RE: CMP Hellcat
 

Ed,
I'll send the summary Word file. Hopefully you'll find it useful.

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John

RE: CMP Hellcat
 

BENTMETAL,

Thanks for sharing.... Great stuff!!!

-nemesis4u;)

RE: CMP Hellcat
 

Already have it. I was into that project before I started following this one. I post an update once in a while on CorsairJock's 1/8 TF Corsair Mods thread.

Tom

RE: CMP Hellcat
 

Ok maiden today all went well a few glitches but two good flights. Can say that cutting 6" out of the middle took all the float out of it. With full flaps had to stay on the power and came in kind of hot. Will see how the next flights go and see if I can come in any slower but it starting dropping like a rock when I backed off the power. With the Saito 150 it is very fast and at full throttle it was very stable and clean. Here are some pics from today a friend took.

Randy

RE: CMP Hellcat
 

Randy,
I’m very pleased that all went well, it will take some flights to get used to it for sure. What was your final weight again? You have completely scaled that thing out, so it’s flight characteristics are understandably more demanding. Did you try to slow it down at altitude to get a feel for the stall? Also slowing it down and dragging it in with the prop may be a good technique for this one. The wing is so thick, it seems kind of funny that it would not slow down, even with flaps. Do you think it might have been some nerves helping that along? I’m curious about your further flight tests. If nothing else the darn thing looks really good! I and very impressed with your work, very nice, it looks like a Hellcat.

Luke

RE: CMP Hellcat
 

First off, Randy, absolutely gorgeous hellcat. Glad your maiden went well. I now have several flights on mine and start to get used to her. She is a great flying bird. Very stable in flight. I didn't cut my wing like some of you did. So, mine is still a floater, sort of. But even with the wider wing span she needs some good speed under her wing. Yesterday I flew her through a loop that turned out more like a number 9 when she snapped on me coming off the top. She tumbled several times on her own and gave me a good adrenalin rush for several seconds. A week ago I decided to land her in tall grass after one gear wouldn't lock in the down position. I must have slowed her down too much when, all of a sudden, she dropped like a rock the last couple of feed. Ended up with a slightly crunched front end, which needed some reinforcement behind the firewall anyway. It's all fixed now and nothing to notice. I sure can imagine your Cat needs a good amount of speed with those shorter wings coming in for a landing.

RE: CMP Hellcat
 

Nice job Randy, looks great! With my piloting skills I'm glad I didn't cut the wings off!

Sure looks good!

bigbird

RE: CMP Hellcat
 

Thanks Luke and Virgian, Not sure on final weight I don't have a scale yet in my inventory something I need to get but I am guessing at about 12# but that is just a guess. It didn't show any tip stall feeling but I am going to check that again at altitude just that when coming in at level flight with full flaps I backed the power off and it dropped like a rock had to add power to keep level flight and just controlled height with throttle. Came in much like the real thing. Not that it wasn't controllable just a lot different than any thing else I have flown. I will get used to it I am sure it is just different. I can say that with the mods it is not something for the intermediate flier. You can not just come in for a normal flair like so much of us are used to. All in all it was all good and had a ball.

Randy

RE: CMP Hellcat
 

Randy, Thanks for the report and congratulations on your maiden. Since I am still a novice at this gam I think I'll keep the wings stock for my build. I'm still quite a ways off from the build so I've still got the time to think about but right now I think I'd be scared to fly the thing myself. Well done and keep the pictures coming.

Ben

RE: CMP Hellcat
 

Hey, flyfisher
Not that I want to scare you even more, but you are correct. This is not necessarely a beginner's airplane. It's a warbird afterall. And it behaves like one as well. If yo are not experienced have a seasoned pilot maiden it for you and than take it from him once it has been trimmed out and shows no bad behaviour. Also, on take off, she can be a handful. Mine likes to sharply cut to the left once the tail comes up. I have to give quite a bit right rudder at the perfect timing or I am all over the palce. Again, not a beginner's plane.

RE: CMP Hellcat
 

Randy,
mine weighs in at 13 lbs 6 oz. But that's with a gasser and all fiberglass plus paint. So I guess , in order to balance this bird correctly you may not be far off from mine, weightwise.

RE: CMP Hellcat
 

Thank Virginian,
I was pretty sure that I was in right up to my eyeballs when I bought this Hellcat ARF. I'm putting the fininshing touches on a H9 Ultra stick 60 right now and then will put my H9 P-51 PTS ARF kit together. The P-51 is a rebuild of my PTS RTF that I got cocky with last Fall..... Ouch. It was cheaper to buy the ARF p-51 to fix the damage than try to order all the repair parts. Pretty much everything forward of the Tail. [:@] So tell me what can I look forward to when I put the P-6E Hawk up for the first time. Is she a refined lady or am I in for a wild ride?[X(]

Ben

RE: CMP Hellcat
 

Not sure if anyone has seen it but the History Channel has a great series called Dogfights. Last week the episode was on the Hellcat aka known as the ZERO Killer. The CGI graphics are amazing and they have several of the old WW II Hellcat pilots and aces talking about the plane. One said flying the F6f was like sitting in your mother's lap.

