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Playing in the Sandbox Group Build Sept 1, 2024 - Jn 1, 2025

A Gutless challenge - Fisher’s mighty F7-U3 M. Working hard before trying to make both ends meet ...

HubertB
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HubertB

HubertB

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In spite of my abysmal record at finishing anything, I’ll launch myself in the great bath …

As some may know, I am in-between two house moves, having sold one and renting another before moving in a new one …

For this reason, the « stash » is literally a palet in the garage, that I have no intention to unpack before the next house. So I had to find something stored in an accessible way if I wanted to participate in the GB. And, luckily I found a box I had started some time ago (read «  a few years back ») on LSP, then stalled fairly quickly when my cat munched a piece of the cockpit. I got some new parts from Paul (which, by the way, showed that the molds were getting « tired ») but the box was shelved nevertheless … until now.

So the Cutlass it will be, and hopefully I will find enough time to work on it AND finish it this time, knowing the next 6 months will also be focused on signing off - finally - the purchase of the future house, and monitoring the significant transformation works we have planned for it.

I’ll post some pics tomorrow, but I am really well below the 25% threshold 😏.

Hubert

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HubertB

HubertB

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42 minutes ago, KevinM said:

I'd never heard of that one Hubert and had to go look it up strange looking bird but go for it you might like the end result.;)

The Cutlass was a fascinating design, in a great lineage of avant-garde fighter designs that started with the F4-U, and continued until the F8-U III - well, ok, the F6-U was a bit of a casting error in this line-up :) -, both the Corsair and Cutlass being brain-children of Rex Beisel.

Whilst looking definitely Si-Fi, it was unfortunately ahead of its time when it came to engineering capabilities, of such things as jet engines, or high-pressure hydraulics, which it pioneered and became standard in the later generations of jets, but proved its Achilles’ heel. 
 

Anyway, I love this generation of early jets. I just hope to be able to do justice to Paul Fishers great kit.

Hubert

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KevinM

KevinM

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1 minute ago, HubertB said:

Anyway, I love this generation of early jets. I just hope to be able to do justice to Paul Fishers great kit.

I hear ya Hubert I am an AF brat my Dad had 20yr's active duty starting in 1937(92BG 41) and did some SAC time in the 50's Mom hated it.He then went on to do 41 yrs civil service instructor at KAFB here in Biloxi.I have seen alot of jets just not this one out at the base alot of good memories.I am not that old and getting younger every day :) just alot of kids Catholic Family.Now get crack'in.;)

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DocRob

DocRob

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I will follow your build with eagerness, Hubert. The Cutlass looks so Buck 'Dannyish / Dan Cooperish' to me. I don't know, if these pilot comic heroes were named equally in other countries, but in the Germany of my youth, there was the Zack magazine, where sequels of their stories were printed in. I bet there was a Cutlass involved in these stories as much as many early jets, so the design is a bit of a drive down memory road.
I wish you luck with this unusual plane's build.

Cheers Rob

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HubertB

HubertB

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50 minutes ago, DocRob said:

I will follow your build with eagerness, Hubert. The Cutlass looks so Buck 'Dannyish / Dan Cooperish' to me. I don't know, if these pilot comic heroes were named equally in other countries, but in the Germany of my youth, there was the Zack magazine, where sequels of their stories were printed in. I bet there was a Cutlass involved in these stories as much as many early jets, so the design is a bit of a drive down memory road.
I wish you luck with this unusual plane's build.

Cheers Rob

We had the same comics' readings, Rob. I liked Buck Danny, although the aircrafts drawings were not that realistic. Buck Danny was flying Panthers and Cougars at that time. He bypassed the Cutlass ...

As for Dan Cooper, I always felt a let-down that he moved from the Blue Triangle to the F5-A :)

Hubert

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HubertB

HubertB

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On 1/2/2023 at 9:20 AM, GazzaS said:

What an interesting shape.  Kinda like a praying mantis.

The incidence was driven by the short catapults of the Essex carriers, and the lack of power of the engines. Hence the very long nose gear, which unfortunately sometimes failed, and triggered the ejction seat (which was not a zero-zero design) :(

On the second pic, notice the washout of the AB engines on the Essex wooden deck 😱

Hubert

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Clunkmeister

Clunkmeister

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The career of the Cutlass was mercifully measured in months, rather than years, but if there was ever a design that was let inability of it’s engines to reach they’re promised performance level, this was it. 
Also, it’s hydraulic systems were complicated and way ahead of it’s time. So far ahead that it exceeded industry’s ability to deliver.

I remember reading one story of a guy who’s jet failed literally 5 seconds into his very first flight, causing him to eject. Upon being collected and brought to the hospital for a check up, he learned that all Cutlasses had been grounded and the program cancelled. 
As a result, this pilot had the dubious honor of having more flight time in the ejection seat than he did in the airplane itself.

