F-100 operational canopy
11-25-2005, 11:53 AM
#1
F-100 operational canopy
Here's a short video of what I've been working on lately - setting up the operational canopy on a BVM F-100. Thanks to Bob Neal for the idea for how to make it work - he's built one on his Air Magic F15.
http://www.people.vcu.edu/~rhklenke/canopy_long.MPG
Please ignore the audio - I had the TV on the Discovery channel or something at the time
Bob
http://www.people.vcu.edu/~rhklenke/canopy_long.MPG
Please ignore the audio - I had the TV on the Discovery channel or something at the time
Bob
11-25-2005, 09:11 PM
#6
RE: F-100 operational canopy
OK, well, like I said, Bob gets the credit for giving me the general idea how to do it. I worked out some of the design details for this installation myself.
You will notice three black squares on each side of the ledge where the canopy rests. These are the latches into which three hold-down hooks in the canopy fit. The hooks are made from BVM canopy hooks cut down to match the picture below. I used three per side on this installation because of the length of the canopy.
Underneath the ledges are square plastic tubes (KS or "Plastruct" stuff from the RR section of the local hobby store) held in place with Aeropoxy. The square holes are cut through the ledge into the square tube. They are as wide as the ID of the tube and are as long as necessary to allow the hooks to seat into them even if the alignment is a bit off when the canopy goes up or down.
Inside the square plastic tube is another square tube, this one being brass. At the location of each hole, a corresponding hole, of the same size, is cut into the top of the brass tube. At the front of each hole, a "notch" is made shaped like the drawing below. This hole/notch in the brass tube forms the "lock" mechanism. Notice how when the inner brass tube is forward, the holes in the inner tube line up with the holes in the ledge/outer tube and the hook can go right in. Then the inner tube is slid back and the notch grabs the hook. Because of the taper in the notch and the slope on the hook, the inner tube grabs the hook and not only pulls it down tight, but also centers it. In the video, you can see that happening when the locks close if you look closely. Finally, you can cut off half of the inner tube in between the latch areas (forming a brass "U" ) This will allow the square brass tube (normally quite stiff) to follow the curve of the ledge/outer tube if there is one (there is on the F100 and the inner tube wouldn't even go in until I did this).
The inner tubes are actuated by 1" cylinders which are setup with the max forward travel such that the inner holes line up at that point. There are no stops on the rearward travel so they go as far back as possible to tightly hold the hooks. The canopy is raised and lowered by a separate 1 5/8" cylinder at the back of the canopy just in front of the hinge.
The canopy up/down cylinder and the lock cylinders (one per side) are actuated by a UP-3 valve - the one that does the gear doors open when the gear is down and doors closed when the gear is up. The lock cylinders are connected such that the inner tube aft (locked) corresponds to doors closed and the inner tube forward (unlocked) corresponds to doors open. The up/down cylinder is connected such that the (landing gear) strut up position on the valve corresponds to the canopy down and the strut down position corresponds to canopy open. From a normal locked position, when the UP-3 valve is moved to the other position, the locks open (doors open) and then the canopy goes up (strut down). Move the UP-3 the other way, and the canopy goes down (strut up), and the locks close (doors closed).
Several other things to note. First, its best to fabricate all of the hooks and latches, and then place them temporarily in place on the canopy rails. Close and lock the canopy and make sure all of the hooks engage. Then push the hooks tight up against the locks (making sure that it doesn't move) and make sure that the hooks are all being held down tight. Adjust as necessary (takes several iterations - trust me) and tack each hook in place with slow CA as you get them right. Only THEN do you lock each in place with Aeropoxy. Doing it any other way results in a LOT more work fixing the hook/latch alignment [
]
Second, I faced the hooks toward the front on this installation because that's how the full size F100's are setup. The problem with this is that when the latches close, it tends to push the canopy aft. With the hinge as designed, the canopy could easily slide back 1/8" or more, resulting in the hooks getting loose. The solution here was to put a "tab" on the canopy rails right at the aft end that fits into a slot in the rails such that when the canopy closes, the tab fits right against the aft end of the slot and keeps the canopy from sliding further aft when the latches engage. This works fine, but an easier solution would have been to make the hooks face aft and the latches slide forward to lock. That way, the latches closing would push the canopy tight up against the forward wind screen. Live and learn...
