Top Flite GS P-47 sports scale; diary of a build
01-27-2015, 10:31 AM
#1651
Just a few hours, once the cowl is done and covere in aluminumn tape, then the red, black and yellow is painted I will bring it to her. Hoping some time next month, been slacking on this build and need to step it up, dam HBO and Showtime has been sucking my time. 
TB
TB
01-27-2015, 01:38 PM
#1652
My Feedback: (6)
Thanks Bob, I am really liking this RTC kit. One thing I noticed is that unlike the kit version that only has a few 1/4" strigers this kit has twice as many stringers just like I did with my kit builds. I just don't get why the kit is so much weaker in design and in construction (materials) then the RTC or ARF! Really wish I would have found this before I started the Angie build, ironically I almost got the RTC after the prototype crashed but it was out of stock and I did not have a clue that it was so well made.
I laid up the tail wheel door skin. I have the doors from the prototype that I may use as they worked pretty good. That is next on the bench.
TB
I laid up the tail wheel door skin. I have the doors from the prototype that I may use as they worked pretty good. That is next on the bench.
TB
sory about the rant
Cheers Bob T
01-27-2015, 02:54 PM
#1654
Bob, no worries on the rant, I'm ranting too. The could offer a "builders" kit with the vastly improved desinged lazer cut kit.
Here is an example of how much better the RTC is then the kit!
here are the belly pan of the kit on the left and the RTC on the right.
The kit one is highly modifide from the kit with twice as many stringers and I used base wood.
The RTC is lazer cut ply and much stronger and lighter.
The whole plane is like this, leaps and bounds better then the kit!
Left is RTC, right is kit build.
RTC
Kit build
Rant to be continued
TB
Here is an example of how much better the RTC is then the kit!
here are the belly pan of the kit on the left and the RTC on the right.
The kit one is highly modifide from the kit with twice as many stringers and I used base wood.
The RTC is lazer cut ply and much stronger and lighter.
The whole plane is like this, leaps and bounds better then the kit!
Left is RTC, right is kit build.
RTC
Kit build
Rant to be continued
TB
Last edited by TonyBuilder; 01-27-2015 at 03:00 PM.
01-29-2015, 04:58 AM
#1659
I am starting to work on the tail wheel assembly and the gear doors.
The kit supply's a fiberglass skin to cover the opening if you don't want gear doors.
The cut out is a little big at the front and small at the back.
They did move former #9 back as those who have built the kit know you have to cut former #9 for the wheel. I wish they would have moved forme #10 back too as the tail wheel is a bit forward then the scale location. On my kit build I moved the wheel back to the scale location. But not on this sports scale build.
I laid up a CF sub skin for the gear door opening as you do have to cut the inner most stringers for the gear to clear. The sub skin provides a solid fram for the gear doors to bolt to. I will use piano hinges as I did for the prototype.
I will lay up the gear doors next. I have the gear doors from the prototype but the conture is diferent as I made the fuselage thicker on the prototype, but these will be a templet and will help on the arm location for the doors.
TB
The kit supply's a fiberglass skin to cover the opening if you don't want gear doors.
The cut out is a little big at the front and small at the back.
They did move former #9 back as those who have built the kit know you have to cut former #9 for the wheel. I wish they would have moved forme #10 back too as the tail wheel is a bit forward then the scale location. On my kit build I moved the wheel back to the scale location. But not on this sports scale build.
I laid up a CF sub skin for the gear door opening as you do have to cut the inner most stringers for the gear to clear. The sub skin provides a solid fram for the gear doors to bolt to. I will use piano hinges as I did for the prototype.
I will lay up the gear doors next. I have the gear doors from the prototype but the conture is diferent as I made the fuselage thicker on the prototype, but these will be a templet and will help on the arm location for the doors.
TB
Last edited by TonyBuilder; 01-29-2015 at 03:20 PM.
01-29-2015, 09:27 AM
#1665
I placed my order with Patric at Solo props for a 22" four blade setup! It akes 4 weeks +- so I will get my engine on the stand as soon as I can so I can get the two hours of break in for the bowman ring, then tweak the veritable prop.
TB
TB
Last edited by TonyBuilder; 01-29-2015 at 03:18 PM.
