Uncle Les Builds a Quad Tilt-Rotor Aircraft

[uncle les]

Suitably inspired I carved up a couple of Ospreys this arvo...  I'll report back when I've decided what era it'll be from.

 :)

[finsrin]

uncle les - Please continue.  Have my full attention on this build.

[uncle les]

uncle les - Please continue.  Have my full attention on this build.

 
OK, so I'd better not slack off then ..  3D printed airscrews affixed to the salvaged engine units

Undercoated with some more sanding to follow. The car-bog polyester filler fuselage between kit parts came up ok.

Can't dilly dally, I originally was going for a grey/white '60s USN scheme but will settle on a'70s USMC scheme as it will cover my surface indiscretions 

and whilst I wait for the paint to dry properly I'll rummage through the decal box for some stars n bars.  ( Although it's after midnight here so I really should go to bed as I have work in a few hours !! )


later... I might have to find some ducted fans for this...

[GTX_Admin]

This looks great!  I especially love the airscrews!

[Kerick]

You've got a "stubbyspray" in the works!!

[kitnut617]

Hmm! yes I do like that ---  :)

Got something similar in the works, only it will be Transall size with V-22 wings and nacelles --

[Rafael]

First off.- I love tilt-rotors-
Second.- Their giant windmill props make me nervous and worried about footprint, both on deck and flying through urban canyons. The span risk almost makes the no-tail-rotor lose advantage IMHO.

Uncle Les' Quad has what I'd like to see and what I've been wondering about and what I want to add for a future gunship and medium and heavy transports. And I pop this question, besides being a Whif: Do these props have enough lift power for twin/quad configurations? What about downwash on the wings? What about downwash on the ground?

Jeez, Uncle, this is a winner, my questions notwithstanding!

Rafa

[uncle les]

.... And I pop this question, besides being a Whif: Do these props have enough lift power for twin/quad configurations? What about downwash on the wings? What about downwash on the ground?

Jeez, Uncle, this is a winner, my questions notwithstanding!

Rafa

.. 
cheers..  but there's one thing that I'll have to ratify if only for my own satisfaction ..how does it all fold up for stowage ?   I'm thinking some giveaway panel lines and some transformerlike complex module folds.  I'll come up with something.
As for downwash etc - the wings are almost ornamental and as we have five blade screws all contrarotating in opposite corners the problems of unwanted downwash, cavitation and torque are solved in one neat little package... anyway.. beautiful plumage..   ( There...  I think I got away with that..    )
 

[elmayerle]

For stowage, two of the three blades on each V-22 nacelle fold a couple inches clear of the spinner.  A "folded and stowed" V-22 is quite an example of careful work.  I'm not sure you could stow a quad-rotor quite as much as a V-22, simply because you'd have two wings to rotate to above the fuselage instead of one and you'd need to make certain they clearly each other.

[uncle les]

For stowage, two of the three blades on each V-22 nacelle fold a couple inches clear of the spinner.  A "folded and stowed" V-22 is quite an example of careful work.  I'm not sure you could stow a quad-rotor quite as much as a V-22, simply because you'd have two wings to rotate to above the fuselage instead of one and you'd need to make certain they clearly each other.

Like I said.. lots of panel lines indicating a transformer folding rubics cube of an airframe/wing combination.
Either that or make like a Harrier's long-range wing extensions and provide an allen key and a meccano-esque instruction sheet.
 

[Diamondback]

Or maybe accept a more limited rotation arc and slightly wider bird, having the wings scissor until the aft LE almost but not quite butts up to the forward TE?

[elmayerle]

Actually, it's more likely to be nacelle back ends nestling against TE's or LE's than anything else.  After the rotors fold, the nacelle rotates down to aircraft mode.

[Gingie]

this is AMAZING! Very inspiring build you've got going on. Did you cast up a RTV master for the props & nosecone (hint, hint  :)

[Kerick]

this is AMAZING! Very inspiring build you've got going on. Did you cast up a RTV master for the props & nosecone (hint, hint  :)

He cheated and 3D printed them. Do the right thing and share with your friends!

[uncle les]

A quick trip through the US decal box yields some suitable USMC markings ( the side "MARINES" is obscured in these pics)
One more night of tinkering, weathering, toning, demasking etc should see this finished.

[Rafael]

Bravo, Uncle!!! 

Beautifully and masterfully crafted!. And since great minds think alike, I've come up with something along those lines, but bigger for my medium and heavies. I like my planes with empennages on them. I see you have twin surfaces, my faves, too. But I've run aground with their placement. Do your vertical surfaces rotate along with the wing assembly for stowing?.

All in all, a winner, you have there.

[uncle les]

...  But I've run aground with their placement. Do your vertical surfaces rotate along with the wing assembly for stowing?.

Thanks for the kind words Rafael.  I reckon the empennage in this case drops down as a whole section pivoting from underneath to clear the path of the swivelling rear wing section.   But to be honest...  I didn't really put as much thought into this part of the operation as I should have.  I just literally stuck two V22s together and hoped for the best !  It just didn't look right to me without a vertical tail or two.

[Jeffry Fontaine]

...  But I've run aground with their placement. Do your vertical surfaces rotate along with the wing assembly for stowing?.

Thanks for the kind words Rafael.  I reckon the empennage in this case drops down as a whole section pivoting from underneath to clear the path of the swivelling rear wing section.   But to be honest...  I didn't really put as much thought into this part of the operation as I should have.  I just literally stuck two V22s together and hoped for the best !  It just didn't look right to me without a vertical tail or two.

Some of the concept artwork for a Quad Tilt-Rotor Aircraft depicted an aircraft with no tail empennage whatsoever.  Something that might be possible I suspect with state of the art fly-by-wire systems and a good data processing system to control flight characteristics.  The original concept for the V-22 Osprey had it sporting a large V type tail which was very appealing to me. 

[LemonJello]

That is an amazing Quad Tilt Rotor, and it looks even better in Marine battle taxi colors/markings.  (I may have a bias toward Marine Aviation). 

All in all, a fantastic build. 

[Buzzbomb]

Masterful...
another "whip 'em out" Uncle Les work of art.

You are certainly burning through the ABS on that 3d Printer.
What is it like to glue/paint/sand/cut.. etc ?

[uncle les]

Methinks it's done !








Now, onto the next whim. 

[GTX_Admin]

 :)

[Volkodav]

Outstanding!

[elmayerle]

That's beautiful!!  Use two of the Italieri kits?

[kitnut617]

What everone else is saying --- can't add much more Les   :) :) :) :)   (I like [d'oh! wrong site])