Top-Flite T-34
10-24-2004, 03:40 PM
#251
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Top-Flite T34
Hal: I have been following the progress of your T34B with great interest. I was so impressed with your building skills and the beauty of the plane that I went out and bought the Top-Flite T34B kit. I'm currently working on the fuselage but was wondering how you tackled the sliding canopy? Any suggestions on your part would be welcome.
Zork
Zork
11-15-2004, 12:04 AM
#254
RE: Wing Fitting
CAP21, Like the cowl. Good looking for sure, just a lil short
. I have given up on my t-34, its so close but cant find the time or money with my competing jet addiction! It will probably just sit here in hopes of one day flying, unless someone wants it.
. I have given up on my t-34, its so close but cant find the time or money with my competing jet addiction! It will probably just sit here in hopes of one day flying, unless someone wants it.
11-15-2004, 07:44 PM
#256
RE: Wing Fitting
Hey jetbob, this one is fully loaded, and almost complete with all the details the wings can hold up. If you go back on this thread you will see my progress. It is in a great place to finish up building in few hours. It has a smoke system (skywriter), full nav, landing, strobe and position lights.
11-15-2004, 11:26 PM
#257
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Box Elder,
SD
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Wing Fitting
Panther, what are you selling it for?
Has anyone finished a T-34 or a plane of this size with "Flight Metal?" I'm trying to figure out how much weight it will add vs painting.
Has anyone finished a T-34 or a plane of this size with "Flight Metal?" I'm trying to figure out how much weight it will add vs painting.
11-15-2004, 11:35 PM
#258
RE: Wing Fitting
Hey sar, well i just gotta tell you. I am a broke air force staff sergeant that lets this hobby take me too far. I LOVE jets, and try to have them and these, cant do it. Not till i take my butt to the outside workforce! It has just been sitting here in my garage as i focus on my jets!!!! This thing is ready for flight metal, if desired. I have never seen one, but i was thinking about doing the MOPAR MENTOR, in flight metal! Would be sick, that was also why i put smoke in it.
11-16-2004, 08:25 AM
#259
Senior Member
My Feedback: (1)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Bedford, UK
Posts: 309
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Wing Fitting
Pantherflyr-
That's exactly the scheme I'm using on mine. I've got some updated photo's of the plane from Reno this year that I could email to you if you're interested. Julie's crew chief sent me the color codes for the paint too.
Imron
royal blue 6000 series
W0347H-sovereign blue met
W0229H-dark continental blue met (turquoise)
W0217H-silver met
I'm also going with Flite-Metal (the weight is less than paint & primer), although you'll use a lot of filler. The surface as to be absolutely smooth and clean. This was going to be my "learning" project with Flite-Metal, I've also got a Ziroli DC-3 as "Ship 41" (Delta Airlines flagship), that will be polished aluminum! Any idea what yours weighs now (with fiberglass) and what weight of cloth was used?
Chris
Pretty shiny...
That's exactly the scheme I'm using on mine. I've got some updated photo's of the plane from Reno this year that I could email to you if you're interested. Julie's crew chief sent me the color codes for the paint too.
Imron
royal blue 6000 series
W0347H-sovereign blue met
W0229H-dark continental blue met (turquoise)
W0217H-silver met
I'm also going with Flite-Metal (the weight is less than paint & primer), although you'll use a lot of filler. The surface as to be absolutely smooth and clean. This was going to be my "learning" project with Flite-Metal, I've also got a Ziroli DC-3 as "Ship 41" (Delta Airlines flagship), that will be polished aluminum! Any idea what yours weighs now (with fiberglass) and what weight of cloth was used?
Chris
Pretty shiny...
11-17-2004, 12:01 AM
#261
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Box Elder,
SD
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Wing Fitting
Ha Panter, I know what you mean.... I'm a broke Air Force TSgt and trying to budget out building this plane. I was trying to get a "Guess't-a-ment" of how much you have put into your project. I am tempted, but I have a boss that builds competitive scaled war-birds and thinks it's cheating if you don't build it yourself. Thinking about that, I agree. Hope I didn't offend by asking. If I do get serious about it, I will contact you and see if you still have it. Your T-34 looks awsome, if or when I build my T-34, I'm benchmarking alot of what you have done.
