1/18 B-17 anyone?

Flak Happy · Post by **Flak Happy** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 9:58 pm

Now if I could only sneak this past my wife....
http://cgi.ebay.com/Huge-1-18-Ultimate- ... dZViewItem

Threetoughtrucks · Post by **Threetoughtrucks** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 10:26 pm

All I can say is awesome

Absolutely an 1/18 guys dream.

TTT

kevrut · Post by **kevrut** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 10:29 pm

Hmmm,.......real tempting.

Sentinel · Post by **Sentinel** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 11:04 pm

That auction sort of brings this one "home" ... doesn't it.

Thanks!

Post by **aferguson** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 5:53 am

hm...the only 1/18 r/c B-17 i know of is the EAM version, and that's not it. There was an older 1/16 one i know of. That is probably the one.

Boy, if those wings don't detach that woud be one big box it would have to ship in.

I'd be kinda nervous paying someone that kind of money when they don't take Paypal. You send a money order and then wait....and wait.....and wait.........and.....

Does look very yummy though, doesn't it.

FieroDude · Post by **FieroDude** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 9:22 am

Damn!!!

'Nuff said!

Rowsdower · Post by **Rowsdower** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 10:54 am

Good thing that isn't RC! Fly that around and someone would call homeland security.

Next thing you know some F-16's show up and it's sidewinder time.

immeww2 · Post by **immeww2** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 1:32 pm

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 4:22 pm

Wicked

I wish it was a model, but its still cool

DocTodd · Post by **DocTodd** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 10:55 pm

Nice B-17, it is tempting, it looks like it doesn't have alot of detail compared to more recently produced models.
Todd

chunks · Post by **chunks** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 11:04 pm

I googled "royal B-17" which is in it's description. Came back to a rc model, built plank on frame like a ship. Cut to shape balsa stringers are clued to internal frames that give the shape. The whole thing is then covered in fibre glass.

Post by **aferguson** » Tue Dec 26, 2006 7:28 am

that's right.....it's a kit that's been around for years. The kit itself sells for several hundred dollars usually so it's a pretty good deal for a built up one, especially if it still can be made to fly.

It is 1/16 scale though, so it is a noticable bit larger than a 1/18 scale one would be.

The nice thing about using r/c kits for large 1/18-ish aircraft though is that they are pretty light, which is good for hanging. A true 1/18 B-17, made out of plastic, would probably weigh 20 pounds or so and there would be possible problems with wing sag etc It's weight would make it a challenge to hang from a ceiling.

An r/c one, like the EAM, would probably only weigh 5 pounds or a bit less maybe without the engines in it and thus be about the same or less than the BBI F-18. Much more manageable.

FieroDude · Post by **FieroDude** » Tue Dec 26, 2006 9:08 am

The point about the wing sag and overall weight brings up a question for you guys. I had mentioned this elsewhere, but if someone came out with a 1/18 B-17 with a traditonal plastic fuselage and styrofoam (possible reinforced or with a thin plastic skin), would you go for it? It may even possible to form much of the fuselage out of foam, with key detail areas (cockpit, bomb-bay, gun turrets, etc.) in plastic,and again, possibly a thin plastic skin to allow details like panel lines, etc. That would allow the use of a much thinner and lighter plastic for the skin while still allowing decent structural strength. The end result would be a plane that weighs in more than an all foam RC plane might, but also is much lighter than would be needed in plastic heavy enough to provide the same structural rigidity.

Post by **aferguson** » Tue Dec 26, 2006 9:39 am

As i've mentioned in previous posts, i have 1/18-ish B-25 that is built like that. It's made from foam with many of the detail parts in plastic, metal and resin. It's very well detailed (it has to be assembled, like a pre-painted model kit) and quite accurate. It's also very light because of the foam.

Two problems with foam construction are; the surface texture looks like a styrofoam coffee cup. If well painted it becomes much less obvious but is still noticable close up. The other problem with foam is fragility. The type of foam they use on r/c planes is pretty tough but still much more fragile than plastic. It can be repaired with glue but still would leave an obvious seam line.

So whether a mass marketed XD type bomber could be done with foam construction? I don't know. Many people would probably break it and they would be still quite expensive. R/C guys are used to handling foam flyers and buy them to fly, not to display, so if they have to repair breaks the resulting loss of asthetics doesnt really bother them. It would collectors.

The best solution for large XD aircraft would be to make the plastic as light as possible (thin, new types that weigh less, lots of hollow spaces inside model) and engineer it well with a long, strong wing spar to prevent sagging of the heavy wings.

chunks · Post by **chunks** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 2:20 pm

For anyone still thinking about this. He's dropped the min bid and buy it now dramatically. No bids and ending soon. I have no connection with the seller, but have been watching it just to see if it sells.

scope uk · Post by **scope uk** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 4:09 pm

WOW! That is pretty nice looking! would love to see it up close!

Small Scale Military Headquarters

1/18 B-17 anyone?

1/18 B-17 anyone?

xd