Top Flite '.60 size' P-51D Mustang ARF: Building & Modifications
12-31-2012, 11:07 PM
#2176
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RE: Top Flite '.60 size' P-51D Mustang ARF: Building & Modifications
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Just had to do it.
Mustang fever got to love it.
happy new year
Ken
01-01-2013, 03:21 PM
#2177
RE: Top Flite '.60 size' P-51D Mustang ARF: Building & Modifications
Yep! ordered mine 12/28 shipping on 1/2 and Ihope it's not all as bad as some have gotten. Ican handle a little loose covering but not all the damages. Tis one is going to sit on a shelf alittle until Idecide if Iwant to stip it and convert it into a B model. I paid 189.99 after my Coupons.
01-02-2013, 03:24 AM
#2178
RE: Top Flite '.60 size' P-51D Mustang ARF: Building & Modifications
For those getting their planes with wrinkled covering, please remember that is has been stored then shipped from Illinois. It's cold there so the arf's have been in very cold conditions. Let them sit in a warm room for a couple of days then re-shrink the covering. You might find a lot of the wrinkles have gone away, but the covering is still loose.
01-02-2013, 06:05 AM
#2179
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RE: Top Flite '.60 size' P-51D Mustang ARF: Building & Modifications
Happy New year everyone!!!!
I almost have the fuse done, need to upgrade the motor mount to seat the DLE 20. gotta look for a good place to pick up that Opto kill switch. As for the wings I have got them repaired and when I beefed up the retract mounts, those survived the earlier wreck and fixed them and beefed up the area thats hold the bass wood for the mounts in. Re-doing the whole retract back. Took out the fiberglass retract cups and going to work from there. Will post up pics soon.
I almost have the fuse done, need to upgrade the motor mount to seat the DLE 20. gotta look for a good place to pick up that Opto kill switch. As for the wings I have got them repaired and when I beefed up the retract mounts, those survived the earlier wreck and fixed them and beefed up the area thats hold the bass wood for the mounts in. Re-doing the whole retract back. Took out the fiberglass retract cups and going to work from there. Will post up pics soon.
01-02-2013, 08:14 AM
#2180
RE: Top Flite '.60 size' P-51D Mustang ARF: Building & Modifications
Good thought there lifer, these things go from China in a container for days on the ocean then sit on a dock in the sun (real hot) then shipped across the country to IL. I imagine that if they shrunk the covering too tight to start with there would be issues with warping or tearing in the covering. I have found that using an iron over the heat gun gives a better result than the heat gunand helps to adhere the covering to the sheeted surfaces, and a trim iron works really good for those little wrinkled areas and air bubbles.
01-03-2013, 06:15 AM
#2181
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RE: Top Flite '.60 size' P-51D Mustang ARF: Building & Modifications
Received mine with the wrinkled covering but they seem to iron out well. The vertical stab was severely warped to port side - not shipping damage , it was built that way! Called Tower and they are sending a new fuse. Great customer service is why I keep going back to Tower.
01-03-2013, 08:12 AM
#2183
RE: Top Flite '.60 size' P-51D Mustang ARF: Building & Modifications
There may be a few small issues, but all in all, I've always liked Top Flite. My TF Cessna 182 was near perfect. It still sucks that they had to go to china to get them made, but you've gotta do what you've gotta do to stay competitive. RC flyers are cheap because we know whats under the covering.
01-03-2013, 09:02 AM
#2184
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RE: Top Flite '.60 size' P-51D Mustang ARF: Building & Modifications
hey everyone here is a few pics of whats under my hatch just forward of the cockpit. I carbon fiber wrapped panels with 3m di-noc.
01-03-2013, 11:20 AM
#2185
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RE: Top Flite '.60 size' P-51D Mustang ARF: Building & Modifications
I would agree about TF. I have been selling NIB H9 warbirds so I can replace them with TF. The P-51 was the only real issue I have had with any of their newer ARF's. That being said and aside from the stabilizer issue, the plane is fairly nice - certainly worth the price I paid with all of the discounts. If I wanted better, I would have to build it myself.
Steve
Steve
01-03-2013, 12:11 PM
#2186
RE: Top Flite '.60 size' P-51D Mustang ARF: Building & Modifications
Stabilizer issue? I guess I need to get busy reading all 88 pages of this thread. My replacement wings should be here tomorrow, I'll probably start on the assembly Monday.
Drifter - I think you found the plane I remember, "Little Indian". My memory is different from the pictures but I do remember that it was the Little Indian. Thanks for the help with the pictures.
