Great Planes p51 First Time Kit Build Thread
10-02-2006, 08:16 PM
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RE: Great Planes p51 First Time Kit Build Thread
that looks like a good kit. tlee me, is it all that hard to build. also have you heard from anyone what the flight charaacteristics r like
10-02-2006, 10:04 PM
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RE: Great Planes p51 First Time Kit Build Thread
From what I've heard this kit flys excellent. Great planes used a modified airfoil from their sportster kit for the wing. It's supposed to be a very stable platform.
10-04-2006, 09:37 PM
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RE: Great Planes p51 First Time Kit Build Thread
Firewall, prepped sanded and epoxied to the fuse. Blind nuts installed... The fuse sides were precut so that the firewall glued in at the correct down/right thrust angles, nice.
10-05-2006, 08:59 PM
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RE: Great Planes p51 First Time Kit Build Thread
wow!![:-] nice work. that looks great, this kit seems to be what i am looking for but i would like your input, how hard has the build been? and is the kit high quality with most things included?
10-07-2006, 11:58 AM
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RE: Great Planes p51 First Time Kit Build Thread
Thanks Jerusha. The quality of this kit is excellent. All the die cut parts were cut completely and fell out with ease. The wood quality is top notch. The only trouble I had was one of the center wing ribs was a little warped. I could have sraightened it out but didn't want to take any chances. A quick call to Great Planes and 5 days later I had a new wing rib, no questions asked and totally free ! I would highly recommend this kit to any one.[sm=thumbup.gif]
10-07-2006, 12:02 PM
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RE: Great Planes p51 First Time Kit Build Thread
Jusy started construction on the rear air scoop. The 1/4 stringers were a little hard to bend. As per the manual I had to cut tiny slots every 1/2' apart. Problem solved.
10-08-2006, 12:05 AM
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RE: Great Planes p51 First Time Kit Build Thread
Scooty, Don't worry your GP Mustang will fly great. It is a little harder to fly than most low wing sport planes though it lands a little hot and will tip stall on aproach if you don't keep your airspeed up or turn to tight. I finished mine around Christmas time last year and it is now my favorite plane in the hanger. Mine is built without retracts, its finished weight is 5.75 lbs and is powered by a Supertigre .51.
10-08-2006, 12:16 AM
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RE: Great Planes p51 First Time Kit Build Thread
Beautifull aircraft Daryl, Love your covering scheme, I'm shooting for a completion time around xmas as well
10-08-2006, 12:27 AM
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RE: Great Planes p51 First Time Kit Build Thread
Rear turtle deck complete. Whew what a job, I was really dreading this part but I think it came out really nice. Now if I could only remove the balsa dust from my lungs[:'(].
10-08-2006, 11:57 PM
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RE: Great Planes p51 First Time Kit Build Thread
Got the front turtle deck done. The rear turtle deck was a breeze compared to the front, one of the sheets started to crack as I bent it over the formers. I had to use a lot of wood filler and sanding to cover the cracks and get the rouded shape. It's looks pretty good and you can hardly tell. And yes that is a brand new out of the box, not even turned over yet, OS 46 AX hanging up front. I plan on getting a pitts style muffler for it.
10-10-2006, 09:17 PM
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RE: Great Planes p51 First Time Kit Build Thread
For building the cowl the instruction manual details installation of a side mounted 2 stroke. If any one is building this kit I would HIGHLY recommend NOT following the manual. Here's what the manual has you do...
1) Mount the motor INVERTED, so that the cylinder head doesn't interfere while you're trying to carve the cowl blocks.
2) Temporarily glue the plywood spinner ring to the back of your spinner back plate and install your spinner onto the motor.
3) Glue the 3 cowl blocks in place (one end glues to the firewall and the other end of each block stretches to the spinner ring.
4) Carve and sand the cowl blocks to shape.
5) Cut out the side of the cowl to make room for the side mounted engine.
6) Remove the motor and remount sideways....
WAIT A MINUTE... If the motor was mounted inverted and the spinner ring centered around the crankshaft and now it's being mounted sideways how do you know the crankshaft is still centered. In all probability it won't be. So here's my solution.
I mounted the motor sideways glued on the spinner ring and then glued only TWO of the cowl blocks, enough to hold the spinner ring in it's permanent place.
I then removed the motor, finished constructing the cowl, remounted the motor, and the crankshaft was still perfectly centered.
1) Mount the motor INVERTED, so that the cylinder head doesn't interfere while you're trying to carve the cowl blocks.
2) Temporarily glue the plywood spinner ring to the back of your spinner back plate and install your spinner onto the motor.
3) Glue the 3 cowl blocks in place (one end glues to the firewall and the other end of each block stretches to the spinner ring.
