Actually, the 68 Rabe Bearcat has a slightly swept forward wing TE.  That is why Al shows the split horns.  I would recommend using a single horn.  It will work given the relatively slight dihedral and flap hinge line sweep.  If you built the Juno with a single horn, you should have experience that it works.  I have seen some of the Rabe Bearcats fly very well, some not so well.  The not so good flying ones normally have had weight and control issues.

Mine is over 13 years old and has had some success including a first in the recent Nats Classic event and has placed well in Classic and Expert events over the years.

Mine incorporates a variation of the Rabe rudder, the fuselage was constructed from 3/32 sheet and 3/32 strip planking, and the wing used Bob Hunt's lost foam process.  Tail pieces were built as shown on the plans.  Very light and adequately strong.  When new is was 60 oz, now slightly over 63.  Wore out an Aldrich Jett 50 after about 1,200 flights.  Put a  new Aldrich Jett 50 in last spring and the airplane is still doing well other than looking a bit used.

I would suggest trying to get a canopy from Brodak.  It should be about the right size and shape.

Keith

Mine incorporates a variation of the Rabe rudder...

One of the more ingenious devices I've seen.  You gotta get Keith to show it to you. 

Bill
  It is pretty light the way it is,about four ounces but there is no piston & sleeve, backplate nor head. I can get rid of one ounce on the motor and the muffler can make a big difference. I have a header that bends around and goes under and on center but it may hit the wing. I have been keeping it for years for something like this. Also I am going to use the Bearcat exhaust openings on the body sides to move air through the body from the motor compartment. Also no Juno's in my future. A LA 46 or ST/40-46 is plenty strong for the Juno.

Hi Ed,

The lightened ST .51 would be for "my" Juno.   I found the ST G.51 from Tom to have an order of magnitude greater power than any of my ST .46.  Probably due to the higher rpm run still with a break.

On the Rabe Mustang I am going to probably use a PA .51 with the header and a can muffler.

Don't know what kind of muffler we will use on Aaron's Bearcat.

Bill

P.S. Take care of those cuts!

(Clip)

Both Al and I had been flying swept forward trailing edges (and double forkin'flap horns) for many years without problems that seem to have given Keith and other builders the soft "flappity-n'-flexity' flap issues.

(Clip)
 

Hi Don,

I am not sure if you are referring to me in the above.  However, I do not have nor do I believe I have ever said that I have "flapity-n'-flexity flap issues" with my Bearcat.  I have often explained that flaps that flex excessively are to be avoided like the plague.  This results from a flexing flap horn (because of too small wire or too soft wire for the horn) or what can result if there are two horns.

Al abandoned the split horn approach some time ago.  Yes, his published Bearcat plans show two horns but he does not do that anymore.  Even with his later Mustangs that have more dihedral and hinge line sweep than the Bearcat, he uses a single horn with the hinges lashed to the trailing edge of the separate TE's, using the flex in the wire to act almost like a universal.  The horn busings are not on the same center line.  The horn wire is not bent, but flexes between the bushings.  You would think that this would cause excessive drag on the controls.  Yes, they are not completely "loose" but the controls are free.  It is surprising and you have to see it to understand how well it works.

On my Bearcat, as any of my semi scale models with dihedral/flap hinge line sweep,  I now use a single horn with the horn bushings on the same centerline.  (In other words, the horn wire is straight.)  With minimal dihedral/hinge line sweep, this works.  This has also been used by Bill Werwage on several of his designs with swept forward flaps.  One would think that there would be a bind in the control system as soon as the flaps deflect up or down.  zi think this works because there is enough flex in the flap hinges and in the horn bushings and in the wood holding the horn and in the horn itself to allow complete freedom of flap movement.  In this system, the horn wire hinge line needs to be carefully located such that it aligns with the flap hinge lines where the flap horn elbows go into the flaps.  The horn hinge line must accommodate for the dihedral and/or flap hinge line sweep in this manner.

Split horns, no matter how complex the system is to interconnect the two will result in more flex between the two flaps than is necessary.  Any flex is undesirable.  More flex than necessary is to be avoided.  In cases with extreme dihedral and/or hinge line sweep, use lucky boxes.

Hope this makes sense.  If what I tried to explain above does not come across clearly, let me know and I will try again.

Keith

Bill   
  4" bellcrank and I think the flap arm is 1.25" at the top hole. The elevator is adjustable. Most of the time I start with less than One to One
If I need to I will build some horns. I have a box full of them but sometimes I build them to fit the model. I may drive the flap horn from the back. I need to check the angles of the pushrod as it leaves the bellcrank. If i drive the elevator pushrod from the flap horn I come off the same top hole that the pushrod goes into. I use two Ball-links on the same bolt. It is very easy to do and it is very smooth.
Ed

Thanks, Ed.  Talking with Al he told me to make sure and have the output hole on the elevator at the right distance from the bellcrank pivot.  His Millennium Mustang had the hole too close to the pivot, and he could not get enough flap deflection.  Of course I am building a Mustang III (still Classic Legal, but since Nos. 30 is flown around here it really doesn't matter!) and I am looking forward to flying it.  I will use a PA .51 w/Header and can muffler.

