RE: The RCFW Hellcat Group Build
 

Don't think that topic wasn't discussed at great length today Craig. Particularly while cleaning all the "gunk" off the bottom of it after the testing. I don't think I've ever had an airplane that gets as messy as this one.

RE: The RCFW Hellcat Group Build
 

It looks really good Chad.

RE: The RCFW Hellcat Group Build
 

Thanks a bunch John. Really looking forward to seeing it out on the flightline next to your Corsair. Hopefully both airplanes will prove reliable and long lived to make them worth all the effort! I picked up a new fuel filler today and it appears to be leak free. Should have the 'cat all buttoned up and ready for test flying in a day or two so I'll keep you informed if it looks like this weekend is going to work out.

RE: The RCFW Hellcat Group Build
 

Another update to the fuselage construction gallery has been posted.

http://www.hellcat.cwvmodels.com/fuse.html

RE: The RCFW Hellcat Group Build
 

Oh yeah, lets get some good quality pics. I'll bring the static prop and get the bomb slung under it.

btw, I was having some trouble with my fueler too. I bypassed it with a coupler and the engine is running smooth now. I've had the fueler for years, but had never used it, so maybe it just deteriorated over time.
A guy on one of the Desert Aircraft Australia videos said that he has never seen a fueler that didnt leak, so I'm skepitcal if its a good idea to use it all now. I can fuel/defuel it fairly easily with just the coupler setup, but its not as messy with a fueler setup.

Have you used them with long term success before?

Link (He starts talking about the fuelers at 4:55 in the video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0RJs6Rq1C0
[/quote]

Thanks a bunch John. Really looking forward to seeing it out on the flightline next to your Corsair. Hopefully both airplanes will prove reliable and long lived to make them worth all the effort! I picked up a new fuel filler today and it appears to be leak free. Should have the 'cat all buttoned up and ready for test flying in a day or two so I'll keep you informed if it looks like this weekend is going to work out.
[/quote]

RE: The RCFW Hellcat Group Build
 

John,

I very rarely use any type of a fuel filler and have never used a Sullivan one like I've got in the Hellcat. Generally I just drop a third line in the tank, plug it off when not fueling, and route it out the bottom of the cowl somewhere. I went for something a bit cleaner this time but may end up going back to a third line if the fueler proves to be an issue. The big drawback at this point is that it is a relatively laborious task to pull the tank out of this thing!

RE: The RCFW Hellcat Group Build
 

How about this Chad.

On several of my glow engines and all my gas engine aircraft. I use a fuel T in the clunk to carb line. I have my servo set up so that at full off the carb is fully closed. The T has a line routed to the outside of the cowl and is plugged except when fueling or defueling. I have only one engine that will leak some fuel as I am fueling and except for a few drops of fuel dripping out of the cowl there is no problem. I have never had a flooded engine because of these system and the planes run just fine. To put it in yor hellcat you would only have to pull the cowl.

RE: The RCFW Hellcat Group Build
 

I have used this system in the past as well Larry and I'm sure it would work fine in the Hellcat now that you mention it, particularly so because the engine is upright. In fact this is exactly the system I used in the Hellcat when I test flew it with the .61FX. (Duh!) Thanks for the reminder!

RE: The RCFW Hellcat Group Build
 

I think the official slogan for this project has become "Two steps forward and one step back"! No test flight today I'm afraid and that's the good news. There was a pretty good cross wind all morning and I had concluded that a test flight was probably not in the cards when the wind decided to cooperate a bit and blow straight down the runway. I decided to give it a go and prepped the airplane but a ground check revealed an aileron servo that was not functioning. We took the airplane apart to have a look and Murphy got the best of us by blowing the wing off of the table resulting in some damage to the trailing edge. Mostly cosmetic damage but EXTREMELY frustrating as you can imagine. It will only take me a couple of days to get it looking good as new again but it sure is a downer when you wreck an airplane before ever getting a chance to fly it! At least I was able to get some good static "glamour shots" before the debacle so I'm all out of excuses once the damage is repaired.

John West (Budmo here on RCU) brought out his TF Corsair as well for a photo session and the two look great together. I'm not sure what's left but the Corsair is very close to being ready to test fly as well.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...T/F6FF4U_A.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...T/F6FF4U_B.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...LLCATRTF_J.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...LLCATRTF_H.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...LLCATRTF_G.jpg

RE: The RCFW Hellcat Group Build
 

Sorry about your wing.. I'm sure you'll have it fixed up in no time. Dang wind.

I need to make my pitot and antenna mast.

Here's the shot I took w my cell phone.



