Seasider

Ahh right i get you now i tried to use some panels then found it was getting bigger and i just didn't like it so i decided to switch to the beam/frame style of build. as to it being a bit blunt a i tried to get it rounded at least by using the cranked beams and the flex axles.

Alasdiar, i don't understand what you think is missing ? I was intending it to be a single seater open cockpit version. Also wanted to make it similar style to me glider from the triple competition and keep it modelled by beams with a framework and not completely covered. if you look at your link some autogyros are very basic !

Well the autogyro is pretty much complete ... just one shaft left to link up Updated pics have been placed in my thread ... enjoy

Time for a big update from me ... it's almost finished ! I just have to connect the rudder control shafts together (which is proving to be a pain) ... but apart from that it's all done! Definitely going to build it out of bricks once I've finished the house move. Enjoy ...

DrJB - the chain is for pitching the main (lift) rotor. As to the 2 blades, that's how autogyros are!

I think I'm on the home stretch now. Worked out how to get the pitch and roll connected, raised the engine by one stud, changed the rotorhead slightly and put a spring in to return the lift rotor to a default position Only the rudder to link up out of all the mechs The just the frame/bodywork to stitch together and the wheels to sort Might grow the tailplane slightly ... not sure yet

I'm virtually building in ldd. Forgot to take my laptop with me when i was away on business this last week but I'll try and get some building time in tomorrow and post an update

Good looking little plane, wheels look a little small but otherwise looks spot on

I love the Volvo .... The model looks good and comes with a collection of motors etc definitely going to try and get one as to the red pickup this would normally be on my radar being a collector of buggies and the like. But i just dont like the front end, the grille and lights don't work in my opinion. But a b model buggy could sway me!

If it wasn't for technic I wouldn't have become an engineer (aeronautical by degree, automotive by career). as to what it taught me ... as lots of people have said .... Patience oh and engineering is fun !

Tinker - no sorry its just going to be a normal autogyro ... not a little nellie with weapons So here is the progress from this weeks stay in hotels I am finding it a lot harder working with LDD rather than physical bricks ! been working on the lift rotor assembly, although I'm still not happy with the bulk where the blades attach ... would like to thin this down to a half width beam top and bottom around the blades ... and also i've schemed up the rear tailplane and rudder ... and worked out some relative positions please ignore ... the colours ! ... random beams and axles jus used to position things ... the wheels ... there for an idea of what size to use Enjoy ...

Simply stunning

Thanks i tried this but cant get the shafts to line up! I even used a long output shaft and moved the output mounting point a considerable distance but it still wouldn't align. It got really close a few times though.

Pretty cool plane. Like the smoothness of it all. My only negative is the wings and tailplane look small when compared to the fuselage.

Ahh a Grumman X29 a beautiful test aircraft. I remember seeing it at the air and space museum in Washington DC

I'm fine with competitions being for the glory/kudos/fun-of-it and not always prizes

Don't you mean elevators not ailerons ? I'd use some gears driven by an axle Linear actuators turn too slow for the main control surfaces in my opinion I'd use them for flaps, trim tabs or landing gear though Interesting that you're putting retracting undercarriage on a biplane ... Wasn't very common ... But there were some in existence

I'm trying to do a technic model and I want to use universal joints ... any advice for rotating these and connecting it all together ... I'm having a pain lining it up and sometimes when I try to adjust the rotation on the UJ it rotates the rest of the assembly and not the UJ I have an input shaft and then want to go across 3, down 1 and ideally fit it into a gap 12 long ... the 3 across and 1 down are critical ... 12 long could be adjusted Help !

I use photobucket (also a free service) and it allows you to edit photos (good for reducing down in size) and also gives you the links you need as easy copy and pastes for posting to forums gti180 ... looks like a gyrocopter and a wheelchair combined !

Posted my wip thread for JFAIR ... Doing a simplistic flying vehicle again to follow on from my TRIPLE Glider ... Gone for an Autogyro this time

The pistons will move when the engine prop is rotated Rudder pedals in cockpit will operate a central rudder on the tail plane assembly Control stick in the cockpit will adjust pitch and roll of the lift rotor assembly (hopefully similar to a real autogyro) It'll be PF/RC/HOG free !

Hi all, Well here's my WIP for an autogyro. I'm actually in the process of moving house/jobs and so all the LEGO is packed away safely ready for the move. So this model is a first for me in the fact that I'm using LDD to design the model. This is proving tricky as I build by eye along, not scaled from drawings, I like to make 'my impression of' models, and so when building with physical bricks things get built and ripped apart lots of times. So while I'm away in hotels during the week I've been grabbing the odd hour in the evenings to start this. Not sure when I'll actually finish it, i can't see it being in Jan/Feb, but at some stage I'll also convert it to real bricks. The plan is to use the blades from the new cargo plane for the engines props and the large blades from the recent big helicopter to do the 2 main rotors. The model will also have full controls working from the cockpit ... rudder and control stick ... so as you'll see i've used the cargo planes control stick design ... but it'll need tweaking as somehow this needs to get transfered up the lift rotor shaft. Next update ... next sunday

Sign me up. How do we convince lego to make these parts ?

Ok basic flight theory 'lift' is created by making air flow faster over the top surface of an object compared to the flow of the air underneath it ... this creates lower pressure on the top surface and so 'lift' What a flap does is this ... it increase the 'curvature'(front to back) of a wing and so increases lift ... and with an increase in lift you can fly at a slower speed ... as lift is related to airspeed the flaps on the Saab are 'slotted' flaps ... this means some air will 'leak' through the hole from under the wing to on top of the wing ... this means the air will stay attached to the wing longer at large aircraft pitch angles (nose up) and so it will also stall later Does that help ? P.s. I have an aeronautical degree in terms of slowing down when its on the ground after landing this plane is likely to use number of methods 1. blade angle / feathering where the prop no longer provides thrust and in some cases rearward thrust to produce an effect like a thrust reverser on a jet engine 2. brakes on the wheels 3. flaps ... the flaps will be fully deloyed once the plane touches down ... creating lots of drag remember a prop aircraft lands at a much lower speed than a jet and so needs a lot less effort to slow

Alasdair I just did a google for you. Flaps are inboard of he ailerons (as you would expect as you want the maximum turning effort from the ailerons) this image should help you http://www.mobygames.com/game/windows/aircraft-collectors-edition/screenshots/gameShotId,547776/ as it shows the flaps in the down position in this one you can see a number of supports underneath that have the 'arms' to lower the flaps http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-UnitedStates-3/Airlines-United-States3-QZ/Silver-Airways/i-89LSTL3 the critical thing is to end up with a visible slot between the flap and the wing when the flap is fully deployed Hope that helps ?