Ben

RE: CMP Hellcat
 

That is a heavy plane, wow! With everything installed minus paint on the wing mine is at 10 lbs 4 oz. In general for a truly successful scale model you have to cut weight wherever you can. Some of the biggest savings can be had using 2 stoke engines and mounting electronics and everything else you can as far forward as possible. I also only use one aileron and falp servo. Just a few of my tricks!

Luke

RE: CMP Hellcat
 

Just to let you know I added no extra weight to mine, was all done and went to check CG and it was right on. Saito 150 which by the way is lighter than a 120 and the 180 is even lighter than the 150 they just use the same block and bore it bigger which takes metal away. I have the battery all the way up at the firewall and only servos behind the CG is the rudder and elevator but they are only about 2-3 inches behind. Flap and Aileron servos are basically on CG. I am using a air cylinder for the tail retract but that is also on CG with a Fiberglass rod to actuate. Also used fiberglass rods for rudder and elevator and pull pull on steering. I feel mine is built just about light as possible I would of just had to add lead to CG if I had gone with a lighter motor. Guys don't shy away from the scale look it is more difficult to fly but not terrible, but it isn't for the novice. I flew my stock one for two years with well over 75 flights and felt it landed like a baby. If I had to do over again I wouldn't of done anything different. Thanks for the idea on the mods Luke turned out great and flies nice. Takeoff was normal I just let it runout and get good speed up before liftoff and landings are a little fast but you do have to keep on rudder with the gear being closer together. All in all I am very pleased and I am sure it will only get better I only have two flights so far.

Randy

RE: CMP Hellcat
 

warks62,
Congrats on the maiden! It looks sweet.... and sounds like a ton of fun to fly.
I look foward to the same success soon-

RE: CMP Hellcat
 

I don't think mine is extra heavy. I didn' add any weight at all, but have a retractable tailwheel that needs to be compensated for. Both of my batteries are against the fire wall and the servos are where they are supposed to be. Mine doesn't fly heavy, so to speak, but she is a warbird afterall. I love the way she flies and lands. Very gentle touch downs.

RE: CMP Hellcat
 

Hey, flyfisher
Regarding your P6E-Hawk; she is a tame bird for a bipe. No break out tendencies on take offs. Landings are normally uneventful, except in cross wind. Than she can be more than a handful. Other than that make sure you have plenty of power due to the extra drag inherent with biplanes. If you like a leasurely flight on a sunday afternoon, than she is the perfect lady for that.

RE: CMP Hellcat
 

Thanks Virginian.
I figure it will be late June or early July before my Hawk is ready for flight. I've got about a month to go before I can start bugging Kelvin for my exhaust. But there are pleanty of other projects to take care of :)

Ben

RE: CMP Hellcat
 

MY DAD KNEW ALEX VRACU---SMALL WORLD...MET HIM ON THE CV-10 YORKTOWN..., ED SARKISIAN

RE: CMP Hellcat
 

Hey All,
Just startin on my Nitromodels Hellcat and I'm hellbent on stickin a Zenoah G38 in there. What are my chances? Just a lil tail weight and she should be fine right?
thanks

RE: CMP Hellcat
 

sskianpour,
I am just finishing my Hellcat with a modified G23 which is bored to 34mm Looks like the G38 is 67 oz minus the muffler as compared to a G26 @ 53 oz. That’s almost an extra pound. I haven't weighed mine yet but I'm expecting it to be on the heavy-end as compared with other builds on this thread. That weight might be pushing it.
I should have an update in the next two weeks on how this one flies with the 34mm modified version. Reportedly it’s just under 4HP and after running mine I believe it. If you want more info on the upgrade you can find it here: http://www.davesmotors.com/store/product1300.html
Also, it’s much cheaper if you watch for it on ebay.
Good luck!

RE: CMP Hellcat
 

hey, sskianpour,
I have a G-38 in my H9 P-47 150, which has an 80" wingspan. and weighs about 19#. The Hellcat is not big enough for this size motor. Will it fit under the cowl? I don't know, never even tried it. One thing for sure, though: She will be waaaay noseheavy. I would shy away from this motor choice. Put a Zenoah 20 in it. It flies great with that engine, believe me.

RE: CMP Hellcat
 

Virginain--thanks--copy the mail on glassing and the tailwheel..i know I cannot do a tailwheel work-of-art, like you guys do---lucky if I get to put :30 minutes a month into this kit-----so, I't'll be a manufactured tailwheel, somewhere---any suggestions??

RE: CMP Hellcat
 

Hey all,

I've been watching this thread intently and have learned a lot. I am currently building a 1/6 Brian Taylor F4U Corsair and although I'm still quite a ways out from even thinking of completing it, (haven't started the cockpit, wings, etc) I've been thinking of what I would build next. Everything I have read here has made that decision for me - it will be a Hellcat!

Keep the pictures coming!

Richard