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Joined: 4/14/2004 From: Canyon Country,
CA, USA Status: offline
Ron,
My step-grandfather's name is Noland Granzow. He piloted a P-38 in camo version againt the Germans in ww2. It would be great if his name would be displayed with that awesome plane of yours.
Btw, when and where are you going to fly the P-38? I assume you will also be filming and taking pictures of the maiden flight. Probably you can ask someone to post the videos and pics on rcwarbirds.com for everyone to see.
In an earlier post you asked about the bump on top of the canopy. I assumed someone had answered you but in your pictures I see you left it unplated. The bump was a rearview mirror with an aluminum housing. It should be plated and the mirror section should be reflective.
I have a couple P-38 models but I have had to go with a painted aluminum finish. When you get ready to fly her just get a qualified pilot to help. The P-38 is a really great flying aircraft. They are not that difficult to fly as long as you fly them for what they are - A plane with a high wing loading and tapered wings. I have over 50 flight on one of my 38s without so much as breaking a prop. Of course if, or should I say when an engine quits, treat it like a single engine dead stick. It is possible to bring the good engine back up to stretch the glide but it could bite you.
Posts: 659
Joined: 4/3/2004 From: Wallingford,
CT, USA Status: online
Paul It our honor to add "Noland Granzow" to our list. I want to thank you and Mr Granzow. Building the model was easy compared to how difficult is it to get the names of the 38 pilots, other than the high scoring aces, I have to search out the other pilots. I'm going to try the archives in Washington I think that might be a good place to start but the list is growing. As for when it will be ready to fly , thats a good question, I still have alot of the small things to complete and then I have to run in the engines. Two other obstacles to deal with here are the weather (its be good so far) and time, the shop has filled up with other work and I will be on other projects for the next few weeks. I will keep everyone posted and I will get some more pictures up soon.
Thanks again
David actually no one answered so I didn't do anything with it but now that you have cleared this up for me I will remove the glass and plate the bubble. David how was it attached to the frame, I would think that there had to be a support from the frame to the bubble, if so I can add this before I plate it.
Thanks
< Message edited by Metalmorphous -- 12/10/2004 12:18:09 AM >
I am not sure on the attachment method. There may have been more than one type used. I think some may have attached to the front canopy frame. Some Lightnings didn't have the mirror at all. I will check all my books on the 38 this weekend and see if I can find a good picture. David
Posts: 348
Joined: 4/14/2004 From: Canyon Country,
CA, USA Status: offline
Hey Ron,
My step dad found the old year book of his step dad in the garage somewhere. It has some P-38 pictures and tons of P-38 pilot's names. It has all the names of all the pilots who graduated from Williams Field Arizona Class 43-J on 1943. These are pilots who graduated in the Army Air Forces Pilot School(Advanced Two Engine Classes). It has a date on it that says Nov. 3, 1943. I dont think that these ww2 vets would mind if you display their names with your plane. I'll scan some pictures of the names if you want. There's just too many to type. Also some of the names from an Honor Roll from different classes.
-Paul
< Message edited by GPitts -- 12/16/2004 4:08:53 PM >
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Joined: 1/19/2004 From: Biloxi,
MS, USA Status: offline
quote:
ORIGINAL: ramcfarland
Hi Ron, First I have never flown a twin,but it seems to me time to react to an 'engine out,'is of essence which brings me to my point perhaps having no other aircraft in the air and having a keen ear !QUOT!trained,!QUOT!for an engine out would give you that second or two to make corrections to counter the possibility of an engine out.
I know your talking models by my uncle James Paige flew P-38's and was in a low to the ground turn when one of his motors sized, and the torque of that seizure caused his plane to crash. He was a little scared from the burns he received, and he told me he owed his life to a supply mess-up. They had inadvertently ordered 50 50gal drums of hydrogen peroxide. They doused his entire body with a few hundred gallons of it to wash out the dirt and help sterilize the wounds. I do remember the story was amazing but the details are foggy as it was told to me a little over 20 years ago.
