3W-P51 Refurb Completed
07-25-2013, 04:38 PM
#1
3W-P51 Refurb Completed
When I bought this airplane from my friend, Mike, I thought it woulds be a six month refurb job at most. 18 months later, finally done! New power on board, new trim scheme, lots of additional extras. Paint is Alsa Ghost Chrome. Awesome stuff. Crazy expensive, but the results are really nice. Pictures do not do justice. Passers by consistently believe it is metal. Re-maiden should be late August. Hate when my day job interferes with my hobby. Enjoy.
07-25-2013, 04:47 PM
#5
RE: 3W-P51 Refurb Completed
This part was very time consuming, but obviously crucial; the cooling baffling and the hot-air exhaust. As you can see here, and in the pictures above, the aft vent opens to allow the hot air to escape. The cylindrical shape of the fuselage itself routs the air back and out. On the ground, seems to work fine.
07-25-2013, 05:26 PM
#7
My Feedback: (43)
RE: 3W-P51 Refurb Completed
Mark,
Impressive work. Lots of nice detail and moving parts.
On the inline twin: it looks like the a baffle runs down the center of the engine and then a 45 degree angle baffle on the front.
Does the angled baffle force air around the right side of the cylinders more efficiently?
I'm also missing where the air goes on the left side (pilots view)?
Nice having a tube from the fire wall to the aft vent.
Impressive work. Lots of nice detail and moving parts.
On the inline twin: it looks like the a baffle runs down the center of the engine and then a 45 degree angle baffle on the front.
Does the angled baffle force air around the right side of the cylinders more efficiently?
I'm also missing where the air goes on the left side (pilots view)?
Nice having a tube from the fire wall to the aft vent.
07-26-2013, 03:40 AM
#10
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RE: 3W-P51 Refurb Completed
It appears to me your cooling air comes in the front on the port side, and exhausts out the door ohn the aft side of the scoop. Correct?
That is a very nice piece of work on your exhaust manifold. Did you do that work? Very nice.
I also like the way you tinted some of the paneling to make it stand out. You mentioned the type of paint this is.. Is it an automotive paint? Epoxy? Two part process, or what. As you already know, it looks great! What kit is this. I'm guessing a CompARF.
Dash
07-26-2013, 08:01 AM
#11
RE: 3W-P51 Refurb Completed
Thanks Sam,
The angle of the baffle at the front end forces air to flow over the center of the cylinder heads. Once inside the cowl (via ram pressure) the air has nowhere to go except for being forced over and through the cylinder fins, to the starboard side of the engine, where it is vented out through the huge open space in the firewall. I believe that this will also creat a vacuum-like suction, pulling the hot air through the fuselage and out the aft vent. There is no "tube" or ducting from the firewall vent opening to the back vent. Rather, the fuselage itself acts as the "duct" andthe hot air exits through the aft vent. There is a clear path that the hot air can take through the fuselage. Let's hope it works.
The angle of the baffle at the front end forces air to flow over the center of the cylinder heads. Once inside the cowl (via ram pressure) the air has nowhere to go except for being forced over and through the cylinder fins, to the starboard side of the engine, where it is vented out through the huge open space in the firewall. I believe that this will also creat a vacuum-like suction, pulling the hot air through the fuselage and out the aft vent. There is no "tube" or ducting from the firewall vent opening to the back vent. Rather, the fuselage itself acts as the "duct" andthe hot air exits through the aft vent. There is a clear path that the hot air can take through the fuselage. Let's hope it works.
07-26-2013, 08:07 AM
#12
RE: 3W-P51 Refurb Completed
Thanks Dash,
The manifold is my design and work. However, I do not have welding skills or equipment. So, I dod a mock up of what I wanted and brought the materials to my local welder. He took it from there. BTW, it works perfectly and sounds great.
Also Ghost Chrome could be used on anything, really. It is microscopically ground up chrome which is put into a isopropyl alcohol base. You spray it VERY lightly over your black (or other color) basecoat, and it dries in about 3 seconds. Just as soon as teh alcohol evaporates. You must then spray a clearcoat over because it is very delicate. The whole process is very labor intensive, but worth it.
The Mustang is a 3W kit; not a Comp-Arf. It is actually considerably larger than the Comp-Arf at a 112" wingspan, versus a 100" for the Comp-Arf.
The manifold is my design and work. However, I do not have welding skills or equipment. So, I dod a mock up of what I wanted and brought the materials to my local welder. He took it from there. BTW, it works perfectly and sounds great.
