something and then had to go to work of which I've not long finished and need to sleep

Attached is a screen capture of the work I've done on the plan for the fuselage. If the image is good enough and you can see the measure rule at the top of the screen thats in inches. Should give you an idea how big the plan is for just the fuselage 

[Blooper]

hello
re your motor set up, i would personally have the two inner motors on one battery and the two outers on the other, that way if one battery packs up you will at least not get the model swinging to one side.

my 11' lanc has one battery per motor.

[Pit]

That's some undertaking! Just out of curiousity, what graphics/CAD program are you using?

Pete

[Monique]

That be Photoshop Essentials Pete

[RRCA]

hello
re your motor set up, i would personally have the two inner motors on one battery and the two outers on the other, that way if one battery packs up you will at least not get the model swinging to one side.

my 11' lanc has one battery per motor.

See Dave I'm still learning That is actually a valid point and a good idea, so I will be now setting the motor up in the configuration just mentioned

That's some undertaking! Just out of curiousity, what graphics/CAD program are you using?

Pete

It's Adobe Photoshop CS5 I use and Adobe Lightroom, two programs I've used for many years because I'm a professional photographer.

Its a program I also use designing my own plans because it allows me save the images simply to pdf format so detail is kept and easier for printing. The file for the above plan currently is 129megabytes in size

[RRCA]

The plans have now been finished and resized and saved in pdf format ready to go to the printers later on today.

I've taken some screen shots of the plans as I was working on them but will hopefully take some pictures of the full plans when I get them done.

[Lindy]

You do realize that your tail plane is by itself is as big as any plane I've ever built... 

[RRCA]

You do realize that your tail plane is by itself is as big as any plane I've ever built... 

Haha  At least I know where to go if I want a to scale escort fighter lol