I'm so glad you filmed this Brent. Beautiful job. John was over the moon about it! This is what the hobby is about really. The planes are awesome, but so are the folks!
I literally don't even know what to say. This day seeing this restoration in person and now watching this video brings tears to my eyes. THIS, ladies and gentlemen, is the RC Brotherhood. Lifelong friends...Thank you Brent....
Congrats on getting this little beauty back in the hangar. And you are such a lucky guy to have such a great friend in Brent. He's an amazing friend. Nice job Brent. You rock bro 😊@JustwingitRC
John I loved this vid! You are a great friend . Glad Brent could get this awesome little plane fix up. A bunch of history with this plane being it came from JM's hanger.
Great job on this restoration, Brent! Your weathering really makes that color scheme pop. The carb intake is a very nice touch. Now you make me wish I did that on mine! As it happens, last year I did a full restoration on the Hellcat I built back in '98. It wasn't quite as battered as John's F4F, but it definitely needed some love. Now maybe it's good for another 25 years. :-) The big reveal is a treat. John looked like a kid on Christmas morning. I laughed when he took a whiff and said, "Mmmmm, fresh paint." Isn't that the best? So many times I've driven to an event with the paint on a new build still gassing off in the back seat. Such a happy smell. :-) John said he didn't know if John Morgan built the model or a friend built it and he said, "Now we'll never know." Well, that inspired me to dig out my old laptop to find the database I built way back in the days of Access 2002. I had to convert it to 64 bit, but I now have it working! So I can tell you with certainty that John purchased his Wildcat kit on Sept. 26, 2004. Oh, Brent, you commented on needing to add nose weight. In the original design with the front motor mount, the battery's forward end was above the can motor. Your aft firewall makes that impossible. Your battery is lighter too. Mine today mostly fly with 2400-2S packs, and they balance without any ballast. This is with inrunner motors like Mega 16/15 series or E-Flite Six Series. The 2nd flight was beautiful. Doesn't that Neutrality Patrol color scheme look great in the air? Thanks so much for this, guys. It's so rewarding that guys like you and Adam at Model AV8R are still having fun with these models 20+ years later. I had so much fun designing them, and it's great to see them soldiering on. Jim
Jim What an honor to have you comment! Man. Like i said in the video...i drooled all over these kits when i was a kid in the 90s. We wernt messing with electric then so all i could do was dream! Bjt you dont have any idea how many times i read the build articles in the magazines! Your designs definately inspired me at a you age and i designed and built my own p47 but .40 size...but your designs gave me the inspiration to build it! I did that at the age of 14. And ive enjoyed designing and building my own models since. Id still love to do the bearcat..maybe the hellcst too. Id have to add a rudder. I kep reaching for the stick but nothing was there hahaha. Yeah those yellow wings looked fantastic against the blue sky!
Thanks so much for your kind remarks, Brent. It makes me so happy that I played some role in inspiring you to become a designer and builder. Builders shouldn't be a vanishing breed. I've just started mentoring a member of CSF in Cincinnati. His ultimate goal is to build one of Nick Ziroli's wonderful warbird designs, and I want to help him get there. If you still want to build a Bearcat, Tom at Manzano Laser Works offers short kits for all my designs (along with more than 30 other designers). I've heard some comments on the cost of his kits, but Tom has a very different business model. Where most kit producers do extended runs of each design, Tom doesn't maintain inventory. Each and every kit is made to order. This makes his costs relatively high, but it also allows him to offer HUNDREDS of designs. He's a great guy to work with. Keep up the great work, Brent!
Thank you so much Jim for the wonderful comments and for shedding light on the fact that John Morgan did indeed build this kit coming up on 20 years ago!! I'll be flying it with a 3s1300 and Brent and I both agree that it should not need any additional weight (3/4 of an ounce) to hit C/G. Brent flew it 3 times that day, and then I flew a pack through it and I'll tell you Jim, the video doesn't do it justice. That plane looks so good knifing through the air! It's demeanor on approach is impeccable, so we think the C/G is in the right place for sure. And as for Brent's artistic and capable repair and restoration work, there's no one better! A true master modeler and I am so proud to call him my friend. I plan on flying the model from time to time, but not often. I am definitely more of the "preservation" type when it comes to rare and unique models. She will fly, trust me. Thank you so much Jim for bringing us these amazing little kits!
John, it sounds like you guys really have it dialed in. And I know what you mean about the way it looks in the air; mine is painted in an almost identical color scheme. I have to admit these days I'm of the same mind about flying these now and then. When I first built all these little warbirds, they flew just about every weekend. I could fit 4 of them in the back seat, and I'd fly them over and over. I'd wear out the Speed 400 ferrite motor and have to replace it about every 80 to 100 flights, so that says something about how much I flew them. These days, I can't ignore that they're up to 25 years old and would be hard to replace.@@JustwingitRC
Bravo Brent, bravo!!! There are times in life when you just know he's a brother from another mother (presumably father as well :) John knew you would get around to fixing it and patience is always a blessing. Good friends are hard to come by and both of you have found one in each other. Excellent work in restoring this model to flight status, it looks AMAZING!!!! Thank you for filming this video and giving us a look at a great friendship. AirHammer out!!
