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

[jetfool]

Folks, Santa is real!
My wife and kids really out did themselves on getting ole Dad R/C goodies this year. Then today a Secret Santa sent in the mail some special goodies for my Corsair, pictures enclosed.
Today was spent sanding the little stars and seams off the model to give a smooth finish. Then I decided to add the scale trim tabs on the Rudder and Elevator. It is still a work in process as it takes a little time to make up and install (or maybe I'm just slow) Also show the Robart wheels with the spacers that allow clearance for the oleos to function and not hit the wheel. Wheels retract without hitting doors, still need to trim axle length.
A BIG THANK YOU to that Secret Santa - just goes to show R/C"s are a big friendly family.

[Elbee]

Ho, Ho, Ho!!!

[davegee]

Folks, Santa is real!
My wife and kids really out did themselves on getting ole Dad R/C goodies this year. Then today a Secret Santa sent in the mail some special goodies for my Corsair, pictures enclosed.
Today was spent sanding the little stars and seams off the model to give a smooth finish. Then I decided to add the scale trim tabs on the Rudder and Elevator. It is still a work in process as it takes a little time to make up and install (or maybe I'm just slow) Also show the Robart wheels with the spacers that allow clearance for the oleos to function and not hit the wheel. Wheels retract without hitting doors, still need to trim axle length.
A BIG THANK YOU to that Secret Santa - just goes to show R/C"s are a big friendly family.

You're off to a flying start!! (not sure if a pun is intended there, or not!)

[jetfool]

Davegee,

Having fun and using the old brain waves to figure the details out. Really going pretty quick not having to spend time to build, now I can just enjoy the finishing process. Planning on taking it outside later this week to taxi and get the ground travel tracking correct. Do you Toe-in or slight Toe-out for yours? The early birdcages didn't have the footstep in the flap, so I need to fill that in. Dave, do you know if the early birdcage had the stall strip installed or was this put on the F4U-1A after the British did? I can't see any stall strips on this version.
Hopefully the weather warms up to get outside. Our New Year's Day fly is at the field, and I have made skis for my motion piper cub to to/land. Back on the elevator trim tabs today.

Happy New Year, Rex

[Aros]

Excellent work as usual Elbee and you too jetfool.

I would give my eye-teeth (a highly odd visual, btw) if the pilot and cockpit came stock like that. And don't get me started on the working cowl flaps! Bravo Zulu!

[Elbee]

Hah, define "King's Ransom". :-) Thanks, Brother.

[jetfool]

A slow day today but did add the trim tabs to the elevator and filled the production seams with filler.. Sanding will follow tomorrow then bolted to fus. to fill all non-scale seams in that area.

Best Regards, Rex

[davegee]

A slow day today but did add the trim tabs to the elevator and filled the production seams with filler.. Sanding will follow tomorrow then bolted to fus. to fill all non-scale seams in that area.

Best Regards, Rex

Coming along well, Rex! The Corsair especially intrigued me with all the cool design features, like the balance panels/trim tabs on the elevators. You may already be planning this when you finally finish sanding, prepping, and painting the tail feathers, but you can use a silver sharpie or something to make it look like screws on each of the round inspection cover plates on the top left and bottom right horizontal stab, 5 circular inspection covers on each. They are arranged in a triangle near the outer edges of each inspection cover. I had a friend who sent me a sheet of adhesive backed scale screw heads years ago and I used them, but a silver sharpie works well, too. Also some on the vertical fin, perhaps you've already got a plan if you want to add this level of detail.

Keep up the good work, enjoy seeing your progress pics!

davegee

[jetfool]

Davegee,

Thanks for the advice. I was thinking of using a small brass tube 3/32? to embellish the circular head then a small Phillips screwdriver to make an imprint and paint. Will practice on scrap first to see what works best. Rex

[davegee]

Davegee,

Thanks for the advice. I was thinking of using a small brass tube 3/32? to embellish the circular head then a small Phillips screwdriver to make an imprint and paint. Will practice on scrap first to see what works best. Rex

that's a good technique. Good luck!

Davegee

[Elbee]

https://youtu.be/n8h3JGFw2jo

https://youtu.be/JS33mmco25k

Hey Corsair Crew,

Well, I asked 'she whose authority exceeds my rank' to help me film a couple vids showing the functioning sliding canopy and engine cowl flaps.

These are my first vids, so we'll see how ewetoob responds or whatever it is they do when you publish.

I published these as 'unlisted', so let me know if these even work here at the "Squawk". I am the videographer so feel free to critique my technique.

Best and Happy New Year to all y'all, LB

[jetfool]

Elbee,

Videos works great. Outstanding operation on both. Got me thinking of working flaps. Best Regards, Rex

[davegee]

https://youtu.be/n8h3JGFw2jo

https://youtu.be/JS33mmco25k

Hey Corsair Crew,

Well, I asked 'she whose authority exceeds my rank' to help me film a couple vids showing the functioning sliding canopy and engine cowl flaps.

These are my first vids, so we'll see how ewetoob responds or whatever it is they do when you publish.

I published these are 'unlisted', so let me know if these even work here at the "Squawk". I am the videographer so feel free to critique my technique.

Best and Happy New Year to all y'all, LB

Those look great, LB! Can the speed of the opening and closing of the cowl flaps and the canopy opening and closing be slowed a bit to a more realistic speed that the real ones would have?

