Mark said:
there are at least three questions that I have tried to get answered, so take a stab at them,, I was looking for something I can fly in nostalgia, and profile,, possibly the brodak bearcat? like i say I have the 5.8 for power,, its there, Iam using it unless someone gives me a truly compelling reason not to,, but now, bellcrank? tailhook? which way to set throttle, pull push high speed? or maybe I should just wait another year,,,,,
OK Mark, here's my 2 cents worth. The Brodak Bearcat is a reasonable plane to use for carrier. I have not built one but others have. It would work for both nostalgia and profile. You just can't have a line slider in nostalgia.
I am not familiar with the 5.8 so I can't pass judgement on that motor. I do know they were pretty strong though.
Bellcrank, it depends on the layout of the model and what size you want. I use the full sized Brodak bellcranks on my profile models ( I think Eric uses the smaller ones and he knows what he's doing). Inverted or not depending on the layout. You want the throttle arm at the forward side. Look in the Brodak catalog and see what fits.
Tailhook, it can't be longer than 1/3 of the length of the fuselage. It needs a real sturdy mount/pivot for tough landings. The method used to hold then drop the hook is hard to describe in words. I could send you a picture or a drawing if you would want that. The hook itself should have a sharp bend, 30 to 40 degrees included angle. If it is too wide open it will not always catch and hang onto a rope on the deck.
Push or pull throttle is what feels right to you. I did some RC car racing before I did carrier and found that pull for high speed felt right. I know of some others that use the opposite travel. I guess it's what you feel most natural and learn with.
One last thought. I tend to agree with Eric about nostalgia. I have seen some very pretty planes crashed trying to make a landing. Without hanging the plane the approach speed makes it very difficult to "land" on the deck. It is kind of a dive and hope situation. Even 15 carrier with a fixed line position can be slowed much more and make the landing much more manageable. When you think about it hanging is not realistic flight but trying to land at high speed (compared to a nose up attitude low speed) is not realistic either. I enjoy the challenge of trying to hang the plane and getting it work. Others may not agree. It's a hobby! Enjoy it for what it is or try something different, there's lots of options.