spitfire66

Well I finally had my maiden flight on P-51! It is a Top Flite ARC version and I spent a lot (too much) time making it perfect. Fiberglassed, panel lines, and painted with latex. Dle 55ra for power and a top flite 21-8 prop for the maiden in case I got into trouble and needed to climb away. I will be changing to an apc 22X10 when I get used to the plane as this is my first giant scale plane. I balanced as close to the recommended cg as I could, may be a little forward unintentionally, and used control throws per the manual. 27.5 lbs!!! It flew great even though I thought it was heavy by arf terms, I have read the kit flies well at 28-30 lbs. It was NO issue at all. On my hitec aurora radio I used 15% nose down elevator to flap mix and the plane couldn't have landed any better after a couple approaches. I really like the nose down attitude with the flaps maintaining airspeed. All I had to do was keep power on and cut it when I was right above the ground. On my next flight I will be reducing the aileron throws as the low rate was still quite a bit for my taste. I'm as happy as one would expect. Great flying plane. Special thanks to my mentor "LIFER" who has taught me to set up my warbirds for success and accelerated my skill with no hit to the wallet!

chris923

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Very nice, congrats!
I fly all my warbirds a very little bit nose heavy. They seem to settle better on full flap landings.

radfordc

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Congrats Shannon! I'll bet your Mustang looks great.

Ralph White

Does anyone have a Leo Spychalla cowl for the TF 1/5 P-51D ARF that is designed for a 5 1/2" spinner? Doesn't look like Leo is selling them anymore. It does not have to be in perfect shape as long as it is repairable. I'm building another "C" model (DODY) and would like to go with the 5 1/2" spinner. You can answer here on the forum or send me a personal message. Will pay a reasonable price for one.

Ralph White

rampage-1

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Do you use any expo?

Ralph White

Rampage. If your asking me. Yes. I use a large amount of expo. I try to fly scale and smooth. My son thinks I use too much and my P-51 is sluggish. I'll get my transmitter and post my expo amounts.
Ralph

Ralph White

Here's my expo settings on my Futuba 18SZ. Ailerons expo -60; Elevator -60; Rudder -55. I fly on low rates all the time (even landing). They are set at Ailerons 55; Elevators 65; Rudder 65. Of course these settings will differ from somebody else because of the different lengths of servo arms and control surface arms.
Ralph

rampage-1

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That's about what I use on my Warbirds. I like the the soft touch when flying . 60% is about mt average setting. I don't use dual rates , one less switch to worry about. IMHO

vasek

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subscribed

Spychalla Aircraft

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Ralph, I am curious as to what leads you to think I am not selling Mustang Cowlings anymore? Send a PM with your e-mail address and I can send you details. Postings like this remind me of that Mark Twain quote, “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.”
I shipped 6 Mustang Cowlings in 2016 bringing the total cowling count to 115 over the past decade. Leo Spychalla

Fly2XS

My Feedback: (65)

Hi Guys!
I am rebuilding my 7 year old TFGS P-51 ARF and I'm glassing and then working Flite-Metal.
I'm looking for 3D scale details to use in my rebuild such as:
- Gas caps
- scale gear doors
- a better cowl
- a decent canopy
- a decent cockpit kit

Any suggestions on who to call?
Recommended vendors?

Thanks!
Scott

CRJDriver

My Feedback: (57)

Hi Scott,

As you know, I am finishing up my kit build Mustang this winter. Here is what I have used and or recommend for these items:

- Gas Caps - Chad Veich produces a very nice set that are scaled for this aircraft. He also has the aileron bay stiffeners as well. You can PM him here.

- Scale Gear Doors - I just laid these up myself. I do not know of a source. Depending on how detailed you want to get, I can help you.

- Scale Cowl - Leo's is the absolute best. I had to modify my build significantly, but it looks great. It is a drop in fir for the ARF. Money well spent. Otherwise, Fiberglass Specialties has a nice OEM replacement.

- Scale Canopy - I'm afraid you are on your own here. I do have a number of OEM spares if you need one. I do have an AeroTech Canopy for mine, but I am using it on this project.

- Cockpit - I am using the iFLY Tailies cockpit. I am very impressed with this one but it is fairly expensive. Alternately, I would go with Brian's kit from Dynamic Balsa.

If you are looking to go with bomb pylons, Phil Clark at Fighter Aces produces a very nice set. I purchased a set for my project and they are super cool.

