Jgwright

The 6 Engine Arado Ar E. 555/1

I have for some time wanted to have a larger multi engine project. I decided over a year ago that I wanted something unique and settled for an Arado Ar E. 555/ 1. I reckoned that a scale of 1:7 would give me a wingspan of 3 m and that it should be possible to power it with 4 or 6 of my Sprite engines. Last year I contacted some German friends of mine and they offered to help by doing the design of the airframe and constructing the model. This left me with the job of making 6 engines and the Undercarriage.

By an exchange of ideas and Emails the design evolved and we hoped that it would come in just under the 20 Kg weight limit as my Horten had. (This had 3.35m wingspan.) Raimund Sonst did the CAD work and machined the ribs. Part of the wing is open traditional structure and part is foam.

It was decided that the centre section to the wheels would be made in one section. This made an immediate problem in handling and transporting the model. This was done mainly to keep the weight down and yet give a very strong structure.

Peter Arens did the building in his small flat, an amazing feat as he couldn’t even fit it all together inside when it was finished! I went to check on progress at about the half way point and it would have been a very expensive model if I had been to Germany any more frequently. However the Internet is great for showing progress and I had a steady stream of pictures to spur me on.

Initially we had no nacelles but by chance Peter was involved in making an Arado 234 with the 4 engine configuration and it turned out these mouldings were ideal for size and shape. This is one of my jobs to finish when I fit the engines.

The U/C was the same reliable Behotec retracts used on my Horten and I made a lightweight 4 wheel bogie for the mains. I checked after making it that the retracts had the power to raise the leg.

While the plane was being made I set to making a new batch of engines and now have 15 so I had a few spares! Over the winter I did lots of tests and made significant improvements to the engines so thrust is now significantly over 3 Kg.

When the plane was at last finished I found that the weight had crept up so it was not going to make the 20 Kg limit. I then made contact with the LMA and had help to assist me in making sure the plane would satisfy their requirements. As the plane was finished and sheeted it was suggested that it undergo a weight loading test. (This is usual in Germany for models that exceed their weight limits). We agreed with the LMA inspector a testing regime being in mind this is a bomber that will not be subject to the same stresses of a fighter. The German team conducted a weight test and loaded the wing with 140 Kg. It passed the test easily with no sign of deformation or cracking.

The improved thrust of the engines will give a thrust to weight ratio of better than 1:2 which will be ample.

A week ago I went to Germany and collected the plane and squeezed it into my car. It is a very unwieldy size and weight and it is a 2 man job to get it into and out of the car. I now have to make the nacelles and to spray the model as well as deciding on the starting methodology and practicing it on a board before fitting in the plane.

We have a regime of LMA inspections and flying to undergo before it can be flown in public. I guess we will need that time to get to know the model and be used to it.

I will post more later but a fuller account will be in the forthcoming issues of RCJI.

John

Jgwright

One of the drawings of the proposed plane and my supply of engines.

i3dm

My Feedback: (51)

Looks like a great project. when will it be ready to fly ?

Dr Honda

My Feedback: (4)

Looks good.

Hey... since you don't need all of thos engines for that project... can I have one?

Those are small... are they available? Or do you have more info on them?

Geoff White

Hi John,

Awesome work by you and your german friends. I am really looking forward to seeing this fly later in the spring/summer.

Geoff.

basimpsn

My Feedback: (5)

Here is a single engine electric version being tested.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbMNXAH8KVg

Jgwright

Sorry the engines are not available, it is my own project and I will not be selling them.

I am not sure when I will be ready to fly it, I have plenty of spraying to do and I need warm weather as I use water based paint and I do the spraying outside.

John

Ali

My Feedback: (5)

I admire your dedication to the unusual John. That does look superb though, and I look forward to seeing it fly this year.
Regards Al

Jgwright

Thanks Ali, I too am looking forward to getting it ready to fly. I have plenty of engine starting practice to do before I put the engines in the plane! At least a 'tester' small scale version has flown so the C of G should be right.

John

MaHo

Hello John,
what a really cool project.
With 6 engines, that will not to fast get cloned
What will be your next project if you have so much engines left or do you take the best 6 for the project!?

good luck.
I´m watching. I have a BV212 on the building board soon. Same configuration of the wing.

regards Martin

Jgwright

Martin

It will be a long time before I am ready to think of a nw plane. However I do have some ideas. The BV 212 is a nice project. I saw Erik van den Hoogen's BV215 fly at Jetpower 2 years ago. My next project will not be as big or as heavy!

John

Synthetic

My Feedback: (18)

Very unusual and should look very nice in the sky!

Jgwright

It seems like a very long time ago that I started this project with the help of my German friends. at last with some nice weather I have managed to get the plane painted so I can finish the fitting out and then think about a flight later in the year. Lots to do as I still have to complete the fitting out and get final LMA clearance. It is starting to look like what I had imagined at the start. I had to split the elevons for redundancy reasons and thet and glueing in the many horns with wooden blocks took for ever.

John

marc s

John. superb and inspirational - very best of luck with all the tests and maiden when that arrives.

marcs

lookilook

superb job,truly amazing....congratulations, hope you post a video of the maiden,will be watcing.

ron Sweeney

Glutton for punishment John, best of luck, Ron.

Jgwright

Thanks everyone, I am relieved that I am on the home stretch now. My next project should be something a bit less challenging. I should get that X29 dusted off and sorted out.

John

JohnMac

John, You have done it again. Wow! Can't wait to see this in the sky.

CJ2002

Absolutely stunning John! Congrats to you and your friends for a truly fantastic scratchbuilt achievement...it's going to be something else to see and hear in the sky! If not in the air, hope to see it on display at the Sept 30th CJ!

Cheers,

Dick

Jgwright

Dick

I was thinking about possibly bringing it with me to CJ to show it before we fly it. However it is such a tight squeeze in my car I am not sure if I can get it in. Also I cannot load it on my own as the centre section is so huge and unwieldy.

John

CJ2002

John,

Have PMd you.

Rgds,

Dick

jetmodeller

Hi John really great to see it with the paint on,it really looks the part,hope to see it at West Raynam on the 4th sept,i will bring my video camera,well done and good luck with the test flight,Dave should be use,t to these unusual beasts by now regards Keith see you at the Nat,s