Official FMS 1500mm P-47D Razorback Thread

[davegee]

Looks great Dave! I'll be interested to see how you work with chalks.

Grossman56

I ordered some paints specifically made for engine oil marks and airframe weathering from Amazon. I should have it tomorrow. The chalks work very well, almost like an artist's pallet putting some details here and there, being careful NOT to overdo it!

I'll keep you informed and post some pics as I start in on that phase of the build. I'm hoping to maiden about the end of the month. We'll see...

davegee

[Grossman56]

Here's a thought, to duplicate the look of oil from an overflow, use some semi gloss clear coat, stumbled across that on the Spitfire, it looks 'oily'
BTW, did you see the tip about using 3M adhesive spray as a primer coat? Interesting idea.

Grossman56

[davegee]

Here's a thought, to duplicate the look of oil from an overflow, use some semi gloss clear coat, stumbled across that on the Spitfire, it looks 'oily'
BTW, did you see the tip about using 3M adhesive spray as a primer coat? Interesting idea.

Grossman56

Sounds like a good idea on the oil marks. I'm going to see what this kit of paints has in that regard that should be arriving tomorrow via Amazon. It got 5 star reviews from many, so I'm hoping it will work well. I also have a little bottle of "grease and oil" paint that I have used for years. Very realistic looking stuff!!

I would like to try a test run on a piece of foam of the 3M adhesive as a primer coat. Sounds very interesting, and promising!

davegee

[Grossman56]

That's what I was thinking, lots of foam lying around and if it works, another problem solved

Grossman56

[davegee]

Here's a thought, to duplicate the look of oil from an overflow, use some semi gloss clear coat, stumbled across that on the Spitfire, it looks 'oily'
BTW, did you see the tip about using 3M adhesive spray as a primer coat? Interesting idea.

Grossman56

Now to the Fun part! I love weathering these airplanes, and hopefully doing it in a way that looks like the plane just came back from a mission. To me, there is a fine line between just enough weathering, and going TOO FAR! I always like using an example I saw at a Scale Masters contest years ago. I was next to a guy on our ramp who had a pretty nice P-51, about 1/4 scale. The only problem was, he went way overboard on the weathering! To me it looked like it had reentered the Earth's atomsphere from space. He flew the plane well in competition, but the painting and finishing hurt his scores.

So, I have just started doing a little weathering on my P-47. I got some paints today, AK Exhaust Stains Weathering Set. It has five bottles for various parts of a plane, including burnt metal for jet exhaust. I'll post a couple of pics. Not good photos but you get the idea of what this stuff does. I like it, so far. One pic is of the forward exhaust and a wastegate I put in the exhaust, and the other is the turbosupercharger exhaust hood that gets red hot during a flight I've seen people paint these up on P-47 models, but in actuality, I don't think the paint would have stayed on very long with that heat.

I also use acrylic paints, and a variety of chalks that I grind down a bit on a piece of sandpaper to mix the colors I want. This process will continue for several more days. But then, the old adage regarding finishing warbirds: "you're never Really done completing a warbird!" I find myself adding touches or making changes years after completing a model.

[Grossman56]

Amen to that!

Grossman56

[Jetbird]

If you want to buy the P-47 , you can buy it here

https://www.fairrc.com/products/fms-1500mm-59-1-p-47-razorback-bonnie-pnp

[davegee]

I was all set to try the maiden this morning, but a 90 degree crosswind higher than I wanted to tackle for this first flight kept me from doing it today. Possibly tomorrow. I did, however, take some pics from various angles, completed taxi tests and did a thorough range check, as well as test out all the components like motor, flaps, gear, etc. All is ready when the wind dies down, hopefully soon. I'll post some pics that I took. This is P-47D-1-RE, a plane flown by Major (later Col.) Dave Schilling of the 56th Fighter Group in England in WWII. He got 3.5 kills in this aircraft before trading it in for a newer model. A pilot who did fly this afterwards sustained battle damage on a mission and had to belly land it in a field in England, I think. It never flew again and was used for parts.

Hope to get some inflight shots sometime when I can get a photographer while I fly it.

Davegee

[Grossman56]

Cripes Dave, if it wasn't for the overgrown weeds in the background, you'd swear it was real!
Excellent job my friend!

Grossman56

[davegee]

Cripes Dave, if it wasn't for the overgrown weeds in the background, you'd swear it was real!
Excellent job my friend!

Grossman56

Thanks, Dan. I was wondering if we can meet up at the field when we usually do some morning, if you could shoot some pics while I am flying it for some photo passes? I have a good Nikon camera that I'm sure you could get some good shots especially on burst mode which is about 2.5 frames per second, or if you prefer to use your camera, we could do that, too. Looking forward to getting some flights on it and some inflight photos, too.

Cheers

davegee

[Grossman56]

Sounds good Dave, let me know when, I'd love to get some pics of it as well, maybe shoot some video with the phone.

Grossman56

[davegee]

Sounds good Dave, let me know when, I'd love to get some pics of it as well, maybe shoot some video with the phone.

Grossman56

Let me get a few flights on it to dial it in first, and then we'll set something up. I'd be delighted to take pics of any of your planes you want to get photos of, too.

Since I have that other FMS 1500mm P-47 that I've had for a few years, it hopefully won't take more than a couple of flights to feel comfortable with this one.

Cheers

davegee

[davegee]

Well, got the maiden flight completed this morning. Flew about as I expected it to, a couple clicks of trim here and there, and it settled in for a fairly nice landing. Probably should have stopped there! I tried a second flight, this time with the scaled up drop tank on the bottom of the fuse. Sorta messed up the takeoff, all my fault. Didn't have enough right rudder in on takeoff to keep it straight down the center of the runway, and it veered sharply left. I still felt I could save the takeoff, but I didn't have enough flying speed yet to pull on it and get it off the ground. It went into the weeds at full power. Should have aborted, precious 20/20 hindsight!

