invertmast

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Thanks buddy! I'll have some F18 rubber tires for ya in a few weeks.

invertmast

My Feedback: (23)

I got both of the scissor links finished and fine tuned to allow the proper amount of oleo compression so the launch bar rests on the ground at the same time. I also put in the wheel/ tire assembly as well. It appears that i'll need to adjust the nose wheel rim a wee bit for some smaller bearings, but i'm not going to deal with that until I 3D print the nose gear so I can verify fit.



Uncompressed:



Close up of the launch bar mechanism. This is as close as i'm going to get this. There is just so much stuff going on with the F14 landing gear, that i could be doing modeling of stuff for another few years.. I'll wait to do all that once i get the prototype flying and start work on the JWM model.

yeahbaby

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Sounds good lil fella

invertmast

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Last update for the evening. All of the launch parts are done. Tomorrow if the weather permits and we don't fly at work, i'll draw up the approach box, headlights and other items that go on the front of the strut.

WimB

My Feedback: (1)

nice!!!!!

Thomas, do take care that in a production version, the launchbar doesn't touch the ground when the strut compresses.... imagine what would happen on a hard landing and the launch bar digs in.....

Wim

invertmast

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Wim,
that is one thing i am working on. I need to come up with a travel limiter to keep that from happening

mr_matt

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Thomas , how do you plan to fabricate the small ball joints on the launch bar link?

invertmast

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I have it setup so the slight angle of the real linkages isnt present on these gear. The angle is ever so slight so its not noticeable, nor is it practical to try and do them.

yeahbaby

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hey amigo just keep the launch bar in the up position ( roughly 45 degrees ) when not headed to the catapult. I'm assuming you are going to make it on / off anyway, thus for static purposes.

invertmast

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Oh come on man, you know me better than that, that is WAY to easy.. haha

Actually i plan to do the nose gear like matrix has the setup for the F-4's and the kneeling function. I've got most of that designed into this so far already

WimB

My Feedback: (1)

wow, kneeling as well???

As I read from the Natops manual, the Launch bar was automatically lowered when lining up to the cat, and when the nose gear was steered beond 20°... so apparently it's not only linked to the scissor link...???

invertmast

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Yea man, i'm going to make this way nicer than the Skymaster.. but the price is going up by the moment as well. Honestly, due to the complexity of keeping this thing as accurate as possible, they will likely be fully custom airplanes and not mass marketed like the Skymaster. I'm expecting the landing gear to be around the same price as the skymaster, but wouldn't be surprised if its as much as $1000 more. I have A LOT of details in this thing that are very very small. The launch bar links are one of those, at 3/4" long and 3/16" diameter.

WimB

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Thomas,

I am persuaded your version will be a lot more accurate than the SM version, we both know there are some 'deviations' from scale......on the plus, it has a very innovative solution to the swing wing hinging, it captures the spirit of the real thing, and is an impressive model. I am not entirely confident of the Firgelli actuators though. cockpit is junk, and they really need to talk to their paint guys.....

now, given that this plane will cost me about 20k$, if not more, and is relatively 'ARF', would I be willing to spend a few grand more to get a perfect scale kit?? I honestly don't know.... If let's say it was 5k more, and "install ready", probably yes.....for me it would depend mainly on the level of prefabrication....
I'm happy you decided to go forward with this project........

This plane truly is a labour of love, just like the twin seat F-16 by Peter Coers.... once you go as far as copying the canopy hinges of the real thing, wow, respect!!

wim

invertmast

My Feedback: (23)

Yea i hear ya Wim, i'm trying to keep the cost down,but the complexity of this thing is pretty high. Luckily, the vast majority of that complexity is from stuff that has to be installed prior to closing the molds (slat mechanisms, spoiler, etc etc).
My thought process is that the "detail" stuff (gear door liners, lights system, landing gear detail parts, etc etc) will all be offered as extra's for those who don't need it to try and keep the cost down, but I do expect this things to be slightly higher than the SM package.

I"m not entirely confident on the Figerelli actuators either so I have a backup plan that uses some ACME threaded rods and a substantial gearbox assembly that makes it so that the wings move together at exactly the same amount and the same time. If this has to be done, it's going to increase the price a couple hundred bucks more.

