NWHT Bearcat Build Story
11-08-2002, 02:19 PM
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NWHT Bearcat Build Story
I was looking for a warbird kit that had a good scale outline and was easy to build. When NWHT's sale came around I was quick to order my Bearcat kit. I paid $250 USD shipped to me in Canada I felt that was some tremendous value.
The kit comes with all of the foam parts (i.e. fuse, wing, vertical stab, horizontal stab), glass cowl and all of the required wood. There were no instructions but the kit did include a video, it was sufficient enough to get an idea regarding their construction technique which was very straight forward.
I have always liked to work with foam and I was very impressed with the precision of their foam cutting, especially with respect to the fuse and it’s various cut outs. They must have worked out a very good jigging system to achieve this precision.
The kit comes with all of the foam parts (i.e. fuse, wing, vertical stab, horizontal stab), glass cowl and all of the required wood. There were no instructions but the kit did include a video, it was sufficient enough to get an idea regarding their construction technique which was very straight forward.
I have always liked to work with foam and I was very impressed with the precision of their foam cutting, especially with respect to the fuse and it’s various cut outs. They must have worked out a very good jigging system to achieve this precision.
11-08-2002, 02:24 PM
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Bearcat Wing Construction
The wings were cut nicely and shipped to me in 4 pieces. It contained the various changes to the LE to allow for the radiator coolers which was nice. I acquired a set of Bearcat plans from Jerry Bates to assist with the retract placement and other aircraft details and I have to say it was well worth it. I used a 145 Robart style gear in mine so I used the band saw to cut the required slots in the foam and generated the required wing ribs. I used 1/8” birch plywood and two ¼” dowels to tie the 3 wing ribs together. I deviated from the video in that I did not cap the LE and TE first, I removed the flaps and aileron first, sheeted them individually and then placed the 3/16” cap strips. When capping a round area I simply cut many small slots in the wood, without severing it, which allowed me to follow around any curve. After the glue dried the slots had to be filled with lightweight filler, which was easy enough.
Once everything was sheeted and capped, I went back and completed all of the required filling until things were even and smooth.
Once everything was sheeted and capped, I went back and completed all of the required filling until things were even and smooth.
11-08-2002, 02:29 PM
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Building the fuse
The fuse is quite impressive and captures the scale lines nicely. I compared it briefly to my Bates Bearcat plans and it looks quite close except that the curvature of the fuse is less pronounced. This is one of the inherent problems in working with foam, in order to handle the curvature of a fuse you must chop up the structure into smaller pieces and sand by hand to blend in the various parts.
I followed the suggested procedures for sheeting the fuse, I started with the inside first which took one full evening because I decided to make paper templates. The triangle stock could not be used to tie in the sheeting on the inside because of the irregular angles so I am planning to place a bead of thick epoxy to tie everything together. After the internal sheeting was completed I glued the first firewall in place and tied it to the internal sheeting with triangle stock, just as was shown in the video.
I decided to incorporate the scale exhaust and cooling cut outs between the cowl and fuse so I referred to my Jerry Bates planes to do so. Once I marked the location using a marker I cut some templates out of formica, which will guide my foam cutter. I sheeted the cut outs and sanded, now I am ready to sheet the outside of the fuse.
Sheeting the outside of the fuse is by far the trickiest part of the this project, instead of creating one oversized panel I decided again to make a paper template so my panel can be more like to the outline of the fuse. I also thought a closer outline would make it easier to trim the panel at the fuse top and bottom center lines. I am also planning to use ammonia/water to soften the wood and place a patch of duct tape in the high stress area to avoid any fractures.
I followed the suggested procedures for sheeting the fuse, I started with the inside first which took one full evening because I decided to make paper templates. The triangle stock could not be used to tie in the sheeting on the inside because of the irregular angles so I am planning to place a bead of thick epoxy to tie everything together. After the internal sheeting was completed I glued the first firewall in place and tied it to the internal sheeting with triangle stock, just as was shown in the video.
I decided to incorporate the scale exhaust and cooling cut outs between the cowl and fuse so I referred to my Jerry Bates planes to do so. Once I marked the location using a marker I cut some templates out of formica, which will guide my foam cutter. I sheeted the cut outs and sanded, now I am ready to sheet the outside of the fuse.
