Convair F4Y-2 Petrel

[PR19_Kit]

After  reading and commenting on Gunbird's magnificent Bf-105, and seeing Stargazers Whiffed XFY-1 Pogo I thought I'd better release my knowledge of this particular aircraft upon the Whiffing world. 

I've been working on this for about 6 months now, and no plastic has been cut as yet, but lots of the the build already exists in my head and I have lots of the bits I need to hand too. There's much of a backstory written as well, and I'll post it as far as it gets as soon as I've done this posting.

The Convair F4Y-2 Petrel was the US Navy's standard airship borne fighter of the late 1950s and 1960s, being carried in flight strength aboard the USN's metal clad 'Island Class airships. Using a trapeze derived from the GRB-36J/RF-84K FICON project, the Petrel flights were used for both long range and local interceptor duties around the Atlantic and Pacific Air Fleets. Normally being launched and recovered from the 'Island Class' 'ships without any form of landing gear, the Petrels had the use of the dolly type landing gear carried about the 'ships for when they had to return to land bases, as shown in the drawings.

[As far as building a Petrel is concerned I'm trying to work out how to make a chunk of airship to hang it from, not an easy task. Suggestions would be welcome.]





Backstory is here :- https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=34363.msg544086#msg544086

[Captain Canada]

Neat stuff. Maybe use a piece of 2" water pvc pipe ?

[pyro-manic]

I'd build a section of the hangar deck inside the airship, with a gantry rig that the trapeze is attached to. Maybe show the open hangar floor/door with a landscape photo below?

[PR19_Kit]

2" pipe would be too small by a factor of about 12! 

The 'Island Class' 'ships were about 160 ft dia. at the hangar deck area, which scales to just over 2 ft. in 1/72 scale. I like the idea of the interior modelling, if only I had the faintest idea how to do it. 

Lots of girders and stuff course, I think I see one of those Revell oil rig kits in my future somewhere.......

[rickshaw]

Interesting.  What was the top speed of the ISLAND versus the lowest speed of the Petrel?

As to building a section of airship, I'd have thought your experience with building flying gliders would have come in handy?  Just use plastic instead of tissue paper! 

[deathjester]

2" pipe would be too small by a factor of about 12! 

The 'Island Class' 'ships were about 160 ft dia. at the hangar deck area, which scales to just over 2 ft. in 1/72 scale. I like the idea of the interior modelling, if only I had the faintest idea how to do it. 

Lots of girders and stuff course, I think I see one of those Revell oil rig kits in my future somewhere.......

How about Plastruct Girders?  They do all sorts of things like that, and railings, stairs etc

[PR19_Kit]

In the backstory the 'Island' 'ships top speed was about 110 kts, about the same as the slowest speed of the Petrel. Because the fighter had flaps, canards and air brakes, it could approach at high-ish power settings with the brakes out and flaps down so the pilot could see the hook. If he didn't make it he could just pull in the brakes, accelerate away and have another go.

In theory........  

Yes, Plastruct could well do the job. Aren't they made of some odd plastic though? Would I have to use some exotic adhesive? And I do like the idea of doing the outer skin like a monster glider, thanks for the ideas gentlemen.

[raafif]

Plastruct is ABS like plumbing parts, a *good* plumbing glue will work.  Superglue does it ok too but can be a bit fragile if subject to being knocked off the shelf by cats etc.

How about a rectangular box with girders on the ceiling & just a curved wall on the outside to simulate its position in the lower envelope ?  The hanger would be screened off from the rest of the airship by bulkheads to prevent accidental spread of fire, dirt etc.

No need to do the full cross-section of the airship unless you're *driven* that way .

[dragon]

"As far as building a Petrel is concerned I'm trying to work out how to make a chunk of airship to hang it from, not an easy task. Suggestions would be welcome"

A Zepellin type airship is really a lattice/frame of metal covered in fabric.
At the scales you might be considering, take a look how the RC aircraft wings are constructed as inspiration.

You have no idea how huge the hangars at Moffet are until you have been inside one of them.
There is also another blimp hangar in Southern California, located in what was once NAS Tustin (Tustin CA, very near John Wayne/Orange County Airport, nearest tourist attraction is Disneyland).  A rivalry could be set up between regular Carrier types training in San Diego vs the Zep-Carrier types training in Moffett (with Tustin being considered but too close for the two Naval Aviator types). 

[PR19_Kit]

You have no idea how huge the hangars at Moffet are until you have been inside one of them.
There is also another blimp hangar in Southern California, located in what was once NAS Tustin (Tustin CA, very near John Wayne/Orange County Airport, nearest tourist attraction is Disneyland).  A rivalry could be set up between regular Carrier types training in San Diego vs the Zep-Carrier types training in Moffett (with Tustin being considered but too close for the two Naval Aviator types). 

I've seen Moffett Field from above en route from San Francisco Int. to LA, and I've been inside the two Cardington Sheds as well, and they're of similar size of not as pleasing to the eye as Hangar One. All of them are so huge they have their own weather systems, clouds quite often forming in the roofs of the Cardington Sheds on suitable mornings.

[scooter]

You have no idea how huge the hangars at Moffet are until you have been inside one of them.
There is also another blimp hangar in Southern California, located in what was once NAS Tustin (Tustin CA, very near John Wayne/Orange County Airport, nearest tourist attraction is Disneyland).  A rivalry could be set up between regular Carrier types training in San Diego vs the Zep-Carrier types training in Moffett (with Tustin being considered but too close for the two Naval Aviator types). 

I've seen Moffett Field from above en route from San Francisco Int. to LA, and I've been inside the two Cardington Sheds as well, and they're of similar size of not as pleasing to the eye as Hangar One. All of them are so huge they have their own weather systems, clouds quite often forming in the roofs of the Cardington Sheds on suitable mornings.

Same thing happens at Lakehurst too.  I look forward to seeing this.

[Sticky Fingers]

...clouds quite often forming in the roofs of the Cardington Sheds on suitable mornings.

Same thing happens inside my head every now and then. But that's a different subject altogether...
Cool idea you've got there, can't wait to see this build taking off, as it were.

[dragon]

You have no idea how huge the hangars at Moffet are until you have been inside one of them.
There is also another blimp hangar in Southern California, located in what was once NAS Tustin (Tustin CA, very near John Wayne/Orange County Airport, nearest tourist attraction is Disneyland).  A rivalry could be set up between regular Carrier types training in San Diego vs the Zep-Carrier types training in Moffett (with Tustin being considered but too close for the two Naval Aviator types). 

I've seen Moffett Field from above en route from San Francisco Int. to LA, and I've been inside the two Cardington Sheds as well, and they're of similar size of not as pleasing to the eye as Hangar One. All of them are so huge they have their own weather systems, clouds quite often forming in the roofs of the Cardington Sheds on suitable mornings.

And if you have seen "Mythbusters", you have seen parts of the inside of the hangars at Moffett, they have filmed more than one episode inside one of those beasts.   

[MAD]

G'day PR19_Kit
Just caught your F4Y-1 Petrel drawings!!
Neat!!!


M.A.D

[raafif]

the old Airfix/Dapol railway girder-bridge, foot-bridge & signal gantry should provide many truss parts to simulate the dirigible structure.  Not sure how many of each kit you'd need to do an airship tho