Ziroli Bearcat + FliteMetal
05-08-2006, 05:14 PM
#1
Ziroli Bearcat + FliteMetal
I've been working on this Bearcat now for what seems like a long time. I saw an old picture of Charlie Chamber's flying a Bearcat at top gun some years ago. It was done up in the Royal Thai scheme and it was really different. I liked the paint scheme and thought I'd do this Ziroli in the same colors. It's an all silver Bearcat with a white tail that has navy blue chevron's through it. Black glare shield and a bull on the fuselage with Thai markings on the wings and fuselage. I can't seem to locate any pics on the web of this plane to post a picture of what it will look like when done. I only have pics in my books so if anyone comes up with a pic let me know.
I ordered some FlightMetal and thought I'd get it done over the winter. That was a few winters ago.....I went really hard on the wing at first and then just burned out on it. I even sold the project to a flying buddy and just recently bought it back after seeing he would never get to it.
I'm not planning on doing a "build thread" or "how to" on the Flight Metal because frankly, I'm not that good and wouldn't want to pass on my mistakes to anyone. I'll just post some hi-lights here as the process continues.
I have a DA-100 mounted up front and may have to relieve the cowl a tiny bit for the plug cap covers. If I do, I'll be making bulges in the cowl to cover the caps. The cowl is also just painted silver for now. Flight metal will cover it when done. Control surfaces on the tail are covered with fabric and doped. On all the control surfaces I cut small pieces of fish line and glued them on to simulate rib stitching and then covered over them with pinking tape. I then doped over that to get rid of the hair on the tape. It will at least give the effect or rib stitching from a few feet away.
Robart retracts on the mains and tail with Robart wheels. I made the gear doors out of 6061 Aluminum and pop-riveted the inner part of the door. A friend of mine does this on all his gear doors and they really look nice. These also have more of a scale outline than the one's that are shown on the plans. I'm not sure why the doors shown on the plan are not really scale. I'll be fabbing up the tail wheel cover that will mount to the front bottom of the tail wheel as well. No inner gear doors for me though on the mains.
These pictures really show off the different panels I laid down on the wing. This will not look so defined once I get the graphics on, and get it all weathered up.
I'll post some updates as I get more done on her..........stay tuned.
Dave
I ordered some FlightMetal and thought I'd get it done over the winter. That was a few winters ago.....I went really hard on the wing at first and then just burned out on it. I even sold the project to a flying buddy and just recently bought it back after seeing he would never get to it.
I'm not planning on doing a "build thread" or "how to" on the Flight Metal because frankly, I'm not that good and wouldn't want to pass on my mistakes to anyone. I'll just post some hi-lights here as the process continues.
I have a DA-100 mounted up front and may have to relieve the cowl a tiny bit for the plug cap covers. If I do, I'll be making bulges in the cowl to cover the caps. The cowl is also just painted silver for now. Flight metal will cover it when done. Control surfaces on the tail are covered with fabric and doped. On all the control surfaces I cut small pieces of fish line and glued them on to simulate rib stitching and then covered over them with pinking tape. I then doped over that to get rid of the hair on the tape. It will at least give the effect or rib stitching from a few feet away.
Robart retracts on the mains and tail with Robart wheels. I made the gear doors out of 6061 Aluminum and pop-riveted the inner part of the door. A friend of mine does this on all his gear doors and they really look nice. These also have more of a scale outline than the one's that are shown on the plans. I'm not sure why the doors shown on the plan are not really scale. I'll be fabbing up the tail wheel cover that will mount to the front bottom of the tail wheel as well. No inner gear doors for me though on the mains.
These pictures really show off the different panels I laid down on the wing. This will not look so defined once I get the graphics on, and get it all weathered up.
I'll post some updates as I get more done on her..........stay tuned.
Dave
05-08-2006, 08:04 PM
#3
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RE: Ziroli Bearcat + FliteMetal
All I could find was a plastic model Dave.
The Kalamazoo Bearcat flew in Thai colors many years back but not exactly the scheme you are duplicating.
