Official FlightLine F4U-1A Corsair 1600mm (63") Wingspan

[davegee]

Hi Steve: we're in the ballpark. Thanks for taking time to do a preliminary drawing. I'm attaching a couple drawings/photographs of the real ones.

Here's what I'd say about your first rendition:

1) for the 75 gallon drop tanks, they were two pieces, pretty much identical top and bottom, and have a rim where they are welded or attached somehow.

2) There is no ribbing on the 75 gal tanks as is shown on the front of the rendering. The entire outline of the surface should be a continuous, gradual arc from nose to tail. The whole tank is very smooth, aluminum or steel construction, probably put sheet metal on a big press to get the two parts.

3) I think the front of the tank is a little bigger than the rear of the tank, if you can see on the photos which aren't ideal. The E Flite 1500mm P-51 foam tank rendition has it streamlining to a point in the rear, which it did not do.

I'll see if I can find something a little better.

Let me know what you think.

Thanks!

Davegee

Hi Steve: I found I have a little Dragon diecast steel 1/72 scale model of a P-51D with the teardrop shaped 75 gallon drop tanks. I took one off and measured its basic dimensions with a caliper, however it was so tiny it was only a wag.

Here's what I came up with: The E-Flite P-51 D model that I have is approximately 1: 7.52 scale

The length of the little diecast steel model drop tank was about 1 inch. That would translate to approximately 9.57 inches long from nose to tail for the E Flite model if my calculations are correct.
The greatest diameter of the teardrop tank of the diecast steel model is about .32 inches or so. That largest part I took about 1/3 of the length of the total tank from the forward end. Just a wag, I know! So, the diameter at the widest part is approximately 3 inches, give or take.

I don't know if that helps any, or not.

Cheers

Davegee

[davegee]

[ATTACH]n402351[/ATTACH]

davegee See if this is workable. I did a quick design this morning referencing only pictures. :see_no_evil: Best, LB

Hi Steve: we're in the ballpark. Thanks for taking time to do a preliminary drawing. I'm attaching a couple drawings/photographs of the real ones.

Here's what I'd say about your first rendition:

1) for the 75 gallon drop tanks, they were two pieces, pretty much identical top and bottom, and have a rim where they are welded or attached somehow.

2) There is no ribbing on the 75 gal tanks as is shown on the front of the rendering. The entire outline of the surface should be a continuous, gradual arc from nose to tail. The whole tank is very smooth, aluminum or steel construction, probably put sheet metal on a big press to get the two parts.

3) I think the front of the tank is a little bigger than the rear of the tank, if you can see on the photos which aren't ideal. The E Flite 1500mm P-51 foam tank rendition has it streamlining to a point in the rear, which it did not do.

I'll see if I can find something a little better.

Let me know what you think.

Thanks!

Davegee

[Elbee]

Drop Tank P-51.zip

davegee See if this is workable. I did a quick design this morning referencing only pictures. :see_no_evil: Best, LB

[davegee]

DaveG

These look to be the correct tanks.

It's be great if we could find 3-views.

Do you know the actual dimensions of the tanks you mentioned?

What do you think?

Best, LB

Hi Steve: Yes, these are all pretty accurate models of different drop tanks. I'm familiar with this drawing that is shown in some of my reference books. The two in particular I am looking at are the 75 gal. "teardrop" shape that went on the wings of the P-51s (among other planes, too) and the 108 gal. "paper" tanks with the distinctive ribbed patterns from the impregnated molded paper nose and tail sections of the tank.

I don't have exact dimensions for these at the moment, but could come up with something pretty close. The FMS 1500mm P-47 has foam "paper" tanks that I judge to be fairly accurate. Same with the "teardrop" drop tanks that come with the E Flite P-51Ds. It's just that the overall shape of the P-51 tanks is off, would need to be modified some. But the basic starting dimensions are possible that I could photograph and measure for a start. I also have photos, or they could be gotten from the internet showing side views of the teardrop tanks to use as a guide.

I've adapted the stock shackles from the E Flite P-51 to some very scale looking 500 pound bombs I had Chris Wolf (RC Geek) make for me a couple of years ago. The shackles could be further refined by printing some more scale ones (e.g., the sway braces are "WAY" too thick, and could be scaled better) but even though I haven't done new shackles, the RC Geek printed bombs that look great and are easily changed out when desired from the inaccurate stock teardrop shaped drop tanks that came with the kit.



Davegee

[davegee]

Dave, not sure about any existing STL's; my best guess would be Thingiverse.

However, if you find some decent 3-view drawings, I can walk you through designing those.

Also, I will look for some 3-views, too.

I think drop tanks are interesting add-on mods and modelling those are fairly straight-forward.

Best, LB

Thanks, LB. The wing drop tanks that come with the E Flite 1500mm P-51D are of an extreme teardrop shape that doesn't conform to the design of the real ones in WWII. At a minimum, I'd like to print some scale 75 gal "teardrop" tanks that are more accurate, but also the 110 gallon tanks used for long bomber escort missions, too. I'll keep looking. I just got my Tinkercad for Dummies yesterday. Reading through the first couple of pages, I confirmed that I am indeed a Dummy, so the reading material is appropriate for me!

