Robin DR400 Dauphin 4, free, 1:24

[Bob43]

A new paper model (at long last!), the Robin DR400 Dauphin 4, at a scale of 1: 24 , which can be downloaded free from my web site www.bobscardmodels.com .
Why this model? Quite simply because I had an enjoyable afternoon with my neighbour flight instructor, who showed me the beautiful French Burgundy countryside from the air in this Dauphin 4.
The Robin DR400 is a wooden sport monoplane, conceived by Pierre Robin and Jean Délémontez. It first flew in 1972 and was still in production in 2008. It has a tricycle undercarriage, and can carry four people. The DR400 aircraft have the 'cranked wing' configuration, in which the dihedral angle of the outer wing is much greater than the inboard, a configuration which they share with Jodel aircraft. This model is considered easy to fly by many and quiet during flight due to its wooden frame.
What next ??? I would like to tackle a classical bi- or tri-plane. Any ideas?
Bob

 

[sjsquirrel]

Beauty

That's a sweet looking aircraft Bob. Must have been fun to ride in it and then design the model. Thanks for making it available.

Steve

 

[Bob43]

Thanks Steve,
It was fun riding in it - more even than designing (especially the front fuselage which is often the most difficult part of a plane)
Bob

 

[KOCMOHABT]

Thanks. A lot of rare aircraft on that site.

 

[dissidia]

love those water bomders

 

[Zathros]

Bob, you site rules. You offer up some incredible models. You are a legend in the community, and someone to emulate!!

 

[Bob43]

Hey, Zathros, you mustn't let it go to my head!
At present; I have given up designing, and am re-making my models, which were horribly damaged during our recent change of home. Perhaps, when I find something interesting I will take up slide rule and continue. Must wait though, for something interesting like the Sikorsky S40 (my favourite project) to re-gain the courage and interest; for the S40, have a look at UYouTube on ....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqbTgsE-DuY&noredirect=1
I also have so many other things to do.
Greetings to everyone,
Bob S.

 

[Zathros]

The S-40 is a beauty. Having worked at Sikorsky these craft hold a special place. In the corporate areas there were models of these craft that you would just die for. Some were wind tunnel models, and the detailing is incredible. Some were just desktop models, but all stayed right where they were. Once a heady engineer tried to bring one home. There was a company wide search for the model and when the truth came out, there was one less engineer, and the model was returned.

I have a personal favorite which I may tackle, the VS-44. Three were made, the Excambian, Exetor, and Excelsior, (the Exetor always reminds me of Mork and Mindy!). A beautiful craft with a long history of service.

The Sikorsky S-43 is another one I am considering.

The Excambian was restored and now resides, in perfect, flyable condition, in the New England Air Museum.

[youtube=RealSteel]xoNzp93_ww4[/youtube]

[youtube=RealSteel]wFK6F0Yds68[/youtube]

 

[Eric Ferguson]

My vote would be for the Savoia Marchetti S.55 X. Beautiful 'tween wars Italian flying boat. Almost considered a flying wing. Twin hulls and 2 tandem engines mounted above. Flew from Italy to Chicago If memory serves. There was quite a few planes in this flight. All S.55's.

 

[Zathros]

A lot of info on the S-55. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, that is for sure. Savoia made some beautiful planes, that is for sure.

 

[Bob43]

That's the one!!!! Savoia Marchetti S.55 X it is. After all the other (very good)
ideas posted, I immediately fell for this one. Can't say when it will be ready, though.
Bob

 

[paper hollywood]

Fantastic site there, Bob. I know I've seen it before, but I somehow missed your Flight of the Phoenix models. I hope you don't mind that I just added your site to my Paper Hollywood list (well, in next weeks update, anyway). It's especially cool that you did both the Flying Boxcar and the Phoenix versions of the plane.

 

[Eric Ferguson]

Bob, can't believe I inspired such a great model designer. Thanks! Have downladed a number of your models (again Thanks!!!!). Got to start building one of these days.

Zathros, you worked for Sikorsky?!?! Lucky fellow. Being around beautiful aircraft. Those two you posted are beaut's. Especially the first, sigh....

 

[Zathros]

It was special, but I got hurt really bad there . The people in that company, everyone, I met, was quite aware of the Sikorsky heritage and a lot pride and workmanship went into everything we did. There was a lot of history surrounding us. The original R-4 ( see picture below)hung over the production time for the whole time I worked there, it is now it a museum.

I made a lot of parts for all of them but the ABC, both versions, were my personal favorite, as was the RSRA, and I made a lot of parts for those, all were prototype. The last picture is of the RSRA (Rotor Systems Research Aircraft), which is so crazy looking, it doesn't seem real. This was a testbed aircraft for evaluating Rotor Systems in flight. If need be, the rotor was equipped with ballistic bolts that could remove that part of the system and the craft could then be flow back as a regular aircraft. This was a bit more than a compound aircraft/helicopter. This picture shows the RSRA with the X-Wing which may or may have not flown. That is not a mock up, that is the real aircraft. It used the Coanda effect to make an airfoil out of compressed air coming out of the leading edges, after they would stop spinning in mid-flight. That much is in print.

The X-2 is what the ABC evolved into. The craft incorporates a rigid rotor system, like the ABC. The is minimal flex in the blades. This makes this craft capable of incredible maneuvers.