tubig

[:@], very sorry to hear this. such a beautiful model.

oliveDrab

Am very sad to hear about the mishap with your awesome plane. I bet it was cool looking in flight. Was looking forward to seeing it at Bomber Field in Monaville this weekend.

Any ideas what happened to cause the hits?

spotter

My Feedback: (3)

TLH, oh my, favorite warbird. I hope to see one at Bomber next week. Stan 817-360-2993.

TLH101

My Feedback: (90)

This model is now listed for sale in the RCU market, if anyone is interested.

IFLYRC-RCU

My Feedback: (28)

I've always wanted this plane . . too bad shipping is not an option.

I am the restoration king for birds like this. DARN![&o]

Warbirdguy

My post was deleted from your ad in the for sale ad. Is it just me, or does it not bother anyone else that such a big plane as this and it clearly has NO main spars??? It was a failer looking for a reason to happen. Anyways, just thought I would ask that question and see if there is a logical answer as to why it was built that way.

Look at the picture where the wing was broken in half. Unless Im totally blind, I dont see any spars. Am I wrong?

Its a shame anyways. Was a beautiful bird.

WBG

Chad Veich

My Feedback: (60)

This model has been built and flown by many folks with no apparent issues so the wing must have been strong enough to withstand normal flight and landing loads as it was designed. That is all that is required really. Adding more structure to try and make an airplane more crash resistant always requires a trade off in flight performance and quickly reaches a point of diminishing returns. Since the crash was not related to any issue with the strength of the wing I wonder why you believe more structure is required here?

Leadtrumpet

Doesn't bother me! It is common practice to build large aerobatic planes using foam wings and no "main spar". Just check any build thread for a Carden plane and you will see what I mean. A 40% Carden Extra 300 doing 3D aerobatics is subjected to way more stress than a warbird would ever be (under normal flying conditions!). This P-39 had two metal blade wing joiners (these are not spars and don't function as such) and the pictures of the crashed plane seem to indicate that the impact snapped the wing just outboard of the blade joiners. That being said, I'm not sure how I would go about fixing the foam wing once it has snapped in this manner. You have lost all of the shear strength of the balsa on the top and bottom of the wing at the break line so you can't just throw some foam safe CA on there and call it a day! LOL I suppose you could cut into the top and bottom of the wing and install some joining material across the break. I would then sand down and re-fiberglass the area.

Warbirdguy

I see the theory of your explaination, and I accept that on an aerobatic plane that is built light to perform 3d manuvours can and probably does handle without a main spar. But, on a heavy metal warbird, I disagree Look where it broke. Leading edge to wheel well, wheel well to flap corner. Take the measurement of the whole wing section where the break happened, subract the wheel well distance and the flap distance, you end up with a wing that only has half or less of its original strength left to support a 40LB??? airplane? Maybe if it has carbon fiber cloth covering the center wing section then maybe it would work.

As far as building to survive a crash? From what he said, it went down lightly in a cotton field. I see some minor damage to wing leading edge. I think if the wing had of had a main spar, that is probably where all the damage would have ended. Just some cosmetic patchwork.

Every warbird kit manufacturer, including myself, all use a main spar of some type. 3D planes dont count, they are hybrid Half heli [X(] LOL

Personally, I think it could have been built better in the wing area. I would have added a spar if I built it. But obviously Mr. Baker decided it didnt need one and it cost a pilot major damage to his plane.

WBG

Leadtrumpet

WBG: I hadn't thought about the wheel well. I agree that the loss of strength across this area is definitely one place where you need to add some kind of spar material (in front of and behind the wheel well opeing) to make up for the open hole on the bottom of the wing! If I were buying this plane I would definitely consider making the same modification to the other wing panel as well.

BTW, ( I should probably know this) what warbird kits do you manufacture?

Warbirdguy

I put out a 1:8.5 scale DC-3/C-47. 136" wing span. Wing panels outside the nacels are built up from plans. Rudder and elevators are built up from plans. Everything else is molded epoxy glass with internal structures molded in. Set up for robart retracts. 1.50 size 4 stroke to 26cc gas for power. Here are a few pictures. I dont mean to hijack this thread and this will be the only post I make on this. PM me for any more info.