Official FlightLine F4U-1A Corsair 1600mm (63") Wingspan

[Elbee]

Hey Y'all,

Tamms and I are heading out to the largest flying field (Lake Afton) I know of in the area in just a bit.

Winds are still higher than I like (South at 15-18 mph and gusty by my little weather station) for a first check flight, but nothing beats a failure like a try.

We'll see once we're out there if the winds will cooperate.

In any event, I should get my actual range check and long taxi tests out of the way.

CG at or near 105 with a 5500 mah pack all the way forward,

I am bringing along a 6200 mah just because those are all I have after the one 5500.

Pictures no matter what, but this is about the check flight, so trust all will go as expected, .

More when there is more.

Best, LB

[Elbee]

A very handsome model. :man: The Corsair's not too shabby either. (Must've expected that with such an easy setup) 🤣

I showed Tamms your post and she asked that you not encourage me further.

Between the wind, commitments here at the homestead: read, "but you promised.", and getting new shoes for my C70, looks like Monday/Tuesday for the check flight.

Really looking forward to that, btw, might use Tamm's DJI camera drone, if she's up for it and get some aerial shots.

Kind of a lot to do for the first check flight, but we'll see.

Best, Steve

[Hugh Wiedman]

Hey y'all,

Taxi test done, needed about a 1/4" of right rudder trim to straighten the tail wheel.

Adjusted the tail wheel steering linkage and all is well.

Tamms took some vid and pics of a 'proud papa'.

With some luck, first check flight nearer the end of the week, as lawn maintenance, fall chores, and higher winds than I like are imminent for a few days.

Best, LB

A very handsome model. :man: The Corsair's not too shabby either. (Must've expected that with such an easy setup) 🤣

[davegee]

Great looking bird. Love the open canopy and weathering...

Great pics of you and the new "baby!" Best of luck for an awesome maiden flight and safe return to mother Earth!

davegee

[Elbee]

Craig, thank you, as you've been an inspiration without knowing it. Your 'call-sign' pretty well covers it, Sir. Best, Steve

[Elbee]

Fast N Light,

Thank you.

I am happy how it finished out.

Learned a lot on this build, weathering was a challenge as I had not done anything like this.

The shades of blue were the thing. Opposite sides of the color wheel worked well.

I must have recalled that from the single day I was in a high school art class.

Pastels in yellows, some purples, gray, graphite, even some pale blue, browns.and a bit-o-black.

I'd do a section, wing top for example, wait and look at it the next day, add some, remove some and move on.

Even did a wet wash of pale yellow-brown which didn't end well, but provided a great base.

The two base blues are Mig-Ammo acrylic (ANA 608 & 606), so any addition of pastels doesn't wash off completely, but ended up working in my favor.

Another happy accident.

Water is really all you can use on the finish w/o lifting the colors, so I just added more of the pastels and rubbed it in, changing colors as I progressed.

Simple once you take the prescribed medicines (gin&tonic in my case) and begin again.

In any case, perseverance is the thing, just keep goin' till it looks decent.

Thank again for the kind words, Sir.

Best, Steve

[Fast N Light]

Hey y'all,

Taxi test done, needed about a 1/4" of right rudder trim to straighten the tail wheel.

Adjusted the tail wheel steering linkage and all is well.

Tamms took some vid and pics of a 'proud papa'.

With some luck, first check flight nearer the end of the week, as lawn maintenance, fall chores, and higher winds than I like are imminent for a few days.

Best, LB

Great looking bird. Love the open canopy and weathering...

[f4u ausie]

Yes 1 heck of a smile. The smile on your face is big too,,, looks stunning:stuck_out_tongue:

[Elbee]

Thank you again my friend. Means a great deal to me. I've been smiling for hours and hours. It took a lot of will power 'not' to go looking for a flat spot in an empty parking lot. Woo-hoo, Daddio!

[Elbee]

My 'change' of hair color started in my early 40's. I asked my Mom, "what is up with this?" She replied that I will be grateful in the years to come. Mothers are never wrong about such things. LOL.

[Aros]

Hair? My hair color is bald! Lucky sons of guns with hair color to talk about, lol!

My goodness Elbee what a museum piece. :corair1::corair1::corair1::corair1::corair1::cora ir1::corair1:

[jetfool]

Elbee,
Getting closer and closer to test flight day. Corsair looks really great in the sunshine. We both have the same color of hair LOL

[Elbee]

Hey y'all,

Taxi test done, needed about a 1/4" of right rudder trim to straighten the tail wheel.

Adjusted the tail wheel steering linkage and all is well.

Tamms took some vid and pics of a 'proud papa'.

With some luck, first check flight nearer the end of the week, as lawn maintenance, fall chores, and higher winds than I like are imminent for a few days.

Best, LB

[Elbee]

Thanks Craig, will do...err...won't do...err...ya know what I mean.

