I wonder what it would cost should you crash THIS model...

http://www.big-boys.com/articles/f14model.html

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Re: F-14
By: richardw to All on Mon Jul 11 2005 12:10:00

I wonder what it would cost should you crash THIS model...

http://www.big-boys.com/articles/f14model.html

Small-stuff! Check out this photo:

http://www.gordon-nichols.com/pics/b52-007-600.jpg

then go look at this video:

http://www.teambanana.co.uk/b52crash2.wmv

Now I bet *that* hurt.... So, can you guess what he's doing now?
Building another one....

http://www.gordon-nichols.com/b52-big-buff/

Hmmm! He's building the fuselage using the "on the half-shell" technique. Interesting....



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Re: F-14
By: Angus Mcleod to richardw on Mon Jul 11 2005 05:03 pm

I wonder what it would cost should you crash THIS model...

http://www.big-boys.com/articles/f14model.html

Small-stuff! Check out this photo:

http://www.gordon-nichols.com/pics/b52-007-600.jpg

Wow, amazing plane.

then go look at this video:

http://www.teambanana.co.uk/b52crash2.wmv

You know, watching that tarp flap around, then seeing the clouds in the
sky... you might think it's not the best day for flying.

Now I bet *that* hurt.... So, can you guess what he's doing now?
Building another one....

http://www.gordon-nichols.com/b52-big-buff/

Hmm... now I get a Timeout on server.

Hmmm! He's building the fuselage using the "on the half-shell" technique. Interesting....

What is the "on the half-shell" technique?

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Re: F-14
By: richardw to Angus Mcleod on Mon Jul 11 2005 17:19:00

http://www.gordon-nichols.com/pics/b52-007-600.jpg

Wow, amazing plane.

Yep!

http://www.teambanana.co.uk/b52crash2.wmv

You know, watching that tarp flap around, then seeing the clouds in the sky... you might think it's not the best day for flying.

No. It was quite windy. Watch it again and you will see the aircraft bouncing around on climb-out. And after it turns downwind, you are
looking at a silhouette against the sky, and as a pilot myself, I'm
thinking "Which way is it going?" You really can't tell which way it's rolling. I've flown in conditions like that and it's ass-puckering. But
I guess they figured it was OK.

http://www.gordon-nichols.com/b52-big-buff/

Hmm... now I get a Timeout on server.

Me too. We've DoveNetted his site! :-) Hey -- it's up again now.

Hmmm! He's building the fuselage using the "on the half-shell" technique Interesting....

What is the "on the half-shell" technique?

It's a term stolen from the art of cuisine where foodstuffs (usually
seafood) is served on half of a shell, as a plate. In modelling, it
refers to a construction technique where the fuselage is built in two
halfs, and joined down the middle after the two halfs are complete.

Normally, the fuselage is constructed from a series of formers/bulkheads
spaced apart by longerons and stringers. See this photo of my Easyjet fuselage being built:

http://www.anjo.com/rc/aircraft/easyjet/easyjet.fuse1.jpg

and this photo of my Mew Gull formers cut, and awaiting assembly:

http://www.anjo.com/rc/aircraft/mewgull/mewgull.formers.jpg

This works best if the aircraft has a flat bottom (or top) so that the
formers can "stand up" and be joined with the longerons. But sometimes
you have a complex shaped fuse, and this isn't practical. There are
various other techniques. You can build "on a crutch", use building-bars,
or build "on the half-shell" Look at the first picture (assuming the site
is still up):

http://www.gordon-nichols.com/b52-big-buff/b52-v2-photos-1.asp

and you will see what I *think* is the LEFT side of the aircraft, being
built flat on a building-board. You can see a couple dozen half-formers
being joined by longerons and stringers. The next photo down shows two
sides completed and joined together to give a complete fuse, prior to sheeting.

Half-shell construction demands absolute accuracy. If you build one side
a half-inch longer than the other, or if the formers aren't at exactly 90 degrees, when you put the halves together, you get a lopsided aircraft.

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Re: F-14
By: Angus Mcleod to richardw on Mon Jul 11 2005 08:21 pm

Half-shell construction demands absolute accuracy. If you build one side
a half-inch longer than the other, or if the formers aren't at exactly 90 degrees, when you put the halves together, you get a lopsided aircraft.

Thanks for the description. One of these days, I'm gonna have to play
with this hobby. It's quite facinating. I'm just afraid of that sinking feeling in your gut when a place hits the ground improperly. :-/

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þ Synchronet þ Eleemosynary ELF - eelf.richardw.net

Re: F-14
By: richardw to Angus Mcleod on Tue Jul 12 2005 08:48 am

Half-shell construction demands absolute accuracy. If you build one side a half-inch longer than the other, or if the formers aren't at exactly 90 degrees, when you put the halves together, you get a lopsided aircraft.

Thanks for the description. One of these days, I'm gonna have to play
with this hobby. It's quite facinating. I'm just afraid of that sinking feeling in your gut when a place hits the ground improperly. :-/

Uh... plane.

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þ Synchronet þ Eleemosynary ELF - eelf.richardw.net

Re: F-14
By: richardw to Angus Mcleod on Tue Jul 12 2005 09:48:00

Thanks for the description.

Did you get to view the BUFF site at

http://www.gordon-nichols.com/b52-big-buff/

at all?

One of these days, I'm gonna have to play with this hobby. It's quite facinating.

If you like aircraft, it's really cool! And if you like working with your hands in the workshop it's great fun too.

I'm just afraid of that sinking feeling in your gut when a place hits
the ground improperly. :-/

That happens. You start with simple, inexpensive, tough aircraft and
build your skill up gradually. Every time you think about putting one together, you have to tell yourself that you *hope* it will last for years
but it *could* go on it's first flight. And if you can't kive with that,
then you better not build it.

But there's a hell of a rush in seeing something you built take to the
air. It means you got it right. Structures, power-system, thrust to
weight, balance, control throws, all good and the model is flying!


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Re: F-14
By: Angus Mcleod to richardw on Tue Jul 12 2005 11:35 am

Thanks for the description.

Did you get to view the BUFF site at

http://www.gordon-nichols.com/b52-big-buff/

at all?

Nope.

An error occurred while loading
http://www.gordon-nichols.com/b52-big-buff/:

Timeout on server
Connection was to www.gordon-nichols.com at port 80

His server worked the very first time I visited, not since.

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Re: F-14
By: richardw to Angus Mcleod on Tue Jul 12 2005 11:02:00

Did you get to view the BUFF site at

http://www.gordon-nichols.com/b52-big-buff/

at all?

Nope.

His server worked the very first time I visited, not since.

Funny -- I had a short problem, but I've been getting on successfully
since then (looking at the photos of his earlier model, the Handley Page Victor he built in 5 months....


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