Top Flite GS P-47 sports scale; diary of a build
03-06-2013, 03:24 AM
#253
RE: Top Flite GS P-47 sports scale; diary of a build
Cowl Flap Hinges
I glued in a ½ " piece of 1/16" balsa for the hinges to set into.
The inside of the fiberglass cowl is uneven so the balsa will allow me to recess the hinge to an even radius threw out. One reason I did not use the flaps I cut away from the cowl, they were uneven and bulky. I also glued a piece of 1/16" balsa to the flap for the hinge, this will give me an offset so the hinge wont bind and you won't see the hinge joint.
I cut the tabs that go on one side of each flap out of the same layup. I will trim them down during final fitting. They came out really nice. Once I am all done fitting the flaps I will glass over the hinges on the flaps and the cowl.
TB
TB
03-06-2013, 03:31 AM
#254
RE: Top Flite GS P-47 sports scale; diary of a build
Cowl Flap Hinges
I am using NyRod for the actuator on the flaps, just a 1/2” piece on the center of each flap.
The hinge ring on the inside of the cowl came out nice and it gives a really good surface to mount the hinges to, I used 30 min epoxy on that. I can mount the cowl plate right up agents the hinge ring or set it back depending on how the engine and muffler sit, That is next so I will determine the location of the mount once the engine and muffler are mounted.
I put all the hinges on the scale to compare with the ones I cut out. They are actually lighter then the fiberglass ones. I think with the NyRod and the servos I will be a little over but not much.
TB
TB
03-06-2013, 03:34 AM
#255
RE: Top Flite GS P-47 sports scale; diary of a build
Cowl Flap Hinges Continued
I tacked the hinges in with yellow tape for a dry run of the system.
Once they are all fitted and glued in I will trim the tabs down.
Afteryou insert the NyRod in, it tightens every thing up and hold the flaps in position nicely. Remember the sean from Jurassic Park of that wiled looking dinosaur that flared his cowl flaps, mine remind me of that 
I think I may add a small piano weir to give tension to the flaps. It is to early to tell if there will be a lazy one or not, I can add them after installation.
I am also thinking of using some piano weir for the hinge pin. That way I can use just one piece and thread it in instead of doing one at a time with the supplied pin.
I cant install the hinges until I glue in the mounting plate, that will come next once I fit the engine and set the baffle. I am waiting on my order of composite laminate. So not much more I can do until then so for now they are done and I will move back to the wing. I might just frame up the left wing next.
I am very pleased with how the flaps came out, I could not have asked for more 
03-07-2013, 06:50 PM
#256
RE: Top Flite GS P-47 sports scale; diary of a build
Fuselage, engine, and muffler, and tail gear doors.
Well I am back working on the fuselage. It is time to get the engine mounted and work on the muffler, still waiting on my wheels to come in so I'm not in a hurry to work on the wing.
I cut some scrap pieces of 1/4” balsa and laid them in there slots. Then I glued a small skin for the front bottom portion of the fuselage. Nothing is glued in, just laid in and I taped the balsa skin in place. I am just creating a surface to lay up some carbon fiber.
I covered the aria with blue tape and then I taped wax paper over that. I am going to do three layers of 5.6oz carbon for the skin. I want to have a nice strong area for my muffler to mount to. The carbon can handle the heat much better then glassed balsa. I will glass over this just like the rest of the fuse when I do glass.
I used 1 oz of resin for this job, first two layers get resin on both sides, the last I just laid it over and worked the resin in with my fingers. It will get putty and then glassed later so it is ok if it is rough.
My hinges for the tail gear doors came in so I am going to work on that too.
With SXSW in town next week I wont get much done on the build. Lots of practice and a showcase on Tuesday. I will get little things like this layup done. I will let this cure till the weekend before I pull and trim it.
TB
03-10-2013, 05:55 PM
#260
RE: Top Flite GS P-47 sports scale; diary of a build
Fuselage belly at Cowl, exhaust exit plate.
The carbon layup for the belly behind the cowl came out great. This will make a nice strong belly for the muffler exits.
I had some 1/4” carbon fiber square tube laying around so I used it instead of the balsa.
I guess its time to nick name this the Carbon Jug!
I will work on the exhaust exits next.
TB
03-10-2013, 07:13 PM
#262
RE: Top Flite GS P-47 sports scale; diary of a build
How many years you been doing this,?. At the rate you build and figure out all those intricate details is amazing. Enjoy watching your build.
Leroy
Leroy
03-11-2013, 02:54 AM
#263
RE: Top Flite GS P-47 sports scale; diary of a build
ORIGINAL: Leroy Gardner
How many years you been doing this,?. At the rate you build and figure out all those intricate details is amazing. Enjoy watching your build.
Leroy
How many years you been doing this,?. At the rate you build and figure out all those intricate details is amazing. Enjoy watching your build.
Leroy
This will be my third season building and flying, and my 5th kit build. I guess I am a natural
I am glade you are enjoying the build, I have been wanting to do this for at least two years now.
TB
03-11-2013, 02:58 AM
#264
RE: Top Flite GS P-47 sports scale; diary of a build
I took some of the files Gary gave me and had them blown up to scale size. FedEx office has a program that will take your image and they can make it any size if you give them the measurement. It came out right on. I got really lucky on the hinge placement, I just guessed. On the ruder I was off a little bit on the top hinge. The elevator was right on, don’t know how that happened
I will use them for reference. Much easier then looking at a 8x11 or on the computer. I need to go back and get the right side and bottom today.
