Rhein-Flugzeugbau - What is that??

[fullmoon]

Rhein-Flugzeugbau is RFB in short. It is a company that developed fantrainer.

[fullmoon]

This is the picture.

[fullmoon]

Happen to clear the store room and found this magazine. Wanted to buy this years ago but no time, no skill and more important NO money !!! Now backside itchy itchy and want to fulfill my dream.

[fullmoon]

Alamak, even the plan would cost me US$23 excluding shippment. How ?? Aiyo , don't blame me hor .....your magazine has printed a very small but detailed drawing leh......Technology improved you know...especially the photo machine.

[fullmoon]

First, the actual airplane is designed for 60 size engine. But, for testing, 25 size would be fine for me. Instead of enlarge it by 8.25 times (by simple calculation), I have enlarged it to 5 times. Aiyo, very hard to find machine can print so big. How ? Nevermind, enlarged by 2.5 times first.

[fullmoon]

Then hor, enlarged by 2 times more lah. Just nice, the wing span is 1.2 metres now, for 25 size its about right.

[fullmoon]

O.k, the wing is make up of foamed and balsa sheet. Headache leh...never make foam wing before and also don't have the cutter. Oh yes, buy the spare wing from SHS lor... Being lazy, no other option liao..

[fullmoon]

NB.. order wood from YFC and they delayed their shipment. No building material for fuselage, have to wait till next monday liao..

[Super-Hornet]

It is a ducted fan right?

Super-Hornet

[fullmoon]

No really because it uses normal propeller size. It is actually fan trainer.

[arf-er]

FullMoon; if you are ever interested to look at the actual aircraft, there is one specimen on display in the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) Museum in Bangkok. It's a little-known museum that has a very good collection of vintage aircraft (from WW1 to WW2 Japanese to Vietnam War).
The museum is located behind Don Muang Airport in the RTAF area, open to public everyday except Mondays, I think...
I remember reading the history of this RFB (is dat wat it's called?!) as a batch of 10 or 13 custom-built aircraft commissioned by RTAF for pilot training, but was eventually found unsuitable & retired after only a short service life.

[fullmoon]

Thanks for the info, arf-er. You are correct about this aircraft. It suppose to help the military pilot trainee to train and convert to jet aircraft with minimum transistion problem; a fraction of the jet trainer. This plane is called RFB 400 Fantrainer.

Regards to the museum, this is the first time I heard about it. Definitely will drop by if I have chance to go Bangkok.

[Warbird]

Some pictures taken at the airforce museum!

The Fan Trainer was actually a custom development by Rhein-Flugzeugbau (German Design Company) with the Thai government.
As far as I know the company as well as the airplanes went out of business/operation due to limited purchases by the Thai military.

Should be an interesting project! Keep us posted

[Warbird]

and some more

[fullmoon]

Wow, very nice picture. Too bad that they left the plane to collect rust. I didn't know that they can do vector thrust. Hmm... I think better not try that first. I just one and fly fly first. If success, then I will go for 60 size plan with vector thrust