Official 3DP Thread

[Elbee]

Hey Y'all, I wanted you to know that the F-18C Canopy Rails (Actually Canopy SILLS, though these are listed in the File Sets are rails) have a notch at the IP and those were used as a measurement to the aft end for the design, a reference for lack of a better term. For fit purposes, those will need to be marked and trimmed for the OEM shroud to fit back into place. So DRY FIT all the parts and place those where you want those to live before commiting. It also solves myriad issues with IP fit. Best, LB

[Elbee]

Okay Lads and Ladies, Here are the STL Files for the LB Non-Ejection Seat for your Freewing F/a-18C. My prints fit very well, so I don't foresee any probs, but as always let me know here if you have an issue, particularly overall height with the canopy in place. I did print the Seat and Headrest with support from "Everywhere" when I sliced it, using default PLA settings on all. Please note, I did NOT print these in one print, though you all know how to print so 'do that thing you always do'. Best, LB

[ATTACH]n218647[/ATTACH]

[Hardway]

The big airliner is ordered and just got the new racer P-51 too. Just no time to play right now! too busy...

[Hardway]

I do have the 18! If Motion released it, I got it.

[Elbee]

Thanks Jerry for coverin' my 6. Needed that. Did you pick up an F-18C by the way? I know a guy who knows a guy that'll get into a cockpit set for little to nothin'. Best, Steve

[Hardway]

I will take it for the team!

[Elbee]

Great job Bro!! You are having way too much fun! I had two double Marker's Mark yesterday. One for you and one for me!!!

Jerry, I really need you to have another one or two for me today, too. I know it's a bit of an imposition, but those 'darn kids' are being those 'darn kids' again and I need it. Best, Steve

[Hardway]

Great job Bro!! You are having way too much fun! I had two double Marker's Mark yesterday. One for you and one for me!!!

[Elbee]

Hey Hornet Owner's Club, The STL File I have attached is of the HUD Glass Frame and HUD Base. Please note installing the base will require cutting a slot for the base into the OEM IP Shroud and then removing some of the foam to get it roughly 90 degrees to the Front IP. The front or forward side of the HUD Frame attaches, read glues, to the 'top' of the Front IP Panel via the 'cutout' in the HUD Base. It should also be noted that the OEM Shroud is longer toward the Ejection Seat side than needed, so don't be afraid to cut it back a bit. There are images available on the 'inter-web dealie thing'. The "LB Mk1 Non-Ejection Seat" will be available soon. I am printing the 'z' cut version now and once the 'height' is good, I'll post it. Best, LB

[ATTACH]n218544[/ATTACH]

[Elbee]

It all looks good to me. I do not mine putting in a little extra work for the scale appearance. For some reason I was not able to down load the first set of files but had no problem with the second set of four files. The only difference between them is that the first set did not have a file size listed.

DM et al, That fIle might be empty. as I had an issue with the size of my original files sets being too large for Hobby Squawk's forum format. My mistake; so I broke up two files into four. If anyone else has this issue, let me know and I'll re-post all the F-18C STL Files here. Best, LB

[Dustman]

It all looks good to me. I do not mind putting in a little extra work for the scale appearance. For some reason I was not able to download the first set of files but had no problem with the second set of four files. The only difference between them is that the first set did not have a file size listed.

[Alpha]

Alpha, Wow! Thank you. There's a question I had when designing the 'Tub', there is room to drop the floor, so I did, but that blocks out any air flow through the nose gear voids. I made the presumption that air flow helps in cooling the battery space and added venting inside the tub. Am I on the right track there or can I simply 'go back' and use solid walls in the cockpit tub? best, LB

Hi LB, the math on vacuum pressure, and thereby the actual degree of "air flow"/cooling, created by the nose gear voids (intake) and the area aft past the ESC mount (outlet) is not significant enough to massively cool the battery. Even putting a 12V fan directly on a 6s 5000 flight battery during flight won't net significant thermal reductions.

