Lipko

These changes will make another bunch of MOCs obsolete. That longer actuator is awesome and will greatly improve any crane-like models a lot. It's pretty hard to keep up, one-year development of a MOC is too long now.

For the landing gears you could try a self locking linkage too. I managed to make a mechanism that fully folds/unfolds the gears with only an approximately 360° gear turn, but the gears are very stable when fully out. Maybe it would take too much space though... Anyway, this is coming along nicely, you managed to fit the same amount of functions in a much smaller space than I did. For reference and maybe you can see the landing gear mechanism:

As far as I heard from the MOCHUB guys, Nico have selled quite some many models. RacingBrick also told me he had success there with small models and mainly motorizing packs. I have selled zero models so far. The price is too high for models from nonames like me. EDIT: to summarize: have a "business plan" and models aimed for MOCHUB. Throwing up a few of your "old models" are only for the biggest names.

I also exhibited a model of mine and let kids play with it for hours and some of them let it click for several seconds and even left the model there this way (interestingly even most of the smallest kids realised they have to stop), and I did notice that the LAs' clutches engage a bit earlier than in case of fresh LAs. My model had two operated simulteanously which amplified the problem a bit (one of the LAs clicked earlier so they got unsynchronized and needed to be synchonized a few occasions during the exhibition). Anyways, combining the white clutch gears with the LA is not a very good idea as the white clutch's engaging torque is quite random so you can't match it with the LA's torque. With one you get a significantly reduced power with another one you might get LA clicking instead. And also the white gears loose clutch power more quickly.

The deadline is moved by two weeks (to 17th of February). I'm have the opposite opinion, I will rush my entry to finish because I won't have any time for the couple of next months at least, so if I don't finish the model probably I never will.

I decided to make this model even if I can't finish it in time for the contest. I didn't want to end my career with an unfinished failed project. The two-weeks extra time gives hope to finish though. Anyhoo: There are a lot of compromises but the chassis came together pretty good after yesterday's build. So the feature list: variable pitch propeller - OK retracting gears - OK, but front wheel needs to be connected to the main weels nose gear with drag steering: gear self aligns. Some real small planes have this, and in the real plane the steering is achieved by skid-breaking the two main wheels. ? doors hiding the rectracting wheels flight control surfaces: ailerons - OK elevator - OK rudder - OK flaps (expendable) control system: HOG for the main flight controls, triaxial joystick (expendable for two separate sticks) - aileron and elevator OK ailerons and elevators are also controllable from the cockpit (dual setup) - OK propeller pitch from cockpit with the throttle lever - OK flaps from either cockpit or hog 4-cylider flat engine. At the moment it's a proper flat engine with counter-acting pistons, but I could only implement it with a very big offset between the two cylinder lines, so maybe I will go back for a V4 engine instead to save a little space the engine and the propeller will be driven somehow from the middle of the body, probably with some one-way button pushing ratcheting mechanism thing... opening canopy - OK, but some linkage should be added opening engine door (it doesn't have to be hinged, but has to be easy to remove) ? awesome luxury looks. I'm pretty sure I can't get the looks as sleek as I wanted, but maybe I can go for a more classic "Lego Technic" look. I'd like to highlight the tail. It turned out to be very simple and effective, still both rudder and elevators are implemented in a T-tail design. I didn't think I could implement this but I am very happy I could because this T-tail configuration is more common in such luxury aircraft than the standard fuselage mounted design. Notice the link to the elevator acts also as the pivot of the rudder. The only thing I don't like is that the horizontal stabilizer is not flat, but maybe I can accept that (I don't want to increase weight). Also the tail section is quite flimsy, but I don't want it to be more chunky and too heavy since the wheel configuration can't be changed (such planes never have landing gears on the tail).

I like the profile this way with the rake, but I hope you will compensate it somehow with the bodywork to have an even ground clearence.

As a general contest idea: maybe some periods in the year should be defined when big contests with prizes should not be held. For example 1st to 31st of December and 15th of July to 31st of August or something. Small, fun contests could be held any time.

