B-29 SUPERFORTRESS BUILD
 

Well I finally finished all my winter airplane projects and cleared off the work bench. I decided to switch gears from building fighters for awhile and build a bomber. I had a set of plans for the Don Smith B-29 I bought about 15 years ago and decided maybe it was about time to build it.

There doesn't seem to be a B-29 build thread here on RCU, so I figured why not start one.

I purchased the kit from Precision Cut Kits. All laser cut parts that came in "2" big boxes! So far it looks like they did a great job cutting the parts. I also got the cowls and canopy/turret set from them as they bought out Don Smith Plans and all the accessories.

www.precisioncutkits.com

In order to keep the costs down, I don't plan on going overboard with this project. My plan is to build a nice looking, reliable & good flying ship. And hopefully have it ready for next season. (so it's not a scale masters project)

All suggestions and ideas welcome.

RE: B-29 SUPERFORTRESS
 

This will be a fun build to watch . is the wing span 141 inches ? Are you planning on electric or gas for power

RE: B-29 SUPERFORTRESS
 

This is going to be the 141" (12 foot) wing span version. I considered the 14' version, but the kit costs were almost doubled and not worth the extra 2 feet along with other issues considered. (I also have to fit this thing in my 6X10 trailer.)

As for power, I was going to try and stuff G-20s in the cowls (as I'm not a big fan of glow engines) But I weighed out "all" the pros and cons and decided to bite the bullet and go with 4- OS .91 4 strokes. Much better power to weight ratio and of course, nothing beats the sound of 4 4-strokes in sync.

RE: B-29 SUPERFORTRESS
 

You're starting on my dream build. I was planning on this project in the distant future. I was thinking about doing the 14', since I already have 4 saito 120's. Only have 2 OS.91 FS. Will be watching this closely.
Edwin

RE: B-29 SUPERFORTRESS
 

Here's some pics of the fuse formers in place. It's hard to get a good pic of the whole thing. I had to back up a good distance to get it all in. The building table is 8 feet long, total fuse length is 99".
I was just able to get all the formers on the table. The fuse is built in halves. First the left side on the plan, then the right side over on the left. One thing that is different on this bird from others Iv'e built in the past is the lack of stringers. There are only 4 main stringers. Top, bottom and sides. All the formers get covered with 1/8" balsa sheeting.

RE: B-29 SUPERFORTRESS
 

Ok-im watching this one-

RE: B-29 SUPERFORTRESS BUILD THREAD
 

I wonder how that 1/8" sheet will conform on the tail section. Strip plank?
Edwin

RE: B-29 SUPERFORTRESS BUILD THREAD
 

Looks good! Are you going to have working bomb bays?

RE: B-29 SUPERFORTRESS BUILD THREAD
 

have you looked at the rudder linkage at all,that is what has me hung up from starting,do not quite fathom the rod in the tube thing.

RE: B-29 SUPERFORTRESS BUILD THREAD
 

Oh yea, A bomber has to have working bomb bay doors and bombs.

The plans don't show the location of the gear and bomb bay doors or include the extra parts to fabricate them. So alot of studying and planning ahead before you build is vital as to reducing any complications that will pop up.

The wing mounts onto the bottom of the fuse just like any other low wing plane. But having close to scale bomb bay doors and keeping the wing removable creates a problem as the bomb bay doors extend well underneath the wing from both ends. In order to solve this, I plan to make the doors removable in order to remove the wing if need be.

I also plan on keeping the B-29 on its gear so I don't have to remove the center section wing for transport. This will require some wing design changes which will be solved later in the build.

Before I glued all the formers onto the stringers, I cut the bomb bay door parts out of them and made some extra doublers. The top and bottom stringers are made out of 1/4 x 1/2". In the areas were the doors are located, I used 2- 1/8 x 1/2 pcs. Once it is all sheeted I can mark and cut out the doors. Also instead of trying to bend the 1/4 x1/2 stringer up at the nose section, I simply made a template and cut out a piece from 1/4" sheeting.

