Turbine Grumman Ag-Cat

[Stormeagle]

Perfect job so far. Can't wait for the final result. Just a small request though; could you please create an alternate engine part for the original radial engine? We still have about a dozen of these planes flying with the Hellenic Air Force on the Fire-fighting role!!!

Take a look here: Photos: Grumman G-164 Ag-Cat Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

[ChrisVon]

Hi Stormeagle,
Thanks for the interest, and the suggestion.

Welllllll, I'll THINK about it. lol Just kidding! Yeah, I actually had planned on doing the radial engine "Super B" BEFORE the turbine version. However, I didn't want to spend alot of design and build time on the engine initially for my first scratch design and build. As you can probably see, a turbine nacelle is far more easier to lay out than a radial engine. With that said however, that doesn't mean I won't make a radial engine for it. It just means that it will be a little later before it get's done. Fortunately, I had the good sense to design the model similar to the full scale Ag-Cat, and design the turbine nacelle separate from the fuselage. As far as how I'll go about scratch building a radial engine, I guess I'll have to see how other modelers have done it for ideas. I want to mate the 9 cylinder Pratt and Whitney on her for sure. Growing up since birth in south Louisiana, I have been woken up MANY times by the roar of a radial engine early in the morning (a close friend of my mom and dad's was an Ag-Pilot, and he made it his point to give me a wakeup call during the flying season! lol) It's what was responsible for a lifelong love affair of aviation, and subsequently my obtaining of a pilot's license. While many operators around where I live have converted their Ag-Cat's to the sleeker turbines, I still miss the unmistakeable sound of a round engine...even idling on the ground, the sound was priceless! I mostly fly on simulators now unfortunately, but my love of airplanes (especially the Ag-Cat) have not gone away. (Consequently, for those who fly the X-Plane flight simulator, I have made an Ag-Cat that I fly regularly on that medium as well.)

Also, thanks for the link to the pics. I usually download all the Ag-Cat pictures I can find, but apparently I haven't gone to airliners.net in a while, because that particular shot I don't have in my library yet. From the looks of them, I believe those are the "A" models. The G164A's differences from the Super B are the shorter wings, shorter vertical stabilizer, and a smaller gap between top and bottom wings (when the Super B was designed, the top wing was raised 8 inches higher to provide better visibility during dives for the pilot...the "consequence" of doing that resulted in better lift due to less wing-to-wing air turbulence, and a lower stall speed).

SOOO, I do plan on making a radial engine version, along with the "A" models as well (since the fuselage's are the same, it won't be much of an issue). I'm even considering doing the larger "D" models as well, but that will be much further down the road, after I get the engine modelling out of the way.

[whulsey]

That's good news, since I'll go for any...but do have a preference for the radial engine version.

[Goncalo Mendes]

Great work!

I would love to build it, radial and turboprop!

G_Mendes

[Stormeagle]

Thank you Chris,

I can't wait to build it and maybe repaint it in the HAF colours (with your permission of course)...

[ChrisVon]

I hadn't given thought about the possibility of repainting, but after I looked at how I made the texture file, I went ahead and whipped up something quick and dirty to see how much trouble it would be. As it turns out, the most work I'll have to do is retrace the wing panneling lines in the texture file. Bottom line is, you'll have the freedom to repaint her however you see fit. But if you have other means besides what I'm planning on providing, feel free to use them!

Also, please note that the attached screenshots use the radial engine model from my X-Plane Flight Simulator version of my ag-cat. This particular model will NOT be what I will use for the paper model (it will still look like a radial engine of course, but the way I made the model for X-Plane doesn't lend itself to be readily unfolded in Pepakura...in other words, I'll have to figure out how to simplify the model.) I just wanted to give you an idea of what it will similarly look like. Of course, I'll be adding airscoops and such to the engine mount area as well.

Chris

[ChrisVon]

Not much done today (pretty hectic here at work.) I redone the turtleback / canopy section to give it a more rounded look. In addition, the window braces are in place. I'm a little worried about how sturdy they will be. I intend for them to be folded in half (or even doubled up as two separate pieces for each brace), but I just don't want them over time to start buckling. It may not be a problem though, since the rear part of the turtleback will be glued to the tail section. I just might be worrying for nothing. lol

One thing that HAS been eating at me, is what to do for windows. Most owner / operators actually have the side windows removed (which solves the problem of placing any there in the first place!) If I decide to go that rout, then a "simulated" paper windshield will be sufficient. But then what do I do about the rear part (as I mentioned in one of my previous posts).

The way it's looking, I'll probably have to build the canopy / turtleback assembly as a single piece, rather than "building up" from the sides of the cockpit area, then the braces, then the turtleback, then the windows. But I'm not sure how easily building it all as a separate piece, then gluing to the fuselage afterwards will be. It may not be an issue, and for those who are far more experienced at paper modelling than I am, it's probably a piece of cake. Also, I somewhat hate the idea of using windows made of paper on the model, since I plan on adding some cockpit details later on (probably sooner than later in fact). But just thinking about it now, I could do something a bit novel, and give the modeller the option of keeping the windows "open", and have them hanging down on the sides of the fuselage. With a setup like that, you'd see the inside of the cockpit.

Well, I'm overanalyzing (and probably overcomplicating) this as usual. lol It's looking likely that I'll be home tomorrow (FINALLY!) It will be nice to actually post some PAPER modelling rather than digital modelling for a change.

Chris

[ltla9000311]

Wow Chris that's looking really good! There are still a few of the old radial engined versions of the Ag-Cat here in California. Mostly in the Central Valley around Fresno and that area. You just can't beat the sound of a radial engine!

[whulsey]

Itla9000311, that's where I used to see them also, heading up Hwy 99 or 33 for a car show or to Sears Point for the races.

[John Bowden]

I like the radial engined one :D