whirlybomber
Well-Known Member
Hello,
well i am not building anything at the moment, but I have been a plane nut since i could tilt my head back and look up without falling over. what really interests me these days is the westland whirlwind fighter from ww2.
I went to the trouble of getting some basic size/weight data on the original, and scaled the size for a 75% variant, powered by 2x80hp jabirus (they fit neatly under the cowls. I checked). After borrowing a pile of books from various aero eng people I know, i did a basic sizing/stability analysis. here's the bad bit. as the jab's are a bit lighter than the original 900 hp perigrines, and there are no 20mm cannons in the nose of my design, with a full weight person in the scale position (on the t/e of the wing) the thing is so out of balance it has about as much chance of flying as the QE2.
I have had a go with the jab 120hp's as well, and it still doesn't solve the problem.
the only thing to move to get it back in balance is the pilot. and that would change the whole apperance of the 'plane, negating the whole point. So i kinda gave up for a bit.
If anyone has a good scale design for a typhoon/tempest/fury from ww2 I'd be keen to have a look.
Anyone with any details on the whirlwind is encoraged to contact me.
otherwise, hello, and I'll be lurking about in the forums from time to time.
happy flying!
well i am not building anything at the moment, but I have been a plane nut since i could tilt my head back and look up without falling over. what really interests me these days is the westland whirlwind fighter from ww2.
I went to the trouble of getting some basic size/weight data on the original, and scaled the size for a 75% variant, powered by 2x80hp jabirus (they fit neatly under the cowls. I checked). After borrowing a pile of books from various aero eng people I know, i did a basic sizing/stability analysis. here's the bad bit. as the jab's are a bit lighter than the original 900 hp perigrines, and there are no 20mm cannons in the nose of my design, with a full weight person in the scale position (on the t/e of the wing) the thing is so out of balance it has about as much chance of flying as the QE2.
I have had a go with the jab 120hp's as well, and it still doesn't solve the problem.
the only thing to move to get it back in balance is the pilot. and that would change the whole apperance of the 'plane, negating the whole point. So i kinda gave up for a bit.
If anyone has a good scale design for a typhoon/tempest/fury from ww2 I'd be keen to have a look.
Anyone with any details on the whirlwind is encoraged to contact me.
otherwise, hello, and I'll be lurking about in the forums from time to time.
happy flying!
