kingaltair

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It's fortunate for us that Tom was such a "typical" engineer. It's a shame Ed Kazmirski didn't do the same thing; we would certainly have a lot more to go on if he had.

Unfortunately, these are the last documents associated with the TBX-1. It has truly been a great experience for me to have the opportunity to research them, and share them with you. I have appreciated the opportunity to borrow and study them. I might even take a photo of the rolls themselves to demonstrate the size paper Tom worked with before returning them to Helen. [8D]

As with any important original historical documents on loan from the owner, it will be a sad thing to return them. [&o] There is just something very special about the originals.

Duane

CHARLES WINTER

Hi Duane, I sure wished you would have taken some Video movies when you met Helen Brett. Helen holding Tom's airplanes etc. etc. Maybe if you go back to Detroit to give back the items you have you can get some Video's. Col. Chuck Winter

kingaltair

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Chuck

I don't know about videos. I was just so very happy that Helen would allow me to visit her, and share Tom's memorabelia with me. She not only let me LOOK at Tom's planes, but also let me clean them off and take them outside to photograph. It was very good of her to do that and it meant a lot to me. I don't know how long it had been since they had been out of the crate and assembled. Getting back to your idea of videos......I'm pretty sure that sticking a video camera in her face would have got me thrown out of the house along with the camera. Most people are a bit camera shy, especially about movies, as I'm sure you already have experienced in your film-making career.[8D]

If Helen will agree to a "video shoot", I would be more than happy to go back there for a second visit, and to get another look at Tom's planes and the scrapbook Helen kept. There just wasn't enough time to give the scrapbook the time it deserves; we very briefly went through a few pages only. At the time I didn't feel I could take any more of her time.

This time, in addition to the TBX, (I'd like to look more the at the construction details), I 'd like to see the Cirrus. During the visit, I was obviously focused on the Apogee and TBX-1. The Cirrus was a total surprise, and was not the object of the visit, so I didn't really look at it in detail, yet I believe the wing was hanging there on the wing rack Tom built. It seemed to me it had a thicker airfoil than the other planes. All I remember was that Helen said it was larger than the Perigee, and was designed for Don Brown I believe, and for proportional radios. If I could visit again, I'd like to look at the Cirrus in detailand spend more time with the scrapbook.

The wing in the picture I believe is the Cirrus wing. To me it appears to have a much thicker airfoil than Perigee.

Free Bird

Anything new to post Duane? I've been on the edge of my seat for too long!

FB

kingaltair

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On the "edge of your seat" hmmm. If you are talking about the TBX-1 plans, I haven't yet received them from Jeff. Before I sent them off for copying, I hadn't really studied them in detail. Instead I've been more involved with the other sketches and drawings...but I know the main plans are there to tackle when ready. As I said earlier, they are VERY DETAILED...not your typical simplified kit plans. They look like architectural drawings of a plane to me...it will be challenging to study and sort through.

I wrote Mrs Brett last evening, telling her more about this thread and providing a "link" to it. I also invited her to join RCU and add her own corrections if needed to what has been posted, and insights into Tom, his designs, and his R/C experiences. I hope she does.

I asked for permission to allow distribution of the TBX-1 plans for those who request it.

I'll let everyone know when they arrive.

BTWI noticed I overlooked a drawing or two from Tom's other sketches...again, I'm can't identify exactly what everything is in the drawing. I'd like to take a few photo details of Tom's drawings, much the same as I did for the "Myers Plan" on the Ed Kazmirski's Taurus thread. We're not quite done yet.

Let us know about the Perigee when you can get pictures
Duane

Free Bird

I was more thinking of any surprises that you may have in store. I think contacting Mrs. B and perhaps getting some input is a great idea. Do you have any specs of the TBX-1? We can guess some from the earlier pics, but I don't know if you had the time for basic specs during your visit.

Status on my Perigee is: wing is painted waiting for final wet sanding and clear coat. Fuselage is painted and I have to fix a couple of spots before adding the trim color. So far I'm pleased with how it's looking. I'll post some pics when completed. Thanks for asking!

