New 50cc Hellcat is for real
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New 50cc Hellcat is for real
OK It's time to show this beast off. These are photos of the 2nd prototype of our new 50cc F6F Hellcat ARF. The new plane is going into production and the first run should be here in the January/February time frame.
Specs are 85" wing span, length approximately 64". The length can vary a bit because the builder may want to pus a lightweight engine forward to improve balance. Weight with a DLE-55 is between 20 and 21 lbs, the first sample weighed exactly 21 lbs. RTF with a half tank of gas.
Changes from the first sample include hidden glue-in composite control horns, revised canopy, shorter cowl, fully sheeted wing, revised ailerons and flaps, and many many other small items.
The Hellcat will be available as shown, or with a slightly longer cowl to allow the engine to be pushed out even farther. I flew the first prototype on a DLE-55/long cowl and the balance was perfect, with the shorter cowl you can use a heavier engine or shove a lot of weight to the front and make it balance, it can be done but it's easier with the long cowl. I'm thinking short cowl and either TOC-53 or G62 with electronic ignition, some engine around 4 lbs. A 3w anything would work well also.
Wings are fully sheeted, fuselage is almost fully sheeted except the bottom is covered, this is again to keep weight out of the tail. The Hellcat has a tunnel which could be used for a canister, but I'm actually using it as a place to mount the air tank for the retracts.
Speaking of retracts we will have billet aluminum retracts available pre-mounted in the plane. These are works of art and so far have worked quite reliably.
The cowl mounts with a cowl ring so no fasteners are showing, the plane is a lot like our aerobatic planes with full length removable hatch, wings and stabs mounted on CF tubes, it's very easy to live with.
This Hellcat is very close to scale and flies like a trainer, and i Mean that literally. My adrenalin was pumping on the first flight but it turns out to have been for nothing, it flies straight and true, lands easily with or without the flaps. With flaps you could almost land it without watching it, it sets up in a perfect glide slope and you just keep the wings level and feed in a little up elevator near the ground. And it will fly most aerobatics too!
The price is planned for around $1,095 with pre-mounted retracts, both main gear and tailwheel.
TF
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RE: New 50cc Hellcat is for real
Here are a couple photos with the longer cowl. To be honest, unless you are an absolute scale "nut" I think the longer cowl looks better and it certainly makes it easy to build the plane light.
My emphasis on light weight is a carryover from aerobatic planes. I know that many scale planes are really heavy and they fly that way. On this F6F Hellcat, my first entry into the warbird world, it is my belief that having a plane that flies well will appeal to pilots who have been reluctant about investing a lot of money when they are afraid it will fly like a brick.
I can assure any prospective buyers, this plane is no brick and is no harder top fly than one of our 50cc aerobats. It will make any pilot of "fair" skill or better look good.
TF
My emphasis on light weight is a carryover from aerobatic planes. I know that many scale planes are really heavy and they fly that way. On this F6F Hellcat, my first entry into the warbird world, it is my belief that having a plane that flies well will appeal to pilots who have been reluctant about investing a lot of money when they are afraid it will fly like a brick.
I can assure any prospective buyers, this plane is no brick and is no harder top fly than one of our 50cc aerobats. It will make any pilot of "fair" skill or better look good.
TF
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RE: New 50cc Hellcat is for real
ORIGINAL: dredknot
Tom,are u saying the TOC would be heavy enough to use the short cowl
Tom,are u saying the TOC would be heavy enough to use the short cowl
The TOC-53 is about 12 oz. heavier which roughly offsets the batteries. It might need a little more weight in front but not much. Putting 12 oz. of batteries on the motorbox should do the trick.
It's interesting, the CG changes when the wheels retract because the gear goes to the back, you can feel it change when you fly it and change the gear position. All my flight testing was done with the DLE with 1 weight washer in front and about 1.25" spacers behind the standoffs.
My best WAG is the TOC will be acceptable with the short cowl, though I can't be certain without doing a whole installation.
TF
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RE: New 50cc Hellcat is for real
thanks tom,my edge might lose it's toc,
Tom what type of servos are you using,i guess what i want to know is how much do i have to spend in servos
for a good safe setup
Tom what type of servos are you using,i guess what i want to know is how much do i have to spend in servos
for a good safe setup
#7
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RE: New 50cc Hellcat is for real
Wow, a WildHare warbird. I'm impressed. Looking at the pictures, it looks like the vertical fin / rudder are small as if they were modeled after the prototype or very early Hellcats. This might just be an optical thing in the pictures .... not sure.