Also Ghost Chrome could be used on anything, really. It is microscopically ground up chrome which is put into a isopropyl alcohol base. You spray it VERY lightly over your black (or other color) basecoat, and it dries in about 3 seconds. Just as soon as teh alcohol evaporates. You must then spray a clearcoat over because it is very delicate. The whole process is very labor intensive, but worth it.
The Mustang is a 3W kit; not a Comp-Arf. It is actually considerably larger than the Comp-Arf at a 112" wingspan, versus a 100" for the Comp-Arf.
07-26-2013, 10:33 AM
#14
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RE: 3W-P51 Refurb Completed
ORIGINAL: MarkShapiro
Thanks Dash,
The manifold is my design and work. However, I do not have welding skills or equipment. So, I dod a mock up of what I wanted and brought the materials to my local welder. He took it from there. BTW, it works perfectly and sounds great.
Also Ghost Chrome could be used on anything, really. It is microscopically ground up chrome which is put into a isopropyl alcohol base. You spray it VERY lightly over your black (or other color) basecoat, and it dries in about 3 seconds. Just as soon as teh alcohol evaporates. You must then spray a clearcoat over because it is very delicate. The whole process is very labor intensive, but worth it.
The Mustang is a 3W kit; not a Comp-Arf. It is actually considerably larger than the Comp-Arf at a 112" wingspan, versus a 100" for the Comp-Arf.
Thanks Dash,
The manifold is my design and work. However, I do not have welding skills or equipment. So, I dod a mock up of what I wanted and brought the materials to my local welder. He took it from there. BTW, it works perfectly and sounds great.
Also Ghost Chrome could be used on anything, really. It is microscopically ground up chrome which is put into a isopropyl alcohol base. You spray it VERY lightly over your black (or other color) basecoat, and it dries in about 3 seconds. Just as soon as teh alcohol evaporates. You must then spray a clearcoat over because it is very delicate. The whole process is very labor intensive, but worth it.
The Mustang is a 3W kit; not a Comp-Arf. It is actually considerably larger than the Comp-Arf at a 112" wingspan, versus a 100" for the Comp-Arf.
08-12-2013, 11:24 PM
#17
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Hi Mark,
If you want to use a single fuel feed line, you may want to insure that both legs going to the carbs are of equal length. Fluid dynamics will result in the fuel taking the shorter route. You may want to consider using two fuel feed lines, one to each carb to insure that each carb gets the exact amount you want. Beautiful plane and finish work. Good luck on your maiden.
If you want to use a single fuel feed line, you may want to insure that both legs going to the carbs are of equal length. Fluid dynamics will result in the fuel taking the shorter route. You may want to consider using two fuel feed lines, one to each carb to insure that each carb gets the exact amount you want. Beautiful plane and finish work. Good luck on your maiden.
08-27-2013, 11:04 AM
#20
My Feedback: (86)
Hey Mark,
Sorry to crash your thread here but can you give me an estimate on the weight I might be adding to the Firewall on the Bearcat? I am pretty much done. I built this one with the servos in the Stabs like yours, Moki 250 for power.
Thanks,
Rex
Sorry to crash your thread here but can you give me an estimate on the weight I might be adding to the Firewall on the Bearcat? I am pretty much done. I built this one with the servos in the Stabs like yours, Moki 250 for power.
Thanks,
Rex
Last edited by rbxbear44; 08-28-2013 at 03:50 AM.
08-28-2013, 08:20 AM
#23
Yes, Edwin. That is a ballast for nose weight. It really works very well. In fact, the Bearcat in the pictures above also has this set up for nose weight. The beauty is that the plumbing pipes are themselves pretty heavy and they come in multiple sizes. Then I use 1/4 oz. lead fishing weights and fill up the pipe. Then I take a blow torch and "cook" the lead right in the pipe by heating the pipe on the outside. Just make sure you do this outside and DO NOT get anywhere near breathing in the fumes. They are toxic. Obviously, you must take a weight measure before doing this in order to know how much lead to put in the pipe for melting down.
08-28-2013, 08:21 AM
#24
My Feedback: (86)
Mark, sorry on two counts...not being clear on what I was looking for and this being a Mustang thread and not a Bearcat Thread! I am ready to CG the Bearcat and was wondering about how much lead weight you needed to add to hit the CG mark on this bird. I built it with a Moki 250 and the servos are in the Stabs as you did yours. Hope this is more clear 
Thanks!
Rex
Thanks!Rex