Continues to look fantastic.It is Top Gun material,time again of essence do you have any thought's/offer --->FRANK TIANO where are you<-- to bring it to 'Top Gun 05, providing you get it in the air;if you have not already. If the flying proves reiable you could up set the cart so as to speak at Top Gun I do believe- I have one real concern: what is the running time on your engines,are they reliable??have you "run" them with your beautiful cowls installed;taken any cylinder head temerature readings so far, with the cowls INSTALLED;do you have a back up that you could:break in your twin ZDZ40's,check reliability and "dial in" the to gas burners prior to installing them in your Gem. One more..It will ba at Toledo (yes--)
< Message edited by ramcfarland -- 12/25/2004 2:12:48 AM >
Continues to look fantastic.It is Top Gun material,time again of essence do you have any thought's/offer --->FRANK TIANO where are you<-- to bring it to 'Top Gun 05, providing you get it in the air;if you have not already. If the flying proves reiable you could up set the cart so as to speak at Top Gun I do believe- I have one real concern: what is the running time on your engines,are they reliable??have you "run" them with your beautiful cowls installed;taken any cylinder head temerature readings so far, with the cowls INSTALLED;do you have a back up that you could:break in your twin ZDZ40's,check reliability and "dial in" the to gas burners prior to installing them in your Gem. One more..It will be in Toledo (yes--)
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Joined: 8/21/2002 From: Novi,
MI, USA Status: offline
Fast Richard - while Metalmorphous' model may well be a Top Gun-level effort (it may not; while craftsmanship and finish are important components of what makes a world class scale model, accuracy is probably more important, and I'm not P-38-expert enough to tell if this plane is accurate at that level), it's far too late for an invitation to the 2005 meet. I believe the decisions are made in the summer, in order to give the participants the chance to properly prepare. (Check out Dick Pettit's series on his preparations for Top Gun in his columns in R/C Report, starting in the November issue I believe, for an example of the timeline.) In any case, in addition to the remaining preparation of the model for something like that, Metal would need to recruit a Top Gun level pilot to enter with, and I believe that would leave way to little time left for anyone to do it justice in terms of flight acclimation and routine preparation. Maybe next year, though...
Posts: 659
Joined: 4/3/2004 From: Wallingford,
CT, USA Status: online
Fast Richard, The lightning has already been on display for our customer here at Metal-Morphous, Inc. even though its not finished. I have been working on a check list to get it in the air and most of the items you have mentioned are on the list and after reading your post I have added a few more As for the Top Gun topic I must admit that I had no intentions of entering the lightning in any competitions but after the incredible response I have been getting from seasoned modelers I think that is going to change. One of the local modelers in our area who has been a river of information and has been a competitor at Top Gun told us that we have to get this lightning to Top-Gun not just to compete but to show its finish to some of the other modelers and get there feedback. Thats were I'd like to go with this project but like RickVB has posted we will have to improve on its REPLICATION of the full size version. Thats what I specialize in so thats not an issue, I just have to find out the rules of the game. I have been doing something like Top-Gun for autos for years and have found that once you know how to play the game and you have a product worthy of the competition, you start to build the respect of others in that competition, thats the true winner in my book. I would'nt even think of putting the lightning up against someone that takes a sheet of balsa, hand cuts everything, builds it from scratch and ends up with a beautiful aircraft, thats the true modeler and I wish I had that kind of talent and patience. But I am on a mission to show what I can do with our metal product and I'm on track as far as getting into some RC shows and competitions.
PS Fast Richard this is a picture of my Cobra REPLICA, I worked on this project for 5 years, lots of small details and very hard to tell its a replica, now I'm going to turn all my efforts in getting the lightning to the same degree. Hope it doesn't take as long
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RE: I am not worthy! - 
and I will be on other projects for the next few weeks. I will keep everyone posted and I will get some more pictures up soon. 
As for the Top Gun topic I must admit that I had no intentions of entering the lightning in any competitions but after the incredible response I have been getting from seasoned modelers I think that is going to change. One of the local modelers in our area who has been a river of information and has been a competitor at Top Gun told us that we have to get this lightning to Top-Gun not just to compete but to show its finish to some of the other modelers and get there feedback. Thats were I'd like to go with this project but like RickVB has posted we will have to improve on its REPLICATION of the full size version. Thats what I specialize in so thats not an issue, I just have to find out the rules of the game. I have been doing something like Top-Gun for autos for years and have found that once you know how to play the game and you have a product worthy of the competition, you start to build the respect of others in that competition, thats the true winner in my 