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F-14 Cockpit and instrument dimensions


punk

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Morning Gents,

 

Progress has been slow going at the moment. Finally got some time to crack on with the model over the last couple of days.

 

Punk and Dino, any thoughts on how you’re going to do the instruments?

 

I was thinking 6 Screens across the front instrument panel. If the F-14D gets released swapping out the front façade plate might be the way to go if you want to upgrade.

 

Cheers,

Mumbles

717996805_F-143dModel1.jpg.c3aaa5fbd84392e3ca35bc7e73b2ad2a.jpg

1266477421_F-143dModel3.jpg.60eca404aa3fd3f53261b0d4b3680626.jpg

1807345394_F-143dModel2.jpg.9cd237cdebab333cf114e47ac322a738.jpg

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Morning Gents,

 

Progress has been slow going at the moment. Finally got some time to crack on with the model over the last couple of days.

 

Punk and Dino, any thoughts on how you’re going to do the instruments?

 

I was thinking 6 Screens across the front instrument panel. If the F-14D gets released swapping out the front façade plate might be the way to go if you want to upgrade.

 

Cheers,

Mumbles

 

I really need to get back to this. I'm going to do each panel individually in acrylic and mount to plywood or other acrylic frame pieces connected by DZUS fasteners. I would like to make it modular enough so I could pop out panels and pop in others depending on the aircraft, but I haven't looked at what sizing and modifications I'd need to do for that. The only major swaps I would need to make would be putting in MFCDs for the A10, so I might try to incorporate those for things like the fuel management panel and HSD if I can't figure a way to make the modular cockpit work.

 

Rear seat is going to be bare bones with VR. May add panels at a later date if I get bored.

 

I'm not even to the drawing stages yet, and have no CAD experience. Hopeless ambition is my fuel at this point.

 

By the way, are you designing in SketchUp? Or another program?

 

I've got access to solidworks at work, but don't know how to use it yet.


Edited by Dino Might
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Nick,

 

Absolutely no rush on those dimensions. We all just appreciate the fact that your making time to do it.

 

 

Dino,

 

If your looking to make a modular pit I would potentially recommend using LynxDK's A-10C plans bellow. (Free)

 

http://lynx.dk/downloads/a-10c-plans-blueprints/

 

His side consoles are 2 panels wide just like the Tomcat and look like they are setup for DZUS rails from the get go. Making new panels and swapping them out would be pretty straightforward at that point.

 

The same principle would apply for the instrument panel. I would build a free standing frame that a flat panel TV could be mounted on. If you wanted to swap it out between a F-14 and A-10 at that point just placing a new instrument panel frame into a mounting bracket just in front of the TV would work a treat. The SDA simpit software would allow you to do this pretty easily once you set it up and saved it for the first time.

 

I'll try and make something up in sketchup this weekend for you just to give a rough idea as to how I would do it.

 

Yeah I'm using it sketchup. I really haven't had an issue with it so far. I would start with something small like altimeter frame and work your way up to bigger and more complicated parts.

 

If you’re not sold on a CNC you can always just print the plans full size from the pdf and glue them to the MDF you’re going to cut. Just use a jigsaw to cut the panels out. You will have to spend a little more time cleaning your products up later but it’s far from hard to do.

 

What are you going to do for your HOTAS? I was thinking a Warthog mod might work

 

 

I've gotten a little further with the F-14 model, specifically the instrument panel. If anyone has the dimensions of any of the instrument I would greatly appreciate it.

 

 

LynxDK has made a few products for DCS cockpit builders. He is currently working on a F/A-18 is anyone is interested.

 

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=216683

 

Cheers,

Mumbles

956528932_f-14pit4aug18.thumb.jpg.ab96f3a9c163d2f13d7907e0a56069fc.jpg


Edited by AusMumbles
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  • 2 weeks later...

Okay, time to get serious on this. My Bosch jigsaw just came in and I'm going to Lowe's tomorrow for some plywood.

 

 

Anybody got dimensions on the Mk GRU-7A ejection seat? (I think that's the one in the F-14A)

 

 

I'd like to build it out this week so I can finally get rid of my desk and floor mount my joystick.


Edited by Dino Might
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Sorry about the slow updates,

 

Lots of stuff happening at the moment.

 

Dino, attached is some pics from the blueprints of the seat. Hopefully if I copied them right, in a paint program (I use Paint.NET in inches for this) bound the area you want to get the dimensions for and times the distance by 24 to get the correct scale. If you have issues chuck it up here or PM me and I'll see what I can do to help.