Finally, the square tubing fit neatly under the ledge in this model, but if your model doesn't have the ledge, you could simply glue the outer square tubing against the side of the cockpit to form the latches.
Any questions?
ps, the image didn't seem to upload that well. You can find the original here: http://www.people.vcu.edu/~rhklenke/...py_details.jpg
You will notice three black squares on each side of the ledge where the canopy rests. These are the latches into which three hold-down hooks in the canopy fit. The hooks are made from BVM canopy hooks cut down to match the picture below. I used three per side on this installation because of the length of the canopy.
Underneath the ledges are square plastic tubes (KS or "Plastruct" stuff from the RR section of the local hobby store) held in place with Aeropoxy. The square holes are cut through the ledge into the square tube. They are as wide as the ID of the tube and are as long as necessary to allow the hooks to seat into them even if the alignment is a bit off when the canopy goes up or down.
Inside the square plastic tube is another square tube, this one being brass. At the location of each hole, a corresponding hole, of the same size, is cut into the top of the brass tube. At the front of each hole, a "notch" is made shaped like the drawing below. This hole/notch in the brass tube forms the "lock" mechanism. Notice how when the inner brass tube is forward, the holes in the inner tube line up with the holes in the ledge/outer tube and the hook can go right in. Then the inner tube is slid back and the notch grabs the hook. Because of the taper in the notch and the slope on the hook, the inner tube grabs the hook and not only pulls it down tight, but also centers it. In the video, you can see that happening when the locks close if you look closely. Finally, you can cut off half of the inner tube in between the latch areas (forming a brass "U" ) This will allow the square brass tube (normally quite stiff) to follow the curve of the ledge/outer tube if there is one (there is on the F100 and the inner tube wouldn't even go in until I did this).
The inner tubes are actuated by 1" cylinders which are setup with the max forward travel such that the inner holes line up at that point. There are no stops on the rearward travel so they go as far back as possible to tightly hold the hooks. The canopy is raised and lowered by a separate 1 5/8" cylinder at the back of the canopy just in front of the hinge.
The canopy up/down cylinder and the lock cylinders (one per side) are actuated by a UP-3 valve - the one that does the gear doors open when the gear is down and doors closed when the gear is up. The lock cylinders are connected such that the inner tube aft (locked) corresponds to doors closed and the inner tube forward (unlocked) corresponds to doors open. The up/down cylinder is connected such that the (landing gear) strut up position on the valve corresponds to the canopy down and the strut down position corresponds to canopy open. From a normal locked position, when the UP-3 valve is moved to the other position, the locks open (doors open) and then the canopy goes up (strut down). Move the UP-3 the other way, and the canopy goes down (strut up), and the locks close (doors closed).
Several other things to note. First, its best to fabricate all of the hooks and latches, and then place them temporarily in place on the canopy rails. Close and lock the canopy and make sure all of the hooks engage. Then push the hooks tight up against the locks (making sure that it doesn't move) and make sure that the hooks are all being held down tight. Adjust as necessary (takes several iterations - trust me) and tack each hook in place with slow CA as you get them right. Only THEN do you lock each in place with Aeropoxy. Doing it any other way results in a LOT more work fixing the hook/latch alignment [
]Second, I faced the hooks toward the front on this installation because that's how the full size F100's are setup. The problem with this is that when the latches close, it tends to push the canopy aft. With the hinge as designed, the canopy could easily slide back 1/8" or more, resulting in the hooks getting loose. The solution here was to put a "tab" on the canopy rails right at the aft end that fits into a slot in the rails such that when the canopy closes, the tab fits right against the aft end of the slot and keeps the canopy from sliding further aft when the latches engage. This works fine, but an easier solution would have been to make the hooks face aft and the latches slide forward to lock. That way, the latches closing would push the canopy tight up against the forward wind screen. Live and learn...
