tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

I have the same problem with the retract (air) servo and 4-way connector. I'm thinking of putting hatches (AKA aileron-style) on both the flaps servos and the aileron servos. For the centerline retract servo, going to mount it upright and open up the center sheeting.

Jerry

scottrc

Glad to see more people are building this kit. I have built both the TF and Royal .60 Corsair. This Pica kit compares to a trainer kit. Never saw snap together sheeting before. Like a big puzzle.

I am doing the same as far as servo access doors. Well worth the time to be able to inspect those servos.

I am ready to sheet my wing. I am a little apprehensive about sheeting the saddle V against the grain. Had a bad experience with my TF doing this. I may deviate and sheet the saddle with the grain like I did with the Royal. Worked really well.

Since this a "Sport" scale, I am not real picky about meeting FSM color standards. I'm trying Monokotes Flat Navy on the top, Flat dove Grey to substitute the medium sea blue, and white along the bottom. Should look somewhat close to an FG-1 or F4u-1G in mid 1943. At least at a distance.

Anybody know if there are any reviews on how this thing flies???

Scott

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

Where are you putting the retract servo? I'm using CJ Retracts.

Jerry

OCTANE75-RCU

Dunno if you guys finished this thing, but pics of mineare in my gallery

kram51

My Feedback: (3)

anything new on this plane? I just picked one up and would like to follow up with those of you who've finished and flown yours.

Thanks!

scottrc

Mine is in the same state as Octanes. Since it's summer, I'm busy with the yard, house repairs, maintaining my Mustang in flying condition, and building a KAOS to replace my Ultrasport I crashed last week.

I hope to get the flaps on it in the next couple of days and begin covering the tail and H-Stab.

So far, except for the tail wheel hook up, this kit has been a blast to build.

kram51

My Feedback: (3)

Here's a picture of mine from about a month ago. The flying gods have conspired against me to keep it from flying up to now. I've actually made some changes by moving the gear up as far as they can go, cutting cowl flaps into it for cooling and removing the dummy radial. One day it will actually fly. Weight is higher than advertised as I've had to add about a full pound to the nose to balance at the specified point [:@] NOT what I like to do. The weight is about 9.5 lbs and I'm thinking my trusty OS 61 SF might not be up to the task.

All for now . . .

Mark

scottrc

Hi Mark,

Nice looking plane, I need to get mine done, instead, I began building a Spit for a guy. I found that the wing is set almost 7/8 farther back than that of the TF and Royal. Again, I don't know if PICA intentionally did this, but like you said, could be reason for the landing and nose weight issue.

I'm starting to cover mine, still weighs in a 8 lbs. No retracts, but I will have flaps. Balanced latterally really well. Has anybody figured a good way to check the incedence? I'm checking mine at three locations. The tip, mid section, and saddle. I've had some pretty extreme warp before, and I don't think this wing would be an exception.

So far, i think this should be a tame flyer, hope so since they sacrificed a lot of the scale in this kit.
A ST 75 should pull this bird well.

Scott

daven

My Feedback: (1)

Let me know how you guys like this thing. I've got mine about half finished, and the project stalled. I want to get back into it, but I need some inspiration.

violinman

My Feedback: (2)

Hi guys, I have been working off and on at a 1/12 scale pica corsair. It seems to be exactly the same as the 1/8 scale in construction. I think the 1/12 scale was just blown up to 1/8 scale. I have made alot of changes to mine to make it look more scale. I made the wing a more true gullwing shape and added coolers in the wings. Here are some pictures(hopefully)

scottrc

Your right, the 1/8 is a carbon copy of the 1/12 scale. I've had a few of the 1/12 models and they are excellent flyers, so maybe this 1/8 will be too. I also put in the oil coolers, a Corsair just doesn't look right without them.

BTW, does anyone know what happened to the guy doing the construction article on this model here on RCU?

Scott

kram51

My Feedback: (3)

His project stalled as well. I'm hoping we can find someone that's flown this thing but I may have to be the guinea pig on this one. [] The weather may cooperate on Sunday so we'll see.

Mark

scottrc

For some reason, this kit gets put on the back burner a lot, partly because its so easy to build. I hate covering and should have painted it, but I bought the covering, So I guess I need to get the ambition to cover it.


After I finnish the Spitfire.

Scott

kram51

My Feedback: (3)

The PICA CORSAIR FLIES!!!!

