[simpits-tech] Controlling synchros

[Simon Bennett]

>>
>>Heh, the whole idea of building a simpit seems to have a sort of sisyphean 
>>quality to it. Sometimes I wonder what I'm getting myself into.
>>
>Without a doubt.  Then again, that's what's fun about this whole thing. :)
>

Oh, definitely. At least you never run out of new things to do. And new ways 
to electrocute yourself.

It's all a lot of fun, though, and there's a lot to learn in the process. 
Six months ago I knew nothing about electronics. I still don't grok it, but 
now I'm experimenting with my own circuits and logic gates and timers and 
blinking LEDs, and building stuff that actually works. I even built my own 
2-bit binary adder circuit (I was hoping for 4 but ran out ICs), just to see 
if I could. Now I'm thinking I'll wire-wrap my own 8-bit computer together 
out of TTL ICs, with my own instruction set and everything. That would be an 
interesting project.
>
>>plane that *really* captured my imagination. I used to draw them all the 
>>time, imagining myself as a waist gunner or a bombardier on one. Heck, I 
>>even used to set paper "targets" on the floor and perform mock bombing 
>>runs with crayons. I was one strange child. I loved playing that B-17
>
>That likely accurately describes most of us here.  My favorite was a B-17 
>all chewed up, but still dropping bombs.

I had tons of books with pictures of battle damaged B-17s. Amazingly tough 
plane. Like the one that had a ME-109 shear off one of the horizontal 
stabilizers and almost cut the plane in half, or the one that took a direct 
hit from a flak shell in the nose section. Everything forward of the cockpit 
bulkhead a mass of twisted metal, blown open. It still managed to come home 
and land.

I saw one (Nine O Nine, I think) pass over us at an airshow once, with a 
B-24 right behind it. I was eight or so, but I can't forget the sound of 
those 4 cyclone engines roaring as it zoomed past. Awe-inspiring. Makes me 
sad that there are so few of them left. It's such a beautiful plane.

>Even took a soldering iron to a 1/48 scale model once to simulate bullet 
>holes. :)
>
I used a swiss army knife; poke the tip into the plastic, and twist it. 
Worked pretty good. Was that a  monogram B-17G kit? God, I must've built a 
dozen of those over the years. Hell, I have one now sitting in a box not 
four feet from me. I started it two years ago, finished the interior, I've 
been waiting since then to get a decent airbrush. I want one to look nice, 
for once. :) I have the airbrush now, but no time. I'm building a Monogram 
Pro Modeler F-4E right now which is where my attention is focused. I've also 
got a 1/48 Hasegawa A-4E in the closet that I can't wait to start. That's a 
neat kit.

_________________________________________________________________
Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! 
http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/