This is the place where the majority of the warbird (aircraft that have survived military service) discussions will take place. Specialized forums may be added in the new future
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Fri Nov 13, 2009 8:10 am

Steve Rister wrote:Three Wildcats! Sure, but is it too early to ask which FM-2's they are? Mustanglover you may need to change to Wildcatlover.

Click http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/p ... hp?t=30277 and http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/p ... hp?t=31972
And yes mustanglover, please go ahead with the blog!

Fri Nov 13, 2009 8:23 am

Great idea. Everybody would win, great for modelers, rivet counters and warbird freaks (not that there's any of those here). Besides, after bringing it up, if you don't do it, you should be castrated. Please note, that doesn't mean that I'm volunteering to perform said operation!!

Mac

Fri Nov 13, 2009 8:39 am

MUSTANGLOVER- You bet! Bring it on! I personally have always had an affection for the wildcat, the Navy held the line with it until better arrived and when Ford Motor took over from Grumman they kept making them until very late in the war. Many went to the RN and RAN, so those guys would like it too! So yeah, and see if we can't get some history on the airframes. Many went to the escort anti-submarine roll and flew off of the Escort/Jeep Carriers for the Allies. Those airplanes did Yeowmanary service thruout the War.

Fri Nov 13, 2009 8:59 am

RyanShort1 wrote:Is this going to be something where ya'll might have projects for people that would drop in, say for a Saturday afternoon, to help out?

Ryan


If you let me know ahead of time, we can make arrangements...the crew does not usually work on weekends though.

Fri Nov 13, 2009 11:08 am

Would love to see any and all pictures and information. I think Mac said it best...

Besides, after bringing it up, if you don't do it,...

:shock:
Chunks

Fri Nov 13, 2009 10:36 pm

OK!

Going to do this, and it will be a stretch and alot of work, but in Gary's honor we can make this happen.

I will start with the arrival of the projects at our home base. Then move on from there.

Everyone with me?

Fri Nov 13, 2009 10:40 pm

Although, I may not be showing you how a widget is made at each instance, I will show each component being worked on as we go.

We will have to work on this as there probably won't be a day by day update, as that could be pretty boring over a year or two, but we will make the best of it.

Fri Nov 13, 2009 10:53 pm

mustanglover wrote:OK!

Going to do this, and it will be a stretch and alot of work, but in Gary's honor we can make this happen.

I will start with the arrival of the projects at our home base. Then move on from there.

Everyone with me?


Fantastic!!! I'm looking forward to seeing it! Hopefully the Mods will make it a sticky, so we all can notice it!

I have only one comment in regards to how you do this. I don't mean to compare you to Gary, but he really set the standard to which we should all aspire. One thing I really liked about the Ole' 927 thread was that he explained a lot of things in very easy terms that even pilots can understand :lol: and also gave a wealth of information on things you wouldn't normally know about. I think most people here know a lot of the basics about the Wildcat. i.e. - that the landing gear has to be handcranked up. How about telling us little tidbits of info that is not well publicized, things that you hear and say, "wow, I never knew that". Just my 2 cents.

Thanks!

Fri Nov 13, 2009 10:54 pm

Any input on these awesome projects is always appreciated mustanglover! :wink: Cant wait to see the progress. Even if its when you get a chance. Im sure we'll manage. (barely)

Christopher

PS: Any chance one of these Wildcats will be a dual control?

Fri Nov 13, 2009 11:31 pm

Jim MacDonald wrote: Besides, after bringing it up, if you don't do it, you should be castrated. Please note, that doesn't mean that I'm volunteering to perform said operation!!

Mac


You just slam two bricks together & the jobs done.

It's fairly straightforward & painless..... well, unless you trap a thumb between the bricks.. ;)

Sat Nov 14, 2009 2:54 am

ZRX61, it's a good thing that mustanglover decided to go ahead with his blog. That way we won't have to take advantage of your er.....um expertise. :lol:

Glad you decided to go through with it, Mustanglover and also thanks to your boss for letting you do it. I bought the FM-2 engineering drawings on microfilm for a future modeling project (way in the future), so it will be cool to see the real thing compared to the drawings.

Thanks again,

Mac

Sat Nov 14, 2009 9:52 am

That will be great. Even once or twice a month updates would be super.
I still have hopes that someone will do an "airshow Wildcat" Maybe put the 1525 hp. version of the R-1820, a smoke system, and clean it up aerodynamically. Instead of putting lead ballast in the tail, put a steerable tailwheel off a DHC-3 Otter or even a retractable of some kind. I would love to see a WIldcat that could pull away from the Mustangs at the airshows and then maybe be demonstrated by Delmar Benjamin in aerobatics!
Maybe on the one that will have to have a scratch built set of wings, tweak the airfoil from the 23015 used on WIldcats and Hellcats, to the 23018 used on the Bearcat! Flush rivets, tons of fuel available, sealed gap ailerons, what's not to like?

Sat Nov 14, 2009 9:56 am

Count me in too! I would love to see this.

Sat Nov 14, 2009 10:08 am

marine air wrote:That will be great. Even once or twice a month updates would be super.
I still have hopes that someone will do an "airshow Wildcat" Maybe put the 1525 hp. version of the R-1820, a smoke system, and clean it up aerodynamically. Instead of putting lead ballast in the tail, put a steerable tailwheel off a DHC-3 Otter or even a retractable of some kind. I would love to see a WIldcat that could pull away from the Mustangs at the airshows and then maybe be demonstrated by Delmar Benjamin in aerobatics!
Maybe on the one that will have to have a scratch built set of wings, tweak the airfoil from the 23015 used on WIldcats and Hellcats, to the 23018 used on the Bearcat! Flush rivets, tons of fuel available, sealed gap ailerons, what's not to like?



That's crazy enough that it just might work... something to make from the leftover bits of these restorations perhaps. :wink:

Should we simply assume it would be called "Wildestcat"?

Sat Nov 14, 2009 12:17 pm

The Wildcat projects arrived at our facility on July 7th. Two tractor trailers full of various piece-parts and components and a third tractor trailer with a container full of more airframe parts.
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Of course the first order of business was to get everything unloaded and stored for the time being.
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