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0963525/L/
The Kalamazoo Bearcat flew in Thai colors many years back but not exactly the scheme you are duplicating.
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0963525/L/
05-09-2006, 12:21 PM
#5
RE: Ziroli Bearcat + FliteMetal
Hey Chad thanks for the picture. That's the one I'm doing here.....
John, here's a few shots of the DA in the cowl. I will have to relieve it to compensate for the spark plug caps. There's only about a 1/4 inch gap between the plug tip and the cowl on both sides (without the caps on) so it looks like I'll be cutting the cowl. I have an idea how I'm going to make the blister's so they don't look too out of place on the cowl.
Jeff - she will fly this summer or I'll buy you a steak dinner!
Dave
John, here's a few shots of the DA in the cowl. I will have to relieve it to compensate for the spark plug caps. There's only about a 1/4 inch gap between the plug tip and the cowl on both sides (without the caps on) so it looks like I'll be cutting the cowl. I have an idea how I'm going to make the blister's so they don't look too out of place on the cowl.
Jeff - she will fly this summer or I'll buy you a steak dinner!
Dave
05-10-2006, 01:01 PM
#9
RE: Ziroli Bearcat + FliteMetal
John - I'm 99 percent sure I have the short plugs on this engine. I'll double check before I cut the cowl but I think I'll be adding the blisters.
Mark - Yes this will be overkill with the DA-100 but that being said, I've only seen three Ziroli Bearcats fly in person. Evan Q's down in Bomber Field had a BME 102 and it was really FAST like a Bearcat should be. There's two here in town as well, one with a Sachs 5.8 and the other on a quadra 100. Both of them aren't slouches and perform beautiful large loops with ease. Yes the DA will have a bit more snoot than the 5.8 or quadra 100 but I don't think it will be that much more. I also don't think it's uncommon for a Bearcat to be in the 36-38 pounds RTF if properly balanced. This is quite a bit of weight for an 86ish something span plane. Above all, the main reason I went with the DA over something else was I already had the engine. I'll keep you posted on the finish and flights.
Dave
Mark - Yes this will be overkill with the DA-100 but that being said, I've only seen three Ziroli Bearcats fly in person. Evan Q's down in Bomber Field had a BME 102 and it was really FAST like a Bearcat should be. There's two here in town as well, one with a Sachs 5.8 and the other on a quadra 100. Both of them aren't slouches and perform beautiful large loops with ease. Yes the DA will have a bit more snoot than the 5.8 or quadra 100 but I don't think it will be that much more. I also don't think it's uncommon for a Bearcat to be in the 36-38 pounds RTF if properly balanced. This is quite a bit of weight for an 86ish something span plane. Above all, the main reason I went with the DA over something else was I already had the engine. I'll keep you posted on the finish and flights.
Dave
05-10-2006, 01:05 PM
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RE: Ziroli Bearcat + FliteMetal
It should be about right for the airframe. The full scale could be horsed off the deck in about three fuselage lengths and sustain a 6,500 fpm plus rate of climb through 10,000 ft. The cowl was the widest part of the fuselage.
the DA doesn't wind up like an unlimited powerplant so I wouldn't expect full power level flight to be a real barn burner unless there is a constant speed prop involved.
My gallery page shows mine with a DA 150 for power. It is larger than a Ziroli but the power is just right.
the DA doesn't wind up like an unlimited powerplant so I wouldn't expect full power level flight to be a real barn burner unless there is a constant speed prop involved.
My gallery page shows mine with a DA 150 for power. It is larger than a Ziroli but the power is just right.
ORIGINAL: MarkShapiro
I love a powerful warbird, but isn't the DA 100 a little much for that particular Bearcat? That being said, look forward to heaing about the maiden.
I love a powerful warbird, but isn't the DA 100 a little much for that particular Bearcat? That being said, look forward to heaing about the maiden.
05-10-2006, 02:25 PM
#12
RE: Ziroli Bearcat + FliteMetal
I must say, you guys make alot of sence about the DA 100 not being a bad choice at all for the Z-Bearcat. I stand corrected. Again, looking forward to hearing all about the maiden and would love to see some video. Good luck. Mark.
