Thompson Brothers Aircraft Fueller
I haven’t posted for a while, but this is the completion of a 3-year project. The Thompson Brothers Aircraft Fueller (TBAF) was in use on RAF airfields during the 2nd world war. This representation is in 1/24th scale and is scratch built making extensive use of 3D printer technology. The design is based on the example at the Yorkshire Air Museum who were kind enough to let me photograph and measure their example. The design was drawn in Fusion 360 CAD software and printed on a Prussa I3 Mk3s FDM printer and more recently an Elegoo Mars Pro resin printer. The figure is there to give a sense of scale and is a commercial product!
I hope you like it!
5 additional images. Click to enlarge.
Hans Wilhelm Fischer said on October 2, 2020
Interesting subject. Never seen before. Nice work and I like the weathering of the fenders.
The fuel-capacity doesn’t seem to have been very high.
Derek Austin said on October 2, 2020
Apparently the refueller carried 500 gallons of fuel and 50 gallons of oil.
Gunther Winkle said on October 2, 2020
Fantastic work Derek! I saw one of these vehicles at the RAF museum in Hendon a couple of years ago.
Can you give me some more details? Which printer and which filament did you use?
Gunther
Derek Austin said on October 2, 2020
The 2 printers I used are detailed in the main text Gunther! I used a standard PLA in the FDM printer and a basic grey resin in the resin printer. Some elements were also scratch built using styrene. This photo highlights the different parts quite well. White is styrene, darker grey is the FDM printed parts and the lighter grey resin.
2 attached images. Click to enlarge.
Gunther Winkle said on October 3, 2020
Many thanks Derek!
George R Blair Jr said on October 2, 2020
Nicely done, Derek (@derekaustin). The 3D printing offers some great options for a build.
Derek Austin said on October 2, 2020
Thank you, it was a lot of fun!
Stellan Schroeder Englund said on October 2, 2020
Only the British! Looks like a suicide contraption or something from Star Wars…. Very cool vehicle anyway, and excellent modelling.
Derek Austin said on October 2, 2020
The gentleman that hosted me at the Yorkshire Air Museum had actually driven it, he said it has quite tricky!
Stellan Schroeder Englund said on October 3, 2020
Been a while since I went to the Yorkshire Air Museum but I think I recall seeing it. Hmm when i think about it, it looks a bit like a forefather to the Reliant Robin of sorts…
Haslam Yeoman said on October 3, 2020
500 hundred gallons of petrol and three wheels. Sounds kind of scary to me but it is a very eye catching vehicle.
Derek Austin said on October 3, 2020
Apparently it could be, it was very slow though, about 5 mph!
Spiros Pendedekas said on October 3, 2020
Amazing job, Derek!
I might comment that 3d has revealed new horizons in modeling, with definitely a lot of great stuff to see in the future.
Well done in this!
Derek Austin said on October 3, 2020
Thank you!
Tom Bebout said on October 3, 2020
What an interesting looking vehicle to scratch build. Nicely done Derek.
Derek Austin said on October 3, 2020
Thank you!