hobbidude

anyone though of making a fully working (with airplanes) aircraft carrrier

cyclops2

Everyone has and still does.

Launching is no problem.

Flying back and catching the hook in a wire is still a problem.

Hydro Junkie

To make that work, you will need a VERY LARGE carrier, in excess of 5 meters long. You also need to decide what nationality, era and class of carrier you want to build, as this will dictate your aircraft choises and ship configuration if you are looking at a scale set up. For example, you wouldn't see an F4U Corsair fly off the USS Kitty Hawk(CV-63), but you would off the USS Saratoga(CV-3). At the same time, you wouldn't see the Corsair fly off the Saratoga while it was armed with four twin 8" gun turrets, but you would see a Curtis Helldiver biplane. Just some food for thought

SJN

I guess they tried here :-)
http://www.okinfoweb.com/torks/97helifl.htm


you could build one of the smaller marine carriers that have helicopters and harriers on them... get a small electric heli.

Hydro Junkie

Technically, those aren't aircraft carriers. One is a LHA and the other is an LPH. They are considered amphibious assault ships, even though they do carry helicopters.

Umi_Ryuzuki

It wouldnt have to be THAT LARGE.
Electric Heli are only down to 8" rotors(micron helicopter) which is still pretty large. The [link=http://pixelito.reference.be/]Pixelito[/link] has yet to see any comercial production.

Theoretically you could get away with a CV3 USS Saratoga at 3.75meters(12'-4" )
The micro Airplane guys are building 1/72nd scale plane now, so a Corsair, or Hellcat is possible


1/72nd Corsair scratch built by Joe Malinchak
It uses 3 channels, a Nick Leichty receiver, and a geared pager motor for power. It's featured in John Worth's column, "Cloud 9," in the January, 2004 issue of Microflight magazine.


1/72nd Hellcat scratch built by Bob Cozart
I know that Cozart is using a Plantraco transmitter and reciever, and control coil/magnets and a little 30mah lipoly battery that matches the reciver board in size, and attaches magnetically. The cowling on the airplanes are also attached with little 1/16th" diameter magnets. The bodies are carved foam

1/72nd Dauntless build by "Baratacus" Also using Plantraco equipment

Seabiscuit

I second cyclops2's comment....I don't even know how to fly and I ponder doing this.
It looks like in the link that SJN posted they are using the carrier to do more platform landings than anything.
As for attempting anything of this sort I would start by building the launch deck with recovery wires.
You could set it on milk crates and practice your takeoff and landings, just to see if the idea is practical.
For testing recovery, I would make break-away tail hooks, since you have to hit the deck at full speed, so that you don't rip the tail off your plane.
Launching methods depend on the era obviously, but it would be cool to build generic enough for all aircraft types.
When you feel confident enough, set your deck on foam blocks and test your skills on the water.
If all goes well, and you havent turned too many planes into torpedos, build a hull around it....at least that would be my process.

Doubledog

My Feedback: (48)

Back in the '90s one of the model plane mags had a guy write in to tell his story. He & several others had semi scale Corsairs, so they decided to try out carrier landings & came up with a design. Wasn't much but it was fair scale & land based w/cables etc. Again, it wasn't out in the water, but it was pretty cool to look at.

hobbidude

i was thing as far as building something in scale like 1/144. I wonder what size that would be.[:@]

cyclops2

1/144 is the next size smaller than 1/72, right ?
Should be able to get any plane that flew and load the flight deck.

Would look great. [sm=thumbup.gif][sm=thumbup.gif]

RCOZZY

Back in the days when this was RCOnline (shudder) there was a pic posted of some gents out in Arizona somewhere that built a flightdeck on top of a pontoon boat and flew funscale corsairs off of it. Allegedly they landed too. Not sure what the arresting gear was. It was only a picture and was possibly faked or never worked at all. Not RC but an interesting feasiblity study if nothing else. I DO NOT have the picture. I do NOT know where one could view said picture. I am going completely on my memory from 7 or so years ago so take it for what it's worth. Ask some of the guys in the plane forums. If anybody knows of something that unique Don Incoll would.

piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

There was video from a news report sometime in the last couple years showing a couple guys with a landing deck on top of a pontoon boat. It was an interesting idea, but they really should have practiced more before allowing themselves to be filmed. It was quite entertaining watching the plane end up in the water over and over. The pilot almost took himself out with the prop once or twice. Eventually, they got one landing on the deck.

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

There is an Aircraft Carrier in the Marketplace for sale: http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/item.cfm?itemId=176691 .

cyclops2

That is a Dynosaur !

Midget

......LOL[sm=lol.gif]

cwhitacre21

My Feedback: (4)

Go to Torks.org for a new heli aircraft carrier from the 06 heli fun fly. it's under the gallery page.

ScottOram

I have a 1/144 scale aircraft carrier of the USS CONSTELLATION (CV 64). She is about eight feet long and two feet wide, her actual landing area is 15" wide by 6' long.





Landing a scale plane would be virtually impossible on this. Possible a 1/96 or 1/72 would be a little easier, excluding the inherent risks and challenges with landing on and Aircraft Carrier.

But a 1/48 scale would probably be a little easier... but still a challenge.

bte214

You can fly and land off of them but it is not very scale. I don't remember where but i saw a video where the pilot were taking off and landing from a small barge pulled by and rc boat. It was probably about 8'x8' and it was more like a hover take off and landing.

v_tolias

ScottOram ...I would like to ask you,this carrier is a scratch built?Could you send me the plans?I'm from greece so e-mail is the best way to send me but if you can't do this ,i can send you the money for a photocopy and shipping cost.....

ScottOram

The boat was contructed using three methods.

1) Lots of pictures. Those can be found at http://www.carrierbuilders.net/artic...llation_WA.htm
2) I have an official NAVSEA Drawing of the flight deck that was my primary scale drawing. for dimensions. http://s18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...rint_Large.jpg
3) The final drawing I used was a set of plans from Loyalhanna/Taubamns Plan Service. To match up with the above drawing. A little fudging here an there, and some guesswork. http://www.taubmansonline.com/TPSKITTYHAWK.htm

BUDMAN27

The USS Kitty Hawk is to be Decomition in 2008 I got an ideal Why don,t we all put ower money together and buy it from the Navy. Then we can fly what ever we wnat on her. All we need is Bill Gates help. Anyone have his E-mail address ?

ScottOram

I am thinking [email protected]

BUDMAN27

I was just kiding Scott. To tell you the truth I like yours better. Its not as dirty and noisy as the fule scale. You see I lived on the Hawk for four years and I,m not sure I would do it again If given the chance. Loved to go around the world and all but not all the Navy crap that comes with it.

v_tolias

Right...But if you have the full scale and the money to use it(fuels etc),you can fly your planes ,even jets,wherever you like all over the world....And on places that no one else can fly,like in the middle of pacific ocean

BUDMAN27

How knows todays dreams may be tomarrows reality. Life is but a fantacy can you here my fantacy lies ?