Drifter - I think you found the plane I remember, "Little Indian". My memory is different from the pictures but I do remember that it was the Little Indian. Thanks for the help with the pictures.
01-03-2013, 03:55 PM
#2187
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RE: Top Flite '.60 size' P-51D Mustang ARF: Building & Modifications
Well so far I am two for two about the same amount of wrinkles as the last one and no damage well packed. I think I will go with the stock retracts for now with these struts looks like a good fit.
01-03-2013, 07:03 PM
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RE: Top Flite '.60 size' P-51D Mustang ARF: Building & Modifications
Flight 21
[/b]
Check out rcskylite.com
I think the 110mm P-51 set would work well with the stock retracts along with this servo.
Spektrum A7000 Metal Gear Mechanical Retract Aircraft Servo.
Ken
01-03-2013, 08:32 PM
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RE: Top Flite '.60 size' P-51D Mustang ARF: Building & Modifications
These struts look a little short to me. I remember the length of the stock struts being a bit longer. Like 160mm.
ORIGINAL: ken78cvx20
Well so far I am two for two about the same amount of wrinkles as the last one and no damage well packed. I think I will go with the stock retracts for now with these struts looks like a good fit.
Well so far I am two for two about the same amount of wrinkles as the last one and no damage well packed. I think I will go with the stock retracts for now with these struts looks like a good fit.
01-03-2013, 10:17 PM
#2193
RE: Top Flite '.60 size' P-51D Mustang ARF: Building & Modifications
I have used these on a couple of planes in the 10-12.5 lbs range and they're great. The real life appearance of the oleo scissors is really nice.
I ended up ordering a whole range of off-set depths and have several unused/unmounted sets left over if any one wants a deal PM me, in the mean time I'll see what offset depths and strut lengths I still have.
I ended up ordering a whole range of off-set depths and have several unused/unmounted sets left over if any one wants a deal PM me, in the mean time I'll see what offset depths and strut lengths I still have.
01-04-2013, 06:34 AM
#2194
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RE: Top Flite '.60 size' P-51D Mustang ARF: Building & Modifications
That looks more like it but measure before ordering. The wrong length could cause all sorts of issues. As it is some modification is most likely needed to accommodate the scissor in the wheel bay.
ORIGINAL: ken78cvx20
Like these
Like these
01-04-2013, 06:46 AM
#2195
RE: Top Flite '.60 size' P-51D Mustang ARF: Building & Modifications
HK has these struts that would probably work as well and would probably not require any modification to the wing.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...60mm_12kg.html
And then there are these that are about half the price of the RC Skylights.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...161mm_2pc.html
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...60mm_12kg.html
And then there are these that are about half the price of the RC Skylights.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...161mm_2pc.html
01-04-2013, 07:10 AM
#2196
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RE: Top Flite '.60 size' P-51D Mustang ARF: Building & Modifications
ORIGINAL: cstevenpeterson
That being said and aside from the stabilizer issue, the plane is fairly nice
Steve
That being said and aside from the stabilizer issue, the plane is fairly nice
Steve
Thanks
01-04-2013, 07:32 AM
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RE: Top Flite '.60 size' P-51D Mustang ARF: Building & Modifications
I actually ordered and received the legs from the 2nd link below. They look and feel good but Ihave not putthem on the plane(not sure exactly when I'll have timeat this point). One of my concerns is thatthe stock gear setup currently on my plane has little or no offset. Just looking at the setup I do have some concern that the offset may cause the wheel to stick out of the wing when retracted. Adjusting thegeometry of the retract mounts may be required for any of these struts.I'd be interested to see how some of the guys with aftermarket struts have put them in.
ORIGINAL: KaP2011
HK has these struts that would probably work as well and would probably not require any modification to the wing.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...60mm_12kg.html
And then there are these that are about half the price of the RC Skylights.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...161mm_2pc.html
HK has these struts that would probably work as well and would probably not require any modification to the wing.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...60mm_12kg.html
And then there are these that are about half the price of the RC Skylights.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...161mm_2pc.html
01-04-2013, 07:52 AM
#2198
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RE: Top Flite '.60 size' P-51D Mustang ARF: Building & Modifications
My plane arrived with the vertical stabilizer warped to the port side of the plane - actually has a nice curve to it. It was not caused by shipping but was either built this way or perhaps subjected to alot temp extremes during is jouney from China to my house. As far as I know this is an islolated issue with my plane. Tower has shipped a replacement due to arrive on Monday. I'll let you know how it looks..
Steve
Steve
