Grumman FB-2G Grebe - FINISHED - pic's pg.10

[Old Wombat]

Things have been happening. Slowly, I'll admit, due to work & 1:1 scale fernery construction, but happening, none the less.

I hope to get some photo's up sometime in the next day or two - mostly it's been detailing the sadly sparse cockpit & fitting the nose-wheel well.

[Old Wombat]

Photo's of minimal progress:

Almost all the lumpy-bumpy bits are scratch-built;














Most was built from my memory without references but I've brightened up the panels because it's not a Tracker. The vertical control column is what our (RAN) E's & G's had (don't know what model the kit's front-panel style column came from), I'm pretty sure I have the wing-fold controls modelled on the top panel somewhere, & the curtain is to block the void behind the cockpit.

[Old Wombat]

Next update:

The fuselage bunged together with some filler strips (more required) & the radome nose fitted.









Still don't know what to do with the rear end; drop chute for survival equipment or radome?

Suggestions?

[PR19_Kit]

An extending MAD boom perhaps?

[Old Wombat]

Thanks, Kit, but as she's going to be a SAR bird, so I think the MAD boom is slightly out of place. However, if I was to fit one, it'd be the Tracker's own retractable boom.

If I was to make her an ASW bird there'd need to be a second (different) aircraft type with her to drop the ordnance.

Options I'm toying with are;

Sonobuoy chutes are going to be for smoke-flares, with

1) A chute coming out the rear, loaded & launched by the non-pilot crew, for cased emergency equipment with maybe 4 or 6 internal reloads.

2) 2 x wing-mounted drop-cases & a radome on the butt

3) Go for nothing & just square off the end, with the crew relying on the smoke-flares to guide in watercraft if they can't land.



Note: The casings will have a small raft (3/4 person) & emergency supplies (medical, water, food) in them for those situations when the water is too rough to make a landing.



(Odd thought: How does one "land" on water? )

[zenrat]

It's looking very good.  Even if it's the wrong scale.

How about deploying a sea anchor from the back for use if down on open water?

[Old Wombat]

Thanks, Fred!



(Even if you are a follower of the False One True Scale. )

[PR19_Kit]

(Odd thought: How does one "land" on water? )

One doesn't, one 'alights'............. 

[Old Wombat]

"This is the Captain. The cabin crew will now prepare for alighting."



Nope, doesn't sound right.

[PR19_Kit]

But it's what floatplane people say about 'landing'.

[scooter]

As long as its not "crashing" or "sinking", I'd think either or would work.

[zenrat]

"Would the crew please secure the cabin for splashdown..."?

[Old Wombat]

Fuselage PSR complete, for now.

Photo's tomorrow later today, if I don't spend too much time at the South Australian Aircraft Museum, which is having an "open cockpit" day, with 9 cockpits available to sit in - camera is charged & ready to go!

[Old Wombat]

So, after a couple of rounds of PSR, the fuselage is in the following state;









More needs to be done before it's completely complete (landing gear wells, landing gear & the butt-end) & I can fit the wings & engines, which are what I'll start work on next.

[ericr]