Pellsons Perceivings

[Gondor]

...the main thing still not located is the cockpit tray with the lowered navigator position.

Got it! Not very many excuses left not to get on with it, methinks..

My main problem  with the design is to area rule the fuselage to an extent. I haven't really figured out how to do that just yet. The fin/stabilator assembly will just be thinned out significantly, and provided that I can mend the huge holes left after cutting away the ridiculously thick wing, a wing plan form will sort itself. I think we're about to start cutting plastic!

In other news, the Defender is still silently dripping fuel outside. Hopefully, I'll get the spare parts needed today and/or tomorrow, but the frweezing temperatures aren't really inviting me to get going with the tools. Ah, well. Eventually, thaw will set in and then I can get on with it. Or I just might get the feeeling and attack it regardless. That has been known to occur, every now and then..

The thing is to understand what Area Ruling is. Try the link below.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_rule

It took me a little bit to understand it but basically, as far as I understand it, you add the width of the fuselage and anything else attached to it, such as wings, together as a total and dont consider the width of the fuselage by itself and then keep the totals as aerodynamic as possible, not just haveing an aerodynamic fuselage.

This has just given me an idea to try and write/draw this as simpley as posible and as understandable as possible like I did with the NACA intake for a previous newsletter.

Gondor

[Pellson]

The thing is to understand what Area Ruling is. Try the link below.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_rule

It took me a little bit to understand it but basically, as far as I understand it, you add the width of the fuselage and anything else attached to it, such as wings, together as a total and dont consider the width of the fuselage by itself and then keep the totals as aerodynamic as possible, not just haveing an aerodynamic fuselage.

This has just given me an idea to try and write/draw this as simpley as posible and as understandable as possible like I did with the NACA intake for a previous newsletter.

Gondor

Thanks, Alistair. I'm aware of the physics behind the design, but then again - this being modelling, it just needs to look right. Not necessarily be right.
Looking at the F-102, it is quite apparent that the original supersonic Javelin derivative, the Gloster P.376 had exactly the same "nibs" flanking the exhausts as the Delta Dagger.



However, it just seems to scabbed on to be a properly engineered solution. It's a fat suit, rather than a well groomed body, if you permit such a thought.

And again, looking at the inspirational pic - it just isn't as nice looking as the FAW.9, is it?



As earlier mentioned, I have built (but not yet shown) a Javelin derivative based on the original Thin Wing Javelin (P.376) thinking. It's a huge machine, with big high altitude wings carrying massive engines and lots of tankage to support a GIUK gap CAP role. In short - it's a brute. This time, I want something neater. Something that isn't that much bigger that the original series and that more or less is what the Javelin should have been, had it's designers just had the Mach 1 requirement to consider. But the original fuselage is a challenge, that's for sure.

[Pellson]

No modelling over Christmas, and tbh - I would be somewhat surprised should I be able to do something at all before New Years.

And there are other things to do. Today I finally got round replacing the faulty reduction valve in the fuel pressure regulator on the Defender. I had originally hoped to sort this before Christmas but the freezing temperatures have been putting me off. It's a job annoying enough without having to freeze your jewellery off. The job itself is not really a very onerous one, but some previous owner had replaced the original bolts with Allen bolt. Not ideal in a location where the main constraint is longitudinally from the bolts perspective. But it got sorted and the beast doesn't seem to leak any fuel for the time being. So all well there, I guess.

Still toying around with the Javelins, they might be the first projects coming up after the holidays. We'll see.

[Rheged]

No modelling over Christmas, and tbh - I would be somewhat surprised should I be able to do something at all before New Years.

And there are other things to do. Today I finally got round replacing the faulty reduction valve in the fuel pressure regulator on the Defender. I had originally hoped to sort this before Christmas but the freezing temperatures have been putting me off. It's a job annoying enough without having to freeze your jewellery off. The job itself is not really a very onerous one, but some previous owner had replaced the original bolts with Allen bolt. Not ideal in a location where the main constraint is longitudinally from the bolts perspective. But it got sorted and the beast doesn't seem to leak any fuel for the time being. So all well there, I guess.

Still toying around with the Javelins, they might be the first projects coming up after the holidays. We'll see.

Well done , sir!!

[Pellson]

Modelling this year has so far been limited to some detail painting of my almost completed Meteor PR.9A. Antennae, linescanner ports and exhausts, to be precise. Some minor touch ups left, and then decalling.

I haven't really dared to start the Javelin FAW.11 (I think that's the mark no I'll use, leaving Mk 10 for the PR variant) due to some uncertainty regarding how to realise the area ruling in plastic. However, it seems all pieces now are located in one single box, and it's a start, if a modest one. Maybe I'll just start as we always do, with the cockpit and then take it from there.

