Massive RC Model Super Constellation ‘Star of America’

Keith Mitchell’s 1/6 scale super constellation “Star of America”. This model has had 12 flights before this flight which is the first time she has ever flown in front of the paying public – the wind was gusting 20+ mph (safe to fly in) but very uncomfortable for the pilot to battle for ten mins.
The model had to undergo 12 flights over not less than 2 hrs as it’s over 80kg as required by CAA law as she is well over the 20kg limit a model can fly at public events without being scrutinised by an lMA examiner to make sure she is built correctly,

Info:

SUPER CONSTELLATION N6937C “STAR OF AMERICA”,
SCALE – 1/6 TH,
W-SPAN – 21 FT,
LENGTH – 19 FT,
WEIGHT – 220 LBS (100KG),
WING AREA – 46 SQ FT,
ENGINES – 4 X ZDZ 90cc SINGLE CYLINDER PETROL / GAS,
PROPS – 4 X 28 X 10 BIELA CARBON,
RADIO – FUTABA 12MG 14 CHANNEL T,
22 X SERVOS,
10 X BATTERY PACKS,
13 CHANNELS – AILERONS, ELEVATOR, RUDDER, FLAPS (4 X SERVOS) THROTTLES (4 X SERVOS) RETRACTS, LANDING LIGHTS,

It took Keith and friends around 5 yrs (5500 hrs) to build Connie then the test flights started. The undercarriage alone had 1000 hours spent designing then building from scratch !

Some other links during that testing schedule here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pKir…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Hq5l…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vf0LZ…

INFO ON REAL AIRCRAFT –

Role – Airliner and transport
Manufacturer – Lockheed
First flight – January 9, 1943
Introduction – 1943 with USAAF
1945 with TWA Retired
1990s, airline service – 1978, military
Status In very limited service
Primary users – Trans World Airlines
Eastern Air Lines
Pan American World Airways
Air France
Produced – 1943–1958
Number built – 856
Developed from L-044 Excalibur

The Lockheed Constellation (“Connie”) is a propeller-driven, four-engined airliner built by Lockheed Corporation between 1943 and 1958 at Burbank, California. Lockheed built 856 in numerous models—all with the same triple-tail design and dolphin-shaped fuselage. Most were powered by four 18-cylinder Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclones. The Constellation was used as a civil airliner and as a military and civilian air transport, seeing service in the Berlin and the Biafran airlifts. Three of them served as the presidential aircraft for Dwight D. Eisenhower.

The Constellation’s wing design was close to that of the P-38 Lightning, differing mostly in size. The triple tail kept the aircraft’s height low enough to fit in existing hangars,

While features included hydraulically boosted controls and a de-icing system used on wing and tail leading edges.[1] The aircraft had a maximum speed of over 375 mph (600 km/h), faster than that of a Japanese Zero fighter, a cruise speed of 340 mph (550 km/h), and a service ceiling of 24,000 ft (7,300 m).

According to Anthony Sampson in Empires of the Sky, Lockheed may have undertaken the intricate design, but Hughes’ intercession in the design process drove the concept, shape, capabilities, appearance, and ethos. These rumours were discredited by Johnson. Howard Hughes and Jack Frye confirmed that the rumours were not true in a letter in November 1941.

Source: YouTube