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Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build

Old 10-15-2008, 04:55 PM
  #1751  
savoy
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Default RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build

Here mine, just completed with help from some great info in this thread. Glassed and auto paint, OS .91, Robart retracts. 6 flights so far. Great realistic flyer with no bad habits.
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Old 10-15-2008, 04:57 PM
  #1752  
savoy
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Default RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build

And another
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Old 10-15-2008, 06:58 PM
  #1753  
Mustang Fever
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Default RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build

Nice lookin bird, Savoy. Did you weigh yours? We're all curious on that matter. Seems like so many of them end up way beyond what TopFlite claims.

Covering on mine is coming along slow but sure. First time doing an entire model in UltraCote. It has a couple of qualities I really like: it sticks to wood much better than monokote, and gets "stretchable" at a much lower temperature. I can use one iron set for sticking, around 220F, and another for stretching, around 275. As I'm doing a multi section camo job, I'm starting at the tail and working upward and forward, and each piece is getting stuck down completely to the wood. I'm putting relief cut transition pieces in all the corners, around all the big curves, and inside all the holes. Seems to be working well. I applied one coat of thinned finishing epoxy to all the surfaces, and sanded up through 800 grit.
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Old 10-16-2008, 08:55 AM
  #1754  
savoy
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Default RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build

No weight, I don't have a scale that will give an accurate reading. I'm curiuos myself with the glass and paint finish. I can tell you though that with only a .91 in the nose I had to install the batt aft of the servo tray to balance per/plan. Also with the slow stall speed and easy landings it sure does not fly heavy.
Old 10-16-2008, 11:08 AM
  #1755  
Mustang Fever
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Default RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build

That sounds very encouraging. I just use a cheap fish scale to weigh mine. Close enough.
Old 10-16-2008, 03:57 PM
  #1756  
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Default RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build

Bob, I'm really interested to see how you'll end up with that technique. This is something that I have thought about a lot, covering a whole warbird entirely with Ultrakote (i.e. Oracover)... I see two hurdles: those curvy parts does not make for the easiest covering job... 2nd, you'll end up with *many* more seams, which implies less durability... than a full fuel resistant paint job. Maybe a clear coat on top of that could seal the seams ? Watch out for weight...
Old 10-16-2008, 04:42 PM
  #1757  
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Default RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build

Strykaas:

I don't think I'd try this with MonoKote, but the Ultra Cote sticks to itself much better. If I do anything to the seams, it would be just to run a Q-tip dipped in trim solvent around each, but I don't like to do that as it tends to make the colors run.
Old 10-17-2008, 04:23 PM
  #1758  
Mustang Fever
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Default RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build

Up close, you can see the imperfections, but I'm pretty happy so far. This is easily the most difficult Cote scheme I've attempted to date.
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Old 10-17-2008, 04:31 PM
  #1759  
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Default RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build

I can't imagine doing that scheme with ultracote!!!!!!!! My hat's off to you bob. It's looking good to me so far.

Sean
Old 10-17-2008, 05:51 PM
  #1760  
Mustang Fever
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Default RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build

Thanks, Sean. Mostly it's a matter of going slow. What you see represents this week's production, and the tail end still needs two or three more pieces of white on the other side, plus the insignia on the other side. And I haven't started the elevators and rudder.
Old 10-19-2008, 03:34 PM
  #1761  
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Default RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build

This is looking far better than I had hoped for. I'm starting to believe that UltraCote is far superior to MonoKote.
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Old 10-20-2008, 11:29 PM
  #1762  
Mustang Fever
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Default RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build

Slow but sure. Got the colors just forward of the squadron band, and the roundels.

The process is not too complicated- I drew the camo pattern on the airframe, then use tracing paper to make a template of each piece. I have a 2x3 foot piece of 1/8 glass I use as a cutting board. I cut a piece of covering a little larger than the template, remove the backing, then put it on the glass with some windex under it so I can squegee it out flat. Then, tape the template to it and use a razor blade to cut it out. The hardest part is remembering to put in a 1/8 - 3/16" overlap on the forward and upper edges as I work forward and up.


