Woketman

My Feedback: (6)

Kevin, you are truly a genius!! Awesome work, dude.

Vincent

My Feedback: (61)

Kevin,
Great job on those tanks, are you planning on using UAT`s?? The jet will fly fine nose heavy but will not tolerate any aft CG. Keep that in mind when you position those tanks.
V..

Kevin_W

My Feedback: (1)

Vincent,
The tanks will go in the scale locations inside the fuselage just fore and aft of the cockpit. The front and rear tanks on each side will be Y'ed together so they drain equally. The CG will not change as fuel is burned off.
I will not be using UAT's. I am planning to build conformal header tanks though and will use a pleated paper automotive fuel fitler clunk in each one of those. The header tanks will sit on either side of the cockpit, right on the CG.

Gerald Rutten

Hi Kevin, realy goodlooking tires you made there, compliments! Thought about this some times too but wasn't sure on the type of rubber to use. Do you have any idea on the wear when operating from tarmac?

I read about the trails on lowering the weight where you tried to put the foam halves inside. Maybe it's an idea to make an aluminium inside mould which you push in like the foam pieces but remove them once cured so you have a holow tyre, thickness to be experimented......?

Best regards,
Gerald

Kevin_W

My Feedback: (1)

I guess with a little forethought and a different mold design it might be possible to make a hollow tire like you suggest, but with molds and the process that I am using the it would be impossible to get an "inner" mold out of the finished part without carefully cutting it open.

For the latest tire I made some blues foam inserts that only allowed a wall thickness of about 3/16" all the way around and the good news is this tire seems to be about half the weight of the solid one. I will take them to the hobby shop later today to weigh them to confirm.

I have no idea of how this material will wear under use, but you can be sure that I will be watching it closely for the first few flights.

The main tires and wheels are finally finished and mounted on the struts. I am busy working on gear doors and the nosegear installation right now, but I will try to get some pics of them installed in the wing before the end of the weekend.

cactusflyer

My Feedback: (4)

Excellent work Kevin!

Something just occurred to me.............You might want to check the balance on the wheels once you get them molded and assembled. I remember when I had my hobby shop and RC car track, we used to balance the soft foam (very light-weight) tires and it made an amazing difference to the 1/10 scale cars. I don't think that it is much of an issue with our jets and the manufactured tires, but with your inserts you may get one out of balance quite a bit. That might make for some interesting high speed taxiing and takeoff!

Tailwinds,

John

mr_matt

My Feedback: (10)

Hi Kevin,

Nice work! Hey do these pictures bring back any memories?

BTW how did you intend on these covers to attach? Using the central hole in the mount I assume?

For those of you that do not know, Kevin made some bypasses for awhile, I got a couple for an twin F-18 project (maybe 7 to 8 years ago?) and ended up using them on a MIG. They are the nicest ones I have ever seen, with clearances molded for the JetCat EGT and glow plug. Even has marks where to cut out the data cable and starter plug holes as well. Kevin is one of the best modelers I have ever known and I for one am glad he is posting here. I can only take so much of the soap opera after awhile!

PS my sympathies to all Cowboys fans......

Woketman

My Feedback: (6)

Yeah, I second what Matt said. I remember his sport jet from 6 years or so ago (can't remember what it was). He had increased the wing area and converted the horizontal to a full flying stab. Then added the external fuel tank that was droppable. REALLY cool (except if it hit pavenment)! He is a genuine craftsman.

Heck, what do ya say we elect Mr. Whitlow president in '08?

Terry Holston

My Feedback: (1)

That was a TGA Interceptor, I still have a copy of his instructions for converting the elevator to Full flying stab and his drawings for the deopable center line tank. Great stuff!!!!

bcovish

My Feedback: (8)

Kevin_W

My Feedback: (1)

Matt,
I can't take all the credit for those bypasses. I didn't make the molds. Actually, I did make the mold for the Jetcat cover, but Tom Robertson made the plug(s) and most of the molds.
I actually still have those molds hanging on the wall in my shop waiting for Robertson to tell me he wants them back.

