VFW-Fokker VF-500

[Caveman]

Whilst perusing secretprojects.co.uk I found this interesting little thread: https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/european-rpv-and-uav-projects-from-the-70s.7281/

And in it was this little 3 view:



It is a project for a strike UAV from West Germany from the 1970s. I thought it looked neat and so I had a go at CAD'ing it up.





At 1/72 it is just about small enough to fit on my resin printer whole (this is not the best orientation to print things). Ill have a go at printing it and seeing if I can paint it up as something for the Luftwaffe ~late 1970s.

There's a load of variations on this theme in the thread linked above, and I may try some of them too.

[Kerick]

Looks like it was meant to drop bombs and return to base. Not a suicide drone. Interesting.

[ChernayaAkula]

Super interesting! 

Wonder how a pair of these would look hanging from the wings of a Transall....

[Caveman]

Looks like it was meant to drop bombs and return to base. Not a suicide drone. Interesting.

Yeah, thats my interpretation. Im tempted to try to model the landing gear too.

Super interesting! 

Wonder how a pair of these would look hanging from the wings of a Transall....

Ah, similar to a herc with some BQM-34s?

[Dr. YoKai]

Looks promising-hope the printing goes smoothly.

[GTX_Admin]

 

[GTX_Admin]

Wonder how a pair of these would look hanging from the wings of a Transall....

My thoughts exactly!!

[LemonJello]

That's an intriguing concept. 

Looking forward to seeing your 3D print results.

[ChernayaAkula]

Wonder how a pair of these would look hanging from the wings of a Transall....

Ah, similar to a herc with some BQM-34s?

Exactly what I was thinking about!   

[Caveman]

Looks promising-hope the printing goes smoothly.

That's an intriguing concept. 

Looking forward to seeing your 3D print results.

Thanks both, me too!

I've modelled up some landing gear. Its a bit crude but I am dealing with components that are measured in fractions of a mm! I will not be surprised if it doesn't come out and I have to just go with the gear up version.

[Frank3k]

Looks good!

You could try printing the main gear (sans wheel) vertically (with the door) and use the retraction arm as a support. Maybe some light supports on bottom of the gear door. The doors can probably be 0.5-0.75mm thick

Are you going to print the body as a single piece? I'm trying to visualize the easiest ways to print this; the bottom looks fairly flat, so that can be a single part, with the supports for both the upper and lower halves on the inside. This would preserve panel details and surface quality.

Supporting the wings and tail surfaces will be tough, since they're going to be thin... unless you want to print them vertically.

[Caveman]

Cheers, I thought I might get away with the gearless version as a oner. But really I expect to split the aircraft into parts. One of the best ways I've found of doing it is to split it down the middle. This gives me a left and right half with the centreline on the build plate (so nice and flat). That means I can print the wings vertically with a reasonably stable base. The landing gear, weapons and probably the engine nacelle will be printed separately.

[andys]

The engine position reminds me of something Germanic and unmanned and a little bit... well... V-1-ish... 

[Caveman]

A little play with splitting the model. Trying for minimum number of parts. I've hollowed out the rear fuselage but left the nose solid. I'm hoping this will help keep it on its nose gear. Test print when the weather is warm enough for the resin...

[Caveman]

Colour scheme wise, Im thinking a simplified version of Norm 72. With only one of the splinter colours. Im erring on the side of the brown/green rather than the grey. I might put a hi viz band around the engine nacelle too :)

[Kerick]

A little play with splitting the model. Trying for minimum number of parts. I've hollowed out the rear fuselage but left the nose solid. I'm hoping this will help keep it on its nose gear. Test print when the weather is warm enough for the resin...

That engine pod looks like it would be perfect for my next Skyfox type whif of an F-86. Hmmmmm…..

[Frank3k]

A little play with splitting the model. Trying for minimum number of parts. I've hollowed out the rear fuselage but left the nose solid. I'm hoping this will help keep it on its nose gear. Test print when the weather is warm enough for the resin...

The supports look pretty good. What printer are you using?  I think you mentioned it on the What-if forum, but what software are you using for the design? I hear you about waiting for warmer weather - I'm tempted to take a space heater up to my "lab" just to bring the temps near the printer's tent up to 74F-78F (23-25C)

[Caveman]

A little play with splitting the model. Trying for minimum number of parts. I've hollowed out the rear fuselage but left the nose solid. I'm hoping this will help keep it on its nose gear. Test print when the weather is warm enough for the resin...

The supports look pretty good. What printer are you using?  I think you mentioned it on the What-if forum, but what software are you using for the design? I hear you about waiting for warmer weather - I'm tempted to take a space heater up to my "lab" just to bring the temps near the printer's tent up to 74F-78F (23-25C)

Anycubic Photon Mono. Currently the build room is ~ 14C

That engine pod looks like it would be perfect for my next Skyfox type whif of an F-86. Hmmmmm…..

Happy to send you the stl if you'd like

[Kerick]

I might be able to get someone from my club to try it. We have a meeting on Saturday and I’ll ask.

[ChernayaAkula]

Colour scheme wise, Im thinking a simplified version of Norm 72. With only one of the splinter colours. Im erring on the side of the brown/green rather than the grey. I might put a hi viz band around the engine nacelle too :)

Sounds realistic.  German Canadair CL-289 drones, for instance, had light grey bellies and green topsides.

[Kerick]

I was just thinking this would look cool with a V tail!

[Caveman]

Sounds realistic.  German Canadair CL-289 drones, for instance, had light grey bellies and green topsides.

Thats some useful info, thank you!

[Caveman]

So first couple of print attempts havent quite gone to plan. I've got a reasonable nose and engine nacelle so far - which is lucky as my printer is operating at ~10C! I've made some custom supports straight onto the CAD model. Hopefully they provide a bit more support.

[Caveman]

I have a kit of parts!



Some quite thin structures there!



Very pleased with how the landing gear came out.



Itll need some clean up. But I think it should go together reasonably well :)

[LemonJello]

Those do look like some nice prints.