Rumor of another implosion at Miss Afterburner?
05-07-2008 | 10:38 AM
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From: Oxford, MS
RE: Rumor of another implosion at Miss Afterburner?
HAHA I read the title and thought we were talking about the morning after the bugs! Yehaw PA that airplane must be a static model cause it sho came apart!
05-07-2008 | 10:57 AM
#7
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RE: Rumor of another implosion at Miss Afterburner?
It was Doc's replacement. It appeared as if the fuse broke right in front of the wing and then just blew up. I saw the video of the test flight before it was sent to Doc and it appeared as if it was only flow at very low throttle setting under a 100 mph. The model was being flown very easy and in straight lines when it came apart. There must be a need for additional strength in the fuse area. The plane flys very well if they just get the bugs worked out.
I hope Doc will be treated to another replacement with some more refinements this time.
I hope Doc will be treated to another replacement with some more refinements this time.
05-07-2008 | 11:01 AM
#8
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RE: Rumor of another implosion at Miss Afterburner?
Ahh, man - Doc didn't need that! Didn't FeiBao re-equip it, test fly and everything? I'm guessing it was the "improved" version as well.
How many flights? Same failure mode? I saw the first one fail on him and sure hate to hear it happened again.
So, this makes at least 5 FB MB339's that I know of...
Edit - yup! Same failure mode -
How many flights? Same failure mode? I saw the first one fail on him and sure hate to hear it happened again.
So, this makes at least 5 FB MB339's that I know of...
Edit - yup! Same failure mode -
05-07-2008 | 11:05 AM
#9
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RE: Rumor of another implosion at Miss Afterburner?
As I recall, I commented on that test flight and said that it was not flown in a manner that would put stress on the airplane. When I said that, I was blasted as being a hater.
I'm not sure what it would take to make this airplane safe to fly, but I am willing if any of the parties are interested in beefing up the fuse where it will never come apart. I have all the materials and adhesives here to do it. Sure hate to see this happen, there aren't many better guys out there than Doc.
I'm not sure what it would take to make this airplane safe to fly, but I am willing if any of the parties are interested in beefing up the fuse where it will never come apart. I have all the materials and adhesives here to do it. Sure hate to see this happen, there aren't many better guys out there than Doc.
05-07-2008 | 11:16 AM
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RE: Rumor of another implosion at Miss Afterburner?
Since I own one of these and have some serious concerns, I took it upon myself to contact the FB distributor and ask him what is going on and if I should be concerned. I was told it was the second plane that Doc was sent, and that the failure was due to a bad wing tube. Hearing the eye witnesses however, it sounds more like the same thing as before with a shearing of the front half of the plane and then subsequent airframe "explosion". I would feel better if it was in fact the wing rod since I have made the reinforcements to the fuse and test flown the plane since. I was told that Dewey Davenport and the other 339, now owned by Mr. Little, have had no problems and have serious airtime on them, but mine came from the same lot as the first two which "exploded" (one of which was Doc's original plane). My dilemma is this, do I fly this plane now knowing that there have been 4 or 5 in air failures, despite the address by the company? If I do fly and something happens where someone is injured, we all know who they will come after, the pilot, so I am pretty limited on what I can do with this plane now, BTW which was not cheap to either buy nor outfit. I know there are more people out there besides myself who are concerned, cause I have heard from them.
What would you do?
Tommy
What would you do?
Tommy
05-07-2008 | 11:21 AM
#12
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RE: Rumor of another implosion at Miss Afterburner?
I don't know about that, but so far we have figured out that the only thing that can break a Megabar is a barbed wire fence. We have hit a small tree, landed with the gear up, one gear down, broken the stab off twice in transit once, and dug a strut in the mud broke the stab off again (no wheel), had multiple flameouts for differing reasons (all user induced). One time I landed when I wiped fuel in my eye accidentally while flying, blew all the gear out. Have blown the canopy and main hatch off multiple times (I think we have this worked out now, hasn't happened in the last 10 flights)
There does not appear to be much on the surface that will keep this jet from flying! I go to full throttle on takeoff, and never come off of it till I land, and I have 12 minutes of doing that (fuel capacity is 200 ounces).
I wish more people were into building, there is some comfort knowing anything that breaks can be repaired in an hour or two. And 29 lbs dry is not a bad number to build to. I'm an imperfect pilot, and this airplane has a lot of failsafe in it for a guy like me
There does not appear to be much on the surface that will keep this jet from flying! I go to full throttle on takeoff, and never come off of it till I land, and I have 12 minutes of doing that (fuel capacity is 200 ounces).
