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Chance-Vought XF5U-1 'Flying Pancake'


ruzlkampf

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Hey, Mike! Naw, I've been working on a digital paint-job just to play around. I've only got a basic scheme on it right now..but I'm thinking very late-war USS Yorktown or some-such. I believe you're thinking of the V-173 prototype they made as a proof of concept before going ahead with the version I'm building. Made of fabric and wood/ 80hp Continental motors/ fixed gear/ slightly different planform..blah, blah. Looks like this; it actually flew.

 

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Haven't got very far on my digital rendition yet, it's still basic 'open canvas'. Really need to get Bugs Bunny off the nose and see what 'Jonni Reb' looks like on there. I believe Yorktown had numerical 'RR' on the tails late war? Dunno, haven't got that far yet, but I've been practising digital carrier trials with this painted like the prototype. Lotsa fun! Here it is parked at North Island ready for a practice flight. I've got the props more rounded like I want to do my model, an ADF 'football', and other assorted what-nots I'm playing around with to see how they look.

 

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Okay, back to the plastic pancake. Did a little more 'blocking in' of all the areas I wuz gonna putty. Ya'll can see I added more to the cooling nacelles, and what would be 'wintips'. Didn't have to do this, but I'm on vacation and just felt like diddling around a little.

 

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Great work on both digital and putty fronts ;)

I will use this boxing + putty technique for my Kate Karmann stuff so please do not be shy to tell us little more about how you proceed.

Cheers,

Loic

 

Shy?!!! :lol: Bwhahah! :P Thanks Buddy, I will share an embarrassing,....uhmmm "mis-calculation"...on the gross amount of putty I troweled onto this thing. I was actually being 'prudent' on my application too, darn it all. I've gone from the bloated 'soggy porridge' look, to the latest 'chiseled and knapped flint' aura. This is the pile of shavings I had BEFORE even starting to sand. :lol: he he. Uhhhh...whups. Sure was fun putting it ON, though!

 

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Because Kevin was so kind with his keenly astute observation, (hey, I've gone from 'geometric fart' to 'soggy porridge'...whatever that is, must be like oatmeal?....all in one thread. Must be doing SUMTHIN right, eh! Whoohoo! :lol: ) I have been playing with some digital 'alternate markings' in the RAN style. Kevin's already seen these in an earlier guise, when I had a skull/crossbones for a personal marking. I wanted to see what 'Jonni Reb' would look like emblazoned across the side instead. Something to make ya go...hmmmm. :lol:

 

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More pics after I get all the shavings rounded/vacuumed up and something sanded. Later, Russ

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Heeey, Dan! Glad to hear from ya! :lol: Yep, if "you're not having fun, ya ain't trying" when it comes to building models. Especially 'scratched', cause there aren't even any deeeerections.(they're for the weak, eh?! haha..classic DanMan quote.) Would be going MUCH faster if I didn't keep going off on tangents. Gnashing my teeth, and crackling my knuckles over not making this into a 2-seat nightfighter. That nose is just crying out for a centimetric radar nose like on a P-61 or sumthing, and it would look bitchin with a black/ with red letters & #'s paintjob. Gahhh.

I'm agonizing tonight over giving it better high altitude performance by installing these P-38 turbo-superchargers. I waste a lot of time going over stupid mods like this. sigh. Model shop that wants to display this, has requested it be like the prototype. I'm seriously tempted to just keep it and tell everybody to go soak their heads...and just let it morph into whatever it's going to be. (still has those slots under the skin to accomodate those R-2800's, hmmm :lol: )

Exhausts just dump out the bottom nacelles in a single tube....here's what I've been contemplating. Darn, this thing would make a cool Reno air racer too! Dooooh! :P So many possibilities, so little time.

 

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Russ,

 

Who mentioned P-61s?... :D Your flying hub cap is looking better by the day :) I like your digital renditions of the pancake. It just made me wonder a little about the eventual role usage and weapons fit for this aircraft, had it ever entered into service use? Judging by the three view drawing of this aircraft, it looks like it could have been armed with six .5" Browning guns? I wonder if it would ever have been developed to carry bombs or other underwing (fuselage?) stores? (I am sure that you would be very handy at 'digitally' mocking something up? - Maybe a VMF Marines F-5U armed up to the teeth, ready to dive bomb some Pacific target in Midway perhaps? ;)).

 

Cheers

 

Derek

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