DOUGLAS B-23 DRAGON - 1:72 - by TEX MOD

[yankeekilo]

and you are building it by the book!!, congrats, it'll look awesome!

[Positive_Rate]

Hi Yankeekilo,

Finished both main gear last night, and installed.

I had the nacelle glued on when I realised I hadn't fitted the rear wall!! Quickly removed them. But, I'm nearly there. Gear doors (are already made), gear struts, tail wheel engines and props and that's it!

Regards,
Alan

[yankeekilo]

Originally Posted by Positive_Rate

Hi Yankeekilo,

Finished both main gear last night, and installed.

I had the nacelle glued on when I realised I hadn't fitted the rear wall!! Quickly removed them. But, I'm nearly there. Gear doors (are already made), gear struts, tail wheel engines and props and that's it!

Regards,
Alan

Super niceee Alan!!! can't wait to see it finished!

[juan angel 747]

this model looks really amazing The design of that plane was one of the coolest things we did (since I was also on the project) the B-23 is an example of what teamwork can do.

[Positive_Rate]

Hello all,

Making progress and the end is in sight!

As you can see I am well proud of my main gear attempt, it might even last!

Tailwheel obviously needs to be widened similar to the main gear, so I’ve added to the tyre itself on both L & R sides and will add a third in the middle.

Wish I’d though of this earlier, as the weight on the join will probably be too much and it’s difficult to see how to strengthen with wire as it stands.

Any ideas? Let me know!

Regards,
Alan

[yankeekilo]

Originally Posted by Positive_Rate

Hello all,

Making progress and the end is in sight!

As you can see I am well proud of my main gear attempt, it might even last!

Tailwheel obviously needs to be widened similar to the main gear, so I’ve added to the tyre itself on both L & R sides and will add a third in the middle.

Wish I’d though of this earlier, as the weight on the join will probably be too much and it’s difficult to see how to strengthen with wire as it stands.

Any ideas? Let me know!

Regards,
Alan

wow!! looking good!!, i guess the wire is enough to strengthen the landing gear, ty to make the booms more round right where it meets the engine cowling, very good job Alan!

[Draco]

The electrical wire for lamps and extensions is a lot of thin metal wires that can be extracted an used as reinforcements in cases like this one.

[Positive_Rate]

Hello all,
Moving towards the completion of the landing gear and the engines. The tail wheel needed modification so I laminated each to a 1mm board by the wheel only to widen the wheel, and then put both of those onto another 1mm board for strength for the strut itself as well as widen the tyre. Not entirely sure how best to attach it with a robust joint. I’m thinking to cut a rectangular hole large enough to fit the white tabs you see. Then fit 2 little right angled brackets inside it and then push the white tabs through gluing them to the brackets. That way all the weight is not on the tiny surface area of the fuselage skin and the side of the white tabs.

I’ve started on the spinners and props. With the spinners, I rolled them using a rod as tight as I could then sanded the end of a straightened paperclip to ‘key’ its surface before applying UHU and fitting to the inside end of the spinner part. I didn’t think Kittifix paper glue hold when I use it to torsion the spinner from the inside. Sounds complicated doesn’t it?! We’ll find out this evening when I go back to it!

Regards,
Alan

[Positive_Rate]

Originally Posted by Draco

The electrical wire for lamps and extensions is a lot of thin metal wires that can be extracted an used as reinforcements in cases like this one.

Hi Draco,

Thanks for the tip! I've used a paper clip for the propeller axle and something nearly as tough for the main gear.

Regards,
Alan

[Positive_Rate]

Nearly there!
My plan with the spinners worked – the prop axle stayed glued to the paper whilst I torqued the spinner strip around it. Initially I rolled it the whole way but I found it difficult to keep the tension on it and roll it so it made a flat edge at the rear. So I did it in 2 stages, the wider part first. This is supposed to result in a curved front face which it more or less does. I had to do this a few times to make sure there was no ‘hole’ in the middle of the spinner where there could have been a gap around the axle.

Next was the prop blades, I glued the 2 halves then twisted them into shape, nearly 90 degrees between prop root and prop tip. I looked hard to make each one identical or as near as, to the others.
Thought about the assembly of the prop blades to the spinner and decided to build a jig with the axle vertical in the middle. Was careful to give each root a decent blob of paper glue since the joint is tiny and since the glue (Kittifix) dries clear. Again I was careful about the angles between the blades but also that the prop tips were more or less at the same angle.

Am enjoying the improvisation in strengthening the landing gear and making the props but holy cow I do slow right down!

Fitted the tail wheel. I didn’t bother with trying to strengthen the inside, it would work in theory, but, the slot to take the white tabs is really too small to be passing a bracket through and gluing it in position. So instead I tried putting glue on the inside of the fuselage, ready to meet the white tabs as I pushed them into the slot. To my mind it might form an excess of glue making a ‘fillet’ at the base of the tabs. No clue if it worked or not. The tail isn’t so heavy anyhow, but I still think given time the tail wheel will bend.

I fitted the prop axle with dried blades this morning and was delighted with the result, a freely spinning prop when I blew gently on it! What a slog to get that result!
This evening I’ll make the second prop and fit the completed prop and engine. I’ll fit 2 washers on the prop axle, one to stop the axle moving aft into the truncated black cone when I blow on the blades, and one on the inside end of the axle to stop the axle falling out. I’ll make them out of hard plastic to reduce friction.

Regards,
Alan