Uncarina Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 I agree, it really looks authentic. Great work! Good move with the MV lenses. Cheers, Tom Uilleann 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uilleann Posted January 28, 2015 Author Share Posted January 28, 2015 Thanks guys! I'm admittedly on the fence with the BMF on the oleo. I may try to find a different sheen than the bright chrome...or perhaps go whole hog and cut everything apart and add an actual aluminum tube instead. The look is close...but I think it maybe could be a little bit better. We'll see how much it bugs me. In truth, all three of the oleo are a bit on the short side - probably by at least 20-25% or so. With that in mind, the complete replacement may be the best option regardless. *shrug* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peterpools Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Brian Nice work on the gear gear and light. Keep 'em comig Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uilleann Posted January 29, 2015 Author Share Posted January 29, 2015 (edited) Thanks as alyways you guys. So I'm left with three questions this evening, that perhaps the more knowledgeable here (read:everyone else but me) can assist with? I have decided it is probably best to go ahead and replace the oleos on all three gear legs. I found a handy new little caliper over at the local Harbor Freight store, and found that my nose gear and my main gear diameters appear to be almost identical. Can that be right? I had thought the mains would be noticeably larger, as they were supporting the majority of the weight of the aircraft, as well as the vast majority of the impact on landing. But, as I measure them tonight, I find that my nose gear oleo is 3.8mm in diameter, and the mains are only 4.1mm. 0.3mm translates to a hair over 7% difference in diameter. Is that it - and if so, is that common with modern US fighters? And with that said, I wonder if I'd be penalized heavily by the rivet counters (or...just possibly contest judges someday far away) for using 4mm aluminum tube all the way around? Last question - does anyone know a good US based online supplier of Albion Alloys hobby sizes of metal tubes that tends to have them in stock? My first go at Sprue Bros came up empty. Not sure who else might specialize in that sort of thing... TIA! Edited February 21, 2017 by Uilleann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Bellis Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Last question - does anyone know a good US based online supplier of Albion Alloys hobby sizes of metal tubes that tends to have them in stock? My first go at Sprue Bros came up empty. Not sure who else might specialize in that sort of thing... Does it have to be Albion brand? K&S makes a whole bunch of tubing in several materials that are sized for what we do, and are readily available at a wide range of retailers (Amazon, Tower Hobbies, Sprue Brothers, etc.). Can't help with the other 2, sorry. D Uilleann 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uilleann Posted January 29, 2015 Author Share Posted January 29, 2015 Does it have to be Albion brand? K&S makes a whole bunch of tubing in several materials that are sized for what we do, and are readily available at a wide range of retailers (Amazon, Tower Hobbies, Sprue Brothers, etc.). Can't help with the other 2, sorry. D Thanks D - it doesn't need to be Albion per se...but I have never been able to find the metric sizes from K&S here in stock anywhere. Sadly, all the imperial stock is either too large or small for my needs here. I'll broaden my search however. I appreciate the heads up! Bri~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uilleann Posted January 29, 2015 Author Share Posted January 29, 2015 Amazon to the rescue! I believe I've found the aluminum tube in the sizes I'll need. They're coming on the slow bus though it seems, so will be a week or two before I have a chance to slice into my nice and otherwise completed landing gear legs. D Bellis and Uncarina 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uilleann Posted February 5, 2015 Author Share Posted February 5, 2015 (edited) Alright, so I found some proper aluminum tubing for the nose gear oleo replacement surgery, and am trying to work out how best to proceed. Having never done this before, my biggest concern is of course undermining the structural integrity of what is going to be a somewhat heavy model. As mentioned above, I'm happy with neither the look of the bare metal foil I've applied to the oleo currently - nor with the actual size of the oleo itself. The image below (along with any others one finds of this A/C's nose gear) helps to show that the kit part is molded too compressed. These small metallic flashes are a definite visual focal point, so exposing a little more 'skin' here should look much more appealing and prototypical: My initial plan is laid out below: Hoping the above makes sense of course - if any of you other far more talented and brave souls have attempted anything similar in the past, can you advise on if this is viable or no? I can't really drill down into the lower