A Design for a foam board DC3

MikeRobey

New member
Hi All,

A couple of weeks ago walk4718 posted a request as a comment on the end of my PT-19 build article. He asked me to have a go at Designing a DC3. Initially I thought it would not be possible to capture a DC3 in foam board because the shape of a DC3 is nothing but compound curves!! Then I remember an article by Sparkie where he had designed a mosquito which is every bit as curvy as a DC3. I went back and looked at what he had done and decided what the heck I like a challenge so I am in the process of designing it and intend to post updates on the design and the build and (hopefully) the maiden of my prototype.

Normally I design the plans directly in two dimensions. I will find (or draw) a three view and basically work from that. However for the DC3 I decided that I could not wrap my head around how to translate aDC3 directly into 2D plans. The issue is how to capture the character of a DC3 and at the same type come up with a design that is a straight forward build.

The tail feathers and wings are straight forward and I know I can do them directly into 2D. No the troiuble maker is that gorgeous and oh so highly curved fuselage. The result won't does not have to be precise but you should be able to instantly recognise it as a DC3.

DC3Fuse.jpg

I started by designing the fuselage in 3D using sketchup. The above image is what I eventually came up with. I have an intital design for the fuselage almost finished. The rear will use posterboard for the curved bits and I think I have a way of hiding where the poster board joins the foamboard. The bit that gave me nightmares was the nose. In the end I went two ways. Firstly I designed a 3D printable nose section and then designed and test built a simple foam board nose along the same lines as what Sparkie use in his Mosquito.

DC3PrintedNose.jpg DC3SimpleNose.jpg DC3Nose-Actual.JPG

I designed each nose in sketchup and then gtransfered the dimensions into qcad. At least for the moment I intend for the nose to be removable for battery access (an idea stolen from the Guinea).

Hopefully this week I will have a go at building the fuselage.

More updates to follow.
 

CavRecon

Member
THIS IS AWESOME! I can't wait to see how this comes out. I am a big fan of the WW2 multi-engine workhorses.

Ironically, the foamboard nose reminds me of a B-17, one of my other favorites.

I personally hate posterboard in the models, but understand it might be the best medium for the task.

Keep up the good work!
 

MikeRobey

New member
Glad you like it! I am not excited about using poster board either but I am worried about it being tail heavy and the only other option would be to use shaped foam board and that would be heavier. If I can't get it to look nice I will be forced to reconsider but I want to try the poster board first.
 

MikeRobey

New member
Wow! That kind of takes the wind out of my sails! He even has the flat bottomed fuselage version I was going to do. His fuse design is similar but different. However his model looks very nice so I am sure his plans are pretty good as well. Prior to starting I did do a bit of googling to see if someone else had done one but I didn't find anything.

I have come this far so I think I am going to build the fuse and see what it looks like and if it comes out okay then I will continue anyway. I sort of feel like having got this far I need to continue anyway.

unrauv's other designs also look pretty impressive.
 

SlingShot

Maneuvering With Purpose
Wow! That kind of takes the wind out of my sails! He even has the flat bottomed fuselage version I was going to do. His fuse design is similar but different. However his model looks very nice so I am sure his plans are pretty good as well. Prior to starting I did do a bit of googling to see if someone else had done one but I didn't find anything.

I have come this far so I think I am going to build the fuse and see what it looks like and if it comes out okay then I will continue anyway. I sort of feel like having got this far I need to continue anyway.

unrauv's other designs also look pretty impressive.


But his doesn't have DC-3 windows and it's not painted up like the Cleveland Indians team plane. :rolleyes:

Indians-Express-Major-League.jpg
 

MikeRobey

New member
DC3

Actually I was thinking of Buffalo Airways
Buffalo-01.png
I have almost finished the fuselage plans so hopefully I will be posting some fuselage build pics here soon.