frets24

My Feedback: (15)

Thanks Dail,
That method or the "clothesline" method may be what I'll have to use. I modified a 90* mechanical main gear unit to get a more scale-like forward retracting TW. Typical rearward TW retract units (like the one in scale dails photos above) only shift 30-45* and I've been able to use a ball-link and rod assembly with that type successfully, but the 90* unit seems to defy this type of arrangement so far.
If anyone has a different idea or mechanism, I'm open to all options and brainstorming.
below is what I'm dealing with


Thanks,

Lee

Riddle4U

Lippo, nice to see someone building the B-17! Your work looks fine..keep 'er straight. You'll want to glass and paint this one; easier than Monokote in this case! Please don't use film on Royals. Interesting stuff on the thread, guys!

Someone asked about my Zero's gear; it is an old Rhom pneumatic (amongst the first commercialy produced). Robart has done a good job of covering that market now. No sense in using the fixed wire in any Royal from my perspective. If you are going to "rip into" one of these old kits...by all means do it! Make it worthy though, and take some time.

Scale Dail pleads for improvement on P-38 gear placement. I say he has a good spirit on Royals, so take heed. I tend to agree with him that these kits were meant to be built...and DISPLAYED ON THIS THREAD! You can't take it with you. When you build one, make sure you have just some bit of confidence in your basic building skill, however. We don't want to see a gluey mess in the closet for 10 yrs.! These are never meant to be "first builds". Lippo looks to have a great start; bravo! - Eric

p.s. Interesting stuff Frets, on our thread. I noticed from your link (this day) that that Royal Sr. went for $85! What a steal. I think it is ok to give a heads-up to guys interested in buying a Royal kit here; on Ebay. Just know, as Dail underlines, that we aren't a clearing house here for Royal kits. The "heads-up" notices are fine, even if it becomes a friendly bidding war between us (haven't seen that yet..prolly good).

scale dail

My Feedback: (8)

Frets, that tailwheel strut looks great! Your P-51 is Giant! 60 size!
Another way to get the doors up if you have room is a small pushrod with ball links on both sides providing a hard link between the strut and doors, like what the guys use on the Zirolli P-40 main gear doors. Or a wire with a coil bent to hold the doors open, and another wire mounted to the doors bent out so that the retracting strut will strike the wire pulling them closed. I hope that makes at least a little sense[&:].

lippo

I think the nacelles on this B17 are meant for Royals own retract system,Robarts one is bigger than the one I settled for which was from a company over here called Unitracts International (more expensive than Robarts) having said that the nacelle and where it fits into the wing had to be cut about quite a bit.So I had to get advice from my friend before I did anything,good job as well as I just don't have the know how. A spar had to be cut away and also part of the nice tongue & groove construction and then put some strength back into the wing with some lite ply,but its starting to look good in my eyes.


http://www.unitracts.co.uk/

Riddle4U

Terrific looking work Lippo. Thanks for the pics. Who're you trying to kid about your "know how", you know how to make nice gap free joints without mess and filler! Keep it up, I like the look of the gear! Can't wait to see how it turns out (yea, some time from now, certainly). You've inspired me to read a book my mom got for me last Christmas: "Masters of the Air", which is about the American bomber pilots stationed in England. The B-17 was a nice looking aircraft..a classic! Dropped some bombs too! -E Tally ho!

frets24

My Feedback: (15)

What he said!!! Definitely! It takes time, effort and attention to detail to build a model that stands out from the rest as being exemplary, not just a tic above average. the first part of that attention and effort shows in the framing and it is what is very evident in your build...and what makes it such a pleasure to see coming together. In other words "spot on, Lippo!"

Scale dail, Below are a few snaps of someone elses ball-link and rod assy like what I think you were indicating in the first part of your reply, (which is a method I would also highly recommend.) Reposted pics here as good tips for anyone else doing gear doors. I've used this method and been very pleased with the result as well.
Unfortunately in my current case, I'm having trouble getting the geometry to work out on a test platform due to the 90* action of the gear strut on one axis and a 90* action in a perpendicular plane of the doors. ball-links pop apart due to too much of an oblique angle and a rotating clevis assy is proving difficult to make small/short enough. Just about to give it up and go with your 2nd method suggestion, spring open and pull wire closure, like used on your Kyosho P-51. (fantastic 40 size scale detailing and build thread on that one too! look it up , guys)

for now I'm gonna rest my head on the TW conundrum for a while and finish up my scratch-scale display prop. weathering and decaling are all thats left. (Yes, I'm keeping you in mind on the nomenclature R4U) Some time lapse build pics of that build for whomever, as possible project/method reference material.

frets24

My Feedback: (15)

and the rest....
Would have been so much easier if Top-flite hadn't discontinued their scale display props!

decal worksheet ready for photo copying size adjustments and then decal making

lippo

Yes I do intend to fibre glass the lot except for the rudder and elevators,for that I have some really nice fabric as I was told thats how the original was.

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

remember that scale fly in where some nut brought this?



That was a fun day,

WhiteRook

My Feedback: (38)

the guy on the left looks like peter sellers

lippo

Hello guys last of the pictures this is where I am at the moment starting to fit retracts and the nacelles into the wing,couldn.t resist the last pic just to get an idea of how it will look.