Notice that the center hole in each mount ear is recessed for the washer and the outer two holes are not. You are supposed to mount the engine to the bypass with the two center screws, then the cover goes over these two screws (it is drilled to allow the screw heads to protrude through) then the outer four screws go in through the cover and the mount.
That mounting system is definitely overkill, but it was a modification from the mount that Robertson designed for the original FD3-67, and 10 years ago when that was designed (wow, I'm gettin old) turbine knowledge/experience was non-existent for all of us.

Woketman,
I appreciate your kind words, except for that last sentence. President of what????
I doubt you would want me to be president anything, diplomacy is not one of my strong points.

Kevin_W

My Feedback: (1)

Now, pics of the 262 with feet.

I am using a robart nosewheel for setup, but I will most likely be making a scale nosewheel and tire later on.

uncljoe

My Feedback: (8)

Hi Kevin
Looking at the photos ; are you planning on doing Flaps? or it just the way the light is hitting the wing

Semper Fi
Joe

Woketman

My Feedback: (6)

President of these United States!

But you're right. During the campaign someone would turn up with a video of you jumping, startled by those explosive P-80/Interceptor propane ignitions that we would see & hear during Mississippi Afterburner!

That 262 is gorgeous.

Kevin_W

My Feedback: (1)

It's got flaps.

Kevin_W

My Feedback: (1)

I would be surprised and extremely relieved if that was the only video that "turned up".

bcovish

My Feedback: (8)

never mind

Stratotanker

My Feedback: (3)

Kevin,

I decided to try my hand at making my own tires once I read through your thread. The first attempt failed, not enough mold release! The second try was better but I am getting a couple air pockets on the side walls. I pour the rubber slow and let it self level and then let it sit for 1 hour before clamping. Do you have any ideas why I getting the air pockets??? Thanks

Chris

Kevin_W

My Feedback: (1)

Sounds like your molds are either not completely filled or you are not allowing it to cure long enough before joining.
Make sure both mold halves are perfectly level when you pour them, and keep adding liquid rubber until it just starts to "mound" on top.
Don't join the molds until the material has cured to the consistency of something between grape jelly and sticky jello.
I'd be willing to bet that this stuff takes a lot longer to cure in Washington than it does in TX.

I had a couple with air bubbles in my first few attempts too.

Stratotanker

My Feedback: (3)

Thanks Kevin,

I will let it sit longer next time.

Chris

yeahbaby

My Feedback: (21)

I talked to Kevin earlier and he said first flight today was a success. couple clicks of ail trim otherwise uneventful. I look forward to seeing it at Mt Pleasant next weekend.

congrats Bro'

buck

Kevin_W

My Feedback: (1)

After a VERY frustrating afternoon of testing, tweaking, and having the main wheels lock up the first three times I tried to fly it (first time because I forgot to gread the axles, other times because I used the wrong grease) I finally got a flight on the thing!!!


It took off in less runway than I had expected (about 200'). It needed a little bit of left aileron trim, but everything else was perfect. With all the problems I was having on the ground prior to the flight I decided to leave the landing gear down for the first flight to minimize the potential problems in flight.
I was happy to find that it I could put in full flaps with no change in pitch. It just slowed down.
The approach and landing speed was less that I had expected too. With full flaps I was able to hold 1/4 - 1/3rd throttle all the way to the runway, then when I pulled the throttle to idle it just settled in nicely on the mains and I was able to stop it within 150' of the touchdown point.

It has a little dutch roll, but that was expected since the full scale 262 had the same problem. This should be less noticeable with the landing gear up.

I did put a little temporary paint on to help with visibility too.
Here are a couple of pics of it with my 5 minute paint job.

jetpilot

My Feedback: (48)

Awesome Kevin!!! Cant wait to see it fly.
Congratulations.
Scott

Gerald Rutten

Very nice indeed Kevin! [sm=thumbup.gif] Love the 262!!!

Can you tell me something about all-up weight?? And maybe pretty soon to tell but how are the tires holding on the tarmac?

Best regards,
Gerald

bcovish

My Feedback: (8)

Scott, your wait is almost over. Come over to Mt Pleasant next weekend and you can see it fly there. I know your crew chief/mechanic/pilot won't be there, but we are all willing to help out with the Ultra.