1000 Series Hellcat to Static

[SteveM]

So you can play with it! When I was a kid I always found the toys with moving parts far more enjoyable than ones without.

[heywooood]

@ ADW - I am really looking forward to seeing the finished product.

I have been thinking about the Dauntless in this series...even though I am a Grumman fanatic - I keep hoping Guillow will make an F3F-2 or a Wildcat in this larger scale.

please keep the updates coming as you can, watching someone else walk the tightrope is a welcome diversion.

looking really good so far

[ADW 123]

im more than happy to keep everyone up to date.

here is the landing gear up-



note that the one on the right has the 1/16" balsa stops next to the pivot block on the n6 wire. the one of the left hasnt been added yet.

and retracted-



i have to say it was easier than i thought it would be.

[scigs30]

I use a file or rasp first then hit it with a sanding block, done in about 10 minutes. Now if the wood is oak, I don't even bother I just buy a better quality piece.

[ADW 123]

i understand, but no one wants to have to buy a kit and then replace wood in it because it isnt any good. im def. one of those people

[heywooood]

hey the gear looks good...and I agree about the wood in the kits.

it needs to be evaluated a little better in the kit process - the weight issue being one thing, but the grain quality (or lack of) being most important.

I dont want to pay for any part of a "complete" kit twice

[ADW 123]

the wing just about finished, retracts ready to go. paper paterns in etc



the LE sanded, i just used my sanding block. thats all



not much more to report for now...stand by

[scigs30]

ADW, I have bought a lot of kits over the years from many manufacturers, and I usually end up having to replace some of the wood. I know it is not fun, but I don't want to spend my time building a plane only to have the longer hons cave in during the covering process because they are too light. Also I don't want to use a power sander because the wood is too hard. I bought a Herr RC kit not too long ago and ended up replacing most of the stick wood because it was too soft, so the problem is not just with Guillows, its everyone. While I am on the subject of replacing wood, My Guillows SE5 came with heavy laser cut wood, too heavy for freeflight. That's OK because I replaced the wood and built a good flyer and I am happy with it. I keep the old wood for practice if I want to try out a new covering or painting technique. I for one do not want to spend all my time building a plane and only to ruin it at the end because I wanted to experiment. Like the SE5, I used the old wood, threw the plane together in a day, and practiced my silkspan application and color dope brushing skills. So don't throw away the old wood because it comes in handy when experimenting with new building techniques.

[heywooood]

its a good point and nothing is ever wasted - I carry about 10% of whats left over from a kit build to the next kit...whether its a wood grade issue - or a matter of me wanting to use 3/32" stringers over the supplied 1/16" thick ones - or whatever.

All I am suggesting is that it would be nice if the person kitting these things was a builder, either for show or flight...instead of a person without that background - then the selection process would improve overnight and we would be having a different discussion entirely

[ADW 123]

oops here is the one i meant to post

[Supercubber95]

That looks awesome! Good job!

[ADW 123]

thanks for the coments.

the wing is pretty much complete now. the M parts have been rounded so you can movt the flaps more. no i can start on the construction of the tail surfaces, which shouldnt be harder to make than the wing or fuselage so im sure i will sail through them. pics when i have more progress to show.

[Xanadu]

You seem to be quite miffed with this kit. Maybe it would be best to shelve it for awhile and do something else. Last thing you would want to do is get yourself into such a tizzy that you lose interest in the art of building.

[ADW 123]

im not to crazed over this kit. its actually been going pretty smoothly. i started putting the stab together, and its going to be a pain i took the rest of the day off from it and will come back to it tomorrow.

[ADW 123]

alright, some more progress. wing done. stab just about done. im sure im forgetting some little things, and just need to remember. the rudder is gunna be a pain. the construction for it is just dumb. so, we will just hang in there. here we are now-