[Sticky] Planning

What would the feasibility of building three drop containers?

This is the German thing but more generic a British cylinder would be fine.

Did you see the container Major had? Blummin great heavy wooden crate too heavy to cart about - I was thinking of something aluminium that looks like what it should be (with parachute attached) that is light and not necessarily to exact scale, that can hold stuff, maybe in two halves so stacking/storage is easy.

Thoughts?

Nice idea but metal is ridiculously expensive at the moment so it could prove costly.

I'm useless at this sort of fabrication so perhaps someone would be better served to talk about construction.

Aye, Q was directed at Guy and Jay really!

Just so you know I have a friend who works in metal fabrication and CAD so if there's anything you ever want done he can design it and get it priced up.

This would be where my gun fixes come from!

Making them in metal would be expensive and heavy . Could knock something up in ply . Do they need to be that big? be a pain in the arse ot transport. We've still got a load of large amo boxes I could paint up ?

Ask Josh , he might see it as an investment

No, no need for full size. Thin aluminium wouldn't be heavier than ply would it?

I was rather hoping there might be something existing that could be used and adapted, something that Jay might have access to?

Thin sheet ali is expensive and probably would require a steel frame to hold it together . Thin ply ( like the Ark was made from) would be a lot cheaper, quicker and more robust .

Alloy would need to be riveted too I guess, welding would be very expensive.

Late war (i.e. the Ardennes Drop) they were all made out of wood anyway!

Shall I cost it up?

I could make them out of Ally - i've got all the kit needed at work. But in the time it would take me to design it, sort out the layout for plasma cutting, form them to the right shape, then rivet/TiG it together for just one container, I could have built 3 out of ply (with a few tea breaks thrown in) - plus, the price of decent thickness ally sheeting is at an all time high.

Right, so cardboard, staples and gaffa tape is out then.

You didn't see Major's box - great heavy chest!

I just wanted something that was recognisably 'supply drop' which is why I thought the British tubes things would be fine.

For the Eagles game they would have to be searched for then used as regen/resupply points (bit more realistic than the ammo boxes!)

So, it looks like a flat-ended silver cylinder split along the length - doesn't have to be hinged as long as the two halves can separate.

This weekend is going to be pretty quiet, so i'll bang something together in Autocad, then stick the design up on here.

Which leads me onto something else...

As we're going to have a few quid in the kitty from TEHL, is it worth trying to find some real parachute canopies at a decent price? (plus, they have other uses - as fookin' great big tarps as well!)

That sounds good Kermit.

I hadn't thought about real chutes but it's an idea!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WW2-1942-US-AIRBO ... dZViewItem

Well, i've done a little research. These buggers were 5 foot long and 16" x 16" cross section. Do you want 1:1 scale, or is 3/4 scale alright?

Practicality first and foremost! 48" long is transportable.

Are you plans for a German one or the cylinder Brit type seen in er... Where Eagle Dare and erm... Bridge too Far?

Funnily enough,round containers were actually used by both sides. From a fabrication POV, squared off ones are a damn sight easier, and cheaper to build. Round ones - unless I can find some suitable industrial scrap - will be a pig to build (you can forget steaming ply at those dimensions then wrapping it round a former!). I know some suppliers of ally tubing (used for Air con/heating ducting) in suitable sizes, but they wont be cheap to buy new, thats for sure!

I'll do some digging this weekend on both Brit and German types.

British Containers (CLE type - French website, but Brit ww2 containers)

Yes, that's what was in my head! No need for the dished end.
What about using that MDF sheet that is corrugated on one side for forming tight curves?
Or 315mm plastic sewer pipe (no, but that would be brown and difficult to paint).

Anything thats made from PVC is a nightmare to paint, unless the paint contains THF or similar. I know the MDF sheet you're on about, unfortunately its quite fragile

What we need, is galv'd steel heating ducting. If we go 3/4 scale, I can get 350 Dia x 1250mm Length tube for less than £25 & VAT. Cutting it in two is going to be a pig (sure i can call in a favour or two) and it will have to pop-rivetted together (grind off the zinc before welding it in 30 different places? - sod off!) But it's definitely doable.

The ends can be fabricated from sheet. Add the handles (Protex for that), plus the hinges and a coat of paint, and it's good to go.

Grind off the zinc, yah big jessy - just do it outdoors the Yorkshire way .

Chomers you still haven't said what you need them for ?

Ah, but I did....