marksp

My Feedback: (9)

Wow...$500+ of included value... 'nuf said. Here's an idea as to what to do - build it, enjoy it and give thanks to your local shop for sharing the love!

vertical grimmace

My Feedback: (1)

Instead of asking someone to acquire woodworking skills to pull this off consistently, maybe this is an area that should have been molded? Too much room for error asking a human to hand carve and shape an area like this, over and over again.

vertical grimmace

My Feedback: (1)

No doubt! Any issues with that airplane I could easily over look!

bonanzadrv

My Feedback: (21)

I am sure it was a package deal..... Not free retracts included....

Shaun Evans

Hi,

That's correct. The retracts were not FREE. They came in a package for a 'deal' price.

Shaun Evans

Hi,

As long as the spinner holds together, I don't care if it's metal or plastic. I've been using plastic spinners since I started flying. That's a good point about the TT spinners, and by comparison the painted one from HH isn't that bad. That being said, however, my TF giant P-40 came with a painted aluminum spinner included. The cost for replacement is $50. Before anyone chimes in with that tired old, hardly-ever-applicable meme of 'you get what you pay for', I doubt that the HH one is made by proud American union craftsmen (or any of the other justifications for ridiculously priced hobby items). I'm sure the painted spinners are made in China like everything else (including the TF painted aluminum spinners for $50).

I suppose the market will decide whether or not the spinner if overpriced. There's a Dave Brown metal spinner that is supposed to fit this bird for $60. Anyone used one of those?

kalzone

i have the 4.5 p-51 spinner on my beast good spinner but its not the correct shape its close but not as good as the TT

bonanzadrv

My Feedback: (21)

Kalzone

when you get a chance I would love to see pics of your canopy setup

kalzone

the only change that needs to be done to the canopy is to change the rear blade that has the carbon pin. you will need to remove some of the two formers that are in the tail wheel hole.


in the rear sliding track for the canopy use a 1/8 drill bit you will be drilling 3 holes to start. drill the holes in the floor of this sliding track one at the front one in the middle and one at the very back right before the former. next i used the same bit in a dremel and slot from each hole and slot the former that is at the end of the sliding rail. use a drum sander on the dremel and sand the slot that is in the former now to make the slot 1/2" wide. now get your canopy and sand the top of the rear G10 blade down flush with the top of the canopy frame don’t go to far and remove any paint. mark the bottom of the G10 blade at the bottom of the canopy frame. next use a small flat screw driver or punch to lightly nock out the blade from the frame keep this piece for later. you will now need to make a new piece to replace the G10 blade this new piece will look like a 2.5 " long T make your T with the top part 1/4"tall and the rest 2 1/4" overall 2 1/2" 1/8" thick or less. take the piece of G10 you removed and remove the pin. now take the G10 piece with the pin removed and lay it on top of your new piece the top edge of the G10 will be at the bottom of the wide part of the T that 1/4" tall. mark and drill hole in the new piece use a 3/8 long piece of .100"carbon rode and glue it in your new piece. take a 6"long 4-40 rode threaded 1" on both ends fork on one end 2 nuts on the other sandwiching that bracket that comes with the actuator.


the actuator is a firgelli L16 36:1 140 mm

Denfly31

Guess they didn't change which is good, but I might have been thinking the retracts were a set. With having to buy the tail wheel retract also that puts them at $569.98.

Johnny_Zero

My Feedback: (44)

Well.....I took the advise of the Reps from Horizon in this thread and called customer service about the quality issues with the covering and some really bad wood work on my fuse. I have sent back my air frame and am going to get a new plane after they inspect......hopefully.

2Brave

My Feedback: (28)

Keep us posted. Will be interested if there's a replacement, and if so, is it any better.......

coxco

My Feedback: (7)

I am and have been a 51 fan from an early age and will continue to be one for life. Like a fine wine its something you keep liking for life. There are a lot of them on the market and for good reason for some of us. Just as some people prefer Ford, GMC, Chevy, etc.... we pilots have the same reasons for the aircraft we purchase. I started my 51 fleet in 1972 with a control line. Royal Kit was next then the SIG Kwik Build 51 decked out with robart retracts, flaps, and everything else I could buy with my yard mowing money. I still have that one and fitting the Evolution 10 or 15cc gas motor on it and electric retracts. I always wanted the Bud Nosen giant but at a young age did not have the funds for it. I have one now but will be using it only as a pattern to cut out a little heavier wood as the vibration of the new gas motors would shake it apart. And next to last, hangar 9 being the last, are the 2 Top Flites.

