Ultimate RC Aircraft

[PAUL161]

Like to play with RC airplanes? Here's one for you! Supposedly designed, built and flown by a German engineer, he also built the jet engines. You could probably buy a real aircraft for the cost of this one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=SDbQ5xvsrIU

 

[DNK]

That was awesome. If you came in during the middle of the flight there is no way you would know it wasn't full size.

 

[GregW]

Like to play with RC airplanes?

I do, but I had to stop due to 15 second flights before crashing them. That RC would definitely put a smile on Kelly Johnston's face.

 

[aerog]

he also built the jet engines.

Close!

That Sr71 is powered by a single commercially available Frank Turbine TJ 70/16 engine (about euro2500.00 worth) with around 36lb of thrust.

The model is a little over 4m long and is wood. The single engine is mounted in the fuselage. If you look carefully at around 1:32 you'll see the rear of the fuselage is open. It's hard to see, but the bottom of the fuselage is open - sort of like an A4 Skyhawk - but with a long shield over the top to make it look "real". There are lots of twin-engine turbine models flying but at euro2500 a pop I don't blame him for sticking to just one.

Here are some stills:

The "afterburners" are rings of LEDs that light up:

The engine is pretty obvious in this picture. Still, very impressive.

An even more impressive project is Lance Campbell's massive SR71 project. His is a true twin-turbine project. The video is of the prototype. Early pictures are with "fixed" gear for testing. Model #2 is going to be finished off "scale".

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[Twosheds]

You could probably buy a real aircraft for the cost of this one.

Be careful what you say around model aircraft enthusiasts.

We let the Academy of Model Aeronautics use our hangar for some events. They became very defensive at any mention that their aircraft are not real.

"Our aircraft are just as real as yours," they would say.

Sort of like the model aircraft designer in <span style="font-style: italic">Flight of the Phoenix</span>.

One speaker was the guy behind the trans-Atlantic model airplane flight. He had some great stories. By the way, he is legally blind!

 

[PAUL161]

You could probably buy a real aircraft for the cost of this one.

Be careful what you say around model aircraft enthusiasts.

We let the Academy of Model Aeronautics use our hangar for some events. They became very defensive at any mention that their aircraft are not real.

"Our aircraft are just as real as yours," they would say.

Sort of like the model aircraft designer in <span style="font-style: italic">Flight of the Phoenix</span>.

One speaker was the guy behind the trans-Atlantic model airplane flight. He had some great stories. By the way, he is legally blind!

 

[Stewart]

Call them "toys" and watch what happens.

The rc plane guys take that stuff way to seriously thats why I fly rc helicopters when I want to play with toys though I still have a bunch of planes and gliders.