Official FMS 1500mm P-47D Razorback Thread

[jetfool]

vrosi1964,
Agree on the OEM tires. I have changed all my warbirds to Robart tires. They work better for me.

[vrosi1963]

the best way to get dialed in with a new plane is touch and goes, i run Dave Brown foams over the bearing supported fms 1700mm tigercat rims one of my five 1200mm eflight modified arfs , Three razors and two converted bubbles e-flight little chief 1200mm custom P47 razorback, so easy to fly , will do a foam tire conversion for the 1500mm this year when i buy a arf , the stock hard tires never impress me especially for a paved surface. i only operate off a hard surface

[jetfool]

Grossman,
Sounds like you are a valued employee, and co- workers don't want you to leave. Cherish those friendships. Also there comes a time that you need to take time for yourself and enjoy being a kid again. I just turned 70 last December. Retirement is great if you have hobbies and friends to BS with. I'm fortunate in both. My buddy is a retired DR. and now uses his fancy medical scaples and hemostats to build his rc models.
Old airplanes are hard to keep parts, but rebuilding is a job I enjoy. Guys in club bring their broke planes in trash bags hoping I can fix them. Most are the younger guys that are working and raising family and don't have time or $ to buy new.
I am going to try the rivet idea when I get to modding my FL P-38 sometime. Many projects in front of that first.
Your Corsair needs to be in contests in your region it's that good!
OLE BOB is ready for the show, can't thank you enough.
Best Regards, Rex

[Grossman56]

Grossman56,
Your Corsair came out fantastic. What are you working on now? Flying season will be here before long. I have my Dynam B-26 hanging above workbench waiting for its turn on the bench, I have most of the 3d parts for it. Want to try to make operating bomb doors as a few others have done. Fingers crossed.
Best Regards, Rex

Hi Rex, working on my Old Crow, reassembling her after the last 'incident' She's a converted Freewing Iron Ass P51D I've had for years. She developed a nasty habit of rolling over on take off and smucking into the ground!!! Finally figured out why when I checked the A3L gyro, seems the thing was wonky when I tried setting it up again. Anyway, she ripped out her L/G which is typical and, of course, broke the pins off her left landing gear door. You can only order spare gear doors in complete packages, so needless to say, I have clamshell doors and tail wheel doors coming out of my you-know-what.
Since I have this problem, undoubtedly so do many others so I'm going into tinkercad to come up with a design that will attach to the old broken doors and make them new again!
Meanwhile, the punches from Harbor Freight got here so I'm going to start in on the P51B, got to get that pesky broken screw out of the motor mount first. Solved the problem of attaching the wing to the fuse by salvaging pieces from BBD.
Oh, then I have the retracts to replace on the Corsair....it never ends!! Fortunately , I'm working 4 days a week starting next month which will help a lot. People just don't want me to leave, but it's getting to that time. Next January I'm calling it quits, heck I'll be 73 then, ENOUGH ALREADY!
Meanwhile, the weather has been incredible out here, except for the wind, low to mid 50's and we're getting a little worried about long dry and hot summers.
As for riveting...

I Sometimes used my little 6" ruler to evenly space the 'rivets' and where there were rivets on either side of a panel line, I staggered them. After a while, I just eyeballed them as my brain had the spacing down.
As for the cowling, I used a Tee pin for a bigger diameter and the smaller ones in between. This is pretty accurate according to pictures.





It's time consuming but WOW it makes a difference.

Grossman56
(Dangerous Dan)

[jetfool]

Your riveting looks so good I"ll steal that process for my P-38. I learn something everyday useful. Thanks
Rex

[Eagle15]

Looks great. That spackle is just the start of a great looking plane. Mine look terrible until finished. Good work.
Rex

Thanks for the encouraging words! I sure hope it turns out good!

[Eagle15]

Very cool, Eagle15! What tool(s) did you finally use to do the riveting??

Cheers

davegee

I ended up using a toothpick 😆
it worked surprisingly well!!