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Old 10-21-2008, 07:03 AM
  #1763  
Redwulf__34
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Default RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build

She is turning out really nice Bob, Keep going!!!!
Old 10-21-2008, 04:07 PM
  #1764  
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Default RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build

I think you could send the final picture to Ultrakote ! They are not aware of what can be done with their stuff !
Old 10-21-2008, 04:41 PM
  #1765  
Mustang Fever
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Default RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build

Thanks, guys.

I got most of the techniques from reading Faye Stilley's books on covering, such as making templates and cutting the sections over glass. For covering open areas, like the rudder, Faye says to glue the pieces together with trim solvent, also over glass, but that you can't shrink it much cause it will pull apart. So, I ironed the rudder pieces together over glass, and had no problems with shrinking it all later on. This worked so well that I might someday build a Spad XIII. The one thing that was stopping me was that all the Spad XIII's with squared off wingtips like the one in my plans were done in camo, which means I'd need all the techniques I learned on the P-51.
Old 10-21-2008, 11:44 PM
  #1766  
Mustang Fever
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Default RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build

Since it's so much easier to get a straight line from nose to tail while part of the balsa fuse sides are still exposed, I went ahead and did the numbering for the left side.

I used Faye Stilley's method of making the characters from covering. For 3" high characters, one constructs a grid of 1/4" squares, and Stilley supplies the coordinates to use for each character, the coordinates representing the intersection of lines on the grid. One ends up with a series of dots to connect that result in very nice looking 1/2" wide block gothic letters and numbers, of the size required for the model. It didn't take more than an hour to do the grid on graph paper, punch the dots into the covering with a T pin, cut the characters out, and iron them onto the airplane. I wet the airplane with Windex for applying them, so I could slide them around and get them perfectly placed on the alignment marks, then used the trim iron set to about 210 degrees so I wouldn't get bubbles. So far, so good, but I intend to set this airplane outside in the sun for an afternoon before I ever fly it, to get all the bubbles to show up so I can smack em down.

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Old 10-22-2008, 09:47 PM
  #1767  
Mustang Fever
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Default RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build

Here's today's output. It's been 8 days, and the fuselage is showing less bare wood than covered.
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Old 10-24-2008, 09:08 PM
  #1768  
Mustang Fever
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Default RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build

Only the lower cowl remains, along with finishing the cockpit and painting the canopy. Time for a break.
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Old 10-25-2008, 09:44 AM
  #1769  
Live Wire
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Default RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build

Bob
That is looking great, I am still fighting my main gear. It would have been easyer to install the air at the start rather than changing from electric to air .
Old 10-25-2008, 01:20 PM
  #1770  
Mustang Fever
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Default RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build

The gear is definitely the tough part. Keep plugging away.
Old 10-25-2008, 09:18 PM
  #1771  
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Default RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build

Bob, your work looks very nice. Is that the bigger TF Stang? It looks bigger than 1/7th, though maybe an illusion (seeing it on a bar stool). I guess it is time to push my 1/7th to completion. I do note the title of the thread being a 1/7th TF Stang. Great work regardless.
Old 10-26-2008, 12:07 AM
  #1772  
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Default RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build

Thanks, Riddle. Yeah, she's the 1/7. I can't afford the big ones, or the vehicle I would need to haul them around in. "60" size works best for me.
Old 10-26-2008, 08:24 PM
  #1773  
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Default RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build

The fuse is getting close- everything's done except the cockpit, the pilot, painting the canopy and painting the spinner. I'll start covering the wing probably Tuesday.
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Old 10-27-2008, 01:49 PM
  #1774  
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Default RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build

Started on the exhaust manifolds today. Wasn't sure of the best way to do them, so as they are the TF 1/7 ARF parts, I looked at the instruction book online for that aircraft. They have a recess in the nose for this purpose. So, I located and cut out most of the balsa in that area. I left the small piece alone, as that's where a lot of the strength in the firewall attachment is, and cut a notch in the manifolds to fit over it. I sanded the edges of the 'folds, and used 5 min epoxy to stick em in there.

I'm now off to the Highpoint body shop to see about etching/painting of the spinner.
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Old 10-27-2008, 09:02 PM
  #1775  
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Default RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build

Mustang Fever,

The stacks look good. Here are a couple exhaust close ups from a F-51D, N 314BG, painted up as Petie 2nd.

Note the progresively heavier white exhaust residue on the front of each exhaust stack as you move from the front to the rear.
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