I wish more people were into building, there is some comfort knowing anything that breaks can be repaired in an hour or two. And 29 lbs dry is not a bad number to build to. I'm an imperfect pilot, and this airplane has a lot of failsafe in it for a guy like me
05-07-2008 | 11:31 AM
#13
RE: Rumor of another implosion at Miss Afterburner?
Sooo, It kind of looks like a few "experts" owe P38J and arizonasun a few apologies.............As you may recall, it was deemed by more than a couple commenters that "pilot error" and "builder error" were the reason for that Fei Boa MB-339 break-up[:@]
Maybe something wasn't "missed" as was suggested by one particular Monday Morning Quarterback.............................
Tailwinds,
John
Maybe something wasn't "missed" as was suggested by one particular Monday Morning Quarterback.............................
Tailwinds,
John
05-07-2008 | 11:55 AM
#14
RE: Rumor of another implosion at Miss Afterburner?
ORIGINAL: DocYates
Since I own one of these and have some serious concerns, I took it upon myself to contact the FB distributor and ask him what is going on and if I should be concerned. I was told it was the second plane that Doc was sent, and that the failure was due to a bad wing tube. Hearing the eye witnesses however, it sounds more like the same thing as before with a shearing of the front half of the plane and then subsequent airframe "explosion". I would feel better if it was in fact the wing rod since I have made the reinforcements to the fuse and test flown the plane since. I was told that Dewey Davenport and the other 339, now owned by Mr. Little, have had no problems and have serious airtime on them, but mine came from the same lot as the first two which "exploded" (one of which was Doc's original plane). My dilemma is this, do I fly this plane now knowing that there have been 4 or 5 in air failures, despite the address by the company? If I do fly and something happens where someone is injured, we all know who they will come after, the pilot, so I am pretty limited on what I can do with this plane now, BTW which was not cheap to either buy nor outfit. I know there are more people out there besides myself who are concerned, cause I have heard from them.
What would you do?
Tommy
Since I own one of these and have some serious concerns, I took it upon myself to contact the FB distributor and ask him what is going on and if I should be concerned. I was told it was the second plane that Doc was sent, and that the failure was due to a bad wing tube. Hearing the eye witnesses however, it sounds more like the same thing as before with a shearing of the front half of the plane and then subsequent airframe "explosion". I would feel better if it was in fact the wing rod since I have made the reinforcements to the fuse and test flown the plane since. I was told that Dewey Davenport and the other 339, now owned by Mr. Little, have had no problems and have serious airtime on them, but mine came from the same lot as the first two which "exploded" (one of which was Doc's original plane). My dilemma is this, do I fly this plane now knowing that there have been 4 or 5 in air failures, despite the address by the company? If I do fly and something happens where someone is injured, we all know who they will come after, the pilot, so I am pretty limited on what I can do with this plane now, BTW which was not cheap to either buy nor outfit. I know there are more people out there besides myself who are concerned, cause I have heard from them.
What would you do?
Tommy
we flew one a whole flying year before we parked against the only pole on the field.
ours was not reinforced or anything.
the model flew perfectly, and we did every manouver in the book
05-07-2008 | 12:25 PM
#15
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RE: Rumor of another implosion at Miss Afterburner?
Thats just it Sandor. There are some who are not having that same luck. I understand if the airplane goes it, but if there is a problem with it, and there is a record of this, should I fly the airplane in an environment where if it disentigrates and someone gets hurt, I could be held liable? I know it can happen with anything we fly, we all take that risk, BUT here is a disturbing pattern being seen, and I have to wonder should I be concerned. My gut tells me that the way I fly and the reinforcements which I made will hld up, but I have been wrong before.
Tommy
Tommy
05-07-2008 | 12:44 PM
#16
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RE: Rumor of another implosion at Miss Afterburner?
Hope you didn't mean me, John, with the quarterbacking. [8D]
I guess thats one of the drawbacks with ARFs. You can never be sure what was or wasn't done with the model in the building process. Although the vast majority have had success... Another drawback for the MFGr is that they do not know how the model will be flown. For Tommy, I saw Doc's first model give it up last year at Waco, and it appeared to be wing failure, or lack of adhesive used in applying the skins to the structure (my opinion - I think others had that same conclusion). That might be one thing to check. Then after that, just fly it like a scared little school-girl.
I guess thats one of the drawbacks with ARFs. You can never be sure what was or wasn't done with the model in the building process. Although the vast majority have had success... Another drawback for the MFGr is that they do not know how the model will be flown. For Tommy, I saw Doc's first model give it up last year at Waco, and it appeared to be wing failure, or lack of adhesive used in applying the skins to the structure (my opinion - I think others had that same conclusion). That might be one thing to check. Then after that, just fly it like a scared little school-girl.
