RE: CARF-Models P-47 Thunderbolt
 

Hey guys,

Ijust wanted to "hop on" the thread as I have been reading through it in preperation for my P47 build.

Ijust received my airframe and Moki 250 about a week ago and have intentially avoided unpacking it until I get this monster Waco off my bench.

Ihave been ordering addditional small parts like servos, a scale cockpit &Solo prop. Speaking of Solo Ifound they do sell a Curtis Electric hub for their 4 blade prop. I have not received it yet but the picture on their web site looked cool!

Ihave been thinking seriously about modifying the Sierra gear and gear doors to all electric. Igotta tell you the previous few posts as well as my previous experience tracking down air leaks has me pretty motivated. Thechallenge it seemsisinthe mechanical linkage that shortens the strut when retracted requires more force to actuate thus the larger than normal air clylinders on these mains. The folks at "Down and Locked" want to look over the gear but beleive they can make them electric. It will eleminate all the air woes and likely dramatically increase reliability but the cost is high (as if the gear wasn't pricey enough already)

Ijust had to give a quick shout out to Richard Gee for all the posts and the manual of course! It really adds value to the airplane to havesuch well illustrated manual.

Looking forward to starting this build in a few weeks!

Blue Skies

Tom

RE: CARF-Models P-47 Thunderbolt
 

Going all electric is not possible with this gear .. The gear is air dampened with air from the down gear pressure line providing compression dampening on the struts. There is not spring or other dampening. On gear up, the shortening arm has no resistance as gear pressure is released. I am still thinking of a down and locked electric set up, however I'm not sure it would make sense as I would still need to keep an air system installed for the strut dampening ..


~V~

RE: CARF-Models P-47 Thunderbolt
 

V,

Ifear you are correct about the ability to convert these mains to electric. Mine are on the way to Down &Locked to let them take a look but Iplayed with the gear briefly before shipping them and I can't think of anyway to eliminate the need for air for the struts themselves as you mentioned. I am also wondering how valuable it would be to convert them to electric if you still need air pressure for the struts. Fewer hoses and oppertunities for leaks and more relaiability no doubtbut you still need the airhoses and aircompressor at the field.

Hmmmmm

I will let them look at them and see if they can find some other way but I am much less optomistic than I was a few days ago.

Thanks for the feedback

RE: CARF-Models P-47 Thunderbolt
 

Tom, my only thought in electric gear, while keeping air for the struts would be for reliable gear operation, and the scale look of slowly opening and closing of the gear. So basically you have a double hassle of filling air and charging the gear system batteries , lol .. would look good though :D ... also, if you lost air pressure, you would still have gear to land on ... just not shock absorbent ..

let us know what Down and locked says as to the conversion as i'm still potentially interested in a partial conversion myself ..

thanks !


~V~

RE: CARF-Models P-47 Thunderbolt
 

Tom,

Thanks for blasing the trail on looking into the Down & Locked conversion for these landing gear.

John

RE: CARF-Models P-47 Thunderbolt
 

Hello,

i am looking for a good idea to build up the Carf on the field and how to handle the fuselage during the transport. Can anybody give some practical hints?

greetings

René

RE: CARF-Models P-47 Thunderbolt
 

I am also in need of a good cradle solution for bench use and field assembly for my CARF P-47-If anyone has any ideas please help
Thanks-Mike O

RE: CARF-Models P-47 Thunderbolt
 

Rene and Mike, see my posts 281, 299, 330, etc on this thread

Jack

RE: CARF-Models P-47 Thunderbolt
 

Hi Jack,

I have been admiring your P-47. Can you please tell me where you got the Snafu stencils from?

Thanks Adam.

RE: CARF-Models P-47 Thunderbolt
 

Adam,
I got my decals/masks from Jerry at ProMark
http://www.pro-mark.com/.

Top notch and very easy to put on. Unable to upload pictures as RCU not working...again. Send me a PM and will send you pictures of my Jug with decals installed.