05-17-2006, 08:09 PM
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RE: Ziroli Bearcat + FliteMetal
Thats awesome to say the least,,,, good luck with her.
Dave
Dave
ORIGINAL: smurfjet
I've been working on this Bearcat now for what seems like a long time. I saw an old picture of Charlie Chamber's flying a Bearcat at top gun some years ago. It was done up in the Royal Thai scheme and it was really different. I liked the paint scheme and thought I'd do this Ziroli in the same colors. It's an all silver Bearcat with a white tail that has navy blue chevron's through it. Black glare shield and a bull on the fuselage with Thai markings on the wings and fuselage. I can't seem to locate any pics on the web of this plane to post a picture of what it will look like when done. I only have pics in my books so if anyone comes up with a pic let me know.
I ordered some FlightMetal and thought I'd get it done over the winter. That was a few winters ago.....I went really hard on the wing at first and then just burned out on it. I even sold the project to a flying buddy and just recently bought it back after seeing he would never get to it.
I'm not planning on doing a "build thread" or "how to" on the Flight Metal because frankly, I'm not that good and wouldn't want to pass on my mistakes to anyone. I'll just post some hi-lights here as the process continues.
I have a DA-100 mounted up front and may have to relieve the cowl a tiny bit for the plug cap covers. If I do, I'll be making bulges in the cowl to cover the caps. The cowl is also just painted silver for now. Flight metal will cover it when done. Control surfaces on the tail are covered with fabric and doped. On all the control surfaces I cut small pieces of fish line and glued them on to simulate rib stitching and then covered over them with pinking tape. I then doped over that to get rid of the hair on the tape. It will at least give the effect or rib stitching from a few feet away.
Robart retracts on the mains and tail with Robart wheels. I made the gear doors out of 6061 Aluminum and pop-riveted the inner part of the door. A friend of mine does this on all his gear doors and they really look nice. These also have more of a scale outline than the one's that are shown on the plans. I'm not sure why the doors shown on the plan are not really scale. I'll be fabbing up the tail wheel cover that will mount to the front bottom of the tail wheel as well. No inner gear doors for me though on the mains.
These pictures really show off the different panels I laid down on the wing. This will not look so defined once I get the graphics on, and get it all weathered up.
I'll post some updates as I get more done on her..........stay tuned.
Dave
I've been working on this Bearcat now for what seems like a long time. I saw an old picture of Charlie Chamber's flying a Bearcat at top gun some years ago. It was done up in the Royal Thai scheme and it was really different. I liked the paint scheme and thought I'd do this Ziroli in the same colors. It's an all silver Bearcat with a white tail that has navy blue chevron's through it. Black glare shield and a bull on the fuselage with Thai markings on the wings and fuselage. I can't seem to locate any pics on the web of this plane to post a picture of what it will look like when done. I only have pics in my books so if anyone comes up with a pic let me know.
I ordered some FlightMetal and thought I'd get it done over the winter. That was a few winters ago.....I went really hard on the wing at first and then just burned out on it. I even sold the project to a flying buddy and just recently bought it back after seeing he would never get to it.
I'm not planning on doing a "build thread" or "how to" on the Flight Metal because frankly, I'm not that good and wouldn't want to pass on my mistakes to anyone. I'll just post some hi-lights here as the process continues.
I have a DA-100 mounted up front and may have to relieve the cowl a tiny bit for the plug cap covers. If I do, I'll be making bulges in the cowl to cover the caps. The cowl is also just painted silver for now. Flight metal will cover it when done. Control surfaces on the tail are covered with fabric and doped. On all the control surfaces I cut small pieces of fish line and glued them on to simulate rib stitching and then covered over them with pinking tape. I then doped over that to get rid of the hair on the tape. It will at least give the effect or rib stitching from a few feet away.