01-31-2015, 04:27 AM
#1668
Thought I would start laying up the gear door sub skin. Three layers of 5.6 oz 2x2 cloth. I am resisting very hard to not go overboard with this so just doing doors, no sub skin on the top of the wing.
once this is done I can cut the door bay open so I can mount the gear and do some basic detailing of the wheel well.
Got three more lay ups to do.
TB
once this is done I can cut the door bay open so I can mount the gear and do some basic detailing of the wheel well.
Got three more lay ups to do.
TB
Last edited by TonyBuilder; 01-31-2015 at 04:33 AM.
01-31-2015, 07:23 AM
#1669
While the wing sub skins are curing, ( will take a couple days to make both) I mounted the engine and lined up my cowl. I need to add 1-3/4" of fuselage to the firewall ring as the cowl is about 1" further out. I removed the 3/4" balsa filler that has the cowl block notches and the round over. I took it down to the ply ring.
I am am ok with the ply cowl block so I will modify them and use them to mount the cowl, keeping it simple.
I will need to block them out 1"
I will ill use a combonation of ply and balsa block to recreat the cowl ring and fuselage front.
TB
I am am ok with the ply cowl block so I will modify them and use them to mount the cowl, keeping it simple.
I will need to block them out 1"
I will ill use a combonation of ply and balsa block to recreat the cowl ring and fuselage front.
TB
Last edited by TonyBuilder; 01-31-2015 at 07:25 AM.
01-31-2015, 11:49 AM
#1671
I started to see how the gear was going to fit, man I feel for those that want to drop in the Sierra gear on the ARF, not going to happen, stay with the robart if you want to have drop in gear.
As I am doing a bottom sub skin I removed the fiberglass wheel well and cut away the balsa sheeting so I would have access. Being I am removing all the ribs that are in the wheel well this area is very thin and weak so a top sub skin will be installed, got to do it.
The ribs where the gear cylinder fits in need some trimming, not bad but I don't know how you would do this with the ARF. To get the gear in I need to remove the top plate, no biggy. So far the gear is fitting good for what I have to work with. I'm sure I will not be able to get the wheels all the way in and the doors closed tight, I can live with that........on this build.
So the bottom skins is laid up and curing, and I just laid up the top skin.
Onward.
TB
As I am doing a bottom sub skin I removed the fiberglass wheel well and cut away the balsa sheeting so I would have access. Being I am removing all the ribs that are in the wheel well this area is very thin and weak so a top sub skin will be installed, got to do it.
The ribs where the gear cylinder fits in need some trimming, not bad but I don't know how you would do this with the ARF. To get the gear in I need to remove the top plate, no biggy. So far the gear is fitting good for what I have to work with. I'm sure I will not be able to get the wheels all the way in and the doors closed tight, I can live with that........on this build.
So the bottom skins is laid up and curing, and I just laid up the top skin.
Onward.
TB
Last edited by TonyBuilder; 01-31-2015 at 11:58 AM.
01-31-2015, 02:40 PM
#1672
Finally getting some good progress. I have the cowl blocks in.
They are just tacked in with a screw so I can adjust there location and centering.
Once I have them where I want them I will glue them in with epoxy.
I am pleased with the system and will beef up the mounts, pin them with CF dowls and I left enoug so I can add some 1/8" ply for shimming as I will sand them to fit the cowls profile.
I need to deside witch cowl I will use. As with a lot of this kit the TF cowl is in my opinion a better detailed cowl. It also is a little bigger, that helps a lot. The FS cowl is much thicker, stronger and heavyer but smaller. So right now I will use the TF cowl and I will layin some CF when I do the meatal hard points for the cowl screws.
I need to mount the engine and add the spark plug cap and see how it all centers befor I finalize the mounts.
TB
They are just tacked in with a screw so I can adjust there location and centering.
Once I have them where I want them I will glue them in with epoxy.
I am pleased with the system and will beef up the mounts, pin them with CF dowls and I left enoug so I can add some 1/8" ply for shimming as I will sand them to fit the cowls profile.
I need to deside witch cowl I will use. As with a lot of this kit the TF cowl is in my opinion a better detailed cowl. It also is a little bigger, that helps a lot. The FS cowl is much thicker, stronger and heavyer but smaller. So right now I will use the TF cowl and I will layin some CF when I do the meatal hard points for the cowl screws.
I need to mount the engine and add the spark plug cap and see how it all centers befor I finalize the mounts.
TB