Here’s the same wing after an hour of poking holes in my plane with a toothpick lol

[jetfool]

Looks great. That spackle is just the start of a great looking plane. Mine look terrible until finished. Good work.
Rex

[davegee]

Very cool, Eagle15! What tool(s) did you finally use to do the riveting??

Cheers

davegee

[Eagle15]

Thanks for the info! Here’s the photo of the one section I’ve done on the wing … If you want I’ll attach photos each time I finish a big section (wings, fuselage, etc). The white is foam putty where I messed up some lines… don’t mind that! 😆

[jetfool]

Grossman56,
Your Corsair came out fantastic. What are you working on now? Flying season will be here before long. I have my Dynam B-26 hanging above workbench waiting for its turn on the bench, I have most of the 3d parts for it. Want to try to make operating bomb doors as a few others have done. Fingers crossed.
Best Regards, Rex

[davegee]

Good technique there on the riveting, Dan.

. Yes, I’d like you to do the painting of the pilot Col Dave Schilling figure for my Hairless Joe if you’re game. I’m thinking I’d like to have him without the mask on but hanging down from the helmet so we can see his face. This was typically how a lot of pilots looked on the ground and below 10k feet when they would strap the mask on. I’ve seen pics of Schilling in the cockpit just like this.

Let’s plan on that.

Dave

[f4u ausie]

Just awesome 👍 👍

[jetfool]

Min-wax poly acrylic clear is what I use. Mine cost $25 a quart at Home Depot but I have used this quart on three airplanes with 3-4 brushed coats. Dries quickly (30-45min) but I usually let it dry for three hours before sanding because I think I get a harder shell after the whole process before primer. Sand as Davegee has advised and you will have a level baby butt smooth surface to apply primer and paint. I am no expert and many friends here have helped me get where I'm at today. Hope you post your photos as your build unfolds.
My Home Depot has the Federal Standard paint in their paint computer so if you know what FS colors, they should be able to get you the correct paint match.
Best Regards, Rex

[Grossman56]

I did a bunch of riveting on my Corsair, used a Sharpie and a larger caliber needle for larger rivets




I used a 'dead' ink pen with a small diameter 'nozzle' and just pushed it in until it broke the surface. Worked very well.

Grossman56
(Dangerous Dan)

[davegee]

Those are good ideas on riveting, Craig. I must confess I haven’t done riveting on foamies, Done a lot but those were on wood, fiberglass, or carbon fiber models. But you could certainly use a sharpie or sharp instrument and mark exactly. I where you want to place the rivet patterns.
Doing some test patterns would be advisable to refine your technique.

Minwax poly acrylic is used by many on Hobbysquawk and elsewhere. It would strengthen the foam for a better surface to do your rivets and also smooth the skin to more resemble metal skin of the airplane. You can get it at most hardware stores. Acrylic clear is probably better, paint on not too thick with a brush, let dry, use sandpaper to smooth it out some before applying additional coats, sanding lightly in between coats.

[f4u ausie]

Jetfool and davegee r the guys 4 that. They will chime in. I believe it's worth doing

[Eagle15]

Eagle15,
Glad you're enjoying modding your P-47. Some people have used a Sharpie fine tip marker to make their rivets. They gently poke a hole in that leaves a small rivet that is black. When they paint the black rivet shows a small difference to the final paint. Are you brushing Poly acrylic on before primer and paint? Makes a smoother, harder shell over the OEM foam
Please post your progress because we all learn from others and more friends we make. Someday I'd like to do a P-47M. Waiting to see how Davegee comes along with his.
Best Regards, Rex

shaprie is a good idea, I'll try that out! What is that about Poly acrylic? I've never heard of that before, is that something I should do to my thunderbolt?

[f4u ausie]

Eagle 15. I used a pointy wooden food scewer. Just poke the surface for rivits

[Grossman56]

Good to see you on a roll Dave!
Am I doing a pilot for this project?? (hint hint)

Grossman56
(Dangerous Dan)