I'll have to strip plank the nose and tail sections in order to wrap around the formers.

RE: B-29 SUPERFORTRESS BUILD THREAD
 

Yea that's something to think about, I haven't got that far ahead yet but we'll figure out something when the time comes. There's also a build on RCSB where the guy made up some metal mounting plates. I might use the same idea.

RE: B-29 SUPERFORTRESS BUILD THREAD
 

Hello,

I too am going to be watching this thread. I wish I had the money to fund a project like this one. I look forward to seeing how things turn out for you.

So far so good.

Mark

RE: B-29 SUPERFORTRESS BUILD THREAD
 

I hear ya, Building something like this isn't going to be cheep. I had to regrettably sell a few kits and planes in order to do it. And again I don't plan on getting carried away with the scale details and items.

RE: B-29 SUPERFORTRESS BUILD THREAD
 

Warbird Man,

Glad to see someone taking a low cost approach for a change on a project of this size. I'll be watching your build.
I have a set of Don Smiths B-24 plans that I hope to build "someday".
Best of luck with the build.

Mike Pirkl

RE: B-29 SUPERFORTRESS BUILD THREAD
 

I would really consider going electric. I am doing for electrics on my 140" Halifax. I have been running one of the motors I chose to use. I am getting great power out of it. The Halifax will weigh in at 35-40 lbs and I have 40-41 lbs of thrust at take off...Plus no engine out problems... My cost was $831 for the motor and speed controls and $540 for the batteries = $1371.
4 four strokes and servos and tanks would run you close to the same price....

RE: B-29 SUPERFORTRESS BUILD THREAD
 

TY' cute kids...

You just may not want to publish those photos of CHILD LABOR on the I-NET! :D:D:D;)

WARBIRDMAN, GREAT JOB... that is awesome what you are doing...

-TOMAS

RE: B-29 SUPERFORTRESS BUILD THREAD
 

Ty, saw a good picture of you and your Whitley (I think it's a Whitley, I'm very much not a British plane type) in this months Model Aviaiton News.

RE: B-29 SUPERFORTRESS BUILD THREAD
 

Thanks ya'll,
It was a Wellington, I have gone all electric....

Ty

RE: B-29 SUPERFORTRESS BUILD THREAD
 

Thanks for the suggestion on the electrics but I already have the 4 strokes. I was fortunate to get a killer deal from Tower on all 4 before the prices went up on the OS engines. (it paid to be a super saver club member on this one)

RE: B-29 SUPERFORTRESS BUILD THREAD
 

here is ongoing build of same thing:
http://www.rcscalebuilder.com/forum/...663&PN=2&TPN=1

RE: B-29 SUPERFORTRESS BUILD THREAD
 

Warbird Man can you please tell me weight of 2 boxes from Precision Cut Kits. It should be on postage stamps.

Thank you,
Kostya

RE: B-29 SUPERFORTRESS BUILD THREAD
 

SALAT The weight of the 2 boxes are 11 & 15 lbs. I couldn't find the box the canopy set and cowls came in but it couldn't have been more than 1 or 2 lbs at the most.

Good luck

RE: B-29 SUPERFORTRESS BUILD THREAD
 

Wow. 12kgs of wood... What will be AUW? How much it costed?
What is your estimation of time it will take?

Thank you,

RE: B-29 SUPERFORTRESS BUILD THREAD
 

The total weight of this bird is somewhere between 45 to 52 lbs. As for cost I'd check precisioncutkits.com for current prices.
I'd like to have it done by next summer if possible. But that's probably pushing it a bit. I'm not in a big rush.
( I need to spend more time building and less time on this computer)

RE: B-29 SUPERFORTRESS BUILD THREAD
 

Good choice on using the IC engines. It would be a shame build an aircraft this awesome and use electric power.