I need to find out more about those mufflers for the ST .G.51 for Aaron' Bearcat.

Thanks!
Bill

Hi Doc,

Looks like several of the jig pieces are still in place.  You can see the jig on the ply nose ring....

Big Bear

Hi Don,

I am not sure if you are referring to me in the above.  However, I do not have nor do I believe I have ever said that I have "flapity-n'-flexity flap issues" with my Bearcat. 
Hope this makes sense. 

If what I tried to explain above does not come across clearly, let me know and I will try again.

Keith

Your in big trouble now Shultzie!! Keith just shut down Bob Whitely at the Southwest Regionals so you'd better recognize.

Hi Ed,

We fully sheeted the wings like Al does.  It should look a lot like yours when done.

Bill

Ed, the plane looks great, but more importantly, how much do you want so I can send you my Maggies to re-string? I've even got factory boxes, LOL!   
EricV

Looking good, Eddy.  Are you going to go with Al's new and improved shock gear, or the ones shown on the plans?  Al's canopy is also available.

Keep it up!
Bill

Getting close! You're going to have to settle on a paint scheme soon... if you don't go with that BA scheme, there's always a Reno scheme or two to choose from. The simplest has to be the white & gold Rare Bear? They all look good to me!   

Somebody mentioned the bronze colored Bearcat.  There were two owned by Corkey Fornof.  They were bronze with metallic maroon and white trim.  I got to see one of these in the 60's at an airshow in Tampa.  The high speed pass down the run way with the prop just a few feet from the runway is something to remember.  Big prop.  Had to land and takeoff from the 3-point attitude.

Right up the road from me, in Ventura Country,CA was an airport,(Camarillo Airport) with a number of warbirds hangered there. They had a Bearcat also, that I saw fly. Had a really big prop. The interesting thing about it was that, while it was idiling up close, the prop made a "whup whup" sound like a helicopter. The pilot told me it is "because it's geared". He said, "the engine turns faster than the prop". He also stated that, "it doesn't get it speed from high RPM, it gets it from diameter".

Up close, the plane is actually quite small. The Japanese would have had virtually no chance against it.

I've always thought this one would work well for stunt and be at least reasonable to mask...
EricV

I like this one.

Here is another picture of that airplane.  There are several B&W pictures in the same article these were copied from.  I can post them if anyone is interested.

Keith

Keith

I'd be interested in those black & whites.  I knew Bill & Corky back in the late sixties.  They had 4 airplanes all in the same color scheme. 

 Properly done the scheme on the bottom left here could present very well on a model...

 http://www.kitreview.com/reviews/f8fdecalreviewbg_1.htm

 It would give much more visual impact than the solid blue versions.

I can imagine he didn't repond to REAR Bear vs Rare Bear
Norm

 OOPS! My fingers must have suffered a dyslexic moment.

 Fixed now.

Well, I watched when Lyle Shelton flew the thing.

Same here: 1976 Mojave Air Races.  On Lyle's final lap at 429 mph the 'Bear' blew an oil line.  Climbed straight up to around 10K or so before circling back down to land on the main runway.  Problem was, he forgot to lower the LG until the last moment.  Gear came out too late and the Rare Bear pancaked, trailing a sheet of flame until Lyle got 'er stopped far down the strip.  No one hurt; no major damage....but for a few anxious moments.

Were you there, Randy?  Anyone else?

Mike,

I've been to Reno a couple of times. I was there a couple of years after the famous landing gear incident and again in the late 80s. More recently I went about 6 years ago (I was a contributor on their "throw in with the people" funding plan and got a pit pass. Very cool.

Yea, but my pit pass was free.

I like it Ed. Pat did a Blue Angels version. Him and Jim Welch (the Idaho one) built two of them together. Pat's was the blue version and Jim's was the Bumblebee version.

I finished it

Hi Ed,

It's been over a month now and I am wondering if you have flown it yet?  I haven't found a flight report.

Thanks!
Bill

Bill ,John
    The Bearcat flies much better than I expected. I have not had to adjust anything yet. I use 1/8 "rudder offset at max elevator. For a heavy small plane it flies very good
Turns are sharp and clean. This plane should not be flying this good.
Ed

Bill   That is a all foam electric RC model that a guy was flying at the RC part of the field. It was very light and flew very well. I carired it over to my plane for the photo. Did you notice the stooge line on my plane. I need someone like you to watch the plane for me. I need to know what it is doing in the corners. The dihedral makes it difficult to tell if it has roll or other problems.
Ed

 I started this thread over 12 years ago. That Bearcat was hand painted. Blue was sprayed and it was dull. Clearcoat was brushed. It was to heavy and needed a ST/60 to fly it.  Sold it to Dave in My club. The second Bearcat was very light and flew as good as any plane I had. Sold it as I was moving and no longer had room for it.
Eddyr