Turning an RC Aircraft into a Water Bomber: Ideas & Suggestions

[Cashlover123]

I was wondering how you could turn an RC aircraft out to a water bomber?? I thought of installing a container in the fuselage where water could be filled but can't think of how to get water out. Any suggestions on that or any other ideas of loading the water?

 

[Drakkith]

Put some doors on it that open up and drop a water baloon?

 

[Cashlover123]

I should have been more specific. What if the water has to be released only as a stream or any of its other form (e.g. steam) and strictly not to be dropped with any package?

 

[Danger]

If you want to make it a model of a real aeroplane, I forsee the same sort of problems that the original designers encountered.
One is to make sure that your trim doesn't alter too dramatically when the load is dropped.
As for the drop mechanism itself, I'd consider just building water-tight bomb-bay doors (clamshell or front-hinged) into the bottom of your tank, which in turn will constitute the bottom of the fusilage. A single servo can open and close them. You might also want to put baffles in the tank to prevent the water from sloshing around too much. I don't know how sensitive models are to shifting loads, but I suspect that they're a lot harder to control than the real thing. (Delayed response time; no sense of "feel"; limited engine power; etc.. Do they normally even have in-flight trim control?)
From the wording of your question, it appears that you want to adapt an existing model rather than build a new one. That rules out the really cool possibility of scooping up water on the fly from a lake or river, but also avoids the highly troublesome aspect of compensating for hydrodynamic drag and ground effect during the loading process.
Those are just my "off the top of my head" thoughts about the matter.
Of course, a lot depends upon what scale this thing is built to.

 

[alphy]

I find this idea of turning an RC aircraft into a water bomber very intriguing. There are a few potential solutions to consider for loading and releasing water from the aircraft.

One idea could be to incorporate a small pump system that can draw water from the container in the fuselage and release it through a nozzle underneath the aircraft. This would require careful engineering to ensure the pump is small enough to fit in the fuselage and powerful enough to release the water effectively. It would also require a mechanism to control the release of water, such as a switch or remote control.

Another option could be to have a detachable water container that can be easily filled and attached to the aircraft before flight. This would eliminate the need for a pump system and could potentially allow for larger water capacity. However, it may also add extra weight to the aircraft and affect its flight performance.

Alternatively, you could consider using a gravity-fed system where the water is released simply by opening a valve or door on the bottom of the aircraft. This would be a simpler solution but may require a larger opening in the fuselage to allow for the water to flow out.

It may also be worth considering the type of water being used and how it could potentially affect the aircraft's electronics. Using distilled or deionized water may be a safer option to avoid any potential damage.

Overall, the key to successfully turning an RC aircraft into a water bomber will be careful design and testing to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the water loading and release system. I hope these suggestions have been helpful and I look forward to seeing how your project progresses.