Top Flite Cessna 182 Building
 

<font size="2">I have been following with interest the various threads concerning this kit for some time now. </font>This is the TopFliteCessna 182 kit that I bought second hand from someone a while ago. It wasat 80%complete when he had to move and couldn't finnish it. It has been sitting in my hanger,untouchedfor some time now due to other projects.I finaly came around to start work on it and finishing it.
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RE: Top Flite Cessna 182 Building
 

So here is the Cessna building. I want to change the location of the servo bay to make for easy access due to the scaleinterierthat I will be installing since I got it with the plane. I cut I opening in the bottom of the front part of fusalage wich will become a opening hatch.Next is to cut out the existing servo tray (wich was installed according to plans and instructions) and reglue it in where I want it. I will reinforce the place where it was cut out with a thinstrip of strongplywood that will sit justunderneeth the dashboard.This way I can make the interier more scale lookingwith the rudder peddal location. I also cut open the back part of tail sectionto make a hatch for access to the control linkages for adjustments if needed. The instructionssaid for it to be glued closed, which is what the previous owner did.This way,if I need to change a servo or adjust a linkage, I can do it at anytime and atthe airfield, if needed,withouttakingout the entire interier and risk it getting damaged. I will post more pics and information as Igo along...

RE: Top Flite Cessna 182 Building
 

Hey Etienne 1,
I've got this kit in 1999 and the buildingtime was round about 2 years, within several stop-and-go's ! Now I've decided to restore my good old Cessna and try to make a glow to electric conversion. BTW I tried to add more scale details, but making the doors functional seems to be very difficult to me, it needs to reinforce the fuselage ! The cut in the bottom of the fuse looks very weak now, you should reinforce that with a plywood frame inside !
Will your plane be glassed ? What kind of trim-sheme will you chose?

greetings
Martin

RE: Top Flite Cessna 182 Building
 

I am going to useglass cloth to cover and then paint it, using automotive paint. Below is the trim scheme I am going to use. It has anitro.61 Werba speed motor in. has plenty of power. I am not very big on electric planes of this size. I have seen a few electric ones, and it works great. Onthe bottom hatch that Icut in -the photo was taken right after it was cut, so it will be re-inforced around the edges withlite-plylater.I know Iwill have to re-inforce the fuselage around the door frame if I want to make the doors functional. What I don't know yet is how. There will not be much space above the door frame to glue in strong thick ply wood in for re-inforcement. Iam still in a deciding stage on the doors. If I can get some advice and tips on'How' to re-inforce thefuselage around the doorframe, then Imight make them functional.But, first is to finish the new servo tray, coverhatchand theninstall the dashboard and top piece of the fuselage. Then I'llmake the cover on the tailsection to access thelinkagesto be removable with small magnets. slowly, but surelythere will be progress...</p>

RE: Top Flite Cessna 182 Building
 

Hey Etienne 1,
how about your building progress ?
My Cessna has turned into a scratch-build rivet-patchwork with 70's style..http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f...wink_smile.gif

RE: Top Flite Cessna 182 Building
 

Alpha-Air. I like your model. very nice...

building is a slow progress. have not done anything in last month or so. Been busy with other projects and stuff and I moved into new place.
I have roled out the Cessna plans on the floor and checked some things for when I have a work bench set up sometime soon.
I will also be doing rivets and panel lines, as wel as functioning cabin and bagage doors. I will maybe start working on it again
in next two weeks or so.

RE: Top Flite Cessna 182 Building
 

Hey Etienne 1,

How is your building progress ? I have my 182 under way and have been modifying the fuel tank area I don't like the tank in a side saddle position we do a ;lot of slow left banks due to prevailing winds at the local field. I am using four 4 oz. tanks in series facing forward to hold my glow fuel. 2 slat and 2 square style flex tanks. I will post a picture when I get the plumbing done. Power is a Super Tigre .75 with the TF in cowl muffler and adapter. It took some time but I found aguy in Korea who had the TOPQ7925 ST header and the TOPQ7916 Muffler mentioned in the plans. He also had the Top Flite TOPQ5405 Red Cessna spinner the exact same spinner in White made for the Great Planes LearJet. Sometimes it's better to be lucky than smart! ;)

Here a re a couple of photos of the paint scheme I am planning to use. I had 2 sons in CAP.

RE: Top Flite Cessna 182 Building
 

FYI- Ihave posted this same post on another Cessna 182 build thread....Just trying to maximize my chance for answers!

