Posing control surfaces?

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

Greetings All,

I’m building a Special Hobby 1/48 SPAD VIIc at the moment, my ever first 1/48th aircraft after many years of 1/72nd and 1/144th.

Does anyone know if I should pose the elevators/ailerons/rudder in a position other than neutral?

Thankyou

Celestialsphere

Melbourne, Australia

2

A slight deflection of the control surfaces gives the model a sense of action or realism. It is pretty rare to see controls at their limits while on the ground.
WW-I and WW-II and up through the early jets had direct mechanical linkage to the control surface with either push rods or cables. This tended to dampen out the on ground movement to some extent. Wind gusts, ground crew moving around the airplane and/or the pilot moving the stick or pedals as he exited the airplane could also move them off center. Many airplanes of that vintage had what are called “gust locks” installed when on the ground. These were metal devices that attached between the edge of the moveable surface and an adjacent fixed surface to “lock” them together and keep them from banging around and being damage. Of course with this setup, if the ailerons were deflected, they would be opposite, one up and one down. Both halves of the elevator would be together also.
Modern jets have hydraulic actuated surfaces and once the power is shut off the pressure bleeds down and the surfaces succumb to gravity. F-15, F-16, F-18 aircraft typically are seen with both flaps and both ailerons “drooped”. The elevators usually are drooped somewhat, but frequently different amounts.

Darwin, O.F. [alien]

3

If you offset the control surfaces, and you’re a really anal, purist kinda guy, you should also make sure the control stick & pedals are in the corresponding position. I don’t worry about it personally, being a lazy type of modeler.

Regards, Rick

4

It would depend on the type of aircraft. C-130s, for example, have a full ‘nose down’ on the elevator while the airplane is at rest… this is the normal position. It is also not unusual to see the rudder full left or full right, depending on which way the wind is blowing at the time. I have also seen the ailerons deflected slightly, also depending on wind speed and direction. Most modern fighters are like what Darwin said; very little deflection on the ground. I am not sure about the SPAD, but if it is the WWI aircraft, you would have some deflection of the control surfaces on the ground. Just my two pennies worth!

5

Celestialsphere I like to pose flight surfaces in positions other than the norm, for the same reason as Darwin, it just looks better to my eye.

However I always refer to photos, to ensure that what I’m doing is accurate. I’ve seen too many models with overly dropped flaps and elevators, and even some with both ailerons deflected in the same direction!!!

Karl

6

An obvious thing to take into account:

What is it that you want to build?
A realistic appearance or do you want to depict the sleek lines of the airplane in flight?

One of the models I’m building now is the 1/48 Revell Eurofighter Typhoon. The cockpit will remain closed, probably the in flight refueling hatch will remain closed, the airbrakes will be closed and the flaps (though still a little in doubt) straight. Tis ends up in only the gear extracted, which leads to the pure form and lines of the aircraft. It also leads to a not super-realistic airplane.

If making a diorama, you’ll probably want to ‘bend’ the flaps, to complete the picture. Else… do you want to ‘frustrate’ the elegant lines of you project? (presuming it’s an elegant aircraft).
All a matter of taste I guess, though realism is only one of the aspects a modeller could take into account. Either lazyness (which truely is a good motivation in my account Rick) or other motivations, could influence the outcome…
Happy modelling!

7

If you are doing one like the one that I have, it should be nice. I’m working on a C-130 that is in a L.A.P.E.S. mode (Low Altitude Parachute Extraction System) and on it the:

  1. the landing gear is lowered.
  2. the props are turning.
  3. the stabilizer has been repositioned (down slightly).
  4. the tail surfaces are straight.
  5. the flaps are lowered to 10 degrees ±.
  6. the ramp is down to a flat angle.
  7. there will be two flats being pulled from the aircraft.
  8. there will be three chutes in the rear which will be open and full of wind. These will be about 15’ to 20’ feet (in scale) behind the flats.
  9. the plane will be about 2" to 3" off the base of the diorama.
  10. the supports for the aircraft will be thru the base, up thru the flats and into the aircraft between the floor and the bottom of the aircraft.
  11. there will be three people running out from the grass to get the equipment.
  12. it will be finished in VietNamesse colors.
  13. the crew is in the aircraft.
  14. the crew is in the back.
  15. the base will be 4’ by 2’-8" (±) by 1’ -6" tall.

Other than that it will be just like any other C-130 that you would see anywhere.

8

Vance, do us all a favour:

Please keep us informed - preferably with pictures - of your ventures. It sounds great, especially the way you’ll disguise the (otherwise hideous) poles on which the model restst/floats.

Looking forward to it (having built a Hercules as well, in my pre-painting era)

9

Well OK, try looking at:

http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=36938

That will at least show you the start of the project. There’s more to come.