[TC15] Lockheed Martin P38 - White Lightnin'

[Rudivdk]

WHITE LIGHTNIN'

Instructions on Rebrickable

Lockheed Martin P-38 Lightning

When the design started in 1937, the twin-boomed P-38 was to be the most innovative plane of its day. On its official introduction in 1940, it found itself amongst the best performing fighters in the world. Its versatility and ruggedness became legendary. Before the end of WW2, it had been nicknamed "fork-tailed devil" by the Germans and for good reason. It was arguably the best fighter plane in the WW2 skies, making short work of it's opponents: in the air, on the ground and in the waters. The Lightning’s legacy is unmatched, a total of more than 10,000 P-38s were manufactured.

One specific example of this beautiful airplane was the 1944 manufactured P­38L­5LD (SN #44‑53254), known as White Lightnin', which was seen at many airshows in the period after WW II. This specific version is the inspiration for my TC15 contest Entry.

(sources: lockheedmartin.com  wikipedia.org p38assn.org)

The build features:

• Characteristic twin-boom body
• Center nacelle with cockpit, holding a PF Lithium Battery
• White colorscheme with red details, mimicing real White Lightnin'

• PF powered twin propellers (counter rotating)
• Propeller blade pitch control
• Opening canopy giving access to the cockpit with:
  • Tri-axis yoke controlling ailerons, elevator and twin rudders
  • Up/down switch controlling PF powered flaps
  • Up/down switch controlling PF powered landing gear

Video:

More pictures:

Even more pics to be seen on my bricksafe page.

============================================

Original first post starts below here:

See post below for WIP pics

My entry for this contest will focus on realistic controls. I have started working on a control stick which has 3 axis movement (and got it working already), to control ailerons, elevator and rudder. Plan B would be paddle control for rudder. Furthermore I want to include a lever for flaps and a lever for landinggear all inside the cockpit (powered by PF). No HoG this time.

Maybe I'll put in blade pitch as well, and/or folding wings.

My design will be loosely inspired by Saab 21 pusher prop plane.

Edited February 20, 2020 by Rudivdk
Link to instructions added

[Seasider]

Looking forward to seeing this. I was going to go twin boom too but more Cessna O2 shaped

[Jurss]

Whera are pictures of development?

[Rudivdk]

1 hour ago, Rudivdk said:

-I will put WIP pictures later today-

@Jurss

Will be home from work in about 6hours from now, so WIP pictures will be taken and posted after that.

[Jurss]

This is not Your first contest, and for some contests there is rule

Quote

A discussion topic needs to show some actual progress (i.e. pictures of the build in progress) and should NOT be used to "reserve an idea".

Please be kind to other members.

[Rudivdk]

51 minutes ago, Jurss said:

This is not Your first contest, and for some contests there is rule

Please be kind to other members.

I get your point, you're right.

It is not my intention to reserve this (or any) idea, actually I would like to see other contestants building a similar concept to be able to compare and discuss on solutions for specific challenges.

Guess I am just too exited about this contest and couldn't wait a few hours to get the pictures before I started my entry topic...

[Rudivdk]

So here are some WIP pics of the build. Sofar I have created the 3-axis control stick with all linkages, and added some forward/reverse gearboxes with control rods on the sides of it. It will be a crowded cockpit...

At the moment I feel that this whole setup is slightly to big, blowing the total plane to huge scale, so I might revert to a more compact 2-axis control stick and add foot pedals for the 3rd function. Pedals is of course closer to real plane controls after all... I will work on a concept for that tonight, see how small I can get that.

From the top:

Bottom:

"Bare" structure:

 

[Jeroen Ottens]

Ooh, that tri-axle controlstick is so cool. Is there enough forward/backward movement possible? The blue parts seem to restrict the green part for that or not? Anyway it should be easily solvable by not using a #6 connector, but an axle-axle connector with a 3L axle instead.

I do worry with you on the scale though...

[Seasider]

The tri yoke is cool. I was wondering what was the third function and hadn’t thought of yaw as I always think of them as peddles.

im planning on mounting a control on the roof of mine but will most probably base off the cargo plane from a few years ago

[Rudivdk]

Thanks, I was pretty surprised to get it working so quickly, but I'm also quite happy with it.

23 minutes ago, Jeroen Ottens said:

Is there enough forward/backward movement possible? The blue parts seem to restrict the green part for that or not?

These parts are not the full 8mm unit width, so there is some room to move around. It is not a lot, but with some unequal linkages I can increase the amount of movement towards the actual control surface.

23 minutes ago, Jeroen Ottens said:

I do worry with you on the scale though...