Brent. Dude. No tail wheel? No radio mast? NO BELLY WINDOWS?!? It’s a testament to John’s patience that he didn’t immediately throw it back in your face…😂😂😂😂 Seriously though, she looks GREAT! WELL DONE GENTS!
That remaiden was a sketchy flight. But you nailed it on the second flight. Beautiful repair work on such a ironic plane the wingman is a great guy and its awesome to see the rc brotherhood at its best. You are quality people 😊
@@hechtspeed I was fully inspired and encouraged by Jim Ryan and Keith Shaw, articles about their creations and achievements helped set in motion my passion for flying. With their help I crashed a lot of speed 400 planes! And beyond of course. Jim Ryan's planes really are amazing.
@@sanexup1038 Wow. First off, "legendary" must be a very nice euphemism for "really old". Second, to be mentioned in the same breath with The Great Bearded One is praise I don't deserve. Keith was one of the trailblazers who showed us all the way. This has me on such a nostalgia kick I dug out my copy of Bob Boucher's "Electric Motor Handbook", truly the Rosetta Stone of electric flight back in those days. If you're into electric flight, we stand on the shoulders of giants.
@@JimRyanAircraft I couldn't agree more! And in my opinion, we are where we are because of the collective knowledge and ingenuity. Ok, ok, add "throughout time." to end the previous statement. Your a living legend then! There have been a few that made the effort to get quality information and ideas out there to fuel the passion of many. Before or during the dawn of the internet. Not that reading a magazine was better, it wasn't. But I'm just pointing out that there were few avenues for electric flight then. Your planes were the centerfolds. It's very cool to get to see this video of this Wildcat emerge again and fly and also the Bearcat with the ModelAv8er! This is me saying Thank You!
I'm so glad you filmed this Brent. Beautiful job. John was over the moon about it! This is what the hobby is about really. The planes are awesome, but so are the folks!
I literally don't even know what to say. This day seeing this restoration in person and now watching this video brings tears to my eyes. THIS, ladies and gentlemen, is the RC Brotherhood. Lifelong friends...Thank you Brent....
It was my pleasure wingman
@@hechtspeed It is an absolute HONOR to be your wingman! I will ALWAYS keep the bogies off your six brother!!!
Congrats on getting this little beauty back in the hangar. And you are such a lucky guy to have such a great friend in Brent. He's an amazing friend. Nice job Brent. You rock bro 😊@JustwingitRC
@@reckemroysrc3764 Thank you Roy! There's some amazing people in this hobby, and you're one of them my friend!
John I loved this vid! You are a great friend . Glad Brent could get this awesome little plane fix up. A bunch of history with this plane being it came from JM's hanger.
Great job on this restoration, Brent! Your weathering really makes that color scheme pop. The carb intake is a very nice touch. Now you make me wish I did that on mine!
As it happens, last year I did a full restoration on the Hellcat I built back in '98. It wasn't quite as battered as John's F4F, but it definitely needed some love. Now maybe it's good for another 25 years. :-)
The big reveal is a treat. John looked like a kid on Christmas morning. I laughed when he took a whiff and said, "Mmmmm, fresh paint." Isn't that the best? So many times I've driven to an event with the paint on a new build still gassing off in the back seat. Such a happy smell. :-)
John said he didn't know if John Morgan built the model or a friend built it and he said, "Now we'll never know." Well, that inspired me to dig out my old laptop to find the database I built way back in the days of Access 2002. I had to convert it to 64 bit, but I now have it working! So I can tell you with certainty that John purchased his Wildcat kit on Sept. 26, 2004.
Oh, Brent, you commented on needing to add nose weight. In the original design with the front motor mount, the battery's forward end was above the can motor. Your aft firewall makes that impossible. Your battery is lighter too. Mine today mostly fly with 2400-2S packs, and they balance without any ballast. This is with inrunner motors like Mega 16/15 series or E-Flite Six Series.
The 2nd flight was beautiful. Doesn't that Neutrality Patrol color scheme look great in the air?
Thanks so much for this, guys. It's so rewarding that guys like you and Adam at Model AV8R are still having fun with these models 20+ years later. I had so much fun designing them, and it's great to see them soldiering on.
Jim
Jim What an honor to have you comment! Man. Like i said in the video...i drooled all over these kits when i was a kid in the 90s. We wernt messing with electric then so all i could do was dream! Bjt you dont have any idea how many times i read the build articles in the magazines! Your designs definately inspired me at a you age and i designed and built my own p47 but .40 size...but your designs gave me the inspiration to build it! I did that at the age of 14. And ive enjoyed designing and building my own models since. Id still love to do the bearcat..maybe the hellcst too. Id have to add a rudder. I kep reaching for the stick but nothing was there hahaha. Yeah those yellow wings looked fantastic against the blue sky!