Sheeting the outside of the fuse is by far the trickiest part of the this project, instead of creating one oversized panel I decided again to make a paper template so my panel can be more like to the outline of the fuse. I also thought a closer outline would make it easier to trim the panel at the fuse top and bottom center lines. I am also planning to use ammonia/water to soften the wood and place a patch of duct tape in the high stress area to avoid any fractures.
11-08-2002, 03:13 PM
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F8F fuselage
I too have the Bates plans, and have compared them to the NWHT kit. The NWHT fuse seems to have been lengthened 3". The fuse lines up to the Bate plans from the cowl front to the wing saddle. From the end of the saddle it is about 3" longer to the rudder end. Have you found this to be the case? The longer fuse detracts from the stubby Bearcat look IMO. Would appreciate your comments.
Re the video. Mine is just narration of a series of STILL pictures. No actual movement as in a regular demo tape. Yours?
Thanks for posting your pics.
Re the video. Mine is just narration of a series of STILL pictures. No actual movement as in a regular demo tape. Yours?
Thanks for posting your pics.
11-09-2002, 01:00 AM
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NWHT Bearcat Build Story
Looks like it's coming along great! Yes the video is a series of stills, but it should give you the idea of how to put the plane together. If you can cap, sheet, cap again then you can build this plane. Another great thing about foam: As long as you cap whatever you carve away, you can make many modifications without sacrificing strength.
11-09-2002, 03:29 PM
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nice work!
Keep the building pics and information coming. I'm especially interested in how you bond the balsa to the foam using the NWHT 'Foam Bond'.
I'm hoping my NWHT FW 190A will arrive someday soon.
SC
I'm hoping my NWHT FW 190A will arrive someday soon.
SC
11-09-2002, 05:31 PM
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Wulfman: The Foam Bond the Carl markets with his kits is a waterbased alaphatic glue that you apply to the balsa sheeting and the foam surface and let them dry for an hour or so and when you apply the sheeting you have an instant bond. The glue petetrates the foam very well and the balsa is permanently bonded once you stick the parts together. Use a nap style paint roller to apply the Foam Bond. This is the same type of roller that you would use to paint a wall in your house. The glue is spread very quickly with the roller so it's faster than a brush and you get a far more even application to the surfaces. It's very easy to use and cleans up with a little soap and water.
You will love the FW 190. A very nice airplane. I built mine a little over a year ago and was very pleased with the kit. I powered it with a US 41 engine with the updated carb and it flew really well.
I installed Robart 622-5 retracts in it and it comes with great flaps already cut into the wing. I sold the plane and have been kicking myself ever since. I'm going to build another one. Let me know when you get your kit and I'd be happy to answer any questions.
Jack Devine
You will love the FW 190. A very nice airplane. I built mine a little over a year ago and was very pleased with the kit. I powered it with a US 41 engine with the updated carb and it flew really well.
I installed Robart 622-5 retracts in it and it comes with great flaps already cut into the wing. I sold the plane and have been kicking myself ever since. I'm going to build another one. Let me know when you get your kit and I'd be happy to answer any questions.
Jack Devine
11-09-2002, 06:31 PM
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NWHT Bearcat Build Story
>>Wulfman,
Like Jack says the Foam bond is really good, except when trying to sand, it's like trying to sand a tire. Very rubbery stuff. So near the edges where you might have to sand try using a foam compatible CA. Or if you have extra time and are in not big hurry you could also use Elmers Probond, let it set over night and not have to worry about any sanding problems. I use both methods.
Kelvin.
Like Jack says the Foam bond is really good, except when trying to sand, it's like trying to sand a tire. Very rubbery stuff. So near the edges where you might have to sand try using a foam compatible CA. Or if you have extra time and are in not big hurry you could also use Elmers Probond, let it set over night and not have to worry about any sanding problems. I use both methods.
Kelvin.
11-10-2002, 12:50 AM
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thanks
Thanks Jack and Kelvin for the Foam Bond info. Do you think the Foam Bond could be applied close to the edge of the foam cores (maybe an inch masked off around the edges) , apply the sheeting, and then come back and lift the sheeting and squirt in some white glue or foam compatible CA to make sand easier?
