I am trying to install anti-collision lights, nav lights, and landing lights on my MH-53E Sea Dragon. Any suggestions?
I’ve done several light-ups, most recently on a 1/48th B-29, and I use fiber optics, LEDs, and auto-bulbs… What I did was to run the strands from the light-source in the bomb-bay and under the diorama base into the particular areas I want lit, i.e., instrument panels, wing-tips, tail, and waist. The light source in the bombay was the main light for all the airctat lights… The one under it was for the periphreal lighting…
As for the anti-collision light, you’ll likely want to use a flasher unit installed on a red, high-intensity LED… Landing lights would need a white one. Nav-lights would be all fiber-optic strands…
The best source for the stuff is the Model Railroad section of the hobby shop… But there are a number of manufacturers that make lighting kits as well, most can be adapted for whatever aircraft you need to light… I’m a cheap-skate though, so I rip LEDs and resistors out of old elctronic items, use Christmas mini-lights, and the like… I had this 2-foot “Pre-lit” Christamas tree that was lit with fiber-optic strands, and I cut all the strands out of that… Ended up with about 300 2-foot strands…
Your biggest chore will be where to mount the light-source… Wherever it is, it’ll need to be A: Light-proof, and Two: Easily reached for changing in case of a burn-out. This is especially true of any automotive or mini-light you choose to use… LEDs will last almost forever, but they just don’t put out a lot of light, at least not enough to light up a lot of F/O strands… Grain-of-Wheat and Grain-of-Rice bulbs work better than LEDs fr light sources that have to both small and accessable, except that they can’t be replaced by switching bulbs. The lead-wires are permanently attached to them, so you have to pull the whole thing out… Bayonet sockets with auto-lamp bulbs are you best bet for that…
Here is a company which I saw at iHobby this past year. They make light sets for the microlite R/C stuff but these can be adapted to scale models as well. I need to follow up with them to give them some direction towards our needs.
Their lights are awesome and can be configured in any type and arrangement you need. You can specify power source and type and they will produce it.
I lit up a Rufe last year and used fiber optic strands…1mm i think they were…needed the thinnest ones to get to the wingtip lights.
I also added a map light in the cockpit.
the strands are plastic so they are easier to work with. Got them from the Fiber optic Store.
http://thefiberopticstore.com/
Good Luck
Carlos
Pretty steep pricing there, especially if one’s using them for a static build, Hawkeye… I can make a set (if I actually buy the LEDS) for about 6.00 bucks… Two bucks if I rip 'em outta something else…[whstl]
Most of what you are paying for is the controller board. These new controllers allow the rotating beacons to actually appear as if they were rotating in stead of just a steady light or a flashing one. These are also very small and intensely bright…which again can be adjusted by the controller. The wire connecting everything is hair like in size.
I’ve done fiber optics before and thought the results can be fantastic it does require a lot of engineering and work to install…plus a light source and power supply.
You just have to see these setups in person to really see what makes them so appealing.
The fiber optics I used in my Rufe includes the strands which are plastic…very flexible. …a LED light connected to a simple switch and a 9 volt battery…now granted there is no “light show” they just turn on and off with the switch but it gets the job done…and was very inexpensive.
I ran the strands inside the wings,the fuselage to the cockpit, back to the tail light and then down thru the main float and out the bottom. If i recall there are 6 or 7 1mm strands running inside the plane. These get connected to a white LED with a black heat shrink sleeve…simple
Carlos