F16 Cockpit Tub

F16 Cockpit Tub

This is the 3D model of the F16 cockpit tub. It’s based on Jim “Feathers” Keane’s cockpit dimensions of an authentic F16 simulator, at ViperPits, here.

This model is intended as the CAD version of Feathers measurement, and more. It is also intended for helping you get the “right” dimensions in constructing your own build plan.

Basically, I took all those dimensions and punch them into a 3D model to construct a “shell” to give us a better idea of how things fit and to be able to query the 3D model dimensions that are “derived.” There are a lot of finer dimensions Feathers did not measure. Well, those finer dimensions are not what he set out to do. He set up to measure the dimensions of the frame of an F16 simulator. And he did that very well. But it’s only enough to construct a frame, but not the finer details. For instance, the side wall cutouts dimension were not supplied. And there are also some dimensions Feather listed that are inconsistent (for instance, the sloped surface under the seat has sum of two legs of a triangle smaller than the 3rd leg. That’s a theocratical impossibility. I had to correct some of those. Also, the nature of these reverse engineered measurements is that sometimes several points that are supposed to line up but do not. That’s the natural measurement errors that must be “adjusted” with good judgement. I did some of those too.

If you have authentic parts, you could fill in the blank. But that’s kind of difficult. I mean, are you going to rig up a jig to hold all those authentic parts in correct positions and then measure them? Grr... right? So happens, I have been collecting a lot of F16 authentic cockpit parts and I have been meticulously measuring them and construct very detailed 3D models. Assembling 3D models is a lot easier than rigging them up with some free-space frames.

So, taking Feathers’ measurements, and combine them with my 3D models, I can get very detailed and accurate 3D model out of it. This will help me plan construction in a very detailed and accurate way and gives me way more flexibility too! For instance, I am no longer limited to the traditional method of construction plane stations (cross-sections of multiple parallel planes). With 3D models, I am free to rotate the planes, or relocate the planes anywhere I want. And then tell the CAD system to give me the cross sections of any plane I want. That will make constructing bulkhead a breeze!

Most of the “thickness” of material are set to 0.1” thickness. You should ignore the thickness. All the true surface are inside the cockpit (SolidWorks, being a “solid” CAD, a Constructive Solid Geometry actually, solids are natural fare with this beast, although I do occasionally use 0-thickness surfaces).

Also, some of other CAD parts are imported into the Tub model. These are separate parts, imported to derive the correct dimensions Feathers did not provide. You should turn them off (Hide them, in SolidWorks terminology), unless you wish to get a better idea of where things should be, or to show off. ;-)

This model will NEVER be officially “released.” It will be forever Work-In-Progress (WIP). This is simply because as I get more authentic parts and construct 3D models out of them, I will continue to import them in to get more and more detailed dimensions.

Also, note that, some of the dimensions that I do not have, I bullshit them. These are clearly prepended with the word “BS” in front of the name of the entities. You should not trust these BS features too much. Anything not marked with “BS” are authentic measurements.

I hope that you will find this model useful and maybe, just maybe, construct your own build plan adapting to the availability of local material and skills you have.