Finally, the square tubing fit neatly under the ledge in this model, but if your model doesn't have the ledge, you could simply glue the outer square tubing against the side of the cockpit to form the latches.
Any questions?
ps, the image didn't seem to upload that well. You can find the original here: http://www.people.vcu.edu/~rhklenke/...py_details.jpg
Its getting close though and its been a learning experience. Hopefully it will go out for plating in 3 weeks or so...
11-26-2005, 01:33 PM
#11
Senior Member
RE: F-100 operational canopy
Nice work. Got any plans on restricting to a more scale like speed?
Are you having it Metalmorphed? As Greg above will attest, it sure does give you a realistic platform to go crazy on.
Good luck with her.
Paul
Are you having it Metalmorphed? As Greg above will attest, it sure does give you a realistic platform to go crazy on.
Good luck with her.
Paul
11-26-2005, 04:26 PM
#14
Senior Member
RE: F-100 operational canopy
I'm kinda like BSAF only different.
I don't make your canopy work...I make your working canopy look better. (If you have a Yellow Twin)
Thanks Gregg!
Paul
I don't make your canopy work...I make your working canopy look better. (If you have a Yellow Twin)
Thanks Gregg!
Paul
11-26-2005, 10:35 PM
#15
RE: F-100 operational canopy
ORIGINAL: SDCrashmaster
Nice work. Got any plans on restricting to a more scale like speed?
Are you having it Metalmorphed? As Greg above will attest, it sure does give you a realistic platform to go crazy on.
Good luck with her.
Paul
Nice work. Got any plans on restricting to a more scale like speed?
Are you having it Metalmorphed? As Greg above will attest, it sure does give you a realistic platform to go crazy on.
Good luck with her.
Paul
) The UP valves have built in needle valves, but they are so "fiddily" its hard to get the speed just right. The range from full speed to (what seems like) full stop is about 1/4 of a turn, and you have to hold them in place while you tighten the lock nuts...Also, there's a bit of "sticktion" in the system, even in the cylinders themselves and the canopy is so light, its hard to get the speed down. Pressure has to build up to the point where the motion starts and once it does, the pressure is high enough to make it move fairly quickly to the other position. Plus, when I slow it down to where it actually moves slower, it takes literally a minute or more from when you throw the switch until the canopy moves. I may play around with it some more later, but right now, I'm happy to get reliable operation and locking so I can move on to the next task.
Yes, the model is scheduled to be Metalmorphed. Hopefully that will start in a month or so.
I'm better with this sort of mechanical stuff. The guys like Greg, Paul, Dan Gill, Joe Grice, etc. that can add that much detail into a model are in a whole 'nother league!
Bob
11-27-2005, 10:41 AM
#17
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RE: F-100 operational canopy
Hi Bob
The F-100 "F" canopy is so long that the alignment is tricky when you close it. Because of that issue alone, I personally only know of 2 or 3 others that work. Plus your method has the hooks looking scale like. When you install the clear canopy, that may give a little more 'heft' to the assembly and help with the speed adjustment. But, if you are planning to plate this plane, I assume the 'glass' will not be going in until after that step. I personally give you an A+ on this job and I am filing away your tip in my mind for my next project.
Best regards
Greg Anixter
The F-100 "F" canopy is so long that the alignment is tricky when you close it. Because of that issue alone, I personally only know of 2 or 3 others that work. Plus your method has the hooks looking scale like. When you install the clear canopy, that may give a little more 'heft' to the assembly and help with the speed adjustment. But, if you are planning to plate this plane, I assume the 'glass' will not be going in until after that step. I personally give you an A+ on this job and I am filing away your tip in my mind for my next project.
