New Product BMKDesigns F6F Hellcat profile park fighter

[crxmanpat]

BMK Designs is putting out a line of flat foamy park fighters. The P-51 Mustang is already done, and next out is an F6F Hellcat. I was lucky enough to be selected for the beta build, and here is my build thread.

For anyone that's built a profile foamy, the builld is pretty much similar as most of what's on the market today.

The first set of pics shows how the kit is received, all of the parts removed from the cut sheets, and a few dry fit pics.

Pat

[crxmanpat]

Step one is to remove the cutout for the wing spar and glue the CF spar in. Here is the method I use to secure the wing spar. First, take a piece of scotch tape and completely cover the spar channel. Then flip the wing over and frame out the slot with scotch tape (leaving the channel open). Then mix your epoxy (30-minute works best) and, working from the open side, drizzle a thick bead into the spar channel. Insert the CF spar and drizzle more epoxy on top of the spar. Now take a scraper (old credit card or other scraper) and smooth out the epoxy. Once the epoxy sets up you can remove the tape.

Pat

[crxmanpat]

Pay close attention to this next section so that you get the aileron servo installed properly. First, you will need to mark the center of the wing in order to make sure the bottom fuse piece is installed correctly. At this point, DO NOT glue the bottom fuse piece on. In order to help, you can lightly tack it in place temporarily.

Next, line up the flat fuse section with the bottom and glue it to the wing, ensuring proper alignment. Then center your aileron servo and attach the control arm. It's also a good idea to have the quick connects installed if that's how your going to set it up. Then insert the servo so that the control arm is on the opposite side of the wing from the flat fuse section. Then secure the servo in place.

Next, glue the lower fuse section in place.

Pat

[crxmanpat]

Next I prepped all control surfaces for hinging. I'm tired of the tape hinges peeling up on my foamy planes, so I have started using traditional hinges on these. I use either left over GWS paper hinges, or strips of thin plastic ("fake" credit cards, plastic packing material, etc). First I beveled the leading edges of the control surfaces, then cut hinge slots and glued in the hinges.

Next I cut hinge slots in the wing and the vertical and horizontal stabilizers and glued them into place.

Before gluing in the elevator, I identified the center connecting section as a potential failure point, so I reinforced that with a piece of flat CF stick. I cut it to the length I want then simply epoxied it in place.

Finally, glue the horizontal stab in place, and then glue the top fuse section on.

Pat

[crxmanpat]

Final construction consists of installing the motor mount (foam disc glues in first, then the ply piece second), installing the control horns, and installing the electronics.

For paint, I used water-based acrylic paints that you can get from the usual craft stores (Michael's, Jo-Ann's, Wal-Mart craft section, Hooby Lobby crafts, etc), and the decals were created in Paint and Word and using water slide decal paper printed on a color laser printer (BMK may be offering decal sets with the kits for an additional charge, but that has not yet been decided).

It flies like a typical profile foamy plane. The ailerons are not huge so it doesn't 3D as well as other kits, but this is really more of a park flyer sport plane than a 3D ship. Roll rate is good and it will perform a typical pattern routine.

Here's my setup for this particular plane:

Hobby-Lobby 400XT motor (920kv, 120W)
APC 8X6 Slow Fly prop
Scorpion 15A ESC
3X GWS Naro servos
XPS 6-ch parkflyer 2.4GHz RX
3S 1350 Rhino lipo

Dry weight (no lipo): 9.6oz/273g

AUW: 14oz/398g

Pat

[crxmanpat]

Here's some in-flight pics. Video will be posted soon as well.

Pat

[eliworm]

Hey Pat, here are a few photos from Today. I sure like your paint job.

edit: Doh! I just noticed some are the same. Tina must have e-mailed them over to you.

Jim

[crxmanpat]

Jim,

I stole them from our forum.

I deleted the two I had from Tina so that we don't have duplicates. Maybe I can get Mike to post up the video too.

Pat

[AZcrashpro]

Working on the video but I will post it when it is done.

Mike

[AZcrashpro]

Here is the video of the P-51, I am waiting for the Hellcat to finish.

http://www.vimeo.com/4300875

Mike

[AZcrashpro]

http://www.vimeo.com/4563134

[N827TM]

I flew the Mustang and it is fun sport machine. I cannot wait to see this bird and hopefully fly it. Watching the video, it is nice stable bird.

Tom

[crxmanpat]

Tom,

When are you in town again? I'm at Nichols every Friday now, so if I'm there you can fly it. Mike and I want you to out it through the wringer! The video is of Jim flying. Says he likes it better than the Mustang.

Pat

[AZcrashpro]

Got to like that picture with the bird in it, Tina always gets some great shots.

Mike

[crxmanpat]

Yes, she has a nack for getting pics of my planes with birds in the shot.

I will be tossing around the Hellcat at Beat The Heat up in Flagstaff this weekend. I have a Mustang at the house and need to get that put together real soon.

Pat