Hi all,
Just wondering,soon I will have my Schuebeler fans for my F-14 project,I have been toying with the idea of building a small (ish) model to install one of these 90mm fans.
Only forseeable problem in EDF format,would be inlet area,whilst clinging to scale integrity.The Lightning has a radar radome slap bang in the middle of the inlet.
Does anyone know if this machine has been flown,using the same scale parameters described above,in EDF?
This aircraft has been known to set me drooling for years,ever since watching one display at R.A.F. Mildenhall in Suffolk,England,in the late 1980's.
It was something else watching it screaming down the runway in full reheat,lifting its gear,still flying on low,straight and level a bit more,raising it's nose to the vertical,scything through the air up to 30,000 or so,in a VERY short time,dissapearing as it becomes speck like into the blue-magic stuff!
I have attached a picture of my 20" span o.d. Lightning powered with a 400 pusher,flew great,but a tad underpowered.
Anyone else love this aircraft?

I was at R.A.F. Lakenheath in 77-78 watching the Aardvaarks! We did get to see some of the more "interesting" birds out of there....

CenTexFlyer

after seeing the tomcat, u design an i`ll build it!!!!!. i just love the lightning, i have been drooling over it for years!!.
nhoj62(drool drool)

You design it, I'll get it ready to cut! I want one! I love the lightning too! Would that be another twin fan model? Or single? Hmm twin...just dreaming

James

Well,I was going to draw plans up for the Flanker next,seeing someone on this forum has done it already,now's the time to consider the Lightning again.
I was thinking of using a single motor installation,as I don't think two motors can breathe properly with the scale inlet as described earlier,also was thinking of designing it purely as a hand/cat. launch,as the u/c set up is a mite complicated.
My creative juices are at the ready to go stage,this design would be considerably simpler to draw than the Tomcat.
James,wife is giving me weird looks,I'm supposed to be kitchen re decorating today (one of my favourite jobs....)
When I get a bit more time,I'll mail you a detalied response to the question you posed on Friday.
Lightnings forever!
Matt.
My little pusher 400 model,although underpowered,exhibited superb flying/handling,really steady flyer,those tiny scale ailerons were plenty powerful enough too.

Bipeflyer,

How about a profile radome for flying and a 3D radome when it's not?......this will get some air into the fan. And a lazy figure 8 at the exhaust?
The profile radome won't be noticed at scale-speeds.
Isn't the Lightning is a bit slim for a single fan? How about two Microfans (if they ever get sorted)?

Good luck!

Steve


Question!
Would a highly swept-wing model such as the Lightning need much more power to fly than say a model of the Hunter? A clubmate seems to think so.

I fully understand your points here-the fuselage is very slim,but do not anticipate any problems with getting say,a 480 fan like the WeMoTec in there,just a little clearance to put fixing rails to screw the fan onto.
If the weight/wing loading is quite low,it won't take long for the model to get on the step once airborne.My litttle model with the pusher had a pretty high wing loading,purely because I covered the foam structure in glass/epoxy,THEN added a full paint job.
My vision for EDF is a model built from balsa in the main,with foam addons,plus open bay type wing structure.Many efforts will be made to keep it light.
Two Minifans would be great,problem is,where the hell do you put all those batteries?
I will put my brain to the task,and see what comes out...
I appreciate also your comment re. the nose radome,yes,a cruciform type profile wouldn't hurt too much-I really don't want to add cheater holes,so we'll see how it goes.
Nice to see more Brits using this forum,bring out out a British jet,and all the Brits come to the surface,great stuff!
Matt.

Matt..Does this mean that I'm not going to get my SU27 Flanker kit, and after all that work in getting the Cross Sections ???

So if you anr not going to do the Flanker, you said that someone in this forum already has, who has done it, and will it be made into a Kit or Plan......

Any information would be welcome as I realy want a Flanker, Pusher prop, Ducted Fan, IC, I don't care, I just want a Flanker..



Martyn

Hey Martyn,
Don't despair-I AM going to draw plans for the Flanker now,just need a little light relief after the Tomcat,so thought I would go for the Lightning first,as it is a fairly simple design by comparison,then with a clear head,tackle the Flanker bird,seems that interest here would make it worthwhile,plus I would love one myself,so don't fret,it WILL happen.
I will dismiss the 'Sortakhoi' now,as it costs too much,the Lightning will now take it's place.Thanks for the info.sorry to hear of your crash,repairs are coming on apace though,looks good.

Matt.
Berkut?Flown yet???

Martyn, So you are the one that got the Flanker cross sections? Matt better hurry up kicking the drawings over, I am anxious to start on it. I also look forward to helping him with the Lightning as well. The Lightning and Flanker will be a breeze after the Tomcat. Martyn, you will get a Flanker...I promise!

James

Phew....... That was a close shave....... I thought for a moment that I'd have to give up the Dream of zooming around the sky in .......er with a Flanker....

No Worries guys..... ...

Matt..... Sorry to say this but the S37 has not flown yet - It's had engine runs, and taxi tests.

Last weekend was the only good one since christmas, and I thought I would be pushing my luck taking four aircraft to the field for maiden flights.

as it was I crashed the Sortakhoi, but the B25 and Vulcan flew with little or no problems, the B25 from the first launch, the Vulcan after three faulse starts due to incorrect C/G..

I've got family staying this weekend, and the weekend after that I,m at the Woburn Swap meet, so the S37 will be scheduled to maiden weekend of the 9/10 March.

I'll send you pictures and an update.

Martyn

OK Martyn,I look forward to it-
Matt.