That looks pretty awesome!! We could do a simplified version that mimics the design but with simpler lines on the belly. I’m not concerned with accurate scale model to the mm.
Definitely printing the molds and pouring the foam. Probably prepping the mold surface with bondo and paint.
If we do this, making it hollow would be rad to carry a payload
How big do you wanna go? I’d be up for up to go 16 feet wingspan… Or 1/8 scale but that would make it super long- hard to transport
An SR-71 would be so rad. I’ve thought of it and came to the same conclusion as you.
The bigger we go, the heavier it’ll be. 16’, that’s massive. I have no limits besides staying within FAA hobbyist rules. I’m willing to explore the limits of what’s possible and scale back as needed.
What kind of flying fields do you have around Lincoln? You will need to find an experienced large scale rc pilot locally to fly this thing. She’ll have ideas about the max size that can be safely flown locally due to landing strip and size of undeveloped surrounding land.
I know an extremely experienced rc pilot and will reach out.
If you want to start small, we can. Then scale up. The nice thing about a solid mold is scaling should be easy. We could start with a 4 or 5 foot wingspan and go from there. How will it affect flight? Will scaling up power accommodate the larger scale? Seems like it would but what Dino know
If you want to give me a model you would enjoy seeing as a mold, I’ll give it a go. I can build you a custom sized printer made specifically for our eventual goal and we can learn together. Maybe some active community members would enjoy a printer to help blaze the trail with us. This printer actually will be easy to print parts for on a plus or larger, so I expect it to spawn a bunch of builders looking for something different. Probably derivatives too.
I’ll make it a goal to launch the design by Christmas - my Christmas gift to RepRap folks. Yeah, that’s the goal.
Need to decide on a name… Maybe Printrbot Biggie. I like names that are playful and don’t take themselves to seriously.
So, there’s two of us on board. Let’s try to solicit others. I need to find a good free cloud based project management app to track and assign tasks and to essentially host the project.
Let’s make a formal post on OpenRC announcing this new project and soliciting other contributors over the coming few weeks. It’d be really nice if this was a broadly distributed effort to produce one very large plane. I’ll likely only be able to really get going over the holiday break and in the new year. I’ll handle some organisational and research tasks till then.
Besides mold tests, we need to gather many photos, videos and reference material.
I really think you would enjoy Fusion 360… Excellent sharing and collaboration features… Ability to post public links. I know people there and think this project is a good candidate.
