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On 2/21/2022 at 3:36 PM, spaceman said:

Hi Bruce,

 

I'm sure you mean the nose gear, but that's a different weight class. up040577.gif

No, sir.  The main gear use the pendulum system, or something very similar.  Nose gear is standard hydraulic strut.  Maybe different weight class but the KAMAG doesn’t make controlled crash landings on carrier decks.

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Hello Bruce,


a closer look reveals a similar system on the Hornet's main gears but probably only to cushion the landing.

F-18_F_Super_Hornet_01.jpg

Source: wikimedia.org

 

The Pendulum axles of NASA's canister transporters of course serves a different purpose and are specially designed for transporting heavy loads with a maximum weight of the loaded canister of 90 tons and of course not for crash landings. up040577.gif

 

Edited by spaceman
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Hello everybody,

 

after the two holder beams for the 24 twin wheel sets have been completed, 

 

LFKXEF.jpg

 

I have now fixed the two side walls with magnetic holders and then glued them to the cover plate (Styrene 0,25 mm).

 

MyhO4V.jpg

 

Then spacers for the driver's cabins and modules were glued on, 

 

oBvjwR.jpg

 

which were only put down temporarily. cool.gif

 

d09Woq.jpg

 

Then the end strips (0,25 mm x 1.5 mm) were glued to both front sides, Then the end strips (0,25 mm x 1.5 mm) were glued to both front sides, 

 

V9Idsc.jpg

 

as well as the carrier beams for the wheel sets adapted.

 

8jOuiq.jpg

 

7rzRdl.jpg

 

Next I have to tackle the wheel production, ie scratching of 48 single wheels, which then must be glued to 24 twin wheel sets in order to glue them finally onto both sides of the holder beams.  up040577.gif

 

In view of the terrible war in Ukraine, I would like to send a solidarity greeting to the Ukrainian people fighting for their freedom: 

 

„You'll never walk alone“ 

 

MycA.gif

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Hello everybody,

 

today it got down to the nitty-gritty, i.e. punching wheels & spacers till the cow comes home ... up037312.gif

 

For the 48 wheels I used a hole punch (Ø 7 mm) to make a total of 96 discs from Cardboard (1 mm) punched, which required two hammer blows per disc on average. Then I had to push each disc out of the hole punch with a nail, which all in all was quite an ordeal ... analintruder.gif

 

sFSvRz.jpg

 

For making the spacers (Ø 4 mm) between the twin wheel sets from Styrene (0,5 mm) I used my Punch&Die Set, and Styrene (1 mm) was used for the discs (Ø 4 mm) between the wheel sets and the holder beams

 

RYiH54.jpg

 

So that the cardboard discs lie exactly on top of each other when gluing them together, I used an angle as a stop, in the corner of which they were fixed and could not slip. 

 

k8O6iM.jpg

 

This way they could be aligned with the tweezers from both sides and pressed together perfectly from above.  up045518.gif

 

xJ8NoX.jpg

 

IxWFkU.jpg

 

Then the 24 wheels, to be attached to the support beams, were painted black on all sides, which was a stressful fiddling.  rolleyes.gif

 

GbtwOQ.jpg

 

p6YrLW.jpg

 

The remaining 24 wheels were only blacked on the back and around the circumference after gluing the printed cover disk.  

 

jtL5pg.jpg

 

Next comes the assembly of the wheels on the holder beams and the construction of the twin wheel sets, for which I need a clever jig with which I can position the wheels exactly and glue them together. up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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Hello everybody,

 

before I get to my special jig, some preparatory work had to be done for the following step-by-step construction of the twin wheel sets. cool.gif 

 

The planned buildup can be seen on the right side of the holder beam. First, the inner spacers (1 mm) are glued to the beams. The inner twin wheels are then glued one after the other, to which the middle spacers (0,5 mm) were previously glued. And lastly, the outer twin wheels are glued on, which completes the twin wheel sets. up039822.gif

 

oFvDEx.jpg

 

For the centered gluing the discs onto the holders my good sense of proportion has been enough. :whistle:

 

rhE9zY.jpg

 

But for the exact gluing of the inner wheels I have considered the following jigidea1_2.gif

 

To do this, the holder beam was first fixed to a metal support sheet with magnets, onto which I then placed a try square as a stop for the inner wheels, exactly at the upper edge of the wheels, on which I marked the position of the wheels on a tape strip. :thumbsup:

 

jPbbEL.jpg

 

After gluing the middle spacers (0,5 mm) onto the inner wheels, I thought that it would be easier for assembly if I glued the twin wheels together instead of gluing the single wheels one above the other. 