I will use them for reference. Much easier then looking at a 8x11 or on the computer. I need to go back and get the right side and bottom today.TB
03-11-2013, 03:09 AM
#265
RE: Top Flite GS P-47 sports scale; diary of a build
Engine baffle and muffler
I am making the engine baffle out of the carbon fiber laminates. I used cardboard and made a temple then cut the carbon. I will trim it once I glue it into the cowl. The engine will move around a little more then the DLE55 due to the ISO mount.
TB
So I will leave enough room for that. I have never done a baffle before so I have no idea on what to look for and what is required. I know the idea is to force the air threw the cooling fins, that’s it!
My muffler extensions came for the exhaust exit pipes, I am going to West brook metals today to get the stuff I need for the muffler. I am planning on going to Stevens this weekend. I am going to cut the stock muffler down and wrap it around the engine. We may do two ports or one with a Y.TB
03-11-2013, 03:24 AM
#266
RE: Top Flite GS P-47 sports scale; diary of a build
Tail wheel gear doors
I cut the opening for the tail wheel. Thishas beenthe hardest so far as far as finding the right scale. The blow up details I have don’t jive with the Top Flite design. So either the blow up's are wrong or Top Flite altered the model for flying purposes. On the drawing the tail wheel is further back so if I where to do it as the drawing I would have had to move the wheel back. Now if I would have gone with the Sierra gear then that would have worked out more scale, but we are just doing sports scale, right? 
So I made the cut out a little smaller then most of you are doing, I moved the doors as far forward as I could and still have clearance for the gear. I am using a 2” wheel because I already have one.
TB
So I made the cut out a little smaller then most of you are doing, I moved the doors as far forward as I could and still have clearance for the gear. I am using a 2” wheel because I already have one.The carbon doors are like steel, I want to thank Jim Young from T&J modes for showing me the carbon fiber technique for gear doors during my Gloster Meteor build 
I will test the gear today and then hinge it, not sure what I will do yet on the linkage.TB
03-11-2013, 05:52 AM
#270
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RE: Top Flite GS P-47 sports scale; diary of a build
Dang Tony, Like your style and ways of thinking on the mods. Very nice!!!!! The 3 views blow up awesome, going to get that done today...
Jimbo
The 3 views blow up awesome, going to get that done today...Jimbo
03-12-2013, 02:42 AM
#272
RE: Top Flite GS P-47 sports scale; diary of a build
Cowl Plate
I am fine tuning the cowl ring. I laminated some carbon fiber to it to give it that steel strength.
I glassed the cowl mounting ring to the cowl with 5oz cloth. The baffle will fit threw theback so I will glue that in once I get the muffler installed.
I did a test fit of the cowl flaps and they are OK for now, they will need fine tuning. I did cut a grove for the hinge in the balsa ring I previously glued in.
TB
TB
03-12-2013, 02:59 AM
#273
RE: Top Flite GS P-47 sports scale; diary of a build
Muffler
I went cave man on the stock muffler. I took it to work and ripped it down on my table saw. I do not recommend this for those that do not have many years of experience cutting small pieces on a saw, and aluminum at that. So I built a prototype of the muffler to see what it would take to get it in the cowl.
I got some sheet aluminum and some 5/8” tubing. They did not have any large tubing scraps so I got what they had, lots of square scraps so I got 1-1/4” for the wrap around. I may go back and pony up on the 12' minimum for some 1-1/2 thin wall round.
The prototype is essential to make sure the muffler fits and works with the cowl and the exits, plus this lets me finish the cowl and work on the muffler exits. Its not pretty but once I get to Stevens shop we will see what he does with this and what the end product will look like. I really don’t need a Ghetto chrome muffler
The flex muffler extensions are working out perfectly. I have found that the airplane portion of this hobby is way behind on technology
when it comes to parts and accessories then the Race Car and Heli portion of this hobby so I always look in the Race Car and Heli department for parts. I found these muffler couplings in the racing section, they work perfectly to couple the extensions to the muffler.
The extensions fit tightly into the aluminum tubing and the coupling fits over both.
I am doing the layout of the louvers on the lower noes behind the cowling. The forward door is the Oil Cooler door, and the aft one, just ahead of the Waste Gate exit (exhaust) is the defector. Thiswhole area will be removable for accesses to the muffler and the cowl mounting bolts.
I will most likely build them out of CF, and yes they will open and close
I am still waiting on my wheels so there is still a lot of work to go on the fuse, but I am ready to get back to the wing here soon.
TB
03-13-2013, 09:36 AM
#274
RE: Top Flite GS P-47 sports scale; diary of a build
Just got off the phone with Steven and it looks like I will build the muffler the first part of next week. Iordered some thin walled 1-1/2" and 1-1/4" tubing for the wrap around. I should have a working muffler sometime next week. The prototype is fitting and all has been worked out.
Iordered some thin walled 1-1/2" and 1-1/4" tubing for the wrap around. I should have a working muffler sometime next week. The prototype is fitting and all has been worked out.TB
03-13-2013, 02:44 PM
#275
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RE: Top Flite GS P-47 sports scale; diary of a build
ORIGINAL: TonyBuilder
Just got off the phone with Steven and it looks like I will build the muffler the first part of next week. Iordered some thin walled 1-1/2" and 1-1/4" tubing for the wrap around. I should have a working muffler sometime next week. The prototype is fitting and all has been worked out.
Just got off the phone with Steven and it looks like I will build the muffler the first part of next week.
Iordered some thin walled 1-1/2" and 1-1/4" tubing for the wrap around. I should have a working muffler sometime next week. The prototype is fitting and all has been worked out.TB
Sweet, hope it all goes well for ya, looking forward to seeing it........
Jimbo