DCU A-6 Intruder
12-13-2003, 08:32 PM
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DCU A-6 Intruder
Hi there ................ I'd like to know how many of us out there are actually have hand-on building ,ownership or even saw one was flying....... except : Mark from DCU and Ray ( or Sean ) from Airrayinc . You inputs like: building technicals , pictures or comments about this jet is highly welcome .
HornetOne !
HornetOne !
12-14-2003, 03:51 PM
#3
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RE: DCU A-6 Intruder
I assume you mean the big one? I see Mark at DCU every week and will get some input from him. I posted a good bit of history on the large A-6 in a thread that was active a few weeks ago. A search would turn it up.
I will ask Mark for some useful pointers on building one.
I will ask Mark for some useful pointers on building one.
12-18-2003, 08:49 PM
#4
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RE: DCU A-6 Intruder
Had a chat with Mark Hambelton after a business meeting this week and asked him tips and hints on building up one of the big A-6 models, as requested.
Interesting tidbits:
The FOTI movie models either had no gear and were dolly launched, or had fixed gear down and welded...
No retracts were engineered back then, so, even now, YOYO, baby.
The flying movie models, to save weight, time and money, were, believe it or not, one piece models...
They rented a huge tractor trailer to haul them, with the monster models hung on the inside walls of the trailer.
Mark built one model himself. He completed it as a giant slope soarer first, while mulling over landing gear options and powerplants. This flew at a major slope event in Washington state many years ago, as reported in various places.
Mark sheeted the cores with 3/32 balsa. He used two large scale type heavy duty aluminum tube and sleeve arrangements to plug the wings on with. He suggests at least three sets of tubes and sockets now, for a turbine model, with the middle tube and socket set going deepest into the wing. Where each tube/socket terminated in the wing, he added a sub rib to suport it.
Over the double tube and socket set in the wing roots, he laminated a layer of suitable graphite on the foam cores before he added the 3/32 balsa skins. He sheeted the wings with laminating resin and then glassed the wing panels with 2 oz cloth and laminating resin. He added an extra layer of 2 oz cloth on the inboard part of the wing panel.
The tail surfaces were also sheeted with 3/32 balsa and glassed with 2 oz cloth and laminating resin. He said he tried a number of horizontal tail pivot arranglements, but was never perfectly happy with any of them. Anyone capable of finishing this model will be able to find a good solution, here.
He thinks it would be easier to install twin turbines than the twin Byron fans of the movie models, but that the stainless exhaust will have an interesting little downturn as it exits the model.
Once again, you're on you own for landing gear. He never took the glider all the way to a ducted fan model and thus never solved that final engineering challenge.
May the modelling forces be with you...
Interesting tidbits:
The FOTI movie models either had no gear and were dolly launched, or had fixed gear down and welded...
No retracts were engineered back then, so, even now, YOYO, baby.The flying movie models, to save weight, time and money, were, believe it or not, one piece models...
They rented a huge tractor trailer to haul them, with the monster models hung on the inside walls of the trailer.Mark built one model himself. He completed it as a giant slope soarer first, while mulling over landing gear options and powerplants. This flew at a major slope event in Washington state many years ago, as reported in various places.
Mark sheeted the cores with 3/32 balsa. He used two large scale type heavy duty aluminum tube and sleeve arrangements to plug the wings on with. He suggests at least three sets of tubes and sockets now, for a turbine model, with the middle tube and socket set going deepest into the wing. Where each tube/socket terminated in the wing, he added a sub rib to suport it.
Over the double tube and socket set in the wing roots, he laminated a layer of suitable graphite on the foam cores before he added the 3/32 balsa skins. He sheeted the wings with laminating resin and then glassed the wing panels with 2 oz cloth and laminating resin. He added an extra layer of 2 oz cloth on the inboard part of the wing panel.
The tail surfaces were also sheeted with 3/32 balsa and glassed with 2 oz cloth and laminating resin. He said he tried a number of horizontal tail pivot arranglements, but was never perfectly happy with any of them. Anyone capable of finishing this model will be able to find a good solution, here.
