UFO ... sorta

[Randy Wilson]

Sighted last Friday in a test facility in West Texas. Clearly a very advanced design - perhaps a ram jet RPV?



And now for the rest of the story...

OK, couldn't resist pulling your legs a bit with the image of a 2/3rds scale PVC stick model built to test the fit of a full model P-51D in the new Commemorative Center building at CAF HQ in Midland, Tx. Unfortunately the ceiling above the area it will hang will not be open and we are now looking at a slight scaling back of the final model just to be able to get it into the space and positioned as needed.

The final model is being built by a professional model builder but if anyone here has experience about hanging larger models that might weigh up to 900 pounds in museums, etc. please feel free to contact me here or by PM. We do have engineering support but this is something a bit out of the ordinary, it seems. Thanks.

Hope everyone got their clocks sorted out this morning!

Randy

[Cvairwerks]

Randy: Should be no real problem from the engineering design standpoint. Simple addition of some vector loads to the building structure and verifying that the building structure will take them, and any mods that might be needed. Just remember to account for the possiblity of the model not being completely restrained in all dimensions by the cables....ie some movement could be generated by air movement within the the building.
Any competent structural engineer should be able to take care of the design numbers for you. Just make sure that whoever signs off on the drawings and calculations is a liscensed P.E. in Texas so that the insurance people won't flip out over it hanging up there.

If you need some reference stuff, then Dayton is probably the best and quickest bet, as they've hung a bunch up there in the galleries.

[Randy Wilson]

Cvairwerks - Understand all that and we do have a structural engineer involved thru the architect. I'm just a scientist type - geology - but do understand the constraining issues. Just seeing if anyone had any helpful hints specifically on the hanging process. Thanks for your thoughts.

Randy

[Cvairwerks]

Ahh so, I see know says the blind man.... In that direction then, stay away from the synthetic ropes/cables ect. and go with maybe stainless cable. Use a rotatable joint like for fishing lines close to the model. Since it's just a model, bury the tie points internally and bring the cable out through small coverplates. By using three seperate cables, it i very easy to make it "fly" in whatever attitude you want. Maybe two points forward of the windscreen and a single one run through the vertical stab... Definately do a trial hanging from a couple of low gantries or forklifts so that you get the angles you want and have the cables near finished length prior to going up to the final installed height. Don't remove the excess cable length until you are completely satisfied as to the hanging angles....yeah, it means that someone has to go up there a second time, but it beats having to haul it down and remake the cables if it doesn't look like you want it too.

Oh yeah...wax the fright out of it just before you hang it at height, as that will make it easier to blow the dust and dirt off the top sides whenever someone tries to clean it up and not bring it down.

Some day I'm actually going to get a chance to have a vacation and get over to Midland and see everything.

Food for thought from a "Narrow Valley" reject...

Craig

[Jack Cook]

Once you guys get that project finished would you please reverse engineer this for me.
I strongly feel that squadron of flying squirrels could be just what our military is looking for

[Chris]

You may want to contact the Navy Museum at Pensacola. Half of their museum is hanging from the rafters and most are held up by a single albeit stout chain

[mustangdriver]

Once you guys get that project finished would you please reverse engineer this for me.
I strongly feel that squadron of flying squirrels could be just what our military is looking for

Jack I am pretty sure that squadron would be nuts. Thank you I will be here all week.

[proped up]

I know the test pilot of that aircraft, his name is Rod.

[Obergrafeter]

You sure his names not Rocky?

[proped up]

Yeah Rock is the fella who is holding for take, off but Rod drove the prototype in the first pic. Boy was he a STICKler for protocols. [/img]

[planeoldsteve]

I know the test pilot of that aircraft, his name is Rod.

I thought there were two test pilots for the first one, Kurt and Rod!

Steve