Official FMS 1500mm P-47D Razorback Thread

[jetfool]

I think I have the cockpit about right for the pilot. Bob isn't glued in yet, but he is feet on floor and head and shoulders like my photos. Headrest glued in and looks like the time period at that time.
Dave, I think the armor glass sits at a 45' angle, correct me if I'm wrong, and glues to the frame of the canopy and base to the fus.
Best Regards, Rex

[davegee]

Davegee,
Thanks for the info. I have flat black on hand and plan to get matte black this week for the triangle aera. Decided to have Bob strapped in with harness & seatbelt. I cracked one cuff so adding a little filler to hide the seam. Your cuffs look great. Callie will send a quote for the Curtiss decal and nomenclature on the prop. I was looking at photos today to see how the tips were painted. I have the FS# for the yellow. Will prime/sand props and re-do.
I don't understand why Manufactures spend lots of money on molds, R&D, .etc then don't take the effort to get the paint correct. I think they would sell more planes.
Best Regards, Rex

yeah, maybe these companies have dweebs who care more for "that looks Cool!" rather than people like you and me who want them accurate. I actually didn't catch it for awhile, like the E Flite 1500mm P-51D. I missed that for some time, actually my second one (Hun Hunter from Texas) that I still have and retired to hanging up in the garage still has the prop blades too tall on the yellow. Someday I'll get around to changing that to what it should be. Pretty easy to do, actually.

If I was a judge and really knew the true story on little details like that, I would ding them some on that score. I don't know if these judges would pick up on little things like that, but you and I know how it should look, and at least other modelers would appreciate the accuracy, I think.

[jetfool]

Davegee,
Thanks for the info. I have flat black on hand and plan to get matte black this week for the triangle aera. Decided to have Bob strapped in with harness & seatbelt. I cracked one cuff so adding a little filler to hide the seam. Your cuffs look great. Callie will send a quote for the Curtiss decal and nomenclature on the prop. I was looking at photos today to see how the tips were painted. I have the FS# for the yellow. Will prime/sand props and re-do.
I don't understand why Manufactures spend lots of money on molds, R&D, .etc then don't take the effort to get the paint correct. I think they would sell more planes.
Best Regards, Rex

[davegee]

Regarding the blade tips, you might be planning on reducing the size of the yellow tips, (FMS are way too tall) but here are a couple drawings/pictures of the real things: That's just my 2 cents worth, anyway.

[davegee]

With 11" of snow on ground and still snowing and 0'
the best thing to do is work on planes.
I have started installing the cockpit parts. Glued .010" styrene strips over foam cockpit edge, gives a smoother look. Back styrene former glued in. Cockpit side walls decreased 1/4" to allow clearance underneath floorboard. Pilot was pre-fitted in cockpit and the brace under seat was shortened to 1 3/16" to give correct stance in cockpit, shoulder and head height.
Will paint touch up areas and install front canopy, armor glass and gunsight
Installed cuffs on propellor, will refinish paint
more to come later.
Best Regards, Rex

looking great, Rex. You're probably already planning for this, but the glareshield is almost always matte black on almost every airplane from WWII to the present day. I'm talking about the triangular piece where you will install the armored glass. You probably are already planning on doing that, but just checking. It's really coming together in great shape!

Cheers

davegee

[jetfool]

With 11" of snow on ground and still snowing and 0'
the best thing to do is work on planes.
I have started installing the cockpit parts. Glued .010" styrene strips over foam cockpit edge, gives a smoother look. Back styrene former glued in. Cockpit side walls decreased 1/4" to allow clearance underneath floorboard. Pilot was pre-fitted in cockpit and the brace under seat was shortened to 1 3/16" to give correct stance in cockpit, shoulder and head height.
Will paint touch up areas and install front canopy, armor glass and gunsight
Installed cuffs on propellor, will refinish paint
more to come later.
Best Regards, Rex

[vrosi1963]

looking good, James. In the second picture, can you cover over the cutout where the OEM gunsight used to be? I'll be putting in a totally different printed gunsight and it would be better if the entire glareshield is smooth before I begin installing that and other stuff, too.

Thanks!

Davegee

Yes it will be filled Np

[davegee]

The main hatch profile is looking good with a first layer of primer to identify all the imperfections, lots more finish work to go on the main fuse

looking good, James. In the second picture, can you cover over the cutout where the OEM gunsight used to be? I'll be putting in a totally different printed gunsight and it would be better if the entire glareshield is smooth before I begin installing that and other stuff, too.

Thanks!

