sjhanc

My Feedback: (3)

I have been soft mounting my engines the same way, it works pretty good, but I use a side exhaust engine with a wrap around muffler. A support on the free side of the muffler is required to stop vibration from loosening the bolts. I used aluminum Pitts style mufflers but had cracking problems so I started building my own from steel tube. My steel mufflers are heavier than the aluminum type but no cracking and I usually don't need nose weight for CG.

ForcesR

Good day Oldtimer; I really appreciate you taking your precious spare time to take photos of your engine mounting. I see the previous owner used the soft mount and washers and metal spacers to get the correct engine length for cowl and spinner back plate spacing. I am using the soft mount too, the spacers that will be used to get the correct back plate spacing will be plywood. The engine mount is almost complete, I will take a couple of photos and post them when completed.

Your assistance was very much appreciated, "Cheers"!!

Roger

rossmick

All

That sure is news about the roll pin, never saw one in the gear package nor any instruction to use it. I totally believe you as that I was going to drill a hole, tap and install a bolt when I saw the other available hole. Problem as I see it is that if one should loose that aircraft to some totally non pilot error situation (joke) and you have drilled the axle for the 51 you would have a very difficult time reusing the gear if it survived the crash. What did you guys use for a pin? I would think something semi soft as you would want the pin to fail before destroying the gear. Thanks for the info.

sjhanc

My Feedback: (3)

rossmick,
The pins are called roll pins, they are split end to end. They have to be slightly larger than the hole so that when tapped into place friction will hold then. If you have to install the gear in a different plane you can drive them out with a pin punch that is the same or a little smaller than the hole. For this last to work the hole has to go all the way through so the pin punch can work. You can find split roll pins at automotive parts houses in assortment kits. Some parts houses may have them individually. Not expensive. You also might find them in farm tractor service centers. I think I remember one pilot finding a small Ziploc bag containing the pins mixed up with the packing materials in the shipping box after he was made awe of them.

sjhanc

My Feedback: (3)

rosssmick,
I looked on Amazon and found numerous offers for split roll pins but you will have to know what size is needed. You might email the gear manufacturer, they should also be able to give you the correct size so you can get some locally.

rossmick

sjhanc

Thanks, yes I know what a roll pin is, just was not sure that the definition was the same as I knew. I will try and look for a Ziploc bag, but it has been too many shop cleanups in between. I can envision just a slight shift in the gear position could be problematic to reset. I understand it can be accomplished just a little nervous about destroying the gear. The roll pins I have used in the past are quite hard and as I have never sheared one off I wonder which will go first, gear or pin.

sjhanc

My Feedback: (3)

rossmick,
You can get stainless split pins which are not as shear resistant as the hardened type. I think any twisting force(usually ground loops) would bend or break the strut and the pin would not be a factor. Those struts are pretty beefy and I have never heard of anyone damaging the retract, only tearing the whole gear out, mount and all. I use Robarts and even a bounce and go round will bend struts. With the reinforced wing mounts I haven't had mount damage only one bent strut. The replacement upper strut tubes cost less than $20 so I carry a couple of spares in case I have a brainfart at an away event. I can replace a bent strut tube in a short time and keep flying. Ever now and then I check the slightly bent strut tubes and I take any tube that doesn't have wrinkles or kinks and straighten them out using a brass hammer and a long bolt inside the tube to prevent dents.

ForcesR

This is the first time I've seen this video; most of you may have already seen this video I thought I would share it with all and those who may have not seen this video. Hopefully this will inspire TF P-51 owners/builders to finish their projects and maiden their TF Mustangs

Roger

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9CoBMlOLi4

sjhanc

My Feedback: (3)

A good video, I have watched it several times.

sjhanc

My Feedback: (3)

I you want to hear a really neat sound from a P 51, search this on Google, P 51 mustang whistling . I had never heard this before, it is the from the 2 stage Merlin supercharger. Now I am trying to figure out how I can get my model P 51 to make this sound. There will be several videos on the page of planes making the sound including a Spitfire. When I was told by a WWII veteran that they all did this I thought it must be the gun ports, but you can hear the gears that drive the supercharger too. Gun ports don't have gears. In Florida all of the air shows are at sea level so the supercharger is either disabled or is engaged at higher power levels or high altitude.

