Latest Development Pics

[Guest TOSGcentral]

OK – some pics of the latest developments.

 

A of I Bracket.

 

This image shows a comparison between the original and prototype of the new bracket. The new bracket is ‘in the white’ prior to protective coating as it photographs better like this. It has considerably thicker support plates and has been estimated as at least 3 times stronger than the original – not that strength has ever been an issue with these brackets.

 

[ATTACH]5983.vB[/ATTACH]

 

Undercarriage Carry Beam.

 

This is a simplified, and much stronger, replacement for the original more involved and expensive system that are no longer obtainable new.

 

The first image shows a comparison. The original alloy outer is in the centre. Above this is the quite involved heavy duty insert. Below is the replacing beam.

 

[ATTACH]5984.vB[/ATTACH]

 

The next image is ‘in the white’ so you can see more of it. This is the undersurface, showing the reinforcing strap welded in to resist bending loads.

 

[ATTACH]5985.vB[/ATTACH]

 

MK3 Swift Pods.

 

These pods will go on any two seater Thruster other than the Glasshouse.

 

The first image shows the top half of the pod just out of the mould. The colour is cast in during moulding so you do not have to mess about with painting and you can have any colour you like at no extra cost.

 

Features are the nose fluting, the forward inspection hatch marked out for cutting, the top half of the side anti drag flares and one of the air intakes for the ventilation system.

 

[ATTACH]5986.vB[/ATTACH]

 

The next image is a vertical view of the pod showing how much the instrument panel moulding has been extended. This will take either the ventilator outlets on the Mk3 or give addition instrument/avionics space in the Mk2 pod.

 

[ATTACH]5987.vB[/ATTACH]

 

Steadily we are getting there. Much more to come.

 

Aye

 

Tony

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest TOSGcentral]

A bit more of a progress report for you.

 

The new bracket is now in and went in very easily with just a little light line drilling to true it exactly. We hit target with no geometry changes to the aircraft other than the reduced A of I – the T300 primary structure went back together as normal.

 

So a couple more images:

 

The first one shows the bracket now fully installed.

 

[ATTACH]6011.vB[/ATTACH]

 

The second has the original bracket parked behind the new one at its normal height. You can see clearly how much height reduction we have managed to achieve.

 

[ATTACH]6010.vB[/ATTACH]

 

Down the bottom was not so clever as we are concurrently fitting the prototype undercarriage carry beam. I ran aground there as 381 has been illegally modified in the past. I have cleared most of that but never had the cockpit apart before. So a couple of days were spent clearing out the rest and returning the aircraft to a fully compliant condition.

 

The proto u/c beam fitting has been taken steadily and it has become apparent that I will have to offer the beams as a kit to enable hassle-free installation that counters the change in cross sectional dimensions. The kit will be the beam, four spacers for the fuselage floor rail retaining bolts and a new set of AN undercarriage leg main bolts.

 

By end of play today Lois and I should have the fuselage of 381 fully reassembled and a full scale pattern made for the wing spar root ends ready for wing modification and fitting.

 

Stay tuned for the next gripping episode.

 

Aye

 

Tony

 

 

 

 

[Riley]

A of I Bracket

 

Tony

 

In one of your earlier posts you mentioned that the re-engineered A of I bracket lowered the leading edge by some 38 mm out of a potential 56mm travel. Is there a Mk 2 bracket in process (or planned) which will go the full monty? If so, what projected availability? If not, how are you going on pricing /delivery of Mk 1?

 

cheers Riley

 

 

[Guest TOSGcentral]

Hi Riley,

 

Welcome to Hell! I can only give you half answers at the moment.

 

The T300 is back together now but I cannot put the wings back on until I get the OK from my engineer on the spar root modification that has to be done. He went and got himself married. I warned him it would interfer with the real work but he said it would be OK. I don't think the bastard has got out of bed yet!

 

I do not really want to fly it without the wings as I will not get a complete impression of how the new bracket works - so I cannot say exactly yet how successful we have been.

 

I cannot say yet how much anything costs because my fabricator's hand calculator broke down and he cannot afford a new one because he is not getting paid because his hand calculator is not working so he can get prices out. I am trying to arrange a loan for him and should have prices by the end of the week.

 

The only thing I am reasonably sure of is that there is probably not going to be a Mk2 bracket. The main problem is the lower the bracket faces go then the wider becomes the top of the splay. We are running out of room and cannot widen the bracket without impacting on wing span and hence overall geometry.

 

On the other hand it may in fact be simpler to lop an 1" off each wing root with a drop saw and position the mounting holes further outboard and make a wider bracket to preserve the span. This is beginning to look more attractive than the somewhat intricate carving currently required to modify the existing root ends.

 

In the latter case there will then be a MK2 and that will become the production version.

 

On the other hand I want to see how well MK1 goes because we may already have acheived the target. If you extend the new wing angle back to the tail we will be able to get the tail considerably lower on landing before the aircraft stalls or gets into the pre high drag regime. That is really all this is about - the distance between the ground and the bottom of the tailwheel when the aircraft is fully held off - so we can stop the thing from so readily bouncing if you get the three point technique wrong!

 

I will keep you all posted but I have stopped forecasting when because when I do somebody makes sure it does not happen. I think it is those Drifter people actually.

 

Aye

 

Tony

 

 

[Riley]

Nah! Drifter drivers are delightful doobies and they're too busy trying to work out how to keep the bugs outta their teeth to be bothered bothering Thruster thinkers. Ya gotta come up with a better reason for keeping me waiting. In the meantime ...........

 

Cheers Riley