MOC Fairchild A10 (WIP) pics added

[MinusAndy]

It has around 2 inches of working space and a hole for a driveshaft in the side so it will have a fan and spinner. All the internal structure is in the back half. I’m linking it up tonight so I’ll chuck some pics up.

One plan is to put one of the hubs from 42099 in backwards so it will really spin. I may build this into the transfer box.

Edited August 10, 2020 by MinusAndy
Adult A.D.D

[MinusAndy]

43 minutes ago, BusterHaus said:

Great looking nacelle. I didn't see any space for moving components in the WIP pictures, any chance of squeezing in a at least the first stage (single row of blades) of a turbine? 

There are more deeply nerdy pics on my flickr if you’re interested.

[MinusAndy]

 

[MinusAndy]

wing and tailplane Sketched on last night. 

[MinusAndy]

I’ve built sketch wings and made it stand up, I had to take them off again as we live in a one room converted stable!

The engine has a spinning fan in it now, those shallow angle axle connectors in dark grey or dbg are a bit rare and pricey so I’m building in whatever til I can afford more.

All the slats and leading edge, flaps and flaperons work ok now. Still a bit much backlash. I’m thinking I can possibly pull it out a bit using rubber bands. I hope the next technic design revolution will be helically cut gears.

.

 

Thanks for looking, I’ll post more up when something significant happens.

Edited August 26, 2020 by MinusAndy

[DutchChris]

Still following your build. It's really starting to look like a beast.

[Gray Gear]

I see you are making nice progress. Some of your building techniques that bend stuff really hurt my insides (especially on the wings) but I wouldn't know how to do it differently so... Keep it up!

[Rudivdk]

Nice progress, it's also nice to see a decent WIP topic showing every step along the way, interesting stuff.

3 hours ago, Gray Gear said:

Some of your building techniques that bend stuff really hurt my insides (especially on the wings)

Same here . I don't see a quick fix either, but it should very well be doable to make it 'legal' somehow. I think I would try to make the entire back side of the wing angled to the front (as seen from the top), so the individual flaps etc are perpendicular to their connection points. Only thing left is to connect the controls at the same angle somehow. 

[MinusAndy]

Yeah I’m not keen on bending either, I sketch to get stuff roughly where I want it then try to build more legally. I’ve worked out a way to avoid much of it by making flexible connections using Two way joints made from those small pin connectors with the pin hole and pin.

The back of the wing will be built as a whole and then surfaces linked by universal joints, they add more backlash though and I’m wondering if I can build a version using 3mm rigid hose as a flexible section of axle? 
 

On 8/26/2020 at 10:31 PM, DutchChris said:

Still following your build. It's really starting to look like a beast.

Beast is the aim! Thanks man.

[Rudivdk]

34 minutes ago, MinusAndy said:

surfaces linked by universal joints, they add more backlash though

I fixed that on my P38 by heavily gearing up the input from the joystick towards the actual surfaces (either through gears or through unequal length levers). This negates the effects of backlash, but doesn't remove it, so the surfaces are still a bit 'flappy'...

[MinusAndy]

1 hour ago, Rudivdk said:

I fixed that on my P38 by heavily gearing up the input from the joystick towards the actual surfaces (either through gears or through unequal length levers). This negates the effects of backlash, but doesn't remove it, so the surfaces are still a bit 'flappy'...

Yeah I’ve ended up doing the same. 

[Jeroen Ottens]

3 hours ago, MinusAndy said:

Yeah I’m not keen on bending either, I sketch to get stuff roughly where I want it then try to build more legally. I’ve worked out a way to avoid much of it by making flexible connections using Two way joints made from those small pin connectors with the pin hole and pin.

The back of the wing will be built as a whole and then surfaces linked by universal joints, they add more backlash though and I’m wondering if I can build a version using 3mm rigid hose as a flexible section of axle?

This is a fun thread to watch

The CV joints have less backlash than the U-joints, so if possible you can try to use these instead to minimize backlash.

[MinusAndy]

I did wonder about that. I’ll use those as much as possible. 

[nerdsforprez]

On 8/10/2020 at 11:40 AM, MinusAndy said:

It has around 2 inches of working space and a hole for a driveshaft in the side so it will have a fan and spinner. All the internal structure is in the back half. I’m linking it up tonight so I’ll chuck some pics up.

