Large B52 PSS

[JohnPearson]

Hi guys, I am a new member to this forum, so therefore I would like to share a little info on the B52 build, which I started a few mouths ago and is on going. I have posted a pic of the model at present, I will update this forum with more info of the build as it progresses and how I got talked into this mad project soon!!

Going to Retro glide with Bill Scott of NIMSA, so hopefully I will get a chance to meet some of you on the slopes for a chat, and some great flying.

Cheers for now

[Fred]

Hey John, welcome to the forum  
Looking really good !! And big !    :shock:  
All foam ?

[joe]

Hiya John.
Welcome aboard. The B52 looks great. Please keep us informed of your progress. See you next week!
Joe

[JohnPearson]

Thanks Fred and Joe, for the warm welcome, as promised her is some details on the B52 project. The original concept came from a plan published by RM Greenwood many years ago. I build the test model from this plan, all balsa. The test flights took place at the bowl in the Antrim hills N.I. with Bill Scott from NIMSA, providing the strong right arm and encouragement to fly the dam thing, quote Bill " on the count of three 'three go!!. The test model few very well and very scale like, no nasty surprises very smooth. AUW 6 1/2 pounds wing span 78" standard RC gear.

Here are some pics of the test model in flight:






The Big B52 idea came from Ian Robb, a member of the langfordmodel avaition club and builder of some fantastic large models, quote " hi John would'n a Big B52 look great, after all size matters in the model world, here's a video of cain's B52 from the USA"get building.

The model is all foam, 'pink styro foam' wing span approx 16ft, fuselage 11ft, my target AUW weight when finish is approx 30 pounds. The model will be finish in glass cloth.
Well that's it for now
JohnP

[Happy Days]

Well hi John and welcome to the party :clap:

That is one BIG model. Very impressive. But tell me,..................when landing her, how do you ensure the "engines" are not ripped off of their support pylons??
(The landing areas around here are not renown for their smoothness and if you intend to fly it I'd hate to see it get damaged)

Keith

[JohnPearson]

Hi Keith, the engine pylons could be a problem on the big B52 model. The landing sites where we fly, are not to bad, mostly flat with long grass. With the test model, I just spot glued the engines on, so that they would break off easy on a rough landing and it worked well in practice. as for the big B52 with the weight and size, a better system needs to be used, therefore, I checked with the PSS u.k. and found a good system used by Simon crocker on his large B52 PSS build around the late eights. The small diagram below shows how the engines slip off on landing, hopefully with little damage on simons model, I will use the same method on my B52.

Any ideas would be welcome on this subject Keith!!

[Fred]

Hi John,

Really pleased to see you at Retroplane ! Shame, we did not had more time to talk, especially about the B52 !

Anyway, may be a bit late, for the nacelle release, the picture looks like a good solution, but I will had magnets to lock everything, and to avoid losing one in flight (just in case!)

Hope this help.

[JohnPearson]

Hi all

Well progress on the big BUFF has been slow due to the amount of events and other projects which I have been involved with. however recently with more time to build, I have pushed on with the big lady. First I have finished the outer wing panels, control surfaces fitted and  both sections glassed and the base colour 'Black' applied. The central section of the wing, is now ready to be glassed also, with the flaps fitted and spruce strengthing spars installed.
The tail feathers, have been completed and glassed, however the cloth on the tailplane is a bit of a mess, i.e. a lot of bubbles appeared when the epoxy set.
The fuselage is now ready to be glassed, so I hope to get this and the center wing section done over the weekend.  Here are so pics of the model :



Center wing section with wingbolt plates installed.


One wing section completed all 8 feet!!


Photos of left flap


Center wing section showing wing bolts '8mm steel 6"bolts'


Photo of the test B52 model and her big sister on the work table.

I have decided on a colour scheme for the model taken from an old aircraft book I had lying around in the workshop, see below :



B52D-25-BW 2nd AF's 7th Bomber Strategic wing name 'City of Fort Worth'

[billscottni]

as you're moving on with this, i'd better start weight training to be able to launch it!!! :cry:  :cry:

[JohnPearson]

Hi Bill

Still on target for 25 - 30 lbs, however the glass cloth does add alot of weight to the air frame, however not bad for a model this size.


Another photo of the paint scheme

[Fred]

:clap:  Looking good John !
That's some good progress there !  

Ok, we will definitively have a PSS event to our calendar !  

[JohnPearson]

Hi Fred

We need a PSS on the event board for next season 100%, now I would like to see a certain F16 and a big B25 flying maybe next season ??

[Fred]

:oops:  You got me there John !  
Will definitively try to have something to show !

And a PSS event, consider it done !  

[billscottni]

I'll bring the Frogfoot

[joe]

Looking very good John. Nice work.
I have been mailing Simon Cocker (about Aermacchi). He was asking about your B52 and has been checking it out on here. As you know he is a bit of a B52 fan. He said if you have any questions or need any help to let him know and he would be happy to lend a hand.