Grumman Albatross HU16A

[Alan King]

This project has been around a while, i have now aquired it and registered it, plane will come out about 25kg, wingspan is 12 foot, fibreglass fus, foam core wings, i have started to fit the purpose built retracts ( not my work ) and have adapted some air cylinders to fit the units, wheels are purpose built ( by me) and the tyres are from light aircraft tailwheel 150mm diameter.

This is a model of the HU16a which had a shorter wing, slightly different ailerons and smaller rudder and tail plane than the upgraded HU16B which had it wing extended just outboard of the engine nacelles.

i understand that this plane is a sister ship to Dr Jeremy Shaws, this plane though will be amphibious, if all goes as planned it will be powered by two purpose built 90cc 9 cylinder radials.

I have epoxied the underside of the centre section of the wing and am planning within the next few weeks to have all wings done and ready for inspection before painting.

hope you enjoy the pics

[ian redshaw]

A cracking project, look forward to the next installment

Ian.

[stewart clifford]

Nice project Alan, always good to see twin engined stuff being built especially as it will have proper engines, none of this dull, safe electric nonsense. When you say "purpose built engines" do you mean you are making them too? will they be petrol or glow?

Stewart

[Alan King]

Hi Stewart

the engines are in process of manufacture by myself, i have completed the crankcase for one and am busy on the second crankcase, the engines will be 9 cylinder 22.71 bore and 25mm stroke which comes out at just under 90cc, barrels are aluminium with stainless liners cast iron rings and ali pistons all made to fit, the liners are actually hep 20 seamless inserts for 28mm pipe. i will post some pics as soon as i download them.

the engines are based on a 150cc german design but are slightly scaled down to fit in the cowlings of the plane, ignition will be glow but i will run the engines on a mix of unleaded and methanol with a bit of nitro for luck.

I will by the end of next week have glassed all of the flying surfaces and then once inspected be starting paint job.

[Paul Williams]

Looking forward to seeing this project grow

[Alan King]

radial2.jpg (23.44 KiB) Viewed 13971 times

radial 3.jpg (33.73 KiB) Viewed 13971 times

radial6.jpg (20.7 KiB) Viewed 13971 times

radial5.jpg (28.75 KiB) Viewed 13971 times

here are some pics of crank housing, this is cut from 90x90x50mm solid ali block, barrel cut from 40x20 ali tube, spacing on fins is too big though at 3mm so will be reducing this ( waiting for 2mm bits to arrive ) crankcase is reduced from 135mm design to 90mm for this engine.
heads will be machined from bar stock and valves from stainless, cranks from EN24. cam is one piece with four lobes running on reduction gear.

[David Brown]

Following this build with great interest, great workmanship Alan. Radials & Twins, what more could you ask for. I started to design a sleave valve radial of simlar size, this might kick start me into progressing with it.

Dave

[paul smith]

really nice build

[Alan King]

i have finished most of the work on wings but needed some wing float detail so have bought a plastic kit to try and make sure i get the shape right.
my progress on the radials has been slow though due to some extra work on two electric cars which st Georges Ruskington race in the Greenpower challange, I have been building them some automatic two speed gearboxes for the cars which are powered by 24v Fracmo motors and two 36A/H batteries.

I have therefore decided to use two rather old but completely serviced and reliable Tartan twin engines which i will fit starters to for initial flights untill i get the radials done, but as winter is soon to be upon us i may well get the radials done over winter and take a bit longer on the build than i planned but hey i think this one has languished in garages for a while so a bit longer in my workshop will do no harm.

i will post some more pics soon when tip floats are done.

[JOHN ELLIS]

Alan
Here are some 1/72 scale drawings of the Hu-16 variants.
John
http://s197.photobucket.com/albums/aa78 ... t=HU16.jpg

[Alan King]

This model is to finished as a model of N3HU with kind permission of Dr Richard Sugden who in 1993 began his restoration of a UF-1 see his pictorial tour online.

grumman uh1 350x240.jpg (37.35 KiB) Viewed 12495 times

I have been busy with tip float moulds and have now got a decent plug made and will now be pulling moulds off this, the model will be finished as N3HU which is a beutifully restored navy example of this aircraft, I have to arrange inspection of the wings again which are now glassed but will only do this once tip floats completed so my inspector can be sure they wont fall off.

have also decided to use two Tartan engines with semi scale props untill i finish the radials, tartans were known for ease of wearing out armstrong staters, and patience of owners but i have found if run on pure synthetic oil from a french company call Habot and mixed in Methanol at a proper ratio that they start quite easily and never stop till the fuel does.I also fit a home grown onboard starter to stubborn engines which helps the arm and patience.

[Alan King]

scale perspective 6'2" son

alb4.jpg (4.79 KiB) Viewed 12481 times

engine in cowl with prop

alb3.jpg (7.2 KiB) Viewed 12481 times

engine and cowl held in position ala sometimes faithful helper

alb2.jpg (28.64 KiB) Viewed 12481 times

[Alan King]

Due to Health issues this project is to be sold, i will attempt to finish the aircraft and get it through inspection to flight ready but it needs to go.

[ian redshaw]

Has anyone got any info on the origins of this model? Jeremy Shaw had one the same, did he design it, do the moulds etc? I'd love to find some more info or history, what happened to Jeremy's model?

Ian.

[John Greenfield]

Ian

I think Jeremy’s model was smaller.
I first came across the fuz way back in the 80's at Dave Nieman's model shop where he had this one and a big Catalina. I did a short write up in my column "Large Scale model News" in Radio Modeller. There were no wings for either model but I recall Dave was hoping to market them. It then re appeared with Richard Rawle but by then had acquired an undercarriage and cowlings. Richard had it for years before selling it on.

Anyone know any more info ?

John

[sean smith]

Didn't Jeremy Shaw's model crash at Old Warden many years ago? I remember one crashing after one of the engines failed.

Sean.