Robart retracts on the mains and tail with Robart wheels. I made the gear doors out of 6061 Aluminum and pop-riveted the inner part of the door. A friend of mine does this on all his gear doors and they really look nice. These also have more of a scale outline than the one's that are shown on the plans. I'm not sure why the doors shown on the plan are not really scale. I'll be fabbing up the tail wheel cover that will mount to the front bottom of the tail wheel as well. No inner gear doors for me though on the mains.
These pictures really show off the different panels I laid down on the wing. This will not look so defined once I get the graphics on, and get it all weathered up.
I'll post some updates as I get more done on her..........stay tuned.
Dave
05-18-2006, 08:16 PM
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RE: Ziroli Bearcat + FliteMetal
ORIGINAL: smurfjet
Jeff - she will fly this summer or I'll buy you a steak dinner!
Dave
Jeff - she will fly this summer or I'll buy you a steak dinner!
Dave
05-22-2006, 10:44 AM
#16
RE: Ziroli Bearcat + FliteMetal
Carey,
If you make it out here this summer for our warbird event in August, I'll be happy to buy you a steak dinner!
Can you send me your email addy. I have a few pics of Betty's Dream for you. They are kind of dark due to the fact that I took them inside a friends hanger when he was doing an annual on it, but if you need more, I can try to get access again. It's only 20 minutes away from me......
Dave
If you make it out here this summer for our warbird event in August, I'll be happy to buy you a steak dinner!
Can you send me your email addy. I have a few pics of Betty's Dream for you. They are kind of dark due to the fact that I took them inside a friends hanger when he was doing an annual on it, but if you need more, I can try to get access again. It's only 20 minutes away from me......
Dave
06-09-2006, 08:18 PM
#18
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RE: Ziroli Bearcat + FliteMetal
Dave,
If you have not cut the cowl for the spark plugs yet, you might consider another approach. Carefully drill and tap the anode on the spark plug. Remove the spark plug cap from the ignition module, and solder a spade lug to the wire. Screw the lug to the top of the plug. I have done this a number of times when space was tight. There was no performance issue with the engine. ( I have also messed up a couple plugs during drilling and tapping).
Mike
If you have not cut the cowl for the spark plugs yet, you might consider another approach. Carefully drill and tap the anode on the spark plug. Remove the spark plug cap from the ignition module, and solder a spade lug to the wire. Screw the lug to the top of the plug. I have done this a number of times when space was tight. There was no performance issue with the engine. ( I have also messed up a couple plugs during drilling and tapping).
Mike
07-08-2007, 11:32 AM
#19
RE: Ziroli Bearcat + FliteMetal
Don't know how I have overlooked your Bear with the "Look Of the Real Thing". Its been over a year since Mike's post above. If I can assist with some application suggestions to speed your application experience along....don't hesitate to ask. The typical panel takes between thirty six and forty seconds to apply properly. Too often a person over burnishes during application. This provides no return on the time and energy investment. As is usually the case with scale modeling its how and not how much.
As an encouragement, I draw your attention to the F-100's (believe its 8 at this point) Joe Grice has covered with Flite-Metal. Each one of the fuselages taking only seven hours to cover. The wings take an additional seven hours. When I read a customer stating they are taking as long to cover as you have stated, I communicate with them to see if there is a particular issue on a specific airframe.
All too often the person is not using 3M Fine Line mauve green hard edge polypropylene tape to create the "required" perimeter outline of each panel before starting to apply Flite-Metal. The 3M Fine Line mauve green tape provides the hard edge against which you draw your simitar shaped hobby blade, heel to toe for the cleanest cut. After removing cut waste and perimeter tape quickly pass gray end of Sharpie pen over perimeter to seal it down prior to applying polypropylene tape to the next common side leaving a 1/32" overlap.
Richard McFarland's apprentice...Rebel's taking short cuts by covering an entire surface with one piece which is not recommended...
As an encouragement, I draw your attention to the F-100's (believe its 8 at this point) Joe Grice has covered with Flite-Metal. Each one of the fuselages taking only seven hours to cover. The wings take an additional seven hours. When I read a customer stating they are taking as long to cover as you have stated, I communicate with them to see if there is a particular issue on a specific airframe.
