Focke Wulf Ta400
The B-17 has always been my favourite plane, when I build the little one for geared S400 see the picture: My E-plane page. My idea was that this small plane was supposed to be a test model, in half size, of the B-17 that I really wanted to build I had prepared the drawings for the big B-17 with a wingspan of 4,3 meter, complete in balsa, but unfortunately there were in the 2002 three IC powered B-17 flying here in little Denmark, therefore I did decided to do something else.There were no doubt: The new plane had to be big, of cause electric powered, build complete in balsa - white form can be OK, but the form don't give the right smell of good old wood!. A multi engine plane was my target, and a day I found this page : "Luft 46" with scale information about German WW2 planes. I felt in love with the FW Ta400 bomber, and started to create some drawings from the 3D view on the page. In addition to the information from the internet, I have later found a drawing in the German electric flight magazine: Elektro Modell, a FW Ta400 in a smaller size than the one that I wanted to build. I have tried to find more information about the plane, but without success.
The FW Ta400 bomber, had 6 engines, did not enter service, a model of the plane was tested in wind tunnel. My FW Ta 400 has the following data :
Build complete in balsa covered with epoxy and light fiberglass (a few parts will be in vacuum formed plastic).
Wingspan 4,35 m (app. 14.5')
Target weight 12-14 kg.
6 pcs. Robart mechanical retracts all with doors
Bomb doors, with possibility to drop up to 4 bombs
Total more than 23 servos
3 separate batteries' for servo, RX and retracts
Fowler flaps (I can't find information about the flaps on the real plane) I build the plane with fowler flaps because these flaps are a challenge to build, and they look and work very good in the air)
6 pcs. LRK 345/25-19 with 6 pcs. homebuilt speedy BL controllers, and 3 blades 15x10 carbon Ramoser Varioprops look at: My LRK building.
Original planned for 72 pcs. RC2000 cells (2001), then changed to GP3600, then to GP4200 cells. (12/motor)... Today the power today will come from LIPO cells 6 pcs. 4S 4000-5000mA.
Expected flying time: More than 15 min
I hope that I will get the plane i the air in late 2003.....??.....no...late 2004 ??.... no .....late 2005 ??...no ... late 2006 ???.... no late 2007 ??...no, then maybe late 2008....no, still no progress, ... but maybe in 2009??.. no progress at all!... 2010 I am thinking about it.. Then 2011 ?? I will think even more...Some pictures from the building process (I will ad more picture on this page when the work proceed):
|
For the wing building I had make a building jig from white form. For the hotwire cutting
I had used the tip- and the rod- ribs. The jig has washout build in, and make the building very easy
|
The wing is build in 3 sections. This picture show one of the tip sections in the building jig.
The wingtip is 1.3 meters long
|
|
Pre-assembly of the mid section to the wing. Here you can see the purpose of the jig.
The mid section is build upside down, because of the flaps and retracts.
|
The Nacelle covered with wood. I build this one in wood, and then I vacuum form the 6
units that I will use for the plane
|
|
The Fuselage is build in 2 halves. After covering with balsa, I had glued the 2 halves together.
The length of the complete fuselage is 2,8 m. After the building I have cut the Fuselage in 2 sections for easy transport.
|
The covered rear end of the fuselage. The holes in the rib is used for screws for the assembling of the fuselage.
This part of the fuselage is app. 1,5 meter long. I have later added holes for a 30 mm carbon fibre tubes to give the assembly more strength
(same principle as a wing assembling)
|
|
The mid section of the wing with retract holders. There are 4 retracts in the wing
|
Front retract assembly with 2 retracts. The retract is done by one big servo, the steering by 2 micro servos.
The 2 steering servos are disconnected form the battery when the wheels are in up position. This is done by the micro switch mounted between the 2 retracts.
|
|
Fowler mechanism in up position. The fowler flaps is operated by 4 servos
|
Fowler mechanism in down position. The Fowler flaps is build according to a drawing from Model Aeroplane News
|
|
The mid section of the wing, here with the motor holders. (4 pcs. of the 6 motors are mounted in the mid. wing section)
|
The tail plane have 2 rudders each operated by a separate servo. The elevator is operated by one big servo
mounted in the fuselage. The Tail plane is separated from the fuselage for easy transportation. Wingspan, tail plane is 1.4 meter.
|
|
Retract in fuselage with one door mounted. The doors are operated by a small servo.
|
Retract test.
|
|
Test assembling of the fuselage and mid section of the wing.
|
Assembling wing and motor holders.
|
|
First time all parts is together - 4,35 meter is quite big !
Just to have a scale: The wingspan on the Höllein piber is 1 meter.
|
back to my homepage.
