Official FMS 1500mm P-47D Razorback Thread

[davegee]

Excellent idea Dave. You can get everything done and your time can be focused on the fuselage. Then just assemble all the finished parts together.
Sounds like you are the western FMS warehouse for P-47s. LOL
Rex

Sometimes I think I'm getting in a rut! Nonetheless, now I have the settings pretty much dialed in for this airplane, and can fine tune it when I get the fuselage finished. But it should be ready for a maiden this spring, I think. I think this will probably be the last jug I do, but I'm glad to finish on one of my favorites, Hairless Joe.

When I was thinking about getting into scale rc big time eventually settling on an Aerotech 50cc P-47 bubbletop), for me anyway about 2001, I looked at books on the P-47 showing all the different paint schemes. For some reason, in probably a hundred airplane drawings, I looked at Hairless Joe. Something just called to me to do this one. I researched the pilot, Dave Schilling.

There were some interesting coincidences between him and my dad somehow. My dad flew B-24 and B-17 bombers in Europe some of which got top cover from the 56th FG, specifically Dave Schilling on some missions when I cross referenced missions.
My dad and Schilling were born the same year, 1918, and died the same year 1956 within a few months of each other. My dad was killed in an aircraft accident, Schilling in a car accident.
Schilling originally came from Leavenworth Kansas, was born there. My dad is buried at Ft. Leavenworth National Cemetery. Made me ponder the coincidences.


Cheers

davegee

[jetfool]

Excellent idea Dave. You can get everything done and your time can be focused on the fuselage. Then just assemble all the finished parts together.
Sounds like you are the western FMS warehouse for P-47s. LOL
Rex

[davegee]

I decided to make myself useful during some down time as I wait for the new improved bubbletop fuselage mod from James. There was still lots of work I could be doing, so I got the idea to take the fuselage that came with the kit, the one that will be used as a testbed for other projects, but probably will never fly. It has all the "guts" in it that I will be transferring over the new bubbletop fuselage when it gets here. The wings and tail are painted although I still needed to get the gear extended some how to paint and detail those areas.

So, I put the fuselage in a Robart foam stand and added the wings and tail to the airplane. I had another "Hairless Joe" that crashed a couple of years ago, although I still have a lot of parts from it, being the same 1500mm P-47D razorback. I was able to use the settings for that airplane still in my DX18 radio and trim all the controls to what that crashed airplane was set at. I think the crash was some fluke of some sort on my part, as I had that airplane all dialed in, so I'm using the same settings for the new bubbletop Hairless Joe. Got the inner parts of the gear doors painted the correct yellow zinc chromate as well as the wheel wells.

I also changed out the hard OEM tires with 3.5 inch hollow Robarts that work so well for this plane and my E Flite 1.5M P-51Ds.

I'll attach a couple of pics of work done today. When the new bubbletop fuse comes, I'll have a LOT of work to condition and paint it and do a scale cockpit. Danger Dan is doing a splendid job painting up the pilot as Col. Dave Schilling who flew the real one in 1944.

Cheers

davegee

[Elbee]

vrosi1963

Once again, simply beautiful work, Sir.

Best, LB

[vrosi1963]

almost 100% done and ready to pack it up for the return trip to Dave G , the canopy plug is next weeks task to complete.

[jetfool]

Done. great reference. Thanks Elbee

[Elbee]

PWR2800Pix.zip

Gentlemen,

These images are also a great reference for a P&W R2800.

Color pics from all sides.

Click on the zip file then click extract all.

Downloading and saving to desktop is easiest, then you can put the file anywhere convenient.

Hope these are helpful to all.

Best, LB

[davegee]

Davegee,
Fantastic!
If I have time I will add the ignition harness to mine. What did you make it from?
Rex

Thanks, Rex. You can use copper, brass, gold, or black metal wire that is about 20 gauge at any craft store like Hobby Lobby. I've seen real engines using ignition wires in all those various colors, they made so many and there were a lot of subcontractors. For instance, did you know a lot of B-17 engines were built by Studebaker car company?

Not required but I have taken pictures of the plastic cylinders that are in the cowl of the model, fiddled with the size a bit on a printer, cut them out and glued them in the spaces behind the real cylinders on the cowl to make it appear like there is a second row of cylinders like the R2800 had. I have never had any cooling issues putting these paper "cylinders" in and it looks more realistic, in my view. Besides, you'll have a big prop in front of them so people just get a taste of what the real one might have looked like without getting to see them too well..

As you well know as a pilot. each cylinder has two plugs, one in front and one in back, for reliability and safety. I always try to put one in the front and then run a line going underneath the cylinders to imagine it going to the other spark plug that can't been seen.

But you can do what you want. Just dolling up the cowl a bit with some harness wires would attract the attention of the judges. Of course, in a little model like this you can only go so far, and the uppper cylinders meld into the mold of the cowl and you just can't do much there, but if you have the time, you can play with it a bit. I'll attach a pic of a real R2800 you can use as a guide if you want to add any details to your model.

For the actual round cylindrical wiring harness itself where all the ignition wires come from, you can make that out of plastic, wire,etc., of about 1/8 inch diameter and do your best to shape it around the engine as you see in the photo of the real one. It's the round, gold tube at the base of the crankcase cover in the photo.



Davegee

[jetfool]

Davegee,
Fantastic!
If I have time I will add the ignition harness to mine. What did you make it from?
Rex

[davegee]

Got finished with detailing the engine cwol for Hairless Joe today. This is the 4th one I've done for FMS 1500mm P-47s.

