If you can't make it to Gaydon 2011......

[Steve Rickett 2333]

If you are like me, and can't make it to Gaydon this year then I thought we could perhaps put our latest projects on show on the website.....

For the past 10 months I have been working on a new design from Jerry Bates. This Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat is just under 1/5th scale and spans 96". I have put a Zenoah 80 in the front and will be using Century Jet retracts (After being let down by another American retract company!) I hope it will weigh about 30-33lbs and is just about ready for the surface detailing to begin.

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Just to give you a feel for the atmosphere during those photos...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqxZUGh7RMo

[Neil Hutchinson]

Hi Steve,

Good to see you're progressing with your Hellcat. Interested in your choice of undercarriage - how do you rate the CJ gear?

TTFN,
Neil

[Steve Rickett 2333]

Hi Neil,

I haven't got them yet! I'll let you know.....

[Phil Clark]

........and to complement Steve's new Hellcat (& Andrews F7F Tigercat) I have a Bates 1/5 Grumman Wildcat (91.25" span) on the go..............

To be more precise, I purchased this airframe 2nd hand around a year ago, and it's sat untouched until recently. With my current 'personal' situation ongoing, my own building time is somewhat non existent, so my Dad has taken on the renovation of this model. In general, it was in good condition, but following some checks, it was discovered one wing panel had 2 degrees washout (as per plan), but the other had 1.5 degrees wash in!!!!!!!!!!!! (that'll be the cause of the scraped wingtip then!!)

Before a new wing panel was made, we decided to see if the sheeting could be removed from the underide of the bad wing to allow it to be rejigged and resheeted.....luckily the original builder used very little glue and the sheeting came of dead easy (the good wing will now receive the same treatement and a good flooding of thin CA to harden all joints up just to be on the safe side). The panel has since be rejigged (in a jig to match the good panel), resheeted, glassed, primed etc... and is currently being redetailed.

There are a few minor issues on the fuz as well.....mainly hinging & linkage related that need sorting in order for this airframe to stand up to our usual level of abuse. Once complete, she'll be receiving a ZG62 up front and a complete respray.

Here's a few photos as she was when purchesed last year......

[Phil Clark]

....and here's the current front runner for new colour scheme...............

(& once my 'life' is back on track, I'll have a 1/5 Bearcat on the go as well ........86", ZG80 up front, Sierra 'articulating' retracts).