dhc6twinotter

I've been putting it together with my 6 year old nephew, and we both like it a lot. I had to use a couple of the panels on a moc I built, so we are currently stuck mid-way through book 6 until I order a couple more panels. It's pretty obvious that a lot of thought went into it, especially the stabilizer design. However, I don't think the gearbox and associated gearing is that efficient of a design (certain functions are geared down, then up again), and the superstructure doesn't look that good. I think whether or not the set is worth it depends on what you want to do with the set. If you want to build it and play with it, then I think some of the functions are pretty slow. My nephew still loves it though, and he's pretty mesmerized by the stabilizers. As a parts pack, the set is excellent, and even better than the 8258 Crane Truck. Just my $.02.

Are instructions required for consideration in the Hall of Fame? Many of the suggestions thus far have been for models with instructions. There are some excellent builders that don't make instructions for their mocs.

Nice! Radials are awesome engines!

Nice! Awesome youtube username btw. I really wish I could have seen some of Bob Hoover's flying. The engine out aerobatic routine he did sounded fantastic.

A system like that would be easier, I think, and I may end up going that way. On the other hand, a pneumatic sequencer would be a bit more realistic as the real p-38 has an actuator for each bay door set. Plus I think it may be fun to build. Not sure which way I will go on this. The flap I built uses two tracks (just axles) per side. It's pretty much the same track layout as the real P-38. It took a bit of figuring, but I'm very happy with how it works. If I can figure out how to use a single pneumatic cylinder mounted behind the cockpit to give me incremental control of the flaps, I may go this route to lower the flaps. If I can't figure that out, I may go with 2 mini-LAs per flap, or a simple worm gear and lever setup. Nice designs! The system I used on the Super Cub won't work because I'm trying to use a mini-turntable for part of the propeller hub. Since the mini-turntable has 28 teeth on it, I'm having to use a new style differential (28t also), instead of the old style differential. The overall principle is the same, but the new style differential just complicates things a bit. The mini-turntable should be much better for the propeller hub though.

This model is growing on me. The green I6 engine is great, and I believe this it the first time LEGO has done an I6 engine in a model. Nice to see a pendular axle as well!

Yup, I've been building! I have a WIP thread started, but haven't posted it yet. I want to get get a bit more built before posting. Main landing gear is done I think, but I still need to figure out how to build the sequencer for gear and bay doors. Landing gear locks in both the up and down position. One of the fowler flaps with slide mechanism is built, but I still need to figure out if I'm going to motorize or use pneumatics on the flaps. I'm currently working on the variable pitch mechanism. I'm using mini-turntables for the propellers, which means the old system I used on the Super Cub doesn't work. I've got the gearing sorted out, but the rest is kicking my butt. I'm out of town currently, but I'll try to have a WIP post up on Tuesday or Wednesday

Nice setup! You asked if anybody else has done a cable system, and I believe Marius Postma used cables on his dhc-6 Twin Otter.

Dark Blue pieces have appeared in the past. The Technic R2-D2 from years ago had some dark blue in it. I think dark blue was available in Bionicle and/or Hero Factory sets as well. I would not be surprised to see dark blue offered again.

Looks like a forwarder with a clambunk. I've never seen this combination, but it's pretty cool! Gives me ideas for my forwarder project... I'm all for LEGO making a forwarder! The basic functions could be done with 4 motors and a gearbox.

You guys might be right. I feel better now.

The beauty of LEGO is that if we don't like what LEGO has to offer, we can create our own stuff.

I actually kinda like this set. It looks like a good parts pack, and all those red panels are nice! 3x11 and new 3x11 curved panels too! It looks like an easy set to RC. One thing that bugs me though: There are 6 throttle bodies for a V4 engine (I think it's a V4).

I'll pass on the loader, unless I find one super cheap. Poor steering, slow loader operation, and bulky cab design don't really interest me that much. I wasn't expecting a working engine though, so that's nice! The yellow rims and new bucket are awesome though! Hopefully, this is just a preliminary model that still has some redesigns. The loaders by efferman and D3K are much better, imho. The red truck is much better than I anticipated. The overall looks of it is pretty awesome. It's nice to see the old suspension arms still in use, and it's great to see all the red panels. I'll have to see the price before I decide to buy it, but I like what I see so far.

