500 series Hellcat for flying

Bulldog · Post by **Bulldog** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 12:21 pm

Well, here I go again. I finished the 500 series Hellcat airframe. Quite nice in fact. When I placed it and the prop etc. on my newly acqired gram
scale it was over 30 grams. Uhoh! So that one gets finished for display.
Now I'm starting the same plane with alternate formers and ribs 1/16", and 1/32nd, probably some lightening holes too. Thoughts,- will it pay off
in flying results?? Should I buy another canopy and cowl, or cover over the canopy area, and scratch-build a balsa cowl? Advice appreciated

supercruiser · Post by **supercruiser** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 1:30 pm

I think it will help to go with the thinner pieces. The model you have now isn't that far from a flying weight, I think. I'd would get a clear canopy. As for cowling, making one out of balsa may be better for flying. It makes it easier to adjust thrust angles and can be removable for winding. The choice of wood is going to be the biggest effect on weight.

supercruiser · Post by **supercruiser** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 1:51 pm

Something that I like to do is cut my wing spars and trailing edges longer than what is shown on the plans. So that when the wing is inserted into the fuselage the spars almost touch. Then I take a piece of balsa and join the ends of the spar. Then the fuselage is better able to withstand nose first landings which would cause the wings to pull apart the formers. There is an example of this on www.virtualaerodrome.com , my hangar with the P-51.

kittyfritters · Post by **kittyfritters** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 4:21 pm

supercruiser wrote:Something that I like to do is cut my wing spars and trailing edges longer than what is shown on the plans. So that when the wing is inserted into the fuselage the spars almost touch. Then I take a piece of balsa and join the ends of the spar. Then the fuselage is better able to withstand nose first landings which would cause the wings to pull apart the formers. There is an example of this on www.virtualaerodrome.com , my hangar with the P-51.

All the 500 series kits have one piece wings. The trickiest thing about the Hellcat and the Avenger is making sure that the fuselage is absolutely even, side to side, so that the wing slides though level.

FLYBOYZ · Post by **FLYBOYZ** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 4:32 pm

The F6F HELLCAT has alot of wing amatter of fact you will have to add nose weight!When I finish my it turned out heavy and I thought it to be a wall hanger so I took it out side and test it in tall grass area it did fly.Very stable airplane.But she does decend it went about 25ft havn,t been able to do nothing with it latley.Thinking about take some nose weight out put a little upper trust in it.The cowl is cocked down a little.

supercruiser · Post by **supercruiser** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 4:49 pm

kittyfritters wrote:
All the 500 series kits have one piece wings..

Thanks, I did not know that. But, I was actually intending the comment to be on thymekiller's 180 thread. Seems that on the high wing kits (the 2 that I've built) they want you to run stick skewers through the top of the cabin for reinforcement or nothing at all.

RG WILLIAMS · Post by **RG WILLIAMS** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 5:23 pm

Bulldog,
Check out the Virtual Aerodrome builds of the F6F. Scigs 30 has a good flying one.
I don't think replacing the wood is necessary to gave a good flyer.
The tail can be lightened by using less wood in the stabilizer and adding lightening holes to the stab and rudder.Then sand both parts thinner.
The keel could be holed and scalloped on the internal areas between the formers. Formers could be holed and the slightly scalloped on the inside of the fuse. Wing ribs holed and sanded slightly thinner.

The ac could be covered in light -weight blue tissue and a very light spray of clear gloss.
The canopy looks ok.
Building a nose block behind the cowling is a good idea to adjust prop angle , see posts on this.
The light balsa nose block is functional weight that will take the place of some of the clay needed for balance.
Delete the landing gear. Balance the prop. /props.

When I start my F6F, after the Mustang and Cub, this is my plan. This should be a challenge after the other two models.
rg

FLYBOYZ · Post by **FLYBOYZ** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 11:34 pm

Yes all these things makes lighter airplane it also means it breaks easy in wing over I would think about leaving strenght in nose and wings deffently sand wing ribs and leading edge I cruve out the leading edge after wing is finish but leave good strenght I don,t take to much and I sand them well not to thin.

Bulldog · Post by **Bulldog** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 12:41 am

Thanks guys, very good advice, I'm sure that the lighter the better, up to
the point of no strength or presence is preferable, so we'll see

kittyfritters · Post by **kittyfritters** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 12:10 pm

supercruiser wrote:
kittyfritters wrote:
All the 500 series kits have one piece wings..
Thanks, I did not know that. But, I was actually intending the comment to be on thymekiller's 180 thread. Seems that on the high wing kits (the 2 that I've built) they want you to run stick skewers through the top of the cabin for reinforcement or nothing at all.

I apologize for the quality of the following pictures, but I was using an old. low res camera after my Nikon was stolen. It's since been replaced.

The wing joint is on my 300 Series Cessna 170. Bamboo barbeque skewers were used. The ribs and fuselage sides were pinned together and the holes drilled before beginning construction. No problem with alignment that way.

The Hellcat had the usual 15 lb/cu-ft wood, but I ran it through a thickness sander, cut lightening holes, and thinned all the outlines. The finished model came in at 23 grams without rubber. Replacing with contest grade wood probably would have brought it in under 20.

Hope this helps someone.