F6F fuselage formers engineering drawings

[p51flier]

Hi everybody!

This is my first posting in this forum. It really makes me wonder that I did not join ww2aircraft earlier but due to some strange reasons I did not know about the existance of this forum. However, now I found it and I immediately registered.

My prob: I'm just designing a giant 110" wingspan Hellcat with CAD. I have collected allmost every known data about the Hellcat (Aero Detail, Detail Scale, in Action, etc.). I have found a lot of photos, views and also cross sections of the fuselage. And, guess what, all these x scections show different fuselage shapes.
It would be really great if someone could provide me the exact shape of the fuse formers. Maybe from orginal Grumman engineering drawings or from the Erection Maintenance Manual in which I guess (haven't seen one personally) these drawings may also be included.

Any information is greatly appreciated.
Joe

 

[ccheese]

Sorry, I can't help you with the Hellcat.
Welcome to the forum.... Enjoy your stay.

Charles

 

[Micdrow]

Sorry I cant help either all Ive got is part of a copy of a parts manual for a hellcat but it does not have dimentions on anything. Welcome to the forum though

 

[GADGET]

I am having the same problem with the F4U sections for making a 1:1 cockpit.

The only solution is adressing somebody that could provide "real" drawings and not profiles for magazines.

I have been adressed to these guys by serious aircraft crafters involved in restoration projects: Aircraft Manuals - Military, Amphibian, Maintenance - Flight Handbooks ... but still no answer (two days only)

By the way... I would also appreciate it if someone could help with the Corsair cockpit project.

 

[Wuerger190]

Joe, look up a copy of the Maru Mechanic on the Hellcat. It has some great technical illustrations that I am sure you'll find useful.

Furthermore Arthur Bentley did a set of very accurate Hellcat scale drawings. Contact him through his website about it: http://www.albentley-drawings.com

 

[p51flier]

Thank you very much Wuerger190,

I thought I have everything about the Hellcat. Obviously I'm wrong. These Maru Mechanic books look great. I just sent an email to cahood.com for the international shipping costs.

I'm also going to send Arthur Bentley an email.

thanks
Joe

 

[10tweaker]

I'm not sure how helpful it would be, but I seem to remember seeing some decent drawings on airwar.ru (?) some time back. I printed a few of their drawings and they would probably do o.k. for modelling--just depends on the individual I suppose. Good luck!

 

[p51flier]

Yes, the russian site is helpful. The side/top/bottom views are all correct. And they have seperate drawings for the -3 and -5 model. But concerning the x-sections of the fuse there are the expected discrepancies with all the other drawings. Meanwhile I've refurbished my CAD model based on Aero Detail and a lot of pictures. I've also cut the first foam parts for the fuse plug. That fuse is going to be quite impressive. The former behind the cockpit is some 20" high.

Joe

 

[Dalar]

I have an excellent set of Hellcat technical drawings by Willis Nye from an old Model Airplane News issue. The original magazine is long gone so I can't tell you what issue, however the drawings include a series of X-sections that might just be what your looking for. If your interested I can try to scan and upload them for you.

 

[p51flier]

Something seems to be wrong with my outlook. I did not get any replies about new postings.
However, I just glued the fuse segements in place and I started sanding them. Until the end of the year I hope to apply the fist coat of epoxy/glass.

Dalar,
it would be really great if you could scan the Nye drawings for me!

Joe

 

[Franco]

The Maru Mechanic F6F book is currently listed in the Arawasi (.jp) sale catalog. Send them an e-mail for details on availability, since the series is long out of print. I bought my copy more than twenty years ago, and I can assure you that it's the best technical reference on the subject, with plenty of material taken from both the E&M and Pilot's Handbook manuals.

To me, the drawings from Airwar.ru pretty resemble Arthur Bentley's prints and blueprints which were many moons ago available in the Map (Scale Models) plan packs. Given the author, I would rely on their accuracy. Write to Bentley and ask him (who knows) if he's going to re-release the pack or either the copyright is still property of Map.

Hope this helps.

 

[p51flier]

Meanwhile I am glassing the plug of the fuselage. Intense search in the web and the Maru Mechanic F6F book which I got from a shop in the USA revealed further discrepancies in the known views. But these errors are limited to the air outlets at the bottoem of the fuse and the transition from the fuse to the wing. It is not a big problem to mold this areas according to the pictures I've found so far. However, I also have to make some minor changes according to the major rule of making a negative mold - NO undercuts!

 

[Hugh_T]

Hi Joe. Excuse my lateness in replying to your post. I am currently working on creating ordinate spreadsheets for the F6f Hellcat, which at this time include the wings and fuselage. Currently working on the cowl, vertical and horizontal stabilisers. These are derived from the Grumman drawings and modelled in CAD to verify the data. I am updating the blog as the project develops. Hugh's TechNotes