Another amazing car by Paul! This car has some great lines to it, and great job placing all the panels! Nice use of new parts, and that hood mechanism is great. Any pictures of the rear axle?

Welcome to the forum! I think it's generally about 2 years. There have been times in the past where sets were re-released though, and the modular buildings seem to have a 4-5 year production run (at least Fire Brigade was out that long).

I have a hard time distinguishing between the greys when I'm using incandescent light, but if I'm using fluorescent or LED lighting, it's pretty easy. I keep my old grey, but haven't really used it much. One of these days I may sort through my black parts, although that difference is so minute it's probably not worth it.

Very cool. Hopefully somebody from TLG will see this and offer it in future sets.

Awesome machine! Colors work together well. The lever type ( or whatever they are called) LA mounts on the boom are intriguing. Bucket is built superbly, and reverse mounting the LAs on the bucket must have been a bit tricky. Love the fans too! I see there are three u-joints at the boom/bucket connection. I suppose one u-joint is for the bucket open/close and one for the LAs that tip the bucket, but what is the third u-joint for? Very nicely done. :thumbup:

Welcome to the forum! Several things I would check: 1) Make sure the CVs are connected into each of the rear wheel hubs and differential. See instruction manual page 64 2) On instruction manual page 53, steps 1 and 2, make sure the tan axle with stud is placed correctly. If this part is inserted backwards (from the inside of the grey frame), the stud part may contact the differential and keep it form turning. 3) Check to see if the axles going into the engine block are in all the way. If they back out and one end of the crankshaft is not supported, the pistons can bind and make it harder to move. Check the grey axle on instruction manual page 69, and the red axle (not the red pin) on page 70, step 6. (I doubt this is a cause, but could be a possibility--check the other two first) That's all I can think of. My guess is a CV or axle came out during assembly.

Thanks for the links! For some reason the pdf in post #9 won't open for me (says there is an error or something), but I just downloaded a pdf from page 2 in that thread. It has some excellent info. Thanks for the link! I've had another look at the first link you posted in your previous post here. I saw that picture several days ago, but I assumed it was for an RC plane and dismissed it. However, after digging around a bit more, I've found the source of that picture, and it appears to be from the actual P-38 plans. If that is the case, then it appears the combat/maneuver flap setting is not a "hybrid" split/fowler flap, but just another setting on the fowler flaps. So, it seems my earlier sources were incorrect, and the combat/maneuver setting does move the flap back and down. This should make things much easier to build with LEGO (still a fun challenge though). I also spent an hour or so studying the landing gear diagram last night. It took me a while, but I figured out the location of the landing gear actuators and how they worked. As for the size of the plane, I'd like to make it smaller than the Piper Super Cub I built a couple years ago. If I can keep the overall length down to under a meter, than I'll be happy. Smaller the better, but scaling the cockpit down is a challenge, especially with all the linkages for the working levers and buttons (rudders, elevator, ailerons, flaps, prop pitch, throttle, dive flaps, radiator shutters, bomb/fuel tank release, and landing gear). Nice thing about the P-38 is that I do have some space under the cockpit to use, so long as I leave enough room for the nose gear. I don't want the cockpit section to be any wider than 11 studs, and the booms about 9 studs at their widest points. Main landing gear will probably use the tires from the mobile crane. Thanks very much for the help!

That's what I thought, but wasn't sure. I like the hole in the center. That would support the sun gear nicely. Is there anything that would prevent the planet gears from working loose and falling out of the turntable side? BTW, nice Inventor drawings. I recently installed Inventor as well, but have not played around with it.

Looks great! I can't really tell which parts are fixed and which spin, but I assume the part with the pin connectors is attached to the dish with 4 holes in it (sorry not sure what to call it)? And, that dish snaps into the turntable and spins freely? I would love to see LEGO offer something like this.

Looks really good! For the wheel side, I vote for having pin connectors.

If you don't want to use LAs, 8439 is a great set that has articulated steering and a working steering wheel. You may be able to copy the steering system from this. D3K has an articulated steering system on his swing loader, and I believe instructions are available for it. It does use mini-LAs, and I don't think it has a working steering wheel. That may have been me. I built one a couple years ago. I don't have very good pictures of the articulation joint, but here are a few pictures (assuming stupid new flickr works): That was before mini-LAs came out, and if I were to do it again, I'd probably use mini-LAs. No working steering wheel with this model either.