Hope this helps Scott, good luck on the refinish. I look forward to seeing it at the field this Summer!

Ralph White

Leo Spychalla (Spychalla Aircraft) is still producing and selling Top Flite 1/5 Scale P-51 fiberglass cowlings and P-51B turtle decks.

Leo, I am sorry that I incorrectly assumed you were no longer selling your fiberglass cowlings and razorback decks for the TF Giant Scale P-51. I will send you a personal message so you can send me the info on the cowlings.
I am pleased to know you are still making these items for the TF 1/5 P-51.
Ralph White

Chris Nicastro

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I have an ARF in the box so I'd like a cowl as well! I'll be in touch Leo

chris923

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I am pleased to report a Leo Spychalla sighting. YES! flesh and blood! He chopping at the bit to make more cowls for the masses!

kevarc

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Had the maiden flight on mine back in September. The thing flew great and the DLE 61 pulled it around nicely.
There was a pretty fair crosswind but the plane handled it just fine.
I was going to make a couple approaches for landing but the first approach was lined up and settling nicely so I went ahead and landed.
Thought to myself nice landing as the wheels touched down.
Got a bit of bounce and in the crosswind one wing tip hit the ground and then nosed over.
Ripped the left gear out and partially ripped out the right.
I had modified the wing as noted through out the thread, and there was no other damage to the wing.
As I looked into the damage on the left side I discovered that the plywood plate really just came off the hardwood rails.
I made a new plate out of better plywood and glued everything back together and re sheeted the wing.
Thought I had everything sanded nicely until I recovered it and it looks like a monkey sanded it, oh well it is on the bottom.
On the other side I had to cut and grind the plate out. I noticed one of the hardwood rails was a bit loose.
When I tried to separate it from the rib so I could get some glue in there it just came off!
The glue stayed on the rib, and had not really adhered to the hardwood. This had been noted in other posts.
Anyway have the wing repaired and really only spent a few hours actually doing the repair.
I did bend a strut on the left gear and have replaced it. My next challenge is running the gear wire back though the wing!
As I noted I thought the landing was pretty smooth and I was surprised by the bounce.
I thought I read something about cutting some coils off the spring in the retracts to help that but cannot find it again.
Any advice on that?

Ralph White

kecarc, I cut one coil off the spring and it seemed to help. Don't cut more than one coil off at a time. Friend of mine cut 3 or four coils off and it was two soft. I do not try to make 3-point landings with mine because of its tenancy to bounce. I fly in for a 2 wheel landing every time. Keep high throttle on (one or two notches) until touch down. I use to think I was excellent at landing until I got this plane.
Ralph

kevarc

My Feedback: (2)

Thanks Ralph, I will cut the coils one at a time until it feels right.

In transporting the plane to the field for the first flight I broke the wood on the the bottom of the fuselage just in from of the wing. A pain but no big deal to fix.
I took the cowling off and pulled the tank and stuff out of the nose.
I noticed the covering was wrinkled on the side of the fuselage where it sticks out past the firewall.
Upon inspection one of the plys on the plywood side piece peeled back. The triangle stock is still bound to the firewall.
Thought I would just epoxy it back together, but cannot get it to come back together or separate it enough to get the epoxy into it.
I may cut off the triangle stock and redo it.
Looking on the inside the balsa is cracked about an inch back in the same location.
Closer inspection and everything else around the firewall seems in good shape.
While I have it down I thought I would reinforce the firewall.
Seems like I seen somewhere back that someone had laid fiberglass around the inside so I will give that a go.
Kevin

spitfire66

Can you use super thin ca on the existing tri-stock, and then add additional pieces of stock? I am not an authority by any means but that is what I would do if you can make it work. Then add fiberglass to the inside. That's what I did to my plane. I added pictures sometime back in the thread. I also pinned the firewall with wooden dowels. To each their own. I didn't want to take any chances as this was my first giant and has the dle 55ra on it.

chris923

My Feedback: (53)