section as it thins too much to be able to hide the aluminum tube. This is where I thought saving much of the original 'nub' of the kit oleo, and just thinning it's circumference to fit inside of the metal tube would likely be a wise move. As far as drilling into the upper portion, I am again afraid to take things too far in that direction either. But I would hope that 4mm is deep enough to offer a secure anchoring point. What does the rest of the room think? I have yet to cut into anything, so if I'm headed off a cliff, I hope I'll be warned off beforehand! Edited February 21, 2017 by Uilleann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Looks like you've got it covered. Good work. Can't wait to see more !.......Harv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rainer Hoffmann Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 (edited) I can't really drill down into the lower section as it thins too much to be able to hide the aluminum tube Could you perhaps insert a aluminum rod of the same diameter as the inner diameter of the tube? Then you could drill a smaller diameter hole into the lower part of the gear. That would certainly improve the strengs of the bond. Cheers Rainer Edit: Is my gibberish understandable? If not, I'll prepare a drawing to explain what I want to say... Edited February 5, 2015 by Rainer Hoffmann Uilleann 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uilleann Posted February 5, 2015 Author Share Posted February 5, 2015 Hi Rainer, I suppose I could do that, though my guess was that leaving the original plastic intact (just a little smaller in diameter), would offer the highest potential strength on that lower connection. Do you think I'm not looking at it the right way? Having never done this sort of conversion before, I am grateful for the input! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rainer Hoffmann Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Not sure what exactly you mean by leaving the original plastic intact (just a little smaller in diameter) Personally however, I would rather drill a small diameter hole into the lower part of the gear and insert a rod that goes into the aluminum tube you want to put into the upper part. And I would use some good two component epoxy glue to create a strong bond. However, that's just my gut feeling and your idea might work as well. Cheers Rainer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uilleann Posted February 5, 2015 Author Share Posted February 5, 2015 Sorry, I tried to illustrate what I was thinking in my last photo there...but I'm afraid my photoshop skills are about on par with my modeling ability! My thinking was to minimize removal of plastic as much as possible. The original plastic oleo doesn't look right, so I thought of cutting it off the leg at the top of the exposed strut. From there, I was thinking I would sand around the existing oleo - but only to the point that I could slide the hollow 4mm aluminum tube tightly over it, using it as a sort of internal post. In essence, "skinning" it with the metal tube. I would cut the tube approx 4-5mm longer than I want the finished part to show, and then drill up into the upper part of the leg, and imbed the tube there. I had planned to use epoxy to secure all throughout. Does that make any more sense? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rainer Hoffmann Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Ah, yes, that does make a lot of sense. I guess, that will work. Cheers Rainer Uilleann 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uilleann Posted February 9, 2015 Author Share Posted February 9, 2015 (edited) Progress...albeit slow. With the aluminum tube here, along with some brass and solid rod, I decided to get to work rectifying the appearance of the nose gear oleo. Remember, the kit part is too compressed, and then I went and added a very ham fisted application of bare metal foil. Needless to say, the result wasn't convincing: Nothing for it but more surgery and a proper metal replacement. The first cut to separate the kit oleo...after removing the PE scissors first of course: Then to finish the job on the bottom end: You can see how short the original bit was. Then to drill out the plastic to accept the new brass rod core of the improved oleo assembly: And opening it up to the final dimension: From here, it was just a matter of building up the proper parts. A 3.8 mm outer aluminum tube forms the outer 'skin' of it all. A 3.1 mm nests inside that, and then a 2.3 mm solid brass rod forms the core: Everything 'telescopes' together nicely to form a virtually solid replacement part: The shorter end fits tightly into the bottom section, while the upper longer length fits very securely into the entire top half of the kit's plastic gear leg: Everything pushed home: Looking much more the part I feel, both in terms of finish and size: Still need to tidy up the fit and finish on the legs of course, but that's simple enough. Edited February 21, 2017 by Uilleann Rainer Hoffmann, Lee White, 109 and 4 others 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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