F7F-3N

[wbill76]

Once you get those stacks painted, no one will be able to tell they aren't perfectly round at all Dave. Nice save on the landing gear stuff as well...I hear you about fast/famine when it comes to reference stuff, you're not alone!

[deafpanzer]

Looking good Dave! Landing gear looks pretty fragile... knowing me I would have it snapped in a second.

[thug626]

Hello Leon, Thank you very much. I had contemplated using hypodermic tubing but, the styrene was a easier medium to work with.

Hello Bill, You're right about the stacks being painted. Thank you for the reminder. It's been so long since I've put down any color/paint, that fact was covered in dust in my "attic" . Sometimes, I think it's ironic that with the access to all this information that I can not find one reference picture.

Hello Andy, How was the road trip vacation? Last I saw you put 5000 miles behind you in about two weeks. Serious milage. Spindly, was the word that came to mind after I assembled the drag strut assembly to the main strut. Still a "couple" more parts to put on. It turns out that the landing gear was really quite robust. During carrier qualifications, the landing gear did just fine. It was the wings that broke. Grumman determined that the wings could be beefed up but, only at the cost of a hefty weight penalty. It was decided not to beef up the wings but, rather to relegate the bird to land based operations.

Dave

[deafpanzer]

It was blast but it is good to be home!!!! But will we do it again? Probably not unless we rent or buy a RV!!! The trip made me realize how beautiful America is especially out in the west... you don't see any of this here in Indiana.

Looking forward to your update buddy!

[bbd468]

Great works my man! Dude, that gear looks great but fiddly too, nice job.

[thug626]

Hello Andy, It is gorgeous out here. No offense to anywhere else but, we're spoiled here. With a family and that much ground covered! Who would blame you! Perhaps some updates today. Nasty head cold today so, no work tonight. There is a bit of cabin fever today so, it'll be the bench. No riding the Harley today....not with cold Rx onboard.

Hello BBD468, Thank you! They only look fiddly, Cleaning up the seam lines was a nice simple task. Plus it gets ones eyes all over the parts so as to better plan assemblies and retro fits.

Dave

[thug626]

Well, the bench time didn't quite go as planned. This 'ing head cold kept me grounded until last evening. What I did get done may not look like much but it did take a bit of time. I added the support struts to the main gear. It was a lot of cut. Fit. Cut. Fit. Cut. Fit.Cut. Fit. Cu......You get the point. I also did add the strut that runs from the drag strut assembly to the main strut.


The dry fit. The two pieces are not much but, they do fill a rather vacuous area.


I built the hydraulic actuator out of styrene rod. Originally, I was going to build it out of metal tubing as I did with the nose gear but the attachment points are going to be a bit more fiddly. So, I opted for the styrene. The attachment points will be hit with a dab of Ambroid.

Dave

[deafpanzer]

Hope you feel better soon... just inhale more glue fumes to make the sinus go away. Always worked for me...

Again, great work on the strut... I will definitely call you when I build my first wingy thing. One day...

[thug626]

Thank you Andy. I am feeling much better today. I just soak some tissue in some Ambroid ProWeld....shove it up my nose and, violà....all the head problems are gone. Right along with a few million brain cells.
You have built a wingy thingy....granted the wings are moving faster than the fuselage.

Dave

[wbill76]

I'd be careful about taking cold advice from Andy...he's quite insane you know! Nice progress on the struts Dave, it's all paying off even if it seems like an endless cycle.

[thug626]

Bill, As for advice from Andy, I already knew he had bats in the belfry. He even at some of my group sessions. I said the quiet part out loud.......again.
Things have been progressing nicely. I got the hydraulic actuator assemblies done. I'll get some dry fit pics up if I can coax one of the kids into snapping some shots. I'll need at least three hands to pull that one off.
Nah, it hasn't seemed like and "endless cycle". It's all progress or learning how to better do something.
Thank you for looking in and your words of support. Feel free to lend a critical eye, as you are one of the ones whose works I was/am in awe of. Thank you

Dave

[Leon]

Nice work on the struts Dave.Looks like everything is going smoothly.

[thug626]

Hello Leon, Thank you. Why yes it is.

I was able to garner the assistance of one of my daughters to help me with the pic. The base mount of the hydraulic actuator was done up using styrene rod drilled out. The base plates were fabricated using my trusty NWSL cutter and, Waldron punch set.


The hydraulic actuator dry fitted in place. The anchor point for the "ram" is a perpendicular piece using a Grandt Line bolt. The "ram" slides in the "cylinder" to allow for wiggle room when it comes to final assembly.


For those of you who are naturally adept at finding the center of styrene rod and drilling it out you need not bother reading any further. For the rest of us mortals, read on if you like.

• Select the styrene rod of your choosing and mark a spot to cut (toward the very end will work)
• Select a sharp #11 blade
• Place edge of blade on rod and apply gentle downward pressure
• Roll the rod back and forth using the #11 blade
• The part to be cut off will separate before you finish cutting through. This is OK you want this to happen

Look at the end of the styrene rod and you will notice the center portion of the rod is discolored at where it separated. This will give you a better idea of where the center is. This is what I've used to help me. Before drilling, I mark the spot with a straight pin in a pin vice to give me a starting point for drilling. After drilling, if I wish to show a better representation of a thinner wall thickness, without risking further drilling destroying the piece, I will use a round Dremel bit and, roll it between my thumb and finger, lightly removing material. It really is a rather quick way to achieve the effect of tubing without having to use metal tubing and soldering. If you have any questions please ask me. I am willing to assist.

