I persuaded Eike Richter to allow me to do a write-up about his magnificent creation. He is far too modest to do it himself, yet I’m sure it will be of interest to anyone who has built radio control model aircraft.
The model: 1/5th scale Focke Wulf Ta 152 H-1/R
Construction: Airframe constructed mostly of balsa and fully glassed.
Wingspan: 2.89 metres
Length: 2.14 metres
Weight: 13.8 kg
Wing loading: 40.15 oz/sq foot (180gr/sqdm)
Engine: Saito 300 twin, 50.8 cc, 4.7 hp
Propeller: 24 x8 Falcon carbon
Fuel: 20% nitro, 17% synthetic oil, 63% methanol
Static thrust: Approximately 8kg at 5600 – 5800rpm
Transmitter: Futaba 18S
Receiver: Futaba 14 channel
Servos: 13 Futaba servos of various types.
Canopy: A 14th channel is used to operate the home made electric drive for the canopy.
Pneumatics: Two independent Robart systems. One for main U/C, one for tailwheel.
Miscellaneous: Manually operated position lights. On-board glow.
Even before he started building, Eike acquired extensive documentation about the Focke Wulf TA 152 series and decided to model the variant Ta 152 H-1/R. He settled on the one designated as Green 9 with the serial number 150168.
This photo shows the extent of his documentation, which extends to original factory parts diagrams, books and videos. Eike worked off a plan by Dave Anderson which he found on the internet which he enlarged it to 1/5 scale. It required extensive modification to match the particular version Eike wished to build.
Apart from the engine, radio equipment, the Robart pneumatics and bits and pieces like hinges, horns, clevises, and the like, everything else was made by Eike himself, which is why I believe he deserves to be called a “master craftsman”. Just consider some of the items he made, accurately copying drawings of the full-size parts.
U/C mains: Everything in the photo was made exactly to scale. Not only the oleo legs but the wheels as well!
Sprung oleo legs
Retracted main gear
Tailwheel. The retracting tailwheel retract was copied exactly.
Spinner: A plug was made to form the scale spinner which was cast from epoxy and carbon fibre. It was carefully balanced and an appropriate back plate made.
Cockpit: A fully detailed cockpit exact in every detail.
Mechanical canopy drive
Exhausts: Two exhaust stacks and in-cowl silencers fabricated. The engine exhausts through these exhausts.
Details: Many details such as position lights, weapons, communication aerials, scale rivets, hatches, detailed small moldings,
The following photos show some of the detail.
Scale rivetting
All lettering to scale
Flap detail. Note the trim tab
Functional wing tip lights
Under wing layout
Pneumatics for main gear and tailwheel
Complex wiring to servos and pneumatics