 

IFnDjP.jpg

 

I then did the same thing as before, by using a larger try square as the stop only. 

 

Rkng8v.jpg

 

ktpFCC.jpg

 

Then I carefully glued on the twin wheel sets, 

 

yvN5wP.jpg

 

wherefore I used CA. up045518.gif

 

L2GAtu.jpg

 

Uz9iTy.jpg

 

And with that, the outside of one holder beam is equipped with twin wheel sets, which means that a quarter of the transporter's wheel sets is done. :nanner:

 

f8Il1f.jpg

 

Since my concept for the construction of the wheel sets has proven itself so far, I can now confidently turn to the outside of the other beam, :whistle:

 

ugWoZy.jpg

 

whereby the assembly of the twin wheel sets on the insides of the holder beams should certainly become a bit trickier. hmmm.gif

 

But let's wait and see ... up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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Hello everybody,

 

and now, the same way as done already before, for mounting the wheel sets on the outside of the other holder beam, which is why I can be brief. cool.gif

 

Since the inner spacers (1 mm) were already glued on, the prepared twin wheel sets could be glued on straight away. 

 

KABocs.jpg

 

Since the wheel sets are still missing on the other side, both beams needed a standing support for a first test. 

 

yX0jsg.jpg

 

Next, the still missing 12 twin wheel sets were made. up045518.gif

 

YPU8TI.jpg

 

KohUxt.jpg

 

However, for the assembly I had to modify my previous jig a bit so that the twin wheel sets already glued to the back of the holder beam cannot be damaged.  up037312.gif

 

That's why I laid the holder beam on the larger stop bracket, which left the twins hanging in the air on the underside and nothing could happen to them. up039822.gif As a stop, I then fixed the small angle with the markings on it using various magnets and shims, which I fiddled with for quite a while until everything was stably aligned and in the right position. huh.gif

 

SUKAmL.jpg

 

The gluing of the twins then went in the usual way as before, 

 

VzRxzk.jpg

 

which then completed the first of the two holder beams, :whistle:

 

CutAmL.jpg

 

and could now stand freely on its 12 twin wheel sets. :banana:

 

SH2ont.jpg

 

QhKy2N.jpg

 

And in the same way, the second holder beam was then equipped with the remaining twins. 

 

vzcgCs.jpg

 

n6QLny.jpg

 

And then it was finally time, and the two holder beams with their total 48 wheels were finished after long and painstaking detailed work,  yahoo.gif

 

ZnSRL5.jpg

 

so that the transporter platform could be tried on, which looks pretty good so far. up045518.gif

 

F96rXq.jpg

 

Next, the two driver's cabins and modules can be mounted.  up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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Manfred, I'm disappointed. I felt sure there would be valve stems for each tyre...

 

I'm joking of course, and I'm once again impressed by the relentless determination you show when faced with repetitive work like this.

Incidentally, why cardboard not styrene for the tyres?

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Thanks Kirk for your funny compliment , :worthy: I'm always up for such jokes. :heart:

 

Funny, I just had a similar question in the Britmodeller forum:rofl:or do you also post there under a different name (uilleann)? :hmmm:

 

Regarding the question cardboard vs. styrene I posted the reason for this a week ago, Posted February 26 ... :whistle:

 

For a more accurate prototype, I also punched round blanks out of Styrene (Ø2 mm), which was quite an ordeal and therefore cannot be used for series production.  :woot.gif:

 

Also, paper sticks better to cardboard than to styrene. :coolio:

 

Admittedly, these 96 discs for the 48 wheels were modeling madness  already, :doh: especially since one can only see the outer wheels under this flat bed transporter anyway. up040577.gif

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Hello everybody,

 

now that the 24 twin wheel sets have been mounted on the support beams, the driver's cabins and modules can now also be glued at the front and rear side.  cool.gif

 

ezdhRF.jpg

 

This was followed by a first fitting of the holder beams, what looked well so far. up045518.gif

 

ga0fVI.jpg

 

Then I carefully provisionally set up the two holder  beams and checked their all-round distances. 

