New Top Flite P-40 60 sized arf
03-29-2013, 02:09 PM
#477
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RE: New Top Flite P-40 60 sized arf
ORIGINAL: Aluminum Overcast
I don't recall too many problems overall with the covering but I suspect they did an initial production run when first introduced and probably have not done many after that, so, perhaps the one you got has sat for some time in a warehouse and had plenty of time to wrinkle up as the temp and humidity changed. This could of happened in transit too. Mine was one of the early ones (I ordered it when it was first announced) and was pretty good overall, not much in the way of wrinkles right out of the box. After some time had passed though it did wrinkle a bit...not bad though and it was easy to work them out. The flaps and the trailing edge of the wing directly over the flaps is another story. Keeping them true to each other is a well known problem but does not seem to affect it's flying characteristics much in my experience. You can get rid of this by laminating some very thin light ply or balsa on the flaps and wing area directly above if you want to really get it right but this will take a little work.
I don't recall too many problems overall with the covering but I suspect they did an initial production run when first introduced and probably have not done many after that, so, perhaps the one you got has sat for some time in a warehouse and had plenty of time to wrinkle up as the temp and humidity changed. This could of happened in transit too. Mine was one of the early ones (I ordered it when it was first announced) and was pretty good overall, not much in the way of wrinkles right out of the box. After some time had passed though it did wrinkle a bit...not bad though and it was easy to work them out. The flaps and the trailing edge of the wing directly over the flaps is another story. Keeping them true to each other is a well known problem but does not seem to affect it's flying characteristics much in my experience. You can get rid of this by laminating some very thin light ply or balsa on the flaps and wing area directly above if you want to really get it right but this will take a little work.
Thanks for the feedback. I figured mine was just an anomaly. The box sort of looked as though it was "at the bottom of the stack" and discolored a bit as though it was in a humid environment. I am not expecting a perfect covering job but something I can at least work with. It is a beautiful warbird so I hope the replacement in a bit better.
Steve
09-09-2013, 04:04 PM
#479
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NEWS FLASH for T.F. P 40 Enthusiast.
Been talking with Kelvin @ Keleo Creations (Kelly-O if you talk with him) the last few days and after hearing my plea and some coxing, he has agreed to produce a scale exhaust for the T.F. .60 P-40. The Exhaust he is designing at this point will be for the Saito 100. I talked with him today and he said he was committed to the project. He is busy designing the new exhaust as we speak and should have the new exhaust available soon. Hope all goes well with the design and production.
Information I have, is that the new P-40 is Temporarily Unavailable but hopes are they will begin delivery sometime this October. Those of you that are lucky enough to have one in the hanger, should have the scale muffler available soon.
This what a lot of fellow T.F. P-40 fans have been dreaming for.
Go Kelvin!!!!!
Been talking with Kelvin @ Keleo Creations (Kelly-O if you talk with him) the last few days and after hearing my plea and some coxing, he has agreed to produce a scale exhaust for the T.F. .60 P-40. The Exhaust he is designing at this point will be for the Saito 100. I talked with him today and he said he was committed to the project. He is busy designing the new exhaust as we speak and should have the new exhaust available soon. Hope all goes well with the design and production.
Information I have, is that the new P-40 is Temporarily Unavailable but hopes are they will begin delivery sometime this October. Those of you that are lucky enough to have one in the hanger, should have the scale muffler available soon.
This what a lot of fellow T.F. P-40 fans have been dreaming for.
Go Kelvin!!!!!
09-10-2013, 01:20 AM
#481
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Aluminum Overcast you 100% read my mind , on the Hanger 9 version they were not the fishtail and while they worked great they simply looked "Ok" , prefer the fishtail despite any historic pictures that can be found disputing the differance , simply dont care , the fishtail look better !!!! 
