Erv:
How is this for 30 year knowledge? Let me know if you need anything else,
Dave
HI DAVE, I TRIED SENDING THIS TO THE E MAIL ADDRESS
FOR "SMALLEY" BUT IT WAS RETURNED TWICE, HERE'S MY INFO. PERHAPS YOU CAN
FORWARD IT TO THOSE WHO NEED IT.
JOHN
HI ALL, I HOPE I CAN HELP YOU BY PROVIDING SOME INFO. ON THE
SIMULATED RADOME AND FORWARD ELECTRONICS COMPARTMENT MADE FOR THE F-106 AT
LOWREY. I'LL START WITH THE RADOME, IT WAS CONSTRUCTED BY MAKING A FEMALE MOLD
OF AN ORIGINAL RADOME. THE FEMALE MOLD WAS MADE BY COATING AN ORIGINAL RADOME
WITH SEVERAL COATS OF MOLD RELEASE WAX, THEN COVERING THE RADOME WITH SEVERAL
LAYER OF FIBERGLASS. AFTER THE FIBERGLASS, IT WAS SPRAYED WITH APPROX. 12 INCHES
OF EXPANDABLE INSULATING FOAM. THE FOAM WAS SIMILAR TO THE TYPE YOU CAN BUY
TODAY IN A SPRAY CAN, I THINK IT'S CALLED "GREAT STUFF". AFTER ALLOWING THE FOAM
TO HARDEN THE RADOME WAS REMOVED TO REVEAL THE FEMALE
MOLD.
A MACHINED ALUMINUM ADAPTER WAS MADE TO ACCEPT THE PITOT BOOM AS WELL AS
SERVING AS A MOUNTING POINT FOR FOUR RODS THAT EXTENDED AFT TO THE FORWARD
ELECTRONICS BAY FORWARD BULKHEAD. THIS FIXTURE WAS PUT INTO THE FEMALE
MOLD AND THE ABOVE PROCESS WAS REPEATED TO FORM A RADOME. THE SIMULATED RADOME
WAS ATTACHED TO THE SIMULATED FORWARD ELECTRONICS BAY COMPARTMENT BY THE FOUR
RODS WHICH PASSED THRU THE FORWARD BULKHEAD AND SECURED WITH NUTS. I THINK
THE LAST PANEL TO BE SECURED TO THE SIMULATED ELECTRONICS BAY COMPARTMENT WAS
THE LOWER PANEL WHICH WOULD BE FORWARD OF THE NOSE WHEEL WELL. IF YOU
REMOVE THAT PANEL I THINK YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS ALL OF THE MOUNTING POINTS
FOR THE
RADOME.
THE RADOME WAS NEVER MEANT FOR OUTSIDE DISPLAY, I DON'T THINK IT WILL
TAKE THE ELEMENTS VERY WELL. THE FIBERGLASS COATING IS APPROX 4 LAYERS THICK. I
DON'T KNOW WHAT EFFECT THE WEATHER WILL HAVE ON THE FOAM EITHER. ANOTHER PROBLEM
YOU MAY HAVE IS TRYING TO REPAIR THE FIBERGLASS. IF YOU GO THRU THE FIBERGLASS,
THE FIBERGLASS RESIN USED IN THE REPAIR MAY ATTACK THE FOAM. SINCE THE FORWARD
ELECTRONICS BAY WAS DESIGNED ESPECIALLY FOR THE SIMULATED RADOME, A REAL RADOME
WILL NOT FIT WITHOUT SOME CREATIVE ENGINEERING. ADDITIONALLY, I DON'T THINK THE
STRUCTURE OF THE ELECTRONICS BAY WOULD SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF A REAL RADOME. I
GUESS WE DON'T NEED TO DISCUSS THE SIMULATED FORWARD ELECTRONICS BAY AS IT WAS
ALL ALUMINUM CONSTRUCTION AND A NON PLAYER IN THE
PROBLEM.
IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY, IF YOU DECIDE TO USE A LARGE AMOUNT OF
EXPANDABLE FOAM AS WE DID IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE RADOME. IT CAN GENERATE
EXTREME HEAT DURING THE CURING PROCESS. THIS WAS NEW TECHNOLOGY IN THE
SEVENTIES. WE HAD TO TAKE THE MOLD TO A JOB SITE IN NORTH JERSEY TO HAVE IT
APPLIED BY A PROFESSIONAL INSULATING COMPANY. DURING THE RETURN TRIP TO ATLANTIC
CITY THE RADOME IGNITED AND WAS VERY PROMPTLY REMOVED FROM THE TRUCK WHICH
RESULTED IN THE ENSUING BRUSH FIRE. IF I CAN BE OF FURTHER ASSISTANCE,
PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO CONTACT
ME. JOHN