Well back today from the 2 day Warbird event conducted by our SCAF group and hosted by the Tin Can Bay MAC.
Was a great line up with everything from an twin turbine A-10 Warthog right down to a little hellcat made of corflute which is a plastic carboard stuff.
what is more we had 3 retrobates from here all lined up. Self, Dave, aka ticketec, Mick aka Boltman!! Think Mick will post a pic of our models later one.
Here is my report on my escapades.
Heavy overcast with gusts, low cloud base tends to make the P51 dissapear a bit as the silver blends right in.
Day 1
P51 first take off gorgeous, landing gorgeous. 2nd flight the gear sequencer missed and one main was outside the inner door, no prob I though, kept flying about. Dropped the gear and the opposite main lost it’s wheel. Coupple of the chaps tracked it and it was found including the axle. [X(]
Landed on the belly, but did a little damage to the wing and gear door as well as breaking a prop. Got it on the bench now & nearly fixed, just have to glue the inner gear door back on then play with the sequencer to sort that out. Gear door is now back on with just the sequncer to sort out.
Did not fly the Seafury as the gremlins were talking to my gut instinct.
Day 2
P51 U/S
Seafury. Ran it up, engine sounded strong. Take off roll long, scale and beautiful, rotated, climbed away nicely, the 21x12 made a difference all right over the 22x10.
Came around for a low pass and noticed one main gear had dropped down, tried to cycle it, no good, tried to lower, no good, tried rolls, loops to shake it down, again no good.
So stooged around for about 10 mins then decided it was time to land.
One main and the tail wheel down. all I needed was a trail of smoke to set the scene!!
Came in nicely, full flap on, into ground effects then just prior to touching I pulled the flaps up so they would not be damaged. It settled on the one main and I held it off as long as I could then the other tip came down and it did a half circle and settled with the engine still running. Lots of claps of appluase from the peanut gallery.
Beauty I thought till I checked it over. I had a crack right through the leading edge where the gull butt joint is. Think the builder had not reinforced that area. Don’t think it was the landing that did it but my high G manouvers to get the gear down. So the wheel up landing may have saved me a model. I’ll do a bit of surgery and inspect along the spas then drop in a ¼” ply brace laminated with carbon fibre to both front and rear to both sides to strengthen it.
P47 will have to be apatient girl a bit longer.
cheers
Peter