Well done!

davegee

[Elbee]

Those look great, LB! Can the speed of the opening and closing of the cowl flaps and the canopy opening and closing be slowed a bit to a more realistic speed that the real ones would have?

Well done!

davegee

Dave, in a single word, yes. For demo purposes the canopy is on a toggle and the cowl flaps are on the VR Knob, so Tamms was just-a-flippin'-n-a-rotatin' to her little heart's content.

My thought is to have canopy open/cowl flaps open during any taxi time and closed for all flight time, so not certain that speed is an issue.

It has been suggested that I "Y" the cowl flaps to the "Throttle", though I am concerned about high speed durability, we'll know when we know.

In any event I must have the 'money shot' photo/video of gear down, flaps down, cowl flaps open, canopy open on final.

Best, LB

[davegee]

Dave, in a single word, yes. For demo purposes the canopy is on a toggle and the cowl flaps are on the VR Knob, so Tamms was just-a-flippin'-n-a-rotatin' to her little heart's content.

My thought is to have canopy open/cowl flaps open during any taxi time and closed for all flight time, so not certain that speed is an issue.

It has been suggested that I "Y" the cowl flaps to the "Throttle", though I am concerned about high speed durability, we'll know when we know.

In any event I must have the 'money shot' photo/video of gear down, flaps down, cowl flaps open, canopy open on final.

Best, LB

I like those ideas, LB. Certainly want that money shot of the whole shebang open or extended to show all the work you've done on it. I was thinking besides that, you will undoubtedly do demos for people on the ground, possibly some media outlets like RC magazines, etc., where having them operate at a scale speed would be advantageous and no doubt appreciated by the informed viewer. You're right, once it is up in the air, it is tough to really discern all these features with the naked eye.

Regarding the position of the cowl flaps, I would think you'd want them open for all ground operations, and then closed during the flight, except for photo opportunities. So, if you want to show it realistically on the ground with the cowl flaps open, you could entertain putting it on a roller or rotational knob to manually position the cowl flaps as desired. We used a rotary knob on the top of the transmitter for flights, wasn't much of a problem as it wasn't a critical thing to get to right away, but more when it was convenient to do so.

I used to do major competitions with 1/5 scale gasser warbirds with things like the working canopy (pneumatic) and moveable cowl flaps (electric via servo). In the air, most probably couldn't tell if they were open or closed, except if they had a good camera with a telephoto lens to record how it looked. But on the ground, these features were very popular and impressive to other scale warbird modelers.

Have fun with the airplane as you approach the conclusion of a very successful and entertaining to follow build. Can't wait to see it fly someday! I hope you'll have a good photographer with good equipment to record a flight or two for posterity!

Cheers

davegee

[Elbee]

davegee much appreciated, Dave, as always. The mods I do, I do mostly just to see if I can, if that makes sense.

But flying, which has been tough here this past year, is its own reward and seeing what I see in my mind's eye in the air puts a big-ol-smile on this wrinkly old face.
Accolades from you guys here are more important than photo opps or mag coverage. I've had my 15 minutes of fame years ago .

A note: the wings are going to be adventurous as well. Adding the upper NAV lights and lower Comm lights along with all the new paint work.

There's plenty work left, but turning this corner is a major task completed.

Best, LB

[jetfool]

I totally agree with Davegee, Elbee. Your build needs to be a feature article in a major model mag. At least photos of the finished plane showing what can be accomplished. I hope MAN, AMA, ect. would see this and take action to publicize. Your talents are outstanding. Shoot, Motion RC should add this to their literature showing what this plane can be turned into. I can't wait to see this model in its finished form. I'd also like to be at the maiden to see the big grin on your face. Rex

[Elbee]

I am hoping that 'the lovely and talented Tamms' will shoot some good footage with her big Mavic drone for the first check flight. We'll cross that airfield when we get to it.

[davegee]

davegee much appreciated, Dave, as always. The mods I do, I do mostly just to see if I can, if that makes sense.

But flying, which has been tough here this past year, is its own reward and seeing what I see in my mind's eye in the air puts a big-ol-smile on this wrinkly old face.
Accolades from you guys here are more important than photo opps or mag coverage. I've had my 15 minutes of fame years ago .

A note: the wings are going to be adventurous as well. Adding the upper NAV lights and lower Comm lights along with all the new paint work.

There's plenty work left, but turning this corner is a major task completed.

Best, LB

I totally understand and appreciate your feelings on this project, and others at this stage of our lives. If I can be of any assistance in the future, I'm more than happy to help if I can. I think it's neat how people can pour their hearts and minds into a project, and others can and do take inspiration to push themselves to accomplish something that maybe they weren't sure they could do, at first.

Best,

davegee

[Aros]

I sure hope FLightLine's R&D department is watching those videos! I would be STOKED if the next versions came with those features! Well done as usual Elbee!

[Elbee]

Aros &

[Coconut]

FlightLine's R&D department???? They still have a job??? Haven't heard from them in years.

Nice work, Elbee. Would love to see this plane and your collection. I'm not far from you. I'm in Wichita and have this Corsair NIB for almost a year now.

[Elbee]

Great comment LOL. Do you fly at the Chapin Facility (WRCC)? Are Afton and Cheney Lakes still an option? I am in Hutchinson and joined the Newton Club this past Summer as it is an AMA facility and relatively close.

[Coconut]

I fly at Afton. Where is the Newton Club? They just opened an indoor racetrack in Newton that I'm thinking about joining. I like indoor racing.