RFB Fantrainer

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

I’m totally in the dark as to what it was I saw then. I know it was late ’50s/early ’60s as I joined the army in ’64 so it has to have been before that. The machine I remember had the same basic lines as the fantrainer but was a 4 seater.

Now suspended at Trago Mills in new colour scheme! 🙂

http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1136110/

Thanks for that Old Eagle, been struggling to find a decent pic of it.
It was (is?) preserved at Flambards, Cornwall.

MW2, photo copyright Bill Teasdale

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

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?

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!!

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

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?

This Fanliner is currently on display in the terminal building at Stuttgart

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.

This Fanliner is currently on display in the terminal building at Stuttgart

…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

Fan Trainer

Here is an excerpt from the Farnborough 86 guide and program, detailing the Fan Trainer

Hope this is of some use…

There is a civilian registered Fantrainer still flying in Germany, or was.

I photographed it landing at Oberschleissheim in May 2003.

Tim

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…

MC – It’s possibly the RFB Fanliner you recall.

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/

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.

Many thanks for those replies, not all my imagination then; I was getting worried!

Tim

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.