Flite-Metal

DerJet is 1/6th. I came close to ordering a set of those to reverse to 1/5.5. Still may do so if the three here don't have a better solution.
I have simple cam path rotation example and one using all-thread with ball links. This is a try and try again ordeal...



The all-thread and ball links are totally adjustable and preferred.

Flite-Metal

We ended up using an air retract as everyone said "no" to electric being able to do the heavy lift of a 14" strut with a 5" tire. So we are
fabricating (aka altering) an existing heavy duty 90 degree rotating gear and adding printed scale details and drag link to down struts.
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This is a simple but time consuming necessity to assure legs that are robust enough to withstand being "dropped in" on a runway. Five
(5") smooth hub wheels have air brakes with electronic controller. I did not want to use an offshore source...buy American is our credo!

Flite-Metal

First pulls from the three piece mold:...........
There are many changes in the new fuselage mold beyond being in three pieces for ease of transport. A properly shaped and removable nose is retained with magnets.
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There is now a bottom rear hatch providing access to the stab bearing cage and new tail-hook mechanism.
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Rudder and moving rear portion of fuselage are molded into fuselage layup providing perfect vertical fin alignment with greater strength than original epoxied on foam fin and rudder. Removable rudder is cut from fuselage with leading edge and fin king post providing ease of removal to attach stabs and maintenance of stab bearing cage.
.................There are individual fin caps for each of the four versions of A6.Removable flying stabs with integral servos provide additional maintenance access and ease of transport.
............ Intakes are now scale with proper boundary layer fence. The original intakes (shown below) were simple protrusions from the fuselage sides.
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Feedback welcomed.....

rhklenke

My Feedback: (24)

The new Electron EV50 NG gear have a torque rating of 200 kg.cm (173 lb.in). That's enough torque to lift a 12 lb wheel at the end of a 14" strut...

Nice work so far, BTW...

Bob

Flite-Metal

Bob,

Thanks for the compliment. As for using a tiller-post to rotate the steering head Electron EV50, it really has nothing to do with the linear torque "within" the servo. As an "initial" rotating gear solution I decided an offset tiller control arm would be compromised by side loads.

While this may be a rotation solution, at the "maybe price point" we are not willing to experiment on this solution when a "serviceable and repairable heavy duty off the shelf" solution with 1000's of cycles is available. I do prefer an electric solution...perhaps after say the first 50 MAC6's ROG... Image below is of a Chinese manufactured electric retract altered for rotation using a tiller post for motion control.

Flite-Metal

Continuing my focus on the A6 landing gear...I need assistance confirming the "at rest" length of the main and nose gear struts. Doing this requires (1) an A6... and (2) a simple tape rule.

The nose strut as measured from the bottom of the fuselage to the axle.

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The top of the main gear strut is recessed within the retract bay. I do not need that measured. On the "side" of the lower fuselage there is a curve aka arc forward of the main gear. The front gear bay door "forward inboard corner" is squared to match the forward retract door shape when it is closed. This location is shown on this pic with an "A" and an arrow pointing to the intersect of the "arc' and the corner of the forward gear door.

The measurement I need is the "vertical" distance between the A arrow and B arrow (location of the axle) measured in inches. Not measured diagonally, I need the vertical distance from the two points. This will provide known point on my fuselage with which to establish the length of the gear struts.

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Can I buy someone's lunch for measuring this?

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

Flite-Metal

Click to enlarge:

Flite-Metal

Scott,

Can't imagine your vacuum formed parts were in much different shape than ours. We created high temp plugs for them to pull with more durable plastic than the original (aka thin) cracked and damaged parts. These include the canopy...;^)
..
Because the plugs were created from reverse side of the originals they replicate the surface detail of the originals created 32+ years ago. In December we should have set up our vacuum former. If you need fresh parts pulled let me know.Ed

Flite-Metal

Scott,
As I am buttoning up the wings...I am wondering if your A6 foam wing cores have a flat leading and trailing edge?
Thanks for taking the time to look!

sc0tt

My Feedback: (61)

Both L/E and T/E are flat. L/E is 1/2" at root tapering to 1/8" at tip. T/E is 1/8" entire length.