Overall, count me in on this one. Love Hellcats!
Overall, count me in on this one. Love Hellcats!
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RE: New 50cc Hellcat is for real
ORIGINAL: Truckracer
Wow, a WildHare warbird. I'm impressed. Looking at the pictures, it looks like the vertical fin / rudder are small as if they were modeled after the prototype or very early Hellcats. This might just be an optical thing in the pictures .... not sure.
Overall, count me in on this one. Love Hellcats!
Wow, a WildHare warbird. I'm impressed. Looking at the pictures, it looks like the vertical fin / rudder are small as if they were modeled after the prototype or very early Hellcats. This might just be an optical thing in the pictures .... not sure.
Overall, count me in on this one. Love Hellcats!
It's a good thing to have a small rudder in this case. The rudder is super sensitive, to the point that you can fly the plane on 3 channels, rudder/elevator/throttle, and almost imperceptible throws. It will happily do a rudder roll with no ailerons at all. If you get one, be very careful with rudder inputs, it is extremely effective.
TF
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RE: New 50cc Hellcat is for real
ORIGINAL: dredknot
thanks tom,my edge might lose it's toc,
Tom what type of servos are you using,i guess what i want to know is how much do i have to spend in servos
for a good safe setup
thanks tom,my edge might lose it's toc,
Tom what type of servos are you using,i guess what i want to know is how much do i have to spend in servos
for a good safe setup
I don't think you need to spend more than $50 per servo, but it does need 7 of them (plus throttle and choke). Use metal gear servos, but anything that will work on a 50cc aerobatic plane will be overkill on this.
TF
#10
My Feedback: (19)
RE: New 50cc Hellcat is for real
ORIGINAL: rctom
It's a good thing to have a small rudder in this case. The rudder is super sensitive, to the point that you can fly the plane on 3 channels, rudder/elevator/throttle, and almost imperceptible throws. It will happily do a rudder roll with no ailerons at all. If you get one, be very careful with rudder inputs, it is extremely effective.
TF
ORIGINAL: Truckracer
Wow, a WildHare warbird. I'm impressed. Looking at the pictures, it looks like the vertical fin / rudder are small as if they were modeled after the prototype or very early Hellcats. This might just be an optical thing in the pictures .... not sure.
Overall, count me in on this one. Love Hellcats!
Wow, a WildHare warbird. I'm impressed. Looking at the pictures, it looks like the vertical fin / rudder are small as if they were modeled after the prototype or very early Hellcats. This might just be an optical thing in the pictures .... not sure.
Overall, count me in on this one. Love Hellcats!
It's a good thing to have a small rudder in this case. The rudder is super sensitive, to the point that you can fly the plane on 3 channels, rudder/elevator/throttle, and almost imperceptible throws. It will happily do a rudder roll with no ailerons at all. If you get one, be very careful with rudder inputs, it is extremely effective.
TF
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RE: New 50cc Hellcat is for real
ORIGINAL: cap10b
TF,
You just couldnt resist showing off that propeller !
LOL
JDS
TF,
You just couldnt resist showing off that propeller !
LOL
JDS
My friend Johnny Snead came over the other day to have me drill his 3 blade Biela prop. When I saw it I whined about how much I liked it until he felt so guilty he let me have it.
True friends respond favorably to whining, thanks Johnny!
About ground handling, the Hellcat also has a steerable/retractable tailwheel assembly. I made a double pull-pull, the outer pair of wires go to the rudder and the inner pair go to the tailwheel. The plane handles great on the ground and there's no problem making it go straight on takeoff with just tiny rudder inputs.
TF
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RE: New 50cc Hellcat is for real
hey tom any pics of the interior lay out and pics with out the cowl,also what's the plan to keep the fuse in one place when you don't have on the wings,like when u have it in the back of a pickup truck
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RE: New 50cc Hellcat is for real
At this point I don't have a plan to hold it in place, I was thinking of making a little rig out of PVC pipe to support it through the wing tube hole.
It's too late to be the first to want one but I am always appreciative of people who like our products, thanks for the compliment.
I will be finishing this plane tomorrow, when it's done I will post some photos of the interior and the engine mounting section.
TF
It's too late to be the first to want one but I am always appreciative of people who like our products, thanks for the compliment.
I will be finishing this plane tomorrow, when it's done I will post some photos of the interior and the engine mounting section.
TF
#16
RE: New 50cc Hellcat is for real
Hey Tom, man its looks so much better!
I am no expert but am wondering a few things.
Will the production have landing gear covers?
Hopefully a clear canopy?