I've also go a theoretical design that would allow ALL of the wing systems to be controlled using 3 input channels. All of the mixing and programming would be internal to this box. The hold up on that is finding someone who could design and build it. this box would be an option and would allow the airplane to be flown with a 9 or 10 channel radio with all of the normal functions. It would also have failsafe's built into it to prevent wing sweep with the flaps down, etc

I'm still trying to determine how the canopy is hinged on this thing so I can replicate that accurately as well, but its proving difficult to find that information

WimB

My Feedback: (1)

The technical drawings on the plane would indeed be nice to have!!! If I'm not wrong, the canopy first moves back to unlatch and then up, right?? this would eliminate the need for separate locks....

Too bad the proportional actuators are no good.... I have a slight difference in sweep speed on the wings, irritates me enormously!!!

Interlocks on the wings are indeed neccesary.... I managed to get it programmed in my Graupner/SJ MC32 more or less, so that the flaps/slats move up when the wing is sweeped aft. still need to adress the opposite, flaps inhibit when wings swept...this is one complex plane indeed!!!!!!

invertmast

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Yea that has been my experience with the Firgelli as well. Mine have a large amount of slop in the actuators themselves which i don't like either.

WimB

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only thing I have on tha canopy lock is this.....

yeahbaby

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LOL, yes I know I'm just a knuckle draggin, big chief notebook and crayon writin' jarhead but.......I'm pretty sure the launch bar is loaded with Viagra when it's not engaged in the catapult shuttle!!! BAAAHHHAAA

keep up the good work lil fella

invertmast

My Feedback: (23)

The gear design is essentially done until I am able to get everything 3D printed and see how they fit in the actual airplane. the rear retraction cylinder isn't completely refined yet as I have it setup to allow an additional 1" more retraction than necessary. That cylinder produces 30 pounds of up force and 12 pounds of down force @ 120psi. I'm also going to add the additional retraction actuator to the boss on the right hand side of the strut. That actuator will provide an additional 13lbs of down force and 7 pounds of up force. With these two actuators and a hydraulic system (These gear are not designed for use with pneumatic systems!) the nose gear should not need any up or down locks. Same applies to the main gear up locks. Key would should

Nose gear in the up position with the strut fully extended and the launch bar tucked up tight. The mount for the mockup is basically a copy of the skymaster version. I personally don't like this mount setup and will probably change it for the actual model.



Here is a close up showing the custom wheel/axle nuts and some of the detail parts for the gear. The taxi light housing will be machined aluminum and is already setup to accept a 5mm LED. the approach box is also aluminum and may be hollowed out and split into two pieces so as to install an LED on the inside to light up those lights as well.






Total weight for the entire nose gear and wheel assemblies is 2.3 pounds


I'm currently debating on drawing some of the oddball bits and pieces on the struts, but I have some other CAD stuff to contend to before hand.

George

My Feedback: (57)

Thomas,

Awesome work as always!! And glad to see you back at it!

Peter Coers

Awesome Thomas, but I am missing some screws and bolts............

invertmast

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Haha. Yea im having problems with my toolbox in solidworks at the moment. For some resason it keeps saying its not there.

VF84sluggo

My Feedback: (55)

You could also raise the launch bar while in the kneeled position. This was required for the shuttle to be cleared out of the way if an aborted cat shot was necessary (after the cat was 'safed' up and the jet throttled back, of course!). Extending the nose strut while still engaged in the shuttle was bad juju and would case severe damage to the launch bar bungee system. Once clear, you'd be directed to extend the nose strut so you could taxi clear of the cat.

Ahem...."variable geometry"

WimB

My Feedback: (1)

haha Slugo, excuse me, variable geometry indeed, lol....

Read that in the NAtops, about the launch bar.... did you guys really know that turf by heart?? wow....the general info is a great read, but I skipped the parts on the radio and navigation....pfff!

only thing that stuck to my mind was the "zeroize" button on the GPS and radio, to delete the secret codes.... funny word, "Zeroize".....

Wim

VF84sluggo

My Feedback: (55)

LOL...there were a few geeks that I swear could quote chapter-and-verse!!

I'm with you...get into some of that 'back seat' stuff and, well, let's just say that if you were having trouble getting to sleep, that stuff would fix it! We called it the "big blue sleeping pill"