Mike James

A 3D modeling project only... Not an RC project, but you might still enjoy the images.

When I was a kid in the 1950's and 1960's, I was fascinated with a TV show called "Sky King"... basically a rancher/pilot who assisted in catching bad guys every week. The first plane featured on the show was this one... the Cessna UC-78 "Bobcat". This project is just something fun I wanted to see if I could put together, not a big serious project. We'll see how it develops as I add more details.

aerowoof

rcm has plans for a r/c version,great flyer

AJRCUSTOMCRAFTEDRC

My Feedback: (70)

hi ,if you can't find any plans for the bobcat, i think i have a rcm set.
ajr.

All Day Dan

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The August 1964 issue of R/C Modeler had a construction article for the Bobcat. Dan.

Mike James

More details:

All of the control surfaces are now cut out and can be animated. I've rebuilt the engine nacelles, added more scale landing gear parts, windows, and am getting ready to do the cabin door next. Love these vintage planes.

David Turner

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Is this a modo 302 project? I've recently downloaded the evaluation version and am in process of learning it. I have Rhino 3d and completed a Beech Baron last year. This is obvoiusly quicker but not sure it it can produce a model accurate enough for construction.

BMatthews

It must be pretty cold up in Alaska already if you're doing stuff like this rather than making actual models to fly....

The 3D work looks amazing. I've got the Paul Matt drawings of the Bamboo Bomber and I'm thinking of doing a rib for rib, stringer for stringer version to about 4 or 5 foot span for electric power.

OK, here's a task for you. Work with Paul's drawings to produce a 3d STRUCTURE that is faithful and THEN cover it with a skin so you can strip the skin away to see all the structure and crew cabin layouts. It'll be a LONG winter after all....

Mike James

David,

Yes, modo 302. Modo requires a different mindset than my previous 3D software, but is an outstanding tool set. It's fully capable of producing accurate models, but the dimension display system is different, and had me wondering for a while. I really think it's the best 3D modeling software I've used.

Bruce,

I'm going to do a similar thing in 3D. Just waiting for some documentation, then I expect to build the internal structure, and make this one a "museum scale" sort of model. Check out the forums at luxology.com for others who are doing some spectacular 3D work.

Mike James

Still waiting on some documentation, to tell me things like the actual tube diameter for the structure shown here. (I guessed it at 1 inch diameter, and it looks too large to me.) Regardless, it was fun to see if I could build the structure, and good practice for the rest of the model.

Leo

Maybe the Bobcat restoration pictures on the link below will help in estimating the dimensions of the tubing:

[link=http://www.maam.org/rest_proj.htm]Mid Atlantic Air Museum[/link]

JeffH

My Feedback: (43)

I have the factory repair manual. I think it give all specs of the steel tubes.

Mike James

Leo,

Wow! What a great link. Thank you. I have many such photos, but each group seems to show things that the other missed. Those are helpful.


Jeff,
There are a couple of people who have said they'd send me the tech info on various tubing (and rod) sizes used. If you happen to find that info, and wouldn't mind emailing it to me, that would be great.

Thanks to you both.

Mike James

This time, I selected 3.4-inch diameter tubing for the main structure, and 1/2-inch diameter tubing for the smaller structures, like those around the top of the windscreen. Looks like the right size, and the position of all the parts shown is now accurate to the real aircraft. Next, I'll be adding the many wood frame parts and stringers that integrate with the tubing.

Mike James

Today, I received some scans from the factory maintenance manual, and it included drawings of the tube structure, as well as their diameters. So, the model was corrected to that, and then the stringers were added to the top, to give me a reference to build the other parts around. FUn!

Mike James

I've started on the tubing structure for the main landing gear and the engine mounts. (Have to model an engine soon.)

Mike James

I'm getting some great help on this project, from T-50 owners, and restoration projects, so I've been able to correct most of the tubing structure, and am starting to add the details... pumps and wiring on the firewall, etc.. (The article is at http://www.mikejamesmedia.com/cessna_t50_01.html ) There's a rotating-view movie of the model, as it stands today, at http://www.mikejamesmedia.com/modo_m...037_110509.mov

Here are a couple of the latest renders... Fun!

zipman

My Feedback: (22)

Hi Mike,

What a fantastic project. As you can see by my avatar I am a fan of the Cessna Bobcat. I have the 1964 RCM plans for the UC78 Bobcat mentioned above but it is not that scale of a plan. You are doing the Bobcat justice with this 3D model. I have been in contact with Mr Jon Larson who not only directs the Sky King web site but also owns one of the original Songbirds used on the TV show. I have a photo taken by him of the Flying Crown logo from the side of his plane and a nice shot of the retracting landing gear. I am currently having trouble sending email (I can receive it) so I will try to post the pictures here). When you are done will you make a 3 view available for purchase in say a 1/7th or 1/8th scale? Hope so.
Keep up the great work.

Mike James

Thank you, Stan.

I'm in touch with Jon Larson too, and he's been very cordial. Thanks to several people who are doing actual T-50 restoration projects, I've been able to get most of what I need for the detailing... but not "all", of course. There's always some photo or drawing that one person has, missed by another. The nice drawing of the retracts in the up position that you posted is a good example. That's a helpful one, that I'll use to check my retract geometry.

When you get your email going, please get in touch. In the meantime, thank you for posting those images.

The 3D model will eventually be added to my catalog... Hadn't thought about making 3-view drawings available, but it wouldn't be difficult.
Thanks again, and take care.

Mike James

Here's most of the internal wing structure, including the parts that integrate it with the tube structure of the engine/landing area. Fun!

JeffH

My Feedback: (43)

Sorry for the delay. I have been hugely busy. It looks like you got the information I could have provided. If you go here:
http://www.wrightstuffsquadron.com/

They have a huge amount of restoration pics as well.
Do you need anything else from the maint. manual?
Jeff

All Day Dan

My Feedback: (5)

Hi Mike, You are showing the metal tubes and brackets being attached to what look like wooden spars. Were wood screws and bolts used? Thanks, Dan.

Mike James

Hi Dan,

I'm keeping the fancy textures to a minimum during the modeling phase, so it doesn't slow down my render times, but those are wooden spars, (laminated) and I'll make them more realistic as I go along, including all the fasteners. For me, it's always "exterior shape first, details later." By the end of this project, the model will have those fasteners, wiring, fuel lines, cockpit details, etc.. everything you'd see on the real aircraft, if it was sitting somewhere with no covering.

Thank you for having a look.

Mike James

The first shows my temporary "stand-in' version of the engine and exhaust manifold, to help me plan other parts around it, as well as the surrounding wing structure, which now has the fuel tank added. (red cap, inboard)

The second shows details on the propeller hub, now more realistic.

The final image is something I'm really happy with, which is the chain drive/jackscrew mechanism that drives the landing gear up and down. When the positions of these parts is finialized, I'll be adding the chains themselves, which run from the wings, back to the nose of the airplane, where the drive motor is located. (using Andy Brown's method, from the tank tutorial, where he made the tracks... Same idea will work for the chains.) There's a similar chain drive mechanism that drives the flaps up and down, which I'll be adding, too.

multimike

, this is my current project, a CeHI guysssna Crane, ( Bamboo Bomber) 84 in scratch from my own drawings ,power 2/56 Saito 4 strokes, I am going ot attempt lft off tomorrow, weather permitting Mike

Avaiojet

Mike,

How are you?

I can't believe it! I just stumbled onto your two photos. I wish I saw this yeaterday.

Anyway, please tell me about your project. Source for plans? Retracts?

My intetrest is a 72" or a 84" model.

Charles