Challenge- F3F

[No.1]

One foreigner commercial magazine looking for 50 color profiles of F3F fighter. Color profiles have to present all of the unit color variation as well different unit have different colors and area of application. Profile have to include from side view nose and tail and topside wing for the chevron stripe. Anybody interesting?

[santynus]

is one interesting thing...     but 50 color profile are really so much...  meybe I can found around 10 source...

do you know when the work have to be finish?  

[No.1]

I will ask about deadline and tell you. When first sample of profile have release then i will post sample to the contact and arrange to you or other direct contact. I will also uload more data on server and they will be available only to the active to this subject.

[mfg495]

Never seen this aircraft before; 

[No.1]

Nice images mfg Well situation is changed in the meantime. To regret I have take this and in the moment there is reduced number of profiles.

[felixdk]

No. 1,

  I took a trip to the Cradle of Aviation Museum on Long Island, NY and took some pictures of a replica F3F-2 that they have there.  The replica was built by ex-Grumman employees from factory drawings and is very convincing.  The pictures were taken inside without benefit of good lighting, so please excuse the quality.  If I can get my act together, I'll have high resolution resolution version off all the shots that I took up on my website tonight or tomorrow.

[No.1]

Very nice images!!! I wonder is there available cutaway or blueprints? Here you are my basic color profile and one image from Nico Braas collection.

[mfg495]

found this on ebay - F3F Drawings

[felixdk]

  You have to be careful of the Wylam drawings.  Most of the other plans that I found seem to use them as a starting point and then add their own errors to the mix  .  They also can't help with the F3F-2 or -3, which had significant changes to the cowl and canopy.  Your best bet is to compare Wylam, Squadron and the Accurate Miniatures 1/48 model, if you can find it, then spend a long time looking at photos and brew up your own drawing.  I'll attach a jpg of the line drawing that I drew up as a basis for my F3F-1.  If you would like a larger version, email me and I'll email it to you.  I just added anything that I decided it needed as I painted it in Photoshop;  it's a good starting point though.

[felixdk]

One more thing, No.1.  If you can find a copy of the old film "Dive Bomber" with Errol Flyn, you've got to watch it.  Many beautiful scenes with Yellow Wing a/c in original color, including great shots up close of an F3F !

[felixdk]

Here are a couple of screengrabs from "Dive Bomber".  If you have any interest in Pre-WWII US Navy, it's worth buying.

[No.1]

To regret I have no book you have mentioned. Drawing you have presented look more then accurate and images are great. Very interesting scene- Buffalo's and F3F

[felixdk]

Here are a couple more F3F photos for you.  This is the Gulfhawk II, which was flown by USMC Major Al Williams in airshow demonstration flight.  It was basicaly an F3F-2 fuselage with a special, tighter fitting cowling and uprated engine mated to shorter span F2F wings.  I've seen a top speed of 290mph quoted for this plane and a very high climb rate:  it must have put on a great airshow routine.  It is now hanging in the Udvar-Hazy Sithsonian Annex at Dulles Airport, where I took these pics last year.

 

[No.1]

This orange sample is real new for me. But- did the Erol Flin wear flying suite used on "Vinnie Mae"?

[felixdk]

This orange sample is real new for me. But- did the Erol Flin wear flying suite used on "Vinnie Mae"?

Srecko,

  In the movie, errol Flynn plays a Navy flight surgeon who is trying to develope a pressure suit for flying at high altitudes.  The guy putting on the pressure suit in the picture is Fred MacMurray, who plays a Navy squadron commander and test pilot.  You're right, the suit does look a lot like the one that Wiley Post wore in the Winnie Mae  .  Can you imagine wearing that thing in a dogfight  .