I just recieved my GP Super Skybolt kit the other day, and I was looking over the plans today.

The mounting of the gas tank struck me as really odd because it seems to be sealed in between two formers making it practically impossible to access from the rear. Additionally, the tank sits on it's own mount which is glued in just above the landing gear mount which makes putting in bottom hatch impossible with the tank mount in place. The top is sheeted and seems to have the cabanes above the tank making access from the top impossible also.

My question is: What happens if you have a tank seal come loose due to pressure or wear and tear? What happens if the fuel pickup line needs to be replaced? How can you access the tank if the rubber bands wear out? Basically, how can you access the tank if there is a problem without tear open the entire plane? Ughh.

I welcome your suggestions since I haven't started putting the kit together yet. Would it be easier to just skip the tank mounting plate and replace it with foam insulation above the landing gear mount? I might then be able to place some type of hatch in front of the landing gear mount. Will this work? If you have any other suggestions, I'd greatly appreciate it.

I just discovered another issue with the tank floor mounting. In the addendum that came with the kit it states "The tank floor should cause the firewall to slant to the right. Refere to the plans to help you get this correct."

This sounds to me like the tank floor also is part of building in the right thrust angle and therefore makes is a nearly essential part of the planes construction.....ughhhhhhh!!!!

Suggestions?

Make a hatch that will allow access to the rubber bands, you can get the tank out from the rear.

Thanks for the recommendation RC-Sport.

I've been thinking over what you suggested and wonder if it would still be a nightmare to put the tank back in because of the rubberbands. It seems you'd have to set one side of the rubberbands and then feed them over the top of the tank and latch them onto the other side while working from underneath the tank floor.......you'd have to have plummer hands to do that and a lot of hemostats and other strange tools....kidding.

I was hoping, and praying for an easier way to deal with the problem for us fat fingered folks.

Here's what I did. Screws are accessible through the front of the firewall. I can hook the rubber bands around the front tabs with a hemostat, and get to the back tabs through the wing saddle area. The rear of the hatch is held via tab system.

Hey Deadeye, that's slick....nice work

Why thank you, rc-sport. If any of you are interested in other 'mods' I have made to this kit, check out [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/Lightening_the_GP_Skybolt/m_2496934/tm.htm]this thread.[/link]

Thanks Deadeye!!!!

That's really creative and a definate problem solver.