RBean

fa18frog, Thanks. Looks like the engine is a good fit.

RBean

I finally unpacked the ARF. Every thing arrived in good condition. I've decided on the G-38. It should have noticeably more power now with a proper overhaul. I've mounted the engine about 3/8" further forward than before to get the Bennett muffler away from the firewall. Changed the cowl mounts to move the cowl forward the same 3/8". This will move the weight forward slightly and have more cooling air exit area. I'll post pictures later. At least I've got started, but may take a while with work and being out of town.

RBean

I've got the G-38 mounted with throttle, choke and ignition switch installed. I used my own cowl mount and mounted engine and cowl about 1/4' farther forward. Get the rear of the muffler away from fire wall some and weight further forward. Also using these mount allows more exit area for cooling air.

RBean

I've finished the engine and cowl installation so turned the fuselage around and started working on the tail. The one way to insure that you will have a good flying plane is to be sure all the flying surfaces are on straight. Turns out the hole for the stabilizer tube is not straight, so I've been dealing with that to get the Stabs on straight. This is not a Top Flite or Hanger 9 ARF and takes a lot of additional work. But it is the only Hellcat ARF on the market that I know of.

AC2

My Feedback: (34)

Loving the project! Looks great!!

Just a little tip, whenever I remove any type of tape stencil etc, apply a little heat from a hair dryer/heat gun etc, to loosen the adhesive and it will peel off with ease. Also when you pull, don't pull straight up, pull back and down and lastly if its been a while since the tape has been sitting, apply heat while removing the tape..... be careful though as too much heat and you will lift the paint

RBean

I got the tail feathers on and servos connected. The rudder and elevator linkages are all internal. The rudder control horn was too long and contacting the sides of the fuselage. I had to drill new holes for the clevises and shorten the horn. Tedious work. I'll be glade to move on to the wings. Have not decided if I will alter the flap set up or not yet.

RBean

So I decided to do something with the flaps to make them more scale and maybe more effective. Took the flaps to a club member with a table saw and cut off the top front of the flaps. Glued on balsa and rounded off. Used dubro hinges. Took a lot of time getting the location and angle correct and the same. They move down and back and will leave about a 1/8 to 1/4 " slot between the wing and flap when extended. Finally got them on and seems like they will work. I think I might try to do internal linkage, there is enough room. I will use sheet plastic for a flange covering the flap gap on the top. This is one of those deals where after you start, kind of wished you hadn't. But now I think the hardest part is done.

Bob Paris

My Feedback: (13)

RBean,
That is an interesting modification to the flaps. I am still waiting for my Sierra retracts to be returned and repaired...but as soon as I do have them in hand...I'll do another F6F. That was one sweet flying model...

Soft Landings Always,
Bobby of Maui

RBean

Bob, VQ still has the F6F in stock. You might want to order one you can. Also Magnum RC. Shipping might be less from them. I've continued to work on the flaps. Got them installed with internal linkage. Used plastic for the upper flange. Hooked up the radio and have them adjusted mostly.

Bob Paris

My Feedback: (13)

Hay RBean,
I love your flap instillation and what you did to hide the control horn. Nice work and it will really help you on landings. I loved my F6F and if flew so nice and sweet. Just my luck to undershoot a landing and hit tall grass...really tall stuff (3 to 4 feet). I did rip out my landing gear and I was in a full flap landing when I hit short. The engine and Rx was ok, but I tossed out the rest.

I will call Tomas and see what he has on hand. Maybe I can talk him into getting my landing gear back to me if I order another model. Its going to be painted the same, U.S.S. Bunker Hill colors and I have enough paint on hand from my last F6F to do another one.

