Hey all I'm thinking about doing something really stupid like building a model from scratch. I've been watching quit a few posts on RCScaleBuilder.com so I have some ideas on building, and jigging, 3-views, scaling.... (though they are probably "half baked").

WWII fighters just need to be built, that's all there is to it. But I have had such great fun with my Yak-3 because I seem to be the only one in my area with one. I have always loved Russian WWII fighters. Unfortunately, many of the most beautiful ones, though with un-matched performance when first appearing, were simply no match to the german aircraft at the beginning of the conflict on the Eastern Front. Of course as we all know, by the end of the conflict with Yak-3s roaming the sky's below 20,000' and La-5s and 7s above, the lauftwaffe had meet its match by the end. Especially when you consider the numbers of aircraft rolling out of good old Mother Russia by 1945. Over 50,000 Russian fighters were built by the end.

The Yak-3 although lightly armed when compared to a 109 or 190 (1x20mm + 2x12.7mm), by the end was averaging one kill for every 37 rounds fired!

Without a doubt, simple in design and high in performance, no one can under estimate the value of these aircraft. Unfortunately, very few of these russian birds of prey are modeled.

So a focus on a long term project (boy won't my wife love this one LOL) I picked a canidate for building. Now, I don't have a CAD program, but I do have scaled 3-Views with sections. I know the airfoils used and have a program to layout the ribs for the wings and stabalizers. I am also a software/system engineer with experience in the high tech world that has given me another stupid idea.

In the Software community we have software programs that do incredible things but they are licensed as Open Source. What that means for you average web browsers out there, is that the software doesn't belong to anyone specifically, it belongs to all!

What you say, "Does this have anything to do with aircraft modeling"? We'll every time I think about building a plane from plans, their $30-$100+ and then there is all of the other stuff like cowls, canopies, artwork....

So, though my media might not be ideal for sharing this model plan, I would love to have it function as an Open Source project. I will provide anything that I do, you can take, but give back. Help me along, help me design, maybe even build components that we can share amongst the community at a cost bases. I mean I have built a couple of fiberglass cowls before, I don't know why they need to cost $75. So if I build a cowel mold and someone in the build community needs it, then cost + shipping. May be someone else will build the Canopy Form and someone else does graphics, or migrates files to a CAD program.

So here is a couple of hours worth of work and the subject of the start of my next long term project. The PDF is printed tiled (90 pages). I will post a single "BIG" pdf and the Visio drawing (what I have currently) somewhere tomorrow where they can be downloaded.

So here is my first question.

This is a 1/6th scale so this is what I have:

53.5" Length
67.5" Wing span
13-15 lbs.

If she where a mustang of the same size, it would have a 74" wing span. I have not calculated the wing area yet but I imaging it's going to be around 950 sq. inches.

What size and make of the engine?

Great idea Marc, and a nice choice of subjects. As for power, I think I would be looking at something like the Webra 1.20 two stroke or possibly an OS 1.08 if you can find one. At 67 inches I doubt you will go 15 pounds unless you really go crazy with the detail and paint. Here's what I can offer to help you with your project:

- I know several people in the Valley with laser cutters and can help you with that at a really low cost. (like $35/hour for laser time) We could probably cut your entire kit in about an hour if we had everything set up and ready to go before hand.
- If you need any vacuum-forming done just let me know and we'll have a go at it.

PS - I like the obscure Russian birds as well, check out my current Yak-11 project over at RCSB if you're interested.
http://www.rcscalebuilder.com/forum/...?TID=4244&PN=1

Also, take a look here for some great walkaround pics of the full size Mig-3 restored to flight status in Russia.
http://mig3.sovietwarplanes.com/mig3...r/rusavia3.htm

Hi Marc,
This is a great idea! The only thing is that your target weight is a little pessimistic. I'd say you can make it around 11lb max with all scale detailing.
Anyway, good luck! And let us know if George and I can be any help.
BTW: our laser cutter is complete and working. I'm almost finished on the new wing for our LaGG-3. I wish I would have more time to dedicate to this.

Best regards,
Mike

Chad, thanks for the engine suggestions. Do you think that one of the new 1.4 - 1.5 Gassers would work as well.

That web site is so cool, tons of info. I did a fair amount research there on my Yak-3. A lot of info a LaGGs and La's as well.

Thanks for the support and info on the Laser and the vacuum forming. I reply more in detail when I get some off time here at work.

Good to here from you Mike. I'm glad the redesign of the wing is going well. Maybe after I get all of the airfoil stuff done, you can take a look. The Mig used Clark YH (14%) at the root and a Clark YH (8%) at the tips. Though I haven't studied the docs I have, I think that I will include at least 2 Degrees of washout in the wing. It also had a pretty thin wing tip and I am not sure if I should use a "scale" airfoil, or tweek it a bit for better "Model" size performance. Your experience on the LaGG-3 would be great.

Not a huge amount of time this evening, but I just had to start getting the 3-View printed out. I didn't get the files posted but will try again tomorrow. I don't have a large format printer/plotter, but will start with pieced together tiled prints.

Here is the first 16 pages, only 80 more to go not counting ribs and other stuff. I will be adding as I go, feel free to contibute.

On an engine note, with the ultra narrow nose of this aircraft, an RCV SP would fit nicely. Tubig's Spitfire thread has some good ideas on cooling. Do you think a SP120 would be enough horse power for this bird? Would look really cool with a 16" three blade, though a two-blade would be more scale? It's 3.11" with the nose being about 4.5".

But though a 4S would have more torque and I know warbid guys like them. A GMS 1.20 Humming at 13,000 would produce an engine pitch at about 13,000rpms / 60 seconds = 216 Cycle/Second and the AM-35A Mikulin V-12 would have produced 2200 RPMs = 1100 Exhaust strokes/Minute * 12 cylinders = 13200 Exhause firings/minute or 220 Cycles/Second. Thats 792 Khz for the AM-35A and 780 Khz for the GMS 1.20. And with a good Pits muffler it will be throaty.

Here is the first of the 3-View.

Here the color scheme my son wants..... So many to choose!

OS 108 will power a 15 pound 80" warbird (Platt Zero). I plan on using a Webra 120 in a 15 pound? Kingfisher with 80" span. I try not to over power much but do like a little cushion just in case. I have a 17.5 pound plane powered by a Saito 180 which is a good fit. I had a GSP 70" 11 pound Zero with a Laser 120 and OS 108. It was a little over powered with the Laser and way over powered with the OS. I think a lot depends on what the pilot wants out of the airplane. Lots of folks use way more power than required for safe flight.
Carl

Marc,

I just came across this thread, and I am quite interested in this idea. We do a lot of "bartering" here in Australia, and it seems to work well. If somebody needs a cowl, and somebody else has a plug, then it can usually be obtained at cost. It works quite well. I have been following your thread on both RCU and RCSB with interest. I too love the MiG-3. I almost did a swap with BillF on RSCB for the 101" Romain Research kit. He, unfortunately, pulled out at the last minute, as it is a rare kit and he decided he could not part with it in the end. Bummer!

I will keep watching with anticipation.

Regards,

James.

I love the look of them, i might scale it down to fit a .52-4c

Adm