Cheers

Davegee

[Elbee]

DaveG

These look to be the correct tanks.

It's be great if we could find 3-views.

Do you know the actual dimensions of the tanks you mentioned?

What do you think?

Best, LB

[Elbee]

f4u ausie Coconut .

[Elbee]

Hi LB: on the subject of printing drop tanks, do you know any source of STLs that I could use to print up correct shape 75 gal. or 108 gal drop tanks for a P-51? I'd like to print some up for my E Flite P-51s. The drop tanks supplied aren't the correct shape for either. If no STLs are printable, I'll use it as a future project once I get to that point in my quest to eventually design and print my own parts.

Cheers

Davegee

Dave, not sure about any existing STL's; my best guess would be Thingiverse.

However, if you find some decent 3-view drawings, I can walk you through designing those.

Also, I will look for some 3-views, too.

I think drop tanks are interesting add-on mods and modelling those are fairly straight-forward.

Best, LB

[davegee]

Corsair Crew,

Starting to build ordnance for my Corsair; Drop Tank, 500lb Bombs, and a Brewster Rack, so far.

Fun stuff.

More when there is more.

Best, LB

Hi LB: on the subject of printing drop tanks, do you know any source of STLs that I could use to print up correct shape 75 gal. or 108 gal drop tanks for a P-51? I'd like to print some up for my E Flite P-51s. The drop tanks supplied aren't the correct shape for either. If no STLs are printable, I'll use it as a future project once I get to that point in my quest to eventually design and print my own parts.

Cheers

Davegee

[f4u ausie]

Thanx Dave 4 the correct answer.. but I did have a giggle coconut

[davegee]

Good one, Coconut!

Brewster Aircraft Company and Goodyear each got contracts through Chance Vought to help build Corsairs for the war effort. Brewster aircraft were designated F3As, and Goodyear FG-1s. Brewster designed an under-fuselage bomb rack that was used for a while in the war. It could carry one bomb OR a drop tank, but not both. Later improvements by Vought installed wing pylons that could hold a bomb or a drop tank.

The Brewster-built Corsairs, about 735 of them, were poorly built and most of them relegated to service stateside. Their bomb racks were used by some units for a while, I think, until better bomb racks were installed on later models of the Corsair.

[Coconut]

No problem, Novice. It's a rack to put your Brewster in.

[f4u ausie]

Lb whats a brewster rack.. ?. Forgive a novice!,,

[Elbee]

Corsair Crew,

Starting to build ordnance for my Corsair; Drop Tank, 500lb Bombs, and a Brewster Rack, so far.

Fun stuff.

More when there is more.

Best, LB

[Elbee]

f4u ausie Hugh Wiedman , Absolutely the 'best bang for the buck' Corsair in the hobby, IMHO. Best, LB

[f4u ausie]

The carfs are incredable.. i agree ,but a:poop:load of. To put in the air.... 12 miles is 20 kph value for the doller 1600 is awsome

[Hugh Wiedman]

My baby (got me into rc) ready to hit the air again ,,, its been a bit,,.. she always asks about some excersize with a zero,, but i look blanckly,, fline wont do a zero,,,,, anyway replaced a retract all good.. thought it needed 2 but one.... changed one from a left to a right retract not hard,, only diff is the trunnion... so sunday my fly day,, up she goes..... will report,,

Sweet looking f4u!!! Got out recently with my 8S F4, F16, Euro and the 6S Mig and the Corsair, everything flying on the SMC HiV's. Been a while since I flew the Corsair, but each time out I'm always amazed at how well this particular model flies, especially on the SMC HiV 5900. 10 minutes of flight time!! (Spitfire gets 13 minutes on that pack). The winds were blowing 15, gusting to 20mph (don't ask me how much in kph ) at a 45 to sometimes direct crosswind but the Corsair couldn't give a :poop: where or how strong the winds were, handled it like nothing out of the ordinary. As did the Mig, although the F4/F16 and Euro were a rockin! Got to fly with a monster CARF folding wing Corsair with a Moki radial which was a blast. He took off just after me, and 8 minutes in asked if was running on empty. Told him not yet and he landed just before me! :stuck_out_tongue_wi But then again I would give my left n...t to be able to afford and fly his Corsair, but the Freewing Corsair ain't no slouch either, especially for us peasants! Absolutely love flying it!




You Can see the Big Corsair in the Background!

[davegee]

My baby (got me into rc) ready to hit the air again ,,, its been a bit,,.. she always asks about some excersize with a zero,, but i look blanckly,, fline wont do a zero,,,,, anyway replaced a retract all good.. thought it needed 2 but one.... changed one from a left to a right retract not hard,, only diff is the trunnion... so sunday my fly day,, up she goes..... will report,,

Good luck on your next flight with that Corsair! I'm sure you'll tear up the sky with her this weekend!

Cheers

Davegee

[Elbee]

Thank you my friend.

[f4u ausie]

Works of art do not need the harsh treatment this has had.. from a very willing ex learner(now ok intermediate i think)..b safe steve.... spring is in your air as fall is in mine