Blackadder's Scratchbuilt Thunderhawk

[Blackadder]

Well idle musing certainly can't do any harm, and realism is part and parcel to wargaming hardware otherwise we'd all be playing Harry Potter.

The gear temporarily installed in gear wells to check for clearance and operating space. There appears to be sufficient room and the struts remain within the hull instead of poking out through the wing root whew!


[url]http://i.imgur.com/lWAZP[/url]


([url]http://i.imgur.com/03w7w[/url]
--
E. Blackadder

[Blackadder]

Found some shots of the landing gear and bays of the FW resin kit:

[url]http://www.flickr.com/photos/8476775@N05/2596192384[/url]

[url]http://www.flickr.com/photos/8476775@N05/2596192018[/url]

Whoa those are some fantastic shots, much better than anything I have. Very much appreciated; I am in your debt.

Viewing these it very much reinforces what I have suspected all along; FW got the main gear retraction all wrong.

As the forward (angled) retract cylinder contracts it pivots the main strut forward. the landing pad with what I assume is a leveling cylinder collapses forward with the main strut intersecting with the hull well forward of the gear well opening instead of covering it forming a door as FW intends.

My main strut perforce will collapse vertically and the angled retract cylinder will be more of a stabilizing/centering device to keep the gear from swiveling.

The whole hydraulic/mechanical structure from an engineering standpoint is totally inadequate for a vehicle the size of the T'hawk but at least my interpretation will keep the external configuration intact with the gear retracted.

The forward strut is a different case and I may be able to adapt the FW design by placing the foot pad further aft on the shock strut the short strut/pad may intersect the hull where FW intended when retracted and cover the well.

The Blackadder, I'm not an engineer but I play one on the internet
--
E. Blackadder

[Meph]

Nice job on the landing gear mate! you play engineering well on the Interweb!

[Blackadder]

I'm trying to build the wings as light as possible because I want the upper wing appendages with the lascannons on the tips to be movable and not be a truss for the support of the lower main wing as in the FW model. FW really ought to research into drilling and tapping threads into resin and installing machine screws to hold the heavier pieces together. Crazy glue and even epoxy sometimes just isn't enough.

When I get to mounting the wings on the hull I'll do a tutorial on screwing.

Not what you're thinking,

Blackadder

Back when I was building Lucie I bought some gray ABS plastic box beam tubing manufactured by Plastruct. I don't recommend using this stuff but I've got to get rid of it.so I'm using it to frame the engine mounts and the wing core assembly. It's stronger than styrene but doesn't cement well with styrene glue unless you rough the surface up with sandpaper. Or you could use ABS cement which I believe is mainly acetone.


[url]http://i.imgur.com/3ydfP[/url]


[url]http://i.imgur.com/TPmC6[/url]

Before you get your 'nads in a knot the just installed beams will be cut very short; they're just left long for now to insure they are parallel. That is a building hint; it's easier to insure frames are parallel and true if they are long than short. The discrepancy in trueness is easier to detect with the longer length.

[SotonShades]

The discrepancy in trueness is easier to detect with the longer length.

Must... resist... urge... to...

That'swhatshesaid

Bugger

Still looking forward to seeing how the wings turn out, especially if you are having fun and games using the different kind of plastic.

[Blackadder]

Must... resist... urge... to...

That'swhatshesaid

Bugger

Still looking forward to seeing how the wings turn out, especially if you are having fun and games using the different kind of plastic.

I found that my Ambroid Pro weld had lost a good deal of it's potency. Purchased a new bottle and it melds the two plastics just fine. It's a good idea in any case to rough the plastic up with coarse sandpaper especially on structure components. You don't want cracks appearing years down the line because the frame has seperated.

[Blackadder]

We're starting at the ground floor building the wings so there shouldn't be any question later on how it was done. Now if I can just do it without a mistake.


[url]http://i.imgur.com/ZDVp7[/url]

I calculated the wing outboard of the engine should extend 17.5 mm excluding the wing tip armament That seems a bit small to me but figures don't lie. We'll just have to see I can always make them bigger.

[bloodangel 83]

Your thunderhawk looks good. Keep up the great work. BA83

[Dastrike]

Enjoying reading over the progression, a lot of nice work. Attention to detail is amazing, can't wait for the final product.

[Blackadder]

THanks for the replies,

The wing core plates in 2.0 MM styrene cut out and ready for install.


[url]http://i.imgur.com/3H6Ul[/url]


[url]http://i.imgur.com/NAmz[/url]