1/8 & 1/6 scale Hellcats in balsa

Chad Veich · 03:08 PM

Here's a scratch build project that my brother and I are working on together with the hopes of competing in team scale when it's done. This is an enlargement of a smaller (1/8 scale) Hellcat that I designed and am currently flying. The 1/8 scale model is a really nice flyer and can only get better in the larger scale. Construction is pretty typical balsa and light ply with some birch ply and hardwoods where necessary. Cowl and belly pan will be in glass with a few vacuum formed accessories here and there. Pretty typical really. Progress will most assuredly be slow due to other commitments but will hopefully be steady. Thus far the vertical fin is pretty much done, the horizontal stab is coming along nicely, and the fuselage framing has begun. Still working on the design of the wing which is to include the scale slotted flap mechanism of the full size. Here are some pics showing construction thus far.

Nearly complete vertical fin.

Construction of the stab.

Fuselage getting started.

no1isnormal · Oct 15, 2012, 09:28 PM

Looking pretty nice so far. Keep up the good work!

kingconsulting · Oct 15, 2012, 09:58 PM

Yeah thanks for sharing looks great so far!

Robert

epoxyearl · Oct 16, 2012, 05:42 AM

That's the "traditional" building style I touted during the formation of the forum..

It's what we grew up with,learned on,and hope to perpetuate.-there's just something about the framework........

Well done.

ARUP · Oct 16, 2012, 06:30 PM

You keep that 'Hellcat' away from my 'Kate'! lol Nice work. Wish I knew CAD and laser stuff!

Chad Veich · Oct 17, 2012, 12:03 AM

ARUP,

If you have some design know-how (which you obviously do) then learning how to get from A to B in a CAD program would not take you very long at all. I know this because I have no formal training in CAD myself. It's all been learned on the fly. However, I was drawing plans the old fashioned way for a decade before I ever sat down at a computer. It's the folks who purchase CAD software thinking that it can somehow teach them how to design stuff that run into problems. As far as the laser cutting, I can help you out with that should you decide to take up the CAD challenge.

Chad Veich · Nov 03, 2012, 01:42 PM

Have not had a great deal of time to work on the Hellcat due to a looming deadling on an architectural model but the horizontal is slowly nearing completion. At this point both elevators are basically finished with the exception of some final filling, sanding, and shaping. The 1/32" plywood gap seals have been added to the stab as well as the leading edges which still require final shaping. Next step will be the stab tips which will be molded from glass and then a wire joiner/control arm for the elevators. Oh, and I still need to work up the missing trim tab. Onward and upward!

ARUP · Nov 03, 2012, 11:10 PM

Some building is better than no building! Nice, clean and tidy work!

cbarnes0061 · Nov 07, 2012, 05:48 AM

Looks good. Keep it up.

Chad Veich · Nov 07, 2012, 11:06 PM

Thanks guys, more coming soon.

Chad Veich · Nov 25, 2012, 03:06 PM

I knew updates to this thread would be slow in coming due to several other projects being worked on simultaneous to this one. Since those "other projects" include several more Hellcats, all of them balsa, I figured why not expand this thread to include them as well? As noted in the initial post of this thread the 1/6 scale model is an enlargement of a 1/8 scale Hellcat I designed a couple of years back. The smaller model was offered in kit form and a group build thread is ongoing over at RCU. I am also developing a web site dedicated to the construction of the smaller one for anyone who might like to check it out, www.hellcat.cwvmodels.com. I am currently working on my second prototype of the 1/8 scale model as part of the group build. I am also trying to re-finish a third 1/8 scale model which was built from my kit by a friend of mine for warbird racing but which he subsequently sold to me. So between the three project aircraft and keeping the 1/8 scale prototype maintained and flying I have a total of four Hellcats in the shop at the moment! Good thing you can't have too many Hellcats in my opinion. So, to get this thread current here are the various Hellcats being discussed other than the 1/6 version pictured in the previous posts:

1/8 scale prototype

1/8 scale second prototype. This one will include a few details left off of the first one including flaps and full cockpit detail.

And the 1/8 scale racer which I am converting back to stock and re-finishing into a military paint scheme.

