Adding electric motor to prop aircraft.

tpa05 · Post by **tpa05** » Fri May 11, 2007 7:53 am

In the past when I built smaller (1/32 and 1/48 model aircraft) I'd sometimes put a small electric motor inside the cowling. It was pretty cool for a few days when I was able to have the kitchen table to myself with 3-4 aircraft spinning their props. The only problem however is that I was never careful to keep my fingers out of the way and so very often a cool looking plane on Monday became a broken (and now out of commision) aircraft by the weekend. I also realized pretty early on that the lifespan of a motorized model was inversely proportional to the number of friends or family members I let handle it. But I had to show it off no?

Anyway, does anyone here do the same with any of their 1:18 aircraft? It's been 25 years easily since I've put a motor in a plastic model and so I'm wondering if there's a motor type that someone (anyone) can recommend. I'll be doing this with my Corsair and two of my P-47s. Any help is appreciated.

Spudkopf · Post by **Spudkopf** » Fri May 11, 2007 2:23 pm

G'day tpa05

I did this a long time ago to a 1/32 revell Fw190D, I even had a micro switch that turned on and off the motor by closing and opening the canopy, however the major draw backs with this little project were lack of access to the batteries and the landing gear was fixed in the flying position.

Then I got my 21stCT Fw190D and I could see that the issues that I had with my 1/32 Dora no longer applied, so went and got a motor, battery holder and a small switch from "Dick Smith's" which is like a "Tandy" store.

I hid a small switch on the centreline in the area between the two wheel wells under the drop tank, the batteries and battery holder sit in the large empty space in the nose behind the motor with long enough leads to allow easy battery changing.

What I'd like to do though is get hold of a cheap RC toy and try to figure out a way to make a RC switch that will allow me to turn the thing on and off remotely, now that would be cool.

See "JoAT" I'm not the only one

tpa05 · Post by **tpa05** » Fri May 11, 2007 7:31 pm

Actually it's the RC way I'd like to do it myself. I figure it I'm gonna tear the thing apart then why not go the extra mile. What I (think) I'll use is the chasis from a small RC car. I say small as I'm concerned that the prop might indeed go too fast. Balance on a prop such as the corsair is another concern. I'll run through some of the closeout stores this weekend and see if I can find a cheap RC vehicle to at the very least test drive starting/stopping the prop until I get a good handle on which one to use.

pickelhaube · Post by **pickelhaube** » Fri May 11, 2007 8:58 pm

TPA 05,
After you go to Wal-Mart and fail to find any XD keep on walking and pick up a mlittle r/c motorized truck for about $10 you will find everything you need to make the prop spin.
Spud,
You still need a switch to turn on the batteries or they will run down. But you could hook up a servo to work a switch to engage the motor at will. In therory you could fully equip a 1/18 for electric r/c but the modifing would totaly tear up the model and the weight of it would probably never make it off of the ground and make the hadling of the plane very hard. R/C was one of my hobbies years ago and yes I crashed everything that I have ever had. The last thing that I flew was a 1/6 stuka that my son sat on. After I fixed it I flew it 3 times and it did it's best at being a mole. The thing was about 1/6 scale and I had a Zenoa 38 as a motor (gas burner) it sounded great when it flew.But not so good when it augered in.

Morian Miner · Post by **Morian Miner** » Fri May 11, 2007 10:02 pm

I did it with my P40. Very easy conversion, because there's not much keeping the motor cover on. Used a toothbrush motor and put the switch behind the pilot seat. Here are some pictures of the cluster

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/alb ... 1012qCZMLy

Post by **aferguson** » Sat May 12, 2007 4:47 am

the biggest problems i see with doing this is prop balance and getting the propeller shaft straight. If either of those are off even a little, the prop won't spin around smoothly but will jiggle and shake unrealistically as it spins..

kevrut · Post by **kevrut** » Sat May 12, 2007 5:22 am

Cool idea MM.

tpa05 · Post by **tpa05** » Sun May 13, 2007 9:58 am

Cool guys, I'm gettin' anxious now to get this started. Now it's decision time - where to start? My first thought was the 21c Corsair but it looks like there's another thread where a guy's having problems removing the prop on his BBI Corsair. The other aircraft are P-47s (bubble and ridgeback). Anyway, I'm not familiar with the "innards" behind the props of either of the aircraft so I'm (for now anyway) more inclined to test driving this on the Corsair. Yea, I know, I got two '47s but for whatever reason I'm thinkin' the Corsair might be easier to work with.

I'm open to any suggestions.

[edited] I mention that there might be a problem removing the prop on the corsair as per the suggestion on the BBI thread as I've already glued the wings in place (I share it with a 5 year old).

DocTodd · Post by **DocTodd** » Mon May 14, 2007 9:12 pm

I put a motor in a P-47 Razor Back, it went pretty smoothly. I attached a threaded rod into the back of the hub of the prop and applied a touch of superglue to the tip of the rod, then attached the rod to the motor with a small piece of rubber tubing. It works well and has a little lag like the real thing.
Todd

fuddmiester · Post by **fuddmiester** » Sat May 19, 2007 7:45 pm

I've got a P-38 with motorized props, push button switch behind one of the guns. Pop a pin down the barrel, and off she goes!

tpa05 · Post by **tpa05** » Mon May 21, 2007 6:37 am

Cool. You guys got me pretty psyched to put one in at least one of mine. The issue now is finding the right motor. My guess is at the very least test drive the prop on several motors first. I think I've got the battery and switch stuff figured out as I've added lights to vehicles that I've purchased in the past.

