camdyson

I just extended the sheeting and tip blocks a bit - better than stock anyways.

Hope this helps.

Cam

sylvaner

Does anyone think that the attachment point between the stabilzer & fuselage seems weak and might need to be beefed up. I know the problems with this plane being tailheavy so I don't want to add any more structure if no one has had a problem with the tail feathers.

bigtim

My Feedback: (13)

it really is stronger than you think since your glueing to the crutch as well as the sheeting its quite stable,I mixed epoxy and micro balloon filler to keep the weight down at the attatchment points after I fliped the fuse over,really just enough to make sure there was a fillet where the fuse and elevator meet plenty of strength there.

sylvaner

Thanks,

Just needed some confirmation from someone who has been there. That's the point I'm at now. Should be flipping the fuselage over tomorrow and starting on the bottom.

hy flyr

My Feedback: (27)

I'm just ahead of you in this build, sylvaner! Bigtim and camdyson have done nice jobs on their planes. I'm glad to see bigtims tw setup because that is right where I'm at. Keep us posted on your build!

sylvaner

hy flyer, Let's see some pictures of your build. I haven't had a lot of time to work in the shop since the first of the year. This is suppose to be the slow time at work, but it looks like it's going to be a great year.

hy flyr

My Feedback: (27)

I'll get some pics up soon. I went with CJM retracts, put nav. lights in, full cockpit.. mostly standard stuff. As of right now, I'm pretty much finished with the wing. Need to get the retract tw installed and cockpit finished, then I'll finish sheeting the bottom of the fuse.
What I'm looking forward to is doing the panel lines and rivets! Still thinking about a Saito 100 for power. I also went with 3/32 sheeting for the top of the wing.

sylvaner

I'd like to see some pictures of the TW retract installation. That will soon be at the top of my To Do list and I haven't really studied the plans to see how it will fit. I putting the cocpit kit in and scale hinge lines. I'm not going to do a lot of extra's since I'm building to fly and have fun with. I am going to play around with panel lines and rivets for practice for when I build a larger version next fall or winter.

bigtim

My Feedback: (13)

tell ya what this little project turned out to be more than I thought it would be, when I realized the Tail wheel doesn't have a former in the right position for the scale retract,I had to make a former/bulkhead to mount the retract mech.to,as well as mounting the air piston far enough to the center of the fuse, so if anything did go bad I could get to it.
for the gear,the pull/pull for the stearing wasn't so bad,ball links at the servo and EZ connectors at the retract helps with the minor adjustments that go with all the added plumbing,I did have to make a little key piece so the EZ connector would clamp down on the pull/pull wires.
I also had to use flexable pushrods for the rudder to get the crossing I needed for smooth stearing, it ended up being a little lighter than the metal supplied ones which helped out with tail weight.
my biggest mistake was thinking I was done,when I wasn't even close, and sheeting the fuse before I had all the little kinks worked out, the access is a pain when its all closed up,I ended up using the springs that come in a ball point pen for my gear doors because the idea I had started with just didn't get the job done, they ended up working quite well in the end, there stiff enough to open the doors to the scale look,there was alot of experimenting I had to do to get the wheel to clear the doors and not hang up just a small amount of rubbing and they don't open or close properly,and I had to bend the strut just slightly to get this done.
another thing is I had to build up the tail end of the fuselage because the solid wood block that TF has doesn't allow any access and I wanted to lighten the area with less wood.
I turned out having to build up that area and made some more minor tweeks before I glassed the fuse.
overall I am happy with the end results but when I build my FW,and my P-51C I will make sure I am completely finished with the install before any bottom sheeting gets done.
another thing when I made the doors I just placed plastic over the area and wetted some balsa sheeting with H2O and alcohol, taped it down to the fuse, and left it overnight when it was dry there was a nice curved door ready to cut out.