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RE: The RCFW Hellcat Group Build
 

I have made one more small update to the fuselage construction gallery which basically wraps up the general framing of the fuse. I'm going to switch gears a bit now and concentrate on finishing up the construction of the flaps and getting the wing joined as well as the design and tooling to produce the full cockpit kit.

http://www.hellcat.cwvmodels.com/fuse.html

Here is the fuse for Hellcat #2 as it sits now:

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...USE2FRAMED.jpg

RE: The RCFW Hellcat Group Build
 

Looking forward to seeing it Chad.
Sorry about the wind messing up your wing, been there and bought the Tee shirt :)
Ive been lurking and watching your progress here, you do good stuff buddy!!!
John

RE: The RCFW Hellcat Group Build
 

Thanks for checking in John, good to hear from you. I received a delivery a couple of days ago that you may be interested in. The little beauties in the picture below came via Davinci Machine and are for my 80" Don Lien Hellcat. Believe it or not I won these via a FLY RC magazine promotional contest! They are a bit "spendy" (For those who have to pay for them! :D ) but after seeing them I don't think I would be able to use anything else. They are going to be the icing on the cake for my big Hellcat. When you get back to your big Bates Hellcat project a set of these would be just the ticket if you're in the market.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...INCIWHEELS.jpg

RE: The RCFW Hellcat Group Build
 

All the evidence of last weekend's debacle has been removed and my Hellcat is once again ready for test flying. Won't happen tomorrow do to some stupid football game that's apparently important to some people. Like my wife and boys for instance! Speaking of the former, I convinced her that I needed someone to pose with the Hellcat to give some impression of the size of the model. She fell for it! I enjoy showing her off WAY more than my airplanes so I could not resist posting one more picture. I owe her a big thank you for being such an understanding wife and for putting up with this "airplane geek". (A term of endearment she tells me. Hmmm) The next picture I post will either be of the airplane in flight or of the smoking hole. Stay tuned...

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...CATANDKATI.jpg

RE: The RCFW Hellcat Group Build
 

Chad,

Looks like your good lady and plane are color coordinated!

GeneH

RE: The RCFW Hellcat Group Build
 

Chad,

A beautiful lady and a beautiful cat...of course, a lady always has a dress for the occasion!

Lucky man...now can she call my wife...she needs some tips on how to live and love WARBIRDS lol...she thinks I'm just nuts lol.

Casey

RE: The RCFW Hellcat Group Build
 

Hi Gene, it didn't take her long to figure out just why it was that I suddenly became so interested in all the bright red clothes in her closet. The fact that she was willing to humor me speaks volumes about her though.

I've got a hunch I know where that conversation would end up Casey! And it would not be with my wife convincing yours that you and I are sane individuals! I do occassionally manage to convince her to attend the airshow at Chino with me. Maybe we can meet up there some year and let the girls go shopping while we hang out at the show.

RE: The RCFW Hellcat Group Build
 

Ya, your right...we would both end up labled nutz lol...but shopping...that just might get us the day to play! Thats the smart mans plan!

Casey

RE: The RCFW Hellcat Group Build
 

Tried to up load images of Chad's Maiden flight but as usual RCU is in the dumper. Have to load one image at a time then post,.....BTW his Hellcat flew "Perfect" might have added a click of trim .I've never seen an aircraft go from the building board to 1st flight without any issues .
Semper Fi
joe

RE: The RCFW Hellcat Group Build
 

That's gorgeous!

Congrats Chad

RE: The RCFW Hellcat Group Build
 

Yahoo! Way to go.
Only downside would be having to wipe all that smelly, slimy, goopy, goo off that beauty. I never have to wipe off electrons.http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f...eeth_smile.gif

RE: The RCFW Hellcat Group Build
 

Thanks guys, it feels great to reach a successful conclusion! I could not have asked for a better test flight. The airplane is very well behaved on the ground, much better than my Midwest Harvard. In the air it feels very solid and even at almost 12 pounds the stall is very gentle with only a very moderate wing drop which had to be forced with full up elevator. Landing was a tad hot but I still got it stopped before running off the runway and the roll out was nice and straight. Of course that's only one landing and I may have just got lucky! We will see as I get more flights on it. Sure wish I had somebody to shoot video for me. No aerobatics today other than an aileron roll. I will start to open up the envelope slowly with each flight and report what I find. I'm also anxious to fly it with the drop tank on and see how that goes. A big thank you to unclejoe for the pictures. He has gone out of his way to meet up with me several times so it was nice to finally get airborne today. Next time out I will get the airplane down a bit lower so he can get some even better shots!

RE: The RCFW Hellcat Group Build
 

Craig, it looks like my second Hellcat very well could be electric. One of the guys out at the field today is interested in building one and he does a lot of electric stuff. He has offered to help me out with a power system in return for one of my kits. Fingers crossed!

RE: The RCFW Hellcat Group Build
 

Now we're talking!
I think when I finally get around to building mine it will more than likely get a Eflite Power 90, probably on 8s. If I want to pull a lot of amps I could probably get away with the Power 60 on 6s.

RE: The RCFW Hellcat Group Build
 

Here is my favorite shot from today.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...TFTAILHIGH.jpg