Oct 15, 2012, 09:14 PM	#1
Chad Veich Scale Builder United States, AZ, Litchfield Park Joined Jul 2002 1,886 Posts	1/8 & 1/6 scale Hellcats in balsa Here's a scratch build project that my brother and I are working on together with the hopes of competing in team scale when it's done. This is an enlargement of a smaller (1/8 scale) Hellcat that I designed and am currently flying. The 1/8 scale model is a really nice flyer and can only get better in the larger scale. Construction is pretty typical balsa and light ply with some birch ply and hardwoods where necessary. Cowl and belly pan will be in glass with a few vacuum formed accessories here and there. Pretty typical really. Progress will most assuredly be slow due to other commitments but will hopefully be steady. Thus far the vertical fin is pretty much done, the horizontal stab is coming along nicely, and the fuselage framing has begun. Still working on the design of the wing which is to include the scale slotted flap mechanism of the full size. Here are some pics showing construction thus far. Nearly complete vertical fin. Construction of the stab. Fuselage getting started.
	Last edited by Chad Veich; Nov 25, 2012 at 03:08 PM.

Oct 16, 2012, 05:42 AM	#4
epoxyearl Registered User United States, MD, Elkton Joined Oct 2011 5,240 Posts	That's the "traditional" building style I touted during the formation of the forum.. It's what we grew up with,learned on,and hope to perpetuate.-there's just something about the framework........ Well done.
	Latest blog entry: Model Builder

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Oct 15, 2012, 09:28 PM	#2
no1isnormal Registered User United States, FL, Edgewater Joined Nov 2010 148 Posts	Looking pretty nice so far. Keep up the good work!

Oct 15, 2012, 09:58 PM	#3
kingconsulting Registered User United States, CA, Long Beach Joined Sep 2011 657 Posts	Yeah thanks for sharing looks great so far! Robert

Oct 16, 2012, 06:30 PM	#5
ARUP Registered User Joined Mar 2010 913 Posts	You keep that 'Hellcat' away from my 'Kate'! lol Nice work. Wish I knew CAD and laser stuff!

Oct 17, 2012, 12:03 AM	#6
Chad Veich Scale Builder United States, AZ, Litchfield Park Joined Jul 2002 1,886 Posts	ARUP, If you have some design know-how (which you obviously do) then learning how to get from A to B in a CAD program would not take you very long at all. I know this because I have no formal training in CAD myself. It's all been learned on the fly. However, I was drawing plans the old fashioned way for a decade before I ever sat down at a computer. It's the folks who purchase CAD software thinking that it can somehow teach them how to design stuff that run into problems. As far as the laser cutting, I can help you out with that should you decide to take up the CAD challenge.

Nov 03, 2012, 01:42 PM	#7
Chad Veich Scale Builder United States, AZ, Litchfield Park Joined Jul 2002 1,886 Posts	Have not had a great deal of time to work on the Hellcat due to a looming deadling on an architectural model but the horizontal is slowly nearing completion. At this point both elevators are basically finished with the exception of some final filling, sanding, and shaping. The 1/32" plywood gap seals have been added to the stab as well as the leading edges which still require final shaping. Next step will be the stab tips which will be molded from glass and then a wire joiner/control arm for the elevators. Oh, and I still need to work up the missing trim tab. Onward and upward!

Nov 03, 2012, 11:10 PM	#8
ARUP Registered User Joined Mar 2010 913 Posts	Some building is better than no building! Nice, clean and tidy work!

Nov 07, 2012, 05:48 AM	#9
cbarnes0061 Registered User United States, VA, Petersburg Joined Mar 2012 377 Posts	Looks good. Keep it up.

Nov 07, 2012, 11:06 PM	#10
Chad Veich Scale Builder United States, AZ, Litchfield Park Joined Jul 2002 1,886 Posts	Thanks guys, more coming soon.

Nov 25, 2012, 03:06 PM	#11
Chad Veich Scale Builder United States, AZ, Litchfield Park Joined Jul 2002 1,886 Posts	I knew updates to this thread would be slow in coming due to several other projects being worked on simultaneous to this one. Since those "other projects" include several more Hellcats, all of them balsa, I figured why not expand this thread to include them as well? As noted in the initial post of this thread the 1/6 scale model is an enlargement of a 1/8 scale Hellcat I designed a couple of years back. The smaller model was offered in kit form and a group build thread is ongoing over at RCU. I am also developing a web site dedicated to the construction of the smaller one for anyone who might like to check it out, www.hellcat.cwvmodels.com. I am currently working on my second prototype of the 1/8 scale model as part of the group build. I am also trying to re-finish a third 1/8 scale model which was built from my kit by a friend of mine for warbird racing but which he subsequently sold to me. So between the three project aircraft and keeping the 1/8 scale prototype maintained and flying I have a total of four Hellcats in the shop at the moment! Good thing you can't have too many Hellcats in my opinion. So, to get this thread current here are the various Hellcats being discussed other than the 1/6 version pictured in the previous posts: 1/8 scale prototype 1/8 scale second prototype. This one will include a few details left off of the first one including flaps and full cockpit detail. And the 1/8 scale racer which I am converting back to stock and re-finishing into a military paint scheme.