 

VBHfe6.jpg

 

9Tuxqw.jpg

 

rThBCT.jpg

 

So far, so good, but now they finally had to be glued, which couldn't be done out of hand, which is why I had to think about a suitable fixation. huh.gif

 

However, when I re-measured, I noticed that the two side walls were no longer exactly vertical, but had tilted slightly inwards, up037312.gif what couldn't stay that way. 

 

In order to be able to correct this back to the correct inner dimension (40 mm), I made a recess in the middle of both beams, 

 

QY83dx.jpg

 

into which I wanted to glue a suitable square profile (4 x 4 x 40 mm) as a cross brace after gluing in the holder beams. 

 

Gluing in the beams themselves was then a tricky thing, because I had to ensure that the wheel sets didn't touch the wall, but that a certain distance (0,5 mm) was maintained.  hmmm.gif 

 

To do this, I had to do several things at the same time while gluing, i.e. immediately insert spacers (0,5 mm) and the cross brace and fix the beams from the inside with magnets, 

 

qz8nPa.jpg

 

but what worked well at both sides. up039822.gif 

 

akKWpU.jpg

 

After that was done, I've taken a deep breath and was happy about this partial success, especially since the transporter is taking real shape more and more, up053180.gif here the view onto the front side with the EPS Module,

 

WEJ950.jpg

 

and here onto the back with the I&CS und F&GS Modules

 

RFMqoE.jpg

 

Since one can hardly see any of the interesting details like the pendulum axles & wheels, I kept an eye out for a few more details that I could still scratch. hmmm.gif

 

And I've had a few things in the back of my head for quite some time that I want to take a closer look at. :whistle:

 

As can be seen from this drawing, in addition to the well-known modules in the middle of the transporter, there is also still the Electrical Power Subsystem (EPS), consisting of two Diesel engines-generator modules, as well as Distribution and control panels. up045518.gif

 

up076188.jpg
Source: NASA Conference Publication 2342 Part 2 (M. E. Donahue)

 

And these EPS Modules can also be seen on this photo of the STS-6

 

YYwyMS.jpg
Source: retrospaceimages.com (STS-6)

 

and also in this photo by James MacLaren when you know they are there, although you can only see the front corner. :hmmm:

 

Then there is apparently another control panel in the form of this small box at the front behind the driver's cab. However, this faintly recognizable part directly in front at the driver's cab still puzzles me, which I will hopefully solve. huh.gif

 

R9VCxC.jpg
Source: 16streets.com/MacLaren

 

That's it for today. up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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On 3/4/2022 at 6:19 PM, spaceman said:

... do you also post there under a different name (uilleann)? :hmmm:

 

 

Er, no. There are some great modellers who have contributed there, but a great many more who have left. It's worth looking into why.

 

Transporter is looking fantastic.

 

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Thanks Kirk, :worship:

 

yep, that's right, you left there too ... :hmmm:

 

Well, the interest in this forum is limited and is therefore by far the last place in my forum list (5.), one place behind the ARC ... up040577.gif

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Hello everybody,

 

and so first of all to the EPS Modules, which can be found in detail on photos of the later missions, which should be similar in structure to those of the early missions.  cool.gif 

 

Here is a photo of the transporter during the STS-135, the lower area of which I have therefore adopted for my EPS and scaled accordingly. 

 

HwKWcF.jpg
Source: NASA (STS-135)

 

To the right you can see the small Panel at the front behind the driver's cabin, which I first took from the MacLaren photo, but which is too blurry for me, rolleyes.gif which is why I looked for a different template. 

 

hQjBXP.jpg

 

Here you can see the outwardly visible area of the EPS Modules, which is completely sufficient for the optics. 

 

wUojh6.jpg

 

And this is what the front small panel box looks like, 

 

PsZrbH.jpg

 

zBqKST.jpg

 

whose location I recapitulated from this photo of the STS-125.

