BV-170 (oz14046)

About this Plan

BV-170 (BV P-170). Control line profile scale model of the German WWII experimental bomber design. Scale is 1/12.

Quote: "One evening just before the club business meeting, Terry Aldrich came rushing in, waving a set of plans: Fellas, I'm going to build a model airplane. That's fine, Terry, how many engines? Only three this time, it's semi-scale.

Our question was a logical one, since Terry probably holds the international record for sheer number of engines on a control-line model. His XB-9, which appeared on the April 1967 cover of AAM had nine engines then. Since that time, two more have been added making a grand total of eleven.

Terry sometimes uses fewer engines (only two on his F-82 featured in June 1968 AAM), even an occasional single engine. But there it a distinctive drone to a multi-engined model that causes heads to turn among model builders and spectators alike. For this reason, our BV-170 makes an excellent crowd-pleasing demonstration model. Terry brings it out for local airshows and club promotions and between flights it is usually on display at the local hobby shops, promoting the hobby and helping solve a home storage problem.

The full-scale BV-170 was a German plane - one of the many experimental 'hot' aircraft developed during WW II. It was a single-seat light bomber, built by Blohm-Voss and powered by three BMW engines producing 1600 hp each. Wingspan was 18 meters, or just over 59 ft, including engine pods. Top speed was very respectable for the time at 478 mph.

We rediscovered the ship in a Japanese publication called Aireview. Published in 1959 by Kantosha Co Ltd (601 Kojun Bldg, 6-Chome, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo), the book is in two volumes, one of which featured German aircraft of the second world war. For those few readers who may not read Japanese, there are some sections translated into English.

A few words of caution: Do not attempt any multi-engined model until after you have successfully flown at least one other control-line plane. The BV-170 is quite stable and not tricky to fly; however, it is large, fast, and pulls on the lines like a demon. It could make a sizeable and disappointing heap of splinters unless the rudiments of construction, engine settings and control-line flying have been learned.

In reworking the full-scale aircraft plans into a profile control-line model we have held optimum fidelity to scale; however, there have been a few deviations. The very slight wing dihedral was removed and a symmetrical airfoil employed to provide ease of building, along with stable inverted flight and stunt capability. The thrust line of the engines was moved slightly upward, to the wing center-line, for the same reasons. After test flights, the landing gear was moved forward of the scale position to eliminate a tendency to nose over on landing.

Construction: The full stunt version with wing flaps, as shown on the plans, is described here. However, for simplicity and ease of construction, you may elect to make the wing without flaps. If so, simply make all 25 wing ribs to the upper rib pattern shown on the plans, and make the trailing edge solid.

Cut out 25 assorted wing ribs and the 22 false trailing edges. Pin the bottom wing spar to the plan and build the wing directly over the plan. Slide all the ribs onto the center spar, space them out, and fit them over the bottom spar. Cement all ribs..."

BV-170, American Aircraft Modeler, February 1972.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

Article pages, thanks to RFJ.

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