Author Topic: AV-22 and E-22 Tilt Rotors  (Read 25749 times)

Offline kitnut617

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Re: AV-22 and E-22 Tilt Rotors
« Reply #100 on: November 15, 2018, 03:28:30 AM »
Hmm!  can that be downloaded as a DXF file ?

Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: AV-22 and E-22 Tilt Rotors
« Reply #101 on: November 16, 2018, 01:48:35 AM »
Hmm!  can that be downloaded as a DXF file ?


Ask the folks here:  http://ftebrand.com/product-category/decals/
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Offline kitnut617

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Re: AV-22 and E-22 Tilt Rotors
« Reply #102 on: November 16, 2018, 03:44:31 AM »
Thanks Greg, just did   :smiley:

Offline kitnut617

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Re: AV-22 and E-22 Tilt Rotors
« Reply #103 on: December 01, 2018, 08:14:21 AM »
Hmm!  can that be downloaded as a DXF file ?


Ask the folks here:  http://ftebrand.com/product-category/decals/


Didn't even get a response from them

Offline kitnut617

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Re: AV-22 and E-22 Tilt Rotors
« Reply #104 on: December 16, 2018, 04:03:52 AM »
I've done a little bit of a design change, after some more thought about the project. I decided to make the wing the same wing span as the V-22, previously I had said I had reduced the span where the wing goes over the new thinner fuselage but the wing area stayed the same. This reduction in span was 16mm, or 3'-9" in real length.

Studying what I've done to date I got thinking I really should have more space between the prop tips and the weapons bay doors when they're open for firing the RP's and Hellfires.

So using my other V-22 kit I have to test things, I made a plug to go in the wing by cutting out the appropriate amount from this other kit's wing. The plug will increase the half span of the project by 8mm.

Top pic below shows how I made the plug, I decided to use the split between the flaps and flaperons for where the plug will be. The second pic is of a pair of castings I made up, third and forth pics are where I cut the wings in half.

The castings are a first for me, that is because it's the first time I've included some metal. In this case a length of round brass tubing which is there for re-enforcing the splice.

Offline kitnut617

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Re: AV-22 and E-22 Tilt Rotors
« Reply #105 on: December 16, 2018, 04:07:44 AM »
And now it's all glued back together again. I should add that I haven't glued major items together yet as I'm still working on things that would be easier to do if the parts are separate.

These two pics show what the redesign is supposed to do, that's to create a bit more prop/sponson space

I've removed my refueling probe for now, I can now move it further out to have more room between it and the canopy.
« Last Edit: December 16, 2018, 04:19:05 AM by kitnut617 »

Offline kitnut617

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Re: AV-22 and E-22 Tilt Rotors
« Reply #106 on: December 16, 2018, 04:14:40 AM »
Not the only thing that's got done lately, got some more blades almost ready to glue to the bigger spinner. These are taking a bit longer these days, I've discovered that I'm getting a bit of arthritis in my knuckles and if I try to grip these small blade tips for too long while sanding them to shape and profile, the knuckles seize up and I can't move them. Getting old sucks --  :-\

Top pic shows the next three blades that are almost ready.

Bottom pic shows something else I wanted to make sure worked, fitting the large F-15 tank on the centerline. I did have to modify the nose to the tank though, that's so I could get the weight further forward. The restricting factor is the nose gear bay, the tank is right up to the rear end of the bay and the long pointy nose had the tank quite a bit further back.

The story is that the standard load out would be this tank, what's carried in the weapons bay, a couple of Sidewinders plus the guns. But it could carry just about anything else should it need to.  I'm also thinking of putting on ASRAAM missiles (this is a future tilt-rotor) and just recently I've read an article where they're thinking of making RP's guided. Using the control features of the ASRAAM would be more than practical for this I think, and it wouldn't have to be high tech either because of the short flight time the RP's do.

I'm also thinking that what I have as a FLIR turret, it could have EOTS mounted in it. Just a more robust mounting for flying "down in the weeds" is what I'm thinking here.
« Last Edit: December 16, 2018, 04:38:20 AM by kitnut617 »

Offline kitnut617

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Re: AV-22 and E-22 Tilt Rotors
« Reply #107 on: December 16, 2018, 05:25:27 AM »
And before I forget, I revised my refueling probe, it's now a 2-stage affair. The probe end will extend almost level with the front seater's head.

Another thing that got done was the starboard nacelle, all done except the blades for the prop,
« Last Edit: December 16, 2018, 05:28:43 AM by kitnut617 »

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: AV-22 and E-22 Tilt Rotors
« Reply #108 on: December 18, 2018, 07:13:53 AM »
That's some mighty fine progress!

That jig is almost as innovative as this concept!

Great stuff my friend.