Also, the week starting in an hour or so is the first work week in a while. That might impede progress a bit, but we'll see. I'm not supposed to go full bore just yet, so there will be time if I just can conserve energy enough.

In other news, snow has returned, just to most likely go away already on Wednesday. We'll - right now it's pretty if somewhat cold and quite annoying to clear the driveway every week. But pretty.

[kerick]

Snow always looks pretty looking through a window.
I hope your Javelin comes together for you. It sure sounds promising.

[NARSES2]

Snow always looks pretty looking through a window.

Also helps when it's fresh and clean. Unfortunately in London that seldom lasts more than an hour post sunrise 

[kerick]

Then it turns to snirt, snow plus dirt!

[NARSES2]

Then it turns to snirt, snow plus dirt!

Yup, but years ago you could also see all the car exhaust stains on it as yell, and some of that was yellow  Don't tend to see that nowadays

[Pellson]

[Whine mode]
I'm pretty anxious about the security developments in our part of the world. The six Russian LPDs currently operating in the Baltic can between them carry more men and equipment than we can field totally, and he who sits on Gotland will own the entire region. We also see aerial incursions over all our main power grid junctions and airports as well as quite a few strange observations around key harbours. These are indeed foul times..
in the mean time, the ever cursed pandemic is skyrocketing, forcing us (the family) to dig in again. And the kids, especially the youngest, so badly needs his mates. Sweden changed its recommendations from six to five months interval between jabs no 2 and 3 almost a month after anyone else, and this at a time when many of our neighbours have gone to four or even three months. Having the infection history I have, the first day I'm eligible for no 3 is on the 1st of February. The two weeks remaining are quite annoying indeed..
[/whine mode]

We're packing down Christmas today, so no room for modelling. But sod that - I managed to sneak away for a few minutes yesterday to cut some wings and add some resin tip tanks to an old Matchbox Meteor two seater. It looks really good, but the much thicker Special Hobby wings those tanks were made for I are causing some issues that will require PSR. I really despise that on resin due to the dust hazard, but I might just have to do it outside then.
Another day.

[DogfighterZen]

Let's just hope the Russians don't go any further than that... 

[Rick Lowe]

Let's just hope the Russians don't go any further than that... 

Hoping and Praying for the best, but just in case - how are your language skills? 

Sorry, not a good time, but trying to keep a smile on your dial. 

[kitbasher]

Fingers crossed Mr P that the next two weeks fly by and jab 3 is in your arm before you know it.

The incursions are interesting, media reports suggest drones not conventional, manned aircraft.  Drone events in the vicinity of airports are generally not new, they've happened in the UK and elsewhere in Europe (can't comment about the power stations).  Transportrylsen should be on top of these, EU states have been coordinating efforts to establish and apply common drone regulations for a number of years now (inc pre-Brexit UK).

[Pellson]

Fingers crossed Mr P that the next two weeks fly by and jab 3 is in your arm before you know it.

The incursions are interesting, media reports suggest drones not conventional, manned aircraft.  Drone events in the vicinity of airports are generally not new, they've happened in the UK and elsewhere in Europe (can't comment about the power stations).  Transportrylsen should be on top of these, EU states have been coordinating efforts to establish and apply common drone regulations for a number of years now (inc pre-Brexit UK).

These drones seem to be winged long range larger variants, not the quad- to octacopters we usually see for civilian work. Currently, the police(!) tries to chase them down with helicopters, but so far to no avail.

About half he LPDs/LSTs operating here went westwards yesterday and as far as I've understood, fear now is that they're going towards the Black Sea. While I obviously rather see them there than here, best would be if they just went home to Murmansk. We're still keeping our guard up, just in case.
And I actually got around to shoot in both my rifles. I haven't been bothered for the last two years, but it seems a bit daft having long range stuff non-operational in times like this. Brought the 14 yo to the range and she's almost as good a marksman as I am, easily picking off beer can sized targets out to 200 metres.  Good lass!

Another upside is that I'm getting so violent Cold War vibes that I, without really putting any effort into it, has drawn up a sequence for a backstory of a band of European F-104 MLU's, bringing them all the way into the 21st century without losing the F-16's. Heck - I might even get 'round to decal up the Dutch one that's sitting on the Shelf of Doom^TM

[Rick Lowe]

Inspiration is where you find it. 

Nice that Daughter is happy to follow in Dad's footsteps regarding enjoying shooting, rather than the usual 'Eyeroll, Whatevs!' or 'Guns are Evil!'