Guns and lights on the Spit.

[Tim Mackey]

Today is the day I have done two overdue jobs. I had a great session at the field this afternoon, flying several models including the Alfa sabre ( as usual ) and the IC 90 FS Spitfire with its guns and lights blazing.

Now....someone had asked about hand launching the ALFAs, and someone else asked about whether the guns and lights I did for the Spit could actually be seen. Video of the hand launched sabre is elsewhere, and heres the guns and lights in action.

Very brief video also - to show the actual flash rate of the "guns"

Again, apologies as I forget who actually asked for this - it was a while back !!

video

[Xander Caswell]

so what did you use for that? looks good

 

xander

[Olly Giles]

Looks good but needs some lights and a bang!!

[Tim Mackey]

Lights and a bang?

It has lights... cant you see them - and it bangs every fourth cycle of the engine

The guns flash but to add sound effects to them also would add yet more weight and electronics gubbins i nto amn already crowded and heavy setup, and I doubt they would be audible above the noise of the engine.

Myself or others usually add sound effects such as dadadadada  as she comes in on a low strafing run down the strip

[Tim Mackey]

Posted by Xander Caswell on 06/09/2009 16:36:26:

so what did you use for that? looks good

 

xander

 I made my own electronic switch unit to activate the guns from the Tx aux2 switch. The LEDS are ultrabrights from maplins, and they are driven ( flashed ) by a separate lamp flasher constructors kit...again from maplins. The gun barrels are old pens, scraped at the tips, and painted over the remainder.

I did "blog" the setup years ago, I might have some more info somewhere - I will look.

[Tim Mackey]

Excuse caps but this is copied from my data and is in capitals.

 

MAPLINS LED FLASHER UNIT ( MK147 ) USED TO FLASH 1 X ULTRA-BRIGHT  LED FITTED INTO EACH GUN BARREL. EACH “GUN” IS WIRED IN SERIES WITH EACH OTHER AS PER THE MAPLIN CIRCUIT DIAGRAM.  CURRENT LIMITING RESISTORS TO SUIT, ARE FITTED DIRECTLY ONTO THE FLASHER CIRCUIT BOARD

 

As mentioned, the wing is already loaded heavily with electronics now, for the lights, guns, and retract valves and tank etc.

 

 

 

Heres some pictures of how I did the gun barrels.

First job was to use the small lathe to produce some aluminium mounts, and also slightly reduce the diameter of a 3.5mm jack plug body to fit into the pen.

 

The guns were made so that they plug into the corresponding jack socket which is permanently fixed in the wing. They also screw down tightly to the socket which ensures a good connection unaffected by vibration. During transportation and storage they are removed.

Edited By Timbo - Moderator on 06/09/2009 18:57:14