So a few weeks ago I bought a used Cessna 182 from the Perry GA swap meet. BTW, what a great time that was! I am 99% sure the plane is a Top Flite kit. The plane has no wing struts or evidence of ever having any. I have yet to find a photo of 182 without them. The fella I bought the plane from told me that he had bought the plane about 10 years prior and that it did not have wing struts then and that it flew fine.

Also the plane does not have flaps. I assume that flaps are an option on the kit.

So my questions are as follows:

1. Is there a way to determine what version of the kit I have?
2. How many versions have been made?
3. What are the differences in the versions?
4. Does the lack of wing struts compromise the integrity of the plane’s structure?
5. Is there a way to add the flaps option to the already built wing?
6. Is there a way to get a copy of the plans for this plane assuming that I can determine the version?

RE: Top Flite Cessna 182 Building
 

Hi ryanbrown1,
if you have got the TF Cessna, the wing struts are not necessary for the stucture, they are only a scale feature.(Maybe some good pics would help to indentify a Top-Flight Cessna 182.
To install the flaps it's a little bit more difficult, but the wing-building includes operational flaps in an earlier building sequence, and it's optional, so it's not impossible ! Sure you would need the manual and the wing-plan !
To the kit version is nothing mutch I could say, only the manual have a little mark : V1.2 (1999)
Maybe the ARF wings could be an option for you ??

RE: Top Flite Cessna 182 Building
 

Take a picture of the interior of the fuselage facing forward and one facing back. If it has a cockpit kit the floor should be easy to remove. Take more more picture of the front of the aircraft with the cowling off and a 4th picture of the tail from the bottom. These pictures should give us a clue in determining if it is indeed a Top Flight Gold series Cessna 182.

RE: Top Flite Cessna 182 Building
 

Here are a few pics of the plane. As you can tell it appears to have once had a cockpit kit in it but it was ripped out. Also one of the previous owners made some servo mount mods. Thanks again for any info!

RE: Top Flite Cessna 182 Building
 

If its not a Top Flite Cessna 182 it is the finest knock off of one I have ever seen. Everything I am looking at matches the one TF 182 I am working on. Too bad he didn't buy the correct muffler so he could hide it under the cowling completely like it is suppose to be. What size engine does she have? I'm using a Super Tigre .75 myself. I also have a full set of lights and a Robart strut.

You can download the manual from Top Flite's website for free and determine if you want to convert it to having flaps. Top Flite will sell you the plans part # CES6P01R ROLLED FUSELAGE & WING PLAN $33.81.

Mike

RE: Top Flite Cessna 182 Building
 

So Ryan how is the 182 flying?

Hi guys...

I havn't posted in such a long time... And I havn't been working on the cessna. but, Lately I have been working alot on the cessna and done a couple of things...

First : I decidedd to make it a clipped wing, to make trasport easier...
Seccondly : I have decided to make doors that can open....
Third : I have modyfied the interior a little at the front, to make it more realistic...

I will post pics for what I have done so far...

pics on where I am...
 

Hi...

Ok, So there is the doors, and the bagage door...

That's some big openings! Here is where I am on my 182.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=1984042

Very nice !

If I would build a new TF-Skylane, I would add this nice baggage door, too !
I became a "door-Freak" since I have build the planes below...:o

cheers Martin

Doors
 

Yes, those are big doors, but they are correct size for scale... I had to drop the floor alot, but worth it in the end... The bagage door is a little smaller than scale though.
Having functional doors and / or bagage door is just adding to the detail and makes the model just a little better and makes it stand out...
I am struggling to upload the foto's for the clipped wing modification, but I will try again next week...

hi...

I still have trouble getting pics uploaded at work, but progress on the Cessna is going in the forward direction...

I have fibre-glassed everything, sanded down the fibre and resin (mine came out a little uneven).
I had glued the front and rear windows in before fibre glassing, and it was a mistake. I taped close the parts of windows that needed to stay clear
and to only fibre the windows around the edges. The Resin seeped underneeth the tape in certain places and ruined both windows.
I had to cut them out, and order replacement windows from Tower-Hobbies... but it gives the windows a nice frame that will look scale when finished...
I sprayed primer on everything and is now busy with filler and sanding.
The control surfaces are almost done. Maybe little bit more filler and final sanding, then final primer.
When the control surfaces are done, I will start with the wings.

As soon as I can find a salution to uplaoding pics, I will have alot to show...

Thanks
Etienne

Hello to all.