Dave

[Leon]

Dave,great SBS info there.That may come in handy some day.

[thug626]

Leon, You are most welcome. I'm glad it will help.

Dave

[Rick]

Dave, amazing the patience you are putting into this cat. Been wanting to build one of these for years and finally picked it up a couple weeks ago. May be a couple more before I get to it but its in the stash when I'm ready. Doubt I'll get quite that much detail added as you are so I'm looking forward to each new development you add to it.
Rick

[thug626]

Hello Rick,
Thank you for taking the time to have a gander and, for the compliment. The kit is rather versatile one. You can build it strictly OOB right on up to über detailing. Be careful with the über detailing path. It'll take on a life of it's own. Ask me how I know.....
Build your kit however makes you happy. This is a wonderful hobby....it should not be drudgery.
I may get some more done tonight. First I must feed the tribe. Time to fire up the BBQ!

Dave

[thug626]

The main gear was completed this am. Completing them were, the control locks and associated hardware. Hydraulic lines for the brakes.


Here is how they'll be stored until I am absolutely ready for them.


On to the forward nacelle accessories and the engines accessories.

Dave

[bbd468]

Dave, great job with all tha hardware goodies on the LG. Well done bro.

[thug626]

BBD468, Thank you kindly bro.

DickyF, Thank you for the high praise. The kits gear offered a very nice base for the detailing.

Dave

[wbill76]

Good plan on storing them away, so much nice (and I'm sure a bit fragile) detail you've added to them Dave.

[thug626]

Thank you Bill. Another comment I had received prompted me to lightly pack them in tissue paper. I think now I'm to the point that I'll be needing to dust off my rudimentary resin casting skill set.

Dave

[M1Carbine]

Dave - solid work bro. Everything looking fantastic and absoluly superb

Bob

[thug626]

Hello Bob,
Thank you bro. It's getting there. The goal is to have it ready for the McMinville show. We had a motorcycle trip we were invited on that officially got scrubbed yesterday. The wife's new job/title is keeping her busier than she had planned on. It is as I had feared .

I was looking at the wheels the other day and was trying to figure out the best way to salvage the diamond tread pattern when, I found some resin ones online. Problem solved!

Off to the bench and work on the nacelles.

Dave

[Teabone]

Dave

I am like DickyF said a number of posts back, not into wingy things, but the below lesson is the very good reason to look at the wingy thing builds occasionally for the good ideas.  Thanks for the idea.

Your work here is great and full of good pointers on scratch work.

Bones.


For those of you who are naturally adept at finding the center of styrene rod and drilling it out you need not bother reading any further. For the rest of us mortals, read on if you like.

Select the styrene rod of your choosing and mark a spot to cut (toward the very end will work)

Select a sharp #11 blade

Place edge of blade on rod and apply gentle downward pressure

Roll the rod back and forth using the #11 blade

The part to be cut off will separate before you finish cutting through. This is OK you want this to happen

Look at the end of the styrene rod and you will notice the center portion of the rod is discolored at where it separated. This will give you a better idea of where the center is. This is what I've used to help me. Before drilling, I mark the spot with a straight pin in a pin vice to give me a starting point for drilling. After drilling, if I wish to show a better representation of a thinner wall thickness, without risking further drilling destroying the piece, I will use a round Dremel bit and, roll it between my thumb and finger, lightly removing material. It really is a rather quick way to achieve the effect of tubing without having to use metal tubing and soldering. If you have any questions please ask me. I am willing to assist.

[wbill76]

Just another little tip to add to what Bones suggested...when working with white styrene, mark the end you're drilling with a black Sharpie...then when you do the starter hole it shows up with a nice contrast and you can adjust as needed while drilling to get a more centered result.

[fightnjoe]

dave the gear look impressive. i have never drilled a hole in the right spot. always just a bit off.





joe

[TRM]

Fantastic work on the gear Dave!

[thug626]

Hello Bones, Thank you for the compliment. That's how I also find some great tips....go poking around in other forums. Ya never know what you'll find....tips...inspiration.....

Hello Bill, That's a great idea. I'll have to give that a try.

Hello Joe, Thank you. That was the bane of my drilling out parts until I started using a pin vice with a straight pin. Something that may help with getting a proper start using a pin vice for the pilot hole is the tip that Bill had just mentioned. Hit the area with a black sharpie, or what ever color works for you. Then place your pilot hole for drilling. The contrast in color may help you with the placement.

Hello TRM, Thank you for the compliment. They are still safely stored. Though I did realized with one of the dry fittings yesterday that, the main gear are going to have to be assembled to the nacelles before the nacelles go on. With all the fragile detail I've added, assembling them as per instructions will not do. I may not add the nacelles until the last possible moment. So as to minimized the main gear getting pranged. That would just about put me around the bend.

Dave

[bullardino]

Wow, what an awkward gear strut... It's almost impossible to find out how it worked, so many actuators, rods and links...

Great job, you depicted its complexity really well