There is a Cutlass being restored to flight status in the US.  Hydraulic system problems were solved due to better metallurgy, and internal upgrades due to the original engines will provide decent performance. 
The engines then were well below the power promised, and worse, responded poorly to throttle input. Get behind the power curve, and you’re dead. The election seat couldn’t save you then.  Think F-100 Super Sabre but 20x worse. Here, a ramp strike, and yes, the LSO lived.  Unscratched, actually  

5F06FD0A-0BF5-4FA5-9054-4A5D52A73148.webp

209890F9-4C75-4BED-90AF-2F5AA96D0FDE.jpeg

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Peterpools

Peterpools

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Ernie

Thanks so much for the scoop on the Cutlass history - a quite an airplane for its day. The early jets of the 50's suffered from underpowered engines and engines that took a long time to spool up and react to throttle. It's amazing to see how far we have come.

The photographs of the ramp strike are remarkable- just glad everyone survived.

So glad Paul brought out the kit.

 

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HubertB

HubertB

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16 hours ago, Peterpools said:

Ernie

Thanks so much for the scoop on the Cutlass history - a quite and airplane for its day. The early jets of the 50's suffered from underpowered engines and engines that took a long time to spool up and react to throttle. It's amazing to see how far we have come.

The photographs of the ramp strike are remarkable- just glad everyone survived.

So glad Paul brought out the kit.

 

It's a well known photo sequence. Unfortunately, the captions never say whether the pilot survived, wich seems doubtful considering the subsequent fireball ... :(

Not only were the engines inadequate, but they were progressively derated across the operationnal life of the Cutlass. A single-engined carrier landing was a no-go and ejection the only option. It could not spin, officially, but after bleeding energy in high-altitude manoeuvers (it was a very agile airframe), could enter what was called a "post-stall giration". In which case the verdict was also to eject ...

Still, to think that the first drafts were done in the late 40's. A really innovative design for the time.

Hubert

 

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Clunkmeister

Clunkmeister

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12 hours ago, HubertB said:

It's a well known photo sequence. Unfortunately, the captions never say whether the pilot survived, wich seems doubtful considering the subsequent fireball ... :(

Not only were the engines inadequate, but they were progressively derated across the operationnal life of the Cutlass. A single-engined carrier landing was a no-go and ejection the only option. It could not spin, officially, but after bleeding energy in high-altitude manoeuvers (it was a very agile airframe), could enter what was called a "post-stall giration". In which case the verdict was also to eject ...

Still, to thinks that the first drafts were done in the late 40's. A really innovative design for the time.

Hubert

 

Just a couple more years and all the problems of the Cutlass were solved.  As you know, there were a few pilots who absolutely loved the Cutlass. 
I’m sure Hubert is aware as well, but the Cutlass was the first aircraft to use the now standard 3000 psi hydraulic system.  Previous systems were of much lower pressure, and low pressure fittings were used on the Cutlass as nothing else existed. Hoses and fittings continuously failed on the Cutlass, making the aircraft almost unflyable.  All aircraft today use that system, but with since developed high pressure hardware. 

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HubertB

HubertB

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Ok, time for some modelling pics, even if few, now that the bench is tidy and cleared for some action.

This is where I had left my build :

 

IMG_2814-600x450.jpg

The fuselage halves had been assembled, trapping the wings and the sturdy wing-box inside, the intakes added (and shhhh…, don’t tell anyone but the engine faces at the end of the intake trunks have been glued in a wrong position), the seams filled but not yet fully cleaned-up. I had also assembled and painted the cockpit tub and IP, but :

1) my beloved - and sadly passed - cat Looping munched a bit of the cockpit

2) the cockpit details, especially the side consoles, whilst probably scale-accurate, were looking a bit flat and lacking relief

3) the side consoles are anyway wrong for an F7U-3 M, lacking notably the -important- weapons and missile selector switches on the left console, plus some other bits and bobs everywhere.

I had ordered a replacement cockpit from Paul, which cost me just the shipping charge, but the details were even softer than on the original version, plus the rear bulkhead was badly distorted, so some scratchbuilt mods are of the order of the day, using the new part with some delicate surgical intervention, rather than butchering it :) …

Here is a pic of the cockpit modifications under way … The electric engine coil is my primary source of fine (0.18 mm) wire fir the switches … And the left console broke off from the cockpit tub when I sawed off the distorted rear bulkhead. It’s convenient, in fact, for what I have to do.

 

IMG_2815-600x450.jpg

 

IMG_0456-600x450.jpg

More progress later.

Hubert

 

 

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HubertB

HubertB

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12 minutes ago, Peterpools said:

Hubert

Nice start and so glad you decided to resurrect the Cutlass for the GB. Details look crisp and well defined.  

 

I actually find them a bit soft as molded by Fisher. But then, we are being spoilt by the Quinta sets and the likes, and I look at them with maximum magnification of my Optivisor 🤓

Hubert

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