ForcesR

sjhanc; it is indeed the supercharger that produces the whistling noise. The P-51 Mustang and Spitfire airshow pilots that I have talked to told me the noise level of the supercharger whistle depends on the throttle power setting. I bought whistles several years ago that simulates the supercharger noise, it's made for the Spitfire but works installed in the Mustang too. I have whistles installed in the radiator scoops of my RC Mustangs and Spitfires. They sound great and cause many questions to be asked by other RC flyers at the flying field. Here is the link to the company in the UK where I purchased the whistles.

Roger

http://www.warbirdreplicas.co.uk/Air-Whistle/33.htm

sjhanc

My Feedback: (3)

ForcesR,
Thanks I already have some of the large air whistles that I put on my large gliders but they don't sound like a Merlin, more like a jet engine. I will get some of these. The whistles I have are audible on a fast glider at over 2000 feet. They indicate lift as the sound gets louder and higher pitched when the sailplane enters lift.

chris923

My Feedback: (53)

Gentlemen,

I am looking for a source for linear actuators. Want to use them on gear doors. In the past I used air cylinders or programmable servos, I am trying to get way from that. I tried Lados 4 years ago and they were to big.
Any suggestions?

ForcesR

Finally finished making the plywood mount and spacers for the DLE 55RA, I used the soft mount and bolted it to the firewall with the attachment bolts and rubber bushings that came with soft mount. The outer mount is 1/4 plywood and is bolted to the soft mount using 8 blind nuts and 8 X 8-32 X 1 1/4" socket head cap screws. The overall thickness of the soft mount, outer mount and spacers is 1-3/16"; the only thing left to do is to fuel proof the mount. I now have 1/8" spacing between the cowl and spinner back plate

Roger

sjhanc

My Feedback: (3)

chris923, Don't buy these. I got them to operate the main gear doors on my P 51 B. They burned out after 2 cycles with no load on them. I have since seen these on several different brands of electric landing gear.

chris923

My Feedback: (53)

sjhanc,

I haven't seen those. Do you know where you got them so I can avoid them? I was looking at wingspan retracts. I can get a pair of retract actuators from them.

rossmick

All

Trivia -- roll pin/split pin is now called tension pin. That's how I found them at Ace.


I would love to find a good linear actuator. Anyone thought about using hydraulics instead of air or electric for actuators. Don't the turbo guys use hydraulics ?

shafs

great Video, I am also building a aero works mustang. and was just wondering where you put you batteries on your aircraft.

sjhanc

My Feedback: (3)

Look at www.Firgelli.com for linear actuators, some of the builders are using these to operate the canopy on the H-9 60 cc Mustang. I have no personal experience with this product.

chris923

My Feedback: (53)

Thank you!

Turnale

All - Just in case someone would be interested - I released on Ponoko.com the engine mount I had laser-cut for installing a DLE-55RA on the P-51 ARF
It fits right in and align the shaft perfectly. The motor mount uses the blind nut on the firewall for alignment only. All the parts must be epoxied together, so the installation is definitive.

http://www.ponoko.com/make-your-own/...-arf-1-5-12516

The laser cut part kit is $39, and I think the shipping cost for the continental US should be around $16.

I usually use Ponoko for cutting/machining part for myself. It is the first time I share something that can be ordered - not sure it will work correctly. If you are intersted and experience any problem with the website, just let me know, we will figure something out.

gary9648

My Feedback: (1)

First, I can not believe this thread is still alive and well. My TF Mustang is now 13 years young and still flying. As some of you know I converted it to the C model razor back and then glassed and painted it in the Tuskegee Airmen paint scheme. The video brought back great memories of the event. I was fortune enough to be present all five days of the event. I only live about 1 1/2 hours drive from the site. It was AWESOME! I have three CDs worth of photos.

dasintex

My Feedback: (10)

What's that tab that protrudes forward on the top of the mount for?

Turnale

This is to strap on the ignition box - makes for a very clean installation.

ForcesR

For any one interested, cost of plywood and hardware to make the DLE 55RA mount was approximately $12.50. Photos of the DLE 55RA I made is shown above in post # 3639.

Roger