coreysan

I'm brand new to the world of ********, and excited. Ireceived a P-51 ARF(from BH.Models) and I'm learning how to assemble it, and have one question:

The ailerons and flaps attach to the wing using a rectangular piece of what looks like a fiberglass tab, that you insert into slots in the wing. To permanently install
it, you apply C/A glue.

My question is, should Iapply glue to the entire exposed fiberglass tab before inserting, or insert the tab first, and just apply enough glue once the tab is
in as far as it goes?

The instruction booklet has a picture where you insert the tab, position the flap where you want, and then lightly glue a small thin line. That will work, but I
don't know if that's enough to really hold it for any length of time. Would it help to use more glue?

Thanks for any reaction!

amtpdb

When you put a drop or 2 of CA glue on the installed tab. it will wick into the wing and glue itself in. After gluing it and letting it set for a minute or 2 and you can pull on it and you will then see it is glued tight.
Hope this helps.
Don

coreysan

Don,

Thank you very much!

Is it better to apply glue first directlyto the tab, and then insert the tab into the slot, or
insert the tab into the slot first, and apply glue where its going to be positioned permanently?

Corey

amtpdb

When you are using CA glue, there will not be time to insert it after applying the glue. Install the tab,flap or aileron in position, place the drop or 2 of thin ca on the Hinge (what you were calling fiberglass) everything should be in place and give it a minute to wick into the materials, and you are done. After it is dry, the hinge will seem stiff sometimes. Just work the flying surface around and all will be well.
Don

amtpdb

I should have said to apply a drop or 2 on both sides of the hinge. top and bottom.
Don

coreysan

Don,
Thank you *very*much for your expertise. I'll do it exactly as you described. May Itrouble you with one last question?

This P-51 has retractable landing gears, and to install them, you need to first insert the pushrod laterally through the
wing into the fuselage.

The instructions say to use a plastic pipe,insertthe pushrod into it, and pull the plastic pipe through.

My question is: do Ileave the plastic pipe (or, sleeve) on the pushrod permanently, or not?

Corey

amtpdb

I think I know what you are saying here. I have not put one of these together, but on planes I have done, you use the tube only as a guide so that the push rod has something to follow. The tube is installed up to the gear so that you can see it, or from the gear to the inside of the plane, depending on the instructions. Now you can push the rod into the sleeve or tubing that you just installed. The rod cannot hang up on anything and the rod will end up where you want it. Unless the instructions say to leave the tubing (sometimes in the past I have left it in so that the rod cannot flex) you would take it out. Did they give you the tubing in the kit? If they did, are there 2 of them? That would mean they wanted it left in as a guide and stiffener for the rod. With out looking at the plans or knowing the kit, that is the best I can do. From the description you gave, where they said to pull the plastic tube through, I would think that they are only using it to guide the rod through the wing and to remove it as you would be using a longer tube so that it goes the distance and can still be pulled out. I have used a 2 or 3 foot piece of small tubing I have had in the garage that I could fish along the line I needed and then slid a stiffer push rod rod into it until it was out of the wing or fuselage on both ends and then removed the tubing. I hope this helps.
Don

coreysan

Don,
Thanks so much. wow. The instructions are mostly pictures, and extremely sparse comments, so it never says what to do with the tubing. It does appear, however,
that you remove it.

Again, thanks so much!

Corey

rcairflr

My Feedback: (44)

http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/a...?article_id=55

coreysan

wow - I'm impressed!Thank you very much for sending this along!Very nice!

STUKA BARRY

If your having this much difficulty building this warbird, are you sure you want to attempt to fly it? The average model airplane lasts about 30 seconds from take-off from modelers trying to learn on their own. Just a statistic you should know about.

SteveW

My Feedback: (36)

Hi coreysan,

Is this your airplane: http://www.rcuniverse.com/product_gu...fm?kit_id=4111 ? If the answer is yes please don't try to learn to fly with it, that is definitely not a trainer. Not trying to dampen your enthusiasm but you will have a lot more fun and success with some type of a high wing trainer. Please look through this forum for some info:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/forumid_85/tt.htm Save that Mustang for you 3rd or 4th airplane when you can really enjoy it. Good luck.

coreysan

Thank you, gentlemen, for all your help, knowledge, and input. Iwas given the plane as a gift, and thought it would be fun to attempt
assembly. I have absolutely no experience at all flying these things, so Ifigured I'd first get a few trainer planes, and pay someone
to link up with me. My interest in this P-51 is for display, and possibly for re-sale if I discover I'm not a good flyer. Ieven have a great
spot in my work office, if it should be archived - its such a gorgeous plane. It would be a great possession even if Inever fly it, but
Ido want to learn! Ican't imagine attempting to fly it without prior experience on a cheapie, Iassure you.

There's a couple airports near my home, and a rather distinguished club as well, so I'm hoping if all goes well with assembly, I'll
get involved with the club, take lessons, etc.

Iwas just surprised that the instruction booklet was so vague, even for a novice. At any rate, everyone on this forum has been
remarkably helpful and generous - again, thank you all so much!

Corey