Brian da Basher

Offline Old Wombat

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Re: AV-22 and E-22 Tilt Rotors
« Reply #109 on: December 18, 2018, 08:54:08 AM »
More impressive every post, mate! :smiley: 8)
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline kitnut617

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Re: AV-22 and E-22 Tilt Rotors
« Reply #110 on: December 18, 2018, 09:44:03 PM »
Thanks Brian, Guy ---

Offline kitnut617

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Re: AV-22 and E-22 Tilt Rotors
« Reply #111 on: December 23, 2018, 12:18:52 AM »
As always, it comes to the time when some paint has to be applied. I've used the main colour of the scheme I'm going with, which is Light Ghost Grey, as a base coat and mainly to hide the patchwork of colours/parts used to get an overall view of things. One of the reasons for splashing on the paint was to see what needs to be fixed (scratches, cracks and parts just missed while sanding), the light grey doing just that too, there's a whole lot of work still left to do before I glue main bits together.  Another reason for the paint is I wanted to check that the old grey/green scheme I had used on the A-10 wouldn't react with the new paint. That's because the old paint is acrylic and the new paint is enamel, I've read that acrylic doesn't do too well when overpainted with enamels. So far nothing has happened, so could be the 30 odd year curing time could have helped here  ;D

So here's some pics of it in it's new colour
« Last Edit: December 23, 2018, 07:16:32 AM by kitnut617 »

Offline kitnut617

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Re: AV-22 and E-22 Tilt Rotors
« Reply #112 on: December 23, 2018, 12:21:34 AM »
I trialed a new location for the refueling probe, and I think I'll stick with it. It's now in the nose of the port sponson. Installing it there helps where the extend tip ends up which is much further forward of the prop/rotor.

Offline kitnut617

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Re: AV-22 and E-22 Tilt Rotors
« Reply #113 on: December 23, 2018, 12:23:54 AM »
Here's a top view too. 

I've been working on giving the figures 'helmet mounted HUD'. Pictures of that shortly because it's a bit fiddley and I had to wait for the glue to dry properly before I carry on with it. But you can see where I'm at with it in some of these latest pics (only the front-seater at the moment though)

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Re: AV-22 and E-22 Tilt Rotors
« Reply #114 on: December 23, 2018, 02:37:53 AM »
Damn this looks good! :smiley:
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

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But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: AV-22 and E-22 Tilt Rotors
« Reply #115 on: December 23, 2018, 03:13:00 AM »
Damn this looks good! :smiley:

Wot 'e said!

Fantastic progress, Robert!

Brian da Basher

Offline kitnut617

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Re: AV-22 and E-22 Tilt Rotors
« Reply #116 on: December 23, 2018, 07:11:10 AM »
Thanks Greg, Brian ---

I'm still not decided how the rear end of the canopy will go, I think it needs to extend back to the front fairing of the wing box. I've been looking through the spares box but not found anything that seems to work for me. It may be something I'll have to scratch build ---

I can't show you how it looks from the bottom yet, the main parts are still not glued together. I have to slow myself down because I get the urge to glue the sponson on so I can see it on it's wheels properly, but I'm still working out how I'll get the flaps to work and it needs to be without any obstruction when I get around to cutting parts.
« Last Edit: December 23, 2018, 07:14:25 AM by kitnut617 »

Offline Kerick

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Re: AV-22 and E-22 Tilt Rotors
« Reply #117 on: December 23, 2018, 11:13:00 AM »
Good idea to take your time. You don’t want to glue something together and have to take it apart again.

Offline Old Wombat

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Re: AV-22 and E-22 Tilt Rotors
« Reply #118 on: December 23, 2018, 08:56:52 PM »
Great improvements! :smiley: 8)


Not that it really needed any. ;)
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline kitnut617

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Re: AV-22 and E-22 Tilt Rotors
« Reply #119 on: December 23, 2018, 10:21:36 PM »
Thanks Guy, Kerick

Offline FAAMAN

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Re: AV-22 and E-22 Tilt Rotors
« Reply #120 on: December 28, 2018, 09:13:44 AM »
Whoa!!  :smiley: :smiley:
This is probably the best engineered WHIFF I've ever seen, superb work great idea development.
Can't wait to see what a "modern" gunship will look like, continue the amazing work sir  8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)
"Resistance is useless, prepare to be assembled!"

Offline kitnut617

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Re: AV-22 and E-22 Tilt Rotors
« Reply #121 on: December 28, 2018, 10:01:05 PM »
Thanks mate!

Offline kitnut617

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Re: AV-22 and E-22 Tilt Rotors
« Reply #122 on: December 29, 2018, 10:24:36 PM »
I've been posting my progress over on the What-If Forum as well, which generated a lot of discussion ----

The outcome was I decided to ""revise"" my refueling probe after viewing a number of videos and photos of helicopters with their refueling probes.

So here is Refueling Probe Mk.3:

Top pic is retracted, next two with it extended.

Offline kitnut617

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Re: AV-22 and E-22 Tilt Rotors
« Reply #123 on: January 28, 2019, 04:00:47 AM »
So further back in the thread I mentioned that I would try to give the crew figures helmet mounted HUDs.

I found a photo on the internet of something along the lines I was thinking about.

Offline kitnut617

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Re: AV-22 and E-22 Tilt Rotors
« Reply #124 on: January 28, 2019, 04:02:26 AM »
So here are a few pics of what I came up with. I started off with a pilot figure like the one on the right.