Slater Reynolds Posted April 20 Share Posted April 20 I was, in my aims, capable of moving to expore turbine engines some years back and went up to Wren's premisis at an Open Weekend. Of course this was the right move - I brought home Oracle. an 96 ins span 98.25 ins long airframe whch was reported to have achieved this remarkable flight. There is some newspaper within the fusilage dated 2012 which protects the cockpit cover so I must have made the purchase that year or earlier. I wrapped up the model and hung the three parts on a dry inside wall awaiting engine, radio and drive systems and an undercarriage. Why the seller kept the UC I cannot imagine. I have the tail wheel! Just maybe this note will result in the acquisition of something? Anyway, any one who remembers the K K Phantom Mite or an A2 called Corsair will understand that what with a couple of Wot 4s (my conversion to electric), downsizing and the rest, Oraclle never got its new turbine and although the Graupner radio did come to control a petrol two stroke, the Oracle never saw the light of day. Now I am trying to establish the history of my arframe. Can anynoe help please? I would judge that this frame was proffessionally built and has been very little flown. There is not a lot more for me to say save that the airframe is securely together with very little damage indeed. I am pretty sure that I have seen pictures of my model in the press in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted April 20 Share Posted April 20 Welcome to the forum Slater. Some pictures would help! Was this a Wren turboprop powered Turbo Raven? Maybe even this one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted April 20 Share Posted April 20 Does the title include a typo ? By my reckoning 1000 metres (i.e. 1 Km) in 1 min 9 secs = 32.4 MPH. I think, at a push, I could just about manage that with my Junior 60. 😉 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted April 20 Share Posted April 20 I'm guessing height rather than distance? Something in the region of 3000 fpm isn't a bad climb rate... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted April 20 Share Posted April 20 Surely it wouldn't be possible to see even a 96" span aerobat at >3,000ft altitude, sufficiently well to control it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slater Reynolds Posted April 21 Author Share Posted April 21 Oh Joy, The video of Oracle being flown in a way she might expect is lovely to see. Thank you. I have some pictures to add to my message taken in the last few days. There can be no doubt that my model is the same that flies in the video. Maybe plans are available. Perhaps more than one was made from the same drawings - The Turbo Raven. My knowledge of my model is limited to my day at Wren's unit. This frame was being offered from the site but I did not meet the owner who was not part of the Wren Day. It will be seen, when I move my photos that, while the wings, fusilage & tail have different covering, the ailerons / flaps appear not have not been recovered since the vdeo was made. Thank you again for the interest and advice. Could there be any record informal or othewise beyond the information on the rudder. I do believe that I have a memory (if you see what I mean) of seeng the flap decorationin print? Iwould not like to expose my maths but while a pure jet engine in a model may be able to achieve better climb rates, I do wonder if, for a prop driven model of common construction, the reported time is not pretty good? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted April 21 Share Posted April 21 Ah - it looks like that is a scale model of the full size record holder - I’ve found photos showing similar wording on different models. The sponsors shown on the rudder are American based companies. This article may be of interest - although it suggests the 1 minute 9 seconds was to 3000 metres - possibly a typo somewhere? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne_Handley 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted April 21 Share Posted April 21 For more clarity, the main sponsor of the full size was the Oracle IT corporation and the full size aircraft was a one off called the Turbo Raven. If you’ve been searching for information about an aircraft called an Oracle, this explains your lack of success! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slater Reynolds Posted April 21 Author Share Posted April 21 I have been referring to the time to 1000 meters. A change has crept in because 3000ft has turned into 3000 meters during correesdondence. Sorry, I have duplicated a photo. Can one be removed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted April 21 Share Posted April 21 Duplicate photo removed. All the information regarding the record suggests 3000m - or an average climb rate of just under 10,000 feet per minute. Perhaps the builder of the model made an error in his signwriting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Jenkins Posted April 21 Share Posted April 21 Hmm, this is a cut and paste from the Wikipedia article link: On January 20, 1999, Handley once again got into the record books by flying the Turbo Raven from brake release to 3,000 meters in one minute and nine seconds. In July 1999 at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, the Turbo Raven took three minutes, six seconds to get to 6,000 meters, and established the Turbo Raven as the fastest-climbing propeller-driven aircraft in the world. Note that the time starts at brake release so the actual rate of climb will be higher given that the time starts with the aircraft stationery. Not sure how the Lightning's initial climb rate of 50,000 ft per min was timed. By my understanding, the model is not the one that achieved the record as it was the full size aircraft that did so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slater Reynolds Posted April 21 Author Share Posted April 21 Thank you indeed for that comment and I have found out tha twhat you say is just right. I have read the artcle that Martin very kindle put out. Wonderful stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slater Reynolds Posted April 21 Author Share Posted April 21 8 hours ago, Slater Reynolds said: Thank you indeed for that comment and I have found out tha twhat you say is just right. I have read the artcle that Martin very kindle put out. Wonderful stuff. Yes, it is now clear that I have a model of the Turbo Raven which in full size form must have been about as exciting as flying can become. Has anyone any thoughts on where my model came from? I expect that drawngs of the full size will have been used, especially in America to build scale models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted April 21 Share Posted April 21 PlaneOldeBargain have one for sale on eBay at the moment. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/305351665728 There have been quite a few ARTFs and kits of the Turbo Raven available over the years. Like most models the manufacturers are likely to have designed them from publicly available three views, rather than requiring access to the original full size manufacturers blueprints. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slater Reynolds Posted April 22 Author Share Posted April 22 The information I wrote on my heading and paragraphs below was wrong but the value of things that have learnt about my Turbo Raven have outweighted my public ignorance by a factor of...100! There is more to discover. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.