And on the size of the tail....it seems a tad small in proportion maybe increase it a little for production?
Thanks, I attached some pics in regards to my three questions.......
Thanks, 871
I am no expert but am wondering a few things.
Will the production have landing gear covers?
Hopefully a clear canopy?
And on the size of the tail....it seems a tad small in proportion maybe increase it a little for production?
Thanks, I attached some pics in regards to my three questions.......
Thanks, 871
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RE: New 50cc Hellcat is for real
ORIGINAL: show871
Hey Tom, man its looks so much better!
I am no expert but am wondering a few things.
Will the production have landing gear covers?
Hopefully a clear canopy?
And on the size of the tail....it seems a tad small in proportion maybe increase it a little for production?
Thanks, I attached some pics in regards to my three questions.......
Thanks, 871
Hey Tom, man its looks so much better!
I am no expert but am wondering a few things.
Will the production have landing gear covers?
Hopefully a clear canopy?
And on the size of the tail....it seems a tad small in proportion maybe increase it a little for production?
Thanks, I attached some pics in regards to my three questions.......
Thanks, 871
The tail is scale size, I have drawings that are to scale and sized to match. No changes are planned.
Thanks for the input.
TF
#18
RE: New 50cc Hellcat is for real
Thanks for the heads up....Must be just the pictures on the tail size
Hopefully a clear canopy? Alot of guys like to scale out the cockpit-pilot etc
Thanks!
871
ORIGINAL: rctom
This plane came with gear doors but no good way to attach them, I'm still working on that.
The tail is scale size, I have drawings that are to scale and sized to match. No changes are planned.
Thanks for the input.
TF
ORIGINAL: show871
Hey Tom, man its looks so much better!
I am no expert but am wondering a few things.
Will the production have landing gear covers?
Hopefully a clear canopy?
And on the size of the tail....it seems a tad small in proportion maybe increase it a little for production?
Thanks, I attached some pics in regards to my three questions.......
Thanks, 871
Hey Tom, man its looks so much better!
I am no expert but am wondering a few things.
Will the production have landing gear covers?
Hopefully a clear canopy?
And on the size of the tail....it seems a tad small in proportion maybe increase it a little for production?
Thanks, I attached some pics in regards to my three questions.......
Thanks, 871
The tail is scale size, I have drawings that are to scale and sized to match. No changes are planned.
Thanks for the input.
TF
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RE: New 50cc Hellcat is for real
ORIGINAL: show871
Thanks for the heads up....Must be just the pictures on the tail size
Hopefully a clear canopy? Alot of guys like to scale out the cockpit-pilot etc
Thanks for the heads up....Must be just the pictures on the tail size
Hopefully a clear canopy? Alot of guys like to scale out the cockpit-pilot etc
What's the problem?
TF
#20
RE: New 50cc Hellcat is for real
ORIGINAL: rctom
I'm not sure what you mean here. The canopy is clear plastic as close to scale as I can make it.
What's the problem?
TF
ORIGINAL: show871
Thanks for the heads up....Must be just the pictures on the tail size
Hopefully a clear canopy? Alot of guys like to scale out the cockpit-pilot etc
Thanks for the heads up....Must be just the pictures on the tail size
Hopefully a clear canopy? Alot of guys like to scale out the cockpit-pilot etc
What's the problem?
TF
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RE: New 50cc Hellcat is for real
OK now I understand, you think it ought not to be tinted. THat's a good idea, I will try to get them to change to untinted plastic.
That had not occurred to me before. This is why I like to get people's views before the plane is committed to production.
TF
That had not occurred to me before. This is why I like to get people's views before the plane is committed to production.
TF
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RE: New 50cc Hellcat is for real
No, I don't. They left me in a lurch refusing to correct the problems with the last batch of engines that I bought from them. I lost a good deal of money and a lot of credibility as a result.
I still get calls from people looking for mufflers that I can't supply. They changed the design of the mufflers several times with no notice and the last ones would not stay together.
The engines were good but if the company won't stand behind their product I can't do business with them. DLE supports me and has a better product line as well.
TF
I still get calls from people looking for mufflers that I can't supply. They changed the design of the mufflers several times with no notice and the last ones would not stay together.
The engines were good but if the company won't stand behind their product I can't do business with them. DLE supports me and has a better product line as well.
TF
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RE: New 50cc Hellcat is for real
OF course, these numbers are only on there to show what one might look like. I actually hope to get a few sets done up to match specific planes from the war with proper matching insignias and numbers, the builder would then put them on as desired.
TF
TF