Flite-Metal

Scott,

Thanks...that's the same as our DCU. Your foam is more dense than ours. We are not going to use this 32 year old Styrene. Styrene absorbs atmospheric moisture over time. I was surprised how heavy these cores are. The "movie" wing does not have a seperate L.E. nor T.E. It has a T.E to T.E hoop pine wrap around. Hoop pine permits use of .6 oz. glass without compromising strength. I am going to compare the airfoil dims to the fuse root tomorrow. I was worried your cores would "not" match ours. We are cutting fresh cores. We are creating glass wing tips to permit decelerons.

The fiberglass hardpoints were not in our 6 packaging. Thankfully that is the only thing missing. We have a pair of built up on the movie wings to use as cores for glass lay-up. I have a pair of ejection rails for six M-82's. The originals used six Foremost releases per rail connected to a single servo with piano wire. I'm sure the release springs are rusted up but the six plastic cases might permit making an RTV mold for resin releases. The Foremost bomb drop releases are no longer available. May end up printing them.

Thanks for taking the time to provide feedback on your wing dims.

Ed

Flite-Metal

Finally found the time to disassemble the Mk-82 rails. Discovered of the 6 bombs only two per rail were released. The others were just for looks. Amazing discovery was all six release springs are still functioning after 32 years. We are creating a mold to lay the rails up in fiberglass. If anyone has some of these releases tucked away we want to buy them.

yeahbaby

My Feedback: (21)

Bvm makes something similar in case your search comes up empty and delays this great project further.

Flite-Metal

Thanks for the feedback. The BVM releases are air operated, not servo op'd. The BVM mechanical release is manual release for non-functional onboard weapons.

Ron S

My Feedback: (2)

I used to have a pair of these. They were mounted on a Mustang, with the Vortac bombs, that I used to drop throughout the countryside. If I can find them, I'll send them your way.

JSF-TC

My Feedback: (2)

Or these,

https://www.horizonhobby.com/product...saAl8cEALw_wcB






Paul

Kevin_W

My Feedback: (1)

I may have one or two of those Vortac bomb releases in my shop. I’ll take a look and let you know what I have.

Flite-Metal

Would you pay $347.88 for 12 of these? Don't think my customers would see $347.88 a justifiable expense. The original movie rails only dropped the center pair on each wing. $347.88 for one release pass of four retarded Mk-82s. After making the mold I will connect each manual release to two more, one on either side forming a group...one group on each end of the rail. Replacing the springs in the Vortecs will permit using smaller servos.

Flite-Metal

Thanks Ron! My intention is to create an RTV mold for the exteroir shell and the center slide that moves releasing the retention pins. All six will release from a single servo pull.

Kevin_W

My Feedback: (1)

Flite-Metal,
I finally got around to looking, and found three Vortac bomb releases in my stash of parts. One is in perfect shape. One is in perfect working order, but it has glue residue on the outside of it (I think I had it mounted in a pylon at some point). The third one is a little beat up, but appears to still work properly. I also have three of the clips to go with them.

Decades ago I had a couple of these mounted on my Sig Cougar I used to glue the clips onto all kinds of stuff and drop them from that plane. Water balloons were fun, but 12 ounce cans of coca cola warmed by the 110 degree Texas sun were the most fun! LOL

Anyway, you are welcome to these things if you like. PM me your address and I will get them shipped to you next week (gonna be too busy this week).

Flite-Metal

Kevin,

Thanks for taking the time to dig these out. I'll send you a PM with my address
and ship you a Flite-Metal care package...be sure to send me your address.

sysiek

My Feedback: (176)

Hi, when I’m actually going to see some retracts stuff or some wood or other material prototype? This is very interested model with cool retracts set , so what is the plan for those, thank you

Flite-Metal

We finally came to an agreement with Robart to lengthen the 150HD10E mains strut to 13 5/8" trunnion to axle. This with a changed drive motor and shaft.



The resin gear facade is sheathed over the strut with molded detail.The air system was returned to Robart today. With their reduced staff we do not anticipate seeing the reconfigured electric gear for a while.
The gear, door, and brake controllers arrived last week. The gear facade will print next month. Between now and January 2 there's not lots
of shop time amidst Holiday activities.

jetflyr

I made some drop tanks last year and tried to find the original Vortac releases - no go.
Dymond Model Sport (www.dymondusa.com) has a Vortac clone, the Adam Bomb - works well!
Greg

sysiek

My Feedback: (176)

They look promising, so they from the big Corsair just extended, I hope that they will hold the weight of the jet.