Official FlightLine RC 1200mm F8F-1 Bearcat Thread

[Alpha]

Let us all know what you think about it, WrightBrosRC! Our Bearcat turns three years old this month, but it's still a crowd pleaser and we plan to keep it in the lineup for a very long time.

[WrightBrosRC]

Mine arrives later today. I'll post some pics. I purchased mine based heavily upon the level of quality I have experienced with two other Flightline products in my hangar and the promise of the metal upgrades to the gear assembliy. I hope I am not disappointed.

[Grossman56]

Great, hopefully they have, but I doubt it.

I'm checking out some struts with the hope of finding an upgrade.

Grossman56

[Guy.Caputo@bex.net]

Just bought the MRC Scratch & Dent. I will open it up this weekend and take some pics and post for you all.

[Grossman56]

If they are improved landing gear, it would sure be a welcomed upgrade! Anyone getting a new Bearcat, snap some pics and let us all in on it.

Grossman56

[Builda]

The struts now are listed as metal, with a metal backing plate and 4mm struts, anyone get a recent one with these retracts? that would be a big improvement! I have ripped out my struts several times and gone thri several sets of wings because of severe damage when they rip out, also am supporting beacon foam tac. This is what it now says on the plane description for retracts: I have not flown mine in a while due to the retracts, and yes I am flying with a 4000 mah and still added a lot of lead to the inside of the cowl to balance

• Electric retractable landing gear with metal trunions, metal reinforcement plate and 4mm steel wire struts

That's the very retracts I have had in my one countless times. I've actually put the optional upgrade motor and 2 blade prop on now and decided the retracts will only be for takeoff until they prove that they can be relied on. Ifd still like a sea fury, and I really like the liberator-i haven't looked at that thread though to see what its gripes are...YET.

[Mikeinlutz]

The struts now are listed as metal, with a metal backing plate and 4mm struts, anyone get a recent one with these retracts? that would be a big improvement! I have ripped out my struts several times and gone thri several sets of wings because of severe damage when they rip out, also am supporting beacon foam tac. This is what it now says on the plane description for retracts: I have not flown mine in a while due to the retracts, and yes I am flying with a 4000 mah and still added a lot of lead to the inside of the cowl to balance

• Electric retractable landing gear with metal trunions, metal reinforcement plate and 4mm steel wire struts

[Grossman56]

Hmmm, interesting.....
Flew mine stock with a 4000 all the way forward and didn't have to add weight, it was one of the easiest maidens out of all the planes, I did and still do have an
A3L in mine. Now with the upgraded 650 kv motor and FMS 1400 mm Corsair prop on the front, I had to add a pad of weight to the tail.
As I've reiterated several times before, this plane will stand on its tail and go vertical as long as you want it to. It will probably hover, but I haven't tried that (yet)
I agree with all that the weak part of the design is the landing gear. The amount of torque from the wheel to the gear base tends to mean a lot of gear popping out of the wings. Retract-wise, mine have been fine, but it really needs an upgraded landing strut with a shock absorbing mechanism. The second biggest problem I have is getting the gear to capture the inner door wires. Works fine on the ground, but in the air, it gets stuck more often than not.
Last time the gear separated from the wing, I used Epoxy to remount it. I've tried FoamTac and its ok, but it needs that little bit more (needs to go to eleven) (The movie Spinal Tap if you didn't know)
At Riverton, they have a very rough surfaced runway and it will peel the gear out just about every time, so grass landings, I would imagine, are out as well.
All in all though, a fun little airplane and I have recommended it to a few of the fellows as a first warbird as they love mine.

Grossman56

[Builda]

I have only used Admiral 4000, 4S in my Bearcat. I had to add 6 ounces of lead to the inside of the dummy radial in addition to the battery to get it to balance slightly nose down. No tail heavy tendencies after that... A lot of weight to add, but without it, the plane was almost uncontrollable without 65 percent expo on the elevator. Now it flies beautifully.

I have an A3-L gyro in all my planes, but it certainly is not necessary. No issues on the gear, except that occasionally the aerodynamic forces on the gear doors pop them open in flight... Hope this helps. Sorry yours have been so problematic...

I thought Dynam retracts were bad until I got this plane!! It’s certainly changed my mind about buying anything else flightline because it’s more expensive than Dynam but just as problematic in the retract dept (in my experience) and it seems just about all the warbirds use the same retract unit :(shame cause I was going to buy a Sea Fury too but I’m not so sure now. I’m starting to think I might stick to FMS or Freewing!

