RE: Improving the TF GS Mustang Cowl  
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RE: Improving the TF GS Mustang Cowl - 9/28/2007 3:06:14 PM   
larry@coyotenet


 

Posts: 189
Joined: 2/25/2003
From: pueblo, CO, USA
Status: offline 		A quick and dirty mod that will help the stock cowl look a lot better is to raise the motor up 1/2" and straighten the cowl mounting to match. The most obvious thing wrong with the stock setup is that the front of the cowl goes down to far, the kit was much worse. It was a carry over from the 60 size mustang which has the same problem. The exhausts stacks need replaced, but can be lived with.

Larry

(in reply to tony-howard)
       Post #: 26

RE: Improving the TF GS Mustang Cowl - 9/28/2007 3:20:18 PM   
tony-howard


 

Posts: 273
Joined: 9/28/2004
From: Monroe, WA, USA
Status: offline 		A while back I looked into spinner profiles to see which were the closest to scale (see the sketch below). The baseline for comparison was the profile taken from the NAA microfilm. The source of the various profiles is listed on the drawing - note that the Zinger was taken from a photo and the Tru-Turn from their drawing. Each profile is a close as I could make it using the data I could find.

In actual use, personally I think the Tru-Turn looks best. It figures, it being the most expensive!

On the cowl photos a Gene Barton unit was used primarily because it was easy to mount. (BTW the reason the Barton spinner is so heavy is its turned base plate which is used in place of the usual spun aluminum part most spun spinners use. This allows the mounting screws to be tapped into solid aluminum which is a definate improvement over sheet metal screws into a spum aluminum base plate.)

Tony
Pacific Scaled Aircraft
www.pacific-scaled-aircraft.com

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Tony
pacific-scaled-aircraft.com

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       Post #: 27

RE: Improving the TF GS Mustang Cowl - 9/28/2007 10:17:44 PM   
andernamen


 

Posts: 204
Joined: 9/29/2005
From: Virginia Beach, VA, USA
Status: offline 		No doubt you'll sell tons, but I agree, the $100 price tag is too high. For competition minded folks, I'm sure it would be worth it. The TF may not be that close to "scale", but judging from others I've seen, it's not too bad. Just my 2 cents. Happy flying and even happier landings!

(in reply to tony-howard)
       Post #: 28

RE: Improving the TF GS Mustang Cowl - 10/13/2007 3:01:10 AM   
willey



Posts: 365
Joined: 1/22/2003
From: Waterford/Erie, PA, USA
Status: offline 		Tony, How's that cowl coming along?? Looking good! what spinner do you have in your photos?


quote:

the $100 price tag is too high

Dude, try and make one yourself and you will understand & will gladly pay 100 bucks for this, guaranteed!

I guess it all depends on what level of scale you want to be at.

Other options I guess would be: Just deal with what you have??, Walmart, or maybe check with your Local Hobby Shop they might carry them??

just my 2 cents!

willey

< Message edited by willey -- 10/13/2007 3:04:14 AM >

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       Post #: 29

RE: Improving the TF GS Mustang Cowl - 10/13/2007 2:26:57 PM   
Spychalla Aircraft



Posts: 467
Joined: 1/9/2003
From: Watertown, WI, USA
Status: online
quote:

ORIGINAL: andernamen

No doubt you'll sell tons, but I agree, the $100 price tag is too high.

You guys need to re-calibrate your estimate on those Tru-Turn spinners. I've bought 3 of these 5 to 5-1/2 inch spinners from Tru-Turn now and they all run roughly $180 each. Worth every penny though when you compare to the junky spinner that comes with the TF. I tried to run one of those on an ARF version I have and it was a struggle. You have to lock-tite all the screws each time you change a prop. After 10 flights I gave it up and sold it on Ebay for about $25. You need a good spinner on the front of these birds and it is worth paying some money for it. Leo

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(in reply to andernamen)
       Post #: 30

RE: Improving the TF GS Mustang Cowl - 10/14/2007 6:26:17 PM   
tony-howard


 

Posts: 273
Joined: 9/28/2004
From: Monroe, WA, USA
Status: offline 		Mark, I'm currently working on the parting boards for the new cowl mold.

The spinner is a Gene Barton unit. I chose it for shaping the plug simply because I had one and it was easy to mount. And expendable if anything happened to it. The spinner illustration a few posts back shows it has a good profile but it's too short compared to the full scale unit. I just needed something on the front of the plug to help visualize the contours I was trying to create.

Leo is right on about spun aluminum spinners IMHO (the Dave Brown series being an exception). There have been several pictures online of spinner failures, any one of which could have turned into serious injury.

Tony
Pacific Scaled Aircraft
www.pacific-scaled-aircraft.com


< Message edited by tony-howard -- 10/16/2007 4:10:22 PM >

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pacific-scaled-aircraft.com

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       Post #: 31

RE: Improving the TF GS Mustang Cowl - 10/23/2007 7:18:20 AM   
joey_snaproll


 

Posts: 145
Joined: 11/17/2003
From: Kelowna, BC, CANADA
Status: offline 		Hi Tony ,Any progress on my(' ',''))
,I mean on your cowl mould ? just wondering hows it going. Same goes for Leo and his razer back project.

