Interactive aircraft displays

VX927 – THANK YOU! Thats the one. I knew I’d seen it in a magazine somewhere, but since I’ve just read through the FP and others back issues from 1995, it is difficult to remember which mag anything is in!

As for a hydraulic head – that would requite some serious alterations to the airframe which would mean that it could not be used for anything else. I’d be looking at keeping the aircraft as intact as humanly possible.

Thanks guys! (as always)
LL:D

I was thumbing through the Feb 08 copy of flypast and came across this (page 82)… I’m sorry that it’s not the best quality, but I’ve spent the last hour trying to get the scanner to work… B&**%y thing!!! Ended up having to take a photo of the page instead!!! Anyway, I hope it’s of interest!!!

I’ve always firmly believed in interactive displays – as anyone else at MAM knows all to well… 😀 I couldn’t wait to get XF382 powered up and interactive – as I feel that a machine should be used, where practicable, not left static.. Obvious H&S implications these days, but then I’ve always worked to those principles from the start…
If only there was a roof over it’s head, as that would probably lead to more ‘features’ being possible 😉
Mind you, U/C retraction demo’s on a Hunter test your nerve, and could scare a few kids….. it comes down quick and with a jolt….lol

Anyway, I’m busy plotting my return to MAM after a long absence, and hope the old kite is willing to come to life once more 😮

Sounds like a great idea… I always used to like watching the demonstrations at Cosford airshow when they’d have something up on jacks, and then start playing around with it.

It would be great i you could pole mount it and use a hydraulic head to make the aircraft pitch and bank… Ir is that getting too complicated? Would it be possible to use large radio controlled model servos to to move the stick inside? i think it sounds like a great idea.

Have you seen this? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ROBINSON-R22-HELICOPTER_W0QQitemZ180211258867QQihZ008QQcategoryZ32635QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
It’s not necessarily what you’re looking for, but it’s a similar concept!

Midland A.M. have the 2nd DH 125 G-ARYB that, after retirement, was converted to a demonstrator of hydraulics (flaps and undercarraige I think).

IIRC this was restored to working a couple of years ago – trouble is it’s outside.

Roger Smith.

The Dutch Military Aviation Museum has (IIRC) a T-33 sectioned that kids can sit in and push buttons which demo the flaps etc. I’m not interested in pushing buttons, so I don’t recall the exact details,, but you could contact them.

very interesting idea for an exhibit, i take it that high torque electric motors would be used instead of the actualy hydraulics, ie lack of maintenance and cost of operation. maybe not an idea for purists, as i would have thought that some fairly substantial mods would have to be carried out to allow this idea to work?

LL i was honestly being sincere 😀

I’ve had more than a cursory glance at a project like this… It would be feasible to use the complete aircraft systems. Yes, wear would inevitably take place, but after how many cycles? An aircraft with H515/OM15 hydraulics would be a bit more user friendly than something with Skydrol! Something like a Jet Provost would be good, but the problem would be to try and link the flying controls to a seperate panel. Flaps and gear would be easy, as would lights.

The aircraft would have to be pole mounted for effect, an electric hyd rig (almost silent) permanently attached and running, DC and where appropriate AC power applied. Some serious mods would have to be done, just to pole mount it and feed the cables/hoses/controls through the fuselage, but it could be done sympathetically with a view to be able to return the aircraft back into a normal static exhibit…..

very interesting idea for an exhibit, i take it that high torque electric motors would be used instead of the actualy hydraulics, ie lack of maintenance and cost of operation. maybe not an idea for purists, as i would have thought that some fairly substantial mods would have to be carried out to allow this idea to work?

LL i was honestly being sincere 😀

….A use for the vulcan perhaps 😀 😀 😀

behave yourself…..:D

thanks to another forum member, I’ve found the F5, but no photo…Spain at Sigma-Aldrich Quimica, S.A. · 28100 Alcobendas, Madrid .

neither have I… yet….:D

….A use for the vulcan perhaps 😀 😀 😀

neither have I… yet….:D

You hit the nail on the head….

Great idea…I’ve got no room to set it up!!!!!!!!

Tom H

Tom, thanks

Implementation is pretty easy providing the aircraft is suitably simple. How to display the finished item is an altogether different story….

Thats the first tie I’ve heard of the T33 being used like that…. Any others out there?

LL

Cannot comment on the one in Spain but the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum has a T-Bird (T-33) done the same way, retractable gear, flaps, canopy etc.

I understand it is popular with kids and other guests, but beyond that I don’t have any first hand experience.

I have aways thought it was a great idea but we have not been able to find a way to implement it yet.

Their website is www.warplane.com

Hope that helps

Tom H