Fisher Cutlass

[ScottsGT]

Forgot to mention the cockpit minus the seat is read to get installed.  
 

 

It’s hard to see in the pic, but I made clear lenses over the instruments using UV glue. 

[Peterpools]

 

Nice work on the front office - looking mighty good. 

[ScottsGT]

Front and back together!

[Martinnfb]

You making it look easy Scott. Great progress. 

[ScottsGT]

3 hours ago, Martinnfb said:

You making it look easy Scott. Great progress. 

Thanks, but you’re just seeing the magic of internet posting. 
spent two hours fitting that nose section between the intakes.  Trim here, sand there, test fit, trim more, sand more, test fit…..

The final trim job was the tab cast into the back half that mates up into a cut out pocket in the back top end of the front half.  It was about 1/16” too long.  I fought that last 1/16” for 30-45 minutes until I figured it out. 
 

[JohnB]

That jig setup looks to be a great tool and I figure everything on the Cutlass will be "right". I look forward to seeing the finished bird!

[Peterpools]

Scott

Mighty nice progress on your Fisher Cutlass - surely going to be a beauty.

[Martinnfb]

interest documentary

 

[BlrwestSiR]

On 5/17/2024 at 4:47 PM, Martinnfb said:

You making it look easy Scott. Great progress. 

He does, doesn't he? 

The Cutlass is looking great. 

[ScottsGT]

Y’all need to stop it. You’re making me blush here.  🥴

[Peterpools]

14 hours ago, Martinnfb said:

interest documentary

 

Martin

Thanks for posting. best said - what a beast and while looking mighty cool - one terrible airplane.

 

[HubertB]

16 hours ago, Martinnfb said:

interest documentary

 

 

2 hours ago, Peterpools said:

Martin

Thanks for posting. best said - what a beast and while looking mighty cool - one terrible airplane.

 

Interesting, but a typical « TV show » video. Whilst repeating ad nauseam the same pieces of video, mixing the images of the F7U-1 and F7U-3 when commenting on either the -1 or the -3, it is also taking a totally biased view that there was nothing good in the Cutlass.

It was plagued by poor Westinghouse engines, of insufficient thrust. Remember that the Skyray, the Demon, the Skywarrior were also nearly axed because of their inadequate Westinghouse engines, only they could be re-engined with the J-57, when the Cutlass’ airframe could not …

It was also let down by its ambitious high-pressure hydraulic system, when manufacturing capacities were not yet able to produce the hardware. But all the issues of the hydraulic system led to improvements which served ALL the next generation airframes to this day.

As for the « post-gyration » stall, or inertia coupling, or « Dutch roll », all new high-performance fighters of that time experienced these new aerodynamic phenomena to a higher or lesser degree. It nearly stopped the F-100, before developments ended making it the successful airframe it became.

The Cutlass was an agile, and very sturdy aircraft when its engines and hydraulics let it fly long enough, and not a bad airframe at all.

Its real design drawback was the inordinately long front landing gear leg, which was not up to the task of withstanding the stress of the carrier landings, and would, after some time, fail and trigger the ejection seat, which was not a « zero-zero » design, to the unfortunate surprise of its pilot. But then the front LG design was the result of the poor engines, and therefore Vought engineers had to increase the take-off incidence angle.

 Vought tried to bite a big bone at the time, and it proved too much for the contemporary advancement of aircraft industry. But Westinghouse were holding the shovel that dug its grave.

Hubert

 

[Peterpools]

Hubert

Thank you for all the additional information on the Cutlass and the additional reasons why the aircraft never lived up to its promise. You are so right in the technologies of the day just weren't up to supporting the aircraft, especially the engines. Pushing the envelope is hard and new technologies, aircraft and engines need time and money to succeed and even then some just don't cut the mustard.

 

 

[ScottsGT]

Reminds me of the original XB-35 and the YB-49.  Technology just wasn’t ready for the idea.

[shark64]

Watched the video, funny they don't talk about the collapsing front wheel strut injuring pilots. A great subject but a lousy plane that probably was ahead of its time. Will follow build

[ScottsGT]

Before I get too deep into adding more parts I’m trying to stay ahead of the “gap and air bubble fill in” game.   Otherwise I would lose my mind and sadly it might get placed high on the SOD.  