Thanks
Joe

< Message edited by joey_snaproll -- 10/23/2007 7:19:00 AM >

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       Post #: 32

RE: Improving the TF GS Mustang Cowl - 10/24/2007 10:23:09 PM   
tony-howard


 

Posts: 273
Joined: 9/28/2004
From: Monroe, WA, USA
Status: offline 		Joey

It's coming. Slowly. At this point I have the parting boards done. I need to build a paint stand, then repaint the plug. (Don't ask! All I can say is the fuselage has sure gotten nose heavy with the plug attached to it.)

I should have something to show in a couple of days.



< Message edited by tony-howard -- 10/26/2007 3:01:50 PM >

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Tony
pacific-scaled-aircraft.com

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       Post #: 33

RE: Improving the TF GS Mustang Cowl - 10/26/2007 6:07:09 AM   
joey_snaproll


 

Posts: 145
Joined: 11/17/2003
From: Kelowna, BC, CANADA
Status: offline 		Cool,Are you just making the cowl plain ,or are you molding in panel lines?Plus when you get to making them ,when you ship them out are you going to have it all cut and ready or will we have to remove the spinner opening ?I have the revo-52 with the fan unit and shroud to fit the 5" cowl,If the front isn't cut out I can easly fit the shroud to it. That's how I will want mine. Thanks Tony

Joe

(in reply to tony-howard)
       Post #: 34

RE: Improving the TF GS Mustang Cowl - 10/26/2007 3:32:01 PM   
jharkin



Posts: 268
Joined: 6/12/2002
From: Newton, MA, USA
Status: offline 		I'd be interested in purchasing one when they are done.
Always wanted to build a TF mustang but never liked the look of the nose... And don't feel like hand carving one.

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(in reply to joey_snaproll)
       Post #: 35

RE: Improving the TF GS Mustang Cowl - 10/26/2007 4:16:14 PM   
tony-howard


 

Posts: 273
Joined: 9/28/2004
From: Monroe, WA, USA
Status: offline 		The cowl will not have panel lines despite my earlier statement they would. After I had the plug partially stripped with 1/64" tape I decided against it and pulled the tape off. The primary reason is that the panel lines really need to match what's been done on the rest of the plane. Otherwise they'll look strange. So if your panel lines on the rest of the fuselage are shadowed rather than taped, the cowl can be done to match.

Here's my present thinking about cowl configurations.

The cowl kit will be offered in two versions.
* The Basic kit will be the cowl only with instructions.
* The Complete kit will include the cowl, a fiberglass lower section to be used by the builder as a custom fitted hatch, an exhaust manifold kit specifically for this cowl, a pair of laser cut pilot hole drill jigs for the air filter holes and a roll of 1/64" chart tape. (The only realistic way to do the air filter is with actual holes - and some aircraft in service and many current Mustangs use a blank cover.)

The instructions for both cowls will include dimensions for locating panel lines.

I'm hoping this 2 version arrangement will satisfy most builder's needs.

Joey, the front of the cowl will be uncut.







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Tony
pacific-scaled-aircraft.com

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       Post #: 36

RE: Improving the TF GS Mustang Cowl - 10/26/2007 5:44:12 PM   
Ram-bro


 

Posts: 1983
Joined: 1/22/2002
From: Bennington, NE, USA
Status: offline 		Tony, How had will it be to retro fit your cowl onto an existing build or finished product?

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       Post #: 37

RE: Improving the TF GS Mustang Cowl - 10/26/2007 5:45:23 PM   
Ram-bro


 

Posts: 1983
Joined: 1/22/2002
From: Bennington, NE, USA
Status: offline 		Tony, How had will it be to retro fit your cowl onto an existing build or finished product?

(in reply to tony-howard)
       Post #: 38

RE: Improving the TF GS Mustang Cowl - 10/26/2007 6:01:34 PM   
tony-howard


 

Posts: 273
Joined: 9/28/2004
From: Monroe, WA, USA
Status: offline 		The replacement cowl should work fine on a completed Mustang so long as the front of the fuselage itself hasn't been modified. The plug was created over an off the shelf ARF fuselage that nothing was changed on except for a layer of lightweight glass used to protect it.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, two small inverted "C" shaped plywood formers - one on top of the fuselage ears and one below - will need to be added to the face of the firewall to support the corners where the new cowl is bigger than the existing contours. You'd probably want to permanently attach it to the fuselage which means those areas should be either bare balsa or clean fiberglass.

The new cowl will need to be trimmed to fit over the front of the wing fillets on existing Mustangs. (For new construction the cowl can either be fitted under the fillet or on top.)

< Message edited by tony-howard -- 10/26/2007 6:05:16 PM >

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Tony
pacific-scaled-aircraft.com

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