Warbird Information Exchange

well I went through several planes starting and switching as I tried to get used to working my way around the drawings. I still having problems trying to figure out where to find the mold tables or whatever they are called for lofting the fuse formers.

However I think I am ready to give it a go. A friend of mines grandfather flew P-38 in the pacific theater and I thought I would surprise him drawing one up since I have known him for over 40 yrs and he has done cool things for me this would be something cool for him.

I have the fuselage lofted and the wing laid out so now I will work on the individual stations for the fuse while I try to figure out the center wing drawings

well I got the loft nice and even marked the fuse ref line but when I try to do dimensions from the FRL and it isnt even close

as you can see here my FRL matches the drawing but when I try to mark out the gun cutout for this former (other formers probs too) the cutout circle is too low

Ok on this former I found a dimension for the former if I am reading it correctly I am about half inch short and almost 2" too wide. as the note says it should be 33 tall by 23 1/2 wide.

However even if I adjust those dimensions that 12.5 would be even shorter than it shows. I am using the best profile reference I can find but doesnt seem to show any outlines or mold lofts for the fuse. so question is how do you come up with the proper dimensions

Joseph: That set of dimensions are most likely the blank size and not the finished bulkhead size. The material is speced in the SO condition and is to be heat treated after forming. A designer would never have a bulkhead in the SO condition, as it would be so weak you could deform with hand pressure.

Ok but also the width of the fuse is shown to be 18.995 Half Span so I have all the fuse dimensions matching thats why it boggles me the front 4 bulkhead drawings dimensions are off so much. I could see a dimension here or there but not consistantly.

I am moving on to the next section and going to see which is the mid section where the cockpit is. thats why I say the fuse is the hardest part because the drawings dont seem to have the outlines dimensioned or the fuse bulkheasd ordinates they must be some seperate sheets that never get put with the rest of the drawings

Ok things starting to work out as I get going but this drawing references DS925 which I am assuming is the specs for the indent around the hole for the distance to the start of the indent and the depth

That would be your P-38 lightening hole

Sorry , couldn't resist.

Neat project

Andy

lol yea there are several DS standards listed but i just need to find the chart or whatever that lists what they are

Well Now I need to find the DS drawings for the stringer cutouts DS 920-90

well today I got 2 more bulkheads finished i hate trying to work 10 hrs then get any drawing done during the week