B-24 Liberator from Spare Parts!

[Jason Nowell]

Well guys, I'm at it again. I got the chance to see a little C-130 Hercules fly (Gary Jones set it up and flew it and Keith Sparks (Sparky) built the airframe. This airplane was really neat, so I set out to build a B-24 (one of my all time favorites).

I had some spare parts laying around, so onward I went. I used modified Cub Stick wings and some 3/4" foam sheets I got from Home Depot. I also found some N-20's (Wattage B-2 motors) for .45 cents each at a local electronics store. So far, the airframe has cost me about $5 WITH MOTORS! Not to mention several hours with a sanding pad :rolleyes:

Anyhow, I cut three fuse profiles from the sheet foam and cut the entire center out of the middle one leaving about 3/4" all the way around. The only problem I had was that my dihedral sagged into anhedral after the epoxy set up. I'm going to add ailerons so it will turn indoors.

All in all it flies great outdoors, will slow down to a crawl, and is reasonably stable even for indoors (we won't talk about the turn I tried indoors though). With the addition of coupled aileron / rudders, it should be a nice indoor flyer...cross your fingers :D

Heres a few pics (one with dihedral, the other a day later) :confused:

http://www.millenniumproductions.com/libby.jpg

[ 04-18-2001: Message edited by: Jason Nowell ]

[nolasco]

Nice plane!

Could you give more info about your setup, like battery pack, prop size/type, current drawn by each motor, generated thrust, etc.?

Jun Nolasco


Originally posted by Jason Nowell:
<STRONG>Well guys, I'm at it again. I got the chance to see a little C-130 Hercules fly (Gary Jones set it up and flew it and Keith Sparks (Sparky) built the airframe. This airplane was really neat, so I set out to build a B-24 (one of my all time favorites).
</STRONG>

[ 04-17-2001: Message edited by: nolasco ]

[Jason Nowell]

Jun:

Here is the setup.

GWS reciever, CS-21BB Servos, Great Planes C-5 ESC, Sanyo 9V NiCad (7.2 volts, 120mAh).

I used a bellcrank made from a servo arm, screwed into a block of spruce to move both rudders simultaneously.

After I add the ailerons, I will close the hatch on the top, add the gun turrets and paint it. I'll have it ready for the Southwest Aero-modeling Conference in Addison, TX. if you want to watch it fly. I'll also have video up on Nirac of it in the air soon ( www.nirac.org (http://www.nirac.org) ).

Later,

[Jason Nowell]

Jun:

Sorry, I forgot the motor / prop.

4 Wattage B-2 motors (N-20)
U-80 Union props from Cloud 9 RC.
Thrust generated is about 1 ounce per motor/prop as measured by Gary Jones on his C-130 (by the way, there is video of the Hercules flying at www.nirac.org/video.htm (http://www.nirac.org/video.htm) )

[check yer 6]

WOW! Any chance of a B-17?

[Jason Nowell]

I'm thinking about a 17, I already have a B-25 in the works though. I want to do a B-17 and a DC-3 Dakota in military markings. I'll probably change my mind three times before I start though. :)

Jason

[pease1]

So how is this coming? Inquiring minds want to know!

Al

[Jason Nowell]

Allan:

Here's where I am so far....the marn thing fly's beautifully, as long as you want to go in a straight line!!! I even tried pulling in some dihedral and it still won't turn with both rudders deflecting 45 degrees.

The ailerons are cut and hinged, the servo has been re-positioned, and I will rig up some pull-pull ailerons this evening and test fly if the weather permits. I feel certain that it will fly well with ailerons.....it fly's well now, just won't turn :confused:

I'll let you guys know how the test flight goes.

[pease1]

If it's still sluggish you could tie the rudders to the alerons as well.

Al

[Jason Nowell]

Allan:

Yep, I'm doing coupled aileron/rudder. Mostly because it took me too long to rig up the rudders, I'm not about to let them sit still now! Plus they look really cool moving simultaneously :)

I've been tied up with work so I still haven't finished it, but it shall be airworthy by the end of this weekend. Now if the wind will just cooperate.

[pease1]

Great - looks marvelous. I don't see the ailerons, did you finally get the rudders trimmed so they worked or did you couple ailerons with the rudders and they just don't show up in the pictures?

[Jason Nowell]

Allan:

While working on finishing it, i found the problem. The rudders were made of Depron Foam and the linkage was a little loose. I put full rudder in and pushed against the control surface and noticed that it took a feather worth of pressure to center the rudders. I tightened up the linkages and taped both sides of the hinge and it fixed the problem. I also pulled some dihedral in.

With these changes it flies like a champ, I couldn't be happier.

[pease1]

Mmmmmm - Time for me to put some spare lite-stik wings into service......

Great work!
Al

[Jason Nowell]

Well, it's finally finished! It made it's maiden voyage at the SWAC last weekend. It flew like a dream!

http://www.millenniumproductions.com/B-24.jpg

[pease1]

I've always liked Liberators, but actually I have a SEVERE weakness for Brewster Buffalos....

(I know I'm mad)

[Jason Nowell]

Allan:

What are you going to do? I'm about to start a B-17 (or maybe a B-29). We are trying to get part of the Confederate Air Force Hangar for indoor RC during the Airsho 2001 event in Midland, TX.

Between Gary Jones and I, we plan to have his B-36 and C-130, my B-24 and P-51, and future B-29 and B-17. Should make for a nice show for the WWII Aviation buffs that will be there.

[Jason Nowell]

Allan:

I have the number of a good shrink...you need help :)

Actually, I like under-dogs myself, and in the aircraft beauty contest, the Buffalo wins the under-dog title hands down.

Send pic's when you start, we want to know just how sick you are.

[pease1]

I'll definately let you know. It's so windy here I've been building a lot lately.

I'm thinking Buffalo or maybe a Morane Saulnier N WWI monoplane!

I need something like this that's a bit easier to fly than the micro stuff I've been trying (and failing) to fly lately in all this wind.

I'm still a novice, so I can fly the lite-stik fine, but faster stuff gives me trouble.
Good thing the planes I've been crashing lately are all scratch built stuff from balsa. Nothing lost but some time and a few bucks worth of wood. Up to now I haven't damaged any electronics so that's good!

Thanks for the encouragement!
Al