USN P-4 Pluto **DONE, PICS PG. 10***

[TheChronicOne]

I've gone the extra mile. I'm not only making a what-if model, I made a whole what-if MODEL KIT. How many individual modelers go to such lengths just to make a kit for themselves?!

I'm going to just copy/paste most of what I said about this in my blog already as it covers most of it:

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The "story" so far:

It's the late 1950's and after two tragic L-188 Electra II crashes, in THIS alternate world, the production not only stopped on the civil version but any plans for military use also went out the window. This creates a gap where the P-3 would have existed but since that plan is now cancelled, we still need a replacement for the Neptune. In steps the General Dynamics P-4 Pluto.

The Pluto utilizes two rear-mounted Pratt and Whitney JT3D-C (C for "compact") engines which are smaller versions of the larger JT3D family of engines. Approximately 2/3 the size of the originals, the new engines were designated "TF33C" for military applications. Rear mounted due to the low wing, naturally, and different. I could have went with an internal engine...but then, being Navy, I would have needed two and that involved serious modification. This is much simpler and is rather novel so I like it.

Let's see... what else....  Role...  It's role is anti-submarine and maritime patrol. It was designed with this in mind therefore has a compartment stretching across the bottom of the aircraft to contain those little sonobouy things. It also has a rather large fuel tank in the fuselage (gotta stick SOMETHING in there  ) and with the addition of wing tanks and external drop-tanks the Pluto has an impressive range.

Probably sounds pretty stupid to the folks more "in the know" about all this but I did what I could.    A lot of this was dictated by what I had available and how the plane itself could be configured. It just wound up being that this stuff fits the bill more than any other things I could think of.


SO, I got a little carried away. I decided it would be nice to have a box to put all these parts in so I found one then decided, "You know what? Why not just MAKE YOUR OWN DAMN KIT."      So, I made a kit! I still need to throw a sheet of decals in there and some "instructions" but I have "sealed" parts in a box with art work even. What fun!   

Here's the parts and then the box. I even color coded the bags... blue one for clear parts and associated such as the cockpit and things by the nose, green for undercarriage because green is the Earth and contact the gear, and yellow for other small parts.











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Fast forward to now.

I think some may have thought I was fibbing, but I wasn't. This is now underway!

I've glued together the wings then sawed away the middle part so I could properly fit them. I needed this to happen so I could plot out where the rest of things go like the cockpit and tail stuff. After a few hours of measuring and consideration I've mocked up what I plan to do: 







I tried to make it nice and tight so I could plan further but some of this is a bit droopy and misaligned. Also, I'm going to further adjust the whole empennage area to make the cruciform tail and rear engine arrangement look/function better.

So, I'm going to triple check all this stuff then mark and cut out the cockpit. I have all the parts to make it. I have a tub, a seat, a control panel, a stick, and plenty of sheet styrene to shore it all in. Nose weight or something after that then it will be more checking and checking then maybe closing up the fuselage to work on the wings.

Long read.   




EDIT:     Storing this "parts list" here as I had problems finding it just now; it was buried in my blog.    This thing has stuff from all over. Including a number of parts I can't place, I have gear from a 1/100 scale Nitto 707 (oh, that's where the enginges came from too) the tires are from 1/72 scale Phantom kit. Canopy is a 1/72 Mustang. Fuselage is 1/72 B-58 pod. Wings are from 1/144 Caravelle. Fin is from 1/72 F-15.  Not sure where all the cockpit parts came from. Drop tanks and arrestor hook came from aforemention Phantom kit.

[TheChronicOne]

 

Thanks, brotha!  I think I have 90% of what I need and through the grace of Mother Putty and Saint Sheet Styrene we'll have us an operational bird. 

[Dizzyfugu]

Looking good

Personally I'd have the wing's much further back, wing trailing edge at or almost at the engine intakes like a bizjet. Just my two cents...

Second that -  would also make sense for the landing gear, the wings appear quite far forward when I estimate the aircraft's CoG, and hiding the recracted legs somewhere is easier in the wings than in the fuselage (would also make a very narrow track). Nice package, nevertheless!

[Gondor]

Reminds me of a Scott Furlong aircraft only they had the wing at the top of the fuselage.


That was a whiff as it was from a TV series in the uk made in the mid 60's called "The Plane Makers"

Gondor

[Scotaidh]

Very nice!  As a former squid, I approve!     (As if that meant anything!  )

An easy add-on would be a high-power search-light. The Nimrod had a Searchwater light in the nose of the starboard slipper-tank (the thing sticking forward out of the wing).  I read somewhere that it could light up a quarter square mile of ocean ... here's a picture of it




All you need is a spare drop tank shaped thing that you can slot onto the front of the wing, and put a clear bit into the front of it.

I once made a targeting pod that way, by melting a bit of clear sprue - it went all clear and globular, once heat was applied.

[Snowtrooper]

All you need is a spare drop tank shaped thing that you can slot onto the front of the wing, and put a clear bit into the front of it.

I once made a targeting pod that way, by melting a bit of clear sprue - it went all clear and globular, once heat was applied.

With a bit of skill, even PVA glue can be used to make a clear-ish seeker head or searchlight (just as long it's a brand that dries to somewhat translucent), though you can't (easily) make a very conical shape with that and the illusion is only good for smallish lenses.

