Posts: 520
Joined: 9/21/2002 From: Hampton, VA, Status: offline
I just picked up a CMP P-51 140. Pretty decent for the price. I will be taking is slow going on this plane, planning to do some mods. Before I start, please share what has worked for you with your Mustang and what hasn't. I'm thinking about putting in retracts on the mains and tailwheel, as well as refinishing the outside of the plane, to include glassing the wings and horizontal tail surfaces. I've seen several of the P-51 140s on other threads, but couldn't find one single thread, like the CMP Hellcat thread (which is pretty darn good), for the P-51.
I've seen several references to the poor resin and how this plane will melt in the heat; don't need to belabor this point..I think we all knew that before we bought the kit. However, if you have a recommended fix, like putting in some carbon fiber reinforcement (saw that mentioned on another thread), please put it in here.
I'm mostly interested in learning about what has and hasn't worked for others. Such as, what retracts, cockpit kit, motor, muffler, etc. that various folks have used and thought was pretty good.
Here are my initial thoughts: Robart 121 tailwheel retract (some folks may have used the 124 nose retract successfully..how did this work out?), possibly Robart 531RS 85 degree retracts with 663R & L Robostruts or the Century Jet retracts at: http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXA798&P=7 but I've heard the guys who've used these on the Top Flite P-51 had problems. As for engines, still not sure. Looking at Saito 100 four-stroke, but another post said the Magnum XLS 91A worked well...I haven't had much eperience with Magnum engines.
Anyway, you get the idea. What mods have people done to their planes, what worked and what didn't, where did you find a decent cockpit, what different gear did you install, what motor worked well, etc? Also, items like: Will a 1/6 GI Joe pilot work well in this plane; has anyone modded the intake from an -H model to a -D model--if yes post your plans or pictures; has anyone already made templates for gear doors; has anyone developed a gear door mechanism.....anything cool like that. The Top Flite and Hangar 9 P-51 guys have several long running threads, now lets make one for this plane!
Tim
< Message edited by Oosiksmith -- 3/24/2007 3:33:57 PM >
Posts: 521
Joined: 1/24/2005 From: MentoneVictoria, AUSTRALIA Status: offline
I flew the b'jesus out of my old CMP P51 (the daily hack flyer) and it was a great model..........very predictable........very well mannered and a joy to land and takeoff.....
Mine was powered by a BNIB Magnum 1.20 f/s until after around 50 sorties the crank broke in flight (yes while in flight !!!) so I junked the Magnum and installed an OS1.20 f/s............I would not install anything smaller.
I installed Robart HD mechanical retracts, 4" dia wheels and moved the tail wheel to the scale position..........be sure to reinforce the u/c mounting plates as this seems to be the only weak spot as they tear out easily (I hit a rabbit scatching hole on landing that was only 2" deep.....torn the gear out ) I also fitted release mech's on tyhe wing pylons to drop ordinance
Apart from the spurious markings on the model, the shape is about the best you will find a "cheap"ARF P51 and it is great performer and a joy to fly........I flew mine every weekend for 6 months until the covering peeled off the wings.........
Posts: 935
Joined: 11/1/2003 From: Kootenai,
ID, USA Status: offline
I powered mine with a OS1.08FSR/ Robart retracts but cant remember what ones,Oleo struts. Tail wheel in scale location,Take off and flying were great but i never did get the hang of landing it and after fixing the rails for the 3rd time i sold it. Pat
Posts: 520
Joined: 9/21/2002 From: Hampton, VA, Status: offline
Okay, so I had my first potential snag today. Upon close inspection of the plane I discovered it had arrived with two right ailerons. I sent Nitroplanes an email and followed up immediately with a call. After I gave them my order number and told them my problem, the lady said a new aileron would be put in the mail by today or tomorrow and I should get it in three to four days. I'm not holding my breath that I'll get it through the post that quickly, but I do have to say I'm impressed with the customer service....no tricky questions or accusations, I just told her my problem and she said they would get a new one in the mail right away. Wow!
When I get the new part I'll keep you posted on how this turns out.
