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By: - 3rd March 2007 at 07:35 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Hi Tim,
The mystery continues. :D
Wiki has this to say - I'm sure there'll be better responses:
By: - 3rd March 2007 at 09:27 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
The RFB Calif conversion, Fanliner and Fantrainer were all fitted with Wankel engines at some stage. The Fantrainer prototype initially had two coupled 150 Hp NSU Wankel units but I believe this installation was troublesome -leading onto the adoption of the Allison 250 turboshaft.
By: - 3rd March 2007 at 23:42 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Many thanks for those replies, not all my imagination then; I was getting worried!
Tim
By: - 8th March 2007 at 20:56 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
This brings to mind the ducted fan machine that was around in the late 50's /early 60's, can't remember the name of the machine or the manufacturer. When I first saw pictures of the Fantrainer I thought the design had been resurected but, as far as I remember the earlier one was a 4 seater.
By: - 9th March 2007 at 01:41 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Hi Mike,
Not sure if this is what you're referring to - the Bell X-22 had FOUR ducted fans which could be rotated for VTOL or conventional flight:
Also, you may be interested to know that there was a ducted fan version of the BN2A Islander at the 1978 Farnborough Air Show:
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0578765/L/
By: - 9th March 2007 at 07:15 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
MC - It's possibly the RFB Fanliner you recall.
By: - 9th March 2007 at 12:36 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Here is my small contribution on the subject....
http://www.geschichte.aero/geschichte/firmengeschichte/bildergalerie_e.cfm?gr_id=1#
At home somewhere, I have a copy of the Farnborough Airshow programme listing info on this type during it's display there (Late 70's early 80's I think....)
If anyone wants, I can dig it out, and scan the brief info I have on this...
By: - 9th March 2007 at 18:26 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
There is a civilian registered Fantrainer still flying in Germany, or was.
I photographed it landing at Oberschleissheim in May 2003.
Tim
By: - 9th March 2007 at 18:49 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Fan Trainer
Here is an excerpt from the Farnborough 86 guide and program, detailing the Fan Trainer
Hope this is of some use...
By: - 9th March 2007 at 19:01 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
...yes this is in german, but here is some info in the Fanliner developement...with Wankels...
http://www.der-wankelmotor.de/Flugzeuge/Flugzeuge_Fanliner/flugzeuge_fanliner.html
By: - 10th March 2007 at 19:34 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
This Fanliner is currently on display in the terminal building at Stuttgart
By: - 11th March 2007 at 06:12 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
This Fanliner is currently on display in the terminal building at StuttgartYep, that's the beast. I was only a lad when I saw it flying - I must have been about 12 or 13 at the time which would make it late 50's.
By: - 12th March 2007 at 22:50 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
EADS seem to operate a Fantrainer at the moment and another 3 are in private hands (one a flyer http://www.aerokurier.rotor.com/akHeft/AkH0101/Aeh0101e.htm ).
There may be others from the RTAF Fantrainer 400's offered for sale last year. Would be interested to hear if anyone knows how many RTAF aircraft sold and final destinations etc?
By: - 14th March 2007 at 21:12 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
There is one Fantrainer 400 (D-EATP) and two Fantrainer 600 on the German register at the moment. Googling will reveal some pictures, whereby it appears that one of the 600 is based in Moscow.
D-EATP is based at Ingolstadt norht of Munich and is a quite frequent airshow participant/guest. None of these aircraft are owned or operated by EADS.
Interesting link: http://www.flugvergnuegen.de
By: - 14th March 2007 at 22:22 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Interesting as 'TP' was reported as using 'DASA 06' as its callsign during a visit to Spain last year? Possibly Coincidence?
Would be interested in any news on the Thai aircraft sale!!
By: - 31st October 2008 at 23:21 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
RFB Fanliner 3-view
For modelling purposes, I am looking for a 3-view of the RFB FanLINER. Does anyone know if Air INternational/Air Enthusiast of the period had a 3-view?
By: - 1st November 2008 at 10:05 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Yep, that's the beast. I was only a lad when I saw it flying - I must have been about 12 or 13 at the time which would make it late 50's.
Some mistake surely, the Fanliner first flew in '73 with the Fantrainer series around from mid '80s to late '90s period.
Another fan pusher job was the Cornish Mike Whittaker MW.2 which was around in the mid '70s
By: - 1st November 2008 at 11:50 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
MW2, photo copyright Bill Teasdale
By: - 1st November 2008 at 12:32 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Thanks for that Old Eagle, been struggling to find a decent pic of it.
It was (is?) preserved at Flambards, Cornwall.
By: - 1st November 2008 at 13:46 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Now suspended at Trago Mills in new colour scheme! :)
Posts: 30
By: Tim Mills - 3rd March 2007 at 07:13
Since the recent Optica thread I have been wracking the few memory cells I have left trying to think why I was convinced that it was Wankel powered. I can only think that I had it confused with another ducted fan aircraft developed at about the same time, the Reinflugzeugbau (RFB) Fantrainer.
This was designed, as far as I can remember, to be a simple and relatively cheap military basic trainer having the characteristics of a jet aircraft. I've no idea how many were built, or if any air force used them, or, really, if it used a Wankel engine. Anyone enlighten me?