Schopf F59 Tractor

thingiverse

#Schopf F59 Tractor ##Instant Diorama -- Just Add Plastic The aircraft revolution on the *Thingiverse* demands a dedicated aircraft-handling tractor. What began as the Goldhofer forge in Amendingen, Germany in 1705 and a machine manufacturer founded by engineer Jörg Schopf in 1948, merged together in 2013 to produce over 35,000 vehicles for more than 160 countries within a year. These vehicles included various aircraft tractor models. A modern airport's primary responsibility is pushback, the process of moving an aircraft back from the terminal gate away from the apron and onto the taxi way. The pushback process involves several steps: - Start the aircraft's onboard auxiliary power unit (APU) - Remove the airport power umbilical - Remove wheel chocks - Retract/Move jet walk - Pickup safety cones under wingtips - Turn on the tractor's flashing pushback signal light Schopf manufactures a family of aircraft tractors, each classified by size and weight. For instance, the Schopf F396P is ideal for handling high-speed aircraft like the Airbus A380. The Schopf F59 boasts powerful four-wheel drive and reliable towing capabilities for civil and military aircraft with a maximum take-off weight of 70 tons. An optional lifting cabin ensures safe maneuvering on the apron and in the hangar. Following the acquisition of Flite Line Equipment (USA) by Goldhofer, you'll soon see more Schopf tractors at American airports, revolutionizing airport operations. ##The Model This Schopf F59 tractor is a 1:56 scale model. The development process revealed that a 1:48 scale model was too small, while a 1:32 scale version might be too large for printing on all 3D printers. Therefore, the chosen scale is 1:56. The model consists of four distinct parts: - F59 tractor - Tow Bar - Terminal - Jet walk Printing and assembling these parts will result in a complete airport diorama. An instruction manual assists in constructing the F59 tractor and tow bar. Supplemental print bed adhesive may be necessary for printing the tow bar. To build the terminal, you'll need to print four tarmac pieces and two terminal lithophanes using Cura with a height of 4mm. Cement the terminal print to the back of two tarmac pieces, which have a small ledge for holding the terminal lithophane. A complete jet walk can be built by printing the "jet connect" pieces and adding spare F59 wheels for finishing the support structure. Add an airliner nose section, and your Schopf F59 terminal is ready for operation. ##References GOLDHOFER & SCHOPF MASCHINENBAU GMBH - http://www.goldhofer.de/en/conventional,30.html Schopf Models & "Fan-Shop" - http://www.goldhofer.de/en/gh-fan-shop.html