EH-101 AEW Petrel

BlackOps · January 27, 2008, 09:31:22 AM

You sir, are a madman! Nice work on the rotor hub, I'd have never come up with your solution.

kitnut617 · January 27, 2008, 01:49:53 PM

I've got a few details sorted out for the interior, I went with the Merlin radar operator stations but I've partitioned off the back end into a relief crew area and the electronics bay. I decided to go with a mast mounted satcom antena dome plus whatever other signals that need to be transmitted will use the dome. I had to sort this out so I could figure out which windows will be filled in, which is most of them on the port side and on the starboard side I'll keep two windows right at the front which are adjacent to the operators station and one or two near the back seats.

With the sponsons on there's no place for a side door except one, this is right by the operators seats are (with the tiny small window opening) and would be an escape door only, on the other side of the wall the very front tapered end of the sponson overlaps this door so part of it will be attached to the door when opened.

kitnut617 · January 27, 2008, 02:22:45 PM

With a bit of filing to the outside of the part, the front wheel bay will fit inside the sponson. Also here you can see how the front of the sponson overlaps the door with the tiny window in it.

Ed S · January 27, 2008, 03:03:08 PM

Quote from: kitnut617 on January 27, 2008, 02:22:45 PM
With a bit of filing to the outside, the front wheel bay will fit inside the sponson. Also here you can see how the front of the sponson overlaps the door with the tiny window in it.

Have you considered rescribing the door to still have an escape hatch for the crew?

Ed

kitnut617 · January 27, 2008, 03:15:52 PM

Quote from: Ed S on January 27, 2008, 03:03:08 PM
Quote from: kitnut617 on January 27, 2008, 02:22:45 PM
With a bit of filing to the outside, the front wheel bay will fit inside the sponson. Also here you can see how the front of the sponson overlaps the door with the tiny window in it.

Have you considered rescribing the door to still have an escape hatch for the crew?

Ed

Hi Ed,

Yeah, I'll get around to that once I've got the thing together but I need to fill in some of the existing panel lines on the sponson first, at the moment though I'm just sorting out the essentials, making sure that bits I'm modifying will actually work

I want to get the interior painted pretty soon so I can close up the fusealge then I can work on the exterior. Got a bunch of windows to fill in first though.

Cheers.....

Captain Canada · January 27, 2008, 04:03:59 PM

Awesome job, Robert !

I'm thinking up some BS story about a design competition between your 'pretender' and my 'contender' for the AEW contract. You know, something about your stretch and six bladed rotors adding to costs and curtailing fleet commonality.....oops, maybe I said to much ! I bet the Kitnut PR Dept. has already flown into overdrive !

In other news, I've found the rotorhead. The boy has glued it all together, but there's enough salvagable bits on there to accomplish your mod. Do you want a spare tail rotor as well ? Drop me a pm with your mailing addy and I'll get them on the go tomorrow.

Cheers !

Captain Canada · January 27, 2008, 04:17:45 PM

I stole your idea and I'm not even ashamed ! Well, maybe a little, bit you gotta admit, that bird is just too cool not to copy ! There's your rotor head in there as well, and my favourite modelling tool !

You mind if I share your thread ?

Scooterman · January 27, 2008, 04:35:40 PM

Quote from: Captain Canada on January 27, 2008, 04:17:45 PM
and my favourite modelling tool !

AH I see you model with beer googles too!

Eddie M. · January 27, 2008, 04:49:49 PM

Outstanding work! I wish I would have thought of using that pattern thingy when I was eyeballing the blades into position on several of my projects. :banghead:Looking forward to the rollout of this fine machine.

Eddie

kitnut617 · January 27, 2008, 06:53:52 PM

Quote from: Captain Canada on January 27, 2008, 04:17:45 PM
I stole your idea and I'm not even ashamed ! Well, maybe a little, bit you gotta admit, that bird is just too cool not to copy ! There's your rotor head in there as well, and my favourite modelling tool !

You mind if I share your thread ?

Not at all, two builds are better than one Captain, PM me your address and I'll reply with mine and we can exchange parts. I like your fav' modelling tool too, mines more like a rum & coke.

I've made a bit of progress, I decided to scrap my idea of going to four engines, the engine pylon is not symetrical and it just wouldn't work very well. Sooo, I'm going to up-engine it instead, I'll use the spare pylon from the Merlin. Here I've extended the rear engine nacelle by 15mm, I will eventually cut of the exhaust pipe and put in a larger diameter one later, I'm just playing with the idea at the moment. The front engines will be moved ahead about the same amount, 15mm.

I've also done the rear entrance tunnel and doorway. As this would be just for AEW work there's no chance of it being used for anything else so the rear ramp would be eliminated and the space in the back either side of the tunnel is used for equipment. I'm thinking of changing the designation to AWAC too.

Captain Canada · January 27, 2008, 07:19:53 PM

Oh yeah.....love the bigger engine housing and the tunnel idea !

And since I'm sharing your thread, here's a pic I thought you'd appreciate, instead of starting anew thread for something nobody other than ourselves really care about ! My boy ( number 217 ) is on the inside.

BTW, I think that big kid is cheating !

kitnut617 · January 27, 2008, 07:30:27 PM

Quote from: Captain Canada on January 27, 2008, 07:19:53 PM
Oh yeah.....love the bigger engine housing and the tunnel idea !

And since I'm sharing your thread, here's a pic I thought you'd appreciate, instead of starting anew thread for something nobody other than ourselves really care about ! My boy ( number 217 ) is on the inside.
BTW, I think that big kid is cheating !

hmm! that wouldn't be you now would it? That's real cool getting the little guys into bikes, my kid started when he was six on a y-zinger, he's 28 now and has a hopped up RM250. Mind you he lives down in the Dominican Republic now with his Uncle, so he can ride all year around too, but in the warm

Captain Canada · January 27, 2008, 08:09:52 PM

Ya, I wish that kid was me, Robert ! Although people like to say " you're living thru your kids" it's actually more like " I'm not riding so my kids can ". Sadly, the wee Katoom is locked in the garage, awaiting her turn in the mud......

nev · January 28, 2008, 02:36:50 AM

This is some seriously impressive work......BAZTASTIC! in fact

kitnut617 · January 28, 2008, 07:04:15 AM

Quote from: Captain Canada on January 27, 2008, 08:09:52 PM
Ya, I wish that kid was me, Robert ! Although people like to say " you're living thru your kids" it's actually more like " I'm not riding so my kids can ". Sadly, the wee Katoom is locked in the garage, awaiting her turn in the mud......

He! He! Well our balmy weather spell has ended, we're back to artic conditions, -31C but feels like -48C with the wind chill, so my KDX will stay where it is for quite a while longer I think.