Did Bates provide you with a digital version of his 1/4 scale P-39 plans? My 70% P-39 mock-up was built from enlarged Pepino plans and I have posted a photo of a rear engined, 1/4 scale driveline model built from Bates plans. What scale is the airframe in the photo? How did you plan on dealing with the scale door size being too small for anyone over 5' 2" to get into? Were you planning on a mid or front engine location?Had the same idea for the P-39 a few years back. Called Jerry Bates after several long discussions with members of the Replica Fighters Association. Jerry sent me his 1/4 scale plans and said try it. Now that I have a workshop again, I started to play at Model Scale (MS=50% of the Original). My MS scale has not been adjusted for the 100% pilot yet. Tonight I am working on a new Spar configuration. After I get the new spar figured out, I will reshape for the pilot and build the fuse at MS one last time. If there are no more changes, I'll increase to Final Scale and start cutting parts. I have two electric motors in mind...
View attachment 114125 par configuration
Have you made any progress on the final design? What scale are you planning to use? Is it going to be a genset/batteries/motor arrangement?Had the same idea for the P-39 a few years back. Called Jerry Bates after several long discussions with members of the Replica Fighters Association. Jerry sent me his 1/4 scale plans and said try it. Now that I have a workshop again, I started to play at Model Scale (MS=50% of the Original). My MS scale has not been adjusted for the 100% pilot yet. Tonight I am working on a new Spar configuration. After I get the new spar figured out, I will reshape for the pilot and build the fuse at MS one last time. If there are no more changes, I'll increase to Final Scale and start cutting parts. I have two electric motors in mind...
View attachment 114125 par configuration
Not to sidetrack this too much, but if you're looking for a 5151 give me a holler.
Have you made any progress on the final design? What scale are you planning to use? Is it going to be a genset/batteries/motor arrangement?
Vince Homer
Have you made any progress on the final design? What scale are you planning to use? Is it going to be a genset/batteries/motor arrangement?
Vince Homer
The P39 was such a small fighter, I don't see why you couldn't stay very close to full size and still have manageable dimensions, much like the Timber Tiger Ryan. Personally, I plan to draw it up at no less than 85%.So what scale would you suggest for the 39?
Ok then! If I go to 82%, it will be a good match for Corsair82. It would be nice to see them side-by-side. )))
Joseph Labert
Yeah, but I don't even look at the weights. By the time you subtract the weapons load, the armor, the giant engine, the long rang internal fuel, these aircraft's weights are anybody's guess. I suppose you could look at what they weighed as Reno Racers, but I don't know how common that knowledge is.Except the Airacobra starts out 17% smaller and 48% lighter than the Corsair so the two aren't really starting from the same place.
One way to look at aircraft weight is to assume a wing loading and work backwards from there. If you look back a few responses to my one staing the 75% B-25 would have a scale wing area of 343 ft2 and you assume a general aviation range for wing loading os 10 lbs/fts you get a 3400 lb airplane. A 75% P-39 would have a 120 ft2 wing and a gross weight of 1440 lbs at 12 lb/ft2. If you're willing to accept a higher stall/landing speed it could be considerably heavier.Yeah, but I don't even look at the weights. By the time you subtract the weapons load, the armor, the giant engine, the long rang internal fuel, these aircraft's weights are anybody's guess. I suppose you could look at what they weighed as Reno Racers, but I don't know how common that knowledge is.
Yeah, that approach makes sense, and so, the actual weights of the original have little bearing on the replicas. I don't know that there's much to gain by greater weight. If MOSAIC changes the way the limits for LSA are figured, I think it opens the door for a lot of very capable designs approaching 1500lbs. There's always VGs to help mitigate increasing stall speed. My thoughts have always been to keep the aircraft comfortably within the skills of sport pilots. I don't want a large pucker factor for any replica I'd look at owning.If you're willing to accept a higher stall/landing speed it could be considerably heavier.
I really admire your work, you're an excellent experimenter! Do you ever wear a chute in a sport plane?This all hinges on wearing a slim backpack parachute, something I never do in my Sonex or Onex.
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