Cobra289

Hi, I ran into a little issue with the continued construction of my P-51 From HOB. On Pg.14 Image 18 is says cut and clue wing fillet into place... the instructions doesnt really show what they mean and the plans realy dont show how they are spose to be. If you know how their spose to look would you please help. Thanks

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

The fillets can take as much time to do as the rest of the plane. I make them from the lightest balsa tri-stock I can find. The tri-stock can be bent around curved shapes, like hugging the contour of the wing, by placing lots of slices in the tri-stock as the need arises. Don't slice all the way through, just enough to allow the tri-stock to be bent. Then I usually sand the tri-stock to a concave shape, fill with light weight spackle, re-sand, fill, re-sand, fill, re-sand.........if you don't want the hassle, just leave them off the plane.

Cobra289

Ok, The kit says to use a peice of 1/4 x 3/8 stock. I just want to have a good idea of what they are really spose to look like before i try it my self and screw them up or the wing.

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

Put some clear packing tape on the wing so you don't screw it up.

Cobra289

Alright that sounds good thanks.

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

Here are a couple of pics of the ones I just did. cp's tr-stock method works great. You can wet the wood with ammonia and it will bend around the wing saddle like a soft noodle. I used square stock and carved away the excess balsa; the end result is the same. I then brushed on two coats of epoxt finishing resin since the fillets are very thin where they meet the wing.

propbuster

My Feedback: (1)

VERY nice work Dave![8D]

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks, PB.

Also, if you have one of these X-Acto blades it makes it a lot easier to carve the concave surface. Be sure to put masking tape on the fuselage sides around the edges of the fillets so that your sandpaper doesn't gouge into the fuselage.

digital_trucker

I've made fillets by using a 1/64 ply base, and using model magic filler to make the fillet. After sanding and shaping the filler, I soak it in thin CA...turns out a bulletproof and light fillet.

Cobra289

The fillet on this model seems to be only 3 inchs or so of the leading edge of the wing. From where the wing butts up to the fuse and 3 inches out.

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

Is it the inboard section of the wing that sweeps forward into the nose that you are referring to? It's definitely one of the features that gives the P-51 its distinctive look. It would be easiest to add it before rounding the wing's LE. Be careful not to get too much glue where the angled section meets the LE so that you don't sand low spots on either side.

Raymond LeFlyr

My Feedback: (2)

I've settled on the technique used by DigTrkr using light spackle from the hardware store over the thin ply. For me its quick and cheap. If I need strength I apply a layer of FG cloth. BUT I have to admit that I've never made any that looked as good as RaineDave's.

Cobra289

Yes it is. Could I possibley just fill the area where this fillets would fill in the fuse with foam?.....they seem like a lot of work and i really would get upset if i screwed up the wing. ......It will probably fly better with them, maybe ill just spend a few hours and see what i can come up with.

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

These pieces? I think you make them out of the same stock used for the LE. Again, I would glue them on before rounding the wing's LE and then sand the edges down to a smooth radius blending the pieces into the LE. They are certainly not critical; they could be left off and the plane would fly the same. But, they do give the wing its unique P-51 plan form.

Cobra289

thanks... i just finished them

Half-A-Hec

Rainedave,


Beautiful Work![sm=thumbup.gif]. I will have to try that some day.


Hec

Tim Wiltse-RCU

I like my fillets medium well and with some A1