Dynamic!

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The Devastator has intruiged me for years so I finally decided to have a go at one. Isized the model to utilize the RCGF 65 engine and Robart #154 retract mechanisms that I have on hand. This gave me a wingspan of 110".
I spent the first night cutting wing parts, and was able to get the first panel framed up the next evening. Added the sub-spars, sub-leading edge, and trailing edges; then baegan sheeting the top with 3/32" balsa.

F4u5

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Excellent choice Tony. I have long loved the corrugated dive bomber. If you ever sell plans/parts, I'd be up for some.

Jeff

Dynamic!

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Once I had both panels framed and sheeted, I started joining them. This wing will separate from the fuse as a 1-piece wing but then split into two halves supported by two 1" aluminum tubes. First I made the wing bolt joiner assembly. A 3/4" long piece of 1" dowel, drilled to clear an 8-32 bolt with a T-nut glued to one end and a #8 washer glued to the other. This assembly was then cut in half at an angle and glued to each side ofthe mating ribs. Then the wing panels were slid over the aluminum tubes. Once everything was aligned, the sleeves for the tubes were glued into the panels. 1/8" lite ply donuts were glued around the sleves on each side of each rib for a good tight fit.

Dynamic!

My Feedback: (38)

With the halves joined and the top sheeting almost finished, I started on the gear. I started with a set of stock 5-1/2" DuBro wheels and the Robart #154's slavaged from my ill-fated A-36 Apache. To make the wheels a little more realistic, I tossed them in the freezer for about a week to harden the foam. Then tightened a 1/4" bolt through the hub, chucked it into my high-speed drill, and turned the tread down using a flat piece of sand paper (aka my bench disc/belt sander).
For the landing gear legs, they happened to be the correct length to the top of the offset fork. So Isimply cut the fork off, grinded the weld smooth, and drilled it to accept a 1/4" bolt for an axle.
All finished it has the look of a TBD gear at a price that fits my budget.

Dynamic!

My Feedback: (38)

That's the idea Jeff, but I want to make sure it flies and holds up ok before I start selling prints. With the way the gear retracts, there is no way to get a bottom spar to run continuously through. Several plywood webs and an aluminum tube will be glued into the panel through that section which I think will be strong enough, but Ineed to loop the model a couple times before I will feel comfortable withthe design.

F4u5

My Feedback: (81)

No doubt will be great Tony! I'll be watching.

JEff

Dash7ATP

That's a little scary!Are you sure the gear strut didn't lay along the outside of the wing like the P-40's did. A lot of P-40 kits cut through the spar to make the strut fit completely inside of the wing like the P-51's for instance. It did not. With no bottom spar at the gear location, I can't imagine how the prototype survived the stress of dive bombings or high G loadings.

Dash

Dynamic!

My Feedback: (38)

[/quote]

That's a little scary!Are you sure the gear strut didn't lay along the outside of the wing like the P-40's did. A lot of P-40 kits cut through the spar to make the strut fit completely inside of the wing like the P-51's for instance. It did not. With no bottom spar at the gear location, I can't imagine how the prototype survived the stress of dive bombings or high G loadings.

Dash
[/quote]

I'm sure the full scale had a set-up similar to what you are describing, but to do it on the model would expose alot of the retract mechanism. Also being a torpedo bomber, it didn't have to withstand the high-G pull-outs like the Dauntless or Helldivers. In fact with a cruise speed of 128 mph, and max speed of 206 mpg, I doubt it did anything high-G.

Wagon1

Hi Tony! I have Dick Katz 1/8 plans that comes in at 81". I bought them this summer from Kit Kutters. I have been puzzling about the gear ever since. I'm looking forward to your build. I'm also looking forward to seeing how you plan to get the US wing insignia over the corrugation. These are the two things I have no idea how to do. The canopy is a little intimidating too.

I've always wanted to build this thing after reading Gay's Sole Survivor as a kid. I live near the Naval Air Museum, but I belive there are no TBD's above water to use for reference.

Dynamic!

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I believe you are correct, unfortunately all existing Devastators are still underwater. Maybe someday, Iknow Tighar Foundation has one located that they are trying to raise money to have rescued.
As far as the corrugations and insignia, I am going to cheat . A few years back I cut some vinyl patterns to simulate the corrugations on a friends P-12 and they looked ok. (see pic) Not as pronounced as what the TBD featured, but gives the effect. The vinyl is 3 mil thick (0.003 inches). They are also suttle enough that Ican put a vinyl insignia graphic right over it as I normally would without much trouble. Unless I find a better, easy, solution to the corrugations this will be my plan. I did find another modeler in Europe who built a similar sized Devastator. He applied boot laces over a fiberglassed surface with dope and then filled the seam between them and the wing with bondo. Looked great but seems like alot of work.

Wagon1

That looks great. My plans call for using fishing line for the corrugation. Just thinking about that keeps me up at night.

Please keep us updated!!

Dash7ATP

The technique mentioned sounds heavy, with Bondo fillihng in between the boot laces.  Lots of sanding required.  I have seen a model of a very old plane,, I think it was an early seaplane that had the corrogations. I think it was covered with the single sided cardboark.  It really has the right look. Wish I could point you in the right direction to find thta article.

DAsh

Dynamic!

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I've tried te open face corrugated cardboard before and works really well. I will use it if I ever get around to building a Junkers D.1. But the TBDhas corrugations that are much more spread out. I still feel the vinyl is the easiest way so far. I can program the cutter to cut them at the proper widths and spacing then slap them on in big sheets.

Dynamic!

My Feedback: (38)

This weekend I finished enough up on the other projects I have going and was able to dabble with the TBD again. I got the first retract mount epoxied in. I dry fitted all the pieces and aligned the gear, then doused everything with a healthy coat of epoxy and reassembled it. Now to repeat for the other wing panel.

Wagon1

Hi Tony. Can you give me an idea of where you CG is? I've been going over my plans and can't seem to find it anywhere. Yours is larger than mine, but I would thing the CG would be similar?

All Day Dan

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Wagon1, I sent you a PM. Dan.

Dynamic!

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I typicallyfigure the CG onmy warbirdsto be at 28% of the MAC. I figured this locationin CAD while I was drawing the plans (it isn't ironic that it falls along my main spar).
My MAC is 20.31", which means the CG at 28% would be located 5.69" back from the LE at the MAC. This translates on mine to be 6.72" back from the LE at the centerline.

wurger

Hi Tony

Any further on this thread please....how did it fly....how did you finalise the corrugations....did you fit a torpedo please?
Many thanks in advance
maurice

chistech

I am watching with interest as I purchased a Dick Katz short kit from Kit Kutters. It is the 1/9 version and I am making a float plane out of it. It was on what originally the largest set of EDO floats ever made at the time. I have a pair of EDO foam floats which are just right for this. I'm going to try and start it later this coming year. Might look you up about those vinyl transfers for the corrugations. Shouldn't be too hard to make in the smaller scale of mine. Here are some pictures of my future build.

Dynamic!

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I put this project on the backburner to pursue some other builds. I have not got back to it yet though I still have great interest in finishing it.

wurger

OK thanks Tony.
I look forward to it.
Always wanted a big TBD because I feel it and it's brave crews contributed so, so much to the outcome of Coral Sea and Midway.....
Thanks
maurice