F6F fuselage formers engineering drawings - Aircraft of World War II

p51flier · 10-25-2007, 10:46 AM

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 · 10-25-2007, 11:59 AM

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

Charles

Micdrow · 10-25-2007, 08:37 PM

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 · 10-26-2007, 04:14 AM

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 · 11-27-2007, 06:25 AM

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 · 11-27-2007, 09:19 AM

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 · 11-27-2007, 05:50 PM

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 · 11-28-2007, 02:32 AM

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 · 11-30-2007, 04:12 PM

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 · 12-12-2007, 03:39 AM

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 · 01-21-2008, 07:00 AM

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 · 01-21-2008, 07:23 AM

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!

10-25-2007, 10:46 AM	#1
p51flier Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Austria, Tirol Posts: 8	F6F fuselage formers engineering drawings 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 Last edited by p51flier; 10-25-2007 at 10:50 AM.

10-25-2007, 11:59 AM	#2
ccheese Older Than Dirt Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia Posts: 7,309	Sorry, I can't help you with the Hellcat. Welcome to the forum.... Enjoy your stay. Charles __________________ I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day. Tomorrow doesn't look good either....

10-25-2007, 08:37 PM	#3
Micdrow “Archive” Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 4,852	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 __________________ "Valor does not mean Hero."

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10-26-2007, 04:14 AM	#4
GADGET Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 46	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.

11-27-2007, 06:25 AM	#5
Wuerger190 Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 19	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

11-27-2007, 09:19 AM	#6
p51flier Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Austria, Tirol Posts: 8	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

11-27-2007, 05:50 PM	#7
10tweaker Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 32	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!

11-28-2007, 02:32 AM	#8
p51flier Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Austria, Tirol Posts: 8	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

11-30-2007, 04:12 PM	#9
Dalar Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 3	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.

12-12-2007, 03:39 AM	#10
p51flier Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Austria, Tirol Posts: 8	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

01-21-2008, 07:00 AM	#11
Franco Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1	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.

01-21-2008, 07:23 AM	#12
p51flier Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Austria, Tirol Posts: 8	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!