4) Carve and sand the cowl blocks to shape.
5) Cut out the side of the cowl to make room for the side mounted engine.
6) Remove the motor and remount sideways....
WAIT A MINUTE... If the motor was mounted inverted and the spinner ring centered around the crankshaft and now it's being mounted sideways how do you know the crankshaft is still centered. In all probability it won't be. So here's my solution.
I mounted the motor sideways glued on the spinner ring and then glued only TWO of the cowl blocks, enough to hold the spinner ring in it's permanent place.
I then removed the motor, finished constructing the cowl, remounted the motor, and the crankshaft was still perfectly centered.
10-11-2006, 03:00 PM
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RE: Great Planes p51 First Time Kit Build Thread
I am just starting the same plane. Has anyone thought about a retractable tail wheel? If so what will you be using or have used, and was it a pain to install?
Bernie
Bernie
10-11-2006, 03:45 PM
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RE: Great Planes p51 First Time Kit Build Thread
I'm not doing one, simply because it'll be a pain in the butt plus additional weight. Think about all the linkages and cables running to the rudder for steering that also have to retract. The p51 tail wheel in it's scale position is waaay behind the rudder. Definately a complicated install. I'm sure it's been done before on this kit though.
10-11-2006, 04:11 PM
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RE: Great Planes p51 First Time Kit Build Thread
ORIGINAL: BAlbertsman
I am just starting the same plane. Has anyone thought about a retractable tail wheel? If so what will you be using or have used, and was it a pain to install?
Bernie
I am just starting the same plane. Has anyone thought about a retractable tail wheel? If so what will you be using or have used, and was it a pain to install?
Bernie
This guy, Bob Paris, did it on a 60 size. He has pictures and explanations on how he did it there.
-tychoc
10-11-2006, 10:24 PM
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RE: Great Planes p51 First Time Kit Build Thread
Here are some more pics of the completed nose. The plastic part took a lot of sanding and fitting before I got it right.
10-11-2006, 10:26 PM
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RE: Great Planes p51 First Time Kit Build Thread
Adjusting that needle valve is going to be tricky, anyone have any suggestion on how to extend it a little bit ?
10-12-2006, 05:56 AM
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RE: Great Planes p51 First Time Kit Build Thread
ORIGINAL: scooty
WAIT A MINUTE... If the motor was mounted inverted and the spinner ring centered around the crankshaft and now it's being mounted sideways how do you know the crankshaft is still centered. In all probability it won't be.
WAIT A MINUTE... If the motor was mounted inverted and the spinner ring centered around the crankshaft and now it's being mounted sideways how do you know the crankshaft is still centered. In all probability it won't be.
As for extending the needle valve:
There is a hole in the end of the NV and a set screw in the side. Put a piece of pushrod wire with an "L" bend in the hole and tighten the set screw.
10-12-2006, 11:07 PM
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RE: Great Planes p51 First Time Kit Build Thread
Tail feathers are complete, and the plane's finally taking shape, lookin good
BTW I used a dremel cutoff wheel to make slots for the CA hinges, really simple and painless, although they probably have a little bit more wiggle room compared to slots made with a skinny razor blade. I'm hoping CA will fill the gap and take care of this. Has anyone tried this before ?
BTW I used a dremel cutoff wheel to make slots for the CA hinges, really simple and painless, although they probably have a little bit more wiggle room compared to slots made with a skinny razor blade. I'm hoping CA will fill the gap and take care of this. Has anyone tried this before ?
10-13-2006, 08:25 AM
#23
RE: Great Planes p51 First Time Kit Build Thread
DO NOT USE CA HINGES!!!!
You have made the slots too big!!!
CA hinges need a tight slot to work properly (Or at least snug)
CA Hinges only work with THIN CA and thin CA will not fill gaps
You best course of action now is to either cut new slots, or use plastic hinges and epoxy.
You have made the slots too big!!!
CA hinges need a tight slot to work properly (Or at least snug)
CA Hinges only work with THIN CA and thin CA will not fill gaps
You best course of action now is to either cut new slots, or use plastic hinges and epoxy.
10-15-2006, 02:03 PM
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RE: Great Planes p51 First Time Kit Build Thread
You can use Monokote hinges just as well on this bird, or use gap filling CA. Just be sure to test hinges with a agressive pull before using to make sure they will hold. Don't beleive all you read, some guys don't beleive in Santa Claus eather.
10-15-2006, 10:37 PM
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RE: Great Planes p51 First Time Kit Build Thread
Thanks for all the advice/tips you guys, I think I'm going to use the nylon "actual" hinges that GP makes and then drill holes and insert toothpicks through them for extra security. That's what I did when the CA hinges broke on my TWIST.