Right now I'm installing a DLE 20R into a Top Flight P-51D-ARF. I recovered it, to a Red Tail, 332nd squadron colors. I have Lado retracts installed, and a 16oz. Roto fuel tank. I had a K&B 1.00 installed for years...but the engine has a really lousy idle...and it always did, so hung it up for a few years. Its now on my work bench and I'm almost done. I re-kit my Top Flight P-51B Red Tail...a kit built model I have been flying for seven years. The electronics are going in now on my re-engine "D" and its going to really have some power now. The K&B 1.00 on 30% nitro helo fuel flew and climbed like a raped ape...but the guys tell me a DLE 20R will give it a nicer note and have a better vertical. I don't know how much better...for the K&B 1.00 was awesome in the vertical. You kind of have to stuff the engine into the nose, but it did go in ok, and I ran the choke cable out the port side of the fuselage. The fuel tank is on the C.G. and that 16oz. tank will keep me in the air for a solid 15 minutes with a nice reserve.

Soft Landings Always,
Bobby of Maui

RBean

I embedded a part of a control horn in the top forward part of the flap, cut hole in the trailing edge of the wind for the push rod and clevis. I'll try to take some close up pictures. Not sure if the mod was worth the trouble, but its done now.

RBean

I've been able to get work done on the Hellcat but it has been slow. Got the ailerons installed and working. Installed the retract air system and radio. Installed the Sierra retracts. Pumped up to 100 psi and tested ok. Adjusted the rate to slow them down some. The POW. Like a pistol shot almost. An end of an air cylinder blew off. Don't know how it is supposed to be attached. No threads. I e-mailed Darrell at Sierra and ask him how I could fix it. Reminded him these were rebuilt last summer. He said he would put another one in the mail today.

I had to shim up one side of the wing saddle with 1/16" balsa as the wing was not level. Closer now. The belly pan does not fit as well as I would like but not sure what to do yet.

Bob Paris

My Feedback: (13)

Hay RBean,
How about some pictures...
Bob

RBean

On the way out of town. Will be back in a couple of days and try to get pictures taken and posted. By the time I get back should have the new air cylinder from Darrell at Sierra. Still need to fine tune flap adjustments. Also left to do are the wheel well doors and the dummy engine. Then of course some painting. I've already got the dark blue and the gray? colors. I'll take the cowl to Home Depot and get them to match the medium blue. I want to repaint the cowl and get rid of the teeth and eyes. That paint scheme was only on the Hellcats based on the Prinston in 1944. Only for a month. The brass made them remove them for some reason. You know there are only two ways to do things "the Navy way or the wrong way".

RBean

Ok, here are some pictures. I tried to mount every thing as far forward as possible. Total weight is 18.6 lbs. A little heavier than the last one?? It was 18.3. CG is ok at close to 114 as before. I've got touch up painting to do but well try to test fly first. May be able to test run the engine today.

Bob Paris

My Feedback: (13)

RBean,
You animal...looking good and it should be a floater at just over 18#'s. Mine flew great at 20#'s +, though I did repaint mine. I'm interested in your first flight too...so keep us informed.
Soft Landings Always,
Bobby of Maui

RBean

I sorted out my flap problem. It seems some one used a different servo horn on one side than the other. That is now fixed. Took to the field to test run the engine. It was hard to get started as it has been setting for a couple of months and was totally dry. Finally got it going ok. The stopped and put on cowl. Ran with cowl on with no problems discovered. But tail wheel linkage came apart so not even a taxi test. Also belly pan coming loose. Then an air leak developed in the gear. CAed the screw holes for the belly pan and then glued and screwed to wing. Traced the air leak down to the air bottle. Had a screw going through fuselage and into the bottle with vibration. So removed bottle and soldered up the hole. Cut off the screw and put balsa over what was left. Set control throws, dual rates, neg expo etc. I think it is all ready to go. Depends on weather and how much family stuff to do tomorrow.

RBean

We had light winds this morning so I managed to get a little time and got to the field. Assembled the plane and aired up the gear. I have all controls set per the instructions but looked like more than I would need. Dual rates is reduced 20% with about 20% negative expo. Started ok. On run up the g-38 turned the Xoar 18-10 two blade 7,000 rpm. A little less the the rated 7,150 rpm but has new rings not broken in fully so maybe this will improve. Did a taxi run and decided rudder needed a little more neg expo. Otherwise felt good, so taxied back, turned down the runway, gradual advance of power, held up elevator at first (grass runway) relieved up elevator, tail up, let her accelerate keeping straight and just a little up and she took off. Didn't need a lot of rudder to keep straight. No problems, except wanted to roll left. Had to add quite a bit of right aileron trim, six to eight clicks. Elevator was right on.

