Ever get an idea and feel so excited about it that you simply have to stop what you're doing and flesh it out a bit?
This often happens to me with these models, it's not that I lose interest or can't stay focused but sometimes, especially if I'm working on the boring nitty gritty of a design, a little diversion into something else can pay dividends. And so it is that I have a few projects on the go.
One of them will become the primary project at some point and the others will take a back seat. The other day I introduced the LoPresti Fury. Today, it is the turn of the Grumman Mallard.
First flown in 1946 the Mallard was Grumman's effort to build upon the success of the Widgeon and the Goose seaplanes. It was designed as a medium airliner to fly up to 10 people and 2 pilots on city to city hops from harbours on the eastern seaboard of the US. It was manufactured from 1946 to 1951 and gained a second lease of life later on as the Turbo Mallard.
For the model I plan on making it sea going only (for now?), and for manoeuvring in water we'll use differential thrust, like the real Mallard. Wing span is 1400mm, as far as 3D printed planes go it is a bit of a beast. I have been working on this for a little while now but it took a back seat for the Porter and Skymaster.
I'm going to try a new method for strengthening the fuselage on this model. Instead of my usual twin walled fuselage I am going to try a single wall with concentric ribs. I will print some test pieces and weigh them to see if it is viable.
The cockpit windows were pretty challenging, using a combination of surface and solid lofts. I also plan on making nacelles for the Turbo Mallard incase that is your preference.
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