Best regards
Greg Anixter
11-27-2005, 11:09 AM
#18
RE: F-100 operational canopy
Thank you for the nice words Greg, coming from you that is quite a complement. Your F-86 is going to be awesome!
The key was making it as self-aligning as possible. The hooks need come down into the latch holes only enough to engage the inner tube at the bottom of the latch and then the locking mechanism will align it to where it needs to be.
Note that to fix the rearward sliding problem when the latches engage, one could make sure that the hooks line up exactly with the aft edges of the latch holes when the canopy is in the right position, but that would be tricky to setup and if the canopy alignment changed at all, the hooks might miss the holes. Best to have the holes larger and use the tab/slot arrangement to fix the fore/aft alignment problem. Note that the tabs are tapered as well and the slots are wider and extend further foward than necessary so that they are also tolerent of come miss-alignment. You just need to be sure that the aft end of the tab hits the aft end of the slot when the canopy is closed in the proper position. I have operated the canopy dozens of times and as of yet, it has never failed to lock properly. Never the less, my instructions to the owner will be to always lower and lock the canopy before taxing out to be sure it locks properly. If it doesn't it could be a disaster - possibly resulting in the loss of the jet. You can of course raise the canopy on the runway before taxi-back for scale effect...
I talked to Bob Neal, and on his F-15, he didn't need to have the tab I talked about to keep the canopy from sliding aft. It seems that in that installation, the hinges are sufficient to prevent that occurance. In the F-100, as you know, the canopy hinge is supported on a "tower" built on a lite-ply plate. This arrangement effectivey results in the hinge point being quite easy to move around as the ply plate tends to flex. This also caused me some heart burn in getting the up/down cylinder placed so it would work. It eventually had to be setup so it was completely vertical in the closed position. With it at an angle (forward) when closed, it would push the canopy foward when trying to open just enough to cause it to bind on the foward windscreen and either not open at all, or really "pop" open when the pressure in the cylinder reached about 80 PSI...
Bob
The key was making it as self-aligning as possible. The hooks need come down into the latch holes only enough to engage the inner tube at the bottom of the latch and then the locking mechanism will align it to where it needs to be.
Note that to fix the rearward sliding problem when the latches engage, one could make sure that the hooks line up exactly with the aft edges of the latch holes when the canopy is in the right position, but that would be tricky to setup and if the canopy alignment changed at all, the hooks might miss the holes. Best to have the holes larger and use the tab/slot arrangement to fix the fore/aft alignment problem. Note that the tabs are tapered as well and the slots are wider and extend further foward than necessary so that they are also tolerent of come miss-alignment. You just need to be sure that the aft end of the tab hits the aft end of the slot when the canopy is closed in the proper position. I have operated the canopy dozens of times and as of yet, it has never failed to lock properly. Never the less, my instructions to the owner will be to always lower and lock the canopy before taxing out to be sure it locks properly. If it doesn't it could be a disaster - possibly resulting in the loss of the jet. You can of course raise the canopy on the runway before taxi-back for scale effect...
I talked to Bob Neal, and on his F-15, he didn't need to have the tab I talked about to keep the canopy from sliding aft. It seems that in that installation, the hinges are sufficient to prevent that occurance. In the F-100, as you know, the canopy hinge is supported on a "tower" built on a lite-ply plate. This arrangement effectivey results in the hinge point being quite easy to move around as the ply plate tends to flex. This also caused me some heart burn in getting the up/down cylinder placed so it would work. It eventually had to be setup so it was completely vertical in the closed position. With it at an angle (forward) when closed, it would push the canopy foward when trying to open just enough to cause it to bind on the foward windscreen and either not open at all, or really "pop" open when the pressure in the cylinder reached about 80 PSI...
Bob
