Build Your Own Model B-52 200
Assmasher writes "Who says the cold war is over? Wren
Turbines, a UK based manufacturer of scale modeling jet engines (usually for remote control aircraft), has provided the engines for a 300lbs+ scale replica of Boeing's B-52. This isn't normal Slashdot fare; however, it is nerdy enough, crazy enough, and if you watch the videos, cool enough to warrant serious geek attention. At roughly $3k per turbine, this is a serious piece of engineering. The sound alone is amazing!"
The B52 is just wierd (Score:5, Interesting)
This leads to some crazy descent angle where the arcraft seems to be flying directly AT THE GROUND until it flares at the last second to place the wheel sets parallel to the runway to touchdown.
It's perfectly safe but damn, that's a wierd feeling when you are riding in one.
Intresting... (Score:3, Interesting)
I can even see "jetbelt" type devices being made out of such a thing, which would be sweet.
Expensive Hobbies (Score:4, Interesting)
I wish they had a video of the landing, I'd like to see that.
Re:The B52 is just wierd (Score:5, Interesting)
Well... (Score:5, Interesting)
I'll stick with my PA32R-300, thanks.
Re:The B52 is just wierd (Score:5, Interesting)
This was a later model modification to help the B-52's stability with low level flight at its new role as a low-altitude bomber. Formerly, the B-52 was a high altitude bomber and had a much less steep attack angle.
You should see the B-52 crab control at work. You haven't lived until you've seen a B-52 land in a blizzard with its nose pointed well to the right of the runway, even though it's still going down the runway's path.
I saw one almost spin out of control on landing once, too. That is a freaky sight.
Any other former bomb/nav in the house?
Re:We'll meet again... (Score:3, Interesting)
http://www.wren-turbines.com/B52003WEB.jpg [wren-turbines.com]
you can get a better (bigger) estimate of its size from this one.
They'd need to... (Score:5, Interesting)
This is why small GA aircraft use propellers, by the way.
Space Cowboys? (Score:2, Interesting)
Re: Damn bugs... (Score:1, Interesting)
It's slashdot material? (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Just $3k per turbine? (Score:2, Interesting)
Seriously, the sound might be different due to listening to the inside of the engine or the side of it. Or listening to the intake is low pitched, but the exhaust may be high pitched due to the smaller turbines being in the rear..so as it approaches you hear more of the high pitch which is coming from behind. Or the microphones are just overloaded and we have no idea what it sounds like. Or these tiny engines don't produce the same sound as those that can eat a car, and you're expecting a similarity.
Re:The B52 is just wierd (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:The B52 is just wierd (Score:2, Interesting)
I grew up on bomber air force bases and became an aeronautical engineer. I've seen lots of cross wind B52 landings and it always looks odd. The takeoffs are strange too since you dont see the lift coming until the plane just gets pulled into the air as the low pressure sucks it upwards. That is hard to explain to most people.
Dad got me up one morning at 4:30 and we drove in the staff car onto the flightline to watch a plane takeoff that wasn't supposed to be on our base. He sais, "this is important, I can't tell you anything more." About 24 hours later the attempted Iranian hostage rescue failed. I'd never put that together before. Dad died in 1991. I still wear his B-58 Hustler tie tack. Now that was a PLANE!
http://www.mindspring.com/~mach22/infligh
Re:The B52 is just wierd (Score:3, Interesting)
This looks oddly familiar... (Score:3, Interesting)
Unfortunately I can't remember the designers name (and it was just one guy doing this as a hobby) and I haven't been in contact since 1997.
Those were fun days though. I remember one day the guy brought in a turbine from a full size helicopter that he had got from somewhere (I never asked!) and we fired it up in a warehouse with four of use holding it down, just for fun! The miniture turbine was cool stuff though, we had to start it by firing propane through the front to spin it, and watch it flame when it was lit. Then the normal fuel was pumped in to make it go. I used to raise the temperature of the place by several degrees in about 2 minutes.
Happy days...