I received my Hangar 9 today and after getting the box open and doing an inspection, the covering on mine is great. Even around the tail sections. I am thinking of doing a finish build thread on this ARF as I am a 40year model builder from the box or scratch. I think this is a good model to start with as an ARF because of some of the features that are incorporated in the model.

1) The fit and finish of this one is very good so far
2) The only hold up with build finish is waiting on all the parts to come in
3) The engine compartment has been coated with epoxy so I don't have to do that
4) The push rod tubing is installed
5) There a plenty of servo cut outs to play with
8) Retract installation is going to be a little easier

If this fly's as good as it should I will remove the covering and glass and paint it. It cost just as much to finish but I didn't have to build it saving a couple of months of time. This will be great for my allergies because I am getting more allergic to the balsa dust. Granted I will be going through it and maybe beefing up all the joints with glue. I don't think I have to do that but I do that with all the ones I build. Seems to help keep things together better in case of small mishaps and vibrations.

I plan on using a DLE 61 and making a scaled out custom exhaust. I would like to try to keep everything in the cowl as much as possible.

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

Since you've been doing this for a while you can probably make a good guess. How much weight would you estimate the process of glassing and painting this would add?

Lifer

My Feedback: (1)

coxco,

Briefly, as you mentioned a C/L 51 kit, did you ever build one of the Top Flite monocoque-fuselage P-51's? I entered one in Junior C/L Scale in the 1972 Nats at Glenview N.A.S. Had an Enya .35 and a J.Roberts 3-line control.

Johnny_Zero

My Feedback: (44)

coxco,

Could you please post photos of your ARF so that the ones of us that have purchased them can FINALLY see one that meets your high standards. As long as you have been building and flying I am really interested seeing what you consider to be "1) The fit and finish of this one is very good so far"

Thanks

coxco

My Feedback: (7)

Hey Barracudahockey if you use thin coats of Zpoxy and light clothe spray that with sand able primer and sand that down smooth and then paint I would say 1lb + depending on how many coats you want. I use as little as possible put all the stickers on and paint over with non yellowing clear. If it needs some dull finish I use emory clothe wet and lightly go over those areas. I might even Flite metal it but not sure yet

coxco

My Feedback: (7)

Sorry lifer I never had one of those but sounds fun

vertical grimmace

My Feedback: (1)

If done properly, it is only slightly heavier than monokote. The key is to not use too much resin and primer. The finish is superior to anything else. Will not get wrinkly in the sun and peel off in areas around the engine.
Also, if you are interested in getting good detail and scale looks (which so many warbird guys are) then you can add your panel lines into the primer. I actually find doing a glass and paint job easier than covering an entire plane with plastics. The difference is it is permanent.

coxco

My Feedback: (7)

Here are a few pictures of some of the troubled areas. I'm thinking they either gave their workers lessons or they just got better as they probably covered a few hundred of these by now.

sjhanc

My Feedback: (3)

I got curious about this-I have two almost identically broken wing panels, one original arf Monocote and the other a heavily reinforced and glassed kit wing panel primed with automotive and painted silver. The ARF wing panel weighs 2lbs. 5 oz., and the glassed panel weighs 2lbs. 8oz. The glassed wing had it survived would have had another coat of silver and markings but lacquer paint adds little extra weight with additional coats so I think the glass finish is very competitive with film. I use a method of applying glass that involves filling the glass weave with light weight spackling, sanding, then a hard skin of resin over the spackle. Sand smooth with fine abrasives, then lacquer based primer and finish coats.

vertical grimmace

My Feedback: (1)

I just glassed a wing a few days ago using Peel ply. So far it is the best method I have tried. After the ply is ripped away, the surface only needs light sanding before primer. Even if a glass job comes out heavier than the plastikote, it is far and away superior in so many ways.

coxco

My Feedback: (7)

This is something to think about. The Nosen P51 102 inch wingspan flies better when its a little heavier. Time will tell if this one is the same way.

vertical grimmace

My Feedback: (1)

That seems to be the case. Many that have the fairly new TF FW 190 have a hard time landing them as they are so light. They are not used to having to get a heavy metal warbird slow enough to land it properly. The same with the ESM FW 190 D 9.
So, any concern with added weight from glassing would be unfounded, as this model would still perform just fine with that type of finish.

marksp

My Feedback: (9)

Had my buddy over to inspect my kit (#238) as he is far more experienced in the hobby than I am. While checking over the parts for shipping and general quality issues he commented over and over again, how similar the design details are to his Byron's Original P-51. So much so, that he's certain that many of his Byron's parts would fit with zero mods. He called it a "reinterpretation of the Byron design in wood", which I gather, is a good thing.