I have been thinking a few things over in my mind on how to perform some of the construction, for instance: when applying the sheeting to the top of the FW 190 wing, mark out the area where the flap will be installed, then apply plastic wrap over that area to keep the Foam Bond from contacting the foam wing core. After the wing sets up, cut out the flap (leaving the top sheeting in place) and the foam core should drop out leaving a nice clean pocket for the split flaps.
I'm pretty involved with another project right now, but I am temped to dig into the NWHT 190A when it arrives. What do you guys think about a Moki 2.1 for power?
thanks!
I have been thinking a few things over in my mind on how to perform some of the construction, for instance: when applying the sheeting to the top of the FW 190 wing, mark out the area where the flap will be installed, then apply plastic wrap over that area to keep the Foam Bond from contacting the foam wing core. After the wing sets up, cut out the flap (leaving the top sheeting in place) and the foam core should drop out leaving a nice clean pocket for the split flaps.
I'm pretty involved with another project right now, but I am temped to dig into the NWHT 190A when it arrives. What do you guys think about a Moki 2.1 for power?
thanks!
11-10-2002, 01:09 AM
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NWHT Bearcat Build Story
Wulfman,
You can use that technique for sheeting and coming back later with the CA. Since you are sheeting over something that is already capped, I feel the best way is to just use the foam bond everywhere on the sheeting, and come back with some thin CA to really secure the sheeting to the cap strips. You'll understand better when you dig into the kit. The rubbery aspects of sanding Foam Bond aren't bad if you have some rough sandpaper. The biggest mistake I have ever made in my modeling career was when I covered the wing sheeting for my Corsair with Foam bond... on the wrong side! Took forever to sand it out. In retrospect I would have saved a lot of curse words by getting some new sheeting and starting over.
The Moki 2.1 would be a sweet engine for the FW 190, in fact it would fly really well with the 1.8 and burn less fuel. I have an ST 3000 on my Gee Bee Y, which is substantially bigger than the FW. Hope this helps.
You can use that technique for sheeting and coming back later with the CA. Since you are sheeting over something that is already capped, I feel the best way is to just use the foam bond everywhere on the sheeting, and come back with some thin CA to really secure the sheeting to the cap strips. You'll understand better when you dig into the kit. The rubbery aspects of sanding Foam Bond aren't bad if you have some rough sandpaper. The biggest mistake I have ever made in my modeling career was when I covered the wing sheeting for my Corsair with Foam bond... on the wrong side! Took forever to sand it out. In retrospect I would have saved a lot of curse words by getting some new sheeting and starting over.
The Moki 2.1 would be a sweet engine for the FW 190, in fact it would fly really well with the 1.8 and burn less fuel. I have an ST 3000 on my Gee Bee Y, which is substantially bigger than the FW. Hope this helps.
11-10-2002, 01:10 AM
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NWHT Bearcat Build Story
>> Wulfman,
What you described with the Foam Bond and CA should work just fine. At least it will be easier to sand.
I like your idea in creating the flaps but one question arises. Will the basla sheeting be enough strength for the top of the flap overhang (for lack of better term) ? Perhaps if you sheeted that area with 1/32 ply or so you wouldn't have to worry about the '...ooops' factor. Just a thought.
For the engine I picked up a slightly used US 41 for $175 so I knew I couldn't go to wrong with it...for the price. I was told my Corsair has been flown with a ST 3000 so I don't see why a Moki would not work in your's.
What you described with the Foam Bond and CA should work just fine. At least it will be easier to sand.
I like your idea in creating the flaps but one question arises. Will the basla sheeting be enough strength for the top of the flap overhang (for lack of better term) ? Perhaps if you sheeted that area with 1/32 ply or so you wouldn't have to worry about the '...ooops' factor. Just a thought.
For the engine I picked up a slightly used US 41 for $175 so I knew I couldn't go to wrong with it...for the price. I was told my Corsair has been flown with a ST 3000 so I don't see why a Moki would not work in your's.
