Modelling extended flaps

This topic has 13 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 21 years ago by rwallach1.

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October 26, 2004 at 10:48 am #86386
rwallach1
Posts: 865
Folks:

I have a Revell DC-8 shortbody and an Airfix 707 sitting on my worktable, momentarily virginal. My plan is to build and mount one in rotation mode and another in short final mode (not sure which will be which yet).

I ‘m looking for some good detailed drawings of the flap and slat mechanisms for both planes while in extended configurations, including some decent closeups of the mechanisms and spar arrangements visible inside the wings when the flaps are down.

Got the sheet styrene sliced thin. Got the styrene rods. Got the eyeglass screws to represent the drivers. Got the dremel tool. Got the bifocals, God help me middle aged eyeballs. Just need the peectures. Anybody have any ideas (or links) that’ll get me to ’em? There’s a masterpiece a-waitin’.

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October 29, 2004 at 3:21 am #98540
rwallach1
Posts: 865
Awww, come on now…there must be someone out there who knows where I can find photos of the flap extension mechanism…..

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October 31, 2004 at 7:45 pm #98552
TwinOtter
Posts: 18
Try http://www.airliners.net

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November 1, 2004 at 1:29 am #98554
rwallach1
Posts: 865
Twin:

Been there, done that. What I’m looking for is a reservoir of drawings or photos like the ones on the 727 and 737 technical sites. I’m currently slogging though stuff on the Boeing web site, where all the Douglas drawings seem to have gone to die….

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November 1, 2004 at 3:25 am #98557
Ahmed
Posts: 2,128
Location: Sunny California

Occupation: Software Engineer
This kind of info is hard to find. Mainly because the flaps are extended for only a short period of time, and even then the aircraft is most likely moving. Even at airshows and when planes are parked, the flaps are retracted to minimize damage to them. So even a good “walkaround” may not show what you are looking for.

Thanks,

ahmed
KSFO
When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn't become a king. The palace becomes a circus.
November 1, 2004 at 11:14 am #98561
rwallach1
Posts: 865
Ahmed:

Yeah, I’m finding that out. I’ve found some technical drawings but…since I’m not an engineer I can’t make much of them, and because they’re line drawings I have no idea if the interior is zinc chromate yellow or green, etc. I found a couple of pretty good photo in a book on the 707/720 by Jim Winchester, wherein the plane’s in for servicing and the flaps are completely extended. What I still don’t have is anything from underneath — I’ve got a good look at the upper surfaces in the “down” position, now need the lower ones.

To tell you the truth, I’m pretty surprised, considering the kinds of projects folks here and at AMD like to take on, that no one’s come out with sets of aftermarket extended main control surfaces for the Minicraft, Airfix and Revell kits. Hmmm….

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November 2, 2004 at 12:09 am #98563
RampRat
Posts: 7
Just my .02. Back in the early 1980s I had the pleasure of working for Pan Am as a “Ramp Agent” aka a baggage handler. I worked at IAH, we serviced mostly 727-100/200, 747, DC-10, l011 (I missed the last 707s by 6 months or less) and we also contracted with British Caledonian (DC-10 I think) United (late night 727) and Aramco (707) to provide ground services.

I concur that you will almost never see the flaps down on a parked bird, it would interfere with and risk damage by us ramp apes.

However I remember once and it stands out clearly becuase of it’s unusualnes that we had a 727 parked at a gate and the flaps were dropped. Big pain in the ass getting around to the rear cargo door. Don’t remember circunstances beyond that.

Try Boeing, they may make drawings available.

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November 2, 2004 at 2:14 am #98564
bugs3144
Posts: 1,501
If you manage to get your flaps extended, the interior of most flap wells is usually bare metal or light grey to prevent corrosion. I don’t recall ever working on an aircraft that had zinc cromate flap wells.

frank Hines :dozingoff

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November 2, 2004 at 12:06 pm #98577
rwallach1
Posts: 865
Frank and…er….Rat,

Thanks. The photos of extended flaps I have are nearly all aircraft being serviced or inspected. I have one nice one of a Qantas 707-128B on short final into Hong Kong taken with a telephoto lens that finally gives me a little (but not much) detail of the underside of the flaps.

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November 4, 2004 at 1:38 am #98581
abraham
Posts: 2
it’s so hard to find those photos, but here in the magnificent article ’bout the 707 https://airlinercafe.com/page.php?id=72 there are some blurry photos of the extended mechanisms, hope helps some and, man, my respects to your intended task. I hope in the future have the time to depict a 727 or a 737 with the flaps/slats extended. I hope you good look and lots of patience. So long my friend:boing

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November 4, 2004 at 11:48 am #98582
rwallach1
Posts: 865
Abraham:

Yep, I’ve got those. In fact, I have them in clearer form in the books out of which they were copied. At this point, I’ve just about got what I need on the 707. What’s much harder to find are similar views of the DC-8 controls, especially the leading edge slots in the open position.

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November 5, 2004 at 11:41 pm #98616
waltmertins
Posts: 988
Rick,
I was surfing my favorites last night and found a clip on
http://www.airsidetv.com/
that might interst you.
Under Scene Library, scroll through the videos and you will find one that is a 727 on the ground doing a flat sequence.
Great stuff!!!!!!
That is one complicated wing. If you figure out how to model that nightmare please share it with me, that is the only wing that I will like to do flaps down, spoilers up and full reverse!!!!!

Regards,
Walter
November 6, 2004 at 11:02 am #98630
cheetajet
Posts: 145
Well, Because I fly for a living, I see flaps going up and down all the time. It seems that the pilots put the leading edge down and flaps at 20 Degrees or so for take off. After the plane reaches a certain speed in flight, shortly after take-off the flaps come up. They are NEVER down on the ground except when we turn off the runway and are heading for the airport. You can hear that leading edge squeeking back into the ‘up’ position.
The edge of the back of the wing while they are down is a darker color grey. I hope this info helped…

Melissa

PS If I find any pictures where should I send them???

Melissa
November 6, 2004 at 11:27 am #98631
rwallach1
Posts: 865
Melissa:

Absolutely. You would earn my immense appreciation but….how much time do you spend on 707’s and DC-8’s these days???

Walter:

As always, muchas gracias! But as I noted to the fair Melissa, that ain’t the wing I need.

Falstaffian me hasn’t sat in coach (except under duress) for a long time, so I don’t have a chance to look at the extended flaps as much as I used to when I was young and merely middle class (not to mention thin enough to occupy a coach seat comfortably — though according to that logic, if I ever go broke I’ll probably lose enough weight to slip back into the main cabin unobtrusively enough). I do recall that when I did sit behind the wing I would watch the control surfaces obsessively. They were usually extended for takeoff during taxiing and that mess inside the wing always amazed me, as it does you.

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