RE: TOP FLITE GIANT SCALE P51 ARC
 

Five coats of primer, few more spots to touch and ready for the aluminum tape application. I started wit the stab and pretty happy with the result!

RE: TOP FLITE GIANT SCALE P51 ARC
 

That looks great! I have heard of people using tape before, but I am not sure what exactly you are using. Is this similar to flight metal? I look forward to seeing your finished product and your new radiator scoop you were making earlier.

RE: TOP FLITE GIANT SCALE P51 ARC
 

I don't recall where I got it but it is just a plain roll of 0.0015" thick plumber aluminum tape.
The scoop plug is almost finished, I should be posting some pictures soon.

RE: TOP FLITE GIANT SCALE P51 ARC
 

More panels done, almost finished with the tail. The stab fairing has too many curves for the aluminum tape, I plan to paint it with some Klass-Kote aluminum.

RE: TOP FLITE GIANT SCALE P51 ARC
 

<span style="font-size: small">The tape is available from Home Depot, it is about 2.5" wide and it really goes around curves well if you work it slowly. Personally I think it's better than Flite Metal as it tends to cut much more cleanly. I've used both. Cost is about $20.00 for 50 yards.

Cheers,

Andy</span>

RE: TOP FLITE GIANT SCALE P51 ARC
 

Thanks Andy for the tip, I have been using a 6" wide tape produced by Compac Industries. I will have to find a 10 to 12" wide roll since some of the panels are larger.

RE: TOP FLITE GIANT SCALE P51 ARC
 

Looks great Bruno.  I use the same 6" tape.  I've found that I had to go to Flitemetal to get the larger sizes than 6"<div>
</div><div>Casey</div><div>
</div>

RE: TOP FLITE GIANT SCALE P51 ARC
 

<span style="font-size: small">Your welcome and I understand the problem. I used mine on a Brian Taylor P-47 (61") so it worked fine. Another place that has 6 and 12" wide
foil tape is www.aero-accessories.com. I've fooled around with theirs and it is a nice product which I will use on my TF GS P51. Check out their site.

Cheers,

Andy</span>

RE: TOP FLITE GIANT SCALE P51 ARC
 

Instead of Klass-Kote I went with Krylon Chrome to paint the complex curved tail fairing.

RE: TOP FLITE GIANT SCALE P51 ARC
 

Interesting that the Krylon has more of a shine to it than the tape. I know you plan on buffing the tape to a mirror finish...I wonder if the paint will buff out as well?

RE: TOP FLITE GIANT SCALE P51 ARC
 

I will leave the paint as is and tape just around to buff the tape.
almost ready to start on the cowl and scoop mold.

RE: TOP FLITE GIANT SCALE P51 ARC
 

The nose is almost ready to start on the mold, I took a break yesterday and spend the day on Santa Monica beach since I had to get some paper work done over there, nice place!
I setup three hatches, one for the ignition switch, one for 2 radio switches and a small one for the air filler valve. Based on my measurement there are scale size and about the right location. I placed also a air gauge behind the seat in the cockpit.

RE: TOP FLITE GIANT SCALE P51 ARC
 

Started on the cowl mold.

RE: TOP FLITE GIANT SCALE P51 ARC
 

The cowl out of the mold.

RE: TOP FLITE GIANT SCALE P51 ARC
 

Hello to all;
I am contacting you from France.
We are in the post of P51 so I send you this message: I ordered and paid via Paypal one convertion to change the landing gear of my P51 Ziroli pneumatic system to an electric version. The order was made ​​directly from Robart. For a week I still have no shipping notice. Did you already ordered directly from them and can you tell me if the shipping time is long.
Pending read, greetings.

Fred

ps: sorry for my English, I use my computer for translation.

RE: TOP FLITE GIANT SCALE P51 ARC
 

<span style="font-size: small">Fred:

Robart at times can be very slow and frustrating. Give them another week and send them a reminder e-mail. With the popularity of electric retracts, they are probably behind in filling orders. Stay on them with e-mails.

