AirRayInc

My Feedback: (7)

Curious how many Westcraft B-17s are out there, need to find a whole lot of parts, plans, input, flying characteristics so on and so on, for a customers plane. What engines are being used, all up weight and any pictures too.

Have a look here;
http://airrayinc.com/b-17_westcraft.htm

Guns, vertical and rudder, retracts, cockpit, pilots, gunners, any leads at all will be much appreciated.

Ray

GrnBrt

My Feedback: (5)

Ray: My flying bud is doing one right now and all I can say for sure is he's using 4 OS .46FX engines on it which should do the trick. He's still working on it but will ask more questions, can't wait till it's done as I will be doing one of the test flights!!!!!

Paul Grubich

My Feedback: (1)

Ray, go here http://www.rcwarbirds.com/bombers.htm to see several Westcraft/American Eagle B-17s with various power plants.

The couple that fly around here all fly very well with Saito 65's.

Paul

Edwin

My Feedback: (2)

Had one at one of our flyins several years back that was running of Magnum .40's. Flew very well.
Edwin

scalebldr

My Feedback: (7)

plans were never included in the originals.i have 4 fox .40s in mine flies great.anything over 50 2 stroke will be overpowered and be flying reduced throttle for scale speeds.

1wolf

My Feedback: (3)

The plastics with mine were terrible so i used the plastiics from Bob Holman's 120" . The fit wasn't perfect but they look a lot better than what came with it. I am using 4 ys 63's for power.

AirRayInc

My Feedback: (7)

Art: must be my "Tim Allen Syndrome" that I suffer from, but this plane was laid up very heavy by modern day standards, and I cant imagine flying with just 40s. But then again, I can only tolerate my Ziroli P-40 with a 4.2.

Paul: You know I have already been your site, a thousand and one times. Inspires and pisses me off. I will be sending the same question to American Eagle, but do think or know if parts are close enough in scale to cross use. If I dont or cant round up Westcraft parts, thats the route I will end up taking.

Edwin: sure sounds promising, but see my first response. I think I am looking at about 30 pounds just the way it is in the pictures.

Scalebldr: also promising and assuring. I am sure scale 3 blade props will be used, so scale speed it will have, over powered. I cant personallly say that I have ever owned an overpowered airplane. ::evil grin::

1wolf: Good to know that I have Bob Holman as a resourse for some of the plastics. Looking for the nose glass house right now.


I actually never knew that the Brits painted B-17s in local colors. This looks pretty cool eh?

Thanks Gents,Ray

Paul Grubich

My Feedback: (1)

Ray the Westcraft B-17 that flies around here is 50 pounds and flys very well with four Saito 65's.

AirRayInc

My Feedback: (7)

Paul; Thats more like what I was thinking. Perhaps 4 Rossi 61s 5 port long strokes, with shallow pitched, 12 inch 3 blade props.
Ray

Paul Grubich

My Feedback: (1)

The idea is to cram as big an engine as you can in the bombers. That way two things work better. You will have all the power you need in case you lose some engines and you also be able to run scale sized three blade props.

Those long strokes with three blades should be ticket if you want to go two cycle.

They fly very well heavy because of that great B-17 wing.
The real ones were overweight and tail heavy and still flew like a trainer.

Send rcwarbirds some pics when you get her done please.

AirRayInc

My Feedback: (7)

Paul: I am again with you on all counts, cram till it starts to show is my motto. I plan to round up a nice plastic model soon for surface detailings.

Once we are all done I will in fact send a few images your way.

Thanks for your input.

Ray

AirRayInc

My Feedback: (7)

Boy sure been a long time since I have looked at my inventory. Turns out I have 3 Rossis 60s on hand already, and just came across a 4th today.

Does anyone out there have an unstarted kit? Please email or pm, I would like to "borrow" the aft fuse hatch and make a mold of it, as I am missing that part and think the easiest way other than rebuilding and shaping out of foam, would be to just mold it.

For the dozen or so folks that have expressed an interest in buying the plane, right now the project is one of fun and facination, so it will be built, however once done, never know.....

Ray

RandyL

My Feedback: (4)

Ray, I am on a 2nd set of motors in my Bob Holman B-17. It currently has OS .61sf 2 strokes. Them are some great engines! It is absolutely overpowered but I like it better than when I ran smaller engines harder on the 44 pound airframe. Props are 11-7 Graupner 3 blade. 12 or 13 inch would look a bit better but these work very good.

AirRayInc

My Feedback: (7)

Randy,
before I heard of PK, I was already thinking this project would have Graupner 12" 3 bladers. May still go that way if PK is too pricey.

American Eagle just "hooked" me up with all the turrets, nose glass, the rudder and the horizontal. Thanks Bob and Bob.

I have 3 views that are going to get blown up, I could use a trace of the full vertical and horizontal if there is a built Westcraft out there and you dont mind tracing them for me. Looks like I will be scratch building the vertical stab and its a huge stab to scratch.

Ray

captjack

My Feedback: (3)

the fin in my westcraft b-17 was just a flat sided piece of foam cut to outline of a b-17 fin.contantant thicgkness from root to tip.

AirRayInc

My Feedback: (7)

Cpt Jack,
anyway that I can persuade you to outline trace the horizontal and vertical for me Sir? Thats good to know about the vertical, I can surely find some foam laying around from all the saddles I have about.

Ray

AirRayInc

My Feedback: (7)

I could use any kind of tracing at all for the vertical and horizontal. Or off to kinkos and see if I can get the tail group blown up to the right scale from the In Action books.

TIA;
Ray

F4u5

My Feedback: (81)

Ray...a friend of mine had a 45 pounder that flew nicely on Saito .56 4-poppers

fw190

My Feedback: (37)

Ray,

If you happen to stop by my place. I'll take you the our local Aero Autobooks store in Burbank. They have on wires a large B17 model. Might be larger than your westcraft, very nice and a good motivator.

Vic

Paul Grubich

My Feedback: (1)

Does anyone know if my Saito 150's can handle a 16x7 three blade. I have four of them ordered from PK and would like to go to that size.

I currently run Graupner 15x8 three blade on the plane now and they turn 8500 rpm.

As soon as I can decide on the size I want he will get started on them.

Thanks,
Paul

AirRayInc

My Feedback: (7)

Made a tiny step towards completion..................
Man I have a lot of sanding and pin hole filling to do.
[link=http://airrayinc.com/b-17_westcraft.htm]Fortress build[/link]
Ray