FINALLY!!! The weather held long enough for me and my trusty test pilot to get the thing in the air today. The plane was a little "twitchy" but that could be ascribed to the wind gusts we were fighting. The wind wasn't bad but it was turbulent. Anyway, the OS 61 is just fine for this plane. The ST 75 will haul it well too. I suggest if you have retracts to cut the ply plate so that you can move them as far forward as possible. Due to the fact that the CJ retracts operate at 90 degrees it's hard to get them to be at the LE and retract all the way into the wing as well. IF the Robarts retract 100 degrees then you should be fine. The rudder throw set at the specified point may be not enough. I had full right rudder in order to hold her straight. Adding more throw should be a bonus here as you can't have enough rudder authority in my book. The flight was made with the gear down and landed without flaps so more test flights are in order. I encourage all to modify their cowl with flaps to aid in cooling. The cowl as is will quickly over heat your engine.

Cheers!

Mark

Christie

Congratulations Mark! I just started mine and really needed someone to tell me the plane could actually fly. Give us more info on that first flight please.. Did you have to bring her in deadstick due to the overheating? How fast was the landing? How is the slow speed flying characteristics? High speed? Do you think she will be an OK everyweekend flyer? Did you have problems with noseovers?(re landing gear suggestion) Explain the twitchiness-is it sensitive to control inputs or is that in straight and level flight. How fast does she land without flaps?

Again, congrats on getting her in the air and especially BACK DOWN in one piece. Now I'm really inspired to build mine well. Hope u have lots of fun.

Christie

CorsairJock

My Feedback: (90)

violinman: It appears that you did an EXCELLENT job of transforming a funscale kit into a scale looking Corsair.
Most noticeable is the gull section of the wings: these need to be gently curved where center section meets outer sections, as you have done. I suggest anyone else desiring a more scale Corsair should follow his lead, and find a way take the abrupt angle out of the wings and transform it into a gentle curve.
I did a similar thing on my DynaFlite Funscale Corsair by adding another rib to each wing, where the retracts were installed. This made a 2" wide section which lies flat in the building board, but makes the transition from center section to outer panel much more gradual.

kram51

My Feedback: (3)

[[color=#000000]color=#3300FF]Give us more info on that first flight please..

Did you have to bring her in deadstick due to the overheating? How fast was the landing?
ans. No, I experienced the overheating the week before and realised the cooling problem before flying.

How is the slow speed flying characteristics?
Don't know yet! I was only able to get one flight in before the rain came. [&o]

High speed?
It grooved right along with the 61 on a 13x6 prop. An APC should pull it even better.

Do you think she will be an OK everyweekend flyer?
Not sure yet; I need a couple more test flights to shake it down.

Did you have problems with noseovers?(re landing gear suggestion)
YES. This is why I suggest moving the gear as far forward as possible. No problem on take off although it did try to go over. On landing it did end up on it's proboscus!

Explain the twitchiness-is it sensitive to control inputs or is that in straight and level flight.
The flight controls seemed sensitive around center. Low rates should help but also some expo on the high rates should help soften it up some. Then again, it may just be first flight jitters!!!

How fast does she land without flaps?
It lands at a good clip without flaps but it slows down quickly when you pull the throttle back. Flaps should help this though, which is why we build them!

Like I said, one flight just isn't enough to evaluate the plane. The weather was against me and so the first flight was made gear down and no flaps. I like to take things slowly rather than push the plane and myself and end up taking it home in a plastic bag.

I'll update when I can put another flight on it.

Regards,

Mark

scottrc

Thanks for the flight update Mark.

Sounds like it flies like it is designed. With the full right rudder, that concludes my reluctance to add more offset to the engine than what the plan calls for. I just didn't think it was enough, especially with the larger .75 of a 4-stroke.

BTW, I'm curious, what kind of hinges did everyone use? I found it difficult to put in the Robart round plug hinge after the stab and tail was sheeted because it was hard to drill out the ply sheet that was in the center of the stabilizers. I was smart and cut out reliefs before sheeting my wing for the ailerons and flaps to overcome this problem in the wing.

What did you do?

Scott

kram51

My Feedback: (3)

I honestly couldn't remember if I had used Robarts throughout so I had to come home and check!
I have Robart hinges on the flaps and ailerons. The elevators and rudder have standard pinned hinges.

Mark

violinman

My Feedback: (2)

Corsair jack, Thanks for the compliments!