10-27-2013, 03:49 AM
#483
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Flew the maiden flight today! The plane flew great! Took off without flaps. The throttle was around half-full. I decided to keep the gear down for the first flight. That turned out not to be a good idea because i was not able to climb fast enough. I had to go full throttle just to make it over some trees. The plane then cruised great. It flew very nicely and very little trim was needed. Flaps were then lowered and i turned final. The plane touched down nicely and the gear held. I was very happy that nothing went wrong with the Robart 615s. I made sure the struts were okay and made sure nothing was loose. It was a fantastic maiden flight!
10-29-2013, 06:02 AM
#484
congrats on the maiden. I hope the gear continues to give you good success. I bit the bullet and put in the sierra gear and they are awsome! They operate so smoothly and just like the real thing and even make our grass field seem like pavement. I here from Robart they are working on a replacement finally for the outdated 615s.
12-18-2013, 11:54 AM
#485
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Hi Guys,
I am looking to purchase a couple of pairs of the 4" diameter wheels that come with the TF P-40 ARF. As far as I can tell replacements are not available from Tower or TF. If you replaced the stock wheels with something else and would like to sell them I would love to hear from you.
Thanks!
[email protected]
I am looking to purchase a couple of pairs of the 4" diameter wheels that come with the TF P-40 ARF. As far as I can tell replacements are not available from Tower or TF. If you replaced the stock wheels with something else and would like to sell them I would love to hear from you.
Thanks!
[email protected]
12-19-2013, 01:51 PM
#486
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try the stock esm wheels I have a set on my beloved! The are the same size but thicker thus look more scale than the super thin topflite wheels.
Hi Guys,
I am looking to purchase a couple of pairs of the 4" diameter wheels that come with the TF P-40 ARF. As far as I can tell replacements are not available from Tower or TF. If you replaced the stock wheels with something else and would like to sell them I would love to hear from you.
Thanks!
[email protected]
I am looking to purchase a couple of pairs of the 4" diameter wheels that come with the TF P-40 ARF. As far as I can tell replacements are not available from Tower or TF. If you replaced the stock wheels with something else and would like to sell them I would love to hear from you.
Thanks!
[email protected]
12-21-2013, 02:46 AM
#490
I attempted to get a campaign going awhile back, directed at Top Flite, to try to get them to sell the wheels by themselves, but nothing came of it, so I too would love to find someone willing to part with a set of stock wheels. I would even be willing to part with a small part of my Vortac 'stash' if a trade could be worked out.
12-21-2013, 10:28 AM
#491
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Hey Jock,
Hobby King has some 4" diameter "warbird wheels" which look very similar to the Robart units but are about 1/8" narrower. (1" wide compared to 1.125" wide) I have a set and will use them instead if I am unable to locate the TF P-40 wheels. I am not fond of the tread pattern but may see about grinding that off. Maybe the HK wheels will work for your Dauntless as well?
http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store...2pcs_Set_.html
Hobby King has some 4" diameter "warbird wheels" which look very similar to the Robart units but are about 1/8" narrower. (1" wide compared to 1.125" wide) I have a set and will use them instead if I am unable to locate the TF P-40 wheels. I am not fond of the tread pattern but may see about grinding that off. Maybe the HK wheels will work for your Dauntless as well?
http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store...2pcs_Set_.html
01-12-2014, 03:46 AM
#492
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Hey guys, I just installed new robart wheels on my P40 and did a CG check. The robart wheels are much heavier than the wheels that came with the plane. My plane is slightly nose heavy (roughly 4mm in front of the recomended CG). The plane flew well with the old top flite wheels. Will it fly differently with the robarts?
01-12-2014, 05:53 AM
#495
There is a saying in avaition: "A nose heavy plane will fly poorly, a tail heavy plane will fly once". Translation: a nose heavy plane is the lesser of two evils.
That said: if you balance it with gear down, the CG will shift aft when the gear is retracted, creating a possible tail heavy situation which can lead to a crash. If you balance it with gear retracted, the CG will shift forward when the gear is down, possibly making it nose heavy but again: it is the lesser of the two evils.
Balance it with gear up/ retracted.
