Jump to content

Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat


ruzlkampf

Recommended Posts

Speaking of flames, here's what it looked like this last year at Reno.(where it won) It's back to the 4-bladed Skyraider prop. Guess they couldn't find spares for that 3-bladed cut down P-3 Orion prop blade version run in the early 90's? Don't really like THIS 'flame job', but I wanted to show a rare topside banking pic of some mods performed on racing Bearcats. Ughh, I can't stand that canopy. Mine will have a 'bubble Cosmic Wind formula 1 racer canopy' on it.

Well, got the model 'mocked up', now it's time to start chopping and modifying. Whoohoo! :D More pics as things progress. Russ

 

post-4413-1229604224.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

More visualization and refining the design today. Sizing the R-2800 cowling, and what an R-3350 needs to fit. They actually made a smaller cowling that fit tighter over a bigger motor!!! :huh: Also, it has a sharper more streamlined radius to the front. Hey, this is just like Formula 1,... 1/10th of a second here,...1 mph there...and you're 3 plane lengths ahead after 9 laps.

The R-3350 in this AC is pumped up to deliver at least 3500hp. A lot more than the R-2800, in a much more lightened and streamlined airframe. :P Sooo...got some cowling mods to do.

 

post-4413-1229784769.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Been playing around with some paper wingtip designs for less induced drag at the tips. These little upturned doohickeys are pretty close to what I've envisioned. Same principle they use on airliners, on 737/747's & Airbus. Just not as tall, as I've got a stump for a wing now.(pretty low aspect ratio) Wingspan has ben bumped back up to 29 scale feet. Balance between drag and surface area for flight. Cut the wings too short, and it won't have enough surface area to turn a high-G pylon bank. Meh,..who am I fooling, I just think they look cool too! Bwhahah. :huh:

Soon as I can freeze the wingtip design, I can start smoothng this wing.

 

post-4413-1229785310.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Russ,

 

I guess those birds do not have things like apparent rivets or panel lines... that is good for modeler!

It is going to be most interesting to see how you manage this cowling thingy!

Cheers,

 

loic

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's some of the latest. I think I'm going to refine the elevators and fin tip to match the style of my new wingtip design. Also re-profiled the cowl a bit. Managed to stuff a bigger motor in without increasing the frontal area, may actually appear a bit sleeker with the re-radius of the cowl front. Still morphing into whatever it's going to be.

post-4413-1229867211.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh, yeaaah. Basic visualization is now done. Time to start slamming this bird together. Still haven't decided on a sponsor yet, but I'm leaning towards a plumbing company or septic tank service outfit. Maybe a dog food company. heh heh. We'll see. B)

 

post-4413-1229867841.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Heeey, Kevin! Where ya been Spuds? Been missing you here lately! I've been thinking about how similar Reno air racing and the 'Americas Cup' sailboat racing is. People spending millions of dollars just to win a race and get a fancy trophy, and bragging rights...and not much else. Remember when Australia finally took the Cup from us cheating, devious Americans? Realized that no 'foreigners' have ever raced at Reno, as say a syndicate or something. What if;(?) an Aussie air race team came to town with 'their guns hanging low' and swaggering across the ramp with a 'dark horse' Bearcat racer at high noon. Hmmm, what would it look like? Interesting. I might be PMing you soon about some Aussie corporate names and such that I might use for sponsors. I'll be starting on the pancake again in a few days, I've got a lot of holiday/vacation time off. Now THAT"S something I'd like to make a Reno air racer out of! :blink: hmmmm.

Yeah, this model will survive this surgery OK, Loic. I can't mess it up, as it won't look like any known plane on this planet. Beside, if I put enough putty on it, it'll always sand back to shape. Somehow. Problem is keeping it 'believable' engineering-wise!!!

But I digress yet again. Blasted batteries in my camera need re-charging, so I only got a couple of progress pics before they went south to Cabo San Lucas for a margarita. Was in Russ nirvana tonight as I was a putty slathering fool, but only got shots of my new elevator/fin profiles before smoothing in. Still whittling on em yet.

 

post-4413-1229921933.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...