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NASA F-15 ACTIVE Question


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I've been working on a NASA 1/48 jet collection for a while and need some advice.  So far I've got a SR-71 LASRE, F-104N, YF-12, and HL-10 either finished or on the way.  I've got markings and kits for F-18, U-2 (different variants), F-106, F-102,  and a few others. 

 

No model has been done of the F-15 ACTIVE, so I'm interested in being the first kid on my block to have one.  Much of the conversion and modification of a stock F-15D (I'll probably go with a Great Wall kit) is straightforward except for the markings and afterburners.  Artwork and printing for decals will be outsourced, which leaves the nozzles.  

 

The rectangular nozzles will be too much of a hassle, so the round ones could be the way to go.  I don't know much about them and haven't found any good resources on them.  In general, are they just PW F-100s with the different actuators, or completely new and different?

 

Secondly, any suggestions (books, magazines, website) where to find good research?

 

Thanks,

 

Chris

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3 hours ago, adamitri said:

Dont forget the F-16 XL...

 

I'm trying to stick with what I currently have in my stash.  (A very lame excuse since I just bought a KP hi-grade Su-25UBK today). 

 

I'm a big fan of NASA markings, however, the black and yellow XL doesn't quite do it for me.  Not that it matters a bunch.  What resin is available for the Skunk kit?  I typically like to add a resin/PE cockpit and exhaust as a minimum.  Any idea if aftermarket for Kinetic F-16s would fit this kit?

Chris 

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What I like is that the Hasegawa kit seems to have included just about all of the different tail flashes and marking options, even those that that can't be built right out of the box. That way if somebody is enterprising enough, they can build just about any iteration of the aircraft with the markings in the box.

 

Cheers!

 

Hoops

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That's awesome.  I'll definitely scoop up the 1/72 kit to use as a reference.

 

I would like to use the Great Wall kit.  It fits so much easier than the Hasegawa kit with a the awful wingroot seam.  

 

Please update us if you score some intel on its availability. 

 

Chris

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I do have a few pictures culled from basic good searches, but does anybody know where I can find good images of the 2D Thrust Vectoring/Reversing nozzles from the STOL/MTD iteration of this aircraft?

 

Cheers, and thanks!

 

Hoops

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On 8/26/2017 at 5:46 AM, X-Plane Fan said:

The axisymmetric nozzles used on the F-15 ACTIVE (also known as pitch/yaw balance beam nozzles) had a very unique look to them. When parked they would also relax into a slight downward position. 

 

 

Tony

tony do have any more photos of the ACTIVE f-15?

active-1.jpg

 

active-2.jpg

 

active-3.jpg

 

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On 9/2/2017 at 8:01 AM, f86esabre said:

Did you know that Hasegawa is releasing this aircraft in 1/72? I bet they will do a 1/48 also.

CLICK TO OPEN EXPANDED VIEW

Hasegawa 02251 NASA F-15 Active/IFCS 1/72 scale kit
Hasegawa 02251 NASA F-15 Active/IFCS 1/72 scale kit
Hasegawa 02251 NASA F-15 Active/IFCS 1/72 scale kit
Hasegawa 02251 NASA F-15 Active/IFCS 1/72 scale kit
HASEGAWA

HASEGAWA 02251 NASA F-15 ACTIVE/IFCS 1/72 SCALE KIT

I just hope that when they do the 1/48, it will be the thrust vectoring nozzles already.....

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On 9/1/2017 at 7:01 PM, f86esabre said:

Did you know that Hasegawa is releasing this aircraft in 1/72? I bet they will do a 1/48 also.

 

 

Looks like their regular B/D kit with resin bits for the canards and actuator covers.  Kit also has the large production speed brake not the smaller version on the pre-production airframes which includes 71290

Edited by habu2
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3 hours ago, habu2 said:

 

Looks like their regular B/D kit with resin bits for the canards and actuator covers.  Kit also has the large production speed brake not the smaller version on the pre-production airframes which includes 71290

 

The instructions do direct the modeller to fill and scribe the appropriate lines for the shorter speed brake, although I'm sure that there are some other differences as well.

 

 

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  • 4 years later...

Picking this up a few years later, would anyone have clear schematics explaning the nozzle mechanism? I'd like to make these nozzles but I can't quite see if the vectoring mechanism is obtained by playing with the petals alone or if the whole nozzle is moved at its root

 

Thanks,

 

Arnaud

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9 hours ago, arnobiz said:

Picking this up a few years later, would anyone have clear schematics explaning the nozzle mechanism? I'd like to make these nozzles but I can't quite see if the vectoring mechanism is obtained by playing with the petals alone or if the whole nozzle is moved at its root

 

Thanks,

 

Arnaud

 

Which nozzle, the early 2D or the later 3D ones?

 

Hoops

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As I was intrigued by 3D nozzles, here is a engineering report from NASA:

 

https://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/pdf/89247main_setp_d6.pdf

 

A brief scan if you look under "ACTIVE Propulsion System Description." It looks to me that there is a "sync ring" buried inside the nozzle that deflects, and then the petals are aligned appropriately to provide the proper convergent/divergent nozzle to respond the power requirements.

 

EC95-43273-4.jpg

 

This photo shows the two nozzles in different states of deflection. The nozzle as a whole does not appear to be moved at the root, and the "sync ring" is hidden behind the braces/supports on the exterior of the nozzle. From a modelling perspective, I think manipulating the petals alone would be the best description.

 

Cheers,

Hoops

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