While babysitting the new pup I came down and mixed up some Tamiya putty and Leveling Thinner so I could get the putty to run into tight gaps.  

Thinned putty mixed with a generous amount of patience makes great filler.  Let it dry, sand the edges and reapply several times.  
 

I did have a small blemish on the wings LE on the bottom I noticed and filled with straight putty, let it dry and sanded it flat.   While priming it last night I noticed it acted strange and appeared to bubble up.  So I just hit it with an Exacto blade to investigate.  

What?  Is that a spec of silicone from the mold?   
 

Digging deeper…..

It’s huge!   And all the way through!! 

Off to the garage to see if I have any autobody filler (Bondo) left over.  This is just too big to fill with epoxy and have it shrink back.  
But not only was it silicone pieces, but a large air bubble as well.  

[ScottsGT]

And I’ve gotta be careful with this one. 
 

She had parked herself at the base of my chair. I almost took her tail off when I rolled it. 

[BlrwestSiR]

38 minutes ago, ScottsGT said:

And I’ve gotta be careful with this one. 
 

She had parked herself at the base of my chair. I almost took her tail off when I rolled it. 

I can totally relate to this. Although my Carpet Monster is sick at the moment so not with me at the bench. 

[BlrwestSiR]

42 minutes ago, ScottsGT said:

Before I get too deep into adding more parts I’m trying to stay ahead of the “gap and air bubble fill in” game.   Otherwise I would lose my mind and sadly it might get placed high on the SOD.  

While babysitting the new pup I came down and mixed up some Tamiya putty and Leveling Thinner so I could get the putty to run into tight gaps.  

Thinned putty mixed with a generous amount of patience makes great filler.  Let it dry, sand the edges and reapply several times.  
 

I did have a small blemish on the wings LE on the bottom I noticed and filled with straight putty, let it dry and sanded it flat.   While priming it last night I noticed it acted strange and appeared to bubble up.  So I just hit it with an Exacto blade to investigate.  

What?  Is that a spec of silicone from the mold?   
 

Digging deeper…..

It’s huge!   And all the way through!! 

Off to the garage to see if I have any autobody filler (Bondo) left over.  This is just too big to fill with epoxy and have it shrink back.  
But not only was it silicone pieces, but a large air bubble as well.  

Yikes! That's a serious ack-ack hit! What about epoxy putty or Apoxie Sculpt? Those should be able to tackle that plus you can shape it with wet tools before it hardens and save on the sanding time. 

[ScottsGT]

1 hour ago, BlrwestSiR said:

Yikes! That's a serious ack-ack hit! What about epoxy putty or Apoxie Sculpt? Those should be able to tackle that plus you can shape it with wet tools before it hardens and save on the sanding time. 

Don’t have any in my stash of supplies.  I can run to town and grab some Bondo at the auto parts store.  Wait…I might have some epoxy putty.  I’ll have to look.  

[Peterpools]

Scott

That's one nasty blemish and a repair that is going to take some time. As a second idea, how about filling in the hole with plastic rod and epoxy? When dry sand to shape.

 

[ScottsGT]

Hey Peter,  I thought about epoxy, but didn’t think about plastic filler rod.  Honestly, I’m still afraid of too much shrinkage.  I’m running into town tomorrow for a grocery run so I’ll swing by Advance Auto.  I did find a can of bondo, but the last time it was used must have been on a 1990 something on the assembly line.  It was as hard as a rock inside.  

[ScottsGT]

Just applied a second coat of thinned putty after sanding.  
This late night work because of the new pup is giving me flashbacks of when my kids were little and I snuck down to my basement workshop after they went to bed to get a little time in.  Wow. My youngest turned 25 this year.  Time sure flies.  
 

 

[Peterpools]

Scott

Looking mighty good with the second coat of thinned out filler on. Yup, fully understand your concerns of shrinkage as it seems to go on for quite some time. if Bondo removes the shrinkage concerns, absolutely the way to go.

[ScottsGT]

Well after 9 days away from the bench from grand kid sitting for a week,  I just got a few minutes time in to fill the crater with body filler.  Took all of five minutes work to fill it and trim it down close enough for sanding once it’s cured all the way. 
And I’m done for the day.  😢

 

Maybe I can get more done tomorrow. And of course the daughter is showing up with the three monsters again as well.