Help! Design tips for a curved canopy

[jpot1]

I am looking for advice on a tool or method to better design some of the curved canopy / turtle deck areas of various planes. I currently use Inkscape for the majority of the design/plans work and then use paper cutouts with a lot of TLAR to figure out the curvy parts. After seeing the FT Edge build video and some other items that Ben Harber has done I figure there must be a better way to figure out all of the curves and make it repeatable.

I am currently trying to model the below Sonex plane. The curve of the cockpit forward along with the rear turtle deck is what I am looking for help with. Suggestions are appreciated.

 

[DamoRC]

Cute Plane!

I like the way Ben does his. I use a similar approach but I like to see the score cuts underneath (I'm just weird that way). I can't remember what software Ben uses. I use Sketchup (as you are probably sick of hearing me say) and I saw that @thenated0g has started using Fusion 360 (although this might be for 3D printing and his hotwire CNC). Also @unrauv has started using 3d modelling software but i can't find the reference to the name of the software.

In foamboard, you will always give up curvature in one direction to get curvature in the other. Example, in the Sonex model, you can have a nice curved shape viewable from the front but this means you will need to break up the profile view into a few straight sections that approximate the curve you are looking for. This probably doesn't make much sense written down. If you want, I can string together some pics as to how I would handle the canopy and turtledeck in Sketchup for the Sonex.

DamoRC

 

[jpot1]

DamoRc, your help would be great! Below is my prototype build. It’s kind of an elongated FT mustang canopy with a flat piece on top. It didn’t come out terrible but there is no way I could repeat it.

Video - great plane which is why I want to go to the effort to get this right as a removable hatch and share plans.

I’m working with Tim who came up with the original layout.

 

[DamoRC]

Do you have a threeview of the plane in the first pic?

I found these two - the yellow one seems to be more like your original pic.

 

[jpot1]

So I kind of mashed the two together. I am using the yellow one sized to a wingspan of 28.40" as I liked the rudder/elevator on that one. However I am using the single dihedral wing from the black and white one.

BTW - I did find a thread on the FT forums (no clue why I didn't search there first) that is another option.

https://forum.flitetest.com/index.p...ff-1-6-scale-44-span-sonex.22294/#post-272247

 

[unrauv]

Cool Plane, I use MicroStation for modeling and drawing my planes.

 

[DamoRC]

So I kind of mashed the two together. I am using the yellow one sized to a wingspan of 28.40" as I liked the rudder/elevator on that one. However I am using the single dihedral wing from the black and white one.

BTW - I did find a thread on the FT forums (no clue why I didn't search there first) that is another option.

https://forum.flitetest.com/index.p...ff-1-6-scale-44-span-sonex.22294/#post-272247

Do you want to have a go building based on the plans you found? Its going to be a week before I could get a good look at this and to be honest, that's a pretty nice deck they have going in that model - not sure I could do better (or even the same!)

DamoRC

 

[jpot1]

Thanks DamoRC, I’m going to use those plans as a basis and try a few things. I’ll keep folks posted.