Top Flite Giant P-47 Build
08-07-2011, 10:51 AM
#51
RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build
I'm contemplating not gluing the horizontal and vertical stab on until I get the forward fuse sheeted and the bottom framed up and sheeted as it will be less awkward to work with. I can see me beating the crap out of them if I glue them now.
Maybe I should just follow the instructions though.
Any thoughts.
Maybe I should just follow the instructions though.
Any thoughts.
08-07-2011, 12:03 PM
#52
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RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build
Gary, I would recommend that you follow the instructions. It will be much easier to get the tail feathers true and square if you follow the steps as outlined in the instructions. BTW I substituted hardwood stringers from the aft section of the wing saddle forward to the firewall, including the fuselage bubble on the bottom of the wing. Not much heavier, but quite a bit stronger. I even added extra stringers to the wing bubble just in case there is ever a need for a gear up landing!
08-16-2011, 04:58 PM
#54
RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build
I just got back from vacation and I had a wonderful time visiting the Lonestar Flight Museum in Galveston. They had some of the BEST planes there on display. After talking to Richard Dixon, one of the volunteer mechanic's, he allowed me to get some close up photos of Tarheel Hal. Thanks to everyone at Lonestar Flight Museum for their dedication and hard work bringing these beauties back to flight status and preserving their great heritage.
If you are ever in the Galveston area I highly recommend stopping by.
Gary.
If you are ever in the Galveston area I highly recommend stopping by.
Gary.
08-16-2011, 05:14 PM
#57
RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build
One interesting note is Tarheel Hal no longer has the massive supercharger system with all the ducting that the P47 fuse was designed around. Upon restoration they new that it would no longer need it since the service ceiling would be much lower than WWII missions of that era.
Gary.
Gary.
08-17-2011, 12:58 PM
#58
RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build
Gary,
Thanks for sharing the pictures. I have not made it to the Lone Star Flight museum yet. But it is surely on my list.
Are you still planning to come to Monaville next month?
Thanks for sharing the pictures. I have not made it to the Lone Star Flight museum yet. But it is surely on my list.
Are you still planning to come to Monaville next month?
08-17-2011, 01:33 PM
#59
RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build
I am sure planning on being there Rick. I hope some cooler temperatures are in store for us around that time. Not sure if I will bring my Waco, but I am looking forward to the swap meet for sure. Hope to meet up with you there.
Gary.
Gary.
09-07-2011, 02:09 PM
#60
RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build
Well, Our Labor Day weekend turned into a disaster, Literally!
I was planning on a good weekend of construction but we had to evacuate due to the fires. With luck our whole neighborhood was spared from the flames of the Union Chapel fire. It came within 250 yards of our home. We were finally able to come back home this morning.
Our hearts go out to all of our friends in Bastrop that were not as lucky. They are saying now that the number of homes lost could go as high a 1000.
One never knows how fast you can go from a cup of coffee in the morning thinking of airplanes to loading up as much as you can and getting the hell outta dodge.
Gary.
I was planning on a good weekend of construction but we had to evacuate due to the fires. With luck our whole neighborhood was spared from the flames of the Union Chapel fire. It came within 250 yards of our home. We were finally able to come back home this morning.
Our hearts go out to all of our friends in Bastrop that were not as lucky. They are saying now that the number of homes lost could go as high a 1000.
One never knows how fast you can go from a cup of coffee in the morning thinking of airplanes to loading up as much as you can and getting the hell outta dodge.
Gary.
09-07-2011, 02:40 PM
#61
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RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build
Gary,
Sorry to hear of your misfortune this past weekend. I hope you and all those affected by the fires find yourselfs in better circumstances in the future. Every year here in Central Florida we seem to get morethan our fair share of devastating fires that eat up huge numbers of acres of land and homes. I sympathize with you completely.
Good luck in the future,
Bill
Sorry to hear of your misfortune this past weekend. I hope you and all those affected by the fires find yourselfs in better circumstances in the future. Every year here in Central Florida we seem to get morethan our fair share of devastating fires that eat up huge numbers of acres of land and homes. I sympathize with you completely.
Good luck in the future,
Bill
11-19-2011, 10:47 AM
#64
RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build
Also picked up an engine for her. Decided to try a DLE55. Couldn't resist the price, and they do come with a Walbro carb instead of the Chinese knock-off junk that comes with a DLE30.
