qn30jEkPz7 Posted November 26, 2018 Share Posted November 26, 2018 (edited) Evening all, I've been mucking around with making and modelling away from kits e.g. ... and thought it was about time I made a plane or two again. I'd idly picked this book up in WHSmiths and got to thinking that I should try stretching my model making muscles a bit I took a scan of one of the 1st 3 view pictures (The RAE's impression of what a mach 2 fighter with engines embedded in the fuselage might look like) and imported that into inkscape (free download) vector drawing program. After a bit of a tidy up and scaling to 1/72 I started trying to make a 3D interpretation of the sketch in tinkercad 3D modelling software (free cloud based). Comparing the model I've made to the plan and profiles it looks pretty darned close Not a million miles away from the sketch and although the compound curves were a bit of a pain in the rear to do with simple shapes I think if that were 3D printed, sanded and cleaned up a bit it mightn't be too bad. I've half a notion to steadily work through the book and do a collection of British fighters that never were Edited December 28, 2019 by LostCosmonauts revised title 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorby Posted November 26, 2018 Share Posted November 26, 2018 I love this sort of stuff - proposed, secret projects and prototypes, so I will be watching with interest. Is the book any good? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Ranger Posted November 26, 2018 Share Posted November 26, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, Gorby said: I love this sort of stuff - proposed, secret projects and prototypes, so I will be watching with interest. Is the book any good? A great book for anyone interested in British aviation and RAF official thinking of the period. Also a great source of inspiration for scratchbuilding! I'm particularly taken with the Fairey "Delta III" (F155T), as shown on the cover, myself. S&M were rumored to be working on a 1/72 kit, but so far it has not materialized. Edited November 26, 2018 by Space Ranger Add'l. info 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qn30jEkPz7 Posted November 26, 2018 Author Share Posted November 26, 2018 2 hours ago, Gorby said: I love this sort of stuff - proposed, secret projects and prototypes, so I will be watching with interest. Is the book any good? Pictures are good - I'm saving the text to read on the train tomorrow. It certainly got me thinking about buying this https://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Secret-Projects-Fighter-Since/dp/1910809055 as a complement 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troy Smith Posted November 26, 2018 Share Posted November 26, 2018 this one is full of plans and lots of info, interesting seeing what actually got built as well! https://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Experimental-Aircraft-Barrie-Hygate/dp/1854860100 does turn up cheaper too, IIRC the price when originally published (printed inside) was expensive cheers T 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qn30jEkPz7 Posted November 26, 2018 Author Share Posted November 26, 2018 Having more of a play - I think I should start a bit earlier so have knocked together a Miles M.52... definitely going to have to invest in a 3D printer to translate these into real life. Maybe a breakdown of parts so that I do the wings etc. in polystyrene sheet and the fuselage is just printed 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Ranger Posted November 26, 2018 Share Posted November 26, 2018 That looks great! When you're done with the British experimentals, I've got a suggestion for you: Convair's XP-92. (I have detailed drawings.) 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qn30jEkPz7 Posted November 26, 2018 Author Share Posted November 26, 2018 Just now, Space Ranger said: That looks great! When you're done with the British experimentals, I've got a suggestion for you: Convair's XP-92. (I have detailed drawings.) Nice! If you want to message or email me with them I'll gladly have a crack at it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qn30jEkPz7 Posted November 28, 2018 Author Share Posted November 28, 2018 I think I've reached the limit of what you can do with tinkercad... thankfully the next step up from Autodesk (Fusion 360) is free for hobbyist use so I've done a short 3D printing practical course and started trying to work through the tutorials for this better modelling software. As a test piece I've been having a go at the RAE's preferred configuration for a mach 2 interceptor Still a bit basic but I think I'm somewhere on the right track. Am thinking that I'd print the underlying airframe and then do old fashioned modelling on top to add detail 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qn30jEkPz7 Posted November 28, 2018 Author Share Posted November 28, 2018 ... or if you prefer that in polished aluminium with a roundel or two on it 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qn30jEkPz7 Posted December 2, 2018 Author Share Posted December 2, 2018 Some more learning of how to do 3D modelling in preparation for printing parts and models. Trying to get to grips with Fusion 360 software with a draft outline of a De Havilland 108 Swallow Base model is getting there but boy are compound curves proving difficult 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 Haven't used either TinkerCAD or Fusion 360 but I use Solidworks and have used Pro-E professionally and the whole business of 3D contouring while achievable in these packages can be horribly complex. Again I use a bit of 3D printing professionally (various vendors with SLA and FDM processes) but not for my modelling and depending on the printer you could make anything from a blank to be shaped and carved to very close to a finished part ready for painting. