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Nick_Karatzides

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Everything posted by Nick_Karatzides

  1. CHAPTER III - Converting Mbytes into actual model parts Before start building a new scale model, I always try to study as much as possible the object of construction. If books, technical manuals and detailed walkaround photos are available, that will help a lot the model building process. To know how it works and how exactly it is made on real aircraft, always helps to build the scale model. During the study that preceded this model construction, I noticed that the WWS-1 / IS-A glider is quite popular among the RC modelers, who use specific patterns to cut balsa wood and prepare their RC model parts. These patterns seem to be identical to the real glider construction frame, as found into a copy of the official technical manual, purchased from Krakow aviation museum. The building attempt, would not be successful without help from Mr. Ivo Mikač from Czech Republic, who kindly provided me with all info and the 3D plans he had previously create. Because these 3D plans were made for RC modeling purposes, I had to convert & detail them into something that could be much closer to my needs for “static” scale modeling. So, I spent few hours in front of my laptop, to scale down into correct 1/18 size and digitally cut (within a hundredth of a millimeter accuracy) the glider’s compartments into virtual pieces, detail & improve the plans, having always in mind that the later printed parts, should perfectly fit and finally become a fine scale model. After converting the 3D plans as required and double check for possible mistakes, I saved it as a digital file and forward it on a 3D printer to start generating the individual parts of the model. Shortly thereafter, the printing proceeding outcome pleased me, while watching the Mbytes, magically converting into actual items. Yeah, that’s what I call “cool gadgets” on scale modeler’s service. As seen in the following pictures, as soon as the produced parts were cleaned, I checked for broken parts & imperfections. The model now consists of only a few parts, found into three (cabin, wings & tail) basic frame sections. Some additional details such as wings supporting rods, control bars & wires etc made of styrene, will be later added. Cabin with separate rudder pedals & control stick, Left & right wings with separate left & right ailerons, Elevator with separate left & right fins and stabilizer with separate rudder fin. After my sweetheart wife (aka “4-star General in home” & “family's financial director”) conducted a strict quality control and 3D printing result evaluation, she smiled & proudly signaled green light for further building. After each section was dry fit tested to ensure that anything can be combined together as one piece, the parts forwarded for assembly.
  2. CHAPTER II - Meeting the Salamandra glider “WWS” is an abbreviation of "Wojskowe Warsztaty Szybowcowe" (meaning “Military Gliding Workshops” in Polish language), based in Krakow, Poland. Founded on 1935 by Waclaw Czerwinski who had taken over the management. The MRP-1 Salamandra project, was the first project which was created under his leadership. The Salamandra was a training glider, who had excellent flying characteristics, so that it was decided very quickly to take over in mass production in various workshops throughout Poland. Before the WWII, the Salamandra glider was also built under license in Yugoslavia and after 1943, the "Salamandra" was also produced in Romania. After the WWII, the production started again with a re-engineered version made from the “IS” which is an abbreviation of “Instytucie Szybownictwa (meaning “Gliding Institute” in Polish language), under the name Warszawa IS-A Salamandra. During the 1950ies, the Salamandra glider has been built in China, where a two-seater version was also created. Around 500 Salamandra gliders have been built around the World, up to date. The glider was also known by nickname "Czuwaj" among the Hungarian Boy Scout Association, which was the Polish version of the standard Boy Scout motto. The WWS-1 Salamandra glider, also inspired the Finnish Pik-5 design. The Yugoslavian built version was developed by engineer Ivan Šoštarić in 1939 and built by UTVA Panćevo factory as “Šoštarić UTVA Čavka”. After the end of WWII, the Yugoslavian built “Čavka” model was widely used in Greece and became very popular among the glider aviators. Both Athens aeroclub based at Tatoi airfield and Edessa aeroclub based at Panagitsa airfield, used these gliders for young aviator training purposes. Construction of the Salamandra glider was entirely of wood with fabric covering on wings and tail unit. The fuselage consisted of a plywood covered nacelle for the single seat cockpit, with a wire-braced open strut rear fuselage supporting the cruciform style tail-unit. The high mounted wire braced wings were supported by struts from the bottom of the fuselage to approx 1/5 span. Later versions introduced windscreens and airbrakes in the wings. Wooden skids under the tail and fuselage nacelle comprised the undercariage. The technical data & general characteristics are: Type designation: Wojskowe Warsztaty Szybowcowe WWS-1 / Instytucie Szybownictwa IS-A Salamandra, Usage: Solo training glider, Crew: 1 pilot, Year of first construction: 1935, Country of production: Poland, Yugoslavia, Romania, China, Length: 21 ft 3 in (6.48 m), Height: 7 ft 6 in (2.30 m), Wing span: 40 ft 11 in (12.48 m.), Wing area: 16.9 m² (182 ft²), Wing profile: Göttingen 378, Aspect ratio: 9.2 / 1, Empty weight: 309 lb (140 kg), Gross weight: 496 lb (225 kg), Maximum speed: 93 mph (150 km/h), Stall speed: 24 mph (38.5 km/h), Maximum glide ratio: 15.2 / 1 at 56 km/h (30 kts / 35 mph), Rate of sink: 159.5 ft/min (0.81 m/s). On 1967, Joseph Borzęcki converted a Salamandra to a motorized glider, equipped with a VolksWagen car engine 21 kW (28 hp) and named it "Cirrus". That specific motorized glider version, seemed very interesting to build under scale, but unfortunately I found out about it too late - I had already built the cabin and it was to risky to try convert the nose section in order house an engine. Most noticeable differences with the primary 1935 built WWS-1 model, are the presence of the retractable airbrakes on the upper side of wings and the squared tips of the elevator fins, as seen into following picture.