Davegee

[vrosi1963]

The main hatch profile is looking good with a first layer of primer to identify all the imperfections, lots more finish work to go on the main fuse

[davegee]

Davegee,
The cockpit parts are all fitting well but my extra 3/4" depth is almost too much. I am going today to get the height correct so there is more room below the cockpit. Now it is less than 1/8" and wiring underneath has to be correct so I want more clearance so moving the seat/. pilot a little will need to be done.
The instruments fit fairly well and look great. I will use some of my wifes clear craft epoxy for the glass. Dries crystal clear.
When I have side depth, pilot/seat height all set I will give all my dim. on here for others. There is plenty of room just need more clearance.
Elbee is our resident GOO-ROO!
I really enjoy the snow and cold weather. I do most of my building and if I lived in Florida or another warm state I'd never get any building done.
Best Regards, Rex

Sounds good, Rex. We'll stand by for more reports as you get the adjustments done to the seat/pilot height. Just part of the process.

Cheers

davegee

[jetfool]

Davegee,
The cockpit parts are all fitting well but my extra 3/4" depth is almost too much. I am going today to get the height correct so there is more room below the cockpit. Now it is less than 1/8" and wiring underneath has to be correct so I want more clearance so moving the seat/. pilot a little will need to be done.
The instruments fit fairly well and look great. I will use some of my wifes clear craft epoxy for the glass. Dries crystal clear.
When I have side depth, pilot/seat height all set I will give all my dim. on here for others. There is plenty of room just need more clearance.
Elbee is our resident GOO-ROO!
I really enjoy the snow and cold weather. I do most of my building and if I lived in Florida or another warm state I'd never get any building done.
Best Regards, Rex

[davegee]

Found a good image of the instrument panel. Enlarged to 270% and. printed on photo paper. Used sharpened brass tubing to cut instruments out and glued to OEM instrument panel. Looks pretty good. I cut the rudder pedal arms off and will make longer arms to fit the pilot's feet.
4-12" snow expected this weekend so hope to have cockpit finished by Monday
Primed the propellor cuffs
Best Regards, Rex

Excellent idea, Rex. I had not heard of that before, but it is excellent! I also put a drop of resin or epoxy on each instrument face to simulate glass. Makes for a finished and credible look.

Tip 'o the hat to Elbee. He redesigned the cuffs for a better fit than I had. With my V1 paper or plastic cuffs, they were not sealed at the ends, just glued on in the middle. That sorta worked, but then when I was flying it, you would hear a "POP!" and you knew one of the cuffs had popped off when stresses and air got in there underneath and popped off the cuffs. These V2 or V3 printed cuffs are much better, although I would recommend glueing them at the cap end onto the prop, and at the narrower end with CA to the prop, making a little bead all around the joint so that they cannot come off in flight. I then touch up the black and where the bead of glue was, put on the decals, and you're all set! I have flown with the V3 Elbee design several times and they work perfectly each time. I have found when the earlier version popped off occasionally, there was ZERO effect on flyability of the aircraft in any way.

I'll look forward to seeing how you do the rudder pedals. On mine, the pilot's feet didn't line up very well, so I just left them out of the cockpit. But if you come up with a workable plan, I might add them back in again.

Right now we are + 2 degrees F in Cody, but a slow "warmup" if you can call it that is on the way next week. At least we don't have a lot of wind, which really makes it tough combined with the low temps. But even a few days in the 40s or even low 50s is like Miami Beach here!

Cheers

Davegee

[davegee]

Davegee,
Thanks for your comments. The floorboard came out nice, .020"styrene primer, silver, int. green. I rubbed the paint with a 3m pad to let the silver show thru. looks good in person put most people won't see it with pilot in. I spot glued him in the seat and can remove if needed.
Working on getting the headrest, seat height and pilot looking correct per photos of pilots sitting ready to fly. Chewing gum comes in handy to hold things when measuring in the small area.
Shoulder harness/ seat belt really looks great. Trying to decide if I want them fastened or in an unhooked position as if he is exiting.

I guess that is up to you to have the shoulder hanresses fastened or not. Myself, I always have them attached so he looks like he is ready to fly and do battle!

Cheers

davegee

[jetfool]

Found a good image of the instrument panel. Enlarged to 270% and. printed on photo paper. Used sharpened brass tubing to cut instruments out and glued to OEM instrument panel. Looks pretty good. I cut the rudder pedal arms off and will make longer arms to fit the pilot's feet.
4-12" snow expected this weekend so hope to have cockpit finished by Monday
Primed the propellor cuffs
Best Regards, Rex

[jetfool]

Davegee,
Thanks for your comments. The floorboard came out nice, .020"styrene primer, silver, int. green. I rubbed the paint with a 3m pad to let the silver show thru. looks good in person put most people won't see it with pilot in. I spot glued him in the seat and can remove if needed.
Working on getting the headrest, seat height and pilot looking correct per photos of pilots sitting ready to fly. Chewing gum comes in handy to hold things when measuring in the small area.
Shoulder harness/ seat belt really looks great. Trying to decide if I want them fastened or in an unhooked position as if he is exiting.

