Building Top Flite P-39
03-12-2003, 04:08 PM
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Building Top Flite P-39
I'm currently building a Top Flite P-39 with flaps and retracts. The picture bellow shows the current state of the project. Anyone else have built one? Any tips would be greatly apreciated.
03-14-2003, 02:14 PM
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Building Top Flite P-39
Marek,
I have the TF P-39 under my bench, scheduled next into production. It will be my first Warbird and I will be following your progress closely. What engine do you have up front? What retracts?
I have the TF P-39 under my bench, scheduled next into production. It will be my first Warbird and I will be following your progress closely. What engine do you have up front? What retracts?
03-14-2003, 02:46 PM
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Building Top Flite P-39
Hey there,
the engine is a Thunder Tiger Fs91. And retracts are from Robart.
Nose one is the special one for the P-39. And rear retracts are 85 degr. 10-12lbs retracts. with fake strut covers... gives a nice look. I just finished the wing tips (man that was alot of sanding!) and will be bolting the wing soon.
If you go with the TT 91. You will have to carve the back of the engine mount to make room for the rear-mounted carb. I don't know if with the OS FS 91 it's the same storry.
Will be posting new pictures sooon.
the engine is a Thunder Tiger Fs91. And retracts are from Robart.
Nose one is the special one for the P-39. And rear retracts are 85 degr. 10-12lbs retracts. with fake strut covers... gives a nice look. I just finished the wing tips (man that was alot of sanding!) and will be bolting the wing soon.
If you go with the TT 91. You will have to carve the back of the engine mount to make room for the rear-mounted carb. I don't know if with the OS FS 91 it's the same storry.
Will be posting new pictures sooon.
03-14-2003, 05:01 PM
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Building Top Flite P-39
Thanks for the feedback. I am a couple of months from starting my P-39, but I am in the process of gathereing all the info I can. I have an OS-91FS scheduled for the powerplant, but I was considering a big buy of an RCV-91 because of the profile. Don't know about the low RPM and big prop. Fortunately I don't have to make that decision just yet.
03-14-2003, 06:26 PM
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I thought about the RCV, but when I did measurements to see if the engine would fit in length, I think it was 2 cm (about 1inch) too long for the spinner back plate to fit properly. Let me know if you ever go with it and what adjustments you had to do.
03-15-2003, 01:32 AM
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marek, I also have this kit. I think you will be the designated tip giver rather than tip reciever. You model look s good. I knew it took a lot of experience to get a reasonable size fuel tank, front retract, and linkage in that rather slim nose. We have 2 TF P-39's at field. One was done as a tail-dragger with retracts and the other has full retracts with a "as the owner says" very small fuel tank. Both has ST 75's and they move out real well.
03-19-2003, 04:54 PM
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Building Top Flite P-39
It might look like i did not do much since last time but doing all the tubing and wiring for retracts and sanding the wing tips was a heck of a job.
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raul (01-19-2020)
04-18-2003, 01:38 PM
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Building Top Flite P-39
I miss your building sequence photo's. This was a very informative thread. I admire your organization/workmanship of the RC stuff inside the fuselage. This is a popular plane at our field however I always wondered how thy stuffed all the gear in the nose. You don't seem to be having any trouble.
04-19-2003, 12:19 AM
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Hello, I'm having some trouble with my digital camera so I can't post pics for now. The plane is now almost complete, I have installed the cowling and wing fillets and did some crack filling. I've also started painting some ABS parts and the canopy.
Concerning the space in the nose, it's tight but if you use the recommended parts everything fits nice together. Building the fuse of this plane is a pleasure. The wings, that's another storry... they're not hard to build, BUT there's lots of stuff to do when you install flaps and retracts.
Will try to post new pics as soon as my camera cooperates.
Marek
Concerning the space in the nose, it's tight but if you use the recommended parts everything fits nice together. Building the fuse of this plane is a pleasure. The wings, that's another storry... they're not hard to build, BUT there's lots of stuff to do when you install flaps and retracts.
Will try to post new pics as soon as my camera cooperates.
Marek
04-20-2003, 12:25 AM
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P-39 finish
I just ordered my gold edition P-39. I was wondering how do plan on covering yours. I saw in the manual that TF suggest monocoat and lustercoat paint.
04-22-2003, 12:23 PM
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I will be using monokote with lustrekote for finishing. It`s not as nice looking as resign but makes the plane lighter... especially when you already use the full cockpit, retracts and flaps. Mine weighs 8lbs fully finished except for the covering and cannon pods... once finished I don`t think that it will go over 8.5 lbs... if it doesn`t need too much weights for balancing.
05-07-2003, 03:59 PM
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Great thread, how is it coming?
Mine is nearing completion.
Im just the opposite of you....I loved building the wings more so then the fuse.
I plan on glassing and painting mine.....just because I love glassing planes, I did it alot on my jets a long time ago and actually enjoy the whole process.
I also suck at monokote lol.
I m using a Magnum .91 4 stroke, hope it flies well.
Mine is nearing completion.
Im just the opposite of you....I loved building the wings more so then the fuse.
I plan on glassing and painting mine.....just because I love glassing planes, I did it alot on my jets a long time ago and actually enjoy the whole process.
I also suck at monokote lol.
I m using a Magnum .91 4 stroke, hope it flies well.