sylvaner

That's what I thought. I will have to make another former to attach the retract to. Thanks for the heads up on making sure everything works right before sheeting the bottom. I can see me making the same mistake and buildin myself into a corner.
How far forward did you put the air cylinder? I'm slowly getting some work done on the plane. I've made a promise to myself to finish this project in at less time than Pete from the land of Oz. But in fairness he's doing one heck of a job.

bigtim

My Feedback: (13)

I am planning to mount the air tank in the location it was built for, but it blocks any access to the rear of the fuse, so when I get all the plumbing set I will glue it in place,I have had good luck with using adhesive calk on the tank mounting crutches, it holds it in place well, and doesn't seem to mind the vibration.
I made sure the pushrods and cable tubes are low enough to allow the tank to be mounted in its planned location being so light weight its a good spot for it.
I will take some more shots tomorrow on my servo tray installation(I finally got a new digital camera) since I am using a OS120 Pumped engine the tank will be mounted near the CG,so I made a removable servo tray instead of the plan designed,glued in version,for tank access, and so I can adjust my battery,and have access to the fill locations,fuel and air for the gear, I am trying to avoid any extra dead weight if at all possable.
LOL Petes on the slow boat to the USA with his build but I think he's got a few iorns in the fire I have been working slowly myself but the weather is getting better so I got to get going on this one so I can start my next build [X(]

hy flyr

My Feedback: (27)

On the tw set up I added another former to bolt it to and used a pull-pull to a seperate micro-servo. It seems like it will work fine.

P47Tbolt

My Feedback: (20)

I flew my TF GE Thunderbolt with a Saito 100.Flew it scale like with a 14x6 prop but I had to add a
lot of lead weight up front due to the Saito 100 being so lite.A Saito 125 would be a better choice
with more weight and some more power in reserve if needed.My Tbolt is glassed with 3/4 oz cloth and
Z-Poxy finishing resin.Has CJ retracts,full cockpit with pilot,fiberglass cowl with a resin dummy radial engine.
I used the top flite plastic dummy radial as a mold.Sprayed it with cooking oil and filled it with 2 part epoxy mixed
with microballoons.Came out fairly good.I am taking my P47 to the Perry,GA swap meet on 2-29/3-01.Selling just the plane
and retracts.Engine is in another plane now.Also moving up to bigger planes is why I am selling it.here is a link to a pic of it.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/gallery/ga...6memid%3D13994

hy flyr

My Feedback: (27)

I really don't think I could sell any plane that nice. tbolt! How long did it take you to build it? Actually I was wondering about going with a Saito 125. I've also been thinking about an OS120 pumped, it weighs much more than the Saito 125 does...Hey Bigtim, what muffler did you use on yours, I can't tell in your pics.

sylvaner

P47Tbolt, I'm thinking about running over to the swap meet in Perry, Ga at the end of this month. It's only a couple of hours away and I'd like to see that plane first hand. What was the flying weight and was the Saito a little under powered? I was able to spend some quailty time in the shop last weekend and able to get something done. I'm hoping that will be the beginning of a trend.

bigtim

My Feedback: (13)

since I have a pumped OS120 I am going with a flex muffler out the bottom of the cowl the pump not needing muffler pressure makes it doable the 120 fits in the cowl perfectly.
I did cut a air inlet hole in the bottom for extra air flow but it wasn't needed for clearance I felt since the engine filled the cowl it needed a little more circulation.

P47Tbolt

My Feedback: (20)

hy flyr It took me 2 years to build it,but I would work on it for a couple of weeks then take a break from it and
do some flying.I am getting more planes than I have room for.Decided to get into gas planes.So now I have
a GP Wagstaff Extra 300 with a FTL-45 cc gas engine.Also have a Zenoah G45 engine that I will be putting on another
plane.Will be looking in Perry for a plane for it. In my P47 with the Saito 100 I used the stock muffler.It will barely fit
in the cowl.I cut the threaded muffler coupler short enough when installing the muffler it would tighten against the
motor.loctited in place.I added a short piece of silicone tubing to muffler outlet.You can see it in my pic on the left side of
the cowl.

