cmatthewbacon Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 Hi, all... can anyone point me to some Comet plans with cross sections, or alternatively just tell me the answer: is the Comet 4 fuselage smoothly circular, or does it have a slight spine "peak"? I need to know how much to sand off the joint between the fuselage halves on the Novo kit I'm building... best, M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.1127 Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 The Comet series all share the same cross section, which is circular. There should be no peaks. All the best, P. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jure Miljevic Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 I agree with P.1127. Here is a set of D. H. Comet drawings with fuselage cross-sections included which may help. Cheers Jure 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzn20 Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 (edited) I have a scale drawing from the book Aircraft Archive Post-War Jets Volume 3 by Argus Books ISBN 0-85242-967-3 . https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/0852429673/ref=tmm_pap_used_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=used&qid=1556192829&sr=1-3-fkmrnull On Amazon so overpriced I think I paid around £5 for mine a couple of years ago . 21 aircraft covered inc Comet 4 and the VC10 ! Worth the money just for that IMO Fuse X section is a or almost a perfect circle full length except the wing join section / lower fuse area changes . Book also has an RAF VC10 C.Mk 1 in Air Support Command scheme. The best scale drawing of a VC10 anywhere . Edited April 25, 2019 by bzn20 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmatthewbacon Posted April 25, 2019 Author Share Posted April 25, 2019 40 minutes ago, bzn20 said: I have a scale drawing from the book Aircraft Archive Post-War Jets Volume 3 by Argus Books Darn it... that appears to be the only one of those books I don't have! I'll have to keep my eyes open... best, M. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo NZ Posted April 27, 2019 Share Posted April 27, 2019 Don't fret too much about the length. Due to sheet tolerances, and according to works drawings, it can vary by +/- 6 inches.😎 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzn20 Posted April 27, 2019 Share Posted April 27, 2019 6 hours ago, Jo NZ said: Due to sheet tolerances What does that mean ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo NZ Posted April 27, 2019 Share Posted April 27, 2019 1 minute ago, bzn20 said: What does that mean ? The difference in width of the many 8 x 4 foot sheets of aluminium used to clad the fuselage. 121 feet ( from long ago memory) at a 4 ft width is is about 35 sheets (it’s late, so about...) say 36 for easy division . Plus or minus 6 inches over 36 sheets allows for 1/6 of an inch per sheet. (.160” or 4mm) if they were all short, you get - 6 inches, if they were all long, + 6 inches. Does that make sense? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzn20 Posted April 27, 2019 Share Posted April 27, 2019 (edited) 9 hours ago, Jo NZ said: Does that make sense Not really . The metal is cut to meet the other/rivet at a dimension from the Blueprint . The Frames are jigged to a tolerance on the drawing . Riveted to Drawing dimension/land and pitch tolerances . The sheet metal has a tolerance in thickness but a fag packet sketch in width and length like you said . I know the Comet was hand built (and Nimrod) but 6 inch tolerance sounds a bit of a jump. Worse case , The plane is a foot longer and still in tolerance at +/- 6" , halfway along it's 6 inches out ,the wing is further back ? What happens to the Comet's wings in chord and span ? They are skinned too . Gaps between skins ( for anti friction) but that's around .3 " (1/8th") depending on drawing tolerance. I must have been working in another world . I've built Aeroplanes and Helicopters and skins were cut to drawing but usually to fit to a frame ,rib, stringer etc. that was positioned on a major jig and fastener holes were steel sleeved pilots or full size depending on jig drawing ,taken from Blueprint . Jig was God except for Westland Sea king sub assembly efforts like the Seaking FOD intake cover, baggy wasn't the word and drill holes were out on the stringers. If it's true ,no wonder the Nimrod update failed , new wings wouldn't fit because 1990's tech met 1950's "It can go there". Edited April 27, 2019 by bzn20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo NZ Posted April 27, 2019 Share Posted April 27, 2019 I was surprised too. Laying out the equipment racks for the AEW Nimrod we actually measured inside the aircraft, there appeared to be a lot more room than Hawker Siddleley had allocated. That’s when they produced the GA drawing showing the tolerances. This was particularly difficult for running waveguide the length of the aircraft ,a pieces had to be made on site to fit and then returned to the manufacturer to be finished and tested. Another feature of the build was fitting metric equipment into an imperial aircraft. Ever seen a 3/8 BSF bolt with a 10mm hex head? 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzn20 Posted April 27, 2019 Share Posted April 27, 2019 3 minutes ago, Jo NZ said: AEW Nimrod Sounds like fun.. One maybe two of those were sat on the grass at RAF Abingdon 91/92 ready for breaking , a bunch of ex BA Super VC10s that weren't selected for the K4 Tanker conversions were sat on sleepers or just concrete nearby ,which I was taking bits off. Sad sight . How many AEWs got to the flying stage ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo NZ Posted April 27, 2019 Share Posted April 27, 2019 Four, I think. DB1 was the flight test aircraft, DB2 and DB3 electronics test, and I think the first production aircraft had flown too. GEC got 50m for the cancellation, about 45m more than they would have got if it had carried on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomohawk Kid Posted April 28, 2019 Share Posted April 28, 2019 11 hours ago, bzn20 said: How many AEWs got to the flying stage ? Dunno but I used to live not far from RAF Waddington and recall seeing them fly in out of Waddo. Tommo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Work In Progress Posted May 24, 2019 Share Posted May 24, 2019 The mighty New Zealand empire? It's doing ok 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr T Posted May 25, 2019 Share Posted May 25, 2019 (edited) The Comet was no different to any large aircraft of its era, no matter where built and no relation to the decision by British Governments to give independence to territories it controlled. Not saying any further beyond a broad statement of history. Edited May 25, 2019 by Mr T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo NZ Posted May 25, 2019 Share Posted May 25, 2019 It did have the kudos of being the first jet airliner.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted May 25, 2019 Share Posted May 25, 2019 11 hours ago, Work In Progress said: The mighty New Zealand empire? It's doing ok Yeah, but don't tell too many, we're trying to keep it a secret. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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