I have both halves of the wing to this point and am looking for some carbon fiber for the spar that I had to cut into. I have to join the half ribs to the ones I cut and fiberglass the wheel well to help strengthen it. I guess I'll go back to the cockpit till I find some carbon fiber.

Hey, bigbird
I don't want to burst your bubble but what I see in your picture #2 looks to me like a U-shaped piece of balsa wood. I hope I am wrong because a piece of balsa wood especially with the grain running perpendicular to the spar wont add any strength. Let me see if I can take a picture of mine and post it for you.

That's my templet for the carbon fiber I'm looking for, forgot to mention that did I...

Roger that, bigbird
I didn't get to take a picture tonight. Glued my home made wheel wells in. I thought about to use a piece of graphite but ended up using a piece of hardwood 3/16x1/2 instead. Once epoxied in it will as strong as graphite. The rest is up to the retracts.

Here is my picture of the custom wheel well and the beefed up spar.

Looks good, if I can't find the carbon fiber I'm looking for I'll use some ply over a bigger area than the template I showed. I'm going with the open bay. I'll paint it green zinc chromate and use some carbon fiber mat in the bay.

I got my belly pan from Nitro Models today, quick response. Thanks

Cool beans, bigbird,
I have carbon on hand and still went with hardwood. Once epoxied in place correctly it will give you just as much strength as carbon. You can wedge the wood in better than the carbon. And as I said before, the rest is up to a snug fittin' retract. I also have quite some confidence in my wheel wells. They do add to overall strength in that area. Not to mention the much nicer appearence. Let's keep this thread alive and the pictures coming. I love it [8D].

Oh, before I forget, bigbird,
You said you gonna paint the bay and the wheel well area zinc chromate. As far as I know Grumman always painted the bottom side including the wells and the bays in the same color as the underside of the wing. Just to give you something to think about, in case you want to go total scale.

I was just going by what I've seen here. I've never done scale, I have a ModelTech P-47 but it's stock. After going through this thread I can't resist giving it a try. I'm pretty slow though. Even with nothing else to do it will probably take me all winter.

Yeah, I love this thread too.

I've gotten a little done on the cockpit, I'm working on the instrument panel now. I'm certainly not having great luck getting every thing all lined up and my hand painting skills leave something to be desired... Most everything in these pics has been air brushed.

Hal, did you get my email?

Bob

Bob,

Cockpit looks great! What do you mean things don't line up?

Remember that not all details need to be painted, you can use a fine tip felt marker to draw on small lines.

Here are some tips for cockpit painting. First one is you don't have to use paint! I use a silver pencil to add paint chips and weathering, even drawing on small gauges. If you don't like how it looks just wipe off and try again.

Use a fine felt tip pen to add the small details, like small slits for levers or small dark boxes and things. The parts will be clear coated, so the shine or durability is not an issue.

For shadows get some pastel chalk and rub it on some course sandpaper into a fine powder. Use a dry brush to add shadows to recessed areas or to give the appearance of dirt. Wipe off the excess if you get carried away.

These pictures are of my Black Widow Cockpit, but these techniques can be used on any cockpit obviously.

Again, congratulations on your work so far, looks great!

Pappy

Forgot to mention, turn the control stick around!

Hi Pappy,

I was talking mostly about the getting the gages in the instrument panel to line up when gluing the panel to the bulkhead. It's my skill level that's the problem. It will be good enough for what you are going to be able to see with the canopy on. [:@]

I bought myself a couple of sharpie's the other day for just that use but didn't think of pencils, I also got some graphite chalk but haven't started that yet.

Do I want the gun site on now? Might it be in the way during installation?

You've got to be the busiest guy in the world with all you do.

Do I want to install the F-1 and F-2 Formers before I cut the old floor out and extend the cockpit hole. If so, where do they go.. It seems like it would maybe support things more while you are cutting. Speaking of cutting, I'm thinking of an abrasive wheel on a dremel?

I must not have a handle on how this goes in yet, if you look at last picture you can see the formers aren't anywhere near level so they must not be where their supposed to be.

I knew that be kinda hard to do a hard dive with out busting your knuckles

Luke , looks great still wish you were selling them , you need to charge more if you get back into it , we /people will pay , your products are top notch

Bob,

Don't sweat the gauges, they will look fine and do the way you have them.

You must cut the cockpit out before you glue in the ply formers, the fuselage is plenty strong.

I have attached some pictures to help explain things. After you cut the cockpit in the fuse, you need to add some 1/32" ply or flight skin for the anti-glare shield, or dash if you are driving a car!

You have the formers in correctly, I set it up so the cockpit floor rests on the bottom of the rear former and on the top ledge of the front former, look at the pictures closely.