I think the theme is a bit harder than the usual themes. Even if most of us love Technic aircrafts, there aren't that many aircraft MOCers so for most of us this build is out of our confort zone. Also it's one of the most interesting themes recently, mainly because the prevoius sentence, but it's set in the middle of the winter holidays. Also allowing only realistic models makes the building even harder (having functions but also preserving proportions and good looks). So yep, this is a harder-than usual contest. On a side note, I'm back in building but have little chance to finish even with a moved deadline (um... maybe 2 weeks moving would be enough )

How about incerasing wingspread? Maybe that would improve the model's balance a bit and would make the fuselage look less chunky. Also you could use custom-built propellers.

The rear is still a too pushed down. Most modern cars and I think pretty much all sport cars have continuously rising contour from front to rear. EDIT: maybe you are just trying to follow the designer's concept drawing (which has fine proportions) but somehow it's character is lost. Maybe the door is pointing upwards too much.

I give up on the project. I worked hard on this almost every night and I still have hardly anything (it's not even worth it to take new pictures). The next time when I could probably continue is at the beginning of January, so I will have no chance to finish it with this development speed. This kind of complicated model is way over my head, I can only design simple cars with simple looks. Also my enthusiasm is not as big as it used to be, so I'm officially giving up on this whole Technic hobby once and for all. When I have kids (one is on the way ) I will probably build simple town stuff for and later with them, but this "professionalism" obsession thing isn't working.

Maybe I'm wrong, but couldn't you just replace the 6L links with beams? That would drag the turntable more efficiently.

Of course anyone can "copy" the pitch controller idea, though it is really a straightforward thing you can do with the hubs. I tried several times to use the hubs for similar situation but this is the only place so far where it truly fits.

Hi all! This will be my entry for the aircraft contest. It will be a normal airplane, more specifically a "light sport aircraft". The model will focus on the looks but will have the main features that make an aircraft. Planned features: variable pitch propeller rectacting gears nose gear with drag steering: gear self aligns. Some real small planes have this, and in the real plane the steering is achieved by skid-breaking the two main wheels. doors hiding the rectracter wheels (expendable) flight control surfaces: ailerons elevator rudder flaps (expendable) control system: HOG for the main flight controls, triaxial joystick (expendable for two separate sticks) ailerons and elevators are also controllable from the cockpit (dual setup) propeller pitch from cockpit with the throttle lever flaps from either cockpit or hog 4-cylider flat engine. At the moment it's a proper flat engine with counter-acting pistons, but I could only implement it with a very big offset between the two cylinder lines, so maybe I will go back for a V4 engine instead to save a little space the engine and the propeller will be driven somehow from the middle of the body, probably with some one-way button pushing ratcheting mechanism thing... opening canopy opening engine door (it doesn't have to be hinged, but has to be easy to remove) awesome luxury looks After about 20 hours of work, the only thing I'm satisfied with is the variable pitch propeller... I have a basic shape defined, controls in the cockipt but I can't route the drive to the engine. I also have the nose gear steering, which looks kind of ugly but works. The mayor challenge in the gear was to add a very small return to center mechanism (otherwise the gear couldn't be retracted) and obviously the rectracting itself. I will have a big rebuild this weekend, so the internals will change greatly. However, I'm satisfied with the overall proportions and size of the model. Inadvertently the scale will be around 1:10, so in the "supercar scale". Propeller: I decided to go for a built propeller blades that fit the scale better (and looks better than the propeller blade part, which fit old-school planes better in my opinion) and can be connected to the pitch control more efficiently. Sorry for my English and typos, my computer died, and also I haven't slept too much lately. PICS (the propeller pitch hub needs some parts to replace, I guess you'll find which):

Guys,

Nice variable pitch setup. I came up with a similar one but managed to get it more compact and more easily controllable with using a wheel hub. The linkage to the blade is the same, but with 2L longitudinal beams. I hope I can start a WIP topic this week.

I think there's a typo in the deadline. You meant 24th of February, right?

I think I'll have some time to enter. I already have an idea: a simple airplane... nothing unique, nothing strangeness. It's too easy to win with unique ideas :P

It's awesome to see your models in one thread (perhaps I've already said that you are one of my favorite designers)

Please, do a blog post, I love reading such things.

I also think it's a pretty nice set. Definitely a nice parts pack.

I said this too many times, but "finally this model really has a chance to succeed on Ideas"

Yup, quite shocking for a first MOC...

Well, it has more functions than any of my 1:10 supercars... Great job, on the functions, and the looks is awesome too! The only thing I don't like is the engine cover: the beams spearately pivot on frictionless pins?