-
-
Hi Rex: I just took three photos of the main landing gear for my Penrod and Sam P-47D razorback.
I used some very small 1/16" tubing for some brake lines that start near the base of the landing gear strut, and then wind around and connect up with some small black tubing to go towards the wheel hub to simulate brake lines to the wheels. Just decorative with no real function, except for appearance.
The shrinker bars were a total experiment just to see if I could come up with something that would sorta look like them and not get in the way of the gear functioning while retracting or taxiing on the ground.
I used an aluminum tube larger than 1/16, maybe 3/32, I don't know. Just some scrap tubing that "looked" about right for the shrinker tubes. I both glued and tied down with thin aluminum wire to secure them to the main gear strut so they would stay in place.
In one of the photos, there is a small steel wire that comes out of the shrinker bar tubing, and connects to the plastic fairing below the oleo strut. I drilled a hole in that fairing for the lower gear door, made a 90 degree bend in the steel wire and what it does is simulate the "shrinking" capabilities of the shriker bar. In reality, it allows the oleo strut to compress as need be during takeoffs and landings, and that steel wire slides up and down in the fixed aluminum tube on the upper part of the main gear strut barrel so it doesn't break off.
I don't know if that makes sense just seeing some photos, but hopefully you get an idea what I'm talking about. It is important for that steel wire to ride up and down inside the tube to keep it from doing damage to the aluminum tube strapped and glued to the gear strut barrel.
Of course, this is strictly for show. It might add a bit of "bling" or realism to what the real airplanes had. It was a very ingenious design for the P-47 and I wanted to highlight at least the look of it to explain how this system worked and was an important part of the P-47's success. Incidentally, years ago, there was a company who made gear with working shrinker bars, very expensive. But I would have bought it if it was available for the 1/5 scale planes I was making at the time. I think it was for a 1/4 or bigger model. I never went bigger than the 1/5 scale.
Let me know if you have any questions. It is important to be sure that the shrinker bar won't interfere with the actual operation of the gear. With the abuse that the gear takes during takeoffs and landings, it should be inspected regularly to be sure it is staying in place. I"m also including another pic of the tail wheel spring that I use to get the gear doors to open and close properly.
Good luck! Let me know how it goes.
Cheers
DavegeeComment
-
Davegee,
Your pictures are just what the DR. ordered. These will add realism to the plane. I need to add the gun cartridge exit holes to underside of the wing. Did you deepen them?
Best Regards, RexComment
-
Well i think all the spray painting is finished. While waiting for Callie Graphics to arrive I keep pushing forward with other parts that need finishing. I have some pretty good pictures of the engine so tomorrow I will start detailing.
Rex
Comment
-
Sounds good, Rex. I have that book, I think. I recommend using taking photos of a cylinder on your plastic nose cowl, shrink it down on a printer, cut them out and glue them in between the other "real" cylinders. If done right, it looks pretty realistic and you can even run spark plug wires to those paper cylinders too, for added realsim. The crankcase on the plastic cowl should be that darker blue-grey gloss as you see in the pics. Follow them, and you'll have a very realistic, engaging "false" R2800 engine in front of your electric motor. I have done this for 15-20 years and never had any cooling issues where the paper goes in between some of those gaps. There is still room for the ram air to get into the engine bay and the rest of the fuse with available hole/openings in the false motor holes.
Have fun!
DavegeeComment
-
It works well Rex, I took this picture:
And used, I think, the 8x12 setting on the printer and it came out great. Cut what looked like a donut of cylinders and canted the picture slightly so the cylinders would show between the open areas and viola!:
Thanks Dave!
Grossman56
(Dangerous Dan)Team Gross!Comment
-
While starting on the engine detailing I noyiced I sprayed the chin scoop white. In looking at pictures they don't show this being painted. I haven't been able to find a straight on picture showing what color. If not painted, was it just aluminum color?
I am using engine grey for the engine crankcase, but it looks darker than my pictures. It is a blue-ish color but dark. Any ideas?
Rex
Comment
-
Well, the last few days I have started doing some Honey-Do's again, Never Ending! Today after getting supplies to make a Curtiss Electric spinner and taking some 3d STL's to the local High School 3d class I decided to make the retraction strut on the landing gear. Some 3/32 alum. tubing, a broken control link, 1/16" music wire, 20 ga stranded wire and a hole drilled in the landing gear mount I came up with a reasonable retracting strut. As the gear retract the music wire slides in the alum. tube. The stranded wire is glued in the bottom of the alum tube and allows the retracting strut to fold with the gear. The landing gear cover closes as per the original. A few hours of work but a lot of thinking in my sleep to do this.