You can use the stock servo tray with the cockpit, I just had to raise the elevator servo 1/4" with some ply strips. You can clearly see them in the picture.

Thanks LDM, you never know what I'll do! That could be bad or good I guess! lol! I'll be moving to Texas in the spring, I'll have a dedicated work shop, with the extra room and new equipment, so I hope to keep it going!

I see said the blind man! Thanks that helps.

Hey Pappy, is your avatar the pilot you made for the hellcat? Looks great.

Bob

Morning Pappy, are the formers you are attaching to already in the plane? I don't have those formers. I think I may have gotten the knock-off Hellcat. Do you possibly have templates you could share with the rest of us for those formers?

Thanks

Luke good luck in Texas dude , a friend told me your second love was working out , look into Lee Labards GYM in texas , I use to compete in the 80ties , he is a top notch guy with a great gym .

As far as the Hellcat , I know this has been covered so I aplogize but can someone post the color code for the three scheme Hellcat

Hi,
As a former Hellcat flyer on active Navy duty, I have followed your detailing with admiration! The more effort that goes into detailing, the more precious the model becomes.
That being said, and as an active RC modeler, I view with alarm some of your control set-ups! I have come to respect the wisdom of MURPHY the longer that I live. When you use Quick Connectors, especially on primary flight controls, you invite the screw becoming loose and control failure-'If a thing can happen, it will'- and how many times have I heard the post-crash wail 'But I CA'd the screws' This admonition is especially aimed at the users of gasoline engines which in general produce a higher vibration environment.
Z-bends on one end, metal clevis attachments for adjustment on the other.
respectfully,
hookem

The Formers come in template form with the cockpit kit, you have to cut them out of 1/8th ply. Are you using Luke's cockpit kit?

Thanks bigbird. Yes I am using Lukes cockpit and canopy. I haven't opened it up yet as I'm not to the point of needing it. Have had the plane for awhile just never got around to starting. This thread is what inspired me to try my hand. HOpe it comes out half a good as some I've seen on here.

I'm also using the Robinaire retracts. Has anyone gotten them and how do they work?

Thanks for your compliments! A real Hellcat flyer! Wow! I hope I'm still flying RC at 85 years old! Good job!
Don't get your dandruff up to much about the quick link or whatever it is on my elevator pushrod (it came with the ARF), I used that early in the set up to just get everything in it's proper spot. That's one of the problems with showing work as you go, everything you do must be explained. Although I've not flown full scale Hellcats I've found that doing so would not really help you fly a model of one nor will it make you a better builder, so I have to rely on my experience. I've been working with balsa since about 1974. This is a 1/8 scale model and I've been using Z bends and metal clevises on 1/8 scale models since the 70's and I've never had one fail. Again thanks for your concern and good luck on your quest, whatever that may be...

Thanks for your compliments! A real Hellcat flyer! Wow! I hope I'm still flying RC at 85 years old! Good job!
Don't get your dandruff up to much about the quick link or whatever it is on my elevator pushrod (it came with the ARF), I used that early in the set up to just get everything in it's proper spot. That's one of the problems with showing work as you go, everything you do must be explained. Although I've not flown full scale Hellcats I've found that doing so would not really help you fly a model of one nor will it make you a better builder, so I have to rely on my experience. I've been working with balsa since about 1974. This is a 1/8 scale model and I've been using Z bends and metal clevises on 1/8 scale models since the 70's and I've never had one fail. Again thanks for your concern and good luck on your quest, whatever that may be...
[/quote]

Well, wrt to time building-I began in 1938 with rubber powered models, and RC with single tube Ace in 1957. I have assembled and flown the model that you are detailing, as well as numerous others. Time in the ' full scale Hellcats' sure doesn't hurt.
My 'quest', as you noted, is simply to help my fellow modelers. I was afraid that my suggestions would ruffle your feathers-not my intent.
hookem

It seems that's about all most of the hardware that comes with it is worth. Personally I like the E/Z link Great Planes has, they're much easier than z bends and as long as you install them right they're great. 60 size is the largest I've done though...

I was dreading the cutting of the Fuse but it wasn't bad. I got out my trusty iPod/ear muffs/safety glasses and dremel.

First I cut a rough outline, then with a cylindrical diamond bit, got as close as I could to the line. A little sanding and presto. Well, I thought it turned out pretty good.

The front former seems a little low but it matches the template. Seems about perfect for a 1/8th balsa "dashboard"

While I was inside messing around I noticed the firewall had a lot of epoxy on one side and none (that I could see) on the other. I will definitely add some!

Thanks Pappy

Bob