 

Cheers,

Mumbles

1423945747_GR-7ASideView.png.f8f938117184e3b6cb416bfb544a910e.png

714272002_GRU-7ATop.jpg.17a0e611ef8d442f0ac3bf10552b810a.jpg

1047985584_F-143dmodel2ndseat.jpg.659d254fae8568b1b584c1b1141e820a.jpg

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Sorry about the slow updates,

 

Lots of stuff happening at the moment.

 

Dino, attached is some pics from the blueprints of the seat. Hopefully if I copied them right, in a paint program (I use Paint.NET in inches for this) bound the area you want to get the dimensions for and times the distance by 24 to get the correct scale. If you have issues chuck it up here or PM me and I'll see what I can do to help.

 

Cheers,

Mumbles

 

 

I can't get anything but the thumbnails.

I started a dropbox for us to dump files in that may be of use.

 

 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/zcpwd0wslpyhz9n/AABB80XFxD_jBFxvEOXGpGTca?dl=0

 

 

 

Unfortunately, I can't just add everyone with the link to edit access. If you want edit permissions to put your own files in there, please PM me with your email address.

 

Thanks

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Thanks, Mumbles. I'm hoping to start cuts this weekend or next. I'll document build dimensions so we can see what worked and what didn't after (botched) attempt #1.

 

 

ETA: Just got sketchup installed on my home PC and got the model downloaded. This is excellent! I think I can just use this to build out the whole thing. All I'm going to do is figure out pedal height and add a base to support the whole thing and then zip zip zip with the jigsaw. I can't promise it will be pretty, but should be more than serviceable if I can cut close enough to this model. Nice work!


Edited by Dino Might
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Dino, Thanks dude.

 

I'm pretty sure their is a function in sketchup when you can print full size. If you have acess to a big printer you might be able to print it at different angles to give you a template to glue onto your wood before you 'zip zip' it.

 

Let me know if I can do anything to help.

 

Mumbles

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Update:

 

 

As tempting as it is to start cutting right now, I haven't made a lot of progress on the construction plans as of yet. No access to a full-scale printer, but it shouldn't be too much of a problem to sketch it out on the wood itself with a protractor, tsquare, and tape measure.

 

 

I'm going to spend the remainder of this weekend breaking out the model into parts that can be built individually and then pieced together. Not sure how many iterations it will take, because I have to give some thought to where I will put reinforcement pieces as well as connection brackets. My goal is to only glue the individual modules, and connect the modules with brackets and woodscrews, so it could be taken apart, moved, and reassembled. I also plan on the entire seat being set in a bracket on the base of the pit without any glue or fasteners, so the seat as a whole could be removed and put back in easily.

 

[removed picture - see full thumbnail and download link below]

 

 

Front is cutaway for now so I can play around with some reinforcing structure ideas for the seat pan. I think I'll start with a fully supported seat pan instead of being supported by the side panels, just for ease of building. I plan on cutting this apart into the actual seat pan and its base so I could eventually remove the base if I come up with some good reinforced side support ideas.

 

For now, there's nothing new or creative - just all derivative disassembly of Mumbles' model - have I said how great it is yet? I've had maybe 20 minutes to mess around in it, and picking out pieces and seeing how he put it all together is really neat. It's got a great level of detail and still easy to pull apart. Hopefully I can help put together a set of build plans that will contribute something to the community project.


Edited by Dino Might
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I built up the seatpan and base pieces today based on using 3/8" thick plywood.

 

Might have gone a bit overboard on the internal supports, but I will adjust as necessary once I start seeing the price of material.

 

 

I have done grouping as much as possible so that each piece can be moved around on its own and separated from the whole model. I plan on each file having the original from Mumbles, then the exploded 3/8" plywood component view, and then the stitch of the 3/8" build to check that the pieces fit together correctly.

 

[removed picture - see full thumbnail and download link below]

 

 

Next step is to take the individual component pieces and lay them all flat on a template for a standard plywood sheet so I can optimize the amount of pieces per plywood sheet and minimize waste.

 

 

I've put files for the seat pan and the seat pan base in the dropbox. I will keep the files updated as I continue.


Edited by Dino Might
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Almost done with the main beam section. I've got one concern:

Center of gravity - this thing is going to want to tip backwards. I don't want to add a bunch of ballast or weight to the bottom front end, because that will only increase the bending moment and eventually cause it to break. I'm thinking of doing some angle bracing with 2x4, similar to how K-shoring is set up. Any better ideas? I will need to be careful that I don't take up too much space that will eventually be used for the RIO console. I think there should be enough room in that console, though, to accommodate some extra support structure for the front seat.