[QUOTE=kevarc;12295655]Had the maiden flight on mine back in September. The thing flew great and the DLE 61 pulled it around nicely.
There was a pretty fair crosswind but the plane handled it just fine.
I was going to make a couple approaches for landing but the first approach was lined up and settling nicely so I went ahead and landed.
Thought to myself nice landing as the wheels touched down.
Got a bit of bounce and in the crosswind one wing tip hit the ground and then nosed over.
Ripped the left gear out and partially ripped out the right.
I had modified the wing as noted through out the thread, and there was no other damage to the wing.
As I looked into the damage on the left side I discovered that the plywood plate really just came off the hardwood rails.
I made a new plate out of better plywood and glued everything back together and re sheeted the wing.
Thought I had everything sanded nicely until I recovered it and it looks like a monkey sanded it, oh well it is on the bottom.
On the other side I had to cut and grind the plate out. I noticed one of the hardwood rails was a bit loose.
When I tried to separate it from the rib so I could get some glue in there it just came off!
The glue stayed on the rib, and had not really adhered to the hardwood. This had been noted in other posts.
Anyway have the wing repaired and really only spent a few hours actually doing the repair.
I did bend a strut on the left gear and have replaced it. My next challenge is running the gear wire back though the wing!
As I noted I thought the landing was pretty smooth and I was surprised by the bounce.
I thought I read something about cutting some coils off the spring in the retracts to help that but cannot find it again.
Any advice on that?[/QU




The 1st thing I do is open the wing up.
Then re do all the shear web and double up on the ribs.
Then I beef up the gear mounts 1/2 x 1/2 stock.
I beef up the entire spar box.

On the gear mounts. Depending on the the condition, you could take some G10 and reinforce the existing mount or Replace the mount with 1/2x1/2 stock, run the end into the spar box and glue the in with Hysol. This will distribute the load from the gear to the spar box. then top with G10.

I have done this to 5 sets of wings. I have not broke a wing since. I had one Mustang die and fall from 100 ft into concrete. The only thing the was intact was the spar box from one side to the other.

Cutting the spring in Mustang robart gear will not fix you bouncing issue. You need to land with full flaps, and level out above the ground and let the plane settle on the mains. If you put the plane on the ground from to steep an angle and to fast, you will always bounce whether of not you cut the spring. Cutting the spring will put more force thru the gear and into the spar on a hard landing,
Also, I thing I have learn flying TF Mustangs is, if you bounce then, hit the gas and take off. If you take the the 2nd and 3rd bouce you will have wing and gear damage.

This is what I have learned on 8 TF Mustangs take it of leave it. Maybe it will help you from making the same mistakes.

Chris Nicastro

My Feedback: (3)

Brain fade...

Anyone remember who who makes the scale stab relocation kit for the TF P-51?

It raises the stab to a more scale location. My last kit built P-51 built by a friend had it and it looked and flew great. Pretty sure it was only for the kit but I want to see what to do about the ARF.

ForcesR

Tony Howard made a stab relocation kit for the P-51 and was sold through Pacific Scaled Aircraft, unfortunately Tony passed away in 2015 so the kit is no longer available. I do not know of anyone else who makes a stab relocation kit for the P-51.

Roger

kevarc

My Feedback: (2)

Hey Chris923,
I should have mentioned that I had already made the modifications to the wing.
I ran 1/8" ply wood on both sides of the spar. I did not extend it as far as you are showing though.
That part held up fine, just the mounting plates pulled out.
I have no doubt after tearing into the wing to make the modification that if I had left it stock I would have had a much bigger repair job. Glad I had read through this thread before I put it together.

I understand landing with higher speed and all. It was working perfectly in my mind, but the execution was off.
I went out for a taxi test and ended up flying before the my buddy was ready with the video.
My recollection is it was perfect right up to the point when it wasn't.
A video probably would have told the real story
Next time I will make a few passes before committing.
Really flew nice though, cant wait to get back in the air.
Kevin

Ralph White

Chris Nicastro, You should go to Tony Howard's web site Pacific-scaled-aircraft.com . He has a lot of improvements to the Top Flite P-51. The stab needs raised 5/8". Tony described it very well. Thank you Tony, RIP.
Ralph White

Chris Nicastro

My Feedback: (3)

Thanks guys, appreciate the info.

On the Robart gear, the Robostruts spring, I cut off about an inch and then replaced it with a softer spring. This make the strut a two stage spring system. My Mustang would sit about 1/4 inch from bottoming out when still. Taking off the struts fully extended and tucked away like normal. When landing the soft stage would let the plane settle in nicely just like full scale planes do. This gives you more room for error. It makes every landing look smoother and the better your approach the better it gets. You have to really dork an approach to bounce up again.