05-07-2008 | 01:16 PM
#18
RE: Rumor of another implosion at Miss Afterburner?
Both times that this has happened to Doc I was, unfortunately, a witness to the pieces coming down.
The failure mode this time is different than last time. Last year the glue joints holding the wing skins on failed. This time the wing tube failed.
I went and looked at the remains and talked to Doc and Ray (who was flying it). What they describe was that the model was flying at modest speed and had just started a shallow pull up when one of the wings folded over and then flew off. The model then tumbled and broke up (when I first saw it). This is nearly the identical condition that the last failure occurred at. The wing tube was bent over about 150 degrees, almost doubled over on it self. When this happened it appears to have broken the wing retainer, which allowed the wing to come off, not that the wing staying on would have mattered. Can not tell you for sure if the failure was right at the wing/body junction or not, but I think it was.
I feel bad for Doc he is a really nice guy and doesn’t need this sort of grief.
Steven
The failure mode this time is different than last time. Last year the glue joints holding the wing skins on failed. This time the wing tube failed.
I went and looked at the remains and talked to Doc and Ray (who was flying it). What they describe was that the model was flying at modest speed and had just started a shallow pull up when one of the wings folded over and then flew off. The model then tumbled and broke up (when I first saw it). This is nearly the identical condition that the last failure occurred at. The wing tube was bent over about 150 degrees, almost doubled over on it self. When this happened it appears to have broken the wing retainer, which allowed the wing to come off, not that the wing staying on would have mattered. Can not tell you for sure if the failure was right at the wing/body junction or not, but I think it was.
I feel bad for Doc he is a really nice guy and doesn’t need this sort of grief.
Steven
05-07-2008 | 06:01 PM
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From: Lubbock, TX
RE: Rumor of another implosion at Miss Afterburner?
I think i would change to another proven air frame rather continuing to take changes with the airwortherness of the M339 design in question now. I saw the one come apart at Waco last year. Just my opion as to what I would do.
James Love
James Love
05-07-2008 | 08:06 PM
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From: Phoenix, AZ
RE: Rumor of another implosion at Miss Afterburner?
I have had onother kit that Wagner sent me for replacement when mine turned into a million little specs going about 100 mph a few months ago. I was worried about this plane. I have since traded the kit for a different air plane just because I was just not sure about this design. I am glad I did not build it and have the same damb thing happen again.
Ron
Ron
05-07-2008 | 08:25 PM
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From: Suwanee,
GA
RE: Rumor of another implosion at Miss Afterburner?
ORIGINAL: DocYates
Since I own one of these and have some serious concerns, I took it upon myself to contact the FB distributor and ask him what is going on and if I should be concerned. I was told it was the second plane that Doc was sent, and that the failure was due to a bad wing tube. Hearing the eye witnesses however, it sounds more like the same thing as before with a shearing of the front half of the plane and then subsequent airframe "explosion". I would feel better if it was in fact the wing rod since I have made the reinforcements to the fuse and test flown the plane since. I was told that Dewey Davenport and the other 339, now owned by Mr. Little, have had no problems and have serious airtime on them, but mine came from the same lot as the first two which "exploded" (one of which was Doc's original plane). My dilemma is this, do I fly this plane now knowing that there have been 4 or 5 in air failures, despite the address by the company? If I do fly and something happens where someone is injured, we all know who they will come after, the pilot, so I am pretty limited on what I can do with this plane now, BTW which was not cheap to either buy nor outfit. I know there are more people out there besides myself who are concerned, cause I have heard from them.
What would you do?
Tommy
Since I own one of these and have some serious concerns, I took it upon myself to contact the FB distributor and ask him what is going on and if I should be concerned. I was told it was the second plane that Doc was sent, and that the failure was due to a bad wing tube. Hearing the eye witnesses however, it sounds more like the same thing as before with a shearing of the front half of the plane and then subsequent airframe "explosion". I would feel better if it was in fact the wing rod since I have made the reinforcements to the fuse and test flown the plane since. I was told that Dewey Davenport and the other 339, now owned by Mr. Little, have had no problems and have serious airtime on them, but mine came from the same lot as the first two which "exploded" (one of which was Doc's original plane). My dilemma is this, do I fly this plane now knowing that there have been 4 or 5 in air failures, despite the address by the company? If I do fly and something happens where someone is injured, we all know who they will come after, the pilot, so I am pretty limited on what I can do with this plane now, BTW which was not cheap to either buy nor outfit. I know there are more people out there besides myself who are concerned, cause I have heard from them.
What would you do?
Tommy
, it flies great , and I guess its a good thing because I may never be able to sell it
