Cg note: initially I used a Cg calculator I found on RCG to determine the Cg on this project. Because the calculator considered many factors I put quite a bit of stock in its result. But now that I've flown this design quite a bit with various Cg's, I have moved the Cg point forward for better stability. 45mm back from the root LE is a very good starting point. The older plan drawings (Rev A) show the old Cg from the calculator. Rev B drawings show the Cg in this new location

After goofing around with SolidWorks for the last couple of months, Build Off 3 would seem to be a good motivator to get a project completed in the reasonably foreseeable future. Thanks for rolling this out, Mike!

The Grumman Wildcat struck me as a pretty good entry level project, with its squared off planform and tail. Of course, that doesn't mean that I can't make a mess of it! From what I've seen so far, this is probably the most modest undertaking of the entrants--going for more of a park-flyer genre as open space is pretty hard to come by in my neighborhood. In any event, don't worry about missing anything while you get up for a soda. This project won't be moving real fast. . . .

On the upside, my neighbor is in the aircraft restoration business. He's got a heck of a library, so I asked him if he had any tech info on the F4F. He did me one better by telling me that there was a Wildcat parked behind his hangar for the day. Needless to say I had my camera and my boy in the car real quick. A little one-on-one time was just what I needed to fill in the gaps between the 3-view and the real deal.

Regards, Paul

What an opportunity to get up close and personal with a warbird. Are you going to do the color scheme of the plane in the pictures? That would be more unusual (and one could argue, more interesting) than conventional US Navy two-toned blue.

Nothing wrong at all with a parkflyer-sized plane! My entire fleet, scale and sport, is < 2 pounds and < 200 W per aircraft. A lot easier on the wallet and easier in terms of finding flying space than larger craft.

Good choice of model, Longhorne - the Wildcat has always been among my fave WW2 warbirds and that colour scheme is very attractive. You did get to sit in the cockpit and waggle the controls, right?

Originally Posted by Lon Enloe

Nothing wrong at all with a parkflyer-sized plane! My entire fleet, scale and sport, is < 2 pounds and < 200 W per aircraft. A lot easier on the wallet and easier in terms of finding flying space than larger craft.

I agree totally! Most of my models - of WW1 type up to 36" - don't even make the one pound weight and they're great parkflyers using very basic gear and 2s batteries, also perfect for the small field I fly from.

Good luck with the build

Steve

That is a good looking airplane- there was one at the Reno Air Races last weekend. It actually raced in the Unlimiteds (dead last in the bronze race ) I didn't manage to get many decent pictures of it but here's the one semi-recognizable one

I also agree with the parkflyer-size choice; my Waco 10 for this build-off will be <1lb and <100W, only problem is that the wind here in N. AZ really limits the flying of small stuff

Anyway, good luck with this build, I'll be watching!
Ryan

Thank you for your support, gents. Regarding the color scheme, I'd agree that the Martlet motif stands out--and for some reason I'm not too surprised that Steve is a fan of it! There's quite a few options available but as an Air Force brat, the USN two-tone blue is a actually a bit of a novelty for me.

Here are a number of possible schemes. Plenty of time to mull them over before the Cat is ready for the paint shop.

Ryan--a Wildcat at Reno? I wouldn't have expected that!

And for the record I didn't get to sit in the cockpit, but we did have a B25, T33, S2, and an Albatross, all in flying shape to ourselves. Sure beats having an encyclopedia salesman for a next door neighbor.

Paul

Paul ,

Great subject . Just curious as to what size wingspan and projected AUW are you shooting for ?

Eagerly following along ...

-John

Funny you should ask, John. I've been eyeballing Bosley's P40 from the beginning and I've been really impressed with your Empress version of it (even if it is missing a shark/tiger/skull mouth ). I'm leaning toward something similar: a 30 something inch 2S ship as far under a pound as I can get.

Outstanding work on the P40's detailing, by the way!

Paul

Paul ,

Thanks for the kind words . I wanted to to do a "sharkmouth" , but I already have one in that scheme . The desert schemes are much easier to keep track of in the sky The OD green ones dissapear against the pine tree background of the fields here in the Northeast .

I'll surely be watching your Wildcat build . Can never have too many lightweight warbirds

-John

Here are 4 Wildcats, including mine in the defenders of Wake Island colors. It is a 32 inch F4F designed by Don Srull and Hurst Bowers and published in Model Aviation back around 1978-1982. About 8 years ago, Don and one of his buddies arranged to have some laser cut versions made for our group. I got two and built one. Will eventually build the other. It is very strong and has lasted since 2000. This way my airleron trainer! I still fly it regularly.

Are you going to give the retracts a try? If I move forward with the Curtiss Owl, I'll be working with the same retracts.

Pat,

Very nice Wildcats. Care to share the weight and running gear?

Dan--I'm going to pass on the retracts this time around. I have't run retracts on any of my projects to date and this one looks a little advanced. I also learned that all Wildcats had manually operated landing gear. 29 cranks of a handwheel to get the wheels up or down. I figure if the real pilots didn't have motors on the gear then I shouldn't either. [are you buying that?]

Paul

Cheers to that. My limited engineering skills would just get me in trouble with that one. It's hard enough to get a flying model!

Originally Posted by Pat Daily

Here are 4 Wildcats, including mine in the defenders of Wake Island colors. It is a 32 inch F4F designed by Don Srull and Hurst Bowers and published in Model Aviation back around 1978-1982. About 8 years ago, Don and one of his buddies arranged to have some laser cut versions made for our group. I got two and built one. Will eventually build the other. It is very strong and has lasted since 2000. This way my airleron trainer! I still fly it regularly.

Pat ,

You were right on with your guess . Its in the November 1978 issue starting on page 16 . Now to go back and print/read the article !

-John

Man, you guys are killing me. The only thing I have from 1978 is a Styx concert jersey.

Paul

Originally Posted by Pat Daily

Here are 4 Wildcats, including mine in the defenders of Wake Island colors. It is a 32 inch F4F designed by Don Srull and Hurst Bowers and published in Model Aviation back around 1978-1982. About 8 years ago, Don and one of his buddies arranged to have some laser cut versions made for our group. I got two and built one. Will eventually build the other. It is very strong and has lasted since 2000. This way my airleron trainer! I still fly it regularly.

Pat,
Who has the cut files. Can there be another run made, if there is enough interest?

Konrad