GROUP BUILD - Top Flite Giant Scale F4U Corsair
02-13-2015, 06:52 PM
#9602
My Feedback: (6)
Dont feel too bad. Finished the last wing of my Cub, Had it pinned and weighted so it should have come out perfectly straight. GOt it off the board, flipped it over, and pinned it to do the bottom sheeting, and NOPE it aitn flat! Damned thing has a twist in it after all! I think it is due to the rear web having a slight bow in it. The upper and lower spars are straight, but the web was slightly cupped. Oh well, guess I will have to try an anti twist stick on it when I cover the bottom and hope I can get it out.
Cheers Bob T
P.S. soak the whole thing down good with water, good and wet, then back on the flat surface with weights till dry can't hurt
02-15-2015, 05:02 AM
#9604
Join Date: Jun 2012
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Well Bob, you had the right idea on how to go about building these outer panels. After trying what I thought would work, I'll now go with your way of building the panels right side up and blocking the T2 and T7 ribs to the right height at the TE. You would think by now I'd be smart enough to take the advice of someone with eons more experience that I, but I guess I'm just stubborn. So thanks for the advice and I'll be sure to listen more closely.
02-15-2015, 08:52 AM
#9605
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Yep, this was the wat to go . I set the T2 and T6 ribs with a rotary laser. T2 being 0 on the robart meter, and as of right now T7 is at 1 1/2 on the meter. I should have just let experience and wisdom guide me in the first place instead of being thick headed. Thanks Bob. 
02-15-2015, 04:53 PM
#9607
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Progress is good. The second time around yielded much better results. I think I'll keep this one. I learned a few things on the first to watch for and make sure to give extra attention to, so it wasn't a total loss. Now if I can only make a matching set...
02-22-2015, 09:09 PM
#9609
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G'Day guys,
I'm glad I've found this thread and been flicking through the huge amount of info here, Thanks to all the contributors for your tips and tricks and photos. I bought one of these kits, second hand, from a guy who had just started a family and could no longer afford the time or money for this hobby, I bought a few cheap foamies off him and noticed as i was walking out of his house he had almost built the Top Half of one of these GS Corsairs, he asked if I was interested and for $100 I couldn't resist !
That was 4 years ago now, I've moved the kit from 2 houses I lived at and always paid attention to being careful with it, this forum may have just given me the enthusiasm to crack that kit back open and have a go
Cheers from Oz
I'm glad I've found this thread and been flicking through the huge amount of info here, Thanks to all the contributors for your tips and tricks and photos. I bought one of these kits, second hand, from a guy who had just started a family and could no longer afford the time or money for this hobby, I bought a few cheap foamies off him and noticed as i was walking out of his house he had almost built the Top Half of one of these GS Corsairs, he asked if I was interested and for $100 I couldn't resist !
That was 4 years ago now, I've moved the kit from 2 houses I lived at and always paid attention to being careful with it, this forum may have just given me the enthusiasm to crack that kit back open and have a go
Cheers from Oz
02-23-2015, 08:26 AM
#9610
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A update on my scratch built wing. I've been too tired lately after work to really do much to it. Maybe 20 minutes a night and I was done. But, little by slow I'm getting it. A much needed day off today is being spent trying to get these three sections joined up and back to the point I was at before I started. I checked the incidences and I'm not too far off from what I want. Just a little tweaking here and there and it will be there. Boy, for a bit I was ready to order the laser cut parts for it. But I had all the material on hand so that just wouldn't make a lot of sense. Anyway, here it is.still a lot of work to do on it, but a lot closer to starting on the fuse.
02-23-2015, 09:34 AM
#9613
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Thanks Steve and George, a warm welcome
I just updated location George, I see "Peter" is or was about an hours drive north of me here in Australia. Hey Steve, that's kind of ironic that you just posted those pics, from memory the original builder of my plane has pieced together those three sections and said that was where he left off (he's also completed the top half of the fuse too). I've almost finished my month 'on' at work and heading home tomorrow for my RnR of 7 days, so I'll get the old girl out her boxes and take a few pics to show you what stage my Corsair is at. This thread is certainly a huge amount of information, and I've already picked up a lot of detailed tips, I've noticed several builds have lightened the rear end somewhat which I hope doesn't pose a problem for me, casting back I seem to remember seeing the rear stab and rudder in a box, completely sheeted and sanded too.
Like I mentioned, I bought this kit second hand, partially built, roughly 4 or 5 years ago, and it's remained in dusty boxes ever since.
Thanks very much for the welcome Gents I'll post some pics in a day or two and maybe you can gauge where the original builder got up to? Or possibly spot anything incorrectly done that I can fix/undo?
That would help me a lot Chat soon!
I just updated location George, I see "Peter" is or was about an hours drive north of me here in Australia. Hey Steve, that's kind of ironic that you just posted those pics, from memory the original builder of my plane has pieced together those three sections and said that was where he left off (he's also completed the top half of the fuse too). I've almost finished my month 'on' at work and heading home tomorrow for my RnR of 7 days, so I'll get the old girl out her boxes and take a few pics to show you what stage my Corsair is at. This thread is certainly a huge amount of information, and I've already picked up a lot of detailed tips, I've noticed several builds have lightened the rear end somewhat which I hope doesn't pose a problem for me, casting back I seem to remember seeing the rear stab and rudder in a box, completely sheeted and sanded too.