 

sEN6at.jpg
Source: NASA (STS-125)

 

In this image you can also see this previously unknown object, hmmm.gif but which I could also identify based on other photos, wherewith would also solve this riddle. up045518.gif

 

As you can see without a doubt on this STS-135 photo, this is the rear-view mirror and its bracket, which must be correspondingly large and must protrude more outwards than usual  so that the driver can also see the 18 m long transporter completely to the rear when maneuvering. yikes.gif   

 

fENMmC.jpg
Source: NASA (STS-135)

 

On my scale (1:160), the rear-view mirrors should therefore be 3,5 mm x 1,5 mm and thus about twice as large as the rear-view mirrors of the Astrovan, which should therefore already be feasible. up035091.gif :whistle:

 

However, I'm still not sure whether I should really do this gimmick with the filigree holder (Ø 0,1 mm) ... hmmm.gif

 

Here are the current images of the transporter, 

 

dzDiq9.jpg

 

vcsP3i.jpg

 

and here for comparison the original outfit of the KAMAG transporter that I started with.

 

hw2R2N.jpg

 

And finally for today a little preview of the vehicles on the Diorama

 

TJNHt8.jpg

 

which makes me confident. up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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5 hours ago, spaceman said:

 

fENMmC.jpg
Source: NASA (STS-135)

 

On my scale (1:160), the rear-view mirrors should therefore be 3,5 mm x 1,5 mm and thus about twice as large as the rear-view mirrors of the Astrovan, which should therefore already be feasible. up035091.gif :whistle:

 

However, I'm still not sure whether I should really do this gimmick with the filigree holder (Ø 0,1 mm) ... hmmm.gif

 

I think the main thing that differentiates your models is all-l-l-l the details you add.

So the mirrors, the Fire Extinguisher, the cabling, the details underneath ... are your trademark. You know you want to include it all!  ;^ D

 

I don't know how you keep your quality up to these high standards, but we're glad you are!

 

Thanx Manfred!

Pete

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Thanks Pete for your nice words! :worship:

 

But with my passion for detail it is like with an allergy, :woot.gif: as soon as I find interesting details, I start thinking about whether and how I could scratch them best way. idea1_2.gif But sometimes I get a fright when I have scaled their dimensions to 1:160 and see how tiny they are. yikes.gif

 

That's why I have to slow myself down then so as not to lose myself too much in this dreamery, :gr_hail: because in the meantime I'm trusting myself to do some crazy things, according to my slogan Nothing is impossible ... up040577.gif

 

BTW, you'll laugh, but I've already measured the Fire Extinguisher, which should be Ø 1 mm x 4 mm.  :rofl:

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Thanks Kirk for your compassion, :worship:

 

it's really touching that you get worried for me about the Fire extinguisher details ... :rofl:Let's wait and see, you know, Nothing is impossible! cool.gif

 

But first again to the Fire extinguisher on this last image. That time on the STS-6 transporter there was no fire extinguisher at that place, as one can see in this picture.

 

rW4OOi.jpg

Source: 16streets.com/MacLaren

 

But opposite on the other side there was one at the I&CS Module as one can see in this image. And this thing I'll try only just for fun, and I've got an idea already too. idea1_2.gif

 

rAFVaQ.jpg

Source: retrospaceimages.com (STS-6)

 

Then of course the Payload Canister on the transporter is still missing. :whistle: But then it should be enough with the vehicles for the time being, a Tanker truck and a Fire brigade will be added later. up045518.gif

 

Following it then continues with the lighting of the MLPred_bl.gif which has been on the agenda for a long time. up040577.gif

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Hello everybody,

 

so then get to work! :nanner:

 

The simplest solution would be such a printout, which I could still stick on cardboard, but I quickly discarded this. rolleyes.gif

 

Instead I used the red insulating tube from a thin wire (Ø 1 mm) into which I inserted a pin (Ø 1 mm) and at 4 mm pinched it off with a side cutter. Then I glued on the tiny instruction label, wherewith was almost the end of my first prototype. 

 

oHY8Cj.jpg

 

Then I glued it to a holder made of a channel profile (1,3 mm), which didn't look bad so far. up045518.gif

 

However, since I found out when re-measuring my reference photo that the extinguisher was a bit too short, I lengthened the tube pieces to 4 mm, which would result in a length with the needle of 5 mm

 

Qm9oOZ.jpg

 

Since I had come up with a slightly larger diameter (1,4 mm) of the extinguisher during the re-measurement too, I searched in my stock and actually found a slightly stronger wire (Ø 1,2 mm), which appealed to me more than the wire I used first (Ø ≤ 1 mm). 