I'll update ya as to my progress and thanks for the ideas and input.

tko211 · Post by **tko211** » Mon May 21, 2007 10:49 am

I did a motor in my S1 Me-109E. and I did one in a Corsair as well. The Corsair became a custom paint scheme as I damaged so much of the paint in the process of tearing the plane apart. Both of them also have working red and green wing tip LED navigation lights.

Fun stuff... too much work for me to consider doing more though.

tmanthegreat · Post by **tmanthegreat** » Mon May 21, 2007 1:23 pm

tko211 wrote:I did a motor in my S1 Me-109E. and I did one in a Corsair as well. The Corsair became a custom paint scheme as I damaged so much of the paint in the process of tearing the plane apart. Both of them also have working red and green wing tip LED navigation lights.

Fun stuff... too much work for me to consider doing more though.

TKO - Try to persuade Roy to add battery-powered motors & lights to XD planes. Show him yours, and how cool they are

Afterall, 21c added motors & sound to their Panzer IV and M113, so why not a plane or two

tpa05 · Post by **tpa05** » Mon May 21, 2007 6:13 pm

I like the light idea alot. It's off to Radio Shack fer sure. Maybe even a strobe light if I can find out where they're located on the Corsair and the two P-47s. If anyone knows I'm all ears (ok, monitor).

Thanks guys.

KAGNEW · Post by **KAGNEW** » Wed May 23, 2007 2:26 pm

they didn't have strobe lites in WWII

tpa05 · Post by **tpa05** » Thu May 24, 2007 7:38 am

...smilin' and shakin' my head (after pickin' forehead off table).

Thanks.

KAGNEW · Post by **KAGNEW** » Thu May 24, 2007 10:31 am

AS far as i can google first plane with strobe lites was
a selling feature on 1969 Cessna 310J
called "high intensity collision avoidance white pulse lamp".

that was a mouth full

MightyMustang · Post by **MightyMustang** » Thu May 24, 2007 11:33 am

If there was an aircraft that I would want to put a motor in it would be my Marines Dream Corsair. Out of all my aircraft its still number 1 to me. It would be cool to see its prop spinning and the nav lights flashing and a lighted cockpit. BUT I have no interest in wrecking it, and if I put a motor in thats what would happen trust me on that. I would also like to see a motor put in my 2 P-51's HHH and Old Crow but once again I dont want to see them get wrecked. They look very nice just the way they are.

pickelhaube · Post by **pickelhaube** » Thu May 24, 2007 3:35 pm

KAGNEW wrote:they didn't have strobe lites in WWII

If they did I bet Odd Ball on Kelly's Hero's woud've hooked one up on his Sherman to go along with those paint rounds.

iflabs · Post by **iflabs** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 4:37 am

Any have any ideas that doesn't require too much tooling?

I was thinking this motor from radioshack and an ac power plug.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... nSession=1

Folkwulfe · Post by **Folkwulfe** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 7:05 am

I have "toyed" with the same ideas for awhile and might just head that direction soon. I've been in contact with a company called "Dynamic Scale Modeling" who make lights and sounds for mainly aircraft models. They are pricey, but they include custom computer chips and boards that synch the sounds and props together. Check out their web site at http://www.dynamicscalemodeling.com/ and watch some of their demo movies. Awesome stuff!!!

CW4USARMY · Post by **CW4USARMY** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 8:12 am

I put a motor on the props of a winter Me-109 and the candy stripe FW-190 a couple years back. Also put wing tip LED lights on them. Was relatively easy on the Me-109 but a little harder on the Fw-190 due to the thin wing tips. Bought everything at radio shack back then. Mounted the motor on the Me-109 with hardening clay on the lower half of the engine compartment. Holds it solid when dry and adds some heft to model. Put the toggle switch for the Me-109 in the cockpit and the running lights switch on the under belly for both. Powered by 9 volt battery and really kicks the air back when you turn them on

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 8:47 am

I think that is what our 1/18th birds needs to come with.

Grilledcheese · Post by **Grilledcheese** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 9:48 am

ZOMBIE THREAD!!!!! AAAARRRGGHHH!!!!

Sorry.

Couldn't help myself...

Jeffrey

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 10:02 am

Grilledcheese wrote:ZOMBIE THREAD!!!!! AAAARRRGGHHH!!!!

Sorry.

Couldn't help myself...

Jeffrey

That's ok just take your meds for ADD and all will be right again...lol

Oh look there is a hot chick walking down the sidewalk.

what were we talking about?

Did you see a new Zombie movie?

Sorry I Got distracted I had my finger up my nose.

Small Scale Military Headquarters

Adding electric motor to prop aircraft.

Adding electric motor to prop aircraft.

xd