John in Boston

My Feedback: (1)

To "Violinman":

From the looks of your photos, you're finishing your model in a "matte black" color and with a red number "11" to go along with US star and bar insignia. And as you said, you've wanted to make the model a bit more scale-like than the Pica 1/12th kit.

Are you planning to do a VMF(N)-513 F4U-5N Corsair? I have no idea how much you want to go in the authenticity department, but... just in case these info items are new and helpful for you:

An F4U Corsair painted entirely in matte black would only be a special nightfighter Corsair variant, the F4U-5N, and this matte black color would only have been seen on a number of these machines operated by the famous "FLYING NIGHTMARES" of VMF(N)- 513, a tough group of U.S. Marines who flew night interdiction and ground attack missions off dusty airstrips during the Korean War. They began with their F4U-5N Corsairs painted in the standard overall dark blue color, with numbers and modex letters painted in the standard white color, but in due time they repainted their Corsairs matte black and the numbers and modex in a certain toned-down shade of red. And the "star and bar" insignia included the familiar horizontal red stripe inside the bar, as per all US planes from January 1947 onward.

1.) Structurally, the -5N Corsairs bore certain notable differences from other variants; Bert Kinsey's "DETAIL & SCALE" book (Part Two) on the F4U Corsair provides very clear info on these, including the unique 2.5 degree "downthrust" engine mounting, the unique cowl shape changes, the large radar array unit housed in a dome fairing outboard on the starboard wing, the slightly higher canopy installation that entailed the addition of a new fuselage fairing just aft of the cockpit/canopy area, the "flash-hiders" covering the muzzles of the four 20mm cannon, some small additional antennas aft of the vertical tail, and other smaller items.

2.) The DETAIL & SCALE book and the Squadron/Signal "F4U CORSAIR IN ACTION" book each have has some very good line drawing, photo, and artwork images of these unique aircraft, and from there you can get an accurate picture of how everything looked on those planes.

3.) For terrific modeling info on the F4U Corsair in general, check out this wondrous build of a 1/8th scale F4U-1D from the old ROYAL kit plans:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/Roya..._627400/tm.htm

And here's his personal website dedicated to this same adventure:

http://home.earthlink.net/~corsairproject/

Hope these items are of use to you; if not, thanks for bearing with this long treatise!

violinman

My Feedback: (2)

John rood, Yes, the flying nightmares corsair is what I was "loosely" basing this one on. I chose to not include the radar pod on the wing because I did not want it to get too heavy, it only has a 40 inch wingspan. Iam still thinking about it though. Maybe if I make it from foam it will work? The pictures that I posted show the plane still unfinished. I still need to finish the markings.

Iam very aware of Lukes royal corsair project. I have been watching it since the beginning I think, cant wait to see it completed! It was his thread that pushed me to do the extra details on this 1/12th corsair. Have a great day and thank you for the information!

scottrc

Violinman,
Is that an OS .25 FP in your 1/12th. I run the .25 in my 1/12 and it screams. I didn't have wheels on mine, do the wheel covers make a difference in performance on the 1/12th?

I do have fixed gear on the 1/8th and I'm debating on putting removable gear covers on it. Since these were designed to act as speed brakes. I had them on my Royal .60 with retracts and I really had to make a quick increase in power and up elevator when the gear was lowered.

So far, the plastic Robart gear dress-up struts look really good with the scale wheels. Now if I can just get the ambition to cover this thing. I'd paint it, but I'm still buzzed from glassing and painting a Spitfire last weekend.

Has anybody tried the flat military Monokote? That is what I am using and thought this would be a good plane to try it on.

Scott

violinman

My Feedback: (2)

Scottrc, That is an os .25 la. I had a norvel .25 in the last one and it was lots of power but nose heavy. I went with the la this time because it is alittle lighter and I think it will still be plenty of power. I cant comment on the flying with the gear covers because I have not flown it yet. I have to figure out a muffler for the engine. Does anyone know where to find a pitts style muffler for the .25 la?[sm=confused.gif]

scottrc

I wouldn't know where to find a good pitts muffler for the .25 LA. I ended up machining a muffler extension on the mill for mine and just lived with the muffler sticking out. These planes don't live long anyhow the way I fly. I know Brisson used to have one but I wasn't willing to pay what they wanted. Even their muffler extension for a tuned pipe were over $30.00. Check Tower yet?

Scott