Adding a motor to prop planes

[cch4530]

I'm planning building a Fury next and was wondering if anyone here had suggestions on adding a motor to the propellor?

Any advice on the motor/mechanism would be really helpful...thanks...

[Dave J]

Sure have! Did it to an 48th Tamiya A6M2b Zero... And have a Tamiya 48th F4U and 32nd IX Spitfire on the go that I am doing this too.

 

 

 

and you can see it in action on this Hyperscale video -

 

 

Any advice on the motor/mechanism would be really helpful...thanks...

 

Yea.. make sure that the motor is 100% inline to drive the prop, or it will shake the crap out of it.

Edited September 14, 2011 by moeggo

[cch4530]

Dave

Could you tell me which motor you used and how you aligned the propeller perfectly?

Also, if you connected the motor directly to the battery?

How you mounted the prop on the motor etc?

Edited September 15, 2011 by cch4530

[Tnarg]

I have used pager motors for smaller scales, but would be interested in anyone's experience in large scales. Pager motors are readily available from older broken cell phones or pagers, or online at electronic bargain sites, but they are pretty small for a large prop in 1/32 scale. I put one in Porco Rosso's S.21, but in 1/48. It ran well once the motor was centered exactly. The pager motor may work for 1/32, but it is small for a large prop, with an extremely small shaft.

 

Tnarg

[Dave J]

I just used a motor from those Tamiya 4x4 car things... and used some sheet plastic to make mount for it.

 

Wiring is ran down the fuselage to the tail, where there is a tube that mounts the place to the background, the wire runs through the tube to a switch and a AA battery.

[Allan Peters]

And if you want to add sound, try this

 

http://dynamicscalemodeling.com/propswithsound.htm

[famvburg]

There are quite a few 1/32 - 1/35 aircraft kits that came with motors. Monogram's Phantom Mustang, a Japanese mfr N1K2, I think Revell made a P-40 & P-51. I know they made a USCG Huey, 'cause I had one many years ago. The N1K2 was 1/35 & may have been Bandai. It had a 'hollowed out' radial engine to accept the little electric motor. I think the wing would snap off to install the battery under the cockpit. How can we forget Monogram's Flap Jack? Anyway, I motorized a few 1/32 models many years ago using various 'spin-a-prop' motors as they were called, the kind where you flicked the prop & it spun & you stopped the prop & motor with you finger. I think most of the motors were from Lindberg kits. They had a bunch of their 1/48 kits with motors & the motors themselves were kits too. They were in plastic cases so I just glued them to the inside of the engine compartment, less the plastic engine of course. There are also several Scale Modeler & probably Scale Aircraft Modeler & I wouldn't be surprised if FineScale Modeler regarding motorizing models. It's really not that hard & you might could use info from any of the aforementioned models. I think the Airfix 1/24 P-51D was motorized. I motorized a Revell 1/32 P-38 once & used regular motors I guess from Radio Shack & made a powercart for the battery with a small headphone jack & plug to connect it. I also used pot switches to 'start' the engines & vary the prop RPM. I remember one SM article about motorizing a Revell P-47 & the builder rigged up not only a 'start button', but made tubing for the exhaust & ran plastic tubing out the tail so when he 'started the engine', he'd take a big puff on his cigar & blow the cigar smoke thru the tube which in turn came out the exhaust! Looked cool in the pics but surely there's a healthier way of making smoke now!

[PhilB]

In the Uk there's a firm E.M.A Model supplies which does a lot of stuff for architects etc but

most of their stuff is in our field as well.

Don't know what their worldwide shipping is like but they do various motors and gearboxes:

 

http://www.ema-models.co.uk/index.php/mechanisms/dc-motors-gearboxes/dc-motors-gearboxes.html

 

I also remember building the 1/24 Airfix 109E with a motor in the kit many moons ago.

 

Phil

[LSP_Mike]

Our very own Chris "The ripper" has done many, and he used old CD drive motors, which seems to drive the prop at a decent speed, yet not put the prop into orbit.

[RT-14]

I've got an old Lingberg motor on my 1/32 Oscar. Glued the plastic motor case to the cowl interior,and used 2 pt. epoxy to cement the prop hub to the shaft. The prop will spin admirably on an either an AAA or AA battery, but to REALLY get some prop-wash the 9v spins it like a power saw.

 

Lindberg made the motor itself into a kit so you had to wind the armature, solder the connections, glue the motor body together. A lot of fun really. Lindberg motorized kits can still be found on eBay.

[Pete Fleischmann]

And if you want to add sound, try this

 

http://dynamicscalemodeling.com/propswithsound.htm

 

 

I've got some of Clyde's stuff, and it is outstanding...Unfortunately I don't think he's in the business of sound and light sets anymore..

 

Cheers

 

Pete

[ssculptor]

If we want motors on our models why not go to flying radio control scale models and take the concept all the way? That way we get both scale models and flying models with motors, retractable landing gear, bomb dropping, ejection seats for the crew, the whole nine yards.

Stephen

[Mike]

Of course you can always scratch your own installation. Many Scale Detail Oriented Pureist, Poo Poo Electric motor installations as leaning toward a "Toy-Like" application. Many others think they are cool and enhance the illusion/imagination being a scale representation of the real thing.

 

Here is an updated Link to Dynamic Scale Modeling.

 

http://www.dynamicscalemodeling.com/index.html

 

 

I will be VERY Bummed out to think I have missed the BOat on his OFF the Shelf and Custom Designed Motor/Sound Board Installations.

 

Stephen's Suggestion to go full Electric RC misses the mark a bit. Scale Detail and realism are the First things Sacrificed in Flying Scale Kits both Electric and Gas presicly to save weight to facitae actual flight.

 

Ive installed my own electric motor only. I got the motors from Hobby Lobby. The were selling some Matchbox SIzed RC Car Accessiories.

 

Yours Mike

[BiggTim]

Just dredging up this old thread to see if anyone has any up-to-date advice to add. I'm thinking of doing this to my early P-38 wheels-up build.

 

Tim

[GrahamF]

To be honest I would try and use a motor from a model railway locomotive, they tend to be quiet and of good quality, those Can motors that are readily available separately are a bit ruff

to use. The downside is the railway motors are usually 12 volt only.

Graham