I have been following this thread for many months now and I love it!. I have been building my 182 since last fall and the discussions here have been invaluable. Wing is sheeted on bottom, tail feathers sheeted and ready for final sanding and assembly, fuze framed and almost ready for sheeting. I have the opportunity to buy a little used OS .91 Surpass and am concerned about the adequacy of this engine for this plane. I do tend to build a little heavy, although most of my experience has been building sailplanes ( Sailaire 12.5' wingspan weighs in @ 8.6 lbs.) which usually are built light. I will want to fly it scale, but perhaps some light aerobatics. Apparently this plane will come in around 12-16 lbs. Top Flite(Hobbico) and others think it will be fine, but I am still somewhat concerned that it isn't enough. One comment from this thread was that the .91 doesn't have enough power to get you out of trouble. I have been flying electric and this is my first venture into fuel so I need all the help I can get.

Comments welcomed,

Jack

Jack, I build toward the heavy side and I'm using a Super Tigre .75 and have every confidence I will have plenty of power. Now my style of flying is more scale like I have no intention to fly a Cessna 182 like a 3D manner.What is your flying style for this model?

Hi FlyerIn,

Thanks for your interest.

I want to fly it scale like but do some slow rolls and loops. I prefer to go 4 stroke on this model. How does the OS .90 compare to your Super Tigre 75?

Jack

I would consider the OS .90 4 cycle to be comparable.

Thanks FlyerInOKC. Ok then. I would expect that it should work just fine. That's what I needed to know

Jack

Building Continues
 

Good day all.

I know it's been a Looooooong time. 5 years. I know. But building on the Cessna was SLOW, very very slow.

I had troubles back in 2014 to upload photo's as I said in my last post back then. And then my phone got damaged, I lost a lot of my photo's of the build process. Specifically the Fibre-Glassing parts.

But, as my previous post stated. I somehow managed to do my glassing wrong ? I think ? It came out very uneven, Especially the main wings.
Felt like corrugated roof surface or something. I don't know....

And because of this. I struggled to get it correct. Flling - Sanding, Filling - Sanding, stop for a year. Try again. Filling - sanding, Filling - sanding, Stop for more than a year. And so on it went.
Every time I work on it, I am very enthusiastic to complete my model. But, struggle for a few weeks, Then Give up out of frustration.
I got very de motivated every time I struggle for a few weeks and don't seem to get anywhere, to a point that I stopped for 2 years, didn't even fly anything.

But, Starting up again in July 2019, working on the Cessna almost every day. I am getting somewhere. I still feel like giving up again a few times now, But, I must finish it,
And perseverance pays off.

And, after a few weeks, I got the Fuse finally completely filled and sanded down to a Silky smooth as a baby's bottom finish,
Perfectly smooth Ready for Detailing.

But, the Main wings are still a headache. Struggling still. Working on it everyday, even if it's just an hour or so. And the wings are almost there.
Maybe by weekends time the wings will be finished. I hope. But, from watching "Draco" on Youtube, something Mike said while he was doing the Wing tip tank mod.
Put filler on one part, and while that part is drying, work on the next part, while that one is drying, work on the next part, And then when last part starts to dry, Go back and start sanding the first part.
That way, you never have to wait for something to dry and do nothing. So I'm working on the landing gear, the cowling, the control surfaces, almost every part same time.

Anyway, My plans are to be finished with the entire model mid September. as I am planning to attend a scale meetup 3rd week of September.
I'm going to try to upload pics, so hopefully this works. I'll up load some pics from back in 2014 building process, Pics I promised in my previous post, the few that I had saved.
Basically, You'll see that I have cut the wings again. Back into 3 pieces. For easy transport. And The center section was Glued into place on the Fuse.
But now, as my building started up again, I haven't taken any new pics from my building progress, I'm just working non stop on the airplane.
But, I'll remember to take some pics of the Fuse and stuff tomorrow and upload them.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...d167b7014c.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...2170ffb73a.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...d0846f216a.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...245054aaf0.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...45cf80a817.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...f044c59530.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...afc22fd77a.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...a542af3ab5.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...2f6a05d408.jpg
The Last pic is where I stopped working on it in 2014,
Fibre-Glassed and painted Primer.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...22cddc369e.jpg
So, That was back in 2014.

Now this is 2019.
The Fuse, when it was Almost done, And the Cowl adding scale vents.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...29c91b4b87.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...9f7f19b410.jpg

From now on, I'll definitely give regular updates as I progress and I'll upload more pics as the build continues.

Last thing, I have chosen A paint scheme

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...76457f769c.jpg

Regards
Etienne

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