Cessna 170B

[Cap'n Wannabe]

G'day all..

 

So I recently moved into mother's place.  All of my modelling tools, kits, paints, etc. are in storage until I can get another place of my own.  I'm getting rather bored, with only my computer and a bed in my room, and want something to pass the time when I'm not working.

I have mentally played around with kit-bashing a 1/48 Cessna Bird Dog and a 1/48 Cessna 172 to get a 1/48 Cessna 170B, by modifying the 172 fuselage (it needs to be like a straight-tail) and adding the Bird Dog's tail surfaces, but what I'm really wanting is something bigger.  Like 1/20 scale or so..

With that in mind, I have searched for some 3-views of the 170B.  The only drawings of any note are the Guillow's R/C plans, and one other set...there ain't much out there!

 

So, firstly, how accurate are Guillow's plans in general?

What is the best (free!) software to use to get a 3D model suitable for 3D printing?

What is a good method of creating the model?

 

I have my own copy of Autodesk Inventor 2019, however I have found that surface modelling and lofting shapes leaves a bit to be desired.  Ideally I'd like my model to be parametric so I can scale it up or down, however that's not necessary.

[denders]

Cessna 170B, tapered outer wing panels, right? Don't want the older straight wing?

[Cap'n Wannabe]

Yep, that's right.  Essentially the same wing as the 172.

[denders]

PM me an email address. I have some other drawings too. I did a 3D model of the straight wing several years ago for the attached art.

 

 

[dcrfan]

I recently converted a 1/48 Cessna 172 to a C180.  It was actually much easier than I thought.  The tail is all new.  I did stuff up one thing as I added the ribs on the fin before shaping the rear edge of the fin so it looks too thick  

 

 

Edited December 20, 2022 by dcrfan

[gregair]

6 hours ago, dcrfan said:

I recently converted a 1/48 Cessna 172 to a C180.  It was actually much easier than I thought.  The tail is all new.  I did stuff up one thing as I added the ribs on the fin before shaping the rear edge of the fin so it looks too thick  

 

 

Nice job, I have a 1/48 C172 and have been considering doing the same to create a C185!

Can you share what you did?

[dcrfan]

See https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235113628-148-cessna-172-to-cessna-180-and-c185-conversion/#comment-4468383

 

I'm away from home at the moment. I will post another as built photo on my return. 

[gregair]

Thank you

 

[Avaman23]

Hi, and this is very interesting, your interest in a Cessna 170 model.  I happened to come across this group and thought  I'd better join up as there is a fair bit here that interests me.

I have actually made a CAD model of  a Cessna 170B using Inventor 2016 a while back and initially had it printed out one at 1:36 scale which is my preferred GA aircraft scale, by a Printing Service as I didn't have a printer at the time. I was very pleased with the result. I have previously made similar carved balsa models of Cessnas also.

I now have a Prusa Mk4 (upgraded from my M3s+) which I'm very pleased with.  I haven't got organized to post pictures via a URL yet, but remembered where I had previously shown the 3-D printing of the C170 to another similar group to which I belong. Here it is the link below for your interest:

https://rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/28657/scale-models-using-printed-parts

 

Anyway, I do intend to create more models to print in the future as time permits.

All the best.

 

 

 

[gregair]

Hi Avaman23, that looks very nice!

How did you do the windscreen and clear parts?

Any chance of you doing a few changes to create a C-185?

Edited June 30, 2024 by gregair

[Avaman23]

Hi Gregair, the windscreen was made by heating thin acetate sheet and stretch forming it over a balsa mold. Something I've been doing for many years.  I don't think any printer or filament could give a decent look like this so haven't even tried. 

There are a lot of difference between a C170 and a C185.  Fortunately, I have accurate 3-View drawings of most Cessnas, having always been a collector of 3-Views . I have a wooden carved C180 and have been making Cessna models all my life and my interest is still there!

  

I may, however consider doing a C180/185 CAD model in the future and would be happy to offer it to anyone.  I have always admired the form and style of classic Cessna aircraft and often wondered how the designs were perfected like they are.

 

Best regards.

 

[gregair]

Hi Avaman23,

Thats very interesting, thank you for the info. I would love to access the CAD for a C185 

Would you consider selling a copy of the CAD for C170?

[Avaman23]

23 hours ago, gregair said:

Hi Avaman23,

Thats very interesting, thank you for the info. I would love to access the CAD for a C185 

Would you consider selling a copy of the CAD for C170?

Hi Gregair,

I may just consider doing the CAD for a C180/185 sooner rather than later if I perceive some interest within this group. 

Regarding the C170, I would be happy to offer you the CAD parts that you will need to print yourself or get printed at no charge of course!

For printing, the complete model needs to be divided into parts which best suits the kind of printer.  Todays FDM 3-D printers can give sufficiently fine results for solid scale models.  

[Avaman23]

I thought it might be of interest to show my latest C-170B, 1:36 scale model that I have printed on my Prusa Mk4 FDA printer. I spent quite a bit of time experimenting with dividing up the plane into parts that suited FDA printing. I am now quite pleased that you can get quite decent results in the end. All the parts have been 3-D printed except the undercarriage legs which would have been too flimsy to take the weight when sitting on a surface. They have been made from thin aluminum alloy sheet.  Even these would have been ok printed, if the model was only to be kept on a stand. I was particularly please to get good accuracy with the propeller and tail wheel which required

reasonably crisp detail. 

[chrish]

Very nice!

I’ve kind of gone down this road with the old box scale Monogram C 180 

I like mine on floats

pics here somewhere I think….maybe