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Hangar 9 P-51 Mustang and JR Transmitter - RTF
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All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> RC Warbirds and Warplanes >> Yellow P-40 build thread
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Yellow P-40 build thread - 12/30/2006 3:28:30 AM   
samparfitt


 

Posts: 1669
Joined: 9/1/2002
From: West Chester, OH, USA
Status: offline 		I've had this baby sitting in my spare room for a year now and I thought I'd start building her.
My 3.2 megapixel camera broke (after only two years) so I'm back to my 1.3 for now (bear with me on these pictures!).
I may be slow on input on this thread since I'm also building two 96" P-51's at the same time.
I will be doing what ever I feel like working on so one or the other thread may not get much input for awhile.
Feel free to add your input.

Pic 1-5:
This kit is more like an ARC.
It comes in two large boxes, all very well packed.
The wings and horizontal stab is sheeted with LE blocks glued on and a FG fuse.
I will have to build up the rudder and elevators.
This is an incredible kit.
The fuse is a work of art.
Panel lines are on the fuse and the inside is carbon fiber re-inforced.
It has a real nice set of functional gear doors.
The instruction manual appears very thorough plus a picture manual comes with it that is referenced by the instruction manual.
All parts are bagged in plastic bags.
I got Yellow's spinner, retracts and wheels.
The retracts are double cylinder and will probably survive any crash.
A DA-50 will power her.

pic 6:
The first thing the instruction manual says is to sand the LE block on each wing.
I put some masking tape on the sheeted wing next to the LE block so I wouldn't accidentally sand the balsa wing sheeting.
I used my porter-cable orbital sander to aggressively take it down to the tape.
After that, I took the tape off and I used paint sticks with sand paper (120 grit) to get the LE even with the wing sheeting.
I sanding parallel to the wing so I wouldn't create any undulations or waves in the LE if I tried to sand perpendicular to the wing (not hard to do with such soft wood as balsa).
Always use the outside foam supports while sanding to protect the sheeting.
This also keeps you from putting the wing on its TE which would probably result in damaging the TE.


pic 7:
Here's all the parts for the flaps and ailerons.
I've already glued in the thin ply in the base of the flaps using epoxy that was thinned about 10%.
The ply is very thin and wide and I figured a thin epoxy mix would be best to insure no wave occurred in the ply.
I raided the kitchen and used any heavy boxes as weight to hold the ply down.
These flap and aileron parts were in different bags but the manual gives you the dimensions so they are easily found.



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< Message edited by samparfitt -- 12/30/2006 4:06:25 AM >

_____________________________

G. Samuel Parfitt
       Post #: 1

RE: Yellow P-40 build thread - 12/30/2006 5:56:02 AM   
jeffEE



Posts: 286
Joined: 11/18/2002
From: Burnsville, MN, USA
Status: offline 		I got mine and started to smile after looking at each part. The Gear are the most "WOW". After dealing with weak and floppy gears in the past, its nice to see a set done right! Even the way the wing and tail is packed is first rate. The glass work is good too. Can't wait to get it in the air. I never did like a plane that looked like all the others. So I painted mine to stand out and be easy to see. Not a real WWII paint job? whatever. Jeff

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_____________________________

If it's not a warbird, it's just a target.

(in reply to samparfitt)
       Post #: 2

RE: Yellow P-40 build thread - 12/30/2006 3:40:46 PM   
samparfitt


 

Posts: 1669
Joined: 9/1/2002
From: West Chester, OH, USA
Status: offline 		pic 8:
This morning, I got the inside and leading edge pieces of the flap epoxied in.
Again, I used masking tape to protect the wing.
This works really well when sanding those two new pieces down to match the wing.
I just laid the sanding stick on the tape and sanded until all was smooth without worrying about damage to the wing sheeting.

pic 9:
I got the ailerons cut out.
The wing has about 1/2" slot all the way through the wing.
All I have to do was extend some pen lines to the outside edge and also to the flap and used an exacto blade to cut them out.

pic 10:
Ailerons cut out with those two short pieces as waste.

Well, it's going to be 60, low wind and sunny so I've got to got get ready to go fly.
In Ohio, we don't get many days like this at the end of December!
(that's probably why those builders in Minnesota, etc make such tremendous looking planes!)

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_____________________________

G. Samuel Parfitt

(in reply to jeffEE)
       Post #: 3

RE: Yellow P-40 build thread - 12/30/2006 7:21:51 PM   
YellowAircraft



Posts: 3086
Joined: 1/5/2002
From: San Diego, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Hey,

I LOVE these threads! Let me know if I can be of any help!

_____________________________

Yellow Aircraft, JetCat Engines, Skymaster ARF+ and Turn Key Jets
www.cyctheatre.com

(in reply to samparfitt)
       Post #: 4

RE: Yellow P-40 build thread - 12/30/2006 8:16:48 PM   
Warbird Man



Posts: 240
Joined: 9/3/2004
From: Hortonville, WI, USA
Status: offline 		I have "GOT" to get me one of these!

