Byron's Air Expo 1987

I've seen a lot on YouTube dealing with large scale remote controlled aircraft and now gas turbine powered R/C aircraft. Some folks grew the hobby and Byron Godbersen's team looks like one of them. A WW-II vet who made some money in the fields of Iowa, he wanted more for his hobby of R/C aircraft than was available at the time. His team ended up building their version of the 1/5th Air Force. Planes progressed in size and complexity up through the B-29: weight: 383 pounds, wing span: 28' 9", power: four Quadra 100cc engines, props: 38" diameter 4-blade with reduction drive. Along with pitch, roll, yaw, and power, it also had remote starters, chokes, retractable gear, brakes, flaps, bomb bay doors (fore & aft), and tail skid.

Gas turbines didn't exist for their jets back then so someone engineered ducted fans having a 6" intake x 4.5" outlet x 3" duct that produced about 12 pounds of thrust at 19,800RPM.

Byron passed away in May of 2003 and "Byron Originals" became part of Iron Bay Models. Doing a Google on Iron Bay Models hasn't returned much yet.

Many thanks to Byron and his many elves!

This video came from a VHS tape that is "old enough to drink" (over 21 years old). Check out this wonderful video on the B-29 that was captured by an enthusiast:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xNmLJju6nc

You just gotta' love flight.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Byron
• Originals
• Iowa
• Large
• Scale
• R/C
• RC
• Aircraft
• F-15
• F-86
• B-25
• B-29
• ducted
• fan
• Cloud
• Dancers

[mikeandjeannette]

Great shots of a great event, thanks for sharing. Would love to see more!

[allanfrancke]

You got some good shots! Thanks for sharing them. Allan F.

[marvinf14]

Never like "Striking Back " we will see again, Byron Godbersen's team was fantastic, a Dream, I Consider them "The Next Disney" of Aviation, I wish they had never stopped!!!!!