Best retracts for Top Flite Giant P-51
04-16-2003, 05:00 AM
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Best retracts for Top Flite Giant P-51
Robart or Century Jet? Which is the best, most reliable of and less headache of the two? Opinion from people that have had them are appreciated.
Ignacio
Ignacio
04-16-2003, 11:13 AM
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Retracts
I have the Robart retracts in my Giant TF mustang and they work pretty well, with one exception. I have had the plastic gear block break twice. Not sure why, my landing was pretty gentle. I think its a molding issue and lack of material at a critical stress point. At any rate, Sierra makes an aluminum replacement block if you want/need it.
I had the first set of Century gear designed for the Giant Mustang but didnt use them because I would have had to retro fit them into the wing by cutting the leading edge and some other mods. It wasn't a big deal but I ended up trading the Century gear for Robart gear and kept the stock wing set up. I suppose they would have worked ok I just never have used them.. Regards BobH.
I had the first set of Century gear designed for the Giant Mustang but didnt use them because I would have had to retro fit them into the wing by cutting the leading edge and some other mods. It wasn't a big deal but I ended up trading the Century gear for Robart gear and kept the stock wing set up. I suppose they would have worked ok I just never have used them.. Regards BobH.
04-16-2003, 02:25 PM
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Best retracts for Top Flite Giant P-51
Bob, thank you for taking the time to reply. That is good info. Anybody have any experience with Century Jet retracts for the big Mustang?
Ignacio
Ignacio
04-17-2003, 08:22 PM
#5
Giant scale Mustang gear
You might consider the Springair 403 retracts used in conjunction with the Robart scale struts. We have a gentleman at our field flying the Topflight 1/5 scale P-47 using the Robart retracts and he has been having difficulties with the gear blocks breaking as well and he is an accomplished RC War bird pilot who "knows" how to land slow utilizing partial flaps and still the Robart retract design has been a source of problemsfor him- Go with the Springair 403's with scale struts of your choice and I know you will experience rigidity and reliability!
Fast Richard
Fast Richard
04-18-2003, 12:10 AM
#7
Your Mustang retracts
yes they certainly are I have the 103hds in my 1/7 P-47 and they are super reliable one reason being in case you were not aware is by design the Springair have an internal spring which actuates the "down"cycle and then air necessitating just one line for the retracted position. So essentially the 403s are simply larger and the reputation for service and reliability is excellent. And by design the possibility of air leakage is minimal and I can attest to several seasons with -O- failures. So the decision to order the 403s for my current project a 1/5 scale P-47 was an easy decision.
Fast Richard
Fast Richard
04-18-2003, 01:30 AM
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P-51....
Ignacio....I have the robarts in my TF Giant P-51 and I literally abuse my gear...with all the touch/go's...grass fields...short runways...you name it...they get hammered....the main thing I did was beef up the area around the gear....ply rib doublers on both sides..doublers for the L/E and for the shear webs aft of the gear....had an engine failure on a go-around( no time to retract gear) and bent the struts 70* but the mounts didn't budge....all I had to do was order the upper strut for both sides....they've hung in there for 80+ flts....Bill....
04-18-2003, 02:20 AM
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Best retracts for Top Flite Giant P-51
Thanks for the input Bill, I'm glad your gear help up OK. I was wondering how does the big P-51 fly and land?
04-18-2003, 01:32 PM
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Giant P-52
Nacho, and example of how well the P-51 flies... last year at Warbirds over Delaware I'm flying my '51. For some reason I have NO Aileron trim and the plane is trying to roll to the left. Somehow I managed to screw up the programming in my 9Z and put Null for the Aileron controll!!.. anyway... I fly several laps around and come in for a landing. All the while I'm keeping the plane level with just the sticks. I drop the gear and flaps and make a perfect landing. I think its more a credit to the plane than my piloting skills but point being that I could do it. You will really like flying the plane.. Just remember its not a 40 size plane that you can yank and bank all over the sky. It takes up a little more airspace and time for manuvers... hope this helps BobH.
04-18-2003, 01:34 PM
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My Feedback: (2)
Giant P-51
Nacho, and example of how well the P-51 flies... last year at Warbirds over Delaware I'm flying my '51. For some reason I have NO Aileron trim and the plane is trying to roll to the left. Somehow I managed to screw up the programming in my 9Z and put Null for the Aileron controll!!.. anyway... I fly several laps around and come in for a landing. All the while I'm keeping the plane level with just the sticks. I drop the gear and flaps and make a perfect landing. I think its more a credit to the plane than my piloting skills but point being that I could do it. You will really like flying the plane.. Just remember its not a 40 size plane that you can yank and bank all over the sky. It takes up a little more airspace and time for manuvers... hope this helps BobH.
04-18-2003, 02:36 PM
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Best retracts for Top Flite Giant P-51
That sounds great, it's quite a labor of love and very expensive just to build a rock with wings. It sounds like a plane I could handle. Our runway is 350 long, do you think that's enough?
Ignacio
Ignacio
04-19-2003, 01:44 AM
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p-51......
Ignacio.....350 ft is plenty to get off....but for landing.....a day without any head wind you'd be on the edge.....speeds would have to be on the money and so would the landing....with a better than 10k headwind you should be in good shape..........Bill....
04-19-2003, 05:45 PM
#15
1/5 scale P-51 retracts
I just picked up my Spring-air HD-403 retracts from my local hobby shop along with the Robart scale struts which fit perfectly. The best of both worlds: "reliable" Spring-air retracts and tough,shock absorbing and realistic Robart#673L&R 1/2 Dia. series 500 robostruts ---tail wheel??use the Spring-air firewall mount retract which is Avail. with pull/pull or push rod actuation.
Fast Richard
Fast Richard
04-19-2003, 06:47 PM
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TF Mustang
Nacho, our runway is 450 feet long and its sometimes not long enough. We have to come down over trees which makes our decent a little steep. I you have an open runway on either end then you should aim for the first 25% and you would maybe be ok... Regards BobH.
04-19-2003, 08:22 PM
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Best retracts for Top Flite Giant P-51
Thanks Richard, our runway is on a the top of a hill so it is clear on all three sides, the only problem is that if you come in too low you can end up on the side of a mountain : ) It sounds like it would be OK. Thanks to everyone for taking the time to help me out.
Nacho
Nacho
