I decided that the original discussion of the XF5U-1 Flying Flapjack was pretty off topic in what started out as a thread about .15 Carrier - perhaps we can have at least ONE thread that doesn't turn into a trolling match, an MO1 bash or a flight realism session -

So first off, thanks to Bob Heywood for the support packet he sent me - as previously mentioned this was the very first Navy Carrier event plane that I ever saw and it was the first time I had even heard of Navy Carrier - this was in the summer of 1974 in Sioux City, Iowa.  I don't know if the flyer ever managed an official flight with it, but it did get me interested in the event -

So my own "Nostalgia" event would go back to this model -- though I had never built one until a couple of weeks ago.

It has a Max-III .35 which was originally RC (with a flapper valve intake and rotating exhaust baffle) but I had removed those long ago to use it in Sport Racing (this ain't no Stunt motor! -- it goes pretty good).  I tried to run it first with an Irvine carb off a real old K&B .40 but the carb was, well, I can understand why K&B gave up on them, so I swapped in a Magnum .36 carb which idles very well.  Actually the original carb/baffle idled as well as most modern carbs but I had to mill off some metal way-back-when to fit the racing venturi and couldn't get it back on again.  Anyway, I have been test running it on some 25% Nitro, mostly Castor fuel on a Skyray and it seems to be pretty quick, so I am anxious to get it flying - hopefully this weekend.

Wing area is almost exactly 300 sq. in. PLUS the 'ailevators' as they called them back in 1948.  It weighs a whole 34 oz. - that 43 lb. pull test is already scary --   

This is a great job, Mike. I very much look forward to seeing it fly next summer.
The previous thread did, indeed, get off topic on this. In that thread there was some confusion about scale points in regular Profile for this model that never got clarified before we all shut up. So I just wanted to clarify: The records indicate that the prototype never flew before being scrapped. As a result, it is not eligible for scale points in any AMA class, even though it was intended for carrier use. If someone could document a test flight, that would be great and we might see more of these.
But I understand your enthusiasm for this model and agree that it's worth it, never mind scale points.

Pete

Mike, very nice job, looks like it should fly well. Thanks for the shots especially the uncovered ones. Where is fhe CG and do you have a weight?
Thanks
Wayne

I had wanted to do a build-log on it so I took a couple of pix after I got it framed up.  Then it went together so fast and easy, rather than sit at the computer I just kept working on the model and finished it up.  I actually had it at the field Saturday, made a new set of lines for it, adjusted the carb, got it all fueled up - then stuck my finger in another guy's prop (don't ask  ) and had to trundle off to the emergency room for stitches.  So maybe this Saturday ...

It weighs 34 oz. at present - most models gain a few ounces while getting them trimmed, but I don't think I'll ever need to pull 50 lbs (40 oz.) with it.

Balance point is right around the spar - if it needs nose-weight or tip weight I can put it in the outboard boom - Bob mentioned some trouble with the booms on the original so mine are a core of hard 1/4" balsa with 1/8" light-ply doublers full length, both sides.  They ended up weighing about 1.25 oz. each, so I was OK with them - they are very rigid & we will just have to see how they hold up.

Very nice work Mike. I love that model (it's so unusual) and hope to build one in the future myself. I have original drawn plans for it that Gary Hull sent me a few years ago. It may have some modifications but I don't recall for sure. Perhaps Gary can comment?

Our club just had a second circle added to our flying field this year and the plan is to include a carrier deck next year. In the meantime there will be a few carrier models built this winter by our members.

Very nice work Mike. I love that model (it's so unusual) and hope to build one in the future myself. I have original drawn plans for it that Gary Hull sent me a few years ago. It may have some modifications but I don't recall for sure. Perhaps Gary can comment?

Our club just had a second circle added to our flying field this year and the plan is to include a carrier deck next year. In the meantime there will be a few carrier models built this winter by our members.

Very few mod's to the original plans are needed - the "C" rib is misdrawn on the plans - look at the picture above and notice the 3rd rib outboard has a new 'nose' section added to it in order to tie it to the LE.  You will have to get the throttle linkage from the inboard to the outboard side - a transfer crank similar to Pete Mazur's on his Brodak Guardian is what mine ended up using.  I can do pix if anyone needs them.  I also moved the leadouts back about an inch from where the plans show them.  They were going to end up right on the CG.  The elevator hinges could be done in a simpler fashion, but I used those shown on the plans.

Great news about the new planes & possible new deck ... where are you located?

Mike,

Nice work. Good luck when you get to fly.

Bob

P.S. For the throttle linkage on mine I used a piece of flex cable in the nylon tube. It attached to the same part of the 3rd line arm on the J. Roberts bellcrank as the leadout. A simple 90 deg routing under the tank took it right to the engine.

Mike,

Very neat airplane.

Hope you stitches don't keep you down for long (haven't you heard of a chicken stick?).

Neat model, Mike. Glad you got it going well. Finger too!
Chris...

If I were trying to hang it on the prop and fly 30 second laps, I probably wouldn't like it much either.  But for flying in Nostalgia mode it flies pretty well - the engine idle is sufficient to have it fall out of the sky when you go to full idle so hitting the deck should be reasonably easy.  It doesn't seem as if it will be ballooning into the wind either, so that will also assist the landing.  I will add some more tail weight, because at present I can get it about to the angle shown in the pix, but not much more, with full up elevator - and it's still flying (not mushing and bobbing) around - probably has a two minute low in it or maybe 130-140 sec. if I can get the nose up a little more.  Then it's all up to how fast will it go - maybe 26 seconds or if I fool around with props/fuel 23.5-24.0 sec.   The old school type of flying doesn't lend itself to a whole lot of improvement anyway.   It's just fun to chug around 3 feet off the deck, do a few touch-and-goes and let the spectators scratch their heads and ask questions afterward.