_____________________________

Warbird Man

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       Post #: 5

RE: Yellow P-40 build thread - 12/31/2006 1:44:42 AM   
samparfitt


 

Posts: 1669
Joined: 9/1/2002
From: West Chester, OH, USA
Status: offline 		pic 11:
All trim for the flap area has been epoxied in and sanded.

pic 12:
The TE on the wing and the aileron inside edge trim has been epoxied on.

pic 13:
Spent a little time on the fuse.
There is a small seam where the two fuse halves are joined.
I sanded this with wet/dry paper using water and 400 grit paper.
It's a very good fit but a little glazing filler will be needed.

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_____________________________

G. Samuel Parfitt

(in reply to YellowAircraft)
       Post #: 6

RE: Yellow P-40 build thread - 12/31/2006 1:21:28 PM   
samparfitt


 

Posts: 1669
Joined: 9/1/2002
From: West Chester, OH, USA
Status: offline 		pic 14:
Before gluing the LE to the aileron, 7/16" has to be removed from the inside edge.
This 6" belt sander makes nice, smooth, quick results.

pic 15:
The LE block epoxied to the aileron.

pic 16:
An oscillating sander removes the bulk of the balsa from the LE block.

pic 17:
Using a Fein detail sander, sandpaper stick and a full sheet of sandpaper folded twice makes quick work on sanding the TE of the wing for the aileron and putting a rounded edge on the LE of the aileron.

pic 18:
Aileron's done.

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< Message edited by samparfitt -- 12/31/2006 1:27:19 PM >

_____________________________

G. Samuel Parfitt

(in reply to samparfitt)
       Post #: 7

RE: Yellow P-40 build thread - 1/1/2007 1:33:23 AM   
samparfitt


 

Posts: 1669
Joined: 9/1/2002
From: West Chester, OH, USA
Status: offline 		pic 19:
Hinges for flaps and ailerons were installed on one wing.
These are in the Yellow's kit.
Six small for the flaps and 4 large for the ailerons.

pic 20:
Close up of flap.
My first departure from Yellow's manual.
Yellow shows them installed as you would the ailerons: ie, straight in.
I put them in at about a 30 degree angle to both the flap and wing.
I also cut notches where the hinge pin is.

pic 21:
Another close up view.

pic 22:
The 'angled' approach allows maximum movement (in case you want air brakes!).

pic 23:
The end view of the aileron.
The triangular pieces are CA'ed in (also supplied by Yellow) on the top and bottom of the TE of the wing.
I modified the LE of the aileron so it's 'bell' shaped.
I found this to be the best curve when you have those triangular pieces overlapping the aileron.
I'm getting an inch movement which is more than enough for a warbird (the manual says 3/4" ).

pic 24:
I used a roman ogee router bit and table router to get the 'bell' curve.
Sand paper and a dowel would get you the same results.

pic 25:
Close up of aileron hinges.
A recess was cut so the hinge pin will be in line with the LE of the aileron.
Of course none of the hinges will be epoxied in until after 'glassing'.

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< Message edited by samparfitt -- 1/1/2007 1:44:44 AM >

_____________________________

G. Samuel Parfitt

(in reply to samparfitt)
       Post #: 8

RE: Yellow P-40 build thread - 1/1/2007 1:51:59 AM   
tigertooth


 

Posts: 110
Joined: 2/1/2004
From: Winter Garden, FL, USA
Status: offline 		Samparfitt, thanks for sharring the info and photos. Nice job,nice! Have you picked out a paint scheme yet?

(in reply to samparfitt)
       Post #: 9

RE: Yellow P-40 build thread - 1/1/2007 2:56:42 AM   
samparfitt


 

Posts: 1669
Joined: 9/1/2002
From: West Chester, OH, USA
Status: offline 		thanks, probaby one of these:


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< Message edited by samparfitt -- 1/1/2007 2:59:27 AM >

_____________________________

G. Samuel Parfitt

(in reply to tigertooth)
       Post #: 10

RE: Yellow P-40 build thread - 1/1/2007 9:44:57 PM   
langerl


 

Posts: 83
Joined: 9/26/2003
From: Bellevue, NE, USA
Status: online 		Samparfitt,

THANK YOU so very much for beginning this thread. It gives me all the information I need to convince myself I'm up to building a Yellow P-40. Looks pretty straight forward.

If you are concerned about accurate color schemes for your RC models, may I offer the following bits of information:
- the AVG only got the first six P-40Es at near the end of AVG existence, Mar '42. These aircraft were numbered 100-105 and may or may not have had all the markings of the earlier AVG P-40B/Cs. You may learn more in three excellent references on P40s. In order of their value: The Eagle Files #4 Tigers Over China, by Tullis $29.95, Historie & Collections Vol 3 Curtis P-40 From 1939-1945 $19.95, and Osprey #35 P-40 Warhawk Aces of the CBI, $17.95.
- If you go for the AVG scheme, Dragon Action Figures has a great 1/6 scale AVG pilot figure. He's wearing the famous AVG leather jacket with "blood chit" patch on the back. Looks kinda like Humphrey Bogart.
- Keleo Exhausts are now marketing scale, fuctional exhaust for the (Yellow) P-40E. Fits the 3W75 motor.

Thanks again. I'm subscribing to your thread and will read it with great interest.

regards and happy building,
langerl

(in reply to sam