RunRyder - Homemade re-tracts for scale Bell 222 T-rex

rrTV-PHOTO

New HD TV

HOME rrTV-PHOTO GALLERIES MY GALLERY HELP-FAQ

myHOME PM pmRR MEMBERS 482 ONLINE 44 EVENTS SEARCH REGISTER START HERE

1 page

2209 views

POST REPLY

Next D	.	Fast Lad Performance	.	Ace Hobby
	.		.

e-Align T-REX 450-500-600 > Homemade re-tracts for scale Bell 222 T-rex

tisrich
Senior Heliman
Location: western NY

I've been working on a scale T-rex using the Bell 222 fuse from JMD models. The only re-tracts available for this model were designed for the Zoom/Shogun 400 so I had to come up with my own version. In fact, the 222 fuse is for the Zoom too but I have found that it will fit fine.
This project which is using an older V1 Trex is taking a lot longer than I thought. Currently I am working on the fuse when I get time having pretty much handled the mechanics using extra parts I had laying around.
Anyway, the re-tracts must be built into the existing T-rex frame and not on a separate plate. The JMD fuse is not very forgiving and everything has to be shoehorned in to fit. When put in properly there is a surprising amount of room. There is sufficient room for the pitch arm so long as you mount the frame low. This is why the re-tract servo must be installed inside the frame as shown and not below it. Also, it is important to mount the T-rex frame in as low as possible using four mounting points and not two as the instructions say.
Here is a pic of the assembly showing how I mounted the servo for the re-tracts directly into the frame:

The front wheel is mounted on a unit attached to the front battery plate extension as seen here:

Now this was the hard part. How to attach the rear landing gear assembly.
In order to be able to put everything in I made the rear gear assembly removeable from the bottom of the frame. I small slot had to be cut into both sides of the frame in order to allow the gear assembly to slide in. It is attached to the bottom of the frame with two screws that will be accessible through a hole cut in the bottom of the fuse. At least that's the plan.
Here is how I attached the main gear assembly to the frame:

I think this will work but I'm still working on it when I can.
I personally think the JMD Bell 222 fuse looks a lot sleeker and stylish like some of the Airwolfs I've seen posted. It doesn't have that kind of funny porpoise look to it.
I've just started working on the fuse itself. These pictures look bad but it's because I have sprayed black window tinting from the inside and will be masking of the windows before I paint the exterior. The rear exhausts have been painted black from the inside too. The fuse comes in four pieces excluding the tail boom cover which must be cut out and attached. Through experimentation I found Shoe-Goo to bond the strongest.
As you can see, a lot of work remains before I can even get to painting it. This was my winter's project but I started early.

As I get along I'll add some other photos.

09-05-2005 Over year old.

airmarshalg
Senior Heliman
Location: Goodyear, AZ.

Re-tracts look good, keep us posted.

Greg

Airline Pilot: If it isn't Boeing, I'm not going (Actually, it's the McBoeing that I

09-05-2005 Over year old.

mountaindr3wz
Veteran
Location: chula vista califorina

thats very nice.

09-06-2005 Over year old.

steph280
Key Veteran
Location: Irvine, California

I just finished this fuselage over the laborday weekend fitted to my old Shogun. Yeah it's not the easiest fuse to work with. It takes some patience to get the front piece fitted right to rest of fuse. Had to do it twice because fuse actually changes shape when installed onto mechanic. I basically did what you did, paint inside for window's black and lower white, and sprayed outside for rest of color. I suck at painting, but it came out pretty decent. Just waiting for the right fengshui for that maiden flight.

09-06-2005 Over year old.

Hoverup
Elite Veteran
Location: Gulf Coast

Nice work Steph.

Cheers - Boyd
AMA80393
Major USAF
Retired

09-07-2005 Over year old.

tisrich
Senior Heliman
Location: western NY

Hey Steph. Good job there. I'm close to painting mine soon. Putting a T-Rex in this fuse is quite challenging I must say. Patience is a virtue when doing these. I have in my gallery a couple other scales I've done.

09-07-2005 Over year old.

mountaindr3wz
Veteran
Location: chula vista califorina

wow that is nice. dont worry youll get better at painting. that paint job is is very good though

09-07-2005 Over year old.

steph280
Key Veteran
Location: Irvine, California

Thanks for the compliments guys.

TheGiftedOne: JMD is at www.jmdmodels.com

09-07-2005 Over year old.

tisrich
Senior Heliman
Location: western NY

T-rex / 222 build continues

Finished initial assembly of the fuse including prime base coat painting using Krylon Fusion white gloss.. I used Squadron white putty on the seams as recommended by JMD followed by 320 grit before painting.

As to fitting the tail case I had to figure out how to access it. Since the boom has to be in place first the tail case has to be installed last. So I made a removeable panel in the back as shown here:

Now I have to think of the right paint/striping scheme before I can begin to install the mechanics which are ready to go.

The entire fuse weighs in at 106 grams so I'm a little concerned about adding any more paint.

09-12-2005 Over year old.

HeliPolski
Senior Heliman
Location: Alhambra, CA

That looks great, don't worry about the weight, it will haul it around nicely. A little more weight equals more stabillity, well up to a point.

MIKI

If its not scale I ain't flying it

09-13-2005 Over year old.

tisrich
Senior Heliman
Location: western NY

Fuse completed

Ok, now the hard part starts. The fuse has been completed. I will soon be squeezing the mechs into it. Total weight of the completed fuse less mechanics is now up to 128 grams. I decided to cut out the windows to provide ventilation.

This gives an idea of the bottom cutouts. hopefully I have everything cut properly but I expect I may have to do some trimming.

This week I should start putting the mechanics in. I'm having difficulty getting the blades to track and I want to make sure I have everything set before I continue.

09-25-2005 Over year old.

mountaindr3wz
Veteran
Location: chula vista califorina

very nice i llike how it is painted

09-25-2005 Over year old.

tisrich
Senior Heliman
Location: western NY

Bell 222 completed

Finished putting the mechanics in, and did some minor trimming where I had some rubbing in the landing gear and swash area. I'll be taking it out soon for some flying and will be posting some pics then.

Noticed my tail blades are backwards. See what happens when you rush to finish?
Also added a stinger wire to the back. A piece of white styrene tubing with a hard wire insert ca'd inside it. This was ca'd to the bottom tail stab thus keeping my tail blades off the ground.

As you can see here if you attach the re-tract servo inside the frame and use a battery plate extension to mount the front wheel assembly everything fits in quite nicely.

Here's a shot of the small access hole where I can get to the rear gear/frame attachment assembly. The rear gear assembly had to be inserted into the fuse followed by the tail boom and frame assembly butt first. It was a pain to line up the re-tract plate inside the frame but once done it works great.

A little paint touchup, some final adjustments and it should be ready to go.
Total completed weight with a Kokam 1500 is 754 grams. A little porky but I just want to be able to get her up do some gentle flying.

09-30-2005 Over year old.

steph280
Key Veteran
Location: Irvine, California

Beautiful! Nice job!

Much nicer than I could ever do!

Are the black lines trim tapes?

10-01-2005 Over year old.

tisrich
Senior Heliman
Location: western NY

Yup, the stripes are black vinyl stripes from Autozone.

10-01-2005 Over year old.

1 page

2209 views

POST REPLY

Esprit Model	.	Thunder Power RC	.	Real Raptors
	.		.

e-Align T-REX 450-500-600 > Homemade re-tracts for scale Bell 222 T-rex

UPDATE SCREEN PRINT TOPIC

Advertisers

Subscribe to This Topic