F6F Hellcat

[mactek]

Started building a F6F Hellcat. Saw this in an article here on Flitetest a while back and have always loved this plane. When i first started it the plan was to build as close to scale as possible. The plan was to build it then paint it but those plans have changed. I love the durability that tape adds to a foam board plane so i have decided to tape it instead. While searching for color schemes i came across a photo of a Hellcat that was used after the war as a drone plane for training. The plane was all orange with a white tail. So thats what color scheme i am using. The construction of the plane uses a skeletal structure similar to a balsa build. This is a first for me but the build process is quite easy once all the parts are cut out. Take a look at the pics of what i have done so far. I am hoping to have it completed by Flitefest.

 

[rockyboy]

Very cool! And should be really easy to see at FliteFest too

 

[Snarls]

Nice! That is the plane and same plans I was building for the forum build off. Unfortunately I got busy and never finished it. I'll get back to it this summer, but you'll probably finish well before me. Looking forward to the rest of your build!

 

[mactek]

The fuselage on this thing is huge. I hope it flies good when it is done. Anyone have any recommendations on a power plant. I was thinking something in the 800kv range with a 11 or 12 x 6.

 

[planebreaker2000]

Which plans are you using?

 

[mactek]

Which plans are you using?

I am building the flyingpenguinrc Hellcat. It looks like his site may be not working right now. If you send me a pm i can send you a copy of the ones i downloaded.

http://flitetest.com/articles/fprc-f6f-hellcat-build-flying-penguin-rc

 

[mactek]

I finished up this build while i was at FF 2016 last week and also did the maiden flight. It flew really good. I still have a couple of things to complete on it like the canopy and redesign the landing gear. Here is a pic and the maiden video.

 

[planebreaker2000]

Looks good, and good flight

 

[planebreaker2000]

I am working on one now. What motor and prop did you use?

 

[mactek]

I am working on one now. What motor and prop did you use?

I am using this motor. http://www.valuehobby.com/power-systems/brushless-motors/outrunner-airplane.html?motor_class=84 with a 40amp Hobbywing esc and a 11x6 prop. I have been flying it on a 2200 3s battery. With this setup i have pretty much all the power i need.

 

[planebreaker2000]

Thanks.

 

[mactek]

How far along are you in the build. What are you planning to do for landing gear? My first set of landing gear failed i need to come up with something else.

 

[planebreaker2000]

I just got the fuse done.I wanted a slightly larger plane so I printed it out at 120%. We will see how this goes. It is really big!

I was going to use a bent wire with a wood block in the wing(FT Mustang style).

I have a power 25 to put in it and if that isn't enough I can pull a 46 from another plane.

 

[mactek]

Looks good. 120% is going to be pretty big. I thought the 100% was big. Are you going to paint it?

 

[planebreaker2000]

I haven't decided on paint or ultrakote. Paint with paper and minwax is about the same as paper removed from the outside and ultrakote. I want to see how heavy it is once everything is on it. I think I am going to use pink foam to make the cowl the origami is getting to be too much.

Here is tonight's progress:

 

[mactek]

Do you have plans drawn up for the Top Dog racer you built. That thing looks really good. How does it fly.

 

[planebreaker2000]

Thanks, I printed the plans from outerzone

http://www.outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=900

It flies really nice. It speeds up well and turns nice. It has really small ailerons, but it still rolls relatively fast and even with its flat bottom airfoil it doesn't balloon up with throttle. And it still slows down well for landings.

 

[mactek]

I have never built from a set of plans like that. Where do you start?

 

[planebreaker2000]

Take the measurement for example wing span, root chord, wing tip chord, airfoil thickness and lay it out on foam board. Then in FT style double it so it can fold over. add some servos and hinge some ailerons, and you got a wing. Sometimes I print out plans and "build on top" of the plans, and other times I just go off of numbers on the pdf there is a measure tool that can take on screen measurements in scale.

You then move on to the tail feathers and fuselage and convert to foam with a good dose of TLAR you get a plane out of it. I have not made any plans in cad or sketchup because it just doesn't float my boat. There are a lot of people who do this and are really good at it, and I appreciate all of them for doing things that I don't like and sharing them with the rest of us.

I have had a lot of fun taking the basic techniques from build logs and short build kits and use those techniques in my own builds.

I don't know if my ramblings have answered your question, but if you would like to go through the process on a particular plane (top dawg) or whatever I am willing to help. I don't know everything, but there is probably someone reading who does that can help us both learn something along the way.

 

[mactek]

Did you finish the hellcat yet? I have been flying mine and really have been enjoying this plane.