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#1
Lou's Projects / 1/72 Early Jets - North Americ...
Last post by lastvautour - March 26, 2024, 12:21:20 AM
Humble beginnings.

Lou
#2
Fraser's Project Board / Re: Grumman AA5 Traveler Proje...
Last post by lastvautour - March 23, 2024, 10:50:15 PM
Beyond my skill level. Excellent undercarriage.

Lou
#3
Boomerang's Projects / Re: 1/32 BAT FK 23
Last post by lastvautour - March 23, 2024, 10:44:39 PM
Good to see you are still at it. My bench has been empty for a few weeks. No Mo Jo!!

Lou
#4
Cook-ups and Group Builds / Re: RCAF 100th Anniversary bui...
Last post by lastvautour - March 23, 2024, 10:41:25 PM
Thank you Ken. I was happy to take my show on the road. There is another aviation museum approximately the same distance away. I would have to tailor the display to the Harbour Grace Aviation Museum. Amelia Earhart left North America from Harbour Grace on her first solo across the Atlantic flight. I was planning a trip there however, family issues are getting in the way.

Lou
#5
General Discussion / Re: Milestone 10,000 post
Last post by lastvautour - March 23, 2024, 10:27:57 PM
Thank you Gordon.

Lou
#6
Fraser's Project Board / Re: Grumman AA5 Traveler Proje...
Last post by Gearup - March 23, 2024, 10:23:02 PM
A bit more progress on the AA5.

Something was off about the lower cowl. Had to do a rework with a bit of filler, but it is on track now.

I discovered the shape was wrong as I was giving attention to the landing gear installation.

I have built up all three gears for the airplane. The Grumman series has both a rather simple and advanced landing gear system. The main gear legs are laminated fibreglass and are mounted into an aluminium fitting that is bolted the main spar center section. Th axel on the opposite end is also a fitting bolted to the outboard end. 

It is amazingly light and can take a very hard landing without damage. I once watched a fellow land hard enough that the top of the main tire almost contacted the lower wing skin. Ouch! There was no damage to the gear or aircraft.

The nose gear is more like a shopping cart castor on a stick. It is a spring steel strut attached to a torque tube mounted to the firewall. Most of the up/down load is absorbed by the torque tube.  The mount for the wheel is just that...a castor with no steering input. Direction control is accomplished by differential brake action on the mains. it's very effective at low speeds and above 20 kts or so the rudder becomes effective. When parking the airplane, you can apply one brake fully "on" and the aircraft will pivot around with the nose gear swivelling hard over.  The nose gear is prone to shimmy on landing if the adjustment of the belville (cupped) washers are not correct.

To construct the mains I started with .025" brass sheet 1/8" wide and tapered to the wheel end to about .1" wide. I drilled two 0.020" holes, one for the mounting pin the other for the axel. Using a flat pair of pliers i gave each end a 45 degree bend.  I then soldered .020"  brass pins through the holes and left them long for further adjustment.

The nose gear used 1/16' rod bent to shape. the nose castor was made using 1/8" square brass tubing wth the top and bottom sanded down to a taper. This also makes the square tube turn into a nicely spaced "U" with the end still a complete square. A 1/16" hole was drilled to accept the strut and then soldered to the strut. A bit of sanding and some filler to close the open end finished to off.

I'll now have get to locating them on the airplane.





#7
Cook-ups and Group Builds / Re: RCAF 100th Anniversary bui...
Last post by Model Maker - March 23, 2024, 08:49:16 PM
March 2024 must be a memorable month for you Lou. 10,000 postings and the start of a multi month display of "Lou's Air Force". Both of these are tremendous accomplishments!!

I am certainly glad, military budget restrictions did not prevent an appropriate display for your models. No doubt as the tourist season picks up in the coming months, a junior modeller will be bitten by the bug to create a solid model of their own, and will be inspired by the tremendous skills that you bring to this hobby.

-ken
#8
Boomerang's Projects / Re: 1/32 BAT FK 23
Last post by Boomerang - March 23, 2024, 08:30:42 PM

 Managed to get some time yesterday and wound some thin wire around some small diameter dowel for
 The engine cylinders. Surprisingly most turned out to be useable.

 Now have to sort out some very small wobbly bits for the tops of the cylinders.

 Cheers

 Gordon
#9
General Discussion / Re: Milestone 10,000 post
Last post by Boomerang - March 23, 2024, 08:25:05 PM
 Well done Lou !

 Gordon
#10
Cook-ups and Group Builds / Re: RCAF 100th Anniversary bui...
Last post by lastvautour - March 22, 2024, 05:41:19 PM
Beyond my budget.

Lou