Fri Nov 17, 2006 10:41 pm
Gary, I like the pocket watch....
Lynn
Lynn
retroaviation wrote:Most of yesterday was spent making tooling for the window frame I had to make today. These pictures show the fabrication of the window and it's frame for the tunnel gun position. Sorry for the poor quality of some of the photos.
Laying out the oval window on the sheet of Lexan. Due to the roll I had to put in the sheet metal for the tunnel gun, weight was needed to keep it all in the correct position...
This is with the Lexan cut to shape. The next step is to make the window frame...
The trick to making this frame the exact dimension around that oval window is to take the appropriate sized washer (or any round object with a hole in the center) and put your marker on the inside of the hole, while rolling the washer around the outside of the window...
After the boundary lines were in place, I cut out the middle first...
Then the rest of it...
Now for the fun/scary part. Making the joggle for the window to sit in the frame. The dies used here is what I made yesterday so that the joggle would be the right depth. If I were to make even the smallest error when rolling this out, I'd have had to start all over...
And here's the finished frame, clecoed to the window...
I'm waiting for the ball socket that the gun goes in to arrive before I can continue on this project. So you'll see updates on this piece later.
Gary
Sat Nov 18, 2006 4:43 am
Thanks, I'll give 'em a try.
Gary
Gary
Sat Nov 18, 2006 6:22 am
I can see Gary now trying out the new guns.
Sat Nov 18, 2006 6:25 am
gary, This does not show the actual height but it gives an idea.
Sat Nov 18, 2006 6:40 am
Yeah, I have that same drawing. I to know that the floorboard just aft of the current entry door is the right height, so that is what I went by when making the bulkhead for the "new" waistgunner's floor. I think it'll be pretty dang close to what we're looking for. 
Thanks for the cool waistgunner pictures. Do you have any from the inside? I'm also needing inside pictures of the tailgunner's compartment.
Gary
Thanks for the cool waistgunner pictures. Do you have any from the inside? I'm also needing inside pictures of the tailgunner's compartment.
Gary
Sat Nov 18, 2006 8:24 am
Gary, doesn't the CAF have a ban on gas guns anymore?
Sat Nov 18, 2006 8:51 am
Obergrafeter wrote:Gary, doesn't the CAF have a ban on gas guns anymore?
Good question. I'll have to check. Personally, I am not a big on the gas guns myself, but there are others I work with in the Squadron who like the idea. I have been listening to all of the opinions, as mine isn't the only one that counts. However, if there is indeed a CAF ban on those types of guns, then that's what we'll go with.
Thanks for the input.
Gary
Sat Nov 18, 2006 9:57 am
Just a thought on the propane guns, We had tossed around the idea for our AC-47 gunship and got to thinking about all the gas fumes that around the plane. When it's sitting at a show in the Hot summer time, at least on a goon you can see the fumes and just one little spark and KaBoom !!!
Sat Nov 18, 2006 11:01 am
I appreciate the input on this gun issue. Like I mentioned before, we are just thinking about it, so these posts y'all are making are helpful to us.
Gary
Gary
Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:10 pm
Here's this morning's project. I started back on the tailgunner's compartment, as some material and sheet metal equipment arrived late yesterday afternoon. I know it's crazy how I go from one project to the next, but it keeps the job from getting monotonous. Sorry if this jumping back and forth is confusing to anyone.
The first step in making the lower portion of the tailgunner's compartment was to make a posterboard outline of the upper bows for duplication. Frankly, I screwed up with this particular project right from the start. I should have just made a form block out of wood or similar, so that each of the three bows would have been made from the same mold. The way I've done it here takes much longer and allows for more mistakes. Anyway, here's the process on the last bow...
I measured the length of the other bows and cut out a straight piece of bulb angle...
I just used the new shrinker/stretcher that we got yesterday, but discovered right away that just because you have decent equipment, with pnuematic actuation, it doesn't mean you can get in a hurry. I scrapped one piece within minutes of starting it. The key here is to take your time!...
I used the posterboard pattern after each application of the shrinker. I worked from an index point in the center and went outboard, one half at a time. You can see here how it slowly starts to come to shape...
Here it is after the shrinking is complete. It is extremely time consuming to get this right and you have to not be afraid to just start over if you have screwed up too badly. I got lucky here and this particular piece has no imperfections from the pattern over .040". That should suffice for this installation...