11-10-2002, 05:00 AM
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Outer fuse sheeting
Scalefan4, I suppose I did not compare the Bates plans as closely as you did. I am sure my kit is the same as yours and I knew in advance this was a sport scale kit and not a Top Gun candidate. Everything else you described is consistant with what I have including the video.
Well this weekend I completed the outside sheeting of the fuse and I suppose one way to describe the process is a controlled panic. Trying to wrap a large sheet around a fuse for the first time definitely requires some patients, the relief cut on the backside of the cockpit is critical and should not be attempted without. The ammonia/water mixture worked great, in one of the photos you can see the sheeting start to take the shape of the fuse after wetting just with its own weight. I used elastics to hold the edges in place but a couple of belt like clamps would have been perfect for holding everything in place during and after the trimming process. To keep the edges of the sheeting in place I used a bead of carpenters glue. I may not have mentioned it before but I have been using a water based contact cement from LePage, they are a Canadian company so I am not sure whether or not it is available in the US. I tested it using a circular piece of foam which I sheeted with balsa and it work incredibly well.
Well this weekend I completed the outside sheeting of the fuse and I suppose one way to describe the process is a controlled panic. Trying to wrap a large sheet around a fuse for the first time definitely requires some patients, the relief cut on the backside of the cockpit is critical and should not be attempted without. The ammonia/water mixture worked great, in one of the photos you can see the sheeting start to take the shape of the fuse after wetting just with its own weight. I used elastics to hold the edges in place but a couple of belt like clamps would have been perfect for holding everything in place during and after the trimming process. To keep the edges of the sheeting in place I used a bead of carpenters glue. I may not have mentioned it before but I have been using a water based contact cement from LePage, they are a Canadian company so I am not sure whether or not it is available in the US. I tested it using a circular piece of foam which I sheeted with balsa and it work incredibly well.
11-10-2002, 02:42 PM
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NWHT Bearcat Build Story
Whoa there! I just read that some of these babies fly well on a ST 3000! The site lists a 3250 as the minimum, so I was burying the impulse to get the FW190. I have a 3000 begging for attention, does it really fly well with the 1.8 2-strokes? I always thought warbirds under 20 pounds were well powered by a 1.8 cu in glow, and was surprised when NWHT specified a 2.1. Needs some rethinking. Oh well, too many projects working.
Mike
Mike
11-10-2002, 03:45 PM
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NWHT KITS
Mike: All of the NWHT prototype designs of the WWII fighters flew with the trusty old Super Tiger 3000. Carl has a knack for these engines and uses an Enya #5 glow plug in them and even inverted they run very well. The ST 3000 has been replaced by the ST 3250 and that is listed on the web site as it is the engine that is available new from Super Tiger right now. The Moki 1.8 is a Brute for power and it would fly any of these planes too. They would obviously be faster with the Moki 2.10 but the 1.8 would not be a problem. The one advantage of these planes is that they are incredibley light weight for their size. Bringing one in with retracts under 21-23 pounds on an 82 to 85 inch wingspan model that has been glassed and painted is easily done. Go with fabric and paint and the 93" P-47s are just over 20 pounds with retracts. Carl's P-47 prototype has fixed gear and it weighs 18 pounds ready to fly. Your 3000 on the FW 190 would be a great airplane. Mine has a US 41 in it and flies very well and the 3000 has more power than the US 41,
Also for the other participants in the forum if you use the foam bond and it drips out a bit around the edges a cloth dampened with warm water will wipe the drips away and then you don't have the sanding problem. Kelvin is absolutely correct in saying it sands like an old tire. Stay ahead of the problem by keeping everything clean with the damp rag. Make sure you don't use one of your significant others dish towels. Guess how I know that! When the rag dries out it will be ready for the garbage can.
Trust me I know this!!!
Also for the other participants in the forum if you use the foam bond and it drips out a bit around the edges a cloth dampened with warm water will wipe the drips away and then you don't have the sanding problem. Kelvin is absolutely correct in saying it sands like an old tire. Stay ahead of the problem by keeping everything clean with the damp rag. Make sure you don't use one of your significant others dish towels. Guess how I know that! When the rag dries out it will be ready for the garbage can.
Trust me I know this!!!