Yep, maybe I have to let go of the Saab thing and go for a smaller type of plane.

Still haven't decided if I want to go panel style or classic frame style. I'll finish the controls first and see where it gets me...

[Nikolay]

what a cool idea! technically

Edited December 3, 2018 by Nikolay

[mocbuild101]

12 hours ago, Seasider said:

The tri yoke is cool. I was wondering what was the third function and hadn’t thought of yaw as I always think of them as peddles.

+1 I will definitely be following this!

[Rudivdk]

Judging by all the responses, I will have to keep the tri-yoke .

Guess I will have to find a way to make it more compact then.

Thanx all for positive feedback!

[Rudivdk]

Today I was playing around in LDCad a bit to get a feel for size and shape, and I ended up with this. It's HUGE (101x77 studs), but I like it so much that I will continue on this shape, so I've changed my topic name to go with it as well.

 

[Thirdwigg]

My kind of airplane. Now I’m interested. Keep it up. 

[arijitdas]

This bodywork looks great. I think this will turn out to be a great model once completed.

[Seasider]

If you can get this bodywork to come together like that I see a winner 

[Rudivdk]

Thanks! Let's hope I didn't bite off more than I can chew...

Creating the bodywork itself will not be that hard (hardly any angled pieces, pretty straight forward actually) but making it solid structurally and adding all functions will be a challenge. Although the plane is huge, I only have 3x 7wide fuselage parts to put all controls and functions in... Guess I will have to use the additional room of the center wing parts as well for that. At least I now have my size limits set, so I know what I have to work with

Edited December 5, 2018 by Rudivdk
Added more explanation

[1gor]

Now this is what I mean is proper propeller plane, with smooth lines, elegant, fast and with characteristic twin booms 

I'll certainly follow this development. It is very pleasant surprise since I have planned to build it with V12 engine , but have not enough parts for fuselage in light bluish gray 

[Rudivdk]

Thanks @I_Igor. I am still in doubt whether to put engines in, will have to be mini engines to be able to fit.

I also would've loved to build it in LBG or DBG, but there are just not enough panels available in those colors. Hence the white with medium blue bottom, it is closest to real colors and still looks OK.

Hope to see yours soon as well!

Real brick mockup:

Mr. Technic is a bit shocked by the size...

Edited December 5, 2018 by Rudivdk
Added WIP pic

[1gor]

8 minutes ago, Rudivdk said:

Thanks @I_Igor. I am still in doubt whether to put engines in, will have to be mini engines to be able to fit.

I also would've loved to build it in LBG or DBG, but there are just not enough panels available in those colors. Hence the white with medium blue bottom, it is closest to real colors and still looks OK.

Hope to see yours soon as well!

Real brick mockup:

what I see looks very good, despite not my color choice

Engine size is something that caused me a headache because it hat to bi bigger than your and in that case fuselage would not be so smooth. Honestly I do not know when I'll be able to make it since there are not all light bluish dray panels available and I need whole room for it which I do not have, so only on summer time (outside in garden) there is a time and a place to build it (in the sun).

there are some other let's say war-birds that I'm interested in like Focke Wulf FW189...but all they have V12 piston engines; in this case to have engine like Mack anthem is really wired like when airplane is upside down - it looses all pistons 

currently I work on much smaller (machinery) models (in shire size, not necessary scale), but this models are nothing in common with this content; perhaps JCB fastrac can be used to pull airplanes 

 

[Rudivdk]

Guess the only way for you would be to build wire frame, like @Jeroen Ottens 's Millenium Falcon.

For pistons I think I will use the 3l axle with stop, and put halfbush on other end. It will move freely, but at least won't fall out when the plane is upside down.

[1gor]

17 minutes ago, Rudivdk said:

Guess the only way for you would be to build wire frame, like @Jeroen Ottens 's Millenium Falcon.

For pistons I think I will use the 3l axle with stop, and put halfbush on other end. It will move freely, but at least won't fall out when the plane is upside down.

I understand...

[Rudivdk]

Update time:

I am working my way from back to front, I started with rear control surfaces (double rudder and elevator):

And a short movie of the control surfaces in action:

I have also worked on a variable pitch setup for the props, it is inspired by the designs from @steph77 and @Jeroen Ottens, and turns out to also be quite similar to @Lipko's design. Guess there is only a few ways to achieve this with Lego...

After some internet research I found that there actually was an all-white version of the P38, called 'White Lightnin'. So that will be a perfect inspiration for the (mainly white) panels I have available.

[1gor]

Now even president Trump would be proud when he looks at double rudder 

Seriously, it looks nicer than I thought. Really nice double rudder system  a d White Lightning is very original