littlebobh

So I started work yesterday on my P-47. I got the fuselage completely stripped down so I can later fiberglass everything and paint it. I added the hinger covers on the back to make it look a little more scale looking. They arent completely scale cause I only had so much to work with, but they look alot better than having nothing. The next step is the add the hinge covers to the elevator as well. I will keep posting pictures and what not of my project. This is my first Giant Scale warbird and I am very excited. Any suggestions would be awesome!

thevirginian

Bobby;
Be very greedy on the epoxy resin. Don't use anything heavier than 3/4 Oz on cloth. Dilute the epoxy with denatured alcohol to get a watery viscosity. Place the cloth over the cleaned surfaces and use a foambrush to saturate cloth with epoxy. Don't saturate the balsa wood. You