Virginian that looks spectacular. So how close are you to the maiden flight? I want to hear how you like it with the FPE 1.3 Great job!!!

Ben

Very, very , very, inpressive. More pics please.

Rhom Airs are probably one of the best air retracts on the market and much stronger than the plastic hobbicos

Hello everybody

Thanks to all for your comments. They make more easy to build this aircraft.
I'm in middle of the process, because i was waiting to receive the Century Jet landing system for it.
What i found out, it is that the motion of the retract gear it is too fast and it doesn't look real.
My idea was modify the speed of each retract, so they will open or close at diferent speed and a different time, looking more real.
I would like to know if someone has implemented this in his Hellcat or another model, using some kind of Control Valve in each gear.
If you can give links or webs where order or explain how to do it will be appreciate.

Also sorry for my english, i'm from Spain.

Salute.

pavel

If you check near the begining of this thread you will find a movie showing this by Richard L, if I remember correctly he uses a century jets 4 way valve. They even go up at slightly different times making them look more realistic.

bigbird

Hello everybody,
now the fuselage is ready.Mounted engine is an Laser 120 with a 15 x 8 Graupner Nylon prop.

Weight of Fuselage is 3250g or 7,15 lbs.
I ordered in Austria a robart retract - so I have 4 Options.
The ROM AIR is a little bit to large, so I have to change the mounts.
The Kyosho is perfect to install, but I need two servos.

sorry error

Well, flyfisher, I am still a few weeks away from my maiden flight. Mainly because the weather finally turned nasty. Also, I still have to finish the weathering on the fuse and the top of the wings. After that's done I need to clear coat the entire plane with satin polyurethane. As cold as it is right now, that will take days to cure. Now, for Gunner, here is how I did the panel lines and the rivets: I bought fine graph tape (0.5mm) and copied the panel lines onto the wings. Then I sprayed over some primer and peeled the tape off. For the rivets I used my soldering iron with a modified tip and lots of patience. Yes, flyfisher, I am anxious myself to find out how the FPE 1.3 is going to work out in this plane. But I am convinced it will fly it nicely. I know a Zenoah 20 does a great job in this air plane. My plane weighs only 12 lbs and that's considered light for that size. I will post more pictures of the internal once my air system is completed. Oh, BTW , the retractable tail wheel works like a charm. I am glad I did this mod. It looks so much better.

hI gIAP69PAVEL,I use the century jet 4way valve in my hellcat and you can adjust it to come down or up any way you like it,fast ,slow,togather or one at a time.
ffdq

ffdq,
I might as well put such a valve in mine. How much did you pay for that valve from CJ if you don't mind me asking?

hi thevirginian,I think it was $25or$30 well worht it now the gear look real.I have one goes up and down at a diff speed then the other.
ffdq

Thanks, ffdq
That's the ticket[sm=teeth_smile.gif]

you wont be sorry

Virginian,

Where can I get a set of those wheel covers?

Aero D,
I made them

giap69pavel,

I used century jet retracts and a Robart adjustable control valve. They look very realistic with about a 3-4 second rotation, and have never given me any trouble. Without the valve it they went so fast I though they were going to smash through top of the wing!!! You can see the valve in the picture here. One side of the servo drives the valve and the other the mechanicle pushrod to the tailwheel.

Are those wheel covers something any schmo like me can make or is that formed ABS or something like that. I recently finished my Hellcat, flew it with the fixed gear a few time, then purchased and installed the CJM retracts. Now I just need the covers. Any suggestions?

Nicostoffi-Hi I would rebuild the retract bays anyway if I were you.I installed Robart retracts in mine and the space between the false ribs was not big enough,so I cut them out and boy I'm glad I did. The glue they used was not very good and they came out real easy,never would have held up to a rough landing.I then cut down through the spar enough to clear the air valves using a Dremel tool and a spiral cuting bit.You should now have aprox 25mm of space between a main rib and the edge of the cutout in the wing.I used the ribs I cut out as templates, to make new ones out of 3mm plywood,keeping in mind that you have an inner and outer rib.I spaced these new ribs off the main ribs with 10-12mm hardwood blocks cut to fit tightly from upper to lower sheeting then I epoxied to them to the side of the main ribs. To those I epoxied the new ply ribs,and then I cut out ribs out of 10mm hardwood and epoxied those to the side leaving the bottom of those ribs flat to attach the landing gear too. I wish I had taken pictures of the whole process to show you,but I think you will figure it out.These babies are solid and the whole process took about 4 hrs including figuring out what to do and looking around my shop for materials.Good luck and watch your back! Oh by the way what part of Germany are you from? My wife has family in Munich.

Hello,
I come from a little town near Frankfurt/Main called Mörfelden - Walldorf.

About your changings for the retracts - I will look at this when my retracts are coming.I send some pics in this Thread, when
I finished the installing.

Greetings
Klaus

Aero D;
Here is how made my wheel covers:
I transfered the rough outline of the wheel coves onto 1/16" thick ply wood and cut it out. Then I fiberglassed over a half of plastic tubing with approx. 1" diameter and ca. 5" in length. After curing of the fiberglass it yielded those half round walls which form the outside of the wheel covers. I epoxied them onto the ply wood and sanded them smooth after the glue had cured. I'll post a few more pictures close up showing the inside of the covers, so you get a better idea. I did spent quite some time fabricating those covers, but I think it was worth the effort.

HI, HAS ANYONE OUT THERE HAD PROBLEMS GETTING THERE FIBERGLASS PARTS! THAT YOU HAVE PAID FOR!!!! FROM JERRY BATES............... THANKS AL [email protected][>:]

Virginian,

Awesome, thanks for the help.

Hello,
today the robart retracts are coming.
I must do some changes for fitting it, but not to much.

Hey, Klaus, looks like you bought the same Robarts I have. Ain't those the 615's? I got mine with the Oleo struds. Here are some mor pictures as I promised Aero D.