Barry Posted May 10, 2015 Author Share Posted May 10, 2015 Barry, I have been struggling with the same cockpit issues. Since I have a couple more Tamiya and I make a canopy rail fix to my Revell kits (off Tamiya molds, see my 308th F-4E build if you haven't already), I've wanted to have a "universal" cockpit tub that I can mold and cast as needed. You live down near Savannah don't you? Bruce Hey Bruce, Yes I am about 10-15 minutes N of I-95 on Hwy 21 in Rincon, or about 20 minutes for the 8th A.F. Museum. I have been at it most of the day and believe I have figured it out. Good news is the Tamiya nose wheel well is within a scale inch or so of the actual measurements. With that knowledge I glued my wheel well back into place so the "blood letting" was unnecessary! With potential marketing in mind I have taken the approach of making as many of the adjustments to the cockpit as possible with only minor filing of the kit wheel well. It will not be a "drop in" as it is intended for those wishing to obtain as much accuracy and detail as possible from an AM kit. I will take some pics tomorrow after Mother's day luncheon. Until then, Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Barry, glad you think you've got the problem "solved." When I mentioned the idea of casting, I was referring to making tubs for my own use. I don't really want to market any. The seat problem is still an issue. If a person deepens the tub then the after market seats that fit the Tamiya have to be adjusted to sit at the right height. Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Posted May 10, 2015 Author Share Posted May 10, 2015 (edited) Here are some photos of the the work needed to get the lowered cockpit floor to fit with only minor trimming and filing of the nose wheel. You can see the "excavation" needed to get the lowered aft floor to clear the wheel well. Adjustments to do the same for the forward cockpit to clear the wheel well. I was down to this remaining interference between the screw boss for the mounting of the nose strut actuator. I had already trimmed it as much as possible by mounting the strut then filing it down to the screw. Do more to trim there so it was back to removing additional thickness from the "tab" used to align the forward and aft wheel wells. I also had to cut back the raised area just in front of the screw boss flush with the top of the wheel well. The end result....success!!! Here is a pic of the Phantom Phactory! TAFN, Barry Edited May 10, 2015 by Barry blackbetty, Smokey, Kagemusha and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peterpools Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Barry Amazing work. Keep 'em coming Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Posted May 11, 2015 Author Share Posted May 11, 2015 As always you guys are too kind, thanks! Got a little more done; I still have more tweaking but the primary pieces are getting very close. Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loic Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Very effective work Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Posted May 13, 2015 Author Share Posted May 13, 2015 Thanks Loic...continuing to chip away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Posted May 20, 2015 Author Share Posted May 20, 2015 Corrected (more accurate) floor depth has given rise to another enigma here; http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=56372 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Posted May 21, 2015 Author Share Posted May 21, 2015 I believe I have found the answer to the supposition that the aft cockpit , aft bulkhead is sloped / canted. From the NAVWEPS Structural Manual. Based on this illustration of the forward fuselage assembly it is perpendicular with respect to the Water Line. If it is canted then it is not depicted as such. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incaroad Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Some GREAT research you are doing to get this right! I was able to crawl into the rear cockpit area of an F-4B using a starrett machinest protractor to see if it was at a 90° angle to the floor. What I measured was 91.5° so, it's so close to 90° its safe to say you are correct! I will do the same thing you are doing to EVERY 1/48th Kit I will build. I have the new 1/48th Academy cockpit about 1/3 done and that rear bulkhead has been replaced with a 90° piece. Nice job doing what you are doing! Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Posted May 22, 2015 Author Share Posted May 22, 2015 (edited) Some GREAT research you are doing to get this right! I was able to crawl into the rear cockpit area of an F-4B using a starrett machinest protractor to see if it was at a 90° angle to the floor. What I measured was 91.5° so, it's so close to 90° its safe to say you are correct! I will do the same thing you are doing to EVERY 1/48th Kit I will build. I have the new 1/48th Academy cockpit about 1/3 done and that rear bulkhead has been replaced with a 90° piece. Nice job doing what you are doing! Larry Thanks for the info and vote of confidence Larry. Phantoms Phorever!!!! Edited May 22, 2015 by Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Posted July 11, 2015 Author Share Posted July 11, 2015 Barry. .Super duper work .. any more progress Thank you! Actually I just stepped away from the bench. I have been working to get the two different versions (Naval & Land Based) and the two different depths "Tamiya" (shallow) and the "closer" to scale depth to share a common designed Aft Cockpit floor. I am thinking like a manufacturer and have just about accomplished that. Now it is getting the deeper cockpits to fit above the Fwd Wheel Well which is why the Tamiya depth is too shallow. I am trying to accomplish this with minimum rework required to the Tamiya Fwd Wheel Well. I am getting close to achieving that goal, maybe some pics to post soon. Barry timvkampen 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Posted July 17, 2015 Author Share Posted July 17, 2015 A short update; I have now created or adapted kit parts for most of the primary parts needed for a “near†scale depth and a Tamiya depth cockpit for both land and naval versions of the Phantom. After repeatedly fitting and adjusting them to fit the Tamiya cockpit I determined that I needed an assembly fixture to “pin up†the individual pieces and hold them in position and this is the result. These are the pieces for the land based version of the “near†scale depth version. I still need to create/adapt the pieces for the aft cockpit left and right sides of the naval version. Here is the naval version of the Tamiya depth version. It uses a modified Tamiya Fwd Cockpit which is not completely modified in these pictures. I still have to rework the naval pieces for the Aft Fwd subpanel pieces seen in photos posted in my F-4B Cockpit thread here: http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=42690&page=6 I will basically copy these aft cockpit side pieces only set deeper/taller for the “near†scale depth naval version. Making them for the deeper version will actually allow a more accurate Circuit Breaker Panel in that version. Here are the land based version pieces pinned up in the Tamiya depth version. The aft cockpit side console details are the standard Tamiya pieces that have been modified to some extent. Thanks for looking in! Barry azzaob, Smokey, NavyF4s and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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