RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
 

jamieduff1981,

Thanks for the advice. I think I will be going with the 7/16 robart struts and 550rs retract mains. On the other hand, my kit hasn't even arrived yet[&o], so I'm keeping all options open. I'm also attempting to gain as much knowledge about this kit before I even open it.

p.s. how the heck does one post pictures in the forum !!!????

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
 

Well, not sure if the pics are gonna make it, but if they do, they are of my Fun 51.

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
 

It has arrived!!!:D

My TF 1/7 scale P-51 is here!!!!!

I'm so excited.

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
 

Well - I think it would fair to say that my head is spinning!! My Top Flite P-51 kit is on the way....should be here this Wednesday. I have been reading this thread little by little over the last week........man, lot's of info to take in.

I built my first plane....a Kadet LT 25 Trainer......I built my second plane.....a 4 Star 40.....I figured it was time for a big challenge so I went with the Top Flite P-51. From the reading here I can tell that I certainly found a challenge.

I am planning a very slow build.....probably a year and a half to tell the truth.....I just know that there is no way I will get it done any sooner.......particularly since this build will cost much more than the others.....not to mention the sanding I keep reading about.

Anyway.....I look forward to getting started and look forward to continuing to read this thread for help.

Thanks!

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
 

Hi sdortch, sure you'll like the kit. It turns into something that looks like a Mustang pretty quickly. After that, it's all up to you and how far you want to go with the details etc.

My Century Jets retracts arrived today............time to get chopping the wing up :D:D:D

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
 

Well chopping up the wing I did. And a lot of chopping too.

Here's the progress so far. It's taken quite a bit of work to get the retracts to fit properly

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y12...f/DSC00006.jpg
The retract rails are not spaced parallel. If they were, the unit couldn't be removed due to one of the nipples on the cylinder

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y12...f/DSC00007.jpg
After much cursing and fiddling about, the wheel retracts fully into the well, whilst the retract unit fits inside the wing skins (just!!!)

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y12...f/DSC00008.jpg
Note the amount of material that must be removed from Rib W-4. Z-5 took some faffing about too, but to a lesser extent.

I shall need to glass inside the wheel well for sure now.......... Also I need to paint those wheel hubs to see if I can improve them any. Failing that I'll have to buy aluminium hubs, which I neither want to pay for, nor carry around in the air (lbs.........................)

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
 

Jammie,
What was the SKU that you ordered from Century Jet? I could not decide if we needed the Centurion 1/2" or 3/8".
Mustang

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
 

Hi Mustang, those you see are the 3/8" version. Didn't fancy the extra weight of the 1/2" counterparts.

Also the 3/8" seem stiff enough as it is. If anything's going to break it will be the mounts I should think. Obviously I could be wrong, but that's the impression I get at the moment.

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
 

Thanks for the input. You are using the 4" weels? They seem to chew up a lot of wing.

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
 

Did you order the wheels from CJ?

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
 

The wheels are just 4" Dubro efforts I picked up in a hobby shop while I was in the US on holiday 4 years ago. They do use a lot of room though! It's worth noting that while they are scale size, they are a bit of a pain. In particular, W1A and the Wing Bolt Plate need to be modified as the wheels infringe on the space they normally reside in.

I used 3.1/4" wheels on the T-Bolt and it noses over quite easily flying from grass, so I wanted the 4" wheels on the 'Stang for that reason if not for accuracy.

It's a lot of trial and error cutting and messing about, but hopefully the end result will be worth the effort........ :D

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
 

jamie,

That looks great so far. I havent been able to start mine yet, but I am looking forward to it. Do you know the dimensions of the retracts you used ( height/width ) ?

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
 

Bull, if you would care to copy my photo and mark it up in MS Paint or whatever showing the dimensions you want I'll happily measure it all up for you.

Not sure I could provide anything useful without knowing what exactly you were after :D

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
 

jamie,

Basically, I am looking for the height of the main. That is, from the point that the main mounts to the rails, to the top of the casing. But nevermid, I got it from Tower's web site. Again, its looking good.

bull

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
 

Thanks for the compliments Bull, glad you found the info you need. If there's anything I can help with though don't hessitate to ask!

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
 

Jamie,

Nice job so far. I remember fitting in mine long ago. I spent a lot of time on this step and had to remove an alarming amount of material like you!

I would recommend running some carbon reinforcement along the rails to stiffen them for hard landings. You will need it. Ask me how I know. I would also highly recommend glassing, plywood laminating, or using CF to stiffen the ribs that hold the rails. They also take a beating on hard landings. The CJM gear are nice, but they are also often too stiff to absorb a meaningful amount of shock.

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
 

Go see my P-51 not a top-gun scale winner but will be fun at the field. http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_35...tm.htm#3503284

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
 

Got mine done take a look!http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_35...tm.htm#3503284

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
 

Go see my P-51
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_35...tm.htm#3503284

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
 

Hey Aspalt did u get the gear doors dun? And also what scale is the p 51.

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
 

You are doing a fine job on your P-51 however I going to tell you something I’m sure you already know about. That single servo set up on the ailerons just spells disaster! Do your self a favor and change it out. It’s simply not a matter of if it will fail it’s a matter of when it will fail. I personally never use 2-56 ball links or solder on brass threads on flying surfaces there is way to much load for them. Put the servo out in the wing under a hatch like the flap servo they will fit just fine the wing is thick enough. As far as brass solder on threads go well they work fine on cables for pull pull stuff but not for dual ailerons. Also brass gets weak when heated too much and they can break. Not a good idea when most beginners don’t know how much heat to apply to them before they are unknowingly useless. So my best advice for this application and all other flying control links is as follows. Screw a plastic cleaves (not metal) onto a 2-56 (4-40 if larger that .60 size) threaded (on one end) rod for the control horn and then put a simple Z bend on the servo end. There are many types of Z bend pliers on the market any work just fine for this. Remember keep all your links as short as possible, strong with the least amount of parts.

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
 

Another tip for your landing gear.

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
 

More cool stuff ok now give that Mustang some bling bling. After I installed the gun molding that came with the kit I went with a smooth finished look for them. I cut off the tips of the guns and drilled a 3/16 hole through the L.E. of the wing in there place. I also cut an access hatch into the bottom just under the guns for later use. Now you need to fit in some 3/16 K&S aluminum tubing into the holes you drilled. Make sure the tubing goes through the L.E. and into the rib bay about ½” and extends from the gun mount about 3/16” to ¼” like the tips we cut off did. Now you need to go to Wal-Mart and buy two of those bright red led bike safety flashers. Take it apart keep the lights and board see how it works this is not hard to do. Unsolder the LEDs from the board pay attention to there polarity. Simply make the wires longer from the LED to the board about 3” or so. Now use some heat shrink tubing to attach the LEDs to the end of the new gun tubes in the rib bay. Find the place on the board that activates the different lighting affect you can make them blink slow fast or chase it’s just so cool. In the air you would swear they where firing real guns! To power this unit you can run wires out of the wing into the plane with the rest of the servo wires. A 1.5 volt battery. is all you need. If you don’t like red and would rather use another color like white or yellow you can do that to just order the LED color you need from this link below. By all means put lots of LEDs on the plane landing lights, navigation, cockpit lights these never burn out and are very very bright even in sunlight.
http://extremeled.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=5

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
 

Any ? or need more pics let me know.

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
 

That looks co cool. Must be even better in person. How about some machine gun sound now?