The summer is coming to end and with it the project I have spent most of my free time working on. The ER-2, NASA's modified civilian version of the Lockeed U2 is now in store. It is a much more complicated model when compared to many of my others, featuring an optional retractable landing gear, flaps and speed brakes. All possible due to the large scale of the model, a 90mm EDF and a 2m wing span. (I spent a while working on the micro's and wanted to go BIG! 😀)
Included in the download are files for a launch trolley, and the STEP files for the part of the wing that receives wing pods. This allows you to upload them into your cad program and design your own wing pods to house whatever you like, be it a cameras or sensors(?)!
The wings are designed to be removable, otherwise transporting the model would be impossible. This has been accomplished by using nesting carbon fibre tubes - as I found out to my surprise not all manufactures tolerances will allow this so it may be worth buying them in person so you can check that the inside and outside diameters are ok!
The landing gear is a bicycle style, like the real thing. It should be printed in something tough and realistically will need a relatively smooth surface due to the size of the wheels. That why I have also included a version without the gear for flying on grass.
A flight video will follow at some point (I don't like the distraction on early flights as I'm not that good a flier!).
Looking forward to the rest of the year I have some great stuff coming. I hope to have the marketplace live soon, a dedicated space in the vein of Cults 3D for 3D printed RC models, where users can share and sell their own models. To coincide with this I am planning another 'How To Design...' tutorial, using a very exciting new aircraft as our canvas, going all out with slaps and flaps 😛.
Thanks to everyone who supports this site, it wouldn't happen with you all! Keep the feedback coming in!