That being said, any airflow at all is better than none at all, and ambient temperatures can rise due to other conditions aside from the flight battery itself. Accordingly, I do not think it is a bad idea to integrate some sort of venting inside the tub to allow some degree of airflow. But I wouldn't expend too much time trying to Science a better mousetrap in this context. I've found that throttle management goes further to avoiding puffy batteries than the minuscule CFM value a door gap's "intakes" provide!

[Elbee]

Hey Y'all, Finishing the HUB Frame and base with lens. This will require that the shroud be cut-out to accommodate the base and lower the frame below the canopy glass. My point is, will most modelers want to do this? I will shorten the frame by eliminating the upper reflector frame/glass and modify the base if need be so the base is simply a 'glue-on' rather than a 'cut and glue' if wanted that way. The 'cut-out' is more scale and a bit more work for the modeler, though looks pretty awesome, I think. Thoughts? Best, LB

[Elbee]

Solid progress, Elbee ! I may have to print out a tub for my Splinter Hornet

Alpha, Wow! Thank you. There's a question I had when designing the 'Tub', there is room to drop the floor, so I did, but that blocks out any air flow through the nose gear voids. I made the presumption that air flow helps in cooling the battery space and added venting inside the tub. Am I on the right track there or can I simply 'go back' and use solid walls in the cockpit tub? best, LB

[Alpha]

Solid progress, Elbee ! I may have to print out a tub for my Splinter Hornet

[Elbee]

How's the seat coming?

TI, I have been designing some add-ons for the seat that I'd like to include, also, I have not printed a "Z" cut version for fit as of yet. The full seat will not fit the allowable depth, so not included in these files. I'll get there, hopefully yet this week. Best, LB

[TiredIronGRB]

How's the seat coming?

[Elbee]

Zip Freewing F-18C 11th Scale Cockpit STL Files Set 1.zip
Zip Freewing F-18C 11th Scale Cockpit STL Files Set 2.zip
Zip Freewing F-18C 11th Scale Cockpit STL Files Set 3.zip
Zip Freewing F-18C 11th Scale Cockpit STL Files Set 4.zip

Y'all, I had a bit of time so here you go. These attachments are the first four sets of STL files with some images below for the Freewing F/a-18C. These include the Cockpit Tub, Canopy Rails with Pit Frame, Mesh Cover, The Pit, Front Instrument Panel (IP), Center IP, LH & RH IP Consoles. I vented the Tub since its depth prevents any fresh air from getting to the battery area, hence the slots in the consoles.

Might I suggest you begin by printing the Tub to understand how you'll need to 'cut' the bottom of the canopy section of the model. I used a blade from my razor saw, elementary really, but this will give you a great starting point to match other parts as you print those. Also, once you've 'cut out' the material where the "Tub" lives your canopy section will have a very thin profile at the Front IP, read fragile and easily broken; ask me how I know. Replace it into the fuselage for all work until you glue in the Tub.

I will suggest, as well, that you do all your paint work as separate parts for assembly, rather than gluing and painting as a whole. I designed these as several differing parts for that reason. Print settings are normal for PLA and a .4 nozzle on a Prusa i3 Mk3 using slic3r PE. There is quite a lot of detail as I designed the parts to get 'high relief'. I do not have any gauges or MFD photos for use yet, possibly someone can design something for us all on that front.

I am not going to write an assembly sheet as this is straight-forward, but I will field any questions I can here in this forum. If you find a 'fit problem, do let me know; the parts fit well though I have found the use of 220 Wet or Dry and a deft hand with a scalpel solves most. Best as always, LB

[Elbee]

Hey Gang, Still at it. Designing and test printing the 'small parts' and there are several. Latest is the HUD Frame. Picture is only one side as I was checking my scale height. Although, thinking I should post some of the finished files, so y'all can at least start printing and painting. Give me a couple days to sort those out. Best, LB

[Dustman]

Drooling for the final product! I wish I had your talent.