RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

more pics

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

hey tim,
could you give a better idea on how i can either make the 50 caliber bullets or where to get them?

thanks dan

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Tim --
You are a real craftsman. And fast w/ it too. I could fumble around for weeks and not have anyhting that comes anywhere to looking as good as what you do.

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

turn them from brass on a lathe. Or tamya sells tank shells you may modify. it took 3 days to make them and then painting the tips as the slug was lead coated metal and had a duller color. ive been asked to produce cockpit kits and bombay for this model but everything i have is scratch built i didnt use anyones stuff just make what i need

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

well im off work on leave so i can work all day . Thanks for the compliment. if you look at the lt cockpit wall you will see an ad for berkley aircraft it came out of a 1942 magazine. I had to have something of that era in there

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Tim, will this take the O.S. .91 Surpass? The .70 surpass is discontinued at Tower and I don't have a good feeling about the replacement. The Saito .82 is my 2nd choice but the price is elevated over the .70 I was hoping to spend. What is the diameter of the cowls if you don't mind me asking.

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Ray,

Mine were a little tight but fit ok... :) She's a beauty, isn't she?

Flavio

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

I was surprised to see that the 70 Surpass is not available at Tower... everyone must have been buying them two at a time. Try Chief aircraft.....

http://www.chiefaircraft.com/rcmsec/...ke.html#fs70ii

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Flavio,
She is that, what are going to do when your B25 comes? Mine will be here tommorw (Monday 19th.) after reading all the valuable posts I'm licking my lips in anticipation.
My thanks to all who have contributed to the build on the B25.
Ray

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

guilty - got my 2.:D

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Captain Hook,

Go to post # 11 page 1 of this thread, maybe that will answer your questions about powering this B-25. I am using Saito 82'sGK for power and looks.

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

well we are getting our first 2-4" of snow today here in east central PA. its snowing really hard out now. maybe someone will make a set of skis for the 25. jk :) looks good. love the snow!!!

i will have my on board glow driver tomorrow. i order the sullivan twin. never used this model before. i did use the RAM one and that work great. i will let everyone know how it works.

dan

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Ray,

Actually, my B25 is already here.. The most expensive in the world... (read the previous posts)... :)

I'll finish the Staggerwing and probably will start the Hangar 9 27% Extra 260 with a DA50. B25 will wait a little longer, because the guy that will setup the electric motors and sound system on the B25 can't do it till next year...

Flavio

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

flav you can do it yourself thats how you learn

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

B-25 3rd, 4th & 5th flight.

Well today was another good flying day all in all but beware of two things.

1st- The servo hatch in the wings needs to be reglued and put a foam 2 sided tape between the servo and the hatch for security. One aileron servo hatch came apart (the little blocks came off) leaving me with only one aileron. The Plane was still controllable and behaves very very heavy!!!
2nd The noze gear. If you fly on a grass runway with little bumps, the front landing gear will not tough it out. From 5 take off and 4 landings the thing was ok. The last landing was soft but the axle pin pn#TFB25012M # 26 0n the diagram did not make it and broke clean on the landing roll. I will look into 7/16th stuff from robart for something that do not use a small pin but connect to the 7/16th strut. The 3/16th pin is too weak for a 20 lbs plane
I was very lucky, it broke clean and flew out the wheel well and caused a small puncture under the fuselage. and only one "special spring hinge" home made Top Flite thing broke. I will try and figure something out for this.

All in all this was a great day flying the B-25. The temperature was -6C (23F) north of montreal today. I guess the PA guys got the snow, we were north of that low that brought the snow to the PA guys. The frozen runway made the earth and the grass freeze contributing to a bumpy runway. You know when you're walking you hear "scrooutch scrooutch" under your feet. For the ones who do not know, when the water freeze it takes a 10-12% expansion in the moist earth and grass roots...yeah it is the reality around here. Enjoy the beautiful picture taken on the 4th fligtht.

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

you drill pilot holes thru those block and hold them into place. then screw the servo on. the plates shold never come off if you screwed them on watching sands of iwo!!!!!!!!!!!

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Tim, I meant the blocks glued in the factory broke loose, ie: the blocks that hold the servo to the hatch itself. The pilot holes were made but the bock broke loose from that 2 inch x 2 inch ply!!!

