TopRC P-51 build

[benjack71]

I put the left wing on, and got the gear installed on that side. I would have got the other side,but I made a boo boo and had to redo the left wing tip nav. light. I got some good pics of the cockpit with the pilot. Brings up another question. What is everyone opinion on how to weather this plane? I could weather it up like a WWII combat plane. Gun smoke, heavy stack soot, blackened streaks on the wings, a lot of silver on rivets/access hatches, some fading from fueling spills etc. Or, I could just do a bit of silver on rivets, a faint wisp of stack smoke, no gun soot and keep it like the show plane it is. In which case I have a jet pilot, which actually looks like what a pilot would wear flying gunfighter in a show. Keep this in mind. The real gunfighter has been a show plane for 40 years now. A little history

Gunfighter was built in the Inglewood, California North American plant and accepted into the USAAF in March, 1945. That month, it was shipped to England, where it was assigned to the famous 'Mighty Eighth' Air Force. In July of 1945, after the War ended in Europe, it was returned to the U.S. and assigned to Olmstead Field in Pennsylvania. In 1947 it was transferred to the Air National Guard and it thereafter served with units in Wyoming, New Mexico, Illinois and Kentucky. In 1956 it was declared surplus and sold on the civilian market.

http://www.p51gunfighter.com/the-plane

So yeah give your opinions on it. Also, if anyone has any ideas about how I am building it, suggestions, criticism, better ideas share it up. I might not always agree but I am always willing to learn! Here is some pics.

[benjack71]

Progress has been slow, but starting to see a little light at the end of the tunnel.

[rifleman_btx]

It sure is getting there. Looks great

[benjack71]

well I screwed up. I did not notice it until i started messing with the tail wheel assembly. I even got the throws all adjusted, and did not notice it then. One elevator is about 1/16th of an inch shorter than the other one. Its noticeable looking down at them. Should I cut the hinge pins in two, drill them out and start all over? My throws came out great. My gut tells me that 1/16th of an inch wont matter. What does the group think?

[rifleman_btx]

Looking at it I wonder if it's a 16th all the way root to tip or if it's just at the root that it's off. Like a miscut oh one of the trailing edges. Either way I dont think that would cause a problem either.

[benjack71]

Looking at it I wonder if it's a 16th all the way root to tip or if it's just at the root that it's off. Like a miscut oh one of the trailing edges. Either way I dont think that would cause a problem either.

I honestly think I bumped it and pushed it in. I put them both on the pins at the same time, using gorilla glue. I made sure they were both even, but I got to fooling around with the tail wheel, and I am positive I bumped it before it set. Just not thinking. Yeah, I think it would be ok. The only thing I could see it cause is tracking to be slightly off in a loop. With the throws coming out exact, I doubt that would happen

[rifleman_btx]

Ah ok. Still pretty aggravating when dumb things happen, I know that feeling quite often. Almost too often:Not-Talking::Scared::Angry:

[Hardway]

I honestly think I bumped it and pushed it in. I put them both on the pins at the same time, using gorilla glue. I made sure they were both even, but I got to fooling around with the tail wheel, and I am positive I bumped it before it set. Just not thinking. Yeah, I think it would be ok. The only thing I could see it cause is tracking to be slightly off in a loop. With the throws coming out exact, I doubt that would happen

I hate it when that happens.... As long as your throws are even and go up and down evenly throughout the servo range, the little bit inboard will not matter. Not that you will be able to notice.... Go with what you got!!! :Cool:

[JFandL]

Its not that bad and I think tracking will be fine in a loop.

[benjack71]

Its been forever since I updated on this. In the meantime I got called for a 10 day activation. I have the main gear doors on now. I actually just epoxied the last door servo in place, waiting for it to dry. Soon as I am satisfied with that, then I will move on to the tail retract door. After that is all done, then on to the pull pull cables/servo for rudder and tail wheel. Engine mounting will be about the last thing I do.

[benjack71]

Another update. Sorry for lack of pics. Just got done doing the CG. It came out tail heavy! Checked it more than once. I could not believe it. Then I noticed that everything in the plane is forward of the CG. 70cc four stroke motor. Yeah, I guess it is nose heavy. I slid a 6 ounce lead weight on the tail and it seemed to balance out. I did not have the back plate or the prop or the cowl on when I checked the CG. I did have the spinner cone attached though. I will probably just put 6 ounce weight in the tail and leave it a bit nose heavy.Also my sequencer went crazy, Why in the hell did I not just get a new one instead of using an old one that I found laying around. So, the inner doors are not on the plane and will have to be added at a later date. I will definitely get some video of tomorrow's maiden. The good, the bad the ugly. Whatever happens. Then its off to Rend Lake War Birds Fly-In.

[rifleman_btx]

Well im looking forward to it, shes gonna fly well. Just take your time and do one more balance check before you send her off into the wild blue yonder.

[benjack71]

The good. The FMS Tigercat La Patrona flew great.
The bad. I got the Mustang started up. Took a bit with a new engine but once it started up it sounded great. A lot of vibration. More than I was expecting..
The Ugly. I let it warm up and adjusted the idle. I made sure I could pop the throttle with no hesitation. Damn it sounds awesome. That big old four stroker yanking that 23 inch 4 blade around even on the ground had an awesome sound. Then the engine came off the firewall. Minimal damage to the cowl. Not really sure why. It appears the firewall is intact. So, time to just put it aside and walk away for now. I know this is the largest plane I ever built, but I have built a couple 35 cc gas planes so beats me. Just going to let it lay, then one day next week I will get into it, see whats going on.

At least it happened on the ground and is definitely fixable.

[OV10]

Just a reminder Ben.............Vibration is always a killer of airframes:Scared:

[benjack71]

Just a reminder Ben.............Vibration is always a killer of airframes:Scared:

That is true and when I get into it I will hopefully see an obvious cause. Gas planes, normally, have considerable vibration, much more than their nitro cousins. To be honest OV10 I am not exactly sold on the 4 blade prop system I am using. I am wondering if that is not some of it.That is a picture of my set up. I do not like how the props are locked in with compression only. Also, the way that it came I believe it was set up for a prop adapter. I will not run a prop adapter on a engine over 50cc. I just will not do it. I do have a nice 4 blade Biela prop for the plane as well. I need to trim the spinner some for it to work. I am definitely going to when I get it back in condition to run and then compare the vibration with the biela prop.

[OV10]

Who makes that prop/hub.....is it something new from Ramoser??

[rifleman_btx]

Wow sucks it came apart. Hopefully its its something simple to fix and make even more stout

[benjack71]

Who makes that prop/hub.....is it something new from Ramoser??

http://www.morpower.com.tw/Porpeller/list.html

But, its being sold under the toprc name as well.

https://www.gator-rc.com/toprcmodel-22-4-blade-variable-pitch-carbon-fiber-propeller

[benjack71]

Wow sucks it came apart. Hopefully its its something simple to fix and make even more stout

Well, fixing it wont be to bad even if I have to replace the firewall. The question is why. I really want to see how much vibration there will be with the biela set up.

[rifleman_btx]

Yeah i do know the gasoline engines on my p38 vibrate like crazy as well. Itll be interesting to see what you find in there when you dig in.