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Ranger Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 For an example of what can be done using current CAD software, see here (if you haven't already): Or here: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qn30jEkPz7 Posted December 5, 2018 Author Share Posted December 5, 2018 Thanks for those links and tips @Space Ranger and @Marklo As a tentative dabble I revived a 3D file I made (but didn’t use) for the BM 10th anniversary GB An apollo recovery capsule - printed at 1/144 scale pre clean up Will trim, sand, fill & paint to see what working with the PLA is like 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qn30jEkPz7 Posted February 14, 2019 Author Share Posted February 14, 2019 Still dabbling (not helped by my Mac laptop no longer beig able to run Fusion 360 after the most recent update) Had a go at printing one of the RAE proposals at 1/144. A bit rough but I painted it just to see what it’d look like 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorby Posted February 14, 2019 Share Posted February 14, 2019 That's good for such a small scale though. How long did it take to print and did it require much cleaning up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qn30jEkPz7 Posted February 14, 2019 Author Share Posted February 14, 2019 5 minutes ago, Gorby said: That's good for such a small scale though. How long did it take to print and did it require much cleaning up? About 2 hours at medium quality. Did need quite a bit of trimming, filling and sanding especially under the wings and tail where it printed supporting scaffold that all had to be cut away. Next time I might do 2 halves and sandwich together to see if that helps things 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qn30jEkPz7 Posted May 13, 2019 Author Share Posted May 13, 2019 A bit if a pause as my 10 year old macbook stopped being supported by the 3D modelling software (replacement incoming). In the meantime I've done a bit more messing around and have bought my very own 3D printer and kind of got up to speed with it Flickr is being a bit of a pain in the proverbial so you'll just have to assume in the meantime that everything is peachy and looking good. I'll try from my phone to post pictures shortly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qn30jEkPz7 Posted May 13, 2019 Author Share Posted May 13, 2019 (edited) Odd, phone seems to cope with flickr fine... anyhoo... Said printer is a cheap one as it comes as a kit (I even enjoyed it as a build in of itself) It even works despite the odd translations from Chinese and my carefree approach to the instructions Initial things have been a couple of tabletop gaming figures for friends but I was quite pleased with this scale pteranodon hunting trophy. Printed in PLA and then filled, sanded, painted and weathered (Museums and universities have all sorts of cool scans and data sets available so a 50% scale sabretoothed cat is on the workbench right now) Back to the planes I’ve decided to try out a relatively simple shape and do a Miles M.52 in 1/72 scale with a breakdown of parts to try and make print and assembly logical. Hopefully just be able to bend some PET from a bottle of plastic film as a transparency p.s. thanks @Gremlin807 for additional drawings from his excellent build of the same plane Edited May 13, 2019 by LostCosmonauts 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qn30jEkPz7 Posted May 17, 2019 Author Share Posted May 17, 2019 Almost... Print was just a bit too fine so the tailplane, fin, front lip of the intake and some of the cockpit cone didn’t come out. A bit of revision and I’ll try again next week (printer is occupied doing work that pays for itself for a few days) 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qn30jEkPz7 Posted May 25, 2019 Author Share Posted May 25, 2019 Getting there. I realised the print failure was all my fault as I’d made some bits far too fine As the revised version came out on the print bed And after release and a bit of trimming it almost looks worth assembling 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Ranger Posted May 26, 2019 Share Posted May 26, 2019 Verrrrry nice! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qn30jEkPz7 Posted June 5, 2019 Author Share Posted June 5, 2019 A few refinements needed on the design still but I’ve glued the main parts together to figure out the changes that I’ll need to make The to-do list: - Thin flying surfaces and corresponding slots - Revise fit of cockpit into intake - add basic cockpit interior and seat - Beef up canopy framing for later trim - Think about wheel bays/undercarriage 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marklo Posted June 5, 2019 Share Posted June 5, 2019 Looking good. I'm very conflicted on 3D printing. I use it extensively in my day to day work, but I have made a vow that I won't use it for modelling, but I'm very tempted to use it for the things I don't like making (Wheels and radial engines ) so there you go. So far I've held the line... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qn30jEkPz7 Posted June 5, 2019 Author Share Posted June 5, 2019 44 minutes ago, Marklo said: Looking good. I'm very conflicted on 3D printing. I use it extensively in my day to day work, but I have made a vow that I won't use it for modelling, but I'm very tempted to use it for the things I don't like making (Wheels and radial engines ) so there you go. So far I've held the line... I’d say use every tool available to you. 3D printing is perfectly fair game if you are making something that requires as much work and thought as it would in fettling polystyrene and resin. I’ve just finished this 1/2 scale sabre toothed cat and can’t imagine how I’d have made it any other way. Took as much head scratching, research and hard work as any other model I’ve made 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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