1/48th scale HPH Concorde

[Adam the Akrodude]

Your aircrew are cool - EPICALLY COOL!

Yeah, perhaps the shock diamond idea is a bit OTT - way way beyond my technical modelling skills! You can only really see these "diamonds" at night in any case. The Perspex rod idea is potentially a means to prop up the model as well. How you achieve this t/o "stance" will truly be the engineering triumph of this model! You will probably need some weight down the tail end or perhaps some loose weight inside the fuselage that can "slide". Slide forward, model sits on it's nose gear. Slide back, model sits on the tail skid - ?

Quick internet search produces very few pic's showing Concorde in reheat at night - obviously very difficult photos to take.

[RHB785]

Difficult maybe Adam, but not impossible. If Captain Eric has a lathe he could machine pieces of clear plastic like you suggested and then put really tiny LEDS around the circumference of the burner cans and light them up so that the light shines on the flattened innner surfaces of the machined clear plastic. Or perhaps use some fibre optic strands run down the inside of the clear plastic peices to the machined flats so that they distribute the light shining from the LEDs in a pattern similar to the shock diamonds. I don't honestly know if this would work; I'm just thinking aloud here but it could be worth trying at least and for a very low cost. Of course the model would have to be photographed in a night setting to show the best of any of these A/B shock diamond ideas.

Regards,
RHB.

[Ericg]

Guys, I am trying to keep the build simple!!! now you want me to do shock cones in the exhaust!

What about this for an idea?

I received the lighting system in the mail today and immediately set about testing if the idea that I had with it works. I think it has been successful but I still have a fair way to go before I am happy with it.

Here is the system that I got. It is a Turnigy Simulated LED system from Hobby King. It is designed for RC aircraft and as such is being modified to fit the Concorde. I am keen to avoid making the model `toy like' so I am devising this system without any external switches or any other indication that I have just thrown a few LEDs around the model. I am also aiming to have the model look totally stock when the lights are turned off. The lighting system has provision for flashing lights, nav lights, strobes etc depending on how each LED is hooked up to the controller. I will be just hooking up four LEDs to act as `reheat' (one for each exhaust) and possibly two white LED for each side of the fuselage under the cockpit as most photos of the aircraft in the takeoff pose show those lit.

I have already removed the battery connector in this photo hence the bare wires.



Here is an LED drilled into one of the exhausts compared to a stock exhaust on the right. Notice how apart from the clear LED, there is pretty well no change to the shape of the part.



It fits into the limited space inside the nacelle quite nicely. My plan will be to be able to pull out an exhaust pipe to allow access to a switch and to allow the batteries to be pulled out and changed. I have used 3 x 1.5 Volt AAA batteries at this stage, with the system allowing a maximum of 6 Volts. The challenge will be to see how long the batteries will power the system for vs how bright they are. Lots of tinkering left!



Here is the idea. Bear in mind that I will be changing the Red LED to an Amber one (the kit only comes with White, Red and green) But at this stage at least my concept is well on the way to working I have packed the exhaust with clear plastic to diffuse the light.

[Adam the Akrodude]

Looks cool! You could also diffuse the light by painting the LED lens - or even sanding them slightly. Just a thought.

Regarding shock diamonds - if you're going to be a bear, be a GRIZZLY! I guess I'm having a bit of fun projecting my own crackpot ideas into your build!

I'm still very interested as to how you will prop up this beast. The weight and balance will have to be just right I'm thinking.

[tor lives]

OK.....now that is shaping up to be very cool. We are now entering the stratosphere of model Imagineering and I am loving the ride so far .
TOR

[Ericg]

Thanks guys. Adam, the Weight and Balance will be spot on mate!

Well it seems as though my very devious plan of `lighting the fires' has worked! After a bit of trial and error I have come up with an idea that has provided a decent representation of reheat in all four engines.

Here is the system laid out over the model to see how it all works. Note how simple the system is. I have 6 white LED's, a battery and a controller. There are no switches (yet) as I am seeing how long the batteries will power the system for. If they work for a constant 3 days in June next year I will be happy. The plan will be to pull out one of the exhaust pipes and connect/disconnect the battery and then use that to switch the lights on and off rather than have an external switch. The one big downside of the system is that the battery is going to be unable to be be removed. I will still be able to charge it though and if it lasts for a few years then so be it. The LED's that are hanging outside the cockpit windows will be for the small lights that are lit under the cockpit in most photos of Concorde taking off that I have seen so far.



I did purchase some yellow and amber LED's and wired those in but instead decided to go for white LED's. I had to come up with a solution that allowed for the white hot inner flame graduating to yellow then orange edges which hopefully looks realistic enough. I used some discs of clear plastic painted with yellow and orange clear paint with a small disc of aluminium foil in the middle. They are only temporary at this stage to test my idea and I am working on a slightly more robust system (maybe some resin disks that are a bit more solid).



More effective with the lights off.





Here is the first time that I have had it in the rotate position with the nacelles on. I can not wait to get this one finished!

[Adam the Akrodude]

Dude, you're a bloody genius! Kick the tyres, light the fires, let's go fly!

Credit where credit is due, that is just one of the coolest things in modelling I've ever seen. Hope the Expo committee gives the Airliners category a decent amount of table area (runway length) for ya!

OK, now you will need some audio to go with it - for the full effect!

Bravo!

[tor lives]

That is just awesome ......I really am going to have to get a "like" button for this forum
My little old 1:100 Entex/Nitto prototype Concorde refurb will not even have a look-in compared to this grand master piece.
TOR

[DesTROYer]

Awesome work mate. Keep it up.

[RHB785]

That looks very realistic Eric. I'm following this one with the greatest of interest. I wonder if it could also be done in 1/72 scale. I'll have to have a think about that. Could you house the battery in a box under the runway and use the brake lines as supply wires to the lighting system? Or would that make things too complicated? Just thinking aloud again.

Regards,
RHB.