[davegee]

While I'm thinking of it, remember we talked about using doweling to attach the arms on the pilots that have separate arm STL's? (Or heads for that matter) I was thinking that rather than doweling, what about rare earth magnets. Then it should be really simple to angle the arms to whatever position you want temporarily.

Dan

I like that idea. The magnets could be positioned so that you can change the position of the arms, and they still would not fall off. Let's look into that, Dan!

Cheers

davegee

[Grossman56]

While I'm thinking of it, remember we talked about using doweling to attach the arms on the pilots that have separate arm STL's? (Or heads for that matter) I was thinking that rather than doweling, what about rare earth magnets. Then it should be really simple to angle the arms to whatever position you want temporarily.

Dan

[Grossman56]

I think the beer bottle thing is going to become a right of passage! I'll have to get a six pack from you and come up with a table. When a pilot is finished, I'll get a pic of him have one with the locals

Dan

[davegee]

Meanwhile, Bob Schilling is coming along. The face looks pretty good and the helmet color is roughed in, a couple of coats on the leather jacket as well.
Popped the head on and got some pics, time for the reveal, so far....



Looks pretty serious doesn't he?? Pics never seem to do them justice but hey, that's a good thing, the always look better in person!
Besides, looks like he needs a beer !

Grossman56
(Dangerous Dan)

He's really coming along, Dan! I think I wrote once that I did come up with a printed scale oxygen mask that I will use to hand down from the left side of the helmet. He often was caught looking at the camera when he was in the cockpit, so I'll tilt the head slightly left for the full effect. Excellent work, Dan, as usual!!!

I still have some extra printed beer bottles if he needs one, or two!

Cheers

Davegee

[jetfool]

Grossman,
Another beautiful pilot coming from your studio. By the way Bob Johnson said to tell Bob Shilling to have a beer on him and he misses all the guys sitting around, drinking and BSing.
Great job Dan.
Best Regards, Rex

[Grossman56]

Meanwhile, Bob Schilling is coming along. The face looks pretty good and the helmet color is roughed in, a couple of coats on the leather jacket as well.
Popped the head on and got some pics, time for the reveal, so far....



Looks pretty serious doesn't he?? Pics never seem to do them justice but hey, that's a good thing, the always look better in person!
Besides, looks like he needs a beer !

Grossman56
(Dangerous Dan)

[davegee]

Davegee,
Wings are going to be outstanding. The little details make it more real even though most of my flying buddies don't do it to theirs. To each there own.
I like the new P-51 with all the scale details plus the new pilot looks good too. Having the option of a tank drop would be a must if I had one. I would fly it stock for a while because I'm ready for a break from trying to get 2 planes re done. It's been fun but harrowing sometimes and I still have things to finish on the F-4. The price is pretty high but as other things it's comparable with other costs we pay. I will wait for my hobby money to build back up before I purchase anything new. I like the e-flite GEE BEE and think it would be a fun plane to have. Hopefully Motion has more to release this spring.
Best Regards, Rex

I think this P-51D is definitely on my longterm list to buy. I would prefer with this one not to have to do much to it, but just enjoy flying it as is, for the short term, at least. I like that they have four different decal schemes for different aircraft in the 357th FG. I think I like Nooky Booky III decals for a plane flown by "Kit" Carson. But they are all good. We'll see.

I am really looking forward to getting the fuse back which should be within the next two weeks, maybe less. I have to transfer all the "guts" out of the fuselage from the kit that I bought to this modified fuselage. I look forward to the day when I actually get power on the airplane. Still ahve all the detail of the wheel wells and gear to do since they have not been extended yet. That will come, in time.

Cheers

davegee

[jetfool]

Davegee,
Wings are going to be outstanding. The little details make it more real even though most of my flying buddies don't do it to theirs. To each there own.
I like the new P-51 with all the scale details plus the new pilot looks good too. Having the option of a tank drop would be a must if I had one. I would fly it stock for a while because I'm ready for a break from trying to get 2 planes re done. It's been fun but harrowing sometimes and I still have things to finish on the F-4. The price is pretty high but as other things it's comparable with other costs we pay. I will wait for my hobby money to build back up before I purchase anything new. I like the e-flite GEE BEE and think it would be a fun plane to have. Hopefully Motion has more to release this spring.
Best Regards, Rex

[davegee]

making some progress on the painting of the wings. I'm putting the invasion stripes only on the bottom of the right wing, none on the nonpainted NMF bottom of the left wing. This is how the airplane looked for a short time in the summer of 1944 after the left wing was replaced. Callie will be sending out my dry transfers package tomorrow, Friday, and will evenually start on some of those. The tops of both wings are painted in RAF Ocean Gray and will have patterns of RAF Dark Green over the tops of the wings, tail, and fuselage. I'm hoping to get Danger Dan to design up a droppable drop tank of the type that was used for a while during that time period.

Started on the RAF Dark Green camo patterns on the wings and horizontal tails. Seemed to work best with a photo in one hand and an airbrush in the other to apply the first layers of the camo pattern. So far, so good.

Dan made it easy from your good measurements you sent for the aileron counterweight covers. All four of my P-47s have them installed, now.

On another subject, what is your take on the brand new release of the 1.6m P-51D from Flightline? I really like some of the details like the landing light, bomb/drop tank drop, simulated machine gun firing, etc. The cockpit looks to be acceptable for now. If I get one, I might keep it as is for a while, at least. Always the option of putting in a full cockpit. This cockpit even as is, is MUCH better than the goofy interior of the EFlite 1.5m P-51D!!

Cheers

Davegee

[jetfool]

Davegee,
Your three-aileron hinge covers really look good. Congrats to you and Dan.
Rex