FB

kingaltair

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In post #101 I said that I have basically presented all the documentation I have on loan from Helen. Since then I noticed there is one more drawing, (a bit larger than the others), that could use some explanation, but other than that there are no more "surprises."[][&o] I WOULD like to take some detail pictures of the plans themselves before we are finished.

Regarding specs, I can provide whatever I can from the plans when I get them. Tell me what you'd like to know. I think I mentioned earlier in the thread that we measured the wingspan as 68", and Tom used a SuperTigre .56 as his engine, but that was all I could determine right then.

Duane

Michaelj2k

I would be up for a set of TBX-1 and Simla plans whenever they become available.

kingaltair

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Michaelwe certainly like the same planes.

I haven't heard from Helen Brett about the plans.

The Simla will likely be laser-kitted, which sounds a whole lot better to me than scratch building that big "son-of-a-gun"

Duane

Free Bird

Duane, did you get my PM today? LMK. Thanks

FB

kingaltair

My Feedback: (4)

The copied plans from Jeff came yesterday, and I guess I have to take back my statement from the other day that there are no new surprises...there are...and there are lots of questions and things to study. This was the first time I had really looked at the blueprint plan in detail...previously I had been concentrating on the accessory drawings of parts templates. Building this plane, (especially the fuselage) is probably going to be a real challenge. I wish I had a team of engineers down here to help study and decipher these plans.

First, the blue print plan is 45 years old. There are six hand-signed and dated sheets that make up the plan. Of those six sheets, about three of them are yellowed and some were relatively faint. The drafting copiers in Charlotte had to darken the original to get the lines to show up at all. I believe the plans are buildable, but they are not easy to read. The wing drawings, (mirrors), came out in good shape, as did the stab. The fuselage is darkest. Adding to the problem of faint plans, the plans are complicated, (as are all Tom's plans), and filled with what seems to be all kinds of extra lines, as well as the color scheme pattern. Tom didn't intend these plans to be used by others, so notes and explanations are minimal. All these factors combine to make deciphering the plan challenging.

I think what I'm going to do is to photograph parts of the plans and discuss them. Photographs will be from the originals, which are a little easier to read and reveal more subtle detail than the copies. Maybe we can come to some conclusions as we hold an international "conference call" of sorts.

On another subject, I unexpectedly received a very nice note from one of Tom's two daughters, who had just discovered and read this thread. She enjoyed reading about "Dad", and seeing him in a different light, as people from all over discuss his accomplishments in R/C. Her son Brett had previously "Googled" his grandfather to learn more about him, and the search took him to an earlier Tom Brett thread here on RCU. It was a real pleasure hearing from her, and listening to her talking about her father.

There IS more to come...stay tuned.

Duane

CHARLES WINTER

Hi Duane Great JOB. Maybe you can get Toms daughters to persuade their mom Helen to have some videos take of her and maybe her daughters holding Tom's airplanes. This would be a GREAT addition to my updated video. Col. Chuck Winter

kingaltair

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Chuck......Sheryl, (Tom's daughter), has said she will keep up with what's going on...including reading about your request. She is on a trip now, but we'll see if anything happens later.

Chuck, as a designer, I'd like your specific input regarding the plan photos I'm about to submit. Tom apparently used a very unusual airfoil...one I've never seen and didn't think would work. I'll have the information ready to put on the thread....hopefully soon.

BTW....I've lost your phone number so if you still have mine give me a call or PM me.

Thanks
Duane

Free Bird

I found this and thought I'd add it to the thread. From American Modeler Jan/Feb 1963 - Sheryl, Mrs. Brett and Kathy.

FB

kingaltair

My Feedback: (4)

FB

The first thing I asked was whether she was the daughter on the left of the picture or the right, (she is the one on the left). While aware of the picture, interestingly, she said she had never actually read her Dad's article, so I forwarded it to her.

Duane

kingaltair

My Feedback: (4)

Let's start with something straight-forward, the T-Stab.

The stab is laid out in a relatively conventional way, but employs some typical "Brett" ways of doing things, such as the hardwood, (or hard balsa) where the elevator horn wire enters the elevator. You can see the side-view of the stab ribs with their little alignment tabs.
The stab, (and wing) employs both a false and true leading edge.

