What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Machine Gun Slider Rails?

Dbro172

Well Known Member
I've seen photos, such as here: http://www.mnwing.org/ where it looks like the slider rails were drilled out. What is the purpose of this? Weight, looks? Do the rollers "snag" on the holes? What dia. holes? I thought they look pretty cool. Can anyone elaborate more on this idea here, or post pictures of their's?

Looks Cool,

Derek
 
I would bet its for looks, yes it reduces weight but how much? Personally I love the look and wish I would have done the same! Also not sure if it was planned but you could also now use the holes for canopy stops at certain points. Make a plug that would fit into one of the holes that is removable and you could have a canopy stop at many different points.
 
Also not sure if it was planned but you could also now use the holes for canopy stops at certain points. Make a plug that would fit into one of the holes that is removable and you could have a canopy stop at many different points.

That is a good point!

I might just drill mine out, going to make one heck of a mess though:D
 
Here I thought the subject was about how to mount machine guns on my RV with cool detachable rails.
 
I was just thinking that I could still remove mine and do it, looks cool, but i am remembering how many times ive stepped on them and worried about deforming them. I am light but fear id crush it with too many holes...
 
Awwwwe and I was looking for a mod to mount my machine guns, in case of a drone attack. I think I could beat them, they are just logic and programmed, they can't reason right?:eek:

Bird
 
I drilled mine....

.....to save weight. That's a solid bit of material, you wont deform it by standing on it. And yes :D it does look cool :cool:
 
I'd post pictures of mine, but my plane is being painted hundreds of miles away at the moment.

I did mine primarily for looks; it's something different than most other RVs and is one more thing that helps to make my RV "mine".

Weight savings was a secondary reason, although the actual weight savings is miniscule. Still, "no single raindrop believes that it is responsible for the flood" - every little bit helps or at least makes way for weight in more desirable areas.
 
The rails can be a seal surface

The rails ar the only surface the is parallel to the travel of the canopy during opening and closing. as such you can make a ribs conforming to the shape of the fuselage side at the canopy deck outboard of the "Rails" creating a matine surface. It is not a simple job but I made my ribs out of 3/16" aluminum bar stock from ACS and double flush riveted them to the inside of the side skirts. This made the skirts rigid conforming to the shape po the fuselage with no "suck out" deformation at speed. By using the patterns to cut slightly oversize "ribs" from sheet rubber (from ACS) and gluing them to the bottom of the aluminum ribs with the oversize rubber extension inboard, when the canopy is closed the rubber lightly touches the rail and seals the interface against air leaks. This eliminates the skirt overhanging the fuselage requirement. I riveted 1/16"x3/4"x3/4" angle leg up aft of the rail to the inside of the upper rear fuselage skin to close the opening there. I put white "P" strip around the roll bar under the fiberglass overhang and under the rear skirt set back from the edge so that area seal without deforming the skirt outward in the closed position. I also made a conopy follower plug and a small dopg house cover over the rear center rail to seal that area when the canopy closes. If you cut deco art holes in the slider rails you lose the possibility for sealing the side skirt.

Bob Axsom
 
I will post some pictures but ...

Bob,
Could you post a picture or a link to a picture of what you did and are describing?

All I am saying in this post is you give up the only possible sealing surface if you cut holes on the slider rails - it is not without penalty. This is not something you want to take on blindly thinking it will all turn out well in the end like a "some assembly required" thing you buy in a store - this is more like making your own watch (when they had precision gears and springs). I submitted the idea to Van's and Ken Scott wrote it up in the RVator but he misunderstood the most critical part and described the seal as being against the sill or canopy deck instead of against the side of the slider rail WHICH WILL NOT WORK because the canopy angle changes with respect to the canopy deck during opening and closing and the gap changes (gets pinched) at one point during the travel. I don't want to explain this over and over and have someone ruin this already difficult part of their airplane because they didn't have the ability to do precise work or didn't understand the concept. It is in this forum already somewhere.

IMG_zps2bca987a.jpg


Pattern_zps5c4065e6.jpg


progsaw_zps6fad14f7.jpg


partremove_zps8722ab84.jpg


File_zps14c62ac3.jpg


rib_zps663807be.jpg


The rib looks like it is at the bottom of the side skirt in the picture but it is level with the vertical tangent with the slide rail extrusion curve approximately 1/2" above the bottom of the side skirt the seal is against the side of the extrusion - NOT THE CANOPY DECK - and if it is at the bottom of the side skirt it will hit the canopy deck and drag for the full length of the canopy travel at the rear of the canopy deck. Already I'm thinking I should remove these photos.

cleco_zpsee0671d0.jpg


Bob Axsom
 
Last edited:
Back
Top