Bf109 Canopy for AvidFlyer

[GregP]

Hi Avidflyer. Here is a quick CAD drawing with some dimensions of the front canopy (windscreen) area.

Dimensions are in centimeters. To help clarify, here are a few shots.

Above you can see the canopy frame is made and the outer fuselage skin is riveted to it to form more or less a single piece. We have cardboard taped over the plexi to prevent scratches while we have the canopy off the plane.

The frame looking from the side is quite thick (not to the pilot's eye), but the frame looking from the front is only 1.2 cm wide.

I forgot one dimension ... slap me. The vertical height from the bottom reference to the lowest point on the windscreen is 23.7 cm ... so that is the height of the sheet metal and the rest is windscreen and windscreen and frame. If that isn't clear, post and I'll just add it to the drawing and repost it.

Above is looking at the windscreen from the side. Note the sheet metal is riveted to the windscreen frame.

Above you can see the windscreen looking from the rear toward the front. I hope this clarifies the drawing a bit. I can't spend the time to give you 100% enough information to build one from scratch, but you can at least see what is going on. If you have a Bf 109 canopy frame, this should be very clear.

If you're trying to make one from scratch, it isn't nearly enough information, but you can get the technical drawings from Messersschmitt ... we did. If we have to do any repairs, we are using 2024-T3 Aluminum of the proper thickness (or next thicker size) for whatever part we are fixing. So far, we have only had to replace plexiglass in the canopy, not metal. We HAVE replaced some metal in the flaps and a few other assorted areas, but not much. Biggest thing we remachined so far is a new set of main wheels from Aluminum instead of magnesium.

Note the nutplates inside to secure the screws.

I'll continue with the middle part (tilting part) next time.

 

[avidflyer]

 

[avidflyer]

Thank you Greg,

here are some picture of my none flyable project. It will be a simulatot which can be connected to the PC. I leike to get as real as I can and afford it. Thank you fpor sharing the photos and drawings and I am looking forward to the next drawings and pictures. At the Moment I rebuild the panel to get a better looking panel and a "real Copy" of an Me 109 K. But because I build a simulator the Instruments are driven by a Monitor which have to fit behiond the panel. Thats why it isnt easy to get a good copy - but I try.

Happy Easter

Thank you very much kind regards Christian

 

[Crimea_River]

Really nice work there Christian.

 

[GregP]

Hi Avidfllyer!

OK, I understand what you are doing now and how. I'll update in a few days. Didn't get a chance to mess with it today as we are feverishly working to get our airshow ready ... and I also had to attend a funeral in the middle of the day.

Fear not, you'll get some details ... probably not fast enough, but you'll get them.

Best regards, - Greg

 

[avidflyer]

Hello Greg,

Take your time i am on leave till next weekend. Thank you again for supporting my project and i like also to extend my sincere condolences to your loss.

Thank you and kind regards

Christian

 

[kettbo]

I'll be watching this closely! Maybe a whole aircraft replica in time

 

[GregP]

If he's going to do make a whole one, why not make it flyable?

Avidflyer, send me your email via PM. I have some manuals that maybe I can email.

 

[bobbysocks]

that is an awesome project avid!! you could probably show it off at airshows when you get it completed. people would get a thrill to be able to see what it felt like sitting in a 109.

 

[Airframes]

Nice work !

 

[GregP]

OK,

Here's the center canopy drawing:

When I got home I could not BELIEVE I forgot to get basic dimensions ... but I apparently didn't measure the length or the basic length and width of the window panels. Somebody slap me. I'll get these Saturday and add them to the drawing. I was sort of in a rush because I was doing other things, but these is no real excuse except being ina hurry.

As you can see the front end has the same dimensions as the back of the windscreen, and at the bottom is therefore 64.8 cm wide and 36.9 cm across the top. At the aft end the width at the bottom is 62.0 cm and I didn't measure across the top ... assuming it was the same as the front. I'll check to be sure Saturday.

Below is a pic looking at the inside of the canopy.

The two front windows have an odd function. They sit flush and are locked, but you can unlock them, pull them inward about 1.5 - 2.0 cm or so, and slide them backwards for ground ventilation. The hinge pins are on the starboard side. In the shot above the canopy is standing on the aft end. Note there is a wire attached to a spring.

See it below.

When you open the canopy, the wire is just the right length with the spring compressed by the weight of the canopy to hold it open with the canopy swung over 90° so the top is vertical. Note the wire is attached in the center of the frame and the spring attaches to the center of the rear canopy frame.

I'll get more Saturday, but we have only 1 1/2 weeks until the airshow and it might slip until after then depending on what needs to be done.

The center canopy is a heavy unit and is not a delicate structure ... it is robustly built. Below is a shot with the canopy level, from the front side.

 

[vikingBerserker]

That is awesome work!

 

[GregP]

Don't have any drawing done, but here are shots of the rear canopy. Below is a shot of the rear canopy from the front.

There is a steel tab (will show further down) at the top and there are two rods that have a swivel in the center and can be extended to secure or retracted to release the rear canopy. They are the red rods in the pic above. Both SHOULD be horizontal, but one in the pic above came loose and I didn't think to put it back in position before I took the pc.

Below is the same shot but closer and focused on the tab in the center.

The tab fits into the steel slot near the top center of the rear canopy area. See below.

The slot is at or near the top of the rear canopy area, to the far right and the steel tab slide down into it with the red rods retracted, and then you extend the rods to secure the canopy.

In the middle pic above, you can see two round holes in structures outboard of the center canopy tab. There are two rods with springs on them and when the canopy is secured, you put the pointed end of the rods into the holes, depress the springs, and slide them outboard into receptacles to pre-load the rear canopy to eject when the horizontal red securing rods are retracted in an emergency by the canopy release handle.

So ... in an emergency, you pull the canopy release, which retracts the securing rods, and the spring-loaded rods push the rear canopy upward. The airflow catches it and takes it away. All the pressure on the center canopy (on ANY fighter) is outward, so when the rear canopy is jettisoned, there is nothing holding the rear of the center canopy down and it lifts immediately. The front releases and follows and it self-jettisons with no assist from the pilot ... the airflow takes care of it.

The spring to the canopy stop wire is attached to the securing rods, so when the rear canopy goes, it pulls the rear of the center canopy along with it. A simple but effective system of canopy release.

All for now.

- Greg

 

[avidflyer]

Hello and thank you.

Iam back from Disneyland Paris and will post new pictures of my redone panel which is more Me 109 alike.
Greg thank you and i will send you my Email adress.

Kind regards Christian

 

[kettbo]

the additional pictures are GREAT, thx for posting them Greg!

 

[GregP]

Any time. I can get pretty detailed pics of almost anything at the Planes of Fame.

 

[GregP]

Hi AvidFlyer,

OK, if you look at my first post on the center canopy and add the info on this drawing, you have it.

Both the top and the side windows are 30.0 cm long. The top ones are 25.4 cm wide, measured between the framing (does not include the plexi inside the framing), and the side windwos are 33.2 cm tall, also between framing.

The rear canopy changes from the straight sides of the canopy frame to the more or less elliptical shape at the rear in an even manner. Looks to me like they probably came up with a form, heated the plexi and stretched it over the form.

Hopefully this, coupled with the CD's I'm sending, will give you what you need.

Good luck and best regards,

- Greg