 

And when I took a closer look at higher magnification, I then considered whether the cute thing couldn't be shown a little more realistically, idea1_2.gif and came up with the following solution. 

 

For the hose (Ø = 0,2 mm) I've quickly cut off a few hairs of a suitable thickness from our hand broom, up046933.gif and threaded a hair into the red sleeve before inserting the pin, which would not have been possible afterwards,  huh.gif  

 

sPTrms.jpg

 

but it worked out well. cool.gif

 

4Wjook.jpg

 

As a funnel of this CO2 Fire extinguisher I have used this black insulating tube

 

tmyot2.jpg

 

So that no mishap should happen to me when pinching off the needle, up037312.gif I've put the needle into an eraser and then cut it with the side cutters while holding the broom hair with my fingers, which was not a problem since I had fixed the extinguisher at an angling rod, so to speak. :whistle:

 

OyzFLp.jpg

 

Then I glued the extinguisher to the somewhat larger bracket Channel (1,7 mm), which of course had to be fixed again for this, of course. 

 

cND4x5.jpg

 

In this position, the further assembly then took place. First the funnel was glued on with CA and the thin "hose" was threaded into it.

 

Finally, the instruction label was glued on, the protruding hose was cut off,  

 

EvlQ2V.jpg

 

and lasty the protruding Channel was cut off, and the work was done.  up039822.gif And I have to say, I like the thing a lot better than its predecessor and that's why it goes through my strict quality control. 

 

HVr4eJ.jpg

 

Now the extinguisher only had to be attached to the transporter, for which I fixed it stably between two brackets, 

 

lIC9vF.jpg

 

which also worked - All's well that ends well! up045518.gif

 

tH49l0.jpg

 

And I think there are definitely some similarities compared to the original. 

 

hEE7HX.jpg
Source: retrospaceimages.com (STS-6)

 

Finally, a small addendum which shows the attached bumper, of course also on the back. 

 

oFLAIb.jpg

 

Now, of course, the other side of the transporter also needs its Fire extinguisher, but its Making-of is no longer a problem. up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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i'm sitting here just ... shaking ... my ... head ... in disbelief ...

The itsy - bitsy extinguisher is very, very well done!  

The end solution is satisfying ...  but the journey you take us all on, with your photos, to show your thought processes, your re-thinking and your MOST creative solution is most gratifying for US, the viewer!

 

Through these images, we can sense that you're still enjoying this build. You seem genuinely excited to have a problem ( replicating an insignificant part ) and then, solve it. With superb results! And that resulting solution enhances the entire, larger assembly!

 

Thank You Manfred! Keep up the great work!

Pete

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Thanks Pete for your kind words and for your enthusiasm, :worthy:  but I've really enjoyed this midget too and if it entertained you too, I'm glad. cool.gif

 

Well, Kirk's allusion has already challenged me a little bit, and I'm always up for such jokes, :rofl: on the other hand this detail just stimulated me, precisely because it is actually so small and inconspicuous  yikes.gif and is hardly noticeable from a normal viewer's perspective, let alone when the Transporter with the Payload Canister will stand on the Pad diorama ...  hmmm.gif

 

GnZl7R.jpg

 

Okay, that was quite a hassle for this midget, up037312.gif but it was still doable, if only for the fun of it. :whistle: And sometimes I have to test my limits ... cool.gif

 

But it's always the same realization, I needed about three times as much time for the whole detailed research and working out a feasible solution, including the search for materials, as for the scratching itself. rolleyes.gif

 

And I also have to keep a cool head, although I could still tear my hair out and freak out every now and then.  up043952.gif

 

The joy is all the greater when I then see that a part has turned out the way I imagined it, even if it is just such a seemingly insignificant tiny thing.  up040577.gif 

Edited by spaceman
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Thanks Kirk for your nice compliment,  :Verehrung: great that you like my tiny CO2 Fire extinguisherup039822.gif

 

You are very welcome for a flying visit to my house museum in the Filder Space Center (FSC), where every year an Open house will take place. up040577.gif

Edited by spaceman
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