He thinks it would be easier to install twin turbines than the twin Byron fans of the movie models, but that the stainless exhaust will have an interesting little downturn as it exits the model.
Once again, you're on you own for landing gear. He never took the glider all the way to a ducted fan model and thus never solved that final engineering challenge.
May the modelling forces be with you...
12-18-2003, 10:36 PM
#5
RE: DCU A-6 Intruder
I saw Mark's slope A6 fly a couple times, at the old 4th of July slope fest in Long Beach, early 90's I think...incredibly small slope for such a big model! These were basically extended glide tests.
I often think about how those models would do with turbines...especially when watching FOTI. Look for the servos, with linkages still attached, during the in-flight explosion scenes.
Likes-Line or Glennis might be able to make some custom gear, at least they used to (I bought some custom electric retracts from Likes for a giant-scale Bearcat Madera racer about 5 years ago). Robart also makes custom giant scale retracts.
I often think about how those models would do with turbines...especially when watching FOTI. Look for the servos, with linkages still attached, during the in-flight explosion scenes.
Likes-Line or Glennis might be able to make some custom gear, at least they used to (I bought some custom electric retracts from Likes for a giant-scale Bearcat Madera racer about 5 years ago). Robart also makes custom giant scale retracts.
12-19-2003, 01:52 AM
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RE: DCU A-6 Intruder
[sm=thumbup.gif][sm=thumbup.gif][sm=thumbup.gif] Looks like not too many people out there having this beauty and rare jet already built or flew with twin turbine ...... As i'm just started building on mine . I'm going to fit it with twin 22- 30lbs class turbines ,after all the calculations the jet with fully loaded may gets up to 58lbs .The wings will be reinforced with at least 4 heavy duty tubes on each, carbon fiber will also be use to reinforced on certain areas and serving as ribs in the wings ,all the flying cores will be embeded with appropriate carbon fiber . The rear fuse will be reinforced with ply,carbon laminated formers to strengthen the big moving stabs ,Kevlar and BVM heat shield epoxy will be added to the sides where hot exhaust air exits to prevent the heat softening the fiberglass .With all of my own designed hardwares ,it will probably takes up to 4 months to machining . I'm also trying to make composite wings for this jet to withstand the carrying load of turbine powered ( of which will be featured with scale leading edge slats ) ,but it will be way overweight according to the present AMA rules and regulations ,hopefully they will be extending those limits soon .
About the pipes ,they're going to be be a real challenge to make since the offset between the engine and the exhaust is so much
different ,once got all the major components done i will bring it out to Tam in California for him to put his talents into account and i'm sure he'll come up with some really nice design.
This is a monster project ,it will take a large amount of tremendous testings, designings and redesigns over times but i think i will overcome all the difficulties . I will post updates with pictures and technicals on this project in the future and hope someone with interests or experience can chime in to make it more successful for future A-6 builders/lovers .
Also,i'm going to have it tested in the wind tunnel after done with building to check for corrected surface deflections and CG before first fly ,hopefully someone out there know how to obtain this info and could forward it to me .
Happy Holidays to everyone !
HornetOne ..... out .
About the pipes ,they're going to be be a real challenge to make since the offset between the engine and the exhaust is so much
different ,once got all the major components done i will bring it out to Tam in California for him to put his talents into account and i'm sure he'll come up with some really nice design.
This is a monster project ,it will take a large amount of tremendous testings, designings and redesigns over times but i think i will overcome all the difficulties . I will post updates with pictures and technicals on this project in the future and hope someone with interests or experience can chime in to make it more successful for future A-6 builders/lovers .
Also,i'm going to have it tested in the wind tunnel after done with building to check for corrected surface deflections and CG before first fly ,hopefully someone out there know how to obtain this info and could forward it to me .
Happy Holidays to everyone !
HornetOne ..... out .