[TheChronicOne]

Love to get back here and see some feedback! I think y'all are right, I'll move the wings back some. I just don't want it to be too tail heavy, with the engines back there but then again much of the fuselage is going to be heavy with fuel anyway. Damn fine point about the gear and I'll not have to pack as much nose weight in it this way. Third, again, I think I agree with you all in aesthetics as well, it should look better with the wings back. I can't move them too far back, however, due to the shape of the fuselage. if I go too far back, I'd have to add in a boat load of scratch built and putty-made stuff in order to get the wings straight and bridge the gap where the fuselage gets quite narrow. BUT, I do have some wiggle room so I'll move them back and take some more pictures later and see what you guys think? I appreciate the help! 

I like the searchlight idea! I actually have some rounded clear lenses and pods and stuff in the stash, I should be able to easily make one or two of these and incorporate them. I was also thinking of adding a third role to this thing and have it be an aerial refueller. I could put two drogue pods on the wings. Why not, yeah? Since this thing will be loaded with fuel, I think it makes sense. They'd probably come to the same conclusion IRL. Hell, if they can turn an Intruder into a refueler then this thing can be, too. 

[TheChronicOne]

OK! Per the advice, the wings have slid backwards. 



That look alright? Before I was just trying to make it look "of the era" but I suppose it doesn't quite matter here in alternate universe land. I think this looks better, IMO, and yous guys were right about moving the wings but... yeah, opinion?

If this looks alright, then the cockpit looks alright, too, and I can go ahead and cut open a hole for that and try to get the tub in then possibly wonder about nose weight. 

[TheChronicOne]

I was thinking along similar lines earlier after I considered how much workload I'm piling on this thing. It's a bit much for a single pilot alone.  I like this idea... so.... in order to represent this, i could just add in a couple windows back there or something? 

I like the other idea, too, and would probably be better considering the bulky main gear I'm trying to use. Looks like I'm not done with my parts stash just yet! So...now I'd like to find the stuff to make these searchlights, try to find some side windows, and find some "pods" to use for the refuelling stuff/landing gear bays.

In other news, some progress has been made. I decided the position of the cockpit/canopy was just fine so I went ahead and cut out the area. I found out the hard way that this old Testors plastic is mighty thick, hard, and brittle so things started to break loose and I had to TET them back together but no harm no foul, really. A simple fix. I'm just glad one of the pieces didn't fly away at mach 3 and disappear. 



I guess now I'll start looking at the cockpit tub and interior pieces and try to get them situated.    After that comes the consideration on the side windows for the monkey riding in back........ 

[PR19_Kit]

Oh yes, that wing position is a LOT better.

The heaviest part of the aeroplane is usually the engines, and they're waaaaay to the back on the Pluto.

[TheChronicOne]

I think I was thinking about it backward..   I'm learning! The way I had it would mean the tail was heavy because the center of lift was too far forward, correct?

See, I'm glad I have you all around to help me muddle through this. 



Last update on actual progress.. I am now in the midst of trying to put the cockpit stuff together. It's proving more tedious than I imagined because I found that I need to have, for instance, the seat sitting at the proper height and proper angle....   in order to address this I've cut little pieces of sprue to put in there and I have "dry fitted" the pilot figure I have in there a few times and placed the canopy on top to make sure he wasn't sitting at a bad angle or too tall or short.   

Left it that. I think I made some decent progress today and I'll get back after it in a day or two. 

[TheChronicOne]

I was thinking along similar lines earlier after I considered how much workload I'm piling on this thing. It's a bit much for a single pilot alone.  I like this idea... so.... in order to represent this, i could just add in a couple windows back there or something? 

I'd just scribe a hatch on the lower side and put a small porthole type window over it and call it a day.

Sounds good. I'll use my fine point Sharpie pen to draw an outline of the them, take pictures, then see how it all looks. --I may need some more opinion on the particular way I've done it so adjustments can be made.

This sounds relatively easy to do so I'm on board.   

[TheChronicOne]

Found myself not wanting to bother with a cold start on the video games and decided listen to music and keep working on this instead. It's pretty fun right now and intrigueing because it's a completely new type of build for me so the novelty factor is in full effect.

May as well get this mind wracking interior figured out. I THINK I have found a good place for everything and it seems the seat/pilot are at the correct height, angle, and disance from the pedals and control panel.



Man, this new camera really works well!! You can see there where the fuselage exploded a bit when I was trying to carve out the space for the interior. That stuff is THICK, too. Easily twice as thick as contemporary mouldings I'd wager. Damned brittle stuff, too...   you know, the color, look of the "guts" and how it breaks apart reminds me of magnesium in certain ways.    Fortunately I don't think I'll be having to cut into it any more after this.

[PR19_Kit]

I think I was thinking about it backward..   I'm learning! The way I had it would mean the tail was heavy because the center of lift was too far forward, correct?

Exactly! 

[NARSES2]

I think I was thinking about it backward..   I'm learning! The way I had it would mean the tail was heavy because the center of lift was too far forward, correct?

Exactly! 

One of the beauties of this site is that you can pose/ask questions knowing that you will get an answer without being talked down to