Freewing P-51 w/MrRCSound build

[Grossman56]

RE: Freewing P-51 w/MrRCSound build

Hey guys, had to pull the landing gear off the right side and tighten the grubs screws, of course I had to go through just about every Allen key I have to find the right size, I think I'm going to break down and buy a new set of metric and standard keys, God knows how old the ones I have are, plus the collection from every piece of furniture I've ever assembled!
While I had the strut off, I noticed that the oleo didn't work worth a damn.  The other side collapsed and sprung back just like you'd expect it to but the right side, you had to force in and pull back out.  Had some powdered silicon lubricant so sprayed that in side it and all along the lower strut arm and worked and worked and worked it, seems better now, glad I found that out before the first landing.  I'm still not 100% on it yet, but its seems to be getting better.
Oh well, a beautiful day here in Cody and, believe it or not, no wind!!!!
Happy Easter to all and to all a good flight!!

Grossman56 

[Flygirl]

RE: Freewing P-51 w/MrRCSound build

Not here! We have very windy springs here.... Hope you have a good day flying GMan!

Wind from North 22.0
Gusts 24.0 m

[Grossman56]

RE: Freewing P-51 w/MrRCSound build

Hey guys, Jim just sent me this message, to help with the age old question of what the heck the paint scheme was.......

Dan, My dad said only his B model had the white sidewalls, but then I sent him a photo of his Old Crow in green with white sidewalls and he said, wow, but he is pretty sure the silver D model never had white sidewalls. His original crew chief Otto Heino painted the white sidewalls with barn paint. When he came back for his second tour and got the D model, Otto was a line chief, but must have come over and painted the D models tires white when it was still in camo green.
What I learned from Merle Olmsted, who was the expert on the 357th FG, was that a photo was just a snap shot in time. Paint jobs, etc, changed daily. So, just because there was a photo one way, did not mean it was not another way. At least I have one photo showing the green D with white sidewalls. Dad is very sure the silver D never had white sidewalls. Hope this helps, Jim

Thanks Jim, I answered him, saying that I could understand the paint jobs changing daily.  You got a bunch of guys in their 20's, just think back to when you were that age!
Anyway, my thinking was that the little fuse stripe is still there, so what the heck, paint of the invasion stripes on the bottom of the wing.
They may have been removed when his crew stripped the green off the plane in one night because Bud happened to mention that it was pretty white over Europe (winter) and she stood out. 
Anyway, Lon, there is a picture of the D model in green with the white sidewalls


Grossman56
 

[Lon]

RE: Freewing P-51 w/MrRCSound build

Gman,
Oh yeh.....Looks like my green D will get some white walls.

Lon

[ADKer21]

RE: Freewing P-51 w/MrRCSound build

Thanks for the info Grossman!

[Grossman56]

RE: Freewing P-51 w/MrRCSound build

Hey, no problem, Jim seems like a great guy so is a pleasure to deal with him.  He handles the sales on Bud's website, so, all you Old Crow fans might want to check it out and may buy something.
Anyway, just got finished CGing Old Crow.  I'm running an Admiral Pro series 3600 with an Admiral 1300 3s for the sound system, both all the way forward.  So, I get her upside down with the retracts up in the wells, line up the pads on the Great Planes CG machine with the little squares on the wings, just like Pilot Ryan advised, and man she couldn't be any better!
She hung there like a still pic in the middle of a loop! Perfect!  Wish every plane CGed like that!

Grossman56

[Lon]

RE: Freewing P-51 w/MrRCSound build

Hey, no problem, Jim seems like a great guy so is a pleasure to deal with him.  He handles the sales on Bud's website, so, all you Old Crow fans might want to check it out and may buy something.
Anyway, just got finished CGing Old Crow.  I'm running an Admiral Pro series 3600 with an Admiral 1300 3s for the sound system, both all the way forward.  So, I get her upside down with the retracts up in the wells, line up the pads on the Great Planes CG machine with the little squares on the wings, just like Pilot Ryan advised, and man she couldn't be any better!
She hung there like a still pic in the middle of a loop! Perfect!  Wish every plane CGed like that!

Grossman56

Gman,
Sounds great!! Let's get that bird in the air!!! I just got home a little bit ago. Got 5 flights in with the Iron Ass. The last flight the sun had set, but those landing lights made visibility no problem with landing.
Lon
[hr]
Gman....

