Donny have you opened a thread where you talk about technical aspects and how you are solving technical problems?
Models like the Tomcat are very particular so it is interesting so see different project built with different approaches.

I would truly enjoy that, But my current situation would not permit it. I have a blog on rcgroups that shows my lack of shop time. many of my projects just lay in limbo for one reason or another, check it out if your interested.
Hearing from others just might get me going again.

I'll do that, thank you.
Sorry Thomas for the hijack.

I decided to replace the jeti R14 with a CB200, so i spent a day and a half figuring out that thing... i still need to work on some of the programming, but i got the majority of the airframe all wired up and working. All of the engine installation minus one fuel line is done... still need to install the tank and Uat though.






i also decided to replace the battery tray i laser cut earlier with an equipment mount setup i had started drawing in cad probly 6 years ago. I finished up that drawing, then cut it out on the laser and mocked it into place. It will also double as the nose come mount by hysoling in a 8-32 bolt at the front that the machined pitot tube will screw onto.







The task list is pretty short at this point.

1- install hatch retention mechanisms
2- make a vacuum former, pull a canopy and insgall
3- install the tank/uat and plumb
4- epoxy the vertical stabs on
5- replace the 3D printed gear mounts with the aluminum ones
6- glue on the gear door opening covers
7- CG and final radio installation

Well, lets just say things have progressed to the point where it needs to make a road trip. Lol

What a beautiful exposition! :-)
Moving to a more bigger space?

if by bigger space you mean airspace, then yes.

Wait... does that mean?

I'm guessing it's ready for a testflight?

Nice... When is the big day??

Scott

Yep, its ready! only took..... over 10 years.

its a very simplified Tomcat as i'm just tired of looking at it and need to re-invigorate myself to dedicate the $$$$ into having the landing gear made... so it needs to prove it'll fly first.. then depending on how that goes will dictate the fate of the project..,

Unfortunately, i'm unable to do any flying right now. i've got a herniated disc in my neck which makes it difficult to pickup anything more than 10lbs or so.. looking up in the sky for prolonged periods is every more difficult. So the short answer is, the test flights will be sometime late summer or early fall.

Oh, well, we waited so many years so waiting for two or three months more is definitively not a problem, great to know that a flight test is planned!

Thomas, you show us a picture of the plane in the trailer ready to fly and then you tell us it will be months!!!!!
Quit making excuses and fly the thing..............

Stott

LOL. Man im just as frustrated and annoyed as you guys!

Get well soon and good luck for the maiden flight!
regards Martin

Ok Thomas
4 years in the trailer is enough, has it flown?

Actually i got so disgusted with how heavy and terrible the layup quality was, that i took it all apart, gutted it and chopped up the fuselage and sent it to the trash dump. I still have the wings and tail, but my composite work and layup schedules have changed so much since the beginning of the F14 project that i can make a nicer model quicker, assuming i ever get the motivation to do so.
With the cost of having the machined components for the landing gear made, i can buy a rtf skymaster F14…

That too bad to hear after all the work you put into it but I totally get it. I have lots of projects in my life that have gone that way.

That entire day was stressfull and the release of a chainsaw to the fuselage was oddly satisfying. Lol. Yes, it was that overbuilt!

with how much 3D printing is changing and the materials improving, i dont think it will be long before 3D printed strut components in your own home will be possible, if its not already….

With how much i have learned with the T38, it would be pretty easy to shave 10+ pounds out of the F-14’s bare airframe, which is tempting to try out, but the cost of airex has gotten ridiculously expensive.

Maybe in a few years i’ll lay up another F14, its all just hanging out, but ive got a dark project already started for when im done with the latest round of T38’s.

Hi Thomas, I had to read your post so many times before to realize that you really scraped your prototype!
LGM Graphix has simply anticipated me in asking you for an update on the project, I haven't stopped to think at it even if in all these years there were no updates at all, as I was really hoping that there even a very little update to show us... giving the great progress of your prototype in these years, making experience with 3D printing and the machined landing gear, I (we?) can only be sure that your next F-14 model will be even more gorgeous than this one.
Can't wait to see it, it will be worth the wait.
Angelo

it was a hard decision, but it was the correct one. The first one was just so far behind of what it should of been and very overweight.

my simplified version with fuel weighted 54lbs. That is on par with what the skymaster ones weighted without fuel.

with 3D printing becoming more economical with time, it may be possible to have the more complex parts of the landing gear printed in aluminum instead of being machined. This will have to wait a bit though as i need to get the T38 projects finished up and the plugs for the next jet are almost completely printed and ready to get finished for molding.