I tried the UKMIL Tutor out for myself the other day and I thought it was a fair representation of the real aircraft, but I didn't feel completely happy with it. In response (and to avoid the "if you don't like it, then let's see you do it yourself" type comments) I have started work on my own Grob Tutor which is just starting to come along now.

I have backing from Grob Aerospace and they have been kind enough to give me some fairly detailed plans (including dimensions, angles, full layout, etc) of the aircraft. Unfortunately, I had already started work on my Tutor using whatever material I could find to get my dimensions, but I plan to start over later today using these better dimensions which are absolutely spot on and should ensure an accurate 3D model of the outside of the aircraft (if my modelling skills are up to it)

Here are the new wings and the first bit of the nose


http://www.simviation.com/yabbuploads/machineman9tutornoserender.jpg


http://www.simviation.com/yabbuploads/machineman9tutorwingsrender.jpg



Any thoughts on the project, tips, advice, etc is appreciated.

Cheers for looking.

Does anyone have any tips as to how I can angle the nose of the aircraft backwards without distorting everything out of place?

For an example of what I mean, the nose is meant to angle back as in the picture HERE.

If I move the points back, they seem to distort and it looks like the aircraft hit a steel pigeon in mid flight.

No idea about 3D modelling, but it's about time someone did a decent Tutor. I suspect those in the past haven't quite got enough from seeing the aircraft close up, and the finer details of some of its curves!

Good luck!

C wrote on Feb 1^st, 2010 at 5:34am:

No idea about 3D modelling, but it's about time someone did a decent Tutor. I suspect those in the past haven't quite got enough from seeing the aircraft close up, and the finer details of some of its curves! Good luck!

I'm using Airliners.net for a lot of my references just to see how angles should look on the final piece, but I have a huge 18000x13000 image from Grob Aerospace themselves with a lot of the finer details drawn out for me which I just need to copy to get onto my model. It's just times like this when I hit a snag that it takes me a while to fix these sorts of problems out. It's a fun learning curve anyway.

And thank you  :)

machineman9 wrote on Feb 1^st, 2010 at 12:26pm:

C wrote on Feb 1st, 2010 at 5:34am: No idea about 3D modelling, but it's about time someone did a decent Tutor. I suspect those in the past haven't quite got enough from seeing the aircraft close up, and the finer details of some of its curves! Good luck! I'm using Airliners.net for a lot of my references just to see how angles should look on the final piece, but I have a huge 18000x13000 image from Grob Aerospace themselves with a lot of the finer details drawn out for me which I just need to copy to get onto my model. It's just times like this when I hit a snag that it takes me a while to fix these sorts of problems out. It's a fun learning curve anyway. And thank you  :)

Most of the issues on previous models have been the fuselage and canopy from the firewall back to the fin mount, and the fuselage cross section. :)

good on you for 'having a go mate'. we should never knock people for giving this a lark a go.

however, please be careful about knocking other models so blatently, until you CAN produce better, as you have shown, you are not there yet with the nose section.  But you are doing very well so far, full credit

as for access, I work daily in contact with these little beasties, and can have as much hands on access I need :D

UKMIL wrote on Feb 18^th, 2010 at 3:54pm:

good on you for 'having a go mate'. we should never knock people for giving this a lark a go. however, please be careful about knocking other models so blatently, until you CAN produce better, as you have shown, you are not there yet with the nose section.  But you are doing very well so far, full credit as for access, I work daily in contact with these little beasties, and can have as much hands on access I need :D

I wasn't knocking the Tutor I just thought the UKMIL one was a fair representation of the real aircraft. By that, I mean there are still some kinks to sort out (as with every aircraft), but if it is going off the other addons by UKMIL then I am sure it will turn into a rather neat addon. I noticed a few texturing issues with the top of the dashboard and the rate of roll seemed a bit slow, but besides that it seemed to fly quite nicely. I believe I met with someone who said they worked with UKMIL and they were a technician on the aircraft at an RAF station and I don't expect you guys to produce top of the range things just to give away for free. As I'm finding out, a lot of hard work goes into things like this and it's just a bit of fun.

But thank you for the encouragement. I don't expect my aircraft to fly great or look all too magnificent seeing as it is my first project, but it's all about having a go. I would atleast like it to look nice (though I worry about the polygon count) and if it takes off and lands then I call that a successful mission. My project has slowed right down for a while to get college work done, but as soon as I think of a solution to the current issue then I'll be right back at it and finishing it off when I can.

So no, I wasn't knocking the UKMIL version, just saying that it was a decent aircraft but over time might need a bit of tinkering, which I don't think is too harsh to say.

I just wanted to check if this project is still alive!

I love the grob tutor too, especially after a go with my local AEF, and just wanted to make a request.

Would it be too much to ask for you to send me a copy of those schematics? I enjoy making model aircraft, but the closest thing to a plan I can find is a blurry thing on the RAF website!

I hope all is going well on the project front, assuming it's still going.

All the best! ;)

It has been a major hiatus whilst I got college things sorted. I hope to continue it at some point... I'm just having major troubles with my 3D software and the more complex bits of the modelling.

I'd be happy to send you what I have of the Tutor, send me a PM with your details and I can forward you what I have. Grob themselves were very helpful and they actually sent me all of this stuff.


I will probably continue it when I find CAD software that will do what I want; I think it would probably be more useful than animation software, purely because I have a lot of dimensional information.

Sent!

Check Your PM's!