[Hardway]

Even with the heavy battery and the 6 ounces of lead, it lands fairly slow with full flaps deployed. Don't drag it in; land it on the mains and let it roll out.... :Cool:

[Hardway]

Has everyone seen the post on MRC site that says to fly this plane with nothing under 4000mah otherwise it’s tail heavy? That’s a big lipo for such a small bird, but I’ve had no end of tail heavy issues with mine and I’ve only flown it 2 times. The retracts on this plane are a joke-I’ve had 8 PAIRS of retracts in this plane to find 2 that don’t die after being operated more than 2 times! I had actually decided to make it a belly lander and went and got the power upgrade and 2 blade prop for it-am yet to try it out. I just wondered if any of you have flown it with a 4000mah 4s in (and if y’all have also had retract unit issues with it)

I have only used Admiral 4000, 4S in my Bearcat. I had to add 6 ounces of lead to the inside of the dummy radial in addition to the battery to get it to balance slightly nose down. No tail heavy tendencies after that... A lot of weight to add, but without it, the plane was almost uncontrollable without 65 percent expo on the elevator. Now it flies beautifully.

I have an A3-L gyro in all my planes, but it certainly is not necessary. No issues on the gear, except that occasionally the aerodynamic forces on the gear doors pop them open in flight... Hope this helps. Sorry yours have been so problematic...

[dkalwishky]

I fly mine with a 3600 4S all the way forward, I added some nose weight in front of the batter (1/2oz I think). Properly balanced the planes flies beautifully. I love mine.

[Builda]

Has everyone seen the post on MRC site that says to fly this plane with nothing under 4000mah otherwise it’s tail heavy? That’s a big lipo for such a small bird, but I’ve had no end of tail heavy issues with mine and I’ve only flown it 2 times. The retracts on this plane are a joke-I’ve had 8 PAIRS of retracts in this plane to find 2 that don’t die after being operated more than 2 times! I had actually decided to make it a belly lander and went and got the power upgrade and 2 blade prop for it-am yet to try it out. I just wondered if any of you have flown it with a 4000mah 4s in (and if y’all have also had retract unit issues with it)

[fhhuber]

How to stiffen the top of the rudder? Flips over on landing. Right now using tape. Be nice if the whole tali assembly was replaceable instead of buy a whole fuse.
BTW, found a solution on landing on grass, use packing tape on the top and bottom of the wing around the retract, to stop the retract from pulling out and taking part of the wing with it

Get a long drill bit and CAREFULLY drill parallel to the leading edge appx 3 diameters (of the chosen CF tube) back and insert a CF tube using one of the expanding foam glues. (Gorilla Ployurethane, Gorilla Dries White... other brands) The drilled hole should be a loose fit on the CF tube.

Be sure you won't drill through any wires or hit the pushrods, etc... and you can often run the tube from top of the fin to the bottom of the fuselage.

Standard procedure for stiffening a foam tail surface. Slot in or drill a passage for a CF tube. You can substitute bamboo cooking skewer for the CF, but its heavier.

Modifying most EPO models for higher speed, you need to add the stiffness and strength to the tail surfaces. So, we've learned to do it.

[Mikeinlutz]

How to stiffen the top of the rudder? Flips over on landing. Right now using tape. Be nice if the whole tali assembly was replaceable instead of buy a whole fuse.
BTW, found a solution on landing on grass, use packing tape on the top and bottom of the wing around the retract, to stop the retract from pulling out and taking part of the wing with it

[F106DeltaDart]

Had a close call today with the Bearcat. I was pulling up from a low pass, and noticed a flash of something seemingly falling off the aircraft. I did a low pass and didn’t see anything, and finish out my flight. When I taxied back in after landing, I was surprised to find my right flap linkage dragging across the ground! The control horn pulled out, and was dangling beneath the aircraft for most of the flight. Glad it was windy, so I never used any flaps today!

[Grossman56]

I run mine from the inner most hole on the servo control arm to the outer most hole of the aileron control arm.

As you can see in the picture

Grossman56

[RRHandy]

Glues don't stay stuck to EPO

.

FOAM-Tac, sticks and sticks well, I have gotten into the habit of grabbing the gear of a new plane and pulling the gear and pocket out and foam-tacing them in good, any surface that has contact to the foam gets glue. How many times have you seen a gear and pocket come out on a good landing yet alone bad one just to see that there is little glue, after the re-glue I've had the wing rip and the gear bend but still in place.
Dynam plates are just as bad, I have to glue the plates in just like the pocket style, think surface area when ever you glue thing.

Ron.

[Fallguy44]

In case anyone searches for this in the future, I took a clevis from my Eflite p47 razorback and used them on the ailerons. The thread size is the same but the stud that goes into the control horn is a larger diameter and fits the larger hole perfectly

[Fallguy44]

I didn't have that on mine, but since there's a little slop using the first hole, just go with the second. You will still have plenty of throw. But make sure you use the second hole on both ailerons so you won't have differential throws.

Thanks. Weird that mine is different. Anyone else