 

[removed picture - see full thumbnail and download link below]

 

 

I realized that stiffness won't be much of a problem with the side panels taking up most of the seatback load. If I reinforce the seatback with a honeycomb or other internal structure to distribute the pilots load to the back panel of the seatback and then that will be supported primarily by the main beam side panels, there shouldn't be too much flexing; however, I am worried about bending moment on the angled corner of the main beam, so I'll probably put in some metal brackets bent to shape to help that area.


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Gxyl5PSm.png

 

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5qa5uwrvpdxw1a5/GRU-7A_FULL_Plywood.skb?dl=0

 

 

 

Okay, after a few adjustments and fixes, I think I've got the rough layout finished. This file has all the piece parts organized so you can see how it stacks up. Some of the parts are repeated in multiple exploded views, and others may be left out if they have symmetrical pieces on the other side (e.g., seat pan base - didn't finish all the exploded parts, but you have the ones needed there).

 

 

Next step will be to take all exploded parts and lay them out on 8'x4'x3/8" plywood sheet templates and organize them for efficient cutting.

 

 

I also want to generate a parts list for the whole build so I can be sure I have all the pieces in the cut plan. Probably another couple days to get that done, and then I'll post another link for anyone to download who wants it.

 

Mumbles, hopefully the liberties I took with your design aren't too heinous - made some adjustments for ease of manufacturing, but there should be ample room for stylistic adjustments for you. The biggest change, and one that might be a deal-breaker is an overall adjustment of the main beam angle. The resulting angle between the seat pan and the cushion support is the same, but I made the rest of the main beam parallel for ease of manufacturing. Consequently, much of the structure is more rectangular, rather than having too many diverging angles.


Edited by Dino Might
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Dino,

 

Mate your work with the seat is incredible. Fair call on the main beam.

 

Just some food for thought but you might find that using a 2x4 in the seat cussion area will reduce the complexity of the lattice work your going for.

 

I'm still working the RIO pit at the moment. I'll chuck some photos up shortly

 

I can't wait to see how you go when you start cutting and assembling it dude. It's gunna look great.

 

Any thoughts on if your going for a full f-14 front pit or something more generic.

 

Cheers

Mumbles

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Great idea on the 2x4s. I have some left over pieces from building my projector screen stand - might have enough length to make up the main seat pan support beams.

 

 

I was looking up plywood today on Lowe's and Home Depot websites - more expensive than I thought, but I can probably get better deals online in bulk. One thing that was recommended was to use Baltic Birch - a bit harder and better for building structural pieces, but I wonder how good it would be at nominal 5mm thickness. I'm already wondering if 3/8" is too thin and will flex too much. I found some woodworking load tables and am going to look at a few back of the envelope calculations, but for now will stick with the 3/8" stuff and hopefully find some good hard pine or something.

 

 

If any woodworkers are around that want to weigh in on plywood thickness for our project, now's the time! Would appreciate someone in the know for a general rule of thumb.

 

 

Started the layout, but it's a bit more involved than I thought because angling everything back flat on the axes is a PITA. From a rough guess, five 4x8 sheets of plywood should do it, so less than $100 in material if the 3/8" is sturdy enough.


Edited by Dino Might
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Rebuild is in progress. I've decided to do a version in 3/4 inch with some joint features rather than just butt joints. Worried about overall strength, so we will see how this build looks. Will also try to keep track ofsheet layout to price it all from birch plywood.

 

 

Edit: May try 1/2" MDF - kind of weak stuff, but the thickness will help out and it's much cheaper. Works for IKEA bookshelves, so why not?


Edited by Dino Might
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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey Dino, great work!

 

 

Could you upload the plans of the ejection seat in .stp format?

I am using CATIA and Inventor, both can not read the .skb format, unfortunately.

 

 

That would be awesome. Hope to see some more progress on your scale 'pit...

Alias in Discord: Mailman

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  • 2 weeks later...

Heya Dino,

 

How goes the seat construction?

 

I have finally got some time to get onto the cockpit. I have mostly sorted the RIO pit now.

 

I'm now just sorting the naff measurements to make it as close as possible to the real thing. It's never gunna be 100% perfect but as long as a real Turkey crew could get in and say this feels right i'll be happy.

 

Once Nick and the team gets the F-14 out and gets some time to put some measurements together, I'll cross reference it and hopefully start building the frame.

 

Cheers,

Mumbles`

490622751_CockpitwithRIO.jpg.cd96713f2421d9bfb0b3bc8770a18f47.jpg

158753619_CockpitwithRIO2.thumb.jpg.ba4a7f4f91e087b20a1953330f74ae6d.jpg

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