Posts: 520
Joined: 9/21/2002 From: Hampton, VA, Status: offline
I decided to glass the wings and removed the covering. It was actually more difficult to remove than I thought it would be and proved to be applied pretty well. Also, even when I was pulling the film off, the paint didn't flake or come off at all. I think the wing would have lasted for quite a while as it was.
I've only glassed three planes before and really don't consider myself an expert at it, but I've done okay. This time I'm going to use a little different method; for those who haven't seen this site yet, check it out:
The builder goes through glassing, and building for that matter, step by step. He also does an outstanding job of listing all the materials he's used and includes photographs of each step. If he ever puts the pages from his site on a disk and sold them as a how-to-do-it guide, I'd buy it.
Posts: 520
Joined: 9/21/2002 From: Hampton, VA, Status: offline
I took the film off the tailfeathers because they are going to get glassed too. It came off a little easier than the film on the wings and the paint did chip on these. I had used a low-tack masking tape to temporarily hold them to the fuse and even this peeled some of the paint off, so I'd say be careful if you use tape to hold them on and you don't intend to redo them.
Posts: 105
Joined: 4/20/2005 From: Somewhere,
PA, USA Status: offline
There have been several threads posted about this airplane over the last year and a half or so (although none of them very extensive) and its taken awhile to find them all. I just bought one recently and it appears to be a very high quality arf. I agree with you that it would be very helpful if there had been an extensive build thread for this plane like there are for some of the other CMP warbirds. Anyway, as far as the engines that you are considering are concerned. the airplane looks like it was designed around the YS 140 sport. Of all the flight reports I have found on this plane no one used a 4-stroke smaller than a 1.20 and it flew well on them although it wasn't a speed demon. BankYank used an OS 1.08 2-stroke and reported that it flew nicely on it but remember that the OS 1.08 is a very powerful motor (still wish OS hadn't discontinued it) and the Magnum XLS .91 2-sttroke can't compare with it power wise (but it is a very nice engine, I have one). AS far as the Saito 100 goes, it is a wonderful engine. I have 2 of these, one on the Hanger 9 .60 sized Mustang and the other on their .60 sized P-47. I use 14-8's on both of them and they are plenty fast. However, the Hanger-9 .60 sized warbirds are weighing in right around 8 pounds and this CMP 1.40 sized Mustang is going to come in around 10 to 10 1/2 pounds. The other thing you have to thing about is that this is a 1/6 scale Mustang and its spinner is over 4 inches in diameter and a 14 inch prop is going to look silly on it. I know I can push the Saito 100 to about a 15-6 to 15-8 prop but that still isn't big enough for that spinner and I don't believe the Magnum .91 2-stroke is going to be happy trying to spin a prop that big fast enough for this Mustang. This plane really needs something closer to 17 - 18 inch diameter prop to look and fly realistically. Several of the guys who used the YS 1.40 said it was awesome. A couple of guys used Saito 1.50's and Laser 1.50's with really good results. For the gasoline crowd the Evo 26GT with the inverted wrap around pitts syle muffler is the hot setup. I'm going with a Super Tiger 2300 with a inverted wrap around muffler from Bisson that fits pretty well with only some minimal trimming required. I hope this thread stays active and that some of the guys who have had extensive experience with this plane chime in and give us some of their well earned insights on this great looking Mustang.
Posts: 520
Joined: 9/21/2002 From: Hampton, VA, Status: offline
Update on the ailerons. When I got home from work today I had a box waiting with two new ailerons and new CA hinges. To their credit, Nitroplanes was fast, courteous, and sent me more than the parts I said I needed, no questions asked or hassle given.
Now for the problem. I must have had my head in my butt when I told them what was missing; I actually needed a right side flap, not aileron. I told them in my email I was missing the aileron. My bad completely. They sent me (priority mail too) what I told them was wrong.
I had been kicking around the idea of enlarging the flaps to scale size, so I guess my mind has been made up for me. Since I have to make the flap now I may as well make a scale sized one and fix the other side too. On the bonus side I now have an extra set of ailerons.
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All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> RC Warbirds and Warplanes >> What parts did you use to build your CMP P-51 140? (Build thread) 
What parts did you use to build your CMP P-51 140? (Bui... - 
) I also fitted release mech's on tyhe wing pylons to drop ordinance 
