RE: Designing a new pattern model
 

Thanks you. It's too early to talk about it, but if everything goes well i don't see why not. A good friend of mine owns a small company that manufactures and sells composite models, and he is very interested in this project. It won't happen very soon though...

RE: Designing a new pattern model
 

http://www.alexvoicu.domeniuweb.ro/F3A_20.jpg

RE: Designing a new pattern model
 

Alex, primarily scale building for me. But the classic pattern planes have a special place in my memories as a kid.

RE: Designing a new pattern model
 

very cool, what color scheme do you plan to go for

RE: Designing a new pattern model
 

Darrin, i've been reading a few of your build threads in the last couple of days. Really amazing stuff. I think i'll steal a few ideas ;)

High, the paint scheme is next. Hope to post a few images soon.

RE: Designing a new pattern model
 

The paintscheme was by far the hardest part of the design process. I think i scrapped it and started from scratch more than 10 times and overall it took more than a month to do it.
I wanted something colorful with flowing lines that suits the shape of the plane and strong contrast between upper and lower surfaces for better visibility. The grey areas will be silver in the end, but i couldn't find a way to simulate this in the renders. It is possible to make some improvements, but now i feel i have a good basis to work with.
I haven't decided the name of the model yet, but we'll call it Hypnose for now. Mine will be electric, so i added the proper stickers to the wings to get a better impression of the final look.

http://www.alexvoicu.domeniuweb.ro/hypnose6.jpg

http://www.alexvoicu.domeniuweb.ro/hypnose7.jpg

http://www.alexvoicu.domeniuweb.ro/hypnose8.jpg

RE: Designing a new pattern model
 

Pretty soon, we'll all have the 3-D printers and can download and print pattern planes!

Nice work. Can you test the aerodynamics and forces in that or any other software?

RE: Designing a new pattern model
 

Hah... cool thats really amazing... when do u plan to build it? will the fuselage made up of wood or fiberglass

RE: Designing a new pattern model
 

Very nice indeed...
If You're using SolidWorks2009 with PhotoView360, try using surface properties - metal - Chrome for those silver lines... Should work :)

Flow analysis could be hard in SW, but if you master Ansys, they have a nice fluid dynamics-program if I'm not mistaken. Model should be quite easy to import.

I liked the colours! Sligthly Fliton-ish, and I've always liked those scemes.

RE: Designing a new pattern model
 

I believe Solidworks is packaged with Cosmos. I know you can apply loads and stuff but never thought to try flows when I was using it.

RE: Designing a new pattern model
 

woww.... drop dead gorgeous...!!

RE: Designing a new pattern model
 

It is possible to use the Floworks module for CFD simulations. Unfortunately the Floworks results are not very reliable and, since the airflow around the fuselage and tail surfaces is heavily influenced by the propeller, the calculated values of the forces are not very useful. It is possible to simulate the effect of the propeller, but you will need a very powerful CFD software and huge computing power. I'm not going to stop here though.
Here's an image showing an earlier version of the model in KE flight.

http://www.alexvoicu.domeniuweb.ro/airflow3.jpg

RE: Designing a new pattern model
 

when do u plan to build the model & will the fuselage be made up of fiberglass?

RE: Designing a new pattern model
 

The fuselage for the model in the images i posted above will be composite. I am also working on a wood version and will post images soon. If everything goes well, work will begin probably this week on the wooden fuselage. It really depends on when i get the materials and how long the laser cutting will take.

RE: Designing a new pattern model
 

With that amount of work I'd consider 3 or 5 axis milling a fuselage.

RE: Designing a new pattern model
 

I thought about it, but it's just too expensive for me. Too bad, because i have all the necessary knowledge and connections. I worked with 3 and 5 axis milling machines for 6 years as a CNC programmer.

RE: Designing a new pattern model
 

Yeah, then you should still "know" a few people.

I've got parts machined before, by doing a bit of "contra" work on the side. "You do this for me, I'll machine your fuselage!"

RE: Designing a new pattern model
 

Way to go Alex !!!!
This is really amazing ... go for the milled fuse and forget the wooden version !
You are going to be so overwelmed by this that you are going to mill a mould anyway !
you do not need anything special ,just 3axis router to mill MDF wood ,thats all.
go go go..!!!

Reguards
Elias

RE: Designing a new pattern model
 

Hi Elias :)

Unfortunately it's a little more complicated. I can build the wood version by myself at home, while the composite version depends on a few factors. The mold has too many edges around the canopy and cowl seams, so milling it would be difficult. I can mill the mold plug though, but it's very difficult to find a milling machine with 2m travel on X axis. I'll see what i can do.

RE: Designing a new pattern model
 

A few more details under the hood and it's done:

http://www.alexvoicu.domeniuweb.ro/hypnose9.jpg

RE: Designing a new pattern model
 

One word.... AMAZING!!!

RE: Designing a new pattern model
 

OOOOOHHHHH......................

RE: Designing a new pattern model
 

That's just not fair..!!!! [:'(]

RE: Designing a new pattern model
 

i mean precise accurate perfect flawless........... piece of creation

RE: Designing a new pattern model
 

Yes Alex ,this is what I mean by milling ,having an exactly half fuse plug milled with guides in mdf is way much progressed work than cutting formers out of wood for a wooden fuse!!
There is another suggestion though .You said you are laser cutting the formers.You can also cut vertical slises of your male plug with your laser cutter and join them to form your male plug .Every 20 or so slices you would have to make sure they arein the correct lengthwise position.
You can also split your fuse plug in 3 pieces if you can find a 700mm mill and join them on a board.
I´m throwing any ideas that come in to my mind ,one of them I wish it works for you !

nice work
Elias