Official FlightLine RC 2000mm B-24D/J Liberator Thread

[luca]

My FlightLine B24 in Regia Aeronautica (Italy) colors: it's an historical fact, her RAF name was Blonde Bomber II, a British operated B24 captured in Sicily in 1943, repainted in R.A. colors and used as testbed at the Experimental Aeronautical School in Guidonia (Rome). Later she was sent in Germany for Luftwaffe tests, but was heavily damaged by German pilots and never fly again.

[davegee]

Thanks for the info and the pics, Mike. Nicely done!

Cheers

Davegee

[Mikdys]

Very cool! My dad flew B-24s out of nearby Bungay (Flixton) with the 446th BG.. Do I see nose gear doors on your airplane? If so, did you scratch build them? Looks great!

Davegee

Hi Dave,

This whole area had B-24 bases all over. It's staggering the sacrifices made by so many youngsters crewing the machines, life expectancy wasn't great at the height of the Battle of Berlin. A few of the bases have small museums that have been kept going but many have disappeared now, which I think is the case with Bungay (Flixton).

Yes, I have nose gear doors fitted. Flightline make 3D printer files available for a number of parts and these can be downloaded for free. I had to pay somebody to print the doors for me and fit a couple of servos but the 'plane ships with a servo sequencer and it's an easy mod' to make.

[davegee]

Hi, yes, I fly from a grassed area which used to be the bomber hardstandings for the 448th Bomb Group 1943-45 located at Seething in Norfolk UK (15 miles south of Rackheath where the original Witchcraft was based). There is a small museum here which is kept running by volunteers and based in the preserved control tower building:

https://www.448bombgroup.co.uk

Here's a pic' of my B-24 taxiing on the peri' track at their recent open day (I could't fly because of the crowds where I usually take off and land :) ):

Very cool! My dad flew B-24s out of nearby Bungay (Flixton) with the 446th BG.. Do I see nose gear doors on your airplane? If so, did you scratch build them? Looks great!

Davegee

[Mikdys]

Mike, are you flying from an abandoned WWII airfield in England? Sure looks the part....

Hi, yes, I fly from a grassed area which used to be the bomber hardstandings for the 448th Bomb Group 1943-45 located at Seething in Norfolk UK (15 miles south of Rackheath where the original Witchcraft was based). There is a small museum here which is kept running by volunteers and based in the preserved control tower building:

https://www.448bombgroup.co.uk

Here's a pic' of my B-24 taxiing on the peri' track at their recent open day (I could't fly because of the crowds where I usually take off and land :) ):

[themudduck]

Tried out the bomb bay mods at the field today - all went well part from my bombing accuracy! Here's some video from the front turret:

https://youtu.be/bwKwQxGCwQE

Mike, are you flying from an abandoned WWII airfield in England? Sure looks the part....

[Mikdys]

Tried out the bomb bay mods at the field today - all went well part from my bombing accuracy! Here's some video from the front turret:

https://youtu.be/bwKwQxGCwQE

[Hugh Wiedman]

Mikdys I LIKE IT! Well done!

[Mikdys]

Here's my take on the way forward with the bomb bay:

First off buy some retro cap bombs off eBay and modify slightly:

Cut open the "first bomb compartment" on the B-24 and make up some balsa doors to add:

Add a control circuit (from Daves R C Electronics - operates doors and drops bombs from a single channel using a 3-way switch on your TX):

Make up a balsa structure to fit inside the cut open bay to strengthen the fuselage and mount E-Flite Payload Release Mechanisms and door servos:



Clip in the bombs:


Test it all works (4 bombs can be released singly, all together, all together with a one second delay between each or in pairs):

https://youtu.be/O34PYllaXb8

Add tail lights for good measure (white light illuminates when bomb doors are open - the second light is red and operates when bombs are dropping but didn't stay on long enough for me to get a photo' !):



It all sits close to the C/G and the 'plane balances OK (with a small video camera in the nose turret). It's not scale but it's fun :D

[quitcherbitchen]

Alpha how about another ALPHA MAKES session and lets knock out a BombBay Cassette

combination of flat panel slide and clam shell doors for a faux articulated garage door setup.

Now if i only had skill and experience to draw in Fusion or other CAD and test movement of the operation

This is already on Thingverse.

[petefoss]

Can someone run a test for me?

I got my B-24 motors working but they have a really odd behavior. If I plug in just the battery with the BEC the RX works fine but no response from the ESCs at all. Then when I plug the 2nd battery in, all 4 speed controls arm and work fine. Now here's the weird part: if I have the motors running and I unplug the non-BEC battery, those motors shut down immediately since they have no power.

BUT within a few seconds, the other motors ramp down and start beeping like they have no throttle signal! How the heck are they wired for that to happen? I would have thought they all see the throttle signal and power is to each pair. Obviously something else is in the throttle signal pathway???

Pete

[Jdcrow]

Alpha how about another ALPHA MAKES session and lets knock out a BombBay Cassette

combination of flat panel slide and clam shell doors for a faux articulated garage door setup.

One servo to open/close doors, and one servo (or eflite bomb release) to activate the bomb drop

My thoughts are a faux garage door. 2 Vertical Doors to simulate the doors rolling up the outside. use a connecting point like on integrated hinges on landing gear doors to slide within a channel up the side, then 2 clam shell doors to simulate the rolling open on the bottom. Probably need an off-set hinge point on the clams so the arc is more internal than outside the fuselage side. Connection to the side door by pushrod would slide it open and provide relief for clam shell to stow upward. Then lower into closed position when servo closes bay.

One servo operates the doors. A second servo (or eflite bomb release) would be used to release the bombs. basically use a rubber band attached to the cassette roof, holding bombs to bomb rails, connected to the release mechanism.

glue a piece of light plywood on the fuselage ceiling, then you could screw in the cassette and it would be easily removable for servo/mechanism maintenance if required. With Cassette attached, structural integrity should be unaffected. may be fore/aft attachment point on vertical walls as well.

Now if i only had skill and experience to draw in Fusion or other CAD and test movement of the operation

[Hugh Wiedman]

Don't think I entered.

Mike

Well, you should have, akways next year!

[MikeT]

Hey Mike, didn't your B-24 make it last year in the final 64 March Mayhem? Seem to remember it and thinking what a great looking B-24!

Don't think I entered.

Mike

[Hugh Wiedman]

Here's mine. Great scheme.
Mike

Hey Mike, didn't your B-24 make it last year in the final 64 March Mayhem? Seem to remember it and thinking what a great looking B-24!

[Detchman]

Looks good. Lot of work on those panel lines and oil spray.

[MikeT]

Took some reference pictures from the full size bird at the Wright Patt Air Force Museum.

Here's mine. Great scheme.
Mike

[Hugh Wiedman]

TLewis95 incredible photos and a terrific looking B-24. Congratulations, you did a spectacular job!

[Detchman]

Took some reference pictures from the full size bird at the Wright Patt Air Force Museum.

[Detchman]

Beautiful! Hope to get my first one maidened this month.