For Bob Parks and any other lovers of the Boeing B17 | FerrariChat

For Bob Parks and any other lovers of the Boeing B17

Discussion in 'Aviation Chat' started by u2fast, Jan 5, 2021.

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  1. u2fast

    u2fast Karting

    Mar 22, 2009
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    bellaire
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    barry r
    As some of you know, I’m a model airplane enthusiast. I have been building, flying and competing in scale radio control airplanes. Here is my latest project. A 1/6 scale B17. I’m replicating the Texas Raider B17. It is located just outside of Houston and they let me crawl all over it so I can get my details correct. She should be in the air by July in Houston. Power will be 4 EME 70cc twins with autostart. Weight, well let’s call it heavy. Maiden will be at BomberfieldUSA


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  2. u2fast

    u2fast Karting

    Mar 22, 2009
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    barry r
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  3. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
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    Feb 27, 2004
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    Jim Pernikoff
    Do you need FAA permission to fly that monster?
     
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  4. u2fast

    u2fast Karting

    Mar 22, 2009
    244
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    barry r
    I have to get a tail number from the faa. Which I have. Otherwise, AMA rules have to be followed. A weight waiver and an inspection flight has to be performed yearly in order to fly at an AMA field or sanctioned event. AMA is where I get liability insurance.
     
  5. NYC Fred

    NYC Fred F1 Veteran
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    Sep 28, 2010
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    Fred C
    Anybody make 1/6 scale bombs?

    This could be FUN.

    Just finished "the Fall of Fortresses" by a guy named Elmer Bendiner. WW2 navigator, European campaign. These poor bastards got hammered by the Luftwaffe. Great read.
     
  6. Bob Parks

    Bob Parks F1 Veteran
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    Nov 29, 2003
    7,911
    Shoreline,Washington
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    Robert Parks
    What are the black lines for?
     
  7. Bob Parks

    Bob Parks F1 Veteran
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    Nov 29, 2003
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    Robert Parks
    Aftercooling outlets are missing on the wing upper surface and I don't see any oil cooler and super charger inlets in the wing leading edge. I know! Nit-picking.
     
  8. u2fast

    u2fast Karting

    Mar 22, 2009
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    barry r
    don’t worry. Those are added as time passes. I have all the super chargers 3d printed. The only thing that will be missing is the openings in the leading edge. They will only be paint. It would weaken the leading edge too much due to the model being wood and fiberglass
     
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  9. u2fast

    u2fast Karting

    Mar 22, 2009
    244
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    barry r
    Also, the black lines are chart tape to lay out the panel lines. Once the panel line is created, the chart tape is removed.
     
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  10. Bob Parks

    Bob Parks F1 Veteran
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    Nov 29, 2003
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    Robert Parks
    A great undertaking ! When it comes time to paint, I have all the color data and application information.
     
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  11. Bob Parks

    Bob Parks F1 Veteran
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    Nov 29, 2003
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    Not "after cooler" outlets. Should be intercooler air outlets aft of the rear spar. On higher time B-17's these outlets usually had a dark oil smudge aft of them.
     
  12. u2fast

    u2fast Karting

    Mar 22, 2009
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    barry r
    good info. We are documenting the Texas raider. They are clean on that b17 at the moment. When competing scale, we have to use pics of the actual plane being replicated. We are blessed that this b17 is local. Plus it has a high vis scheme. Perfect for flying a model.
     
  13. Bob Parks

    Bob Parks F1 Veteran
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    Nov 29, 2003
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    I feel that your project is more than a model and that you hopefully will make an accurate representation of a WW2 B-17 and not a current idea of what it may have looked like. Too many "restorations" have the incorrect o.d. upper surface color, the incorrect sheen (glossy), the incorrect application, and the incorrect undersurface (light mouse grey). It isn't difficult to research WW2 photos to determine how to correctly apply the color and application of the exterior finish. There is plenty of adequate and correct info to accurately apply the finish to a WW2 aircraft. They weren't pretty or shiney and they weren't clean of carbon and streaks of cooked-on oil. Iv'e been there and I have done that.
     
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  14. u2fast

    u2fast Karting

    Mar 22, 2009
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    barry r
    bob, i agree with you about heavily weathered aircraft. i prefer a battle tested looking airplane over the current restorations. however, in scale modeling, you have to replicate the aircraft in detail. the texas raider was delivered to service one month before the war ended. it never saw action and therefore there are no pics of it looking rough. luckily, it has a flat paint job on it with the exception of the red. i will follow with pics.
     
  15. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
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  16. u2fast

    u2fast Karting

    Mar 22, 2009
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    barry r
    yep, i have a scale 3 blade adjustable pitch prop too. but flies so much better on the 2 blade
     
  17. Bob Parks

    Bob Parks F1 Veteran
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    Nov 29, 2003
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    Good stuff. I am interested in what kind of main landing gear retraction mechanism you have set up.
     
  18. Bob Parks

    Bob Parks F1 Veteran
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    Nov 29, 2003
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    I bunked with many B-17 and B-24 crews, some still coping with wound dressings. Most all of them were physically and emotionally shot and "still in combat." Only a couple with whom I kept in contact are living and this country will never know what the 1942-44 combat crews really went through. A squadron mate at Langley Field took this photo when he was a photographer/gunner in the 451st Bomb Group.
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  19. Bob Parks

    Bob Parks F1 Veteran
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    Nov 29, 2003
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    I noticed the Cheyenne mod "Pumpkin Tail turret." Are you going to hand build that?
     
  20. u2fast

    u2fast Karting

    Mar 22, 2009
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    bob, thx for your input and conversation.

    yes, those crews went through hell in europe. true heroes.

    the landing gear are pneumatic and scale right down to the tires and rims. i will get pics.

    yes. will be replicating the turrets. i have them all fresh off of a 3 d printer. the belly turret will retract as the landing gear come down. all the turrets move. the bombay doors operate and dummy bombs will be dropped.
     
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  21. Jaguar36

    Jaguar36 Formula Junior

    Nov 8, 2010
    834
    Cherry Hill, NJ
    What materials are you using and how are they constructed?
     

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