One plan is to put one of the hubs from 42099 in backwards so it will really spin. I may build this into the transfer box.

 

On 8/10/2020 at 12:03 PM, MinusAndy said:

There are more deeply nerdy pics on my flickr if you’re interested.

I have been out of the game for some time so I missed this.  Sad that I did but happy to have found it.  I am loving this project.  Keep us updated!

Regarding the above, years ago I did a series of projects very similar to what you are doing now.  Made some actual working turbines (with an air compressor).  Design somewhat similar to yours. 

Hubs work great.  I used motorcycle hubs for the large one and 42056 for the smaller one.  Threw the engines in rat-rod like vehicles and they moved pretty well.  Had internal gearing to slow the speed down and increase torque at the wheels of the vehicle:

 

 

If your engines are large enough to house the rims from 42099 you might be able to do something similar.  My project was kinda zany but if you could add the hubs, down gear the drivetrain, I am sure you could at least get your creation to move with some compressed air.  Like I said, zany.... but I think it would be a really cool addition to such an already cool and functional build. 

[MinusAndy]

That’s some epic stuff. I had considered wheels inside the engine, when I get the rest of it, I think the diameter is big enough.

I made the fuselage a bit less offensively bendy today.

 

 

Edited August 29, 2020 by MinusAndy

[MinusAndy]

having worked out roughly how to build this it’s now being rebuilt from the ground up using less chaos and more 5x7 frames.

I’ve also had to rebuild the control deck so there was more clearance below it for the gundercarriage, placing the linkage from the joystick under the seat instead of under the cockpit floor.

 

Edited September 27, 2020 by MinusAndy

[nerdsforprez]

You've got a follower of the topic here.  Looking good.  My building style is similar.... prototype using real bricks then rebuilding from ground up out of real bricks as well.  I have never really caught on to the digital building experience....

 

[MinusAndy]

46 minutes ago, nerdsforprez said:

You've got a follower of the topic here.  Looking good.  My building style is similar.... prototype using real bricks then rebuilding from ground up out of real bricks as well.  I have never really caught on to the digital building experience....

 

Absolutely. I get huge amounts of mental tranquility from tinkering and building. Plus, the things that really need working out, ie backlash and friction, need a physical sketch as they don’t show up in virtual building. 
 

I’m currently wondering whether to do the longer control routes like on the alouette 2. Using worm gears with a loop of Lego string joining them. Maybe the worm and a bit of tension might work.

 

[MinusAndy]

I’ve torn this back to square one now as some fundamental issues were better solved by starting over than by continuing to modify what I had. 
fuselage is now a series of 5x7 frames made into a long box section using panels as I need the maximum space inside for all the controls. 
https://flic.kr/p/2jN34EZ

https://flic.kr/p/2jN3RcB

https://flic.kr/p/2jN34ir

[MinusAndy]

I’ve rebuilt the fuselage and flight deck and got all the controls hooked up and simplified the retracts.

Fascinating a10 fact: the recoil from the gun is almost the same as the thrust from one engine.

[howitzer]

13 hours ago, MinusAndy said:

 

Fascinating a10 fact: the recoil from the gun is almost the same as the thrust from one engine.

I think the Russians had a similar gun with an airplane strapped to it, which actually had stronger recoil than the engines of the plane... So the gun couldn't be fired longer than in short bursts, because sustained firing would've stopped the plane.

[MinusAndy]

Hah brilliant, that comes as no surprise when you look at lots of Russian military stuff.

My dad was chatting to an a10 pilot a few years back and he said the first time he pulled the trigger it was like running into a wall.

[MinusAndy]

More wip pics.

 

[Thirdwigg]

I’ve built a few large planes in my past, so I appreciate the care you are putting into all of the aspects of the plane, particularly the mechanics and control surfaces. It’s looking great so far, and the functions are looking great.

I think with most of my planes I had to rebuild the wings at least twenty times, so I am curious about how many “drafts” you have had to do for parts of the plane?

[MinusAndy]

I think the main tricycle part is on its fifth overall draft now. Engines probably about ten. 
I tend to build the left side, see what needs improving and then build an improved version on the right hand side, then back to the left.

The right hand wheel pod will be one stud lower than the left one as I tend to build to the best I can and live with it before improving the next one.

I’ve spent a fair bit of time working on a construction method for the wings, aside from the shape I’ve settled on building a two skin structure around a central core of frames. Same with the fuselage.