Massive RC B52 (crosspost form NCrockets)

[rstaff3]

Just thought the RC fliers here would be interested.

This post is off topic but I thought it would be of interest to list members because, like HPR, it shows technical sophistication on the part of hobbyists that is probably alarming to the overly paranoid DHS folks.

Flying RC scale model B-52 weighs 300lbs, powered by 8 tiny turbines. And we think we have a lot riding on our big projects??

Photos and two videos (takeoff and flight passes) are posted to: https://www.mcgirt.net/RC/VIDEOS/Giant_B52/ Sound is definitely cool.

UK turbine manufacturer web site: https://www.wren-turbines.com/index.html

Amazing.

 

[rabidsheeep]

WOW.

 

[Ryan S.]

that is crazy, but also very cool. I hope some people are ready to get carpet bombed....oo yeah!

 

[Justy]

That's quite the thing! Makes me wonder if I got into the wrong hobby... a guy could maybe wrap an F-104 Starfighter around one of those turbine engines, or a CF-105 Arrow around two of them, could be pretty sweet!

 

[Stymye]

awesome!

 

[Stones]

I got goosebumps watching that. Way "kewl".

 

[Hospital_Rocket]

Just think

That is over $11,000 in motors - presuming they bought kits!

And they call us nuts....

 

[Chilly]

When Cosmodrome finally comes out with their G-powered X15 kit, I'm thinking THAT needs to be the launcher!

 

[HeadHunter]

WOW...I guess I’ll have to take back all the stuff I said about horizontal fliers!

 

[HeadHunter]

an update on this work of art. I heard about a week ago that it crashed on landing due to wind gust. Guess he didn't have the crosswind option. a moment of silence

 

[Larry]

I saw this yesterday on an ultralight website. It sounds cool with those engines. I thought the crash was due to an engine fire.
I'd hate to begin to guess what kind of bucks were tied up in that project. There use to be an event in Iowa called, "Aviation Expo" They put on an R.C. airshow called,"striking Back" It featured 1/5 scale models of WWII aircraft. One big atraction was their B-29 Superfort. 30' plus wingspan and over 350lbs. They had two, but lost one the second day they flew it. Not sure what happened. The second one flew for many years untill the show folded. The last time I saw this plane fly, they did a couple of rolls which was awesome to see. They also had a pair of B-25s, a B-17,( all had working bombay doors) a C-47(which dropped R.C. paratroopers), plus various WWII fighters. It was an impressive show.

 

[vjp]

Here's another amazingly big R/C project, this one with a rocketry connection.

It's a giant scale model of the Russian AN-225, AND the Buran (Russian space shuttle) piggybacked! (The AN-225 was used by the Soviets for transporting and drop testing the Buran, in the same way that NASA uses the 747-based carrier for the U.S. shuttle.)

https://pssaonline.co.uk/gallery-pages/an225 by simon cocker.htm

 

[arthur dent]

cripes...that looks and sounds like the real thing

 

[rstaff3]

Originally posted by HeadHunter
an update on this work of art. I heard about a week ago that it crashed on landing due to wind gust. Guess he didn't have the crosswind option. a moment of silence

Now THAT has to hurt! I'll remember this thread each time I destroy or lose a rocket

 

[rstaff3]

The Vatsaas website has some links to some pretty cool RC planes also.

 

[vjp]

Originally posted by rstaff3
The Vatsaas website has some links to some pretty cool RC planes also.

Where? I looked but couldn't find any.

 

[11bravo]

Originally posted by Larry
snip....There use to be an event in Iowa called, "Aviation Expo" .... snip ....It was an impressive show.

Yes it was. I saw it when it was still in Ida Grove. If I am not mistaken, your picture is from there as well.

Greg

 

[rstaff3]

Originally posted by vjp
Where? I looked but couldn't find any.

https://www.vatsaas.org/rtv/misc/bios/johnjets.aspx

It was kinda hidden.

 

[Larry]

Originally posted by 11Bravo
Yes it was. I saw it when it was still in Ida Grove. If I am not mistaken, your picture is from there as well.

Greg

Greg,
Most of the pictures I have of the event were taken at Ida Grove. I have a great one of a Zero coming apart in midair. I had some pictures made into 8x10s. People would think they were looking at the real thing instead of models.
We would usually fly over on Sunday morning for the flight breakfast,as It became kind of a ritual for us.lol I feel it lost a lot of its appeal when it was moved. I wish I had picked up at least one of the video tapes done of the show, but I never did.

Larry

 

[powderburner]

Originally posted by HeadHunter
I heard about a week ago that it crashed on landing due to wind gust.

I heard that there was a video of the crash----does anyone know where to find it?

 

[vjp]

Thanks for the link Dick! That Concorde is - well - amazing!

And here's the video link for the B-52 crash:

https://home.comcast.net/~flyingcrazy/b52crash.mpeg

...it dropped behind the tree line, so the carnage is sorta concealed.

 

[JStarStar]

Man, after investing that much time and money and effort into something like that, I think I'd want to go the extra mile to equip those models with some kind of emergency chute canister in the tail or something, with an abort button on your console, so if you saw things starting to go unsalvageably bad, you just hit the abort button and blow out some chutes, the engines cut out, and at least the body of the plane maybe survives to the ground.

It probably wouldn't save it *undamaged,* but it might keep it intact enough to be repaired.

Of course, these guys probably thought of this - it's not like they need MY modeling advice. Just a thought...

 

[vjp]

Originally posted by JStarStar
Man, after investing that much time and money and effort into something like that, I think I'd want to go the extra mile to equip those models with some kind of emergency chute canister in the tail or something,

Nah.... this has to have a rocketry spin here.

Think RETRO-ROCKETS!!!

It looked like a classic "tip-stall", i.e. low speed turn, the inboard wing loses lift due to reduced airspeed, then gravity takes over. Often happens when the wind causes the pilot to believe the plane is travelling faster through the air then it really is (you're on the ground so there's no way of knowing what the indicated air speed really is).

 

[Justin Horne]

Incredible!

 

[vjp]

Yet another giant R/C project....

 

[dragonshiprider]

Very much!!!

 

[stevem]

There use to be an event in Iowa called, "Aviation Expo" .

Larry, 11Bravo - I used to go to the Byron Original's Avaition Expo in Ida Grove back in the day. What great memories! That was one cool R/C show.

I remember in vivid detail, the end of the Striking Back air show with the P-51 Mustangs and Corsairs circling above the smoke covered battlefield where the 1/5 scale Japanese Zeros smoldered on the ground! The ack-ack fire and explosions were so real you could feel them in your chest. The big bombers were dropping bombs and paratroopers. Fire and smoke everywhere. Then as the victorious allied planes circled the field, off in the distance several marines emerged from behind a hill and recreated the flag-raising at Iwo Jima as the Star Bangled Banner blared over the loudspeakers!
There wasn't a dry eye in the house! It was very cool.

I am not sure but I heard that the whole thing fell victim to insurance costs after someone got hurt one year after they moved it to Ames Iowa. I have always thought it was a shame to lose such a unique show.