Does anyone have a templete to make and install baffles in the CARF P-47 using Moki 250???

Tim

RE: CARF-Models P-47 Thunderbolt
 

Gents,

Just a quick update on the electric Sierra gear........

Idecided to go ahead and have them converted to electric even though Iwill still need air for the main struts.

Iam still looking at options to eleminate the need for air at the field but the only potential solution Ican think of is placing a small air compressor onboard the plane.

Honestly I'm not sure that really simplifies my life and Iknow it adds about 4 lbs to the plane not to mention the added $ for a micro 100psi air pump &battery.

The guys at Down &Locked have them complete and should ship the gear back to me this next week.

They mentioned they found some actuation motors with a much better gear ratio to operate the gear with lower total current which no doubt also means slower operation.

I will post again after I get them back on the bench and maybe post a video of them in operation.

Ihope to begin to build the airplane in about a month after Iget this (#!&%)33% Waco completed.

Blue Skies

Tom

RE: CARF-Models P-47 Thunderbolt
 

Tim,

Ido have a baffle template for the S250 that Iused on my Waco.

Isuppose Icould get it printed on some pattern paper and mail it to you if you want.

Let me know

Tom

RE: CARF-Models P-47 Thunderbolt
 

A scanned picture of this baffle template would be highly appreciated. If you are able to scan it I can make a vectorized version available so the outer diameter can be adjusted to each installation.

RE: CARF-Models P-47 Thunderbolt
 

I have my gear out to Down and Locked myself now also. The air wont be too much of a big deal for the struts. For me the electric gear is more of a reliability choice over convenience .. Considering the size of the airplane and the field assembly already involved, filling the air tank for the struts does not really pose much of a big deal ... I cant wait to get my P-47 on the gear and that engine hanging in the nose again [8D] .. I'm picking my plane up later this week I hope .. Lots of work left with the detail I intend to finish, I should get started on the cockpit too ... :D

~V~

RE: CARF-Models P-47 Thunderbolt
 

I got my gear back from Down and Locked .. The electric set up works awesome :) ... Check out the video I posted in the Metalmorphing thread on my P-47 ..


~V~

RE: CARF-Models P-47 Thunderbolt
 

getting ready to DA 120 in my jug. I am planning to use the engine dome supplied due to the fact that it has the correct thrust lines built. Do you have any thoughts on this? AFK

RE: CARF-Models P-47 Thunderbolt
 

I don't see why not. You could mount up any necessary spacers and stand-offs to the dome. Its made of very thick and rigid carbon fiber. I see the firewall ripping off of the airplane before it was to fail. Theoretically you could center the DA the same way as a moki 250. The shaft/prop will center out on the right spot if spaced forward correctly. You might want to check the cylinder fit also with the DA 120. Im not sure how wide/deep the cylinders sit in relation to the prop hub ..


~V~

RE: CARF-Models P-47 Thunderbolt
 

Wojtek,

Itoo received my eletric conversion gear back from Down &Locked. ILOVE the slow constant speed operation! VERYSCALE!

How are you planning to sequence the application of the air to the struts with the operation of the gear?

Iwas planning to use the NOSE gear (aka Tail Wheel) output and program it for gear door closed when down to control the air valve to the main struts. HOWEVER, that would result in air being applied again to the strut when it was in the up and locked position. Ido not like that! While the gear shrink bar would likely be able to support the air pressure pulling againt it when the gear was fully retracted it it were to fail it could result in damage to the gear, the wing and almost certainly result in failure to come down.

Iwas thinking also of a micro switch in the wing which would apply air only when the gear was fully down and blow it when the gear was first raised. This should work but Ihave a better idea! Italked to Ron at D&Lthis morning and he is considering making a special firmware load for the controller such that the NOSE gear servo output operates on the gear DOWNposition just like it operates now in the UPposition. Iam sending my controller back to them for a trial. If we get this working it will allow us to connect the air valve controller directly to the D&Lcontroller NOSE servo output. Iwas planning to use some sort of manual process for closing the tail wheel gear doors anyway (although Idon't like the wire appraoch outlined in the instructions).

