# R/C B-29 with Bell X-1 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 5, 2008, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-c-b-29-with-bell-x-1/444116 "2008-04-05T20:49:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2008, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-c-b-29-with-bell-x-1/444116/1 "2008-04-05T20:49:45Z")
I think someone posted video of a radio-controlled B-29 before, but this is the first time I’ve seen the [video of it launching an X-1](http://www.flixxy.com/rc-plane-b29.htm). Neato mosquito! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2008, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-c-b-29-with-bell-x-1/444116/2 "2008-04-05T20:59:28Z")
For those of us destructively inclined, they actually end up safely landing that thing at the end. ☹ Really cool though. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2008, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-c-b-29-with-bell-x-1/444116/3 "2008-04-05T21:02:54Z")
I wonder if the operator had a stick of Beeman’s. Very cool. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2008, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-c-b-29-with-bell-x-1/444116/4 "2008-04-05T23:43:58Z")
[QUOTE=Queen Bruin] I wonder if the operator had a stick of Beeman’s. [/QUOTE] Coincidentally, I used to work at Ridley Mission Control Center. I think it would have been cooler if they had had a purpose-built B-29 with the X-1 recessed in the belly, and if they’d lit the rocket right after dropping it. When I was a kid I had my free-flight airplanes (got into r/c later, but by then I had other interests) and Estes rockets. It’s nice to see footage of people who are still into hobbies. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2008, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-c-b-29-with-bell-x-1/444116/5 "2008-04-06T01:22:31Z")
Hijack Did you notice the link to the [video](http://www.flixxy.com/jet-man.htm) of the guy strapping on a jet-powered wing apparatus, and flying with that? ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2008, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-c-b-29-with-bell-x-1/444116/6 "2008-04-06T08:08:16Z")
Fantastic model, awesome sound from those four engines - and check out the low-level inverted pass at 6:30! That pilot must find it hard to get his pants on over those massive cojones. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2008, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-c-b-29-with-bell-x-1/444116/7 "2008-04-06T13:12:39Z")
**OtakuLoki** : That’s pretty amazing. I wonder how he controls it? **Malacandra** : Speaking of the engines, did you happen to see how many people were operating the B-29? I was paying attention to the model, not to the crew. I’d think they’d use at least two channels, though four would be better in case one quit. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2008, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-c-b-29-with-bell-x-1/444116/8 "2008-04-06T14:25:48Z")
[QUOTE=Malacandra] That pilot must find it hard to get his pants on over those massive cojones. [/QUOTE] Not at all. They’re built to scale. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_B.Phart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Capt\_B.Phart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_B.Phart)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2008, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-c-b-29-with-bell-x-1/444116/9 "2008-04-06T14:33:06Z")
[QUOTE=bbs2k] For those of us destructively inclined, they actually end up safely landing that thing at the end. ☹ [/QUOTE] Eight model gas-turbines, God knows how much work,[Ouch](http://www.metacafe.com/watch/32062/b52_crash/) ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2008, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-c-b-29-with-bell-x-1/444116/10 "2008-04-06T14:43:39Z")
[QUOTE=Johnny L.A.] **OtakuLoki** : That’s pretty amazing. I wonder how he controls it? **Malacandra** : Speaking of the engines, did you happen to see how many people were operating the B-29? I was paying attention to the model, not to the crew. I’d think they’d use at least two channels, though four would be better in case one quit. [/QUOTE] Oh, I think they must double up the shit out of the radio on that thing. No, I was too busy watching that model in dumbstruck awe to pay attention to the crew. It was quite something - and I’ve seen some excellent large models over here in the last few years. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2008, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-c-b-29-with-bell-x-1/444116/11 "2008-04-06T14:57:55Z")
[QUOTE=Capt B. Phart] Eight model gas-turbines, God knows how much work,[Ouch](http://www.metacafe.com/watch/32062/b52_crash/) [/QUOTE] _Verdammt!_ What a shame. ☹ As I said, I used to work at EAFB. I got to see some of the experimental aircraft, and I’ve touched the [NASA B-52](http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Gallery/Photo/B-52/Medium/EC00-0318-1.jpg) that had such a long career. (Yeah, yeah. But it was something to _me!_) How cool would it be for someone to build a replica of _that_ aircraft and have a variety of rocket-powered craft to launch from the pylon? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2008, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-c-b-29-with-bell-x-1/444116/12 "2008-04-06T15:47:00Z")
Some of the more elaborate models can cost more than a human-carrying lightplane. The amount of work that goes into them, considering scale detail accuracy, can be more than a homebuilt manned airplane, too. Those engines can cost $5000 or up, apiece. Have you seen the pix of the 1/8 scale C-17? [Here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaDgOxzsS7Q&feature=related) is a 1/6 scale B-17. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2008, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-c-b-29-with-bell-x-1/444116/13 "2008-04-06T16:27:53Z")
Saw the video a month ago and thought-Holy Crap! How many hours went into crafting such a fine piece of equipment? Reminded me of a fellow who was into scale model coal burning locomotives, and the years they spent building in spare time. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2008, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-c-b-29-with-bell-x-1/444116/14 "2008-04-06T19:23:03Z")
Me, I’d rather \*be \* up there than pretending I was, and spend less money doing it, too. But to each his own. A friend of mine spent all of the last 3 winters, and I don’t even know how many thousands of dollars, building a 1/8 scale Fokker Triplane. On the first flight, the battery caught fire. It went right into the dumpster. He’s working on a 1/3 scale (!) Sopwith Pup now. We’re all hoping for the best.