NorthropN9M

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Making progress! I posted a few weeks ago about the flying wing I am building. This is a pure flying wing with no vertical surfaces and it is modeled after the Northrop N9M.

The wing with the wing tips came out to 154 inches. I am about 7 days away from covering and 14 days away from painting. I took the wing out into the driveway yesterday and place the outer wing panels next to the center section and took picture found below.

I have posted a complete set of constructions pictures here: http://photos.yahoo.com/northropn9m. Click on the "150 Inch Wing" album. Photos are updated almost daily.

Also below is a picture of the engine pod with the prop extension shaft. This plane has two engines.

Jeff

CafeenMan

Cripes! You don't kid around do you? Very nice! I still have to build the last one you posted. You need to slow down so we can keep up.

Beautiful work!

cootertwo

This started out as a kit called "Richocet" After many mods, is now a flying wing. No rudder, and "elevons" 40Supertigre engine. It's a blast to fly, but bad on your heart!

ptulmer

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I love the extension shaft. Mind if I ask how and where? I am trying to build an ME329 but the engines need a 4-5" extension.

NorthropN9M

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Thanks so much for your kind comments on the extension shaft. My dad has his own machine shop and he machined the parts using his CNC mill.

I got the wing on it's end today. Here is a picture for perspective. I am 6 feet tall.

Jeff

ptulmer

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I suppose adoption is out of the question...Is this your first extension or is this the usual? The wing is bad***. Can't access your link though.

RAMFlyer

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ptulmer

After you click on his url, go to the address and remove the period after the "northropn9m"... That will bring up the site.

NorthropN9M

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I am keeping my dad pretty busy....actually we are keeping each other pretty busy with this project....so adopting another son is out of the question right now. Maybe after the Toledo show.

My dad is awesome. He not only made the prop extensions, but he also made custom crankshafts for the engines. One engine turns clockwise and the other engine turns counter-clockwise. We learned on "Im 2" (our second wing...88 inch wingspan...single engine pusher) that engine torque is a big factor on the ground.

He also made custom heads, but we are using two GWS electric ducted fans for cooling now and the stock head works great.

This wing (Im 5) is the 5th wing we have built since January 2003.

The next five days are pretty much dedicated to sanding and getting it ready for the Solartex.

Jeff

NorthropN9M

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This is a picture of what is contained under the canopy of the wing. One pressure vessel for the retracts, four switches for the two coolong fans and two glow drivers, air fill and receiver power switch.

The back part of the canopy is removable for switch and air access. The front part of the canopy is panted black and the rear part is painted the same color as the plane.

Still on schedule for Toledo 2004.

Jeff

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

Good eye RAMFlyer...thanks.

Jeff, If it gets any cooler you'll have to worry about the wing icing over!!! But where will the pilot sit? Everybody knows if you don't have a pilot it won't fly!!!

NorthropN9M

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The pilot will be sitting inside of the dark canopy....so you won't be able to see the pilot....but the pilot is there.

I've attached a picture of one of the cooling fans just after I glued the supports to the frame. The mufflers and fans iare enclosed in the lower air scoop.

Jeff

RAMFlyer

My Feedback: (65)

[sm=sunsmiley.gif]REALLY looking forward to seeing your creation at Toledo. I'm also looking forward to getting a copy of the plans for your smaller wing!!![sm=lol.gif]

Spychalla Aircraft

My Feedback: (34)

Jeff, Several questions for you. What airfoil have you gone with? Have you thought about using the scale airfoil that was on the Northrop machine? From your pictures if is tough to tell, but is the planform actually using a smaller cord than the N9M?

I ask these questions because I am toying with the idea of making a 15 - 20 ft. N9M as a competitive Scale Masters Machine. The only limitation is that I need to be under 54 lbs. The wing loading on a 1/4th scale machine at 54 lbs. is unbelievably low at around 29 oz./sq.ft. It is almost too light in my book. A floater.

I have Bill Youngs plans that he drew when they restored the real one out in Calif. I met with him in Flagstaff AZ last year and we talked over this machine. It has all the potential to be a winner.

Leo

Mike James

That's some very nice work, Jeff. Can't wait for you to post a complete research, design, and construction article, with a ton of photos and video, and email me so I can see it. (hint)

Keep it up!

NorthropN9M

My Feedback: (1)

Leo,

The scale airfoils from the N9M are awful for model aviation. Using the original airfoils and thicknesses, I would build a plane with a lot of drag and terrible stall characteristics. I used an Eppler 334 airfoil from root to tip and at 48" wingspan and above, it supplies lots of lift. I've built five wings in various sizes this last 14 months.

The leading and trailing edge sweeps on my 154" wing are slightly different from the N9M. Changing the leading edge sweep by three degrees and the trailing edge sweep by one degree made a huge amount of difference in flying characteristics. Version Im IV (78" wingspan) uses the Eppler 334 airfoil and improved leading and trailing edge sweep. At just over three pounds, two cheap Speed 400 motors easily fly this plane. I usually fly it on less than 1/2 throttle. I can easily fly this wing in and out of my local soccer fields. I've attached two pictures below of the wing as it flies by and on approach.

Please keep us up to date on the progress of your scale N9M. You will find it to be a fun and exciting project.

Jeff

NorthropN9M

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Here's a picture of the wing right before it went into the paint booth.

Jeff

Spychalla Aircraft

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Jeff,

Thanks for your commentary and pictures. Well, you know how things are in the scale world. Shape is extremely important, and on something like an N9M the shape of the airfoil is going to dictate how the airplane looks when it is completed. If I do this project, it will be done dead-on to the Northrop design. Airfoil, Sweep, and that 4 deg. washout that they used. I realize that it may not fly as well as yours.

Leo

no1speshal

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Sir,
Please accept my humble thanks for showing me how far I have to go! What an incredible display of engineering and modeling skill! I realize that this has not been added to in over a year, but I was wondering how this thing has turned out. Do you still fly it? How do you get it to the field? Where do you live?
I looked at your photos on yahoo and just sat there until my mouth went dry from gaping open! I have always loved the flying wing with the concept and statistics of its flight. I am currently an aircraft mechanic working at Northrop Grumman, and it never ceases to surprise me that nobody at work even cares about the history! Oh well. If you could lend me any information as to how this aircraft has evolved and what it has evolved into, I would be greatly appreciative.
Thank you so much for your addition to this fine hobby. It is people like you that fuel the imagination in people like me.

Sincerely,
Red Miller
[email protected]

scubyfan

Excellent model!

I can't see the details, but how is the extension constructed? How many ball bearings and what materials are used? I have been working on a similar engine-in-wing concept, but no one can answer my extension questions.

scubyfan

Bump?