tahustvedt

Old crow is one I don't see often from ARF manufacturers. The Gunfighter scheme is common though. They should release some lesser known schemes, for example RAF schemes. I've never seen anyone manufacture those schemes. Maybe it wouldn't sell.

(My ESM in the 442 squadron scheme)

rcflying007

Hi US1A kai,

The TopRC Model's contact e-mail is [email protected] but not [email protected].

US1A kai

Hi ********007

Thank you very much for your update...LoL.

Now you can see the new paint schame of P-51 on Top rc model HP.

best regards,

N99JH

My Feedback: (66)

Can someone measure and report the distance from the firewall to the front of the fuselage, please? I plan on powering mine with Valach VM-60 engine and want to make sure that it will fit without having to cut into the nose.

Thanks

N99JH

My Feedback: (66)

Can someone measure and advise the distance from the firewall to the front of the fuselage, please? I plan on powering mine with a Valach VM-60 and need to see if it will fit.
Thanks

dionysusbacchus

My Feedback: (25)

Distance is 6 5/8"


On mine I installed the flap servo's and now have internal pushrods. I used all the stock parts, all you have to do is turn the servo arm down into the wing. It's nice and tidy, aslo the geometry is much better now.


Just have to fill all the holes left by the original ugly system.


I printed out some nomenclature on clear decal paper. Helps a lot
to bring it to life.

N99JH

My Feedback: (66)

Thanks for the help.

I love the way you approach this build, internal flap pushrod is awesome!

Mpizpilot

My Feedback: (45)

Gator rc has the new Gunfighter scheme in stock, though very limited. My wonderful wife got it for me for Christmas, I was only allowed to take a quick look for shipping damage. From what I saw, it's a real winner.

Sonny.C

My Feedback: (23)

Hello All,

I'm finishing up my Top RC Models P-51, except for the canopy frame that was broken in shipment. I thought the frame might be repairable, but the material is so thin and brittle the fix attempt failed and I ended up fouling the rear glass making a bad situation worse.

I'm waiting to see if Mike can work some magic and come up with a rear canopy frame and rear glass (clear plastic).

Dead in the water for a couple weeks now. Glad its winter time anyways.

Sonny

TimD.

My Feedback: (207)

Mine was broke as well, lucily I was able to fix it. Try the Ziroli canopy if Mike can not get one.

dionysusbacchus

My Feedback: (25)

Have a few final mods to show, almost done with the basic install and assembly.

The rudder is so wide at the bottom, I decided to install the Du-bro 440 Pull Pull cable set in a full scale hidden fashion:


I had to sand a bit to get the required travel and a tad more. This is a picture of the rudder finished and working.


Here at more than the recommended travel you can see the G10 attachment point.


Here you can see the rudder and steering servo. I like to have a separate servo on the steering so that I can assign a trim tab to the tail wheel for adjustment as I am taxiing out without affecting the rudder.
Also visible is the main spar reinforcement, I added strips of 1/8" ply between the spar tubes and the former with plenty of Hysol.


For the main spar I sanded 1/4" ply into a wedge shape and glued it in place.



For the final mod I'm adding E-flite Payload Releases so I can drop the tanks and a 1,000lb bomb I am going to make. Also the instructions say to mount the tanks
in the wrong location, they are supposed to be between the center and outer gun. In the picture I have the marks where the instructions say to mount them, over the center gun.
Also visible in the second picture are the retract filler pieces I fashioned to cover the front flange on the retract units. They are simply thin G10 with balsa added and sanded to shape. Then
sealed with CA and painted. They are held on with the retract mounting screws with the retract units themselves.

N99JH

My Feedback: (66)

Superb job.I intend to follow in your footsteps.

AZThud

I am staring mine and the plan is to spruce up the outside of the plane and do a couple of mods to the cockpit to add to the work I will be doing on the outside. This one is going to finished as either an Australian or British scheme, it will be done as one from the war so the wing panels will be filled as was done at the North American factory, the fuselage and other area's not filled will be riveted.

I did notice one thing with the elevators the trim tab ran into the fuselage so I filled it up and will rivet it afterwards. Here are some pictures of my progress, the rivets are vinyl from Chad Veich are are about .010 in diameter, this is to model a 3/8 inch rivet, once applied a light coat of aluminum rattle can was applied to hold them down and make the parts easier to handle.

Here are some pictures of the gear doors and elevator trim tab adjustment




Here are a couple of the mods to the Elevator

dionysusbacchus

My Feedback: (25)

Thanks N99JH!

Looking good AZThud! Funny you should mention the cockpit, I tossed mine in the bin! I will be making my own parts, just keeping the dash hood and the radio boxes. I also made my canopy sliding!


This is just roughed in, much finish work will be done of course. The rear track will be split and the custom hatch latch will be moved to the radio antenna. I recommend that all add the ply reinforcement to the canopy frame even if not adding a sliding canopy.

