Fred Bird
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Fred Bird - Builder
Main interest is in foreign sports cars and tries to incorporate as much detail as possible using 1970's Zinc, Yellow and Dark Blue parts. Has been known to paint parts any colour that suits a particular model. Fred will spend several months building, rebuilding and rebuilding again to get things to work properly. He does stray from cars once in a while and may surprise us with a Railway Breakdown Crane or a large Dump Truck. |
Fred's Latest Model is a...
3 Wheel Car
This model was inspired by the Polaris Slingshot, a dramatically styled 3 wheeled vehicle. It is powered by a front mounted 4 cyl engine driving the rear wheel via a belt drive.
My model is also dramatically styled within the constraints of the meccano system. It is powered by the small meccano motor in the rear driving the back wheel via a worm and 19 t pinion and a transverse gear drive train. A 6volt battery pack is up front.
A gear lever in the cab controls the power from the battery pack and at the same time moves the transverse drive pinion in and out of mesh with the worm gear. With power switched off the drive is out of mesh this model can be used as a push toy.
The steering is a direct drive using pinions with a idler gear to turn the wheels in the correct direction.
The front wheels are suspended with compression springs, the rear wheel with a stiffer non-meccano spring.
Playboy Roadster Mid 1920's
Mid 1920s playboy type roadster;
Drive – Small electric motor with 6v 1.3 amp hour battery power source.
Transmission – 3 speed and reverse gearbox with 3 rows of gears in one plane. Outside gear change operating a cross shaft to engage each outside lay shaft. Clutch friction by two 1 inch pulleys with rubber tires operated by an outside pedal (resembling a foot step) on the passenger side. Compound universal drive to bevel drive differential.
Steering – Small pinion driving a 25t contrate vertically mounted rod with a crank attached to the tie rod.
Under hood – Engine detailed to resemble a twin cam 4 cylinder unit.
Drive – Small electric motor with 6v 1.3 amp hour battery power source.
Transmission – 3 speed and reverse gearbox with 3 rows of gears in one plane. Outside gear change operating a cross shaft to engage each outside lay shaft. Clutch friction by two 1 inch pulleys with rubber tires operated by an outside pedal (resembling a foot step) on the passenger side. Compound universal drive to bevel drive differential.
Steering – Small pinion driving a 25t contrate vertically mounted rod with a crank attached to the tie rod.
Under hood – Engine detailed to resemble a twin cam 4 cylinder unit.
Other Models built over the years
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1917 SE 5a Royal Aircraft Factory WWI Fighter Biplane
Main features: -
- Motor can be started by turning the propeller (this feature can be switched out and the motor turned on from the cockpit)
- Model can be driven along by engaging a drive (via a slip clutch) to the undercarriage wheels and is operated from the cockpit
- Ailerons can be operated from the stick in the cockpit
- Moveable rudder is attached to foot bars in the cockpit
- A machine gun chatter sound can be turned on from the cockpit (imagine it coming from the cowl mounted gun)
- A second machine gun is mounted on top of the wings on a rail.
- The model is powered using a compact powerful electric motor and a 12 volt battery.
- The machine gun sound is from a rotating "cam" powered by a 3 volt Meccano electric motor with a power pack. - Fred
Meccanograph
This Meccanograph is based on the Meccano Modellers Plan No. 147 which uses a Schmidt coupling to drive the transverse moving rotating drawing table. I used a metal lid to cover the drawing table with the paper being secured with small circular magnets. The other main modification was the powered operation using a compact electric motor and a 12v battery.
Motor Coach (Tour Bus)
This model is based on meccano model 9.8 (circa 1950) and has been extensively modified
Features:
-Simplified and proper functioning steering (the original turned in the wrong direction!).
-Fully functioning drive train with 2 speed and reverse gearbox and differential gear on the rearmost axle (the original had a clockwork motor drive to a plain axle)
-The chassis has been modified to accommodate the differential gear.
-A compact electric motor is located up front and a 12v battery is in the luggage compartment accessible from the back.
-The exterior has been tidied up by attaching flexible plates to the flat plates.
-The interior layout has been changed to provide extra seats.
-The gearbox is operated from a lever in the cab, the clutch from a lever under the chassis near the front wheel. A push switch under the chassis near the rear axle turns the power on/off.
Features:
-Simplified and proper functioning steering (the original turned in the wrong direction!).
-Fully functioning drive train with 2 speed and reverse gearbox and differential gear on the rearmost axle (the original had a clockwork motor drive to a plain axle)
-The chassis has been modified to accommodate the differential gear.
-A compact electric motor is located up front and a 12v battery is in the luggage compartment accessible from the back.
-The exterior has been tidied up by attaching flexible plates to the flat plates.
-The interior layout has been changed to provide extra seats.
-The gearbox is operated from a lever in the cab, the clutch from a lever under the chassis near the front wheel. A push switch under the chassis near the rear axle turns the power on/off.
Kenworth Dump Truck
Three Wheeler Concept Car
1930's Style Sports Car
Bulldozer
Citroen
Birkin Bentley
This model is of the Bentley 4-1/2 litre superccharged car especially built for Tim Birkin to capture the Brooklands outer circuit lap record in 1930.
Model features:
-Detailed engine concealing a compact electric motor.
-Clutch operated by depressing a pedal outside of the bodywork
-4 speed and reverse gearbox with operation on outside of body (except for reverse which is engaged from the inside for space reasons) -Differential
-Worm and pinion steering with ackerman geometry, camber and castor.
-4 wheel braking system with functioning handbrake (mounted on outside of the body.)
-Details include supercharger, shock absorbers, brooklands fish tail exhaust, undertray for stream lining.
- 12volt lead-acid battery in the rear of the body.
Railway Breakdown Crane
The railway breakdown crane is from the supermodel book; the same as for Bob Newsham's. It was powered by an E15R and two 12 volt batteries, one at each end of the crane carriage. The cab was raised by 1/2" to allow easier access to the controls. Blue plastic flexible plates were attached to the exterior to give a clean look and to blend with the dark blue girders/strips. Fred
1950's Wrecker
Luxury Touring Car - late 1930's
Model details:
- Simulated straight eight engine
- Demountable Separate all pinion 4spd and reverse gearbox
- Demountable Differential gear
- Worm and pinion steering with Ackerman, castor and camber geometry
- 4 wheel brakes operated by foot pedal and handbrake lever
- Simulated torsion bar independent front suspension operated by hidden heavy duty compression springs
- Leaf spring rear suspension.
- Powered by Marx Hectoperm 12v motor (concealed in engine) and by 12v lead/acid battery (concealed in petrol tank)
- Dimensions: 3 feet 5 inches long, 6 inch wheels
- Simulated straight eight engine
- Demountable Separate all pinion 4spd and reverse gearbox
- Demountable Differential gear
- Worm and pinion steering with Ackerman, castor and camber geometry
- 4 wheel brakes operated by foot pedal and handbrake lever
- Simulated torsion bar independent front suspension operated by hidden heavy duty compression springs
- Leaf spring rear suspension.
- Powered by Marx Hectoperm 12v motor (concealed in engine) and by 12v lead/acid battery (concealed in petrol tank)
- Dimensions: 3 feet 5 inches long, 6 inch wheels
