TOPIC: F22 Raptor

It begins, these are the test cutting patterns (with some alternate sheet width choices) for a 14 inch span F22 Raptor with a 1/8th balsa wing and the rest mostly 1/16th sheet balsa for TSP L2 or L3 depending how the weight turns out. Progress getting the drawings in shape has been very slow of late with the holidays and visitors. There are still some main elements yet to be decided but I need to start building something soon or I will procrastinate for ever!

Wing core sections joined up, the edging and then sanding to section comes later, that's it for today.

Mark Digby designed a very tasy and sophisticated semi-profile 'YF-22' in 2007.









When it flew it really looked the part, but it was quite 'twitchy' and I don't think either Mark, his father John, or me (I had a go too) could trim it out to our satisfaction.
A study of the plan shows that the wings and tailplane are essentially '0-0' with some 'up' elevator. Adding a bit of proper 'decalage' could eeasily solve the model's unpredictability and would be an interesting experiment.

If you would like to build Mark's YF-22, given the caveat above) please ask me for the plan pack.

Howard's 'take' on the F-22' will of course be different, and I look forward to developments!

Just a thought: if Howard is building an F-22, how about one of us builing a Su-57?





I've been searching for a 'proper' 3-view to build from .... no luck yet, but I'm sure it will make for an interesting model. The build should not be that dissimilar to the F-22.

Here is my ‘work in progress’ plan of the F22 Raptor, a couple of formers are still to be added and the fuselage needs some revisions. Some of it is speculative so it may have to be amended as I try to build it. Basically there is a 3mm balsa vertical spine nose to tail with skeletal formers mostly made from 1.5mm x 4.5mm balsa and sheathed in 1.5mm balsa sheet, it may well have to built in 4 sections joining them all up on the 3mm balsa wing.
You will notice that the Raptor’s nose is angled downwards somewhat as are flanking body surfaces ahead of the wing, 4 degrees and 3 degrees respectively. Because I think that these will affect the flight of the model, I have given the tailplanes 3.5 degrees positive incidence while the wing is set at 0 degrees, I hope it is enough. This is all guess work of course and I may have to fit elevators after the test glides.

You can use the latest appropriate graphics