geh3

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I am building one of these with a WREN 44 turboprop, sierra retracts, air operated flaps, clipped wings, clipped canopy ( like the STILETTO pylon racer) should be a HOOT!

ROCKY1405

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Hi: Has anybody posted pictures of how they attached their landing gear doors to their struts? I've got Sierra gear and ordered the brackets with the retracts and am curious how others fastened them to the brackets. I'm thinking basswood wedges but I'd like to see how other guys have done it too.
Thanks!
Rocky1405 [8D]

dasintex

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Rocky; I know this is a big thread, but I believe there is a bunch of pictures of how the gear doors are attached; here are few however that I got from this thread

Doolittleraider

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Can you add those pictures so they are bigger? Are those robart geat with sierra brackets?
thanks
Peter

CRJDriver

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I mounted mine per the plans with the hardwood blocks rounded out with a dremel to accept the strut diameter. Thies method works perfectly. You just wnt to make sure that you get a perfect fit to teh strut radius. Be sure to scuff up the strut so that the epoxy can get a better bond. Cheers

dasintex

My Feedback: (10)

The pictures came from this thread; I can see that they are Robarts Oleo Struts with small Dubro Ball Joints threaded onto a short piece of threaded rod, with ball joints threaded into a Robarts Gear Door Bracket on the Strut and similar ball joints threaded into the gear door, look back through the TF GS Kit Build Thread as well, for other pictures;

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_45..._1/key_/tm.htm

ROCKY1405

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Thanks for the hints and info guys! This gives me a toe-hold on getting started on an attachment method w/o using wooden blocks.
[8D]

ROCKY1405

My Feedback: (6)

I have now gotten the wing beefed up and the Sierra retracts installed but have noticed that the wheels that came with this model are very badly out of round. They "run out" so badly that I feel should replace them but do not want to spend 100+ bucks on scale wheels. Has anybody tried the Robart wheels that cost under 50 bucks? If so, how are they, do they run pretty true and are they worth the money? Advice would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Rocky[8D]

Speedy-Gonzales

My Feedback: (202)

You spent $400+ on the retracts. Now go to Aerotech or Sierra and buy a NICE set of scale wheels. The Aerotech wheels are narrower and fit in the wheel wells perfectly. Daroll at Sierra sells the Aerotech wheels to compliment his gear. When your model is setting on the main gear for the first time you will appreciate the extra money you spent on the wheels. Nice wheels are like a new suit. It always looks better with a nice new pair of shoes. You do not wear tennis shoes with a Tuxedo! Do not buy wheels with a non metallic hub or center.

gary9648

My Feedback: (1)

Amen to that Brother!!! Those oilite bearings will never alllow your wheels to grab either. Can you imagine this photo with plastic wheels? This is my TF ARF converted to a "C" model, glassed and painted. I did not do the panel lines and rivets on this model due to it being my everyday flier. The good metal wheels will run true also without bumps.
Gary Webb

Speedy-Gonzales

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Very nice P-51C Gary! Very subtle differences between the B and C models. Do you have a new pair of shoes on, standing there in your nice suit?? LOL!

JDjetjock

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Hi Gary,

I really like your P-51. Are you aware of any B/C conversion kits...was your's from scratch? I have the ARC that I could convert. I'm also installing the Aerotech door kit (inner and outer doors) with their nice wheels...gotta have nice wheels! Thanks.

Jeff

Doomking

My Feedback: (38)

HI
I bought the Robart Tuff Tread replacement rubber tires for my scale alum. wheels.
They look scale like with "Good Year " makring on the side walls ...etc, and the inner core is somewhat more spongy that the original ones ,which are more forgiving if you fly off a grass runway.

Hope this help ....

picard1

My Feedback: (2)

How's the quality of the Tf p-51 ARC?

I've been thinking of purchasing one to save building time


Mike

Doomking

My Feedback: (38)

You better buy the ARF unless you want to make your own color layout, or change covering material.
For the extra $50 that you pay for the ARF, it won't cover the cost of buying Monokoteand the paint for the fiberglass parts, and not to mention the time and craftmanship involved in covering the model.

good luck

Taildragger

My Feedback: (204)

It's true it is more economical to buy the ARF but I wanted to individualize mine so it wouldn't be the same old tired scheme everyone else has. As for the quality I'm very satisfied but I did beef up the retract area.

The Swede

Mike.
I'd say buy the ARC... It's like an empty canvas where you can do alterations and choose covering material depending on the level of scale and detail you want. Also, wasn't totally impressed by the quality of covering on the ARF's I've seen... I'd rather do it myself...

