Scratchbuilt 1/72 Dayton-Wright RB-1 1920

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

From 8 years ago, a little racer that was also surprisingly modern from its time.

 

Ideas and available technology don’t always go side by side.

The ever-reducing wing area of racers needed a solution to avoid high speeds when they weren’t desirable, i.e. on landings.

One solution is a variable camber mechanism, intended to deal with the speed envelope of a plane making the wing as efficient as possible through the whole range of those speeds, especially during take-off and landings, when slats and flaps are deployed to increase lift and be able to fly at low speed without stalling.

The variable camber mechanism of the Dayton-Wright RB-1 racer (Rhinehart-Baumann, pilot and designer, respectively), a wonderful concept, didn’t quite make it in real life, adding mechanical complexity, weight, drag and unreliability to an otherwise sound idea. Same for the retractable landing gear, another seemingly good addition that didn’t pay off. The wing was solid light wood further lightened by way of partial carving. And bear in mind esteemed membership that this was 1920! and those ideas were very good ones, and are present today in almost any plane.

The RB-1 was built to compete on the Gordon Bennett prize, and those technical features were implemented to improve performance, and although the plane quit the race, in time they demonstrated their value.

The machine was powered by a Hall-Scott L-6 inline engine and had the pilot hidden inside the fuselage with limited vision, a la Ryan NYP.

 

There are a number of photos showing alterations on the plane. If you are building a model of it, look at your references. The fuselage was vacuformed from basswood masters, and a styrene sheet endoskeleton was built –see images-. A wood prop was carved, stained, and a photoetched boss added.

After some pondering I decided to cut the very front section of the nose and build a separate unit made of two laminations. Aeroclub white metal wheels of the proper style and diameter were used. I made a sill for the windows inside the fuselage, so those could be added at a later time. For them, masks were cut and laid on clear plastic. Aluminum color was sprayed, and then the windows cut leaving a frame, as seen in the images, One pic shows the other side of the clear plastic as I was being sure that no paint got under the masks.

Decals were home made and  layered decals were used to represent the radiator, again as per in-process images.

As it is some times the case, all the plans and 3 views I could get a hand on differed in some regard from the original photos, in a few cases on important details.

 

This visionary design, although not smiled upon by the goddess Fortune, is an example of cutting edge thinking in the very early stages of aviation development, and points out to the important roll that air races, record flights, good will flights and aviation meetings played on that wonderful era (not in vain called “Golden”) of aviation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[busnproplinerfan]

Sure is different, must have been a bit of work to fly it. Nice building on it.

[Learstang]

Beautiful job on an amazingly-advanced design!

 

Regards,

 

Jason

[Duckwizard]

Never heard about it. Very interesting model and - as always - an excellent job.

 

My English is somewhat poor, what exactly did that wing mechanism do? Change the airfoil's air resistance by increasing / lessening wing thickness? Or change the wing area?

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

19 hours ago, Duckwizard said:

My English is somewhat poor, what exactly did that wing mechanism do? Change the airfoil's air resistance by increasing / lessening wing thickness? Or change the wing area?

It altered the wing airfoil, dropping the leading and trailing edges. So instead of being relatively flat, it was "curved", generating more lift (and drag), similar to (but not quite) what a jet airliner does today, dropping the leading edge slats and flaps.

 

Edited September 27, 2018 by Moa
to correct typo

[greggles.w]

Another to your credit Moa!

 

Thanks for the backstory, fascinating.  You’re quite right to make the point that the ‘golden age’ shouldn’t be just seen to mean ‘decorative’!  I’ve been amazed by how innovative so many of these machines were.  As a designer by trade now (land-bound architecture) I can appreciate just what an achievement it is to create anything, let alone have the insight to explore new ideas like they were doing.

 

And to think as a boy - like so many I suspect - was pretty dismissive of these ‘old planes’, instead collecting by gun-turret count & camouflage pattern!

 

Keep ‘em coming Moa!

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

17 minutes ago, greggles.w said:

And to think as a boy - like so many I suspect - was pretty dismissive of these ‘old planes’, instead collecting by gun-turret count & camouflage pattern!

 

You are not alone there.

But I have paid for my past sins...building horrible kits and scratchbuilding.

 

[Terry1954]

Another exquisite masterpiece Moa!

 

Terry

[Wlad]

Yup, forward visibility is highly overrated. 😨

 

Nicely executed model of and interesting, and rather advanced airplane for its time.

 

Cheers,
Wlad

[JWM]

Very interesting and well done! So here the Wildcat style u/c started?

Regards

J-W

[noelh]

Finally, one of your aircraft that I've actually heard of. Another great model too. 

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

9 hours ago, JWM said:

o here the Wildcat style u/c started?

Regards

J-W

And the barrell-shaped fuselages 😉

12 hours ago, Wlad said:

Yup, forward visibility is highly overrated. 😨

So apparently are upward and downward.

 

[pheonix]

Another type which is completely new to me. I agree that this was a period of great experimentation, but we should not forget that experimentation started almost from the beginning - WW1 tends to distract us from some of the experimental designs and techniques which were being tested during those years: there were many in all nations. I agree wholeheartedly with your comment that races, record flights, meetings, etc were very important to designers by giving them the opportunity to design and try new ideas, much as in modern motor racing.  I also agree that thinking in these unorthodox ways is not easy - and it is even more difficult to make some of these ideas work!. My hat is well and truly off to those aviation pioneers. And to you for your very fine representations of their aircraft.

 

P

[72modeler]

Moa,

 

Without a doubt, this is the weirdest little spud I have ever seen, but you have done a magnificent scratchbuild. Bet it dropped like a rock with the power off! Outstanding workmanship, sir!

Mike

[Duckwizard]

23 hours ago, Moa said:

It altered the wing airfoil, dropping the leading and trailing edges. So instead of being relatively flat, it was "curved", generating more lift (and drag), similar to (but not quite) what a jet airliner does today, dropping the leading edge slats and flaps. 

 

Thanks a lot for explaining, Moa. I understand know!

 

Please keep on posting this kind of flying (or not flying) machines.

[noelh]

3 hours ago, 72modeler said:

Moa,

 

Without a doubt, this is the weirdest little spud I have ever seen, but you have done a magnificent scratchbuild. Bet it dropped like a rock with the power off! Outstanding workmanship, sir!

Mike

Like a tart, no visible means of support. Although the variable camber was supposed to address that. It must have had a very high wing loading. Bet the landing technique was to hang it off the prop and hope to God the engine didn't cough on finals.

[Martian]

Sweet!

 

Martian 👽