What's your CG at??  105? 110?  I've got mine at 105.

Lon

[Grossman56]

RE: Freewing P-51 w/MrRCSound build

Right at 110, that little square, as close as I can tell with my little plastic ruler, is the bulls eye.
Since its such a heavy machine, I was not expecting it to be right on.  The wife thought it was slightly nosed heavy, and I mean slightly off from horizontal, which means that I could put a gyro in her and not really have a CG problem, good news all around

Grossman56

[Grossman56]

RE: Freewing P-51 w/MrRCSound build

Have you guys ever had trouble with the landing gear struts being stiff?
One side collapses and springs out quite easily but the other side was really stiff.  I shot some powered lubricant into it and worked it, now I have some WD40 in it and its better but still not close to the other side, is there something that controls the resistance in the strut?

Grossman56

[SR71CC]

RE: Freewing P-51 w/MrRCSound build

Have you guys ever had trouble with the landing gear struts being stiff?
One side collapses and springs out quite easily but the other side was really stiff.  I shot some powered lubricant into it and worked it, now I have some WD40 in it and its better but still not close to the other side, is there something that controls the resistance in the strut?

Grossman56

I haven't. Sounds like maybe a bent shaft inside the strut? Maybe you should contact MRC for a replacement.

[Grossman56]

RE: Freewing P-51 w/MrRCSound build

contacted them and they said its an easy fix, just take it all apart and file or sand the shaft 'til it slides.  I have to try that yet, but haven't had the time.

Grossman56

[boomer108]

RE: Freewing P-51 w/MrRCSound build

contacted them and they said its an easy fix, just take it all apart and file or sand the shaft 'til it slides.  I have to try that yet, but haven't had the time.

Grossman56

The best thing to use is Croakus cloth or emery cloth with a little lite machine oil. Never use a file on a smooth machined surface or you will groove it.

Roy B.

[Grossman56]

RE: Freewing P-51 w/MrRCSound build

thanks Roy, the thing that concerns me is getting the little C locks off without them flipping into the twilight zone

Grossman56

[STOOPIDMONKEY]

RE: Freewing P-51 w/MrRCSound build

thanks Roy, the thing that concerns me is getting the little C locks off without them flipping into the twilight zone

Grossman56

Use a t-shirt rag and move it back and forth like dental floss over the open end of the "C" clip to remove it. The clip will stay in the cloth and not jump out.

[boomer108]

RE: Freewing P-51 w/MrRCSound build

thanks Roy, the thing that concerns me is getting the little C locks off without them flipping into the twilight zone

Grossman56

Try putting  a plastic storage bag around it when you remove the clips. Good luck!

Roy B.

[Lon]

RE: Freewing P-51 w/MrRCSound build

I had that issue too. Used some 1200 sandpaper wet. Whipped it clean then. Worked perfectly. 

[Grossman56]

RE: Freewing P-51 w/MrRCSound build

That's what I'm thinking.  Got to get a small pair of c lock pliers

Grossman56

[Grossman56]

RE: Freewing P-51 w/MrRCSound build

Got my new receivers today, I ordered a pair of 7 channel Spectrums so I can install the A3L gyros.  Got one in to Old Crow, seems to work fin but when I tried to retract the gear, only one side is functioning, so into the wing again, leaving that for tomorrow.  Might be a good chance to sort out the rats nest into something more organized

Grossman56

[Flygirl]

RE: Freewing P-51 w/MrRCSound build

Hey GMan.... I have one in my Ferocious Frankie. No probs with my gear....

[Lon]

RE: Freewing P-51 w/MrRCSound build

Got my new receivers today, I ordered a pair of 7 channel Spectrums so I can install the A3L gyros.  Got one in to Old Crow, seems to work fin but when I tried to retract the gear, only one side is functioning, so into the wing again, leaving that for tomorrow.  Might be a good chance to sort out the rats nest into something more organized

Grossman56

I know from a time I took the wing off of my IronAss and after I put it back on. One of my retract's wouldn't work....had me scratching my head. I had all my leads marked. 1 goes to 1...2 goes to 2. How could I have messed that up!!!! Well, of comes the wing. Checking all the connections...and yes, had one connected wrong....sigh