Thanks so much for your kind remarks, Brent. It makes me so happy that I played some role in inspiring you to become a designer and builder. Builders shouldn't be a vanishing breed. I've just started mentoring a member of CSF in Cincinnati. His ultimate goal is to build one of Nick Ziroli's wonderful warbird designs, and I want to help him get there.
If you still want to build a Bearcat, Tom at Manzano Laser Works offers short kits for all my designs (along with more than 30 other designers). I've heard some comments on the cost of his kits, but Tom has a very different business model. Where most kit producers do extended runs of each design, Tom doesn't maintain inventory. Each and every kit is made to order. This makes his costs relatively high, but it also allows him to offer HUNDREDS of designs. He's a great guy to work with.
Keep up the great work, Brent!
Thank you so much Jim for the wonderful comments and for shedding light on the fact that John Morgan did indeed build this kit coming up on 20 years ago!! I'll be flying it with a 3s1300 and Brent and I both agree that it should not need any additional weight (3/4 of an ounce) to hit C/G.
Brent flew it 3 times that day, and then I flew a pack through it and I'll tell you Jim, the video doesn't do it justice. That plane looks so good knifing through the air! It's demeanor on approach is impeccable, so we think the C/G is in the right place for sure. And as for Brent's artistic and capable repair and restoration work, there's no one better! A true master modeler and I am so proud to call him my friend.
I plan on flying the model from time to time, but not often. I am definitely more of the "preservation" type when it comes to rare and unique models. She will fly, trust me. Thank you so much Jim for bringing us these amazing little kits!
@@JimRyanAircraft yeah ive checked his site out amd found your designs there. I have to atleast build the bearcat. Might have to order one up :)
John, it sounds like you guys really have it dialed in. And I know what you mean about the way it looks in the air; mine is painted in an almost identical color scheme.
I have to admit these days I'm of the same mind about flying these now and then. When I first built all these little warbirds, they flew just about every weekend. I could fit 4 of them in the back seat, and I'd fly them over and over. I'd wear out the Speed 400 ferrite motor and have to replace it about every 80 to 100 flights, so that says something about how much I flew them. These days, I can't ignore that they're up to 25 years old and would be hard to replace.@@JustwingitRC
Bravo Brent, bravo!!!
There are times in life when you just know he's a brother from another mother (presumably father as well :) John knew you would get around to fixing it and patience is always a blessing. Good friends are hard to come by and both of you have found one in each other.
Excellent work in restoring this model to flight status, it looks AMAZING!!!!
Thank you for filming this video and giving us a look at a great friendship.
AirHammer out!!
Gotta dig into this video tomorrow, can't wait to see it!! AH...
Great project, and, always great to hear that dryer back in action!
Brent. Dude. No tail wheel? No radio mast? NO BELLY WINDOWS?!? It’s a testament to John’s patience that he didn’t immediately throw it back in your face…😂😂😂😂
Seriously though, she looks GREAT! WELL DONE GENTS!
When you spun the prop at the very end, I had a flashback of 7 year old Brent spinning props on plastic model planes!😇
Same same. Lolol
And I remember Chris propping my first plane a skylane 62 from Carl Goldberg models.
Jim Ryans designs are great flyers. Great job bringing it back.
Love it when a model is brought back to fly again... Great job
Great restoration! Neat to see the smile on John’s face 😎
That remaiden was a sketchy flight. But you nailed it on the second flight. Beautiful repair work on such a ironic plane the wingman is a great guy and its awesome to see the rc brotherhood at its best. You are quality people 😊
That is a very cool model!!! Great work restoring it!!!
The legendary Jim Ryan! An inspiration to my RC flying life!
Right?? Dude hes in the comments!
@@hechtspeed I was fully inspired and encouraged by Jim Ryan and Keith Shaw, articles about their creations and achievements helped set in motion my passion for flying. With their help I crashed a lot of speed 400 planes! And beyond of course. Jim Ryan's planes really are amazing.
@@sanexup1038 Wow. First off, "legendary" must be a very nice euphemism for "really old". Second, to be mentioned in the same breath with The Great Bearded One is praise I don't deserve. Keith was one of the trailblazers who showed us all the way. This has me on such a nostalgia kick I dug out my copy of Bob Boucher's "Electric Motor Handbook", truly the Rosetta Stone of electric flight back in those days. If you're into electric flight, we stand on the shoulders of giants.
@@JimRyanAircraft I couldn't agree more! And in my opinion, we are where we are because of the collective knowledge and ingenuity. Ok, ok, add "throughout time." to end the previous statement. Your a living legend then! There have been a few that made the effort to get quality information and ideas out there to fuel the passion of many. Before or during the dawn of the internet. Not that reading a magazine was better, it wasn't. But I'm just pointing out that there were few avenues for electric flight then. Your planes were the centerfolds. It's very cool to get to see this video of this Wildcat emerge again and fly and also the Bearcat with the ModelAv8er! This is me saying Thank You!
Was nice to see you at hemet john😊