Turbine Grumman Ag-Cat

[ChrisVon]

Hi All!
It's been a long time since my last post, but I haven't forgotten this place.
I plan on posting a few of my builds in the not too distant future, along with a project that I've seen one or two people here have asked about.
Right now, it's only a 3d File, imported in Pepakura designer where I have been working out the details of how I want the cuts and folds arranged. I'm away from home now, and don't have access to the Card Stock that I prefer working with, but I DID print the kit out on standard paper, and used scotch tape to see how an actual physical model will look like. I only did the fuselage, and one wing panel inserted in the lower wing center section. It looks like a promising project (from my point of view anyway).
The screenshots provided are only really rough. I am in the middle of painting and detailing right now the panel lines and bolts. For my first completely scratch build, it probably won't be on par with some of the more impressive kits out there, but I'll see how far I can push my imagination! Also, you'll notice that the tail feathers, landings gear, prop and canopy pieces haven't been modeled yet. I don't anticipate the empenage to be a problem, but the canopy has got me racking my brain in over time. lol
I'm aiming for a 1:32 scale, which will put the wing span a hair under 16 inches.
I can't wait to get back home (in about a week I'm guessing), to begin making a physical model of this great aircraft. In the meantime, I'll continue digitally building her, and posting more updates as I do.

[whulsey]

Yeah! This has been one I've bugged the plastic manufacturers to do for years. Will be following with great interest. Once again paper rules.

[ChrisVon]

Thanks for the reply Whulsey,
When I first joined this group, I had said I would design and build one, but was never satisfied with how she would come out. Finally, I think I'm on a decent track.
I had actually seen your post in another thread asking for one. When I seen it, I figured that I should be more proactive and just produce SOMETHING in the near future.
Again, thanks for the interest, and like I said, I'll be posting regularly. I'll probably have a few more screenshots today with some painting of the fuselage completed.

Chris

[ChrisVon]

Just an idea of what the fuselage might end up looking like.

[ChrisVon]

This is just a pic of the strut details thus far, for those interested!

Chris

[ChrisVon]

Just a quick screenshot of some tail feathering detail, and control surface outlines.

So far, the fuselage, wings, and center sections ported out great to Pepakura. However, I had issues with my vertical and horizontal stabilizer, in which Pepakura didn't want to properly draw out the outline. I even tried it in Pepakura 3, and Ultimate Paper Craft 3d. All of the software that I used produced the same results. SOOOOO, what I'm going to end up doing, is simply screen capturing the stabilizers from AC3D, pasting them in Photoshop, then mirroring and scaling them to the sizes I need to properly fit the fuselage after folding them over and gluing. I don't forsee a problem doing it that way.

Still away from home, but hope to be back in about a week or so. I'll still post screenshots of digital development, but will also show the physical paper model once I have the opportunity to.

Chris

[Krzychu74]

Hello!
Looks very good. I`ll observe next parts your report.

Best regards.
Krzychu74

[ChrisVon]

Thanks for the interest Krzychu74! I'm hoping the physical model comes out as nice as the digital one is coming!

I did more computer modelling today on the canopy area. I'm not 100% satisfied with how it came out. I know that I'll have to add more cross sections on the turtleback to get a more rounded look to that area, but that won't be an issue. I'm still thinking about how to manipulate the back aft end of the lower canopy section, to "attach" to the aft end of the turtle back itself. Doing a little more point manipulation might not be too difficult to achieve what I'm looking for either.

I'm also wondering how I'll support the turtle back/canopy section. I may very well have to model the rollover skeletal structure that you can see in many pictures, to hold up the canopy. BUT, I may opt for a simpler alternative if I decide to just cover up the backside of the canopy, as many full scale owners do, obscurring the view of the rollover structure.

Anyway, sorry to bore everyone! Again, thanks to those interested!

Chris

[RyanShort]

Not boring at all!

Ryan

[ChrisVon]

Thanks for the reassurance, Ryan! lol

I just get afraid that I could start rambling about my techniques, airplane stories, etc. that I would cause people to stop watching this thread. I personally never felt like that with any of the other members here (it's almost impossible to not be interested in ANY of the threads in these forums.)

I also want everyone to know, that I am of course aware that this is a paper modeling forum, and not a CGI / 3D Modeling forum. But in the Gulf of Mexico (where I spend alot of time at due to my job), I don't have access to my modelling tools, glue, paper, etc. that are at home. I was hoping we'd be finished this particular job that I'm on right now (I help oil companies drill in the Gulf), but we've had lots of problems thus far. So I'm "virtually" building my paper model right now. That's good in a way, because it forces me to focus on the planning details, rather than wanting to test build just for the sake of "let's see what it looks like now", before it's finished, only to redo it later (you don't know how many times I've done that).

I have considered bringing some card stock out here to do some building (when we have alot of down time due to mechanical issues as we are having now), but getting the model back home in one piece would be just as challenging as building the model itself. lol So building out here (at least as far as I can see anyway), it pretty much not an option.

Well, off to bed now. More modelling contemplation to do tonight! ;-)

Chris