[f4u ausie]

Will be like flying one of rembrants best... they all need to come off the wall just once... not to much quick throttle either. On launch..Biiigg prop.. put mine on its back twice as a learner.. tuff as nailes no damage.. flip it over go again bout half throttle.. so when the time comes.. u wont need it but(good luck) skill always outways that

[Elbee]

Hugh Wiedman

Thank you, Hugh for the advice, I have been reading your Corsair posts for all your helpful tips.

Back in the "Days of Yore" flaps were a scale feature for the 'big boys', so I had no knowledge of the benefits in my model aircraft.

We were happy in our ignorance and just marched on like we knew what we were doin' trying to keep the wing-loading below 40 oz/sq ft/

That said, no take off flaps for me, let her rise to the occasion on her own.

As for landing, flaps there, but 'fly her home' has been your 'modus operandi' and I will certainly follow your sage advice.

I am excited about this flying this one, it's been awhile since I could say that.

Thanks again, Hugh.

Best, Steve

[Hugh Wiedman]

Evan D davegee

She weighs in at 11.75 lbs 'wet' with the correct CG of 100mm aft of the LE.

That's 38+ ounces per square foot of wing loading using a trapezoid equation for the wing shape. +/- for the rounded tip (700sq in).

Feel free to check my math. :flushed:

I've flown heavier but not at this wingspan.

Same calculations for OEM equals an 8+lb airframe and 26.3+ oz/sq, roughly 44% lighter :astonished:

Whoa, this'll be fun.

Taxi test today in the driveway to avoid any temptation.

Lighter winds forecasted for tomorrow, so "God willin' and the creek don't rise," first flight test on Sunday somewhere.

Best, Steve

I have no idea how much mine weighs in at, nor do I plan on putting it on the scale. I won't get on a scale either, nor will my CO, so we just go with it. With that said, I'm sure my Corsair is quite heavy, fully loaded weights in cowl and a few more chunks of lead to get 5mm behind manual (no more to be safe-and I'm one who flies all my jets at least 25-35mm behind manual, but not the Corsair or Spitty).

I do have modified engine cowls (not the LB ones), a modified cockpit, full body warbirds.com moving head pilot, sound card and 2 transducers, a ton of paint, 4 coats of clear spar varnish, robart wheels, etc. And I'm using a SMC 5900 HiV. So I got some weight.

My only recommendation is don't let it take off too soon, as it desperately wants to lift off before you have enough ground speed. Keep the nose level or even slightly down on your take off run till you're ready. On landing approach, I come in at a whopping 45% throttle, then land level at 35% throttle. So dont get too slow.

[davegee]

:face_with_monocle:

Craig,

Great minds think alike, as they say (who are "they" I wonder).

I remembered there was sufficient foam in the lower front fuselage when I had chopped the nose off to add the cowl flaps and faux P&W R2800.

I used a 5/8^th inch sharpened brass tube to cut 4 round holes 2 inches deep into the fuse, designed and printed some tubes, and ran over to Wal-Mart to get some 1 oz fishing sinkers (paks-o-3).

I dipped the sinkers in 30 minute epoxy and dropped 2 each into the 2 inch long one ended tubes. Overall weight average 2.12+ oz.

These slip nicely into the lower fuselage front behind the cowl.

I will lightly glue each tube in place to avoid egging out the foam over time from strafing runs and low-level bomb drops.

I can easily add up to 8+ oz and can always cut holes in other portions of the fuse front if I need more counter balance.

I had reinforced the nose section with carbon fiber tube when adding the cowl flap mod, so there is plenty of added structure to support the 2-8 oz I can add.

Also, I should lose some overall weight as these weights are much further forward than the battery compartment, so better leverage.

I'll do CG checks again tomorrow and let you know how it goes.

Best, Steve

I LIke your plan!!👍👍👍

[Elbee]

Or some epoxy inside the nose cone with the weights. Further forward it is u will need less

:face_with_monocle:

Craig,

Great minds think alike, as they say (who are "they" I wonder).

I remembered there was sufficient foam in the lower front fuselage when I had chopped the nose off to add the cowl flaps and faux P&W R2800.

I used a 5/8^th inch sharpened brass tube to cut 4 round holes 2 inches deep into the fuse, designed and printed some tubes, and ran over to Wal-Mart to get some 1 oz fishing sinkers (paks-o-3).

I dipped the sinkers in 30 minute epoxy and dropped 2 each into the 2 inch long one ended tubes. Overall weight average 2.12+ oz.

These slip nicely into the lower fuselage front behind the cowl.

I will lightly glue each tube in place to avoid egging out the foam over time from strafing runs and low-level bomb drops.

I can easily add up to 8+ oz and can always cut holes in other portions of the fuse front if I need more counter balance.

I had reinforced the nose section with carbon fiber tube when adding the cowl flap mod, so there is plenty of added structure to support the 2-8 oz I can add.

Also, I should lose some overall weight as these weights are much further forward than the battery compartment, so better leverage.

I'll do CG checks again tomorrow and let you know how it goes.

Best, Steve

[f4u ausie]

Or some epoxy inside the nose cone with the weights. Futher forward it is u will need less