Not much damage, although the prop was destroyed and a little mostly cosmetic damage to the left wingtip. The drop tank and mount were destroyed. So, I'm working on the repairs now. Have already ordered the replacement parts from HH, who fortunately did have everything I needed in stock.

Will try some more flights in a few days, hopefully.

[Grossman56]

Sounds like my first attempt at flight with the Silver 'Hardway' P 40. The result was a complete reskinning, this time with Flite Metal. My problem was the plane was waaaaay too tail heavy, problem solved and she flew fine in the Spring.

Grossman56

[davegee]

Sounds like my first attempt at flight with the Silver 'Hardway' P 40. The result was a complete reskinning, this time with Flite Metal. My problem was the plane was waaaaay too tail heavy, problem solved and she flew fine in the Spring.

Grossman56

I'm happy to report that this morning's flights went about how they should go. I borrowed the prop off my other P-47 while I wait for the replacement in the mail, and took it, and my T-33 that I busted a nose gear pin on landing last week for some test flights.

For this P-47 plane, for me, anyway, the secret I have found is to give it some power to get it going, and then feed in right rudder using high rates as you apply more power, add a LOT of right rudder. On the three flights I did today, I tracked the center of the runway fairly well, not perfect, but ok. Flying is dialed in, it flies great with all the normal military maneuvers you would expect out of a real P-47. Landings are pretty typical for me, along with warbirds like the E-Flite P-51D, the Flightline Corsair, and this airplane, I try flying in with some power to touchdown, and land in a two-point, tail low attitude. It looks good and then I reduce power to idle and gently lower the tail and start getting on the rudder to try and track straightforward movement on the rollout.

On yesterday's second test flight after the maiden, I think I used poor headwork getting it to track straight, too much power, not enough rudder, and I should have aborted when it veered towards the side of the runway. Lesson learned, I hope!

This plane is now flying like my other P-47 that I have had for some time now. The only difference is my changeout of the stock Ham Stan prop hub for my 3D printed scale Curtiss Electric prop hub. The printed hub weighs 6 gms. (0.2 oz) less than the stock hub, which is negligible. I didn't see any difference in flight performance CG wise, between the two planes.

I'll be working with Grossman going forward to getting some quality inflight pics of my plane, and I'll get any that he wants of his planes, too.

Cheers

davegee

[Grossman56]

I've had some birds that just love to pull hard to the left on take off. I've put some very small shims on the port side of the motor x mount to adjust the angle slightly to the right. They don't look like they should do anything but it does help, you can always add more if you fell you need them.

Grossman56

[davegee]

I've had some birds that just love to pull hard to the left on take off. I've put some very small shims on the port side of the motor x mount to adjust the angle slightly to the right. They don't look like they should do anything but it does help, you can always add more if you fell you need them.

Grossman56

I'll keep that in mind. Since I have the other one, and actually one before that years ago that crashed, and now the new one, I think my problem was me, too much power too fast, and not enough right rudder. This plane, to me, is more sensitive than others with the left pull tendency, like my Spitfire, Corsair, or E Flite P-51. Still, if you don't really nail down the rudder and power, they will all do the same thing, and all of mine have. Probably the most stable is my FL Corsair, which I have a pretty good handle on how to fly it properly.

I'll be continuing flying all these birds this summer and fall to try and maintain or regain my proficiency flying them. It's mostly takeoffs that are the issues, landings I'm reasonably happy with.

But I'll also look into some small shims as you suggest. Appreciate the tip!

PS: what do you use for shims, small washers, or something else?

Thanks,

davegee

[Grossman56]

thin washers

[Grossman56]

I have a whole box of them I'll be glad to give you a few so don't buy any. I've got enough to last two lifetimes!!
I know with My Mustangs, I feed in enough power and get them running straight. Then up with the power and once the rudder takes effect, they're on track.
With the Pandora, by the time I get to full throttle on takeoff, the stick is about two o'clock, she likes to pull that much. I've never shimmed it because I'm just so used to it.
Ah but then there's the Avanti and the late F7F, line her up give her the throttle and straight as an arrow.
Actually the one taildragger that goes straight down the runway with no rudder is the RV8. The only airplane I've run across that takes off like a Flight Sim.

Grossman56

[davegee]

I have a whole box of them I'll be glad to give you a few so don't buy any. I've got enough to last two lifetimes!!
I know with My Mustangs, I feed in enough power and get them running straight. Then up with the power and once the rudder takes effect, they're on track.
With the Pandora, by the time I get to full throttle on takeoff, the stick is about two o'clock, she likes to pull that much. I've never shimmed it because I'm just so used to it.
Ah but then there's the Avanti and the late F7F, line her up give her the throttle and straight as an arrow.
Actually the one taildragger that goes straight down the runway with no rudder is the RV8. The only airplane I've run across that takes off like a Flight Sim.

Grossman56

Thanks, I'll take a few of them if you can spare them to do some experimenting. If you can remember to bring them next week or whenever we do the photoshoot, that would be great.

I took some pics of your camo'd P-40 last year which looked very nice. But I can't remember if something happened to it where you rebuilt it and applied the Flight Metal, or that was a different plane entirely?

Davegee

[Elbee]

Making steady progress on the painting and detailing of the Jug...]

Dave, not sure how I missed this post/thread; however, great work, Sir.
I like all your details, big time, and the execution is sublime.

As for the lovely and talented Ms.Callie, order 2 of everything you can't or won't paint.
That has saved my bacon more than once.
Best, Steve