Please feel free to drop me a personal message if you want updates on how this is going or if you have another idea on how to do this Iwould LOVEto hear about it

Blue Skies!

Tom

RE: CARF-Models P-47 Thunderbolt
 

Hi Tom,

Yes, the electric gear is super. I can not see not using electric gear on anything big now after seeing how these operate. As to actuating the air pressure to the struts, im just using a second gear channel for a separate air valve for the struts. On my 12z I set the additional channel as a mix to my retract switch. The down function sends air to the struts, however i have a delay programed of 3 seconds on the down. On the UP, there is no delay and the air immediately is released. I do have a delay however of 1 second for the gear sequence to initiate. This ensures there is no binding or stress at any point in the sequence due to strut pressure.

~V~

RE: CARF-Models P-47 Thunderbolt
 

Howdy,

Work has begun on my Thunderbolt. Getting the tail wheel installed and working on the gear doors for the tailwheel. Coming along nicely so far but Ifind thinking ahead is useful in this hobby and so I am considering a lighting system. To be honest I am not 100% sure how to perform a thread only search as everytime I try to "Search This Thread" I seem to get responses from other threads as well. Sometimes I find too much info worse than not enough :)

So curious if anyone on the forum has installed lights on their CARF P47. I think the retractable landing light would be cool and not too difficult (he says with ignorant confidence) but the wing tip lights have me a bit more concerned. Iwould like to have a well thought out (if not proven) plan before Iplace that razor saw on the wingtip of this airframe and begin to cut.

Any descriptions or photos from anyone who has done this would be greatly appreciated.

Blue Skies

RE: CARF-Models P-47 Thunderbolt
 

Tom, there are many lighting kits available. One of the better ones is from Details 4 Scale http://www.details4scale.com/ .. if you are looking for a more economical solution, one of the many helicopter lighting systems would do well. http://www.eastcoastvario.com/index%20splash.html

For the landing light , you can use a momentary trip switch. I used a halogen bulb with a robart large gear door hinge JB-welded on. This fits perfectly to the opening recess molded on the fuselage. I have pics of my install somewhere on this thread, and also some pics on the Metalmorphing thread for my P47.

The wing tips can be challenging at first, but with a few tries its no biggie. I recommend using Midwest brand clear lexan sheets. I heated mine with a hot air gun, and then pulled them over the wing tip. I recommend not cutting the tips out until you have several good pulled clear wing tips for each side. Ending up with spares is a good idea in case they ever get messed up.

there are also the friend or foe lights. I am not going to illuminate mine as i will not be flying at night ;)

.. i'm cutting the colored lenses out of plastic color lenses i got at an automotive store ..

happy building :)

~V~

RE: CARF-Models P-47 Thunderbolt
 

wxman2,

That prop is a WORK OF ART !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FANTASTIC JOB !!! ;-)

RE: CARF-Models P-47 Thunderbolt
 

Thanks Cub_Boy...


Mario at Seidel Props is great to work with and will build whatever custom prop you want:

Currently Mario is working on the following for me:

Turbo Raven 3-Blade 27x14 max RPM 7300 that will be powered by SPT5v3
Another 4-Blade 28x6 for CARFP47
A 3-Blade 32x18 for LA7; the current one Ihave is a 33x16
Two 3-Blade 33x16 FW190A8 sytle propellers

I really like his work...

RE: CARF-Models P-47 Thunderbolt
 

Anyone else finished or nearing completion on their P-47 ? Photos ? Videos ? I have not seen many of these around yet ... There is only one other CARF p-47 around where I live that I know of ...


~V~

RE: CARF-Models P-47 Thunderbolt
 

ive just finnished this one for a friend...

it will fly in 5 days :)

heres the thread with the plane :) http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_11...m.htm#11211650