Chris, if you wouldn't mind I would like to see the pictures of the "MOPAR MENTOR" T-34. I want to get as much details on panel lines and rivet details as I can. Especially the quartering away picture with flaps fully extended. I just hit pay dirt and found my "Squadrons" T-34 book, now if I could only find my T-34 flight T/O. I'm still planning to detail my T-34A like the aircraft I flew 19 years ago with an all metal finish.
Are you planning to put flight metal over the model without fiberglass? If you are doing that with the DC-3, I would like to see pictures of that.
My E-Mail address is [email protected]
Chris, if you wouldn't mind I would like to see the pictures of the "MOPAR MENTOR" T-34. I want to get as much details on panel lines and rivet details as I can. Especially the quartering away picture with flaps fully extended. I just hit pay dirt and found my "Squadrons" T-34 book, now if I could only find my T-34 flight T/O. I'm still planning to detail my T-34A like the aircraft I flew 19 years ago with an all metal finish.
Are you planning to put flight metal over the model without fiberglass? If you are doing that with the DC-3, I would like to see pictures of that.
My E-Mail address is [email protected]
11-18-2004, 08:46 PM
#263
Senior Member
My Feedback: (1)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Bedford, UK
Posts: 309
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Wing Fitting
SarDog-
They're on their way to your email address. I sent them as a zip file. If you don't receive them let me know. I'll split them up as smaller files.
No I don't plan to put Flite-metal directly on the wood. It might look ok once, but would look like crap every time the wood was dented, it's not fuel proof either. I thought about putting fiberglass down with water based Polyurethane but you need the hardness of good old epoxy.
My DC-3 was built up from the Ziroli plans and crashed. I may just buy an American Eagle kit and re-use the hardware, it's a glass fuse with foam wings. I would be able to get it lighter than a glassed Ziroli, and put the 'metal on with less effort. (who am I kidding? I've been working on an arf since April. I'm never going to get to the -3).
Chris
They're on their way to your email address. I sent them as a zip file. If you don't receive them let me know. I'll split them up as smaller files.
No I don't plan to put Flite-metal directly on the wood. It might look ok once, but would look like crap every time the wood was dented, it's not fuel proof either. I thought about putting fiberglass down with water based Polyurethane but you need the hardness of good old epoxy.
My DC-3 was built up from the Ziroli plans and crashed. I may just buy an American Eagle kit and re-use the hardware, it's a glass fuse with foam wings. I would be able to get it lighter than a glassed Ziroli, and put the 'metal on with less effort. (who am I kidding? I've been working on an arf since April. I'm never going to get to the -3).
Chris
01-12-2005, 01:03 PM
#264
Senior Member
My Feedback: (1)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Bedford, UK
Posts: 309
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Top-Flite T-34
Just thought I'd throw in an update here:
I pulled it back out of the closet last weekend to start working on it again. After gluing the elevator counterbalance back on I started playing with the cockpit !QUOT!kit!QUOT!. I can't believe what a POS the ABS is. I'm having problems because the kit is so deep. With my big Multiplex servo's in the back I'm going to fudge it and make it a little shallow. Should help with access and giving all of the connectors a place to sit when assembled. I won't install the rearward panel and front instrument panel until the very last so that I have better access.
The cowl's on order from Fiberglass Specialties as the ABS is too soft and heavy for my tastes. I don't want to put a bunch of detail on it only to have the mounting screws rip the cowl. Once that's fitted I can final sand the fuse and get it ready for glass.
I've decided not to glass the wing to save weight. I think that chrome Ultracote will give me an acceptable finish on the top side and aluminum Monokote on the bottom. On the full size the top of the wing is polished and the bottom is painted, both are covered with decals. One nice feature of Julie Clark's plane is that all of the compound curves and problem area's are painted so I don't have to worry as much about it...
Almost forgot - I've decided to apolster the seats with cloth. The ABS is pretty flimsy so instead of adding a ply plate I filled the sides with expanding foam. That'll give the cloth something to glue to, and I can mount my seatbelts to the bottom.
I'll post some pics soon.
Chris
I pulled it back out of the closet last weekend to start working on it again. After gluing the elevator counterbalance back on I started playing with the cockpit !QUOT!kit!QUOT!. I can't believe what a POS the ABS is. I'm having problems because the kit is so deep. With my big Multiplex servo's in the back I'm going to fudge it and make it a little shallow. Should help with access and giving all of the connectors a place to sit when assembled. I won't install the rearward panel and front instrument panel until the very last so that I have better access.
