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Mass CG project ...


Aztek

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I got my money on gear doors staying down. If not for the fact alone that the -14 and -18 have doors staying down. I DO think that the panel forward of the main gear doors ( with the colored lenses on them) is capapble of retracting seperate from the main gear doors. I have some refs for the main gears DG. I'll dig em up.

Cool, thanks.

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I think in the Saturn DYRL opening they show the valks taxing around the carrier deck doors open. It also shows the landing gear retracting and the aft wheels definitly rotate 90 degrees. I wish I still had that sequince it kicked ass.

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Just saw these utterly awesome renderings for the first time. Been trying to generate a "solid" model of a VF-1 for a while in a format that can be produced on a CNC machine tool. No acceptable success. Does anybody have an .iges, .stl, .stp, parasolid, or similar 3D model that can be used to generate toolpaths? Have access to many convertors; if in doubt, reply regardless. You'd get a Ti or AL scuplt for your efforts!

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DG,

Sparse landing gear refs. Two screen grabs and some f-14 main gears. The f-14 gear mechanics have to be reversed since the gear retracts towards the aft on a valk.

post-5-1079250604.jpg

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Not only is the VF-1's gear sequence reversed since it retracts back, it's inverted, since the VF-1 wheel ends up facing down, but F-14 wheels end up facing upwards.

PS--if you need F-14 gear pics, ask me, I have many of my own. :)

PPS--the F-15's gear sequence is the same as the F-14's, just simpler-looking.

And here's a video showing an F-15 lowering its gear:

http://www.f-15estrikeeagle.com/technology...r/gear_drop.wmv (yes, framerate is low)

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David,

What spins the tire the 90 degrees of rotation? Is it mechanical linkage or hydraulic actuator? I thought the video would show it but it's just not there, or I'm blind ... one of the two.

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This thread is still just incredible...

I can't believe the realism that was put into that cockpit a couple pages back....

Anyway, just checking in again to see when you all might be ready to start putting together that composite poster.... My Photoshop skills are still available. :)

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Sorry for the delay, I don't check the FanWorks page too often. Anyways--I've never found a "rotation" mechanism on ANY plane. My guess is it's internal, or so small it looks like just another generic hydraulic line or wire bundle on the strut. I've got my own personal F-14 pics which beat anything you'll find anywhere else, and the best I can offer is it might be this (as well as the similar-looking thing on the right side of the strut). However, AFAIK, it's pretty much only the wheel and its axle that rotates, not the entire lower half of the strut. (Also interesting to note, and never mentioned anywhere AFAIK, is the small door opened in the fuselage itself for clearance for a projection from the gear--far left side of the pic, a little bit above center--left of the top of the spring)

::edit:: After looking at it closer, I really don't think that's it, and that the black line is simply paint, not a separation line. IMHO, the mechanism should closely resemble nose-gear steering parts, since it's basically the same thing--but there's nothing like that on the main gears, from what I can find. (If anyone wants to model nose-gear steering, let me know)

Edited by David Hingtgen
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::edit:: After looking at it closer, I really don't think that's it, and that the black line is simply paint, not a separation line. IMHO, the mechanism should closely resemble nose-gear steering parts, since it's basically the same thing--but there's nothing like that on the main gears, from what I can find. (If anyone wants to model nose-gear steering, let me know)

Yeah, I'd have to concur. The separation line would have to be lower than that folding support strut that projects forwards at a 45 degree angle from the front of the main strut. although damned if I can guess where that strut you pointed out folds away to when the gear collapses, so what do I know....?

Nose gear stearing mechanism explanation would be tops, thanks...

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Nose geer steering, from what I've seen, is usually just a pair of opposing hydraulic actuators linked both to the main upper section of the NLG strut (stationary) and the pivoting lower section. Based on pilot input and the amount applied, either by stick, yolk, or seperate control wheel, hydraulic pressure is applied to ONE of the cylinders to steer in a given direction. When a correction is made, such as over steer, the pilot input for the opposite direction depressurizes the unnecessary actuator and pressurizes the correct one.

This is not a universal system, some NLG systems use a single, "push-pull" actuator for the steering, while the one above is more of an opposing "push-push" system.

BTW, at a given ground speed, the NLG system is locked out and the only way the pilot is able to steer the aircraft is through rudder inputs. I guess overcorrecting at 110 knots in a 500k pound aircraft is bad.

Probably just as bad on a 40k pound fighter w/10 k in munitions loaded.

Hopefully David can expand and provide some visual references.

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Seems I'm wrong. Those aren't for the F-14's nosegear steering. They are however, the links that raise and lower the catapult strop. But they sure look like and are in the right position to be the steering links. Now if I can only find the steering mechanism... :unsure:

I also found out that the little part of the main gear that sticks into the fuselage is called the interlock strut, and it is to help support the main gear, by giving it another attachment point to the fuselage.

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I also found out that the little part of the main gear that sticks into the fuselage is called the interlock strut, and it is to help support the main gear, by giving it another attachment point to the fuselage.

Cool - but damned if I can figure out the geometry of it when the main strut collapses forward....

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  • 2 weeks later...

I love this thread, and although I have not CGI modelling skills, I come here often to see the wonderful work you guys make, but I've noticed that all of you model valks, and I've seen only a few Macross, would it be too much to ask if we can see the Macross but in cruiser mode, simple shots in space to get a feel?...Thanks

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DOK, sweet as ever. Gonna need some help as I venture into the displacement and bump arena for texturing. Also did some upper leg/intake remodelling. You can kinda see it in this render, but it definitely has different proportions and is "softer" overall.

perched.jpg

Although I like the "toy" look, I want to get to a slightly more realistic point. Want to give the model more of a rounded edged feel as opposed to the hash edges I see when I compare my valk to the others on the board (thanks for the side by side).

Also, can you tell me why I get the whole "Blue Glass" thing in my renders? I am not sure which setting I shoudl change in the material properties to avoid this brightness and color gather...

Thanks

:Dat

post-5-1083181285_thumb.jpg

Edited by DatterBoy
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Model looks beautiful, Dat. Definite improvement on the intakes.

At this point, weathering is almost certainly the main thing you need to do for greater "realism."

As for the glass, not sure what you should tweak. Realistic glass shaders are actually usually pretty complicated shading networks. My advice would be for you to simply download and import a prebuilt one. Highend3d.com has a good glass shader...

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I love this thread, and although I have not CGI modelling skills, I come here often to see the wonderful work you guys make, but I've noticed that all of you model valks, and I've seen only a few Macross, would it be too much to ask if we can see the Macross but in cruiser mode, simple shots in space to get a feel?...Thanks

Heres a few for you...

post-5-1081878171_thumb.jpg

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