If I remember correctly there was a Navy C-45 walk around available on the RCScaleBuilder site some time back.  I think you have to buy their membership for $20 to access those pictures.  Also, if I remember correctly, the plane that was photographed was at the Pima Air Museum in Tucson.  If you know someone in Tucson, perhaps they could shoot some pics for you.

There is also a beautiful yellow and white D-18 in the Nat'l Air and Space museum.

Good luck with the hunt.

John

Thanks guys, you have been a great help. The C45J in Pima is on loan from Pensacola NAS, so I was aware of its existence. Its tail number is 213. The tail number of its sister ship in Pensacola that I was able to shoot is 771.

I had been put off a little bit by Bob's $5 fee for the catalog with a $20 minimum order, but I guess I will just bite the bullet. What the H-, I just spent a couple of grand to take a trip just to take pictures of a single airplane (a few casinos on the way helped that cost also). Need to get my priorities straight. Thank you again for your help.

JHF

Bob Banka has good stuff and it's worth the money. When building a scale airplane remember that 1/2 of your score is static and poor documentation will always suffer with a low score (not a good idea to confuse the judges). A good set of pictures of an Twin Beech will go a long ways to making a great project. Considering the cost of putting the airplane together with the motor, balsa and other stuff the $20 is a small price to pay to get the right information.

You only really need about 8 to 12 pictures for a sport scale, so look for a photo pack that has about 12-18 pictures.

Good luck,

Fred C.

Thanks guys for all of the help. It is great to find people so willing to help. I have already ordered a photo pack from Bob Banka, per your comments.

Fred: you are absolutely correct. The static documentation is so important and yet it is the least costly item in the project. Silly for me to react to such a little cost.

John: I have decided to do this one in a rather small scale (1"=1'). That will still yield a 48" wingspan. I have been building bigger, heavier scale planes for too long. It is time to do something lighter. Coincidentally, I am going to do it with brushless Maxx Products electric motors. The plane will be all electric (motors, retracts, flaps). And, are you clairvoyant? I am using one of Clancy's multi-channel units. I have his systems in my Luscombe Phantom and my Laird Super Solution (both 60"). Wow, that is a wild (and viable) option you have thought of (engine out). However, with multi, retracts, flaps and touch and go, I might have the options covered.I have pretty much decided to go all electric since losing my flying buddy. At least I can fly by myself.

Jim Fruit

Thanks guys for all of the help. It is great to find people so willing to help. I have already ordered a photo pack from Bob Banka, per your comments.

Fred: you are absolutely correct. The static documentation is so important and yet it is the least costly item in the project. Silly for me to react to such a little cost.

John: I have decided to do this one in a rather small scale (1"=1'). That will still yield a 48" wingspan. I have been building bigger, heavier scale planes for too long. It is time to do something lighter. Coincidentally, I am going to do it with brushless Maxx Products electric motors. The plane will be all electric (motors, retracts, flaps). And, are you clairvoyant? I am using one of Clancy's multi-channel units. I have his systems in my Luscombe Phantom and my Laird Super Solution (both 60"). Wow, that is a wild (and viable) option you have thought of (engine out). However, with multi, retracts, flaps and touch and go, I might have the options covered.I have pretty much decided to go all electric since losing my flying buddy. At least I can fly by myself.

Jim Fruit

60"  ain't big - The Eindecker pictured in my thumbnail was an 80" span - till I stuffed it.  However I still have all the pieces.  I plan to resurrect it as an electric fun scale. They have some really big electric motors now.  That will be this winters project for next summers Nats.      

John:

I have that same plane (the 80" Eindecker) about 75% done as an R/C ship. I was going to power it with an OS .90 four cycle. I have modified the body to look like the E-4 (three machine guns).

It is possible to convert that Eindecker to electric I suppose, but it is in the larger outrunner motors (.90 match in this case) and the matching larger voltage lythium polymer batteries where your wallet really begins to empty. This is why I decided to do my D-18 in a smaller, lighter scale. I had been pursuing my Super Solution as a gas powered model for the last ten years. I was also going power it with an OS .90. After last year's NATS, I decided to complete it by converting it to electric. It has finished at just over 12 pounds. I could have done it a lot lighter if I had known that I was going to go to electric. My Luscombe Phantom of the same wingspan is only 5 pounds because I designed it from the start for electric. For that size of an airplane, be prepared to slap some cash on the table.

Jim Fruit

John:

Wow! I need to find some better sources. My standard is Maxx Products. Their 120 sized motor with an appropriate controller is $360 !! Worse yet, Tower Hobbies 5S 3000 lipo's are about $130 EACH !! (working strictly from memory here). You bought yours for $36 each?

I need to get better at this. I have about $600 for the same items in my Super Solution, and it is only a .60 size.

Apologies for referring to your Eindecker as a kit. I should have known better. We scale guys have more of a tendency to wing it (pun intended).

JHF