The cowl's on order from Fiberglass Specialties as the ABS is too soft and heavy for my tastes. I don't want to put a bunch of detail on it only to have the mounting screws rip the cowl. Once that's fitted I can final sand the fuse and get it ready for glass.
I've decided not to glass the wing to save weight. I think that chrome Ultracote will give me an acceptable finish on the top side and aluminum Monokote on the bottom. On the full size the top of the wing is polished and the bottom is painted, both are covered with decals. One nice feature of Julie Clark's plane is that all of the compound curves and problem area's are painted so I don't have to worry as much about it...
Almost forgot - I've decided to apolster the seats with cloth. The ABS is pretty flimsy so instead of adding a ply plate I filled the sides with expanding foam. That'll give the cloth something to glue to, and I can mount my seatbelts to the bottom.
I'll post some pics soon.
Chris
01-12-2005, 01:25 PM
#265
Senior Member
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (1)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Tullahoma,
TN
Posts: 309
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Top-Flite T-34
Chris,
Glad to see someone is back working on their T-34. I'm trying to get back on mine soon. Too many things going on all the time. I just heard from my dad that another full-scale T-34 lost a wing in flight and crashed. The bad news is it had already had the spar modified. So, all T-34's are grounded.
Jerry
Glad to see someone is back working on their T-34. I'm trying to get back on mine soon. Too many things going on all the time. I just heard from my dad that another full-scale T-34 lost a wing in flight and crashed. The bad news is it had already had the spar modified. So, all T-34's are grounded.
Jerry
01-12-2005, 02:16 PM
#266
Senior Member
My Feedback: (1)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Bedford, UK
Posts: 309
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Top-Flite T-34
I just read an article on the T-34 spars in one of the full-scale mags. I detailed how the FAA over-reacted the last time by grounding the entire fleet and how some of the mods were un-satisfactory to the owners. As I remember it, there's a full replacement spar, a doubler, hybrid replacement and the strap availible. They attributed most if the failures to high-time trainers and poor maintenance. I sincerely hope that they don't stay grounded long. Watching Julie in the T-34 has got the wheels turing regarding a Bonanza. (of course I've got to finish getting my ticket first...)
Chris
Chris
02-23-2005, 10:09 PM
#270
Senior Member
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (1)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Tullahoma,
TN
Posts: 309
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Top-Flite T-34
I was talking to a retired Delta pilot the other day and he said the T-34 that lost a wing was caused by a failure of the carry through spar. That is a totally different failure than before.
Jerry
Jerry
02-26-2005, 09:21 AM
#271
Senior Member
My Feedback: (12)
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Madison, WI,
Posts: 630
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Top-Flite T-34
Seems hard to believe but the T34's are almost 50 years old. I guess that it is NOT a very good idea to subject them to repeated high "G" manuvers. I have heard that in the "mock dogfights" that were taking place in Texas was putting high "G" asymetricals loads on the airplanes which they were NOT designed to withstand especially after 50 yrs of service.
I can forsee the FAA restricting the a/c to non-aerobatic status as a result of the failures. I know this is very disappointing to the many RESPONSIBLE T34 owners.
I can forsee the FAA restricting the a/c to non-aerobatic status as a result of the failures. I know this is very disappointing to the many RESPONSIBLE T34 owners.
02-26-2005, 09:44 AM
#272
Senior Member
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (1)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Tullahoma,
TN
Posts: 309
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Top-Flite T-34
HalH,
Did you ever finish your T-34? Or have you been side-tracked like me? I'm hoping to get back to work on mine shortly. I want to get it finished so I can start on my Don Smith B-17.
Jerry
Did you ever finish your T-34? Or have you been side-tracked like me? I'm hoping to get back to work on mine shortly. I want to get it finished so I can start on my Don Smith B-17.
Jerry
03-23-2005, 09:35 PM
#273
Senior Member
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (1)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Tullahoma,
TN
Posts: 309
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Top-Flite T-34
I'm back working on my T-34 finally. Right now I'm glassing all the small parts and will start glassing the wing and fuselage shortly.
03-26-2005, 04:08 PM
#274
RE: Top-Flite T-34
ORIGINAL: teamscalepilot yes I took about 70 pictures of there T-34 for documenation...
I read one thing and see another. Contemplating electrifying a P-40? See you and George in Lakeland next month.