The problem with the scale composite P-47s is that it is difficult to balance them with such a short distance from the wing saddle to firewall and engine mount, and not have to add weight. The only way to do it is to locate the engine further ahead on the engine mount. But, with a cowl that is just barely big enough to house the engine when the engine is located to the rear of the mount, that means the prop and hub stick out further beyond the cowl than is scale. With the extended tail moment on these wood versions, this issue will be further exacerbated.

So, the work-around I decided to employ was to scrap mounting the cowl ring directly to the firewall. Instead, I would effectively "recess" the engine by extending the nose section an extra inch beyond the firewall with two sections of 1/2" x 1/2" stick material. I then sanded this flush with the exterior of the fuse, and used a sanding disc on my Dremel to more smoothly contour the inside, resulting in about a 1/4" thickness, overall. (see 1st pic) The plan is to glue a 1/8" ply cowl mount with #4 blind nuts to this extension, so that I can now move my engine further forward on the mount, without it extending too far forward of the cowl. The extended nose also looks more proportional, counterbalancing the extended rear fuse. The only down-side I see thus far, is that the nose contours in toward the front as it meets the cowl. Continuing this contouring an extra 1 1/8", means that the cowl's diameter is now more noticeably bigger than the leading edge of the fuse.



The initial wood P-47's fuse has been filled, contoured, and sanded to a finish ready for covering. I still need to mount the ply cowl mount ring, my switch, and charge jack however, so will likely ding it up some more in the process. The wing has been contoured, rough sanded, and filled, but not yet final sanded. (2nd pic)