It all fits in the cowl too, so that's a bonus!
It all fits in the cowl too, so that's a bonus!
11-19-2011, 03:15 PM
#65
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RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build
Gary,
Lookin' good brother! I wish I could say the same thing, but alas since I last posted I seemed to have been bitten by the ARF bug a little. In September I participated in a local swap meet where I sold a couple of my air frames for enough to purchase a Top Flight GS Giant P-40 ARF from the fellow sitting next to me at the meet. The very next week I gutted my P-47 to assemble the P-40. Ten days start to finish. I must admit that I was impressed with how quickly it went together and how easy it was to accomplish the build in that short time. I am not impressed with the covering, but at 100 feet and 100 mph no one will notice
.
I suppose I will need to get back to working on the finishing of my P-47 while I am saving the funds for the hardware I need to replace. Or maybe I could take the P-40 out and wreck it and then recover the hardware (knock on wood). I am just kidding of course, but I kind of like the idea of flying the P-40 for practice before I put my self built P-47 in the air and therefore in harms way.
Bill
Lookin' good brother! I wish I could say the same thing, but alas since I last posted I seemed to have been bitten by the ARF bug a little. In September I participated in a local swap meet where I sold a couple of my air frames for enough to purchase a Top Flight GS Giant P-40 ARF from the fellow sitting next to me at the meet. The very next week I gutted my P-47 to assemble the P-40. Ten days start to finish. I must admit that I was impressed with how quickly it went together and how easy it was to accomplish the build in that short time. I am not impressed with the covering, but at 100 feet and 100 mph no one will notice
. I suppose I will need to get back to working on the finishing of my P-47 while I am saving the funds for the hardware I need to replace. Or maybe I could take the P-40 out and wreck it and then recover the hardware (knock on wood
). I am just kidding of course, but I kind of like the idea of flying the P-40 for practice before I put my self built P-47 in the air and therefore in harms way.Bill
11-20-2011, 03:53 AM
#66
RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build
Nice Bill, 10 days is pretty fast. I have seen a couple of those at our club, and for plastic film covering, I thought it looked pretty good. Nothing beats a glass job though.
I am working on the right wing sheeting now, will get some pics loaded up later.
I am working on the right wing sheeting now, will get some pics loaded up later.
11-22-2011, 08:11 AM
#71
RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build
I've been researching my next build, and a TF GS P-47 is at the top of the list because of its reputation for easy flying and the very low price of the kit.I’d like to ask why you picked Top Flight over something like the Meister Scale?The Meister has a very good reputation for easy flying and is more scale.Was it the cost?
11-22-2011, 08:42 AM
#72
RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build
ORIGINAL: Scratchie
I’d like to ask why you picked Top Flight over something like the Meister Scale? The Meister has a very good reputation for easy flying and is more scale. Was it the cost?
I’d like to ask why you picked Top Flight over something like the Meister Scale? The Meister has a very good reputation for easy flying and is more scale. Was it the cost?
It was the cost, I hope to someday build the Meister but for now this will do. As far as a kit goes, you can't get a more complete one than the Top Flite IMO.
The associated costs that would go with the Meister was just a bit more than I could swing at this point. I don't plan to enter into any scale competitions, so not being exact scale doesn't bother me.
11-22-2011, 10:15 AM
#74
RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build
Hi Gary, Tony here. What finish are you planing on doing. I'm going to try aluminum tape finish. I see your still in the framing stages, still time to do the scale hinge line!!! 
nice work and I'm looking forward to seeing this bird soon.
TB
nice work and I'm looking forward to seeing this bird soon.TB
11-22-2011, 02:04 PM
#75
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RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build
Scratchie,
Bill herein Orlando, Fl. Just did some bean counting and came up with nearly $2800 invested to this point. I have the fuselage to glass yet, and then comes the finish work. The wing is already glassed and waiting for paint. By the time I am finished I expect to break the $3000 mark by a few dollars. So far, well worth the investment IMHO.
Bill
Bill herein Orlando, Fl. Just did some bean counting and came up with nearly $2800 invested to this point. I have the fuselage to glass yet, and then comes the finish work. The wing is already glassed and waiting for paint. By the time I am finished I expect to break the $3000 mark by a few dollars. So far, well worth the investment IMHO.
Bill