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

:D

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

I have seen several differnt measurements for mounting the OS 70 four stroke. What is the correct distance to mount the engine? 5", more or less? Thanks

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

RE: Servo Hatch block

Thank you Tim,

I looked through the TF GS Corsair manual and still did not see what you mean. I got a good idea of what you mean though. The blocks are inserted through a small square cut off in the ply hatch unlike the hatch of the TF GS Corsair. I will insert a screw in the seem between the block and the ply hatch to secure it and for added strenght, I still will use 2 sided foam tape as a "temp back up" in case of a brake off.

If you are able to "Copy and Paste" the method from the TF booklet, please do so, it will help others figure out what to do in order to prevent that to happen. This thread is intended to this purpose!

Norm.

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Sgoen

The correct measurement is 5 inch from the firewall. You will find that the ring is Loose around the cowl. Fit the cowl nice and centered on the engine knob (you will have an angle on the prop only). then with epoxy around the ring and some in the cowl around the ring area let it set. Remove the cowl with the ring then soak the seem of the ring to the cowl with epoxy on both side of the ring and that should hold it there forever. Hurry to fly this thing!! it is a real show. Your OS 70's will be sounding great. Drill six small 3/32 holes around the mouth of your muffler for added sound or go straight pipe, you will not have to cut your cowl, you only have to use pumps +/- 30$ and you only have small holes in your cowl. You get a ticket here for straight Pipes on a Harley, What about in South bend?

Norm.

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

ya i see the design wow so the screw would do no good! i say reglue all of them and let them dry before mounting The corsair hatch is different

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Re: Servo Hatch

Tim,

I think that a two sided foam tape will also help. Glueing it with thin CA and then with medium CA is a definite. The tape will damper the vibration on those blocks helping them not to break off and still protect the Servos from vivration.

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

No tickets for straight pipes, unless you just sit a rev the engine.

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

yeah its a bad design a block that is drilled through and screwed to the hatc cover will never move. Try to find a place to fly that isnt rough. The retracts are not designed for those conditions.

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Tim, Grass Rwy is all we have or the street!

The Main Gears take it well. It is also easy on retracts when the temp is above freezing. we roll the grass and it is pretty smooth. It is the first time I break off retract on a grass rwy. I also fly a giant P-51 mounted on 1/2 inch struts, Rotating retracts (Century jet)on a 60 size Corsair and it takes it well. I must admit that a paved runway is the best...but with this beast you need brakes or it will roll off the runway it must come in with 2 notch of throttle and full flaps to land smoothly and as soft as a cat. An added problem is that today on the 5th flight, the wind veered and was 90 degree with our runway unlike the 8 kt headwind we had for the firts flights this morning. this added to the landing roll speed, definetly not helping the noze gear.

For the noze gear door, I still have not figured out how to remove that broken hinge. and the spring installed on the hinge is going to be hard to duplicate. I think I will install a spring on the lever inside the wheel well to push open the door. I might just drill out the hinge and place a new one w/o a spring.

LKet me know if you think of a better way.

Thanx

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Hi Normand.

I have been reading about your nose gear door hinge woes. I have a solution. First, you'll have to extract that broken hinge. Which will probably mean extracting the other good one as well (but maybe not). I suggest cutting them off, then drilling them out or using a Dremel.

Then, reattach the door to the fuselage with Robart hinges--use epoxy with microballoons. Use pinned hinges that are the same size or close to the size of the original Top Flite spring hinges that were in there. Robart and Great Planes make pinned hinges in a few different sizes.

Then, you'll have to spring-load the door another way. I had to do this on one of the previous B-25s I built for a show as we were out of the spring hinges. You'll have to make a hook from a piece of wire and glue it inside the fuse. Then attach a ball link ball to the nose gear door lever. Connect a rubber band to the hook and the ball link ball on the lever to pull the lever up which will in turn, open the door.

I think I have pictures at work. I'll try to post them tomorrow.

Please stand by.

Tim

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

First flights on my TF B-25.

You can see in one of the photos that there is plenty of power available from those OS .70s.

Looks like Doolittle himself leaving the deck of the Hornet!

Yes, it'll loop and roll.

And will fly with one engine at idle. It will do better with one engine stopped, but I didn't want to do that.

It needed a lot of grass runway to get into the air but after that, plenty of speed at half throttle.