Like I mentioned, I bought this kit second hand, partially built, roughly 4 or 5 years ago, and it's remained in dusty boxes ever since.
Thanks very much for the welcome Gents
I'll post some pics in a day or two and maybe you can gauge where the original builder got up to? Or possibly spot anything incorrectly done that I can fix/undo?That would help me a lot
Chat soon!
02-23-2015, 01:12 PM
#9614
My Feedback: (6)
Hi MrMuzza
If you are full blooded Ozzy like Pete and use the oz's slang you might post oz 101 so these guys will understand, I have been dealing with Pete for about 5 1/2 years and finally kinda/understand the lingo.
In any event ask all the questions you like and do post pic's as it will help with the answer's.
Cheers Bob T
Corsair Brotherhood # 6
P. S. welcome to the thread
If you are full blooded Ozzy like Pete and use the oz's slang you might post oz 101 so these guys will understand, I have been dealing with Pete for about 5 1/2 years and finally kinda/understand the lingo.
In any event ask all the questions you like and do post pic's as it will help with the answer's.
Cheers Bob T
Corsair Brotherhood # 6
P. S. welcome to the thread
02-24-2015, 08:44 AM
#9615
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MrMuzza, I'm in the same boat as you when it comes to this kit. I also purchased it half built by someone I don't know to attempt to save a few bucks. I still don't know if it was actually worth it or not as almost everything I've looked at so far has to be rebuilt or at least fixed. The wing would have probably been rebuilt weather the cat knocked it off of the top shelf or not as it had a nasty twist to it and wasn't to my liking. That job is almost done so now I'm looking at the fuse to see what needs to be done. I know from the start that I need to un sheet part of the tail end as the sheeting has been broken off behind the H stab. Also need to knock the cockpit floor out because I'm adding the cockpit kit which the original builder apearently wasn't planning on.i will also frame the tail wheel area for a retractable tail wheel although I'm not sure at this point if I will be able to afford it or not. But if I do get one, at least most of the work is done. That's where I'm at with mine. Ask away if you have questions. I know I sure have and Bob and George and some others have been a Hugh help to me. Your in the right place with it. That's for sure. Here's my fuse as it sits. I'm also going to attempt to use the ABS cowl, but if it's taking too much time and effort, I'll just break down and add that to the growing list of items needed.
02-24-2015, 11:53 AM
#9617
My Feedback: (6)
Steve
Like George said looks like you are coming along, I have a couple of suggestions as long as the bottom of the fuse is open, I would try to take out as much weight from the structure as possible remember, When drilling or cutting wholes ( the thickness X 1 1/2 material from the edge of a part to the edge of the whole) except on soft balsa, is all you need to maintain the strength, 2 X thickness to the edge of a whole for good balsa, and any weight you can save aft of the recommended C/G is to your benefit.
Cheers Bob T
Like George said looks like you are coming along, I have a couple of suggestions as long as the bottom of the fuse is open, I would try to take out as much weight from the structure as possible remember, When drilling or cutting wholes ( the thickness X 1 1/2 material from the edge of a part to the edge of the whole) except on soft balsa, is all you need to maintain the strength, 2 X thickness to the edge of a whole for good balsa, and any weight you can save aft of the recommended C/G is to your benefit.
Cheers Bob T
02-24-2015, 12:10 PM
#9618
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Oh, I'm planning to go to town with the Forstner bits. Thanks Bob and George. I'm finding there's more and more missing from the kit. No 4-40 elevator pushrods, or the hardware that goes with, no laser cut flap ribs or ail. Ribs, and a few other things I can't think of right now. Oh well. It just goes along with the rest of the build. I'm definately looking forward to being done with all of these partially scratch built projects and build an easy, brainless plane. Not that I don't enjoy a challenge, but .....
02-24-2015, 02:31 PM
#9620
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Not a bad idea Bob. It would be kind of nice to just build something, and not have to first fibure out a template. Cant be more than a buck or two a piece either i wouldnt think. I need to order a small truck load of sheeting though. Over the years ive borrowed most of the sheet balsa from it. I have enough for the fuse, but need it for the wing.
02-25-2015, 02:41 AM
#9622
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I usually buy from balsawoodinc.com. There prices are great and you can request certain densities. I did learn however, if you don't specify the density you'll most likely get the hard balsa. But I will be comparing with the other distributors as well. Thanks Bob.
02-25-2015, 10:02 AM
#9625
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Looks like I won't be needing to buy any balsa sheet for this big guy. I kept having a feeling that I had some stacks of sheeting somewhere, but couldn't find them. So I started opening boxes on the shelfs and low and behold the box marked " solartex " was in fact full of sheeting. I have about 4 1/2 inches of 3/32 for the wing, and plenty of 1/8 to finish up the fuse. It should be enough. Next question, where the heck is the solartex? Lol.