  3. CHAPTER I - Today, the scratch building died Spartans refused to improve their long range weapons, because they always wanted to fight close to their opponent. That's why they had short length swords aka “xiphos”. Plutarch mentions in his "Lakonic Sayings" that when sometime an improved version of bow that could launch arrows farther to kill enemies from afar without risking presented to Spartan king Agesilaus, he replied: "Today the prowess died". This saying of the Spartan king Agesilaus came to my mind when I first heard about the 3D printers a few years ago and consider about the potential applications on scale modelling. For those who choose to deal with scratch building, the free access to 3D printer technology and the ability to create complete models or parts of a model using their home PC or laptop and CAD software rather building by hand, marks a new era in scale modelling. It is more than obvious that the time we spent to build from scratch using styrene sheet and X-Acto knife only, had ended and maybe in a few years there will be no more. It looks like "today, the scratch building died" On the other hand, we (as open minded scale modelers) could consider the 3D printing technology introduction into scale modelling and free access to the average modeller as an evolution in the hobby and a creative tool that helps us to build better and more realistic models. Certainly the new technologies and gadget tools in the hands of talented enthusiasts open new horizons and provide wide potentials on scale model building. If we had refused to take advantage of new tools, new incoming materials & resources offered by technology so far, we would never use airbrushes & air compressors for paint applying, we would never use pigments for weathering effects, we would never use new style micro tools & drilling devices, we would never use internet for know-how sources accessing and we would never exchange opinions through this forum. Having all the above in mind, I named the CAD & 3D printing as a “new tool in my pocket” (instead of “cheating”) from now on and I’ll try to discover all possible alternative ways that could be used for best results. The modern scale modeller, except being a creative builder & talented painter, should also be familiar with other scientific fields such as: History, Architecture, Aviation engineering, Military tactics, Photography, Article writing, etc, etc, etc. ...so, why not adding the CAD - Computer Aided Design & 3D printing skills? For those who might rush to say that this project is not a "scratch build", because the model did not actually "built by bare hands", I would answer as follows: Try to build your next model... Without using pliers, nippers & special scribers or knife blades. Just use fingers only. Without using specialized CA superglue, putty & epoxy products. Just use Mother Nature products only. Without using books or internet resources to get info about how the actual thing looked like. Just guess. Without using any kind of resin or photoetched aftermarket products, without even use styrene card as normaly found in local hobbyshop. Without using an airbrush, an air supply compressor & paint jars found on local hobby shop shelves. Just use Mother Nature products only. Without using stencils or water transfered decals. Make your own decals - without using a photocopier or a printer, ofcourse. Without using the latest products of AK series for weathering, rusting & dusting the finish on your scale model. What I’m trying here to say is that, just because it seems nearly impossible to imagine our hobby without the above stuff, just because the combination of "tools" plus "talent" plus "creativity" equals great building results, yes I believe that the 3D printing technology is actually in front of us and it will become a precious tool in hands of scale modeler. A new era is already here. Maybe, it’s about time for Spartan king Agesilaus, to reconsider his views..
  4. 1/18 scale Instytucie Szybownictwa IS-A Salamandra 53 scratchbuild model The text following is to describe the 1/18 scale Instytucie Szybownictwa IS-A Salamandra 53 (1953 version) glider model building, as produced by aviation factories throughout Poland.
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