Cheers,</span>

RE: TOP FLITE GIANT SCALE P51 ARC
 

Fred,
Je n'ai jamais eu de problème avec Robart, personnellement Je préfère acheter mon train d'atterrissage de Sierra Giant Scale ( http://www.sierragiant.com/ ). En ce qui concerne le délais avec Robart envois leur un email demandant la condition de ta commande, il est possible que Robart est a court de ta pièce résultant un délais.
Salutation,
Bruno

RE: TOP FLITE GIANT SCALE P51 ARC
 

Bruno,

Sorry I missed you at the field on Saturday. I was hoping I could get the gear reassembled in time to meet you and maiden the "Princess".
I did get everything put together that evening and made it to the field on Sunday. Clark, Ken and I fired her up and took her out. I'm pleased to say that everything went well! I almost forgot how fast she is with that 3W75 and 24x12 prop up front. A couple of clicks right and up trim and she was ripping around hands off. I couldn't remember what kind of trim I needed when flaps were deployed so I had mixed in about 1/8" of down elevator with full flap. Turns out that it was too much! Now, as I am recalling, the trim doesn't change with flaps on this plane. The engine was just a bit rich for that first flight...wanted to make sure the cooling baffles worked as well as they did before. I dropped gear and set up my approach using throttle to control rate of descent, flared over the runway and she settled in nicely. As she rolled out just after the tail settled, she decided to make that hard left turn! So my right strut was bent a bit. I can't wait for the 88 degree retract frames from Sierra!

RE: TOP FLITE GIANT SCALE P51 ARC
 

Hi all,
I have all ribs and formers for TF Giant P-51 and I want to build it. Is anybody able to scan the TF plan and send it in PDF?

RE: TOP FLITE GIANT SCALE P51 ARC
 

Yo fytrjok.........congrats man, it's nice to hear Princess has set about winning the war again. I took my Top Flite P-51 out Sunday also. AFter two hours of trying (unsucessfully) to get this dang G-62 to transition once I got it leaned out, I finally gave up and tried to fly it slightly rich. Got 50 or so feet on the take off roll and realized quickly I had no steering.......Pull Pull cabel had broke..........chopped the throttle and tried to roll her out straight.......not a chance........She also did the hard left turn thing also. That famous bunny hop sideways does a number on what ever gear it's bouncing on. The left strut didn't take the pounding and bent at almost a ninety degree.........

`````WHY DO WE PUT OURSELVES THROUGH THIS....??? BACK TO DA BENCH.........


JUST SAYIN................................YOUR NEXT BRUNO.....SHOULD'VE STUCK WID DA SPITTY






CAPTAIN RON

RE: TOP FLITE GIANT SCALE P51 ARC
 

Congrat Doug, I which I could have been there but I ended up doing math all day!
Looks like the weather will be nice this coming Saturday, perhaps another good flying day!
Talking about gear I just received the 88 degrees plates today, I hope to find time this week to reassemble and mount them back on the plane.
Ron you need to start to be nice to your planes! I do miss the Spitfire but eventually I'll buid the 1/4 scale Mike Reeves and get a 3W110 inline for that baby.

RE: TOP FLITE GIANT SCALE P51 ARC
 

I use the foil tape from HD or Lowes as well....Good stuff.

Pay attention to what you are picking up though because there are two types and they typically sit side by side on the shelf. Theres the AF 181A and 181B...one is a true aluminumn foil tape with a really sticky epoxy type adhesive and does great with compound curves; the other looks VERY similar but is an aluminized mylar/plastic with a gum adhesive. The mylar stuff sticks to itself and not much more, does not do compound curves at all and doesn't take paint very well.

RE: TOP FLITE GIANT SCALE P51 ARC
 

Thanks Cap'n & Bruno. It did my heart good to see her in her element once again! Here's a few shots Bruno took when she was undergoing de-gremlinization a couple of weekends ago.

RE: TOP FLITE GIANT SCALE P51 ARC
 

Well with school it has been very hard to get any work done on the Mustang, took a break from homework and assembled back the gear with the new 88 degrees plates. I used hpi 5mm/3mm shaft screws to keep the gear from rotating.

RE: TOP FLITE GIANT SCALE P51 ARC
 

My 88 degree side plates arrived today. I finished the installation this evening. The 3 degrees makes a significant difference in the stance. I expect the results in use will be significant as well. And besides...it looks better!:D I'll let you know tomorrow evening!