Ziroli Panther Lovers! (Pictures and Video!)
 

Flight report on my Ziroli Panther I started last summer! It is a floater, had to add more flap to get it to slow and come down so that I could come in with some power. I have 31 flights on it now and it is just an awesome flyer!

Kingtech 80 Turbine

Shinden main retracts, Jet Legend nose and Robart struts

Intairco Main Wheels W/Brakes

Ultra Precision UP2 Valve in conjunction with the UP4 for full sequencing gear doors

Air brakes

Sliding canopy operated by radio

Full cockpit with pilot by WarbirdPilots.com I sculpted my own pilot head with correct helmet and cast it in resin

E-Flight electronic bomb release with my own 500lb bombs

Full rivets by Mirce

Nomenclature by Tailor Made Decals

Stencils provided by Get Stencils

Short kit provided by LDS - Laser Design Services

Kevlar fuel cell and fuel fittings provided by Jet Tech

Ziroli Canopy is much larger than scale, I made my own version that is shorter and lower profile

Nice job! Wished I had the time and skills to pull off what you did!

VERY VERY nice... love the practical scale features and details

What is your AUW and CG?

thx in advance

Thanks Len and erh! I balanced it using the pendulum method, using a chain with hooks I hung the plane from former F-9 and added weight until the nose was about 15 degrees down. So it is ahead of the plan CG, but inverted it needs no down trim to speak of. I had to add 1 lb of lead, so the AUW came out ot 24lbs, but it sure flies like a lighter plane.

Congratulations. Very nice looking and flying Panther.

Joe

Congrats. Well done!

Very well done, looks great. I share your passion with the Panther. I have had 7 flights with my Panther. The last two flights, more specifically the last two landings, I was very happy.

Fantastic work!

very very nice

Sweet job Luke, as always. My friend just picked up the Bob Violet kit himself, so I will be sure to share this with him.

I've been working on a EDF version for a couple of years. I started covering it last winter and then my wife got very ill and we lost her in mid April. I need to get back on it and finish it up. it will have BVM EDF 5612 fan for power on twelve cells, Robart retracts, JR radio gear. I'm covering it in Ultracote and Monocote to keep it light.

Very nice paint job. Fantastic surface finish. Would you mind telling us a little bit about it? I say please?

Really appreciate the compliments guys and thanks for checking out my thread and commenting!

Hughes, post some pictures or whatever you want of your Panther, you are more than welcome.

Rboy, I like ARF's too! The Skymaster you are talking about is much bigger and it has all these details already done, but mine may provide some motivation to get his in the air!

Ron, really sorry to hear about your wife brother, I extend my most sincere condolences to you and your family.

I encourage you to get back on your Panther, it really is a very nice flying plane.

I did a screen capture because I like this shot of my Panther, I use it as wallpaper on my computer!

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2134743

Well sure, glad you asked!

First the surface was glassed using Zpoxy finishing resin and 3/4oz glass cloth. I thin my resin, 60 percent resin with 40 percent Denatured Alcohol. That is all the resin I use on my plane, it is the key to an easy to do light weight finish, plus I hate sanding resin and going through the cloth. The weave is filled with a mixture of Bondo Spot putty and Acetone, mixed to the constancy of ketchup. This dries fast and is easy to sand.

Then you are ready to prime, I used the Dupli-Color system for this model. I've used PPB automotive paint and find it toxic and a bother to use with lots of chemicals and cleaning of tools. For this model I used BGM0541 GM Dark Blue, BCC0338 Chrysler Radiant Silver Met, BCC0351 Chrysler Flash Red, and BUN0300 Universal White. The cans have an excellent nozzle that lays down the paint very nicely. After everything was done I used the Dupli-Color Gloss Clear. Without buffing, it has a semi gloss look to it, makes it look just right. The silver is really nice, it has the right look and is really easy to apply with this paint system.

This paint is completely fuel proof, works with glow fuel, diesel and kerosene.

Beautiful work, your panther is gorgeous! I had one similar sized a while back and loved how it flew...I wish I still had it but an elevator linkage failure said otherwise. :( Out of curiosity, what are you using for a bomb release mechanism? I've been looking around for something low profile width like that. Thanks!

Thanks Chris! Sorry about your Panther, that sucks man!

http://www.e-fliterc.com/Products/De...ProdID=EFLA405

The E-Flite servoless payload release is all you need, these things are great! Good for up to 200mph, easy to set up and reliable. No cables or extra servos.

The pylon is nothing more than two triangle pieces of balsa with some 1/8" ply on the top of each, the release is screwed to that. Then I glued 1/32" ply to each side making cut outs for the manual release lever and the programming button. I added small pieces of aluminum under the release to help stabilize the bombs, the aluminum is tapped for the small nylon screw and bolt, it works really well.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2134767http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2134768http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2134769

I vacuum form my own bombs, makes it nice because they get lost easy. All you need on those are small eye hooks purchased at a hardware store and a tab of 1/16" ply to keep it aligned in the slot on the release mechanism. I made a template for the distances so I can make them without measuring every time.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2134770

Thanks for the info! I didn't even know E-Flite had those! That's awesome and looks about to be what I was looking for actually. One question, what is the approximate width of them? I only have about 1/2" available in the installation I was thinking of.

You are going to have to go with the servo operated and do the cable thing. With modification, like cutting off the flange and gluing it in, this would work: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXG870&P=ML

The Eflite release is 5/8" wide.

Cool, thanks for the info!

Thanks for the thoughts. Been working on the house getting it set up for building a lot now that I don't have to take care of everything plus her needs. Miss her a lot at times. On a side note Nick was working with me back in the late eighties and early nineties and his first panther was flown with my dynamax, OS .91 fan and engine. he flew it a lot and gave it to the Robart guys when they started importing the Funsonic turbines. I think they are still flying it.

Looks great. I built one a few years ago and it was an very nice flying plane.

Kirk

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2135009http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2135010

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2135028Actually his is a kit, All balsa with a few glass parts. I know you never met an arf you didn't bash it into a work of art. I took this at the Navel air museum in Fla last year. Happy Holidays.

OK, I was thinking of the Cougar or something, yes the BVM stuff is a build I would agree. I love that museum, spent some time there when I was close to it, living in Alabama. I didn't think at the time I would be into jets, so I took very few pictures of the Panther unfortunately. Happy Yule!

[QUOTE=k_sonn;12138788]Looks great. I built one a few years ago and it was an very nice flying plane.

Kirk

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2135009http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2135010[/QUOTE

Thanks Kirk, I remember following you on that build, went back a few times when I was planning this one. You say "was", did you sell it I hope? Your Panther is sweet man, thanks for the inspiration!

[QUOTE=dionysusbacchus;12138837]Thanks Luke. Yes, I sold it last spring. I wish you many happy flights with yours.

Kirk