Benny

picard1

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Thanks for the advice guys. I decided to buy the ARC from tower today with my super saver discount of $60.00 it gets it down to $349.00.. I enjoy doing my own covering and while it will cost more for supplies, It will be different from the rest. Also I have been thinking about either fiberglassing and doing panel lines and rivets or trying flitemetal


Mike

Speedy-Gonzales

My Feedback: (202)

Resin and glass cloth is the superior finish but remember to seal the wood with nitrate dope before applying the resin. If you do not seal the wood it will act like a sponge and soak up a tremendous amount of resin and add a substantial amount of weight. A giant P-51 covered with resin and cloth (plus primer and paint) will come out 2 to 3 pounds heavier than with iron-on. It all depends on what YOU want. If covering with an iron-on ALWAYs use Balsarite on the bare wood first. It makes the covering adhere so much better and keeps the bubbles away. I prefer to call them "aerodynamic warts"! Most (all) ARF's are not sealed with Balsarite before covering and that is why they end up looking so lame. They do it to save money and labor. I have done both types of finish on my models and I must say that you can't see all that super fine detail when it is flying. Like I said....it is totally YOUR CHOICE!!

oconcj

My Feedback: (1)

Hi Guys

I'm a fan of painted finishes. So I'm willing to give up the weight increase for the finish I get. Although I have seen some plastic covering finishes at Toledo that were absolutely outstanding. Anyway on my p-51 I used Stits paint overall, but I used Flite-metal on the fuse. originally most P-51s came with painted wings and bare metal fuse. So mine was Stits fabric and paint system on the wing and no fabric weave showing and fiberglass and Flite-metal with Stits paint on the fuse. The plane came in at 25lbs. An easy way to fiberglass is to use a two part epoxy called Envirotec available at Menards along with .5-.75 glass cloth. Thin the Envirotec with some denatured alcohol and it goes on very easy. A lot of guys use this procedure here in Minnesota. As far as the Flite-metal it took me about 20% of the fuse before I was really comfortable with the product. You have automatic panel lines with Flite-metal and the rivets are easy with a mechanical pencil no lead in it. Enclosed is some pics of mine.

The Swede

Oconcj!
This is exactly what I mean... You have created a beauty!! Beats the ARF by horselengths, doesn't even play in the same league...
Could you show us some more pictures and maybe some details of tricky parts for Flite Metal like the belly airscoop. This is what I aim to achieve as I am going to use Flite Metal as well. What's your opinion about Flite Metal? Easy to use also on curved surfaces? I did a test on the exhaust shrouds and found it quite difficult to get a perfectly wrinkle free surface. What's your advice?
Anyway, your bird's a stunner!!

Benny

Brad330l

My Feedback: (1)

Did anyone read this post????????
Mate, please keep us informed of your progress. This will be awesome!!![sm=thumbs_up.gif]

Cheers,

Brad

Q8Nitro

Hi Guys,

yesterday was my P-51's maiden flight and it went great, plane is so easy to land with flap or without i loved it, flew 5 tanks in one day :P never done that with my nitro mustang but this is another story, well my engine is in breaking-in process so the speed wasn't that much but still fun to fly, just wanted to share with you guys, i love this plane

i'll post photos next time, i was so happy yesterday that i forgot to take photos...

cheers

Ali

Taildragger

My Feedback: (204)

Glad to hear it Nitro! Mine probably won't fly till spring but really looking forward to it!

oconcj

My Feedback: (1)

Hi Guys

Hey Ali, congrats on the first flights, your right it flies and lands so nice you don't want to stop flying. Its worth the mods you have to do.

Benny: I found that the Flite-metal does strech a little and you can go around curves to a certian point. I would start on a corner and in an arcing motion with my thumb move across the entire piece. That was my method. Theres probably many others.The airscoop that I did had a panel line down the center and then as I got close to the edge I made another panel line. I found that at times I had to add a few extra seams(panel lines) to keep the wrickles out. I was very pleased with the Flite-metal and would use it again. As far as the exhaust shrouds I would probably paint them anyway and try to weather them. I used the Keleo exhaust. Great company to work with. You can use an airbrush and some paint from Model Masters called exhaust. I also found that using the Stits paint, that one of there steps for finishing fabric after you brush and spray on the first three coats of their product called POLY BRUSH which is a pinkish color like dope then you use the next step called POLY SPRAY which is used on open bay areas to keep light from shining thru. This POLY SPRAY is an aluminum color that is the perfect aluminum color. It goes on great and doesn't leave finger prints when you touch it. It's also just as duable as the final colors. Great paint! Anyway back to flite-metal. Start on the bottom in the back of the fuse and by the time you get to the fillets and up front you will have become more comfortable with the product and then do the airscoop. I was going to just paint the canopy with the POLY SPRAY, but after doing the whole fuse I used Flite-metal on the canopy. If you haven't bought your Flite-metal do it now the dealer is a little slow, but I would buy more from him. Goodluck
Chris