sylvaner Weight was a little over 14lbs due to being glassed.I also had installed onboard glow with a battery,so that added more
weight.But it made it easier and safer to start not having to put a glow igniter on the inverted engine.I will be in the
Heritage building tables k7-8.I wouldn't say it was under powered.It would fly at 3/4 throttle fine,but it would be
better with more power if needed.Like I said,it flew scale and that is what you want with a warbird.Here is it on
takeoff,1 flyby and landing.run out of runway.The Extra 300 is mine also.Watch all of the video,we were flying at
a friends field in a cow pasture.We had to stop flying to let the cows cross the field.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYDTeWVqBKo

TJACQ

Hi, I have decided to build a TF P47. Are there any must have tools that will make this build easier? It's my first airplane kit.

bigtim

My Feedback: (13)

there's a list of recomended tools in the beginning of the manual that covers the basics to build this model.
I would also recomend following the instructions very closely and reading as many build threads as you can, Top Flight models are pretty strait forward builds but there's alot of steps before there done and you might be surprised how involved they are,your first model? I would rethink that and start with a basic kit first.

TJACQ

Thanks, Yes it's my first airplane kit. I've been flying for two years. I have scratch built several scale ships and tugs. Hopefully this experience will help.

sylvaner

Always think 3 or 4 steps ahead of what your doing right now, its really easy to get ahead of yourself. I like to build it in my mind before commiting myself. It's easier to take apart a mental picture than a glued plane.

bigtim

My Feedback: (13)

so I have been making some progress on the inards of the jug,I was having some trouble setting up the century jet gear and valve,I didn't have the valve set up properly and it was leaking and giving me fits so I took a little break and came back to it,read the instructions,which is helpfull and got it working sweet the gear and TW snap up in the wing and fuse,mabee a little to quick so I might go with a adjustable valve but its set up to fly now.
here is a photo.
I also made a removable servo tray so I will have easy access to my tank which will be mounted on the CG under it,as well as being able to slide it forward or back for balance if necessary

since this is a plane to have fun and fly I didn't get all into hiding the fill valves and switches,I would have made a hatch if I did,but I did some stuff to make them less obvious,using the exhaust vent locations for my air fill, and EZ fueler valve so there less obvious.

I also installed my cockpit kit that I got with the plane,I bought it off ebay and when it came the instructions, and stickers for the dials and instraments were missing,after downloading the photo off the web,I painted them in with a fine brush and filled the instraments with clear WB poly for the glass effect,I will do the headrest last since I am still flipping the fuse around every couple of minuets when I am working on it.

so its getting there for me

bigtim

My Feedback: (13)

here's a little better pic of the spring set up for the doors because I didn't set up the TW fully before sheeting I was limited on where my attachment point is, I used a ball connector and the cap end as a retainer to hold the springs in place,I just trimmed the screw in end down.
the inside of the doors will be zink yellow.

sylvaner

Nice looking plane bigtim and a excellent job building it. When do you plan on having the maiden flight? I should be working on the TW retract this weekend and if I have time sheeting the bottom of the fuslage. I think that I've decided to use a Magnum 91 for power so I guess I'll order it this week.
The weather man is calling for sunny skies with temp's in the upper 60's this weekend and wouldn't you know it "She who must be obeyed" is out of town so it's fly all day and play with the T-Bird all night.

bigtim

My Feedback: (13)

if I can get the tank plumbed this weekend and the final lettering done on the side of the fuse next week, I should be getting some engine run time in next weekend.
weather permitting in the next couple of weeks I would love to be flying her, after I do the final letters I need to light sand the fuse and clear coat it so I won't be able to run the engine untill at least next weekend at the soonest no need to rush it its been a yr and a half long build so far.
the list of little do dads is endless,every time I think I am getting near the end another detail presents its self,my master is letting me off tonight myself hope the kids don't wake me up to early [8D].