Next up, landing light bulb, lens and get ready to apply Callie's Graphics which arrive Friday and on to detailing.
Best Regards, RexComment
-
I just looked through my book, "The Mighty Eighth", and there isn't really a good head on pic there. On the cover on my copy of "Thunderbolt, It looks as if its black, but that's an artist's depiction.While starting on the engine detailing I noyiced I sprayed the chin scoop white. In looking at pictures they don't show this being painted. I haven't been able to find a straight on picture showing what color. If not painted, was it just aluminum color?
I am using engine grey for the engine crankcase, but it looks darker than my pictures. It is a blue-ish color but dark. Any ideas?
Rex
Here's a page worth checking out!
Has pics like this:
Grossman56
(Dangerous Dan)
Team Gross!Comment
-
Thanks, Dangerous. I worked on my hydraulic brake lines on the P-47 (non-functional) today. It's starting to come back together and look like a plane again.
I will look at your info tonight. I need to get the correct paint for the crankcase on the engine. I should visit the LHS, 30 mi. away, they carry all kinds of paint for the plastic modelers. Need paint for my 1/16 Rc Tiger1 tank too.
Your picture is just what I need to make the spinner, and the cuffs should help the HS kids see what Dave and I are hoping for.
Best Regards, RexComment
-
I finished the brake lines and assembled the landing gear covers. Looking better all the time.
Rex
Comment
-
Lookin' mighty fine Rex, the little details really make it don't they?
Grossman56
(Dangerous Dan)Team Gross!Comment
-
Grossman56,
Yeah, those little details bring it to life.
Today was one of those days, sittin, thinkin, not much getting done. I did get the cockpit side panels finished and decided to do a little test with a dirty wash on the underside of the right ele./stab. I wiped on a lite wash of dirty paint and wiped it off till I could barely see it. I figure these planes had some dirt, mud etc. from daily use. Take a close look and let me know if it is too much or not enough. The left elev./stab has not been touched. I can see a used looking plane over a pristine one.
Best Regards, Rex
Comment
-
For those wanting a Bubbletop. A guy on the other forum has modified his FL P-47. Something to think about
Best Regards, Rex
Comment
-
Started to make an alum. spinner hub today. I have drilled lightening holes and threaded the hub for the VS3 FMS Corsair prop. Threads are m10x1.5mm. As I don't have an attachment for taper turning, I'll turn some metal then a lot of file work. Hopefully this all works out and doesn't weigh a lot.
The High School industrial class are designing a cuff to fit around the prop to resemble the Curtiss prop.
Rex
Comment
-
After an afternoon of filing, turning, filing I have the basic shape. Will scale up my 3-view and make a template to use as a guide for final shaping. Started with a blank weight of 890 oz. Now down to 420 oz. Hope to lighten it more.
Best Regards, Rex
Comment
-
Thank you Elbee. A labor of love but I'm thinking the alum. might be a little heavy. I have the HS class re-designing Davegee's 3-d prop hub, he had it done from someone else and the profile is off. If the high school kids do a good job, it will weigh a lot less and we will have a correct STL to print. Enjoying your B-25 up-dates. Ain't this a great Hobby!
Best Regards, RexComment
-
Elbee,
These cuffs are for the Curtiss Symmetrical prop. It looks a lot like the Hamilton prop so the VS3 FMS Corsair prop represents this the best. Dave sent me a cuff he developed but it didn't have a solid fitting inner filler to conform to the prop. The HS kids are working to make a 2piece cuff that can be glued to the base of the prop. I am making the alum spinner hub, also the HS kids are working on a 3d spinner hub. What we haven't approached yet is a Curtiss propellor hub for the prop blades. It is different than the Hamilton hub. I'm waiting to see how the HS kids get along with these designs and 11 STL printing B-26 parts that they are doing. I don't want to wear my welcome out, but their teacher thought it would be a good project for the class and I should hear something in the next week how they are doing. Plan to show the class later this spring the results they have made and printed for the Corsair, P-47 and B-26.
Do you feel a 3d printed hub would be strong enough to withstand the stress of a spinning propellor. It's a concern to me that it doesn't cause an accident to someone. Hesitant to have a HS class be put in that position.
Best Regards, RexComment
Comment