[davegee]

those are great pics, Rex. Glad you got the pilot seat position figured out. He looks super! Thanks for the heads up on lengthing the control stick on the bubbletop. I'll do that.
I really like the currougated floor with the wear marks on it. The shoulder harness looks great. I have been adding those for most of my fighter cockpits for many years. With the 1/5 to 1/6 scale warbirds, I was able to find material and fittings made for hobby things that looked right and were functional. They came out great and actually kent the pilots locked in place in their seats. I rpobably glued down these smaller printed pilots but the effect of the shoulder harnesses/seat belts is a plus, and hopefully not lost on the judges.

Cheers

Davegee

[jetfool]

Still working on Bob sitting in the correct position per my documentation. Getting Bob and seat position to floorboard. I added 3/4" more to the sidewall depth and cut a 1/4"X1 1/4" wood dowel rod that sits underneath the seat to floorboard to align to back former. Bob now clears everything underneath floorboard, and he gets to keep his feet. I added a 5/16X5/8" square balsa spacer to get the control stick positioned.
Dave when you print your stick for the bubble top add 5/16" length to it.
Cut out the harness/ seat belt and started on the harness, not in the correct position yet but getting things figured out before install. I think these details will look pretty good.

6 degrees out so a good day in the shop.
Best Regards, Rex

[davegee]

Bob finally came back from R&R and is trying out the cockpit as the mechanics are assembling plane back together.
I think the headrest is to long so will re size
seat needs to be higher in my real photos
need an another 7/8" of legroom so Bobs feet will fit, test fit will allow room underneath with 1/4" clearance
Dan, Bob said to tell his buddies he will be back on flightline soon, looking forward to hearing their stories
Best Regards, Rex

Looks good, Rex. I concur on the headrest. The way you made it is great, just too large. You probably have a photo of a pilot in the real cockpit that shows the headrest, too. You can scale it down from there. Let me know if you need a photo of that, I probably have one I can email you. If you need to move the seat and frame up some, when you reduce the size of the headrest and maybe move it up some on the back wall, that should help to get the clearance that you need. Worst case, you could "surgically" remove his feet, but I hope we don't have to do that. I didn't on my pilot who is the same size and print. He seems to fit in there fine after I lowered the floor 1/2 inch like you did on yours.

Regarding the fit of the pilot, you can play around with the chair angle some to get him to fit. I think I also angled my pilot forward in the seat to have enough room for his feet to fit. In other words, slid his butt forward some so it helped with the legroom and footroom in the cockpit.

If need be, you can raise Bob up on a small block of wood to make him sit higher in the cockpit. After all, they were sitting on a parachure and liferaft which would have raised them up in the bucket seat some.

The photos are publicity shots of the pilots in their seat and they have the seat jacked up as high as possible for hte pic. They would not have flown this way, but some pics I'm looking at the pilot's head is pretty high, almost touching the canopy when the canopy is closed. So, you have some leeway to get him to fit properly in the seat. There are lots of possibilities to getting 'ol Bob in the seat again!

Looks splendid, though, really coming along!

Davegee

[jetfool]

Bob finally came back from R&R and is trying out the cockpit as the mechanics are assembling plane back together.
I think the headrest is to long so will re size
seat needs to be higher in my real photos
need an another 7/8" of legroom so Bobs feet will fit, test fit will allow room underneath with 1/4" clearance
Dan, Bob said to tell his buddies he will be back on flightline soon, looking forward to hearing their stories
Best Regards, Rex

[davegee]

Davegee,
The phantom is coming a long tho slowly. Elbees 3d scale parts are almost all added and the HS kids are printing the centerline fuel tank/ladders. I have my FS # latex paint waiting. Need to get Callies graphics/ stencils ordered. I have been filing/ sanding non scale manf. lines and will add some more scale panel lines before paint Going to order another cockpit/canopy from Motion to try an open static display. I think end of Jan. the Phantom will be on the big bench and all the prep work I have been doing the process will proceed quickly. The scale cockpit is almost all painted. Since Feb. is always the longest month for me (cold,dweary out) I will spend most hours on this. Wife understands and is encouraging on my addiction with my hobby.
I miss real flying, only private license. Your adventures in your career must have been thrilling to fly those large/heavy aircraft.
Best Regards, Rex

Sounds like you are methodically getting the work done to have the models completed with a margin of extra time if something unplanned happens that you need to do a last minute repair or something. Hopefully that won't happen and you can breathe easier as you await the time you'll head out to Toledo for the show.

Cheers

Davegee