I have not exactly figured out the elevator horn details below and the three small drawings on the left side drawing. Does the detail above the stab indicate that the stab has dihedral? I'm not quite sure.

Note the small circles with the colored squares inside. I take these to be the "center of pressure". Does that sound correct, and does that term mean the center of lift on the stab?

Ideas??

kingaltair

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To back up just a bit, each of the six sheets, (actually five since one of the wing drawings is a reverse of the other), is hand signed and dated. The majority of the plan was drawn on January 4th 1965, with some of the details completed on the fifth.

It's really nice/neat for historical purposes when the designer or draftsman takes the time to date the plan, (as was done in the Myer plan of Ed Kazmirski's Taurus).

Duane

Free Bird

I listed the names in the order that was in the article. I hope the family didn't mind my posting the pic.

FB

Free Bird

I went back at looked at the pics posted in the thread, and it doesn't appear that the stab has dihedral. With the ribs having a double taper, that would provide a dihedral effect as would the sweep of the L/E. But it does appear to have some dihedral on the drawing, it's hard to tell. The tabs are definitely to make sure the ribs are properly aligned (taper from root to tip), and perhaps some of the mystery dihedral. Only way to really tell would be to build it. It's hard to see the 3 detail drawings in the post, as is the other one above the stab. I can take a better look at later this evening. The circles almost look like CG symbols, maybe Tom was plotting the MAC of the stab?

FB

kingaltair

My Feedback: (4)

I listed the names in the order that was in the article. I hope the family didn't mind my posting the pic.

But it does appear to have some dihedral on the drawing, it's hard to tell. The tabs are definitely to make sure the ribs are properly aligned (taper from root to tip), and perhaps some of the mystery dihedral. Only way to really tell would be to build it. It's hard to see the 3 detail drawings in the post, as is the other one above the stab. I can take a better look at later this evening. The circles almost look like CG symbols, maybe Tom was plotting the MAC of the stab?

I hope so too..although the article has already been public domain for a long while. You probably should have left off the ages.

The details are not much easier to pick out in the real thing. You may be right about the dihedal. Building the stab might be a nice "starter project". Still I'd like to understand everything on the drawing before building something. On other drawings, there is a small C/P next to the circle...that's why I guessed center of pressure, but I don't know enough about it, and could use some informed help. I know you guys are out there.

Duane

kingaltair

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REMOVED...NOT APPLICABLE TO SUBJECT MATTER

Free Bird

Haven't received it yet!

FB

AndyKunz

That would be my guess. Notice the faint construction lines ("construction" in the drafting sense, not building the model) extending out to the tip, and the apparent extensions at the tip to help with that.

Andy

Free Bird

Now that I'm a home, I've had a chance to look at the stab drawing a little more closely. I think the 3 drawings in the upper left of the 1st stab pic is a 3-view of a single part. Also, if you look at the detailed drawing behind the center of the T/E, I believe that drawing is related to the 3-view drawing. The lever with all the holes in it appears to be an elevator horn. Being the elevator linkages are internal, I think this somehow connected the elevators to a pushrod(s). The vertical fin looks like it's very wide and could accommodate such linkage internally. One other thing that I noticed is that stab rib #1 looks like its semisymmetrical, while the remaining ribs are symmetrical. Thoughts??

FB

Free Bird

Edited!!!

Now to back up a little bit and I know that it's not TBX-1 related, but I'd like some opinions please. The picture I posted shows the Apogee, Nimbus and Perigee (from left to right). Now, Tom mostly used a trim scheme of light blue, dark blue and yellow silk (silk on open areas). The Nimbus in the middle has a somewhat different trim scheme on the wing in that the middle portion is dark blue (assuming he used the same color as the other two). The Nimbus wing is fully sheeted (hence no yellow silk on the wing) as I have a set of plans from American Modeler; construction article was published in June 1962. My question boils down to this, do you guys think the rest of the model was light blue? Could a family member perhaps verify this? I plan on building a Nimbus and would like to match the colors as close as possible. Thanks guys!

FB