Pit-Viper 1

My Feedback: (12)

hey guys, wonderful projects and beautiful planes. I was wondering if anyone still sales the royal kits or are they under a different name now. I am looking for either a Corsair or Zero. I know the Royal line was discontinued quite some time ago, hoping someone still kits these wonderful planes.

Thanks,
Shane

frets24

My Feedback: (15)

P Viper-1,

No, sadly these kits are becoming more and more rare everyday. The "Royal line" you refer to was a U.S.A. entity only, composed of the original manufacturer, Marutaka(japan), and the distributer, Royal Products(colorado,usa) They both went out of business long ago. The European distributer continued for about a year after Royal here in the US went under (hearsay only-unverified) With the introduction of ARF's, and people being less inclined to build when they can just dump something out of a box and push the fly button, there are fewer kits being offered by any manufacturer.


Most of the plans are available as reproductions on EBay as well as most of the canopies and molded plastic parts. I have heard that there are some kit cutters that will cut all of the flat stock and may also do the rough band-sawing of the block stock as well.

There still seem to be kits available on EBay on a sporadic basis. They go for a premium price usually. As the real purists (like those folks found here) buy them and BUILD them they will continue to become rarer in the kit form. And with the devotion of some, even the seemingly unsalvagable will see the air yet again!


Lippo,
Great progress, thanks again for sharing. I for one am enjoying seeing the frame up and build on one of the rarer and more involved kits.

Pit-Viper 1

My Feedback: (12)

Yeah that's what I was afraid of, I to like the older models and enjoy building. I currently have an old GP Skylark twin that was actually built about 15 yrs. ago and an Ace Seamaster 120(full kit) being built right now. managed to get a hold of a Venture 60 that had been discontinued with in the last year as well. I saw an ad on ebay tonight and there was a 1/5 Corsair, P-38 lightning, and a few others as well as some plans all being sold by the same individual. A guy who builds for me on tougher project, like the seamaster that can't be replaced, has an original Royal kit sitting in the box. He handed me the cowl one time and I thought *** would you put something like this on a plane for? Then I did some research, needless to say he won't part with it lol.. Can't blame him though. There's also one hanging from the ceiling in Central Hobbies store, unflown, and the guy who built it did AMAZING work on it. He hand made scale exhaust off an OS.61 I think and the cockpit,gear/doors/bays and flaps are a masterpiece. He won't fly it cause he doesn't feel he did the hinges correctly and rather than loose it he hung it up. I want to cry every time I see it, or a quick grab-and-go. [sm=tongue_smile.gif]

Thanks,

Shane

scale dail

My Feedback: (8)

Pour it out of the box and push the fly button!!!!! Great one Frets! I think I've said the same thing! O so true. But not here in Royal country! We wield a craving knife and sanding block around here! AND WE CAN PICK UP OUR MODELS WITH OUT WRENCHING OUR BACKS[>:]!
Had Enough! those were the days! At the Basin!

frets24

My Feedback: (15)

Wish I could claim it as an original quip, it's a good one.

Found the kit cutter info;

Riddle4U

I grew up in the days when a .60 was big Dail. I also appreciate the larger planes. No problems. Maybe we can push for an AMA scale contest..but limit it to smaller hand carved and sanded smaller models? We could chat about this briefly on this thread to a point without fear of hijacking (it is a thread I started after all...and thank you all for keeping it going). I am just all about hand crafting and carving raw balsa blocks. Use your dremel or whatever, but carve away everything that "isn't the A6M3 Zero..for example". Fun..have we forgotten the fun of building? It is fun to exercise your skills on these old kits. Never forget that there are lots of plans available for anything! I am behind any effort such as that(Royal or not)!

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

The day I was referring to was up at the Cross Wind's,,, you had the Tsunami out

aerowoof

Hi,
can anyone here help me out with a tracing or scan of the side of the royal spitfire 60 size,I pulled one out of the trash that folded a wing and crashed but is repairable if I replace both sides from rear of wing saddle forward and can find a canopy.the kits i have built the actual parts did not match up with the plans due to paper expanding/shrinking with humidity that is why I am asking for a tracing or scan of an original side.thanks

I-fly-any-and-all

My Feedback: (1)

I thought I should clarify what I said earlier, the guy on ebay who does the reproduction cowls for the b-25 and corsair that I spoke of makes them from aluminum and they are of excellent quality!

olenorski

I'm wondering. Has anyone ever compiled a complete list of all Royal and Murataka kits produced? Every so often, someone comes up with another kit, like the very rare P-40, that I didn't even know they produced.

Dave G.[8D]

Pit-Viper 1

My Feedback: (12)

I was doing a search and came across a forum that did just that, can't remember where but I was searching for Royal/Murataka kits when I found it. Very extensive list as well. If i come across it I'll post a link.


Shane

CaptainBlueSky

Hi Dave, Hi Shane,

I started this on may 18th and so far this topic had 1439 hits but I received only one message to help me building this list...

Here is the link: http://rcroyal.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard...ct=ST;f=1;t=32

Happy landings,

Al

Pit-Viper 1

My Feedback: (12)

That's it, lot's of good models there.

Thanks Captain,
Shane

Michaelj2k

There's a bunch of Royal kits listed on our favorite auction site right now. Looks like someone is cashing in his stash.