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Scratchbuilt 1/24 Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat


Jim Barry

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Gunnar. I think you have a wonderful sense of it all. In my progress I've dismissed a lot of details for the greater goal of finishing things, too. I started to sweat a lot of detail in the Fury only to later "let go". Being my first scratch build, there were just too many shortcomings and unpracticed skills to have invested more time and toil. Learned a ton and moved on. No regrets. I actually chose something well into the middle of my favorite planes list so that there was no crying.  The Bearcat (also something of a middle child), being my first 3D project is kind of changing perspectives on what I'll model and what I won't. Still, there is a sense of "85%" as a way to keep moving forward. Ultimately, I think I'll end up building a lot more planes with 3D. I've already started ordering books and made some 3D "sketches"  for SB number 3!    

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Jim,

 

I have been following your 85% discussion. I hear you and understand. I am struggling with pretty much the same issues with my F-90 project. The farther along I get the more compromises I end up making.

 

I know that I will not be able to build the perfect model. But it is important for me to finish having invested over a year on this build. Hopefully I will be happy with the finished model. In the end it will look like an F-90, just don't look too close.

 

Dan

Edited by Dandiego
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  • 2 weeks later...

Welp, I'm back to physical assembly mode but it's been pretty slow. I tend to build in obsession mode where the project dominates my free time. Just not a lot of free time lately, and when it is free I'm not putting the Bearcat up high enough in the priorities. That's OK. I actually figured the last few months of the year would be a build rest for me, just to keep burn out at bay and spend more time with friends and family, etc. Seems the scratch building  crowd here is on the slow side in general. I hope to see that change, so let's go guys! I think we motivate each other. We do not have parts or directions but we have friends! 

 

Here's what I've come up with for the wing build. It's not all that original since this is actually how the Bearcat is built (basically). The wheel wells go deep into the fuselage so it's almost required to build the wings and the fuselage in an integrated way. I really like it and think now building wing around this strong basswood spar should go pretty well. It's got the vertical strength to hold a lot of weight, but do not think this will weigh very much at all. Looking back at the Fury where I really never had a wing attachment plan, i can't tell you what a struggle that was to get it right. So, maybe I'm getting smarter! Pain teaches us a lot of life's lessons.

 

mKUijC.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

Made some progress working out how to do the wing and have cut out a few parts and began sanding. I feel I'm out of the gate and making headway there. 

 

 

Due to the puppy and her amazing ability to find trouble, its been hard to disappear for hours and build, but I can create stuff on the computer in the living area of the house.  I really do not need any more 3D parts for this project so I've been playing around with 3D renderings of possible future projects;

 

Here's an LTV A-7E . Some call it ugly, but I think it's totally bad ass. It was pretty fun to do this and I learned a lot about the plane and 3D solutions to a complex design. It's quite interesting how the intake and fuselage merge at all their intersections. As a 1/24 project, this would be nothing short of massive. 58cm long! 

S4zsBt.png

 

Another plane that has been high on my scratch build lists for a long time but never making it to the top is the iconic F-86. Here's some work on that lately. Something more realistic about this one. 

 

FzBWgT.png

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Thanks, Rick. 

 

So progress on wings continues in the most traditional scratch building method: Wood! I used my little Dremel jig saw which makes quick work and no fuss.  It's all bonded with 5 min epoxy. It's so strong! Note some build up with sheet balsa to get desired form. 

 

nmCBez.jpg

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More progress. Both wings on now and added more to the fuselage core including the engine cowling I drafted in 3D. This is a milestone of sorts being the first time I have ever added 3D printed parts to a model. Lots more to go! 

 

6QCXZy.jpg

 

epUh0i.jpg

 

 

Just for the record, the start of this thread has a comment from me where I hope to be done by Christmas. Well, I missed that mark, but no regrets. I did not factor in the puppy. 

 

 

Check out the cold here today. Very unusual for the coast. That's minus -26 C

 

wbGMH9.png

Edited by Jim Barry
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