After the shrinking is complete, I had to polish the marks from the shrinker jaws out of the aluminum. A scratch is a potential crack...
And here is the piece clamped onto the airplane. I'll get it clecoed into place and start on the lower sheet metal part of this project next...
Gary
The first step in making the lower portion of the tailgunner's compartment was to make a posterboard outline of the upper bows for duplication. Frankly, I screwed up with this particular project right from the start. I should have just made a form block out of wood or similar, so that each of the three bows would have been made from the same mold. The way I've done it here takes much longer and allows for more mistakes. Anyway, here's the process on the last bow...
I measured the length of the other bows and cut out a straight piece of bulb angle...
I just used the new shrinker/stretcher that we got yesterday, but discovered right away that just because you have decent equipment, with pnuematic actuation, it doesn't mean you can get in a hurry. I scrapped one piece within minutes of starting it. The key here is to take your time!...
I used the posterboard pattern after each application of the shrinker. I worked from an index point in the center and went outboard, one half at a time. You can see here how it slowly starts to come to shape...
Here it is after the shrinking is complete. It is extremely time consuming to get this right and you have to not be afraid to just start over if you have screwed up too badly. I got lucky here and this particular piece has no imperfections from the pattern over .040". That should suffice for this installation...
After the shrinking is complete, I had to polish the marks from the shrinker jaws out of the aluminum. A scratch is a potential crack...
And here is the piece clamped onto the airplane. I'll get it clecoed into place and start on the lower sheet metal part of this project next...
Gary
Sat Nov 18, 2006 3:28 pm
I wasn't really invisioning propane firing guns when I mentioned it. I just merely stated that it was an option they had.
Can you say why (if) there is a ban? Were not talking about firing blanks through an actual firing mechanism. These replicas from what I saw are completely different on the inside of the reciever. No bolt, Firing pins etc. etc.
I think there are plenty of people all over the country that have there grill tanks out in the hot summer sun, do so without incident. Beyond that I think it boils down to proper maintenence and saftey procedures. I would love see you guy's AC-47 do a pass at an airshow with all 3 gatlings breathing flame. Then again I can only imagine how much propane 3 M61A1s (if that's right) would use in one pass.
Better become good friends with Hank.
Shay
_____________
Semper Fortis
Obergrafeter wrote:Gary, doesn't the CAF have a ban on gas guns anymore?
Can you say why (if) there is a ban? Were not talking about firing blanks through an actual firing mechanism. These replicas from what I saw are completely different on the inside of the reciever. No bolt, Firing pins etc. etc.
spookyboss wrote:Just a thought on the propane guns, We had tossed around the idea for our AC-47 gunship and got to thinking about all the gas fumes that around the plane. When it's sitting at a show in the Hot summer time, at least on a goon you can see the fumes and just one little spark and KaBoom !!!
I think there are plenty of people all over the country that have there grill tanks out in the hot summer sun, do so without incident. Beyond that I think it boils down to proper maintenence and saftey procedures. I would love see you guy's AC-47 do a pass at an airshow with all 3 gatlings breathing flame. Then again I can only imagine how much propane 3 M61A1s (if that's right) would use in one pass.
Better become good friends with Hank.
Shay
_____________
Semper Fortis
Sat Nov 18, 2006 4:06 pm
I think I just spotted this year's Christmas present.
Gary, where'd you get the slick pneumatic shrinker/stretcher combo?
Gary, where'd you get the slick pneumatic shrinker/stretcher combo?
Sun Nov 19, 2006 12:04 pm
Gary,
If you find yourself in need of someone to help you bang rivets after the first of the year. I would be glad to pack my bags for a visit to Texas. Besides...after being up here in the Northeast, I would welcome a bit of a winter thaw <grin>. My specialty before I began my inspection career, was heavy structure work. PM me if you need any thought's or ideas.
Paul
If you find yourself in need of someone to help you bang rivets after the first of the year. I would be glad to pack my bags for a visit to Texas. Besides...after being up here in the Northeast, I would welcome a bit of a winter thaw <grin>. My specialty before I began my inspection career, was heavy structure work. PM me if you need any thought's or ideas.
Paul