All too often the person is not using 3M Fine Line mauve green hard edge polypropylene tape to create the "required" perimeter outline of each panel before starting to apply Flite-Metal. The 3M Fine Line mauve green tape provides the hard edge against which you draw your simitar shaped hobby blade, heel to toe for the cleanest cut. After removing cut waste and perimeter tape quickly pass gray end of Sharpie pen over perimeter to seal it down prior to applying polypropylene tape to the next common side leaving a 1/32" overlap.
Richard McFarland's apprentice...Rebel's taking short cuts by covering an entire surface with one piece which is not recommended...
07-08-2007, 08:34 PM
#20
RE: Ziroli Bearcat + FliteMetal
Simple mist on Windex and you can do such a large area as the windex allows you to reposition your Flite Metal panel at least once.and the finished project speaks for it self...otherwise prepare for a lot of waste just my thoughts
07-08-2007, 09:09 PM
#21
RE: Ziroli Bearcat + FliteMetal
Hi Richard:
Dave is about 60% finished with his Grumman F8F Bearcart. He chose to place Flite-Metal on everyother panel instead of each. I am sure that had something to do with wanting to reduce the overall accumulative weight of his project though Flite-Metal weighs .0022222 oz to the sq. in.
From the last image posted Dave would typically be about three days from completion since he chose paint for his cowl. Yo Dave...how about some recent pix.
Dave is about 60% finished with his Grumman F8F Bearcart. He chose to place Flite-Metal on everyother panel instead of each. I am sure that had something to do with wanting to reduce the overall accumulative weight of his project though Flite-Metal weighs .0022222 oz to the sq. in.
From the last image posted Dave would typically be about three days from completion since he chose paint for his cowl. Yo Dave...how about some recent pix.
07-09-2007, 01:59 PM
#22
RE: Ziroli Bearcat + FliteMetal
Hey guys,
I have had no progress on the bear. Basically life got in the way with my job and I've been trying to "maintain" the birds that I have currently flying. That's about all I have time for these days. I will get back on it in the future though.
The entire plane will be covered with Flight metal except the nose ring of the cowl. When I sold the project to my buddy he just painted the cowl silver to see what it would look like. I'm not concerned about the weight of the FM at all. The wing is already covered with FM completely in those pics. The reason for the different "wrong" look is the way I sanded the panels individually. I over-did this but it will get toned down when the graphics are applied and the plane weathered. This makes it appear that every other panel only has FM but it is actually all covered with it.
I'll be sure to post pics of the BEAR as progress continues. Sorry about the "10 year build" thread. The FM is not a difficult process at all. I've just got too many planes and not enough time.....
Dave
I have had no progress on the bear. Basically life got in the way with my job and I've been trying to "maintain" the birds that I have currently flying. That's about all I have time for these days. I will get back on it in the future though.
The entire plane will be covered with Flight metal except the nose ring of the cowl. When I sold the project to my buddy he just painted the cowl silver to see what it would look like. I'm not concerned about the weight of the FM at all. The wing is already covered with FM completely in those pics. The reason for the different "wrong" look is the way I sanded the panels individually. I over-did this but it will get toned down when the graphics are applied and the plane weathered. This makes it appear that every other panel only has FM but it is actually all covered with it.
I'll be sure to post pics of the BEAR as progress continues. Sorry about the "10 year build" thread. The FM is not a difficult process at all. I've just got too many planes and not enough time.....
Dave
07-09-2007, 03:26 PM
#23
RE: Ziroli Bearcat + FliteMetal
Hello Dave:
Looking forward to receiving images of your Bear in shining armor as you progress on it. The
alternate sanding direction is the best way to illustrate the different grain direction utilized on
aircraft to gain greatest strength. I have always liked the SE Asian Bearcats in el' natural
aluminum...
Ed
Looking forward to receiving images of your Bear in shining armor as you progress on it. The
alternate sanding direction is the best way to illustrate the different grain direction utilized on
aircraft to gain greatest strength. I have always liked the SE Asian Bearcats in el' natural
aluminum...
Ed
