Nakajima B5N 'Kate'

ARUP Thu Dec 10, 2015 8:41 pm

I built a Guillows Series 400 'Zero' as a kid (before 1970). It flew pretty good with a Cox 049 on those lazy hot calm summer days I remember as a kid! I built it without landing gear and the only other 'mod' was to put balsa infill behind the firewall between the formers and stringers as recomended in the plans. I have always liked the 'Kate' and if I built one in the style of the Guillows birds then it can get built in 1/24" scale to span ~25.75". The original had a span of 50'11". It has pretty good proportions and moment arm. I'm pretty much a 'roundy-round' flier and these scale birds suit me to a 'T' as far as my flying is concerned. I always watch the movie 'Tora! Tora! Tora!' as a Pearl Harbor remembrance this time of year so that also got me thinking about the 'Kate'. Here is a pic of the Profile Publication for this bird. On the frontspiece is the B5N (Type 97 Model 3) that Cdr. Mitsuo Fuchida, sitting in second seat, gave the order to attack Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941.

Nakajima B5N 'Kate' Img_0626

Stay tuned! Babe Bee .049

ARUP Sat Dec 12, 2015 5:42 pm

I got busy and used the 'Grid Method' to draw the fuselage. I took measurements from the Profile publication to find the 'multiplier' for the model. The needed model fuse length is 423mm and the Profile Publication side view is 97.5mm. That gives a scale factor of (423/97.5=) ~4.34. I just start at the nose on Profile Publication drawing and measure the distance to something and multiply by 4.34 to get station on plan. The fuse cross sections are regular ovals. Once the height and width of the fuselage stations known it was a simple matter to draw ovals onto paper then set them up on the center line of drawing. I think I like this stuff more than flying... nah... flying is so much fun! I'll cut formers tomorrow morning.

Nakajima B5N 'Kate' Img_0631

akjgardner Sun Dec 13, 2015 4:13 am

Looking foward to the progress pics

JPvelo Sun Dec 13, 2015 6:38 am

That's really cool ARUP. You're more dedicated than me, I take my 3-views to the copy shop and let xerox do the enlarging for me.

Jim

getback Sun Dec 13, 2015 8:10 am

Looking good ARUP , man you know your math better than I . Good to see your moving on with this build . Eric Popcorn

stuntflyr Wed Dec 16, 2015 11:12 pm

Great idea, and the Profile Publications really bring back the 60's for me! Keep at it.
Chris...

ARUP Thu Dec 17, 2015 7:34 pm

Thank you for your posts and comments! They really are appreciated and encouraging. I have some builds on forums elsewhere and I am amazed how little the responses are for some. I take showers and use deodorant! I maintain 'personal space' when conversing with others! I don't have warts on my nose! What gives? Anyways... thanks again! I am still cutting out the formers and notching them for the stringers and keels. I'll post some pics showing that. Maybe somebody will find what I do as useful or they might give me some pointers as to a better mousetrap! I'm all ears (or eyes). Cheers! Babe Bee .049

Ken Cook Thu Dec 17, 2015 7:46 pm

This isn't related to model building but I find it very interesting. My fellow club member was given a piece of a Japanese plane from his father that was downed from a rooftop Dec 7. I believe this is from a B5N. This was a piece of the elevator. We get to see this piece every year at this time. His father and another fellow removed this piece from the plane after the fire extinguished itself. The piece of aluminum still has charred marks and the paint is blistered. https://www.facebook.com/PhillyFliersCL/photos/pb.513140418756097.-2207520000.1450402719./957979667605501/?type=3&theater Ken

ARUP Thu Dec 17, 2015 7:54 pm

Gah-leee! That's amazing! Thanks for posting that!

fredvon4 Fri Dec 18, 2015 8:12 am

ARUP

when you might get discouraged at how little others may post about you builds look at the stats for the post.... like this one...
8 reply BUT 187 VIEWS 4 of them are mine

I follow so many builds it sometimes seems like an obsession, but unless I have a question or something to suggest, I just lurk and follow by subscribing tho the thread

Seems like you have more "followers" than you might realize

BY the way I am really looking forward to see how this beautiful plane comes together and the final paint and finish

ARUP Sat Dec 19, 2015 7:38 pm

Fred, thank you kindly for your response AND your 'views'. I have a thread going on RCG and it has absolutely no responses and very few 'views'. Amazing.

Here's how the fuselage formers will get their stringers. The largest former was number 4 so it was traced onto a piece of paper then a scrap paper was used to measure a quadrant. It was 44mm long and 4 stringers should suffice so 44/5 gives ~9mm spacing. Artisitic license used to draw points around the former then diagonals drawn to get these points, mirror image fashion, to the other quadrants. This becomes the guide to draw stringer stations on all the other formers. These former were then traced onto the plans for future reference. Hope this makes sense.

