• F-14

    From richardw@VERT/EELF to All on Monday, July 11, 2005 12:10:00
    I wonder what it would cost should you crash THIS model...

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

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  • From Angus Mcleod@VERT/ANJO to richardw on Monday, July 11, 2005 17:03:00
    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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  • From richardw@VERT/EELF to Angus Mcleod on Monday, July 11, 2005 17:19:00
    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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  • From Angus Mcleod@VERT/ANJO to richardw on Monday, July 11, 2005 20:21:00
    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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  • From richardw@VERT/EELF to Angus Mcleod on Tuesday, July 12, 2005 09:48:00
    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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  • From richardw@VERT/EELF to richardw on Tuesday, July 12, 2005 09:49:00
    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
  • From Angus Mcleod@VERT/ANJO to richardw on Tuesday, July 12, 2005 11:35:00
    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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  • From richardw@VERT/EELF to Angus Mcleod on Tuesday, July 12, 2005 11:02:00
    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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  • From Angus Mcleod@VERT/ANJO to richardw on Tuesday, July 12, 2005 15:33:00
    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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