I figure I'd better get in with a WIP topic in case someone else has the same idea as me and claims I copied them :-)

This is very preliminary, but here's what I've got so far.

Mini Crop Duster.

Features (hopefully I can get them all in!):

"Remote" controls

* Retractable undercarriage

* Engine and propeller

Local controls

* Flight surfaces

* Steerable tail skid/wheel

It's going to have to be yellow, because most of my other colours are locked up in other models at the moment, and since crop dusters seem to be predominantly yellow tail-draggers (albeit with fixed undercarriage), it seems a natural choice.

If all goes to plan, I'll finally be able to find a use for the panel fairings from 8455!

Edited June 8, 201410 yr by Captainowie

Well, I've fleshed out the rest of the plane.

Don't pay too much attention to the colours - I'd have to scavenge from other models to get the yellow beams and panels, so I'm going to wait until I'm happy with the design before I do that.

The fore wheel extends/retracts the undercarriage, the aft wheel turns the prop and engine.

The control surfaces are movable, and the tail skid moves with the rudder.

I've gone with an all-moving tailplane (stabilator), and combination flaps/ailerons (flaperons) for ease of construction. I particularly didn't want to have to figure out a mechanism that moved the ailerons in opposite directions, so I combined them with flaps so that they could reasonably be at most positions independently.

What I need to do now is take it apart to do a piece count. Based on the pictures/part counts of some of the other models, I'm probably looking at about 350 parts, but we'll see how we go! It certainly looks larger than an official "mini" model would be.

Owen.

And it has come in at 273 parts. Not as bad as I was fearing, but still way too many.

I can think of a couple of ways to get the part count down:

I could make it fixed gear - that would remove a lot of the complexity around the middle, and allow me to build a simpler, nicer-looking cabin (though I'm usually much better at making things work than making them look pretty). However, the retractable gear is the primary function of the model.

Or, I could make the user turn the prop with their finger, rather than with a knob at the back of the plane. This keeps the landing gear retractable, but may not contribute enough to the partcount reduction.

Or, I could make it weaker - take away the third or fourth connection point between sections, etc.

What do you think?

Edit: What I'll probably do is revert to a finger-powered propeller/engine, and move the gear knob to the back (where the propeller knob was). That way, I get to keep the retraction function, and I get to simplify the cabin. It's a shame though, because you could get a decent swish out of the prop with the way I had it geared!

Edited June 15, 201410 yr by Captainowie

I like the looks of things! Hopefully you'll be able to get it below 200 parts!

That is coming along really well.

And it has come in at 273 parts. Not as bad as I was fearing, but still way too many.

I can think of a couple of ways to get the part count down:

Or, I could make the user turn the prop with their finger, rather than with a knob at the back of the plane. This keeps the landing gear retractable, but may not contribute enough to the partcount reduction.

Turn prop with finger.

Maybe you can make the wingtips less part intensive, you are using a lot of parts to make the shape at the front.

Maybe use a halfbeam curve 3x5 to create the wingtip shape.

Turn prop with finger.

Maybe you can make the wingtips less part intensive, you are using a lot of parts to make the shape at the front.

Maybe use a halfbeam curve 3x5 to create the wingtip shape.

I've looked at that, and it's an easy way to save 20-30 parts. However, I can't think of a way to keep it within the one-stud thickness of the rest of the wing. Still, I might have to just accept this.

Ok, so I've done the things I've said I'd do. I also put 3x5 curved halfbeams at the wingtips - is this what you meant captainmib?

It's now down to 207 parts. I'm sure I can find 7 parts that don't strictly need to be there! Who really needs navigation lights, anyway?

I must say, though, that I do like the way you roll your finger across the rubber knob at the back to extend/retract the landing gear.

Are there any improvements I should make before I try to find some yellow panels and beams?

Edited June 18, 201410 yr by Captainowie

Hey captain,

the pics aren't visible

Yes that's what i meant owie.

Do you have any flexible parts to make the cockpit shape a little curvier? Can save you some parts as well.

Hey captain,

the pics aren't visible

Hmm, they should be - they're deeplinks from my brickshelf gallery. You ought to be able to see them all here http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=544754

Is anyone else not able to see the pics?

Yes that's what i meant owie.

Do you have any flexible parts to make the cockpit shape a little curvier? Can save you some parts as well.

Unfortunately my selection of flexible parts is pretty meager. Besides, I actually rather like the shape of the cockpit - it's not too far off:

Besides, it gives a natural handle to the model - if I used flex parts it wouldn't be sturdy enough to be picked up from the roof.

Appreciate the suggestion though.

Owen.

As you said yourself, you can remove the trans-colored parts and the white one at the rear, then you only need 3 more parts to come down to 200.

Nice looking plane.

Very cool! Reminds me of the movie "planes"

And here they are: 199 parts by my count.

Really like this entry. Nice aesthetics, use of parts, and functionality! Good luck in the competition!

Well I've sourced the remaining yellow parts, and finally got around today to taking some nicer photos.

Now all I need to do is find someone who can photoshop in some Swoosh.

i think i have a new favourite... loving the retractable wheels but I feel the cabin looked nicer with dark grey beams

With so many aeroplane themed entries I reckon there should be a plane theme competition soon too