Hello all! I'm new to rc planes and I am really enjoying learning to fly my Graupner Tipsy! I've got this crazy idea though that's been going thru my head for a while now and I want to know if anyone has seen anything like this before in a rc plane. I was wondering if anyone has seen or built something along the lines of the V-22 Osprey. I'm not talking about the 3-d planes that can hover after taking off conventionaly, I'm talking about something that can take off vertically and then rotate it's propellers (or fans) around to fly like a plane. I'd love to see pictures if they exist!!!

Jay

Hi Jay-

There are some people experimenting with Ospreys and Osprey-like aircraft. Here are a couple of threads.

[link=http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=444555]Thread 1[/link]
[link=http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=438225]Thread 2[/link]

[link=http://www.scalerchelis.com/gallery/V22-Tilt-rotor-and-old-helis/Clip17]Here's a cool video.[/link]

Search in RC Groups, and you will find more threads.

Enjoy!

- Jeff

I have seen a video of an electric aircraft like this. It was pretty cool. But, the problem with these planes is that they are very hard to control. They are also very comlicated and if something goes wrong, it is pretty much over for you. If you heard of all the problems they've had with the Osprey, then you know what I mean. What a wonderful plane though.

Hi Hatty-

I'm not sure I would consider the Osprey to be a "wonderful plane"! The families of the 30 men and women killed in Ospreys (so far) would probably disagree with you.

Whether full size or R/C model, it's a challenging aircraft to fly.

- Jeff

Yes, I do understand that it has had a lot of problems, killed many people, and cost a lot of money, but that does not make it a horrible aircraft. It does things that no other craft has been able to do. But, the newest version has been highly praised by its designers and I am very confident that it will play a vital role in the future of the military. This is the reason why I say it is a wonderful plane.

I don't know how much you follow aviation, but the Boeing 787 is the first aircraft with a composite fuselage. If the first flight ends in a crash and kills people, it will be horrible, but it will not take away the fact that it is an awesome craft. I hope you get where I am coming from.

Hatty-

I sure hope you are correct about the Osprey. I am skeptical of any project that meets its requirements only because the requirements themselves are changed to match actual capabilities.

As for the 787, I'm sure the Dreamliner will be a fine passenger jet. From what I have read, Boeing seems to have the right plane at the right time for today's market. For that reason, it may well be an "awesome" aircraft.

- Jeff

I agree it's terrible that we've lost many people in the Osprey, but the Osprey is a huge leap in aviation and anytime there are huge leaps there comes the posibility of tradegy. Comparing it to the dreamliner doesn't do it justice in my opinion. I would say its more along the lines when the helicopter was first invented or rockets. If the early helicopters and rockets were capable of carrying 30+ people then more would have died. How many early helicopters/rockets/shuttles/people have we lost before we were able to find somewhat safe and reliable designs?

The Osprey has come a long way and has a long way to go before it will be as reliable as a passenger jet, but when it gets there it will revolutionize military and commercial flight. Medium sized airports will be a thing of the past when a businessman can land at the building of his destination instead of a local airport.

With that said, I would love to one day be able to fly a model of the Osprey. In Howard Hughes words, it's "the way of the future".

Jay