Nakajima B5N 'Kate' Img_0636

I have more formers to cut from balsa. Once they started getting put onto the plans more pics will come!

akjgardner Sat Dec 19, 2015 8:44 pm

cant wait to see the plane start to take shape

getback Sun Dec 20, 2015 8:04 am

Coming right along ARUP , Looks like you may have scratch built a few in your time , like the way you are laying out your parts === still early had to study a bit to figure what you had in mine but I think I see it now > Should be a looker when done Popcorn

Yea its nice to be viewed even if they don't say anything What?

getback

ARUP Sun Dec 20, 2015 6:46 pm

Thanks for the input, guys! It's a funny thing that I keep buying hard to find kits of scale subjects but I tend to 'scratch build' and neglect the kits. I could think of worse conundrums! I cut all the formers out. I did them in half and just transferred the markings for the stringers. The keel patterns were made and wood was cut just like the Guillows kits we built as kids! The fuse is starting to take shape! I had to make slots in some formers for the bell crank mount plate and will be able to access it to install the bell crank by cutting the cockpit area away once all stringers in place. The very first former is a little big. It will be sanded fair into fuse later. There is a tight curvature up at the FW/ cowl area that wouldn't work for stringer design. Just like the tail cone... it will be balsa block sanded to shape.

Nakajima B5N 'Kate' Img_0645

Good night! Babe Bee .049

akjgardner Sun Dec 20, 2015 8:22 pm

Very nice job ARUP,We live 75 miles apart as a crow flys, definitely need to meet up this summer and do some flying, I will be posting some more pics of my p40 build as well.

ARUP Wed Dec 23, 2015 7:26 pm

Yes... that would be fun! You aren't that far off. I had cousins who used to own a hardware store in Madison and I used to belong to the Queen City U-control Club. I have been adding stringers to the half shell fuse and I've built the 'stab box' for lack of a better name! When stringers are finished I'll get more pics.

akjgardner Wed Dec 23, 2015 8:19 pm

ARUP wrote:Yes... that would be fun! You aren't that far off. I had cousins who used to own a hardware store in Madison and I used to belong to the Queen City U-control Club. I have been adding stringers to the half shell fuse and I've built the 'stab box' for lack of a better name! When stringers are finished I'll get more pics.

I'm actually from Madison, I fly over at the proving ground ever once in a while. thinking about joining the club there this summer

cox24711 Thu Dec 24, 2015 1:11 am

jeez i should get on with a bf 109 and spitfire free flight kits well I should order them for me and my little bro to make

I ALSO HATE IT WHEN THEY NEVER PUT THE DOWN THRUST OR UP THRUST ON THE PLANS IT DESTROYS MY PLANE EVERY TIME!!!!!!!

stuntflyr Thu Dec 24, 2015 12:09 pm

ARUP,
Do you ever go on Stunthangar and see their forums for event specific modeling? They have a Control Line Scale forum with a lot of Scale competitors on there that are pretty active and helpful.
Chris...

ARUP Sat Dec 26, 2015 9:17 am

Chris, I've lurked around there a bit. I went ahead and joined. I like flying for fun and don't 'do' contests. I did find a group photo there of Golden Age Air Racers that contains my Brown B-1. A bunch of us flew with the Queen City U-control group so we built and flew a bunch of these. We had rules but mostly the flying was for bragging rights. We didn't win prizes or trophies. I had a Keith Rider 'Jackrabbit' and a profile Loyd Butz 'Special', too.

cox24711, build a Bf109 to fly with the Spitfire!

Basic half fuse done. Added bell crank mount with crank and push rod. As I started to add the formers the push rod has to be bent to fit. It's a little convoluted but it will stay within the fuse for the most part and not touch or rub against anything. Freedom of movement is key!

Nakajima B5N 'Kate' Img_0714

Need to add a few more formers then stringers. The wing will be easy (easier...?)!

akjgardner Sat Dec 26, 2015 9:38 am

Hey ARUP, Thats looking really good, Nice work, What enginge are you going with?

ARUP Sat Dec 26, 2015 3:41 pm

I have a NIB Black Widow. Or... I could just grab one out of the 'Cox Box-o-Engines'. I must profess that I plead ignorance determining the various versions of Cox engines! Embarassed

Just so long as I get it to run, right?

stuntflyr Sun Dec 27, 2015 2:56 am

ARUP,
I saw those models in pictures so you know what you're doing. Looking good.
Chris...

duke.johnson Sun Dec 27, 2015 11:29 pm

ARUP
I just showed my 18 year old son your progress and all he could say is "WOW!"

Great work!

cox24711 Mon Dec 28, 2015 1:56 am

go a space hopper with td piston and cylinder and comp head and it would be sweet!

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