Dragon Lady and Blackbird

[Sekhet]

I would love to have a 90mm sized Lockheed U-2 Dragon Lady.
There are a few smaller U-2s out but the scale and detail isn't good.

I would also like to have a twin 80 or 90mm sized Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird.
There is just something about spy planes that gets me going.

[Aros]

The SR-71 Blackbird stands as my favorite aircraft ever built. I cut my teeth (and arms, legs and head lol) on the LX 64mm SR-71...In fact, I went through 13 of them! Yep, I either bought 13 new PNP or airframes over the years. So many crashes, so many fine-tunings until I finally tamed the beast. I still proudly have #13 hanging up safe and sound. Which reminds me I need to get some nice inrunners in her. The current setup is too slow.

I have been waiting and waiting for us/Freewing to release a scale 64-80mm SR-71 for a long time. I still hold out hope someday we will. Even if it's the A-12 titanium version like the one below (since there is a general fear from manufacturers releasing an all black foam model due to gatoring issues from the Sun and temps). Definitely not for a beginner but once you figure out how she likes to be flown and with the proper CG/throws it's extremely rewarding.

The U-2 would be great as well. I remember someone manufactured one years back. It was neat and I almost bought one but it was too small for my taste. Add in the B-1 and B-2 and I would be over the moon!

[Dirty Dee]

I too have been interested in both the U-2 and the blackbird. I designed a 3D printed U-2 for a 50mm EDF, 1600mm wingspan. Handtosser but I'm working on fixed gear. One sized for a 90mm might be close to the 3m wingspan range, would be cool!

I'd prefer one for a 70mm EDF. ~1/15 scale 2.2m wingspan. I might scale up my 50mm design to match this and install gears and speed brakes if I enjoy flying the 50mm enough

A twin 90 blackbird would be massivel! There was a thread on RCgroups where someone built a 1:12 blackbird for twin 90 midi pro fans. No flight video yet as he normally flies off grass, and he is trying to get access to a paved runway from what I last remembered.

Going with the 70mm theme, I'd like to see a blackbird for 70s in the 1/15 scale range, ~2.2m long

[Aros]

Even a twin 64mm would be good size if its scale, not like the LX which the nacelles were anything but. With scale nacelles/airframe a twin 64mm would be like a 6ft fuse I think (don't quote me I suck at math, lol). That would rule out a scale 80-90mm I would think. Just too large and not practical for many. Would love a 3M U-2! Man, any of these old spy/new gen stealth aircraft I would be all over for Freewing to create.

Dirty Dee, love your 3DP U-2!

[scootergenie]

I've looked at the Aerotetris blackbird for some time now. It's a true builders kit, and come in 90, 105, and 120mm sizes. All twins of course.

[Aros]

If anyone would want to die laughing film me at 2x speed trying to build the Aerotetris Blackbird (and pretty much whenever I attempt any repairs). It would go something like this... (Warning: Some language NSFW)...

[Sekhet]

I too have been interested in both the U-2 and the blackbird. I designed a 3D printed U-2 for a 50mm EDF, 1600mm wingspan. Handtosser but I'm working on fixed gear. One sized for a 90mm might be close to the 3m wingspan range, would be cool!

I'd prefer one for a 70mm EDF. ~1/15 scale 2.2m wingspan. I might scale up my 50mm design to match this and install gears and speed brakes if I enjoy flying the 50mm enough

A twin 90 blackbird would be massivel! There was a thread on RCgroups where someone built a 1:12 blackbird for twin 90 midi pro fans. No flight video yet as he normally flies off grass, and he is trying to get access to a paved runway from what I last remembered.

Going with the 70mm theme, I'd like to see a blackbird for 70s in the 1/15 scale range, ~2.2m long

3 meters +/- for a U-2 is just about what I was thinking.
and 1/10th scale (about 3.2 meters in length) for the SR-71 might do the trick

[Alpha]

No way to fit that in a PNP box under Dimm Weight, which is why I personally love Aerotetris' approach. It gives modeler's the opportunity to build airframes that are unlikely to ever be mass-produced as PNPs at those sizes (look at his giant, gorgeous An-225!), and keeps the Builder Blood flowing.

[cg7060]

All the black jets are legendary, but I think SR-71 would be extremely popular--cool factor off the chart. I think a twin 80mm would be the sweet spot in the market.

For the history buffs out there, the Blackbird shown in post #2 is not an SR-71. It's the two-seat trainer version of the A-12. And this particular bird was never equipped with the powerful Pratt & Whitney ramjet operating J58 engines.

[Aros]

For the history buffs out there, the Blackbird shown in post #2 is not an SR-71. It's the two-seat trainer version of the A-12. And this particular bird was never equipped with the powerful Pratt & Whitney ramjet operating J58 engines.

That is correct! I was looking for an A-12 with the titanium color scheme...A trainer version like the photo would be sweet but not necessary, hint, hint Freewing.

[vdanger]

Since you all are talking about the U-2, I thought I would post some pictures of mine that I just finished a few months ago.

I solved the black gatoring problem, that's a real U-2 paint scheme by the way.

[Aros]

Looks sharp vdanger! Really nice!

[Sekhet]

No way to fit that in a PNP box under Dimm Weight, which is why I personally love Aerotetris' approach. It gives modeler's the opportunity to build airframes that are unlikely to ever be mass-produced as PNPs at those sizes (look at his giant, gorgeous An-225!), and keeps the Builder Blood flowing.

Hummm… Leave it to me to come up with a tuff project.
That's what happens when a full scale engineer forgets about packaging and shipping.
Can you give me a rough idea of what the largest size a U-2 or an SR-71 could be and still fit in a PNP box under Dimm Weight?

[Sekhet]

Since you all are talking about the U-2, I thought I would post some pictures of mine that I just finished a few months ago.

I solved the black gatoring problem, that's a real U-2 paint scheme by the way.

That's a very good looking bird!

[tab28682]

I was able to feed the Blackbird desire with the LX 64mm SR-71 years back. Have not flown it in quite a while as it needs some repair after getting blown off the top of my model trailer, also years back. While it is far from perfect, scale wise, it is a pretty decent flyer and looks good in the air.

U-2 wise, I bought a Phase III U-2 ARF plus unpainted kit with motor and fan when it was available. The kit is of a late model TR-1/U-2R. Decided to do it as the NASA ER-2, using the Parkflyer Plastics slipper tanks. A nice flyer. Need to replace the unimpressive stock Phase III 70mm fan one of these days with a more modern one, quieter, with more static thrust for a better climb rate.

Here is a photo sequence taken by my flying buddy Richard Ng at SMALL in Little Rock in 2012. The ER-2 is being launched by none other than Sparky of Parkflyer Plastics. The sky was amazing that late afternoon and Richard got some stunning photos of it off in the distance

[Aros]

Great model, great pics! Thanks for sharing.

[scootergenie]

Yes.... Very nice.

[cg7060]

The Crown Jewels of the USAF.

[LucB]

3 meters +/- for a U-2 is just about what I was thinking.
and 1/10th scale (about 3.2 meters in length) for the SR-71 might do the trick

Hi,
I bought one kit in Germany in December. They make them on demand.
Lockheed U-2R / TR-1 for turbines from 30N / impeller 90mm from 6S / as a pure glider
Spw .: 3200mm length: 1920mm weight: from 5Kg (glider) / 6Kg (turbine / impeller)
https://shop.strato.de/epages/613167...U-2R+/+TR-1%22

They do 2 other models of U-2.