The original configuration had an external gun sight slaved to the tail guns that would be a nice addition. It would be nice to add the tail gunner's bicycle seat and armor plate. I might be able to send you a sketch if you are interested.
I thought that I would mention the ball turret did not retract on the B-17, no need to. The B-24 retracted due to ground clearance , the belly was only 18 inches above the ground but the tail dragger B-17 had lots of ground clearance.
Correction. The belly was about 28 inches above the ground when loaded. A typo. I remember many times smelling fuel fumes in the summer when I stepped up on the bomb bay catwalk to get aboard. Take off SOP was to crank the bomb doors open about a foot to circulate air into the bomb bay before the static ground wire lost contact. A totally different airplane from the B-17.
I was also interested in where you got the lofting info with which to configure your model. Like the dihedral angle , airfoil, and and angle of incidence. I ask because several of the larger models that I have seen are incorrect. A large B-29 model had absolutely no dihedral and that puzzled me. Plenty of info on that.
my b17 started out as a kit. the company that produced the kit were big into scale and worked hard to have the numbers as close as possible. wingspan models
The larger the model the better and closer to the optimum particle density and flow of the full sized article. I was an avid model builder when I was young and small free flight scale models always had to have the horizontal tail greatly increased for the model to fly. My favorite was a six foot span Carl Goldberg free flight model, a Zipper if I remember, covered in orange silk and clear doped. It was beautiful to see it soaring after engine shutoff. He also produced a Clipper.
Here is my Devestator. My friend built this model 36 years ago. I updated all the systems and she took to the skies again yesterday Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
That item is the aileron trim tab and is a hinged flap, up travel and down travel is 22 degrees. The inboard end of the elevators have similar trim tabs.
Just incredible detail. I was wrenching on the Stinson today getting ready to finish the annual so I’ve got “plane on the brain”. I’ll be there this year at Bomber Field. Cannot wait to see this one!! Great work. cheers Dave
Hi Barry, My dad does, mainly foamys. He’s a retired corporate pilot and loves the hobby. I’m just stating to get into them and am amazed at kits available and what’s out there. I bought an older Stinson 108 that I just finished but probably won’t fly. Mainly, bought it to make a replica of my real one. It’s a balsa kit, so one crash and it’ll be toast! Pics of my Stinson are in the Show us your Plane thread. I own a Cessna 310 also. Now, more pics of that machine, please!!! cheers Dave
Lower turret test fit Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Even found some time to do a shop deep clean. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Love the F-104. Looks like a G model with extended vertical stabilizer/rudder, even though USAF never operationally employed the type. Edwards had a few, including the rocket boosted ones.