That said: if you balance it with gear down, the CG will shift aft when the gear is retracted, creating a possible tail heavy situation which can lead to a crash. If you balance it with gear retracted, the CG will shift forward when the gear is down, possibly making it nose heavy but again: it is the lesser of the two evils.
Balance it with gear up/ retracted.
01-12-2014, 05:59 AM
#496
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+1 to CJ, on gear that retract aft towards the tail , always , always , always balance with the gear retracted .
If you doubt what CJ is saying consider this , take your wheels off and place them on a scale , lets say for simple math they come in at 4oz total . Now your in flight and you retract your gear , you just moved 4oz of weight behind the Center of Gravity , big shift !!!
If you doubt what CJ is saying consider this , take your wheels off and place them on a scale , lets say for simple math they come in at 4oz total . Now your in flight and you retract your gear , you just moved 4oz of weight behind the Center of Gravity , big shift !!!
01-12-2014, 06:03 AM
#497
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+1 to CJ, on gear that retract aft towards the tail , always , always , always balance with the gear retracted .
If you doubt what CJ is saying consider this , take your wheels off and place them on a scale , lets say for simple math they come in at 4oz total . Now your in flight and you retract your gear , you just moved 4oz of weight behind the Center of Gravity , big shift !!!
If you doubt what CJ is saying consider this , take your wheels off and place them on a scale , lets say for simple math they come in at 4oz total . Now your in flight and you retract your gear , you just moved 4oz of weight behind the Center of Gravity , big shift !!!
01-12-2014, 06:04 AM
#498
Page 28 of that model's assembly manual calls for it to be balanced with the gear extended, at 3.25 inches from the leading edge of the wing. It also stipulates that there is a range of 1/4 inch in either direction as a matter of personal preference. All other opinions aside, that is where I would recommend you start. As a matter of preference, I always use the rear-most recommended point.
01-12-2014, 07:27 AM
#499
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Its not about being right , wrong or whatever , I don't reply to any post unless I simply care about the plane or subject matter as if it was my own. I am sure everyone in this thread feels the same way and just wants to help.
Personally I never follow manuals or suggested CJs in manuals , in fact I start with 25% of the Mac formula . My only exception to the rule is if more then one person have flown the exact model and give a sweet spot within range of each other.
Manuals can be wrong, as well as estimating on the retract used because on the P40 very few retracts with the exception of Sierra and I think eflight rotating gear have forward rake at 100 degree , again this place the wheels when extended ahead of the leading edge spar.
With other retracts (90 degree ) may land on or 50% on the leading edge , again impacting CG when extended.
So what ever your comfortable as it is your plane but one rule is never wrong as CJ stated is nose heavy planes will live to fly again , tail heavy usually fly once , so take care and good luck .
Personally I never follow manuals or suggested CJs in manuals , in fact I start with 25% of the Mac formula . My only exception to the rule is if more then one person have flown the exact model and give a sweet spot within range of each other.
Manuals can be wrong, as well as estimating on the retract used because on the P40 very few retracts with the exception of Sierra and I think eflight rotating gear have forward rake at 100 degree , again this place the wheels when extended ahead of the leading edge spar.
With other retracts (90 degree ) may land on or 50% on the leading edge , again impacting CG when extended.
So what ever your comfortable as it is your plane but one rule is never wrong as CJ stated is nose heavy planes will live to fly again , tail heavy usually fly once , so take care and good luck .
01-12-2014, 09:21 AM
#500
I keep checking the Tower site and this P-40 is temporarily unavailable. Anyone have any info re availability? I had a BH P-40 converted to P-36, but lost it on a landing. It had too much positive incident in the wing, one landing I forgot (had not flown it for a while) got too slow and on go around it snapped, cart wheeled down the runway and was totaled (RIP). Except the cowl which was completely unharmed. So for the conversion I have the cowl, the servos, CJ retracts, receiver and a DLE 20. The last one was in Finnish colors. Maybe this one in British color as operated in India and Burma. Just waiting to get the ARF. Here is picture on the old one.