And WOW! Those engines sound great!

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Great Pictures Dick. Lovely aircraft is'nt it? Yours look better with the turret, I lost mine last week during the 2nd flight.

Did you find you need rudder input for a coordinated turn? Mine floats like a baloon at 1/2 throttle and need to slowdown to idle full flaps to descend.

If I understand correctly, you simulated engine failures? My heart at this stage would not take a simulated engine failure but intend to do so in the future. How does it behave?

I fly off grass runway as well and broke the noze gear...very little dammages see page 23 last posting.

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Yes it did need coordinated rudder but not much.

It needed a LOT of rudder when one engine was brought to idle.

If an engine quit, I'd set up for a landing immediately.

I fly off grass and had no problems at all.

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

dick are you using fixed gear. flying season is over here! took my last flight with my 310 e powered and put it all away! too cold. I cant fly in the cold. where is everyone getting the bomb mission markings my sheets didnt have them. just the kill flags and the steamrollers

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

No, Robart retracts. Didn't you look at the pictures? No wheels showing there.

The extra decals came in the updated sheet of graphics

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Dick,

Congrats on the successfull first flight. This B25 is as mild mannered as a twin will ever get. It never bothered me in the least to "pass the transmitter" I knew it was a piece of cake.

Too much fun to put away. On several occations I flew till I was out of fuel.

Again congrats, enjoy!!

gh

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Yep, this is one that I think I'll like flying, especially when the wind calms down!

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

duh

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Hi Normand.

As promised, here are some photos of how I modified the nose gear door to work without the spring hinges. The pics aren't great, but should illusrate what I am trying to show. Make a "hook" from a piece of 2-56 pushrod wire or something similar. Glue the hook inside the fuse to the sheeting and stringer nearest the lever. Connect a ball link ball to the lever--there are two ball link balls on the lever in the photo, but only one is needed. At the time, I didn't know exactly where to position the ball link ball on the lever. In the end, I don't think it's THAT critical. You'll have to make another kind of hook on the end of a piece of wire to use as a tool to loop a small rubber band around the ball link ball and the hook.

I don't think you have to be too precise here. Anything similar to what I have done in the photo should work fine.

Tim

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Thank you Tim (Krproton) for the tip.

I will make something similar, this way it will not be critical to adress the same problem if there is a next time with the spring hinge. I had a horseshoe up my @$$ sunday with this little damage, but hey it is part of the hobby as well! I verified the remaining servo harches this evening and noticed 1 other small blocks unglued from one of the flap hatch while removing the servos to secure those blocks and add a 2 sided foam tape between the servo and the ply. I may be a good idea for those who have not flown their model to secure those parts in case of a failure and add it to the beware list. Not forgetting the most important the engines!

I noted the comments of Dick Pettit on the behavior of the plane on one engine idling and the need for added rudder input. I come back again wiith the "gyro" on the rudder. I'm glad I got this helper on board in case of an engine failure. I will not try simulating an engine failure this year since the snow will force the end here soon, , \but if you or Dick are willing to try it, it may be interesting to find out how it behave while an engine out and how it help you bring back the plane. It is a low cost insurance on that nice plane. Nevertheless it is a valuable information to know the plane still fly on one engine to be able to bring it back. The question is while you get an engine failure...which one? the gyro will know.

Thank you again

Let me know.

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Since Tower discontinued OS FS-70 Surpass II, does anyone knows if the new OS FS-70 ultimate w/pump will work? This new FS-70 engine seems carry more hp than the surpass II and with smaller dimentions, it should fit in without problem. Only concern was the smaller crankshaft size 1/4-28 may not fit with the stock spinner hubs.

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Do not worry about a smaller shaft size and the spinner hub. Get the Harry Higley spinner hub with the lock nut ( brass), they are as nice and added safety. They look just as good and will not wear off the paint. The OS 70 w/pump is really the way to go. You can even go straight pipe. Had I known they had them w/pump I would have bought them!!! I went with the Saito 82's and have plenty of power. The new OS 70 w/pump is in my opinion the best engine for this plane.

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

I did purchase the FA-82's for mine. My plan is to remove the covering and 1/2 oz. glass to my own scheme. I never finished my Ziroli 118" so this going to be a good fill in for it.