Got her trimmed out and flew around to get the feel. Needs a little more negative expo for my taste. Not sure on the control throws, they might need reducing further. I retracted the gear, a little pitch up but not bad at half throttle. Only 2 or 3 clicks of down trim needed. Did a full throttle run and handled ok. Engine ran good. Then put gear down, there was some down pitch but it was countered by half flaps. So not much pitch change with flaps down, at least half flaps. I was a bit pressed for time so didn't do a stall series, also nervous as usual with first flight. Slowed on down wind, turned final, reduced throttle further to about a quarter throttle, then to idle at about ten feet as she wasn't coming down. Landed on the mains with a slight bounce and then three pointed taxied back, shut down and inspected. No problems that I could see. Didn't do any maneuvers this time.

Just needs some adjustments. Tail wheel needs adjusting right some, needs a little more right rudder trim, maybe some mix. Not sure yet. The flaps didn't cause any roll when deployed, so that is great. I think my modified flaps are more effective than the stock set up, so it was worth the trouble. Left to do is install dummy engine and some paint work.

I may move the gear doors up about a quarter inch to keep them out of the grass when strut is depressed. I'm using 4.5" Dubro Lite wheels and tires which come out real close to scale in size.

Bob Paris

My Feedback: (13)

Hay RBean,
Nice flight report. Glad she is one piece and all is well. Pictures....Please... : )
Soft Landings Always,
Bobby of Maui

RBean

Bobby, I'm out of town going down to Florida. Maybe retiring there???? I'll try to get pictures of the plane all put together and post but will be several weeks. I just wanted to get this test flight done before I left. It is a good flying plane but the ARF is a PITA to get together, or at least this one was. I'll do more test flying when I get back and twecking? is that a word? of the controls. Then paint touch up. I noticed it has no insignia on the top of the wing. An omission on their part but fixed easily enough.

Bob Paris

My Feedback: (13)

Hay RBean,
I'm still waiting on my Sierra landing gear to be returned to me, but maybe I will get it back one day from Darrel. I didn't like the pull/pull set up on ESM kits, so when I built my Skyraider, I did away with their pull/pull and installed good push rods. The pull/pull wires ESM gives you in the kits is sub standard and if you used it, you will lose the model. It will break very easily, so I do hope you changed yours out with good Sullivan or DuBro braded wire.

Keep us posted....

Soft Landings Always,
Bobby of Maui

RBean

I used kevlar cables and different fittings for the pull-pull on the rudder and elevator, so it should last. In addition kevlar does not stretch like braded steel cable so should not need adjustments later.

RBean

Bobby, give Darrell at Sierra a call or e-mail. I kept waiting for my gear, finally called him and he said they were complete, but had been put on the shelf and forgotten/overlooked. I gave him credit card number for payment and had the retracts within a few days.

Bob Paris

My Feedback: (13)

Dear RBean,
I sent the gear to him over a year ago and I've called him, sent him e-mails and I have spoken to him. On my last phone call, he said my gear was on the self, along with the check I sent him for partial pay met ($100.00). It would be nice to get his gear back, for without a doubt...he has the best pneumatic gear on the market. Its tough gear, works flawlessly and had never failed me once. I'll try to call again and see if he can send my fixed landing gear to me.

One gear was ok...one gear was damaged-for both hear were torn out of the wing. I hit 3~4 foot tall grass on approach, just short of the runway and totaled my model. The gear was down & locked, and I was getting ready to set the model down and not going very fast.

I'll buy another ESM F6F if I can get my gear back from Darrell.

Soft Landings Always,
Bobby of Maui

nemesis4u

My Feedback: (77)

BOB.... I emailed you.. I will assist you to have your SIERRA GEAR back asap!!! ;-)


GENTS...

We have more ESM HELLCAT'S IN STOCK right now... not many left but we have several!!!

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