tms261

I'm building the P-51 now, and covering in fiberglass. I have Robarts, Hitec 5945's, and a Taurus 69cc. My question is for anyone with building and flying experience with this plane. Where are the weak spots, and what did you do to correct the
issues? I notice there is really not that much meat in the front end of the plane and am concerned with the firewall pulling out, or retract blocks coming out of the wings. Thanks to anyone for any tips.

Tim

rt3232

My Feedback: (6)

Tim
I to have taken on a ARC project for a frind, and looking for info on the week spots, so far the only one that I have been able to identify is the wing center section joiner. if you find a thread on this bird please PM me and I will do the same for you.


Cheers Bob T

Thunderbolt47

My Feedback: (8)

I haven't had any problems with the fire wall but the gear mounts deffinently need beefing up. they make a mess of things when they come out. I replaced them twice in my first mustang.

Also the wing joiner problom was in the earlier ARFs , but I did double the glass in the center just for good measure.

BobH

My Feedback: (2)

Ditto on the gear mounts. They are woefully weak and need reinforcing to be servicable for most fliers. The rest of the plane seems pretty good construction wise. I have a g-45 on mine and haven't had any fire wall issues. Others use a G-62 and again no fire wall issues.

eugene

TMS261,
I have built two of these planes, and have been flying one for the last year.....The center section joiner is a 5/8" thick pine log that would support a three room house......The only mods to the firewall, I pinned the fuse sides to the firewall with 1/8" dowels, it already has hardwood tri stock front and back..only thing I'm not satisfied with, is the chintzy method of installing the fake exhausts...Glassed and painted, it weighs 22.3#, and is a pleasure to fly.....Many who buy this ARF, modify it well above it's design, and overstress the airframe and landing gear by adding large, or high HP engines...Mine uses a US41, and flys very well in the 85-90mph range, well above any scale requirements.. If you decide to use a large powerplant, then beefing up the high stress areas will be required...

RCJones

I havea quick question.

What is your method of gluing in the horizontal stab on the ARC. Just wondering if there are any interesting methods?

Thanks

Thunderbolt47

My Feedback: (8)

This is what I did and it came out quite nice.

First I took a rasp and put a 45 deg. bevel on the outside, all the way around the hole in the fuse
Then I set the stab in and lined it up. with the plane held at 45degs. (roll) I mixed some 5 min. epoxy and slowly poured it in the joint. (not to much) just let it run to each end.I made sure none leaked over the edges. after that one side had dried, I would do another. but just one corner at a time. do all four joints.

When I was done, it made a nice joint that really didn't need any extra work. It had nice smooth corners.

I hope you can get an idea of what the heck I'm talking about.

Anyway it seems very strong and I was really the only way I could think of the glue it in with out making a mess.

I will post a picture of my plane stand that I did my glassing and painting with. this is also what I used to 45 the plane, mentioned above. sorry it's a camera phone pic. I
Here's a drawing of it also

RCJones

I think I get it...I'd be afraid that by beveling I'd end up making the hole too big. By 4 joints you mean 1) Top Left 2) Bottom left
3)Top Right 4) bottom Right?

That method sounds as good as anything else I can think of.

I think I've seen pics of your stand...its already in a thread here on RCU?

Thanks

eugene

Just a suggestion...carefully check the alignment of the stab ,with the wing and vertical stab...If it needs changed, some light sanding on the opening may be needed.....To hold it in place, I shim it with 1/4" strips of appropriate sheeting...Tack glue these in place, remove the stab, sand flush with the fuse. Replace stab, and as suggested earlier, carefully add your adhesive with the fuse tilted....Personally, I use yellow aliphatic wood glue, applied with a squeeze tube and a probe, which also makes it much easier to fill the joint inside the fuse, and a damp paper towel for easy clean up....

e4dragongunner

My Feedback: (2)

I need to ask a stupid question.... Where did you guys get the ARC varient?... All I can fins is the ARF.

Thanks in advance.

eugene

At Tower....it is listed in the catalog with the ARF....$399.00 at the present...been available for quite some time...It is very complete, and good workmanship..

RCJones

Is anyone willing to post pics of their ARC build?

I would like to see what is involved with:

1)pulling out the pre-installed wheel wells and installing working inner and outer gear doors.

2)Retract strengthening.

3) Cockpit purchase / build

4) Hidden rudder actuators

rt3232

My Feedback: (6)

Hi Rcjones

I am planning on posting pic's to get ansures to some of my questions, and will post progress pic's along the way..


Cheers Bob T

e4dragongunner

My Feedback: (2)

Thanks Guys!!!!!

John Cole

My Feedback: (4)

There are a couple of useful threads on that 'other' scale rc site in the TF section.

John

RCJones

Guys,
This is the problem I have with the Wheel wells. I thought that the gear door is supposed to extend to the middle of the wheel when closed. But if you build the inner door there is no way that can happen. The way I see the inner door is that it will have to come to the outer edge of the wheel and you will just have to lose a couple of inches of the outer gear door.

Am I correct?

rt3232

My Feedback: (6)

Hi guys I don't wont to be a wet blanket in this thread, and I will post as I said,, but check out a thread "The 1-5 scale P-51 ARF assembly" it has a lot of the questions ansured for us already, as Iam still reading it..

Catch you on the back side

Cheers Bob T

RCJones

I just thought there might be some things, however small, that might be done differently on the ARC vs ARF vs Kit

rt3232

My Feedback: (6)

Hi Rc jones

I think you are right, and there are some things we can do to the ARC that the ARF guys can't or wont do to the covering, my point was and is, I think they have addressed probably 99 % of the areas we need to look at. How we chuse do fix them is what I am intersted in, Any way it does make the mind get the blood flowing..


Cheers Bob T

Thunderbolt47

My Feedback: (8)

RCjones, you leave the strut covers full lenght and the doors go over them.

rt3232

My Feedback: (6)

Hey Thunderbolt47 is that the way the real one works I have bee looking at my pic from Oscosh and I guess I did not take enough as I can't find anything to varify



Cheers Bob T

John Cole

My Feedback: (4)

P-51's will always pose a huge challenge to modelers if they are to be built with scale realism in mind. The l/g and doors are actually kind of neat, and complex. When resting on the ground, the strut is compressed by a fairly large amount. The wheel looks to be covered by the outer door by nearly 50%. This stance is compounded because the outer door is articulated, ie. it is hinged at a different location than the strut, and linked to the strut on pivots. This door hinge location makes the door drop a little with the gear down. Once airborne, the strut extends fully, the wheel drops, and as the gear is retracted, the outer door gets effectively shortened because of how it's hinged and linked to the strut. It's very difficult to simulate this effect with rigid struts and doors attached directly to the l/g strut. Wow, what a bunch of drivel, but hope it helps somewhat.

John

RCJones

that was good...i've been looking at struts and doors for years and just figured that out last week...duh

rt3232

My Feedback: (6)

Hi guys

Well I finaly got the ARC 51 out of the box and started on the repair, not dificult just time consuming looking at the kit plans to see if there is an easy way to change the weel wells for the inner doors, if any on is intersted will take befor and after pic,s to post.

Cheers Bob T

RCJones

I'm interested, post away please

bought some balsa this weekend to "close up" the wheel wells and cut inner gear doors

Will also change the elevator to hingepoints and make sure there is enough balsa for the hingepoints to grab on to