AZThud

Thanks Dionysusbacus ( that is quite a handle :-) ) I really like what you are doing with the canopy, I will not be going to such lengths. I have completed the rivets on the flaps, ailerons and elevators. I also started to install the servo's, I used mini servo's in the elevator, I did this for a couple of reason's, one being to try and cut down on weight back there. The other reason being the interior framing on mine had some missing pieces, looks like they broke out or were damaged, either way I did not trust them to hold the servo's so I used some birch ply to make a new servo mount. Once installed I set up the servo center and end points.




Here are the elevators after the minor correction and the rivets, once the horizontals are installed they will get the rivet treatment.





Flaps ailerons and servo's in the wings.



Thanks,

dionysusbacchus

My Feedback: (25)

Looking good Rick!

I'm spending a little more time on the cockpit, the sliding canopy turned out so good I figured it deserved it. When people look at a warbird they always look into the cockpit area, especially when the canopy is open, so this plane really deserves the extra treatment.

I made molds and just started finishing my first part, it is entirely vacuum formed out of styrene, simple and light weight. I make my own resin parts, but I don't go through all the trouble of mold making, just push the forms into clay and cast them in resin, very simple and effective.



After some finishing, this is how the left panel looks now, not all detail has been added, it will look much better with the rest of the placards and all the levers!



I'm almost done with the right panel, the armor plate will be a piece of cake. I will spend some time on the instrument panel however.

Luke

AZThud

Those look really nice, where did you Source the placards, I have been sidelined a bit my Top Flite Spitfire after a mere 227 flights is down for maintenance. The engine mounts on the firewall while the bolts did not loosen, the holes through the firewall started to get hogged out by the vibration. Its been such a good plane I will give it some love, a repaired firewall and a new fiberglass finish and some paint.

The mustang is still progressing, I have the engine in hand, and will start getting it on the fuselage and start the work on the rest fuse, I have some rivets to get on there!

dionysusbacchus

My Feedback: (25)

Thanks Rick, the placards are from a full scale P-51 restoration supplier. I don't want to post a link, just google P-51 placards and they will come up. I scale them to size and print them out on paper, glue them on with RC56 Canopy glue and clear coat them with Model Master Flat Clear Enamel.

I've been working on other planes myself, and working on the internals of the P-51, although I did add a few more placards!



I hope to finish the other panels in a few days, but the detailing will take some time. Levers are next.

Have to hurry, my next project will be delivered Friday!

AZThud

Thanks I found the site, looks like your printer is better than mine, mine are usable but not as clear as yours, still a nice edition, Thanks. Those sidewalls are looking very nice making me think...... What is your next project? I have been heavy on the spitfire repairs, the fuse is stripped and had the blemishes looked after, and the bottom of the wing is glassed. Tonight I was taking the robart hinges out of the control surfaces, not a fun job but the results look good.

Cheers

dionysusbacchus

My Feedback: (25)

My printer does pretty good I guess, I even filled out the aircraft data plate with my planes info and I can read it with a magnifying glass! Just fun stuff while I sit at the computer! It's finally cold here in Texas, so I've been having fun working on the cockpit, I have other stuff do do on other planes myself, but it's just too cold in the garage for me!

My next project that was delayed in bad weather, made it to San Antonio last night, so will not get it until Monday. I'm going to do a jet next, did a few props and now it's turbine time! I purchased the Skymaster F-18F in Jolly Rogers scheme from Chief.

I must get the next Top RC offering though, have you seen this thing?



Except for the finer detail, I have the side panels basically done, still need some wire and levers:



As for the tail wheel doors question, I have not hooked mine up yet. Just installing the tail retract unit was a major job, my fuselage former was crooked. The tail wheel would not retract fully and it was bent to one side!
I will do the doors soon though and post my results.

AZThud

Cockpit looks real nice! F18 Eh nice!!!

Regarding the mustang, were you able to get the kit supplied linkages to work with your tail wheel doors or did you use another method? If you have some tips to share with the tail wheel doors I am all ears!!

Good luck with the F18 what turbine are you looking to install in her?

Cheers


Rick

dionysusbacchus

My Feedback: (25)

Thanks Rick! I will let you know how the tail wheel doors work out, I'm working on those now.

Decided to take a picture of my babies! F-18 is 97" long and I have a Kingtech 180 with 40lbs of
thrust ready to install, got to get the Mustang done first though!

dionysusbacchus

My Feedback: (25)

I've figured out a solid system for the tail wheel gear doors, none of the stock stuff is used, just the mounting hole in the retract unit itself. Its very simple, you all will love it! I will finish it out tomorrow and post the pictures and maybe a short video of it's operation.

dionysusbacchus

My Feedback: (25)

Real quick, I went out to the shop this evening and knocked it out just to make sure it works. So this is the prototype installation, I will polish it up, but it works very well.

Basically some aluminum was cut and shaped to push the doors open and hold them open, and a cable running through the holes they had for the original arm runs just behind the wheel pivot point to pull the doors shut. I got that idea from my LX foam jets. They use the same deal to close the doors. I just quickly used the brass to adjust the cable for the test, but that will be cleaned up.

dionysusbacchus

My Feedback: (25)

OK, here is the video. I think this is the last major issue with this plane, the rest is pretty straight forward and being that RCU is basically dead I think I've contributed enough to this thread! Good luck with the projects guys and good flying!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rrT0DTm1P0&feature=youtu.be