flydoc
Posts: 97
Joined: 4/26/2002
From: faifax station, VA,
Status: offline
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Hi Mike,
Yes, I did redesign the wing to separate between the inboard and outboard nacelles to allow the plane to fit into my minivan. The modification also allows the b-17 to be hangared and transported on its wheels, and allows for easy assembly at the flying field.
Your idea regarding scale type wing attachment to the fuselage at the wing root is an interesting one, but not too practical, I think. It would require essentially scraping all the excellent work you have done thus far, and redesigning the fuselage completely to carry the load imposed by the wings. Remember the full scale B-17 was designed with the bomb bay at the cg of the plane. A spar carry through would have prevented the bomb bay volume from being adequate, so the fuselage bulkheads were designed to carry the load. In the case of the model, the fuselage is not designed to take on any flight loads except what is necessary to keep the tail and wing in a constant aerodynamic relationship.
The wing would also have to be rebuilt. Keep in mind that the wings of a full scale '17 were removed only on very rare occasions, while the model's wings would be removed frequently, so that any fittings you fabricated to allow the wings to attach as per prototype would have to stand up to repeated dis and re assembly, and not become worn or damaged in the process.
As far as the scale airfoil goes: the choice of an appropriate airfoil for a given airframe is dependent on a myriad of factors. Suffice it to say that the speed, weight and altitude that the full scale B-17 operated at is substantially different then those of the model's, to say nothing of the effect of Reynolds numbers on a 1/9th scale model vs a full size plane. I assume the airfoil Don Smith chose on his B-17 plans provide docile flying characteristics without grossly deviating from a scale appearance.
Keep 'em flying,
Howard
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Howard Kahn
Fairfax Station, VA
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RE: "DON SMITH " B-17'S? - 
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