Author Topic: Grumman J5F-1 Pelican (Read 6299 times)

Acree · « **on:** February 11, 2017, 08:24:41 AM »

This is my Floaty GB project: It begins with an Airfix J2F-5 Duck in 1/72 scale. I will be converting the Duck into the Pelican by converting it to monoplane, twin-fin, turret-equipped amphibian, powered by an R-2800 Double Wasp. Outer wings will come from an F4F, while the new center section is scratch built. The turret comes from (I think) a B-25 kit. Here is the first WIP photo (other than the ones in the Rules topic).

J5F WIP1 by cacree, on Flickr

Tophe · « **Reply #1 on:** February 11, 2017, 04:56:16 PM »

Wonderful project!

Go on...

Artoor_K · « **Reply #2 on:** February 11, 2017, 08:52:59 PM »

Good idea! Go on , please

:)

Brian da Basher · « **Reply #3 on:** February 13, 2017, 10:10:07 AM »

Man that's some really great thinking!

Brian da Basher

Acree · « **Reply #4 on:** February 17, 2017, 02:16:20 AM »

Well, the wings and tail have been mated, and various other small tasks have been accomplished, so time for a photo update. I'm on my fourth iteration of canopies; I had such a hard time trimming vacform ones to fit properly that I binned two and tossed another back in the spares box. The current (and I hope final) one is from an Me 262 two-seater.

Vertical stabilizers are from Beech 18, horizontals are scratch from sheet styrene.

Should have a little more time to work on the project this weekend, so expect more updates by Monday (hopefully).

Chuck

J5F-3 by cacree, on Flickr

J5F/4 by cacree, on Flickr

Kerick · « **Reply #5 on:** February 17, 2017, 08:41:58 AM »

That looks really nice! Are you going to replace the sanded off rivets or sand them all off? Probably a silly question.

Acree · « **Reply #6 on:** February 17, 2017, 09:59:41 AM »

Glad you asked that, because I had failed to recognize the incongruity of heavy rivets on the fuselage and none on the flying surfaces. I'll, sand them all off, since the J5F is a later design (contemporary with F6F). Also, the Airfix rivets are about 2" tall in scale anyway!

Kerick · « **Reply #7 on:** February 17, 2017, 10:28:17 AM »

Why did they make those rivets so big on so many kits?

Another silly question.

Brian da Basher · « **Reply #8 on:** February 17, 2017, 12:26:36 PM »

Quote from: kerick on February 17, 2017, 10:28:17 AM

Why did they make those rivets so big on so many kits? Another silly question.

I figure that's why they call it Braille scale.

Brian da Basher

apophenia · « **Reply #9 on:** February 17, 2017, 12:30:26 PM »

Oh, this is a corker Chuck! Sort of the Columbia XJL-1 reinvented ... but armed to the teeth

Acree · « **Reply #10 on:** February 18, 2017, 03:11:50 AM »

Well I AM deleting two of the wing machine guns!

Thanks guys.

AXOR · « **Reply #11 on:** February 18, 2017, 05:40:31 AM »

Interesting bird you got there on the bench!

Buzzbomb · « **Reply #12 on:** February 18, 2017, 05:25:35 PM »

That looks really interesting

Artoor_K · « **Reply #13 on:** February 18, 2017, 06:57:04 PM »

It's a mother beautiful plane :)

Acree · « **Reply #14 on:** February 19, 2017, 01:02:19 PM »

The Grumman J5F Pelican was a natural follow-on to Grumman's earlier JF and J2F Duck series. The Pelican used the same float/fuselage combination design as the Duck, but updated the design using the outer wings of Grumman's F4F Wildcat mated to a new center section,making the new aircraft a much more modern monoplane. Power was supplied by the same Pratt and Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp that powered late-model F4Fs, giving a 40% increase in power.

The Pelican was intended from the outset to be a more combat-capable aircraft than the Duck, and thus retained four of the Wildcat's .50 caliber wing guns, as well as mounting a dorsal turret carrying two more .50 caliber guns for rear-defense. To improve the field of fire of the turret guns, a twin fin assembly replaced the Duck's single fin.

Pelican's served Navy utility squadrons in addition to being assigned in ones and twos to combat units as utility and search and rescue aircraft.

J5F-5 by cacree, on Flickr

Tophe · « **Reply #15 on:** February 19, 2017, 03:31:18 PM »

Wow, I love her

AXOR · « **Reply #16 on:** February 19, 2017, 06:54:37 PM »

Waw...you finished already?
Great job man !

The Big Gimper · « **Reply #17 on:** February 19, 2017, 08:46:02 PM »

What a jaw dropping build! Great work!

Old Wombat · « **Reply #18 on:** February 19, 2017, 10:37:38 PM »

Wow! that looks good!

Kerick · « **Reply #19 on:** February 19, 2017, 10:45:45 PM »

Nice job! Looks better without all those rivets too!

Brian da Basher · « **Reply #20 on:** February 20, 2017, 04:23:55 AM »

Pelican is the perfect moniker for this bird!

Talk about a sharp, clean finish!

Brian da Basher

Acree · « **Reply #21 on:** February 20, 2017, 05:19:05 AM »

Quote from: AXOR on February 19, 2017, 06:54:37 PM

Waw...you finished already?

Its a pretty simple build once you get rid of the biplane cellule. Plus, the single color paint scheme sped things up a lot.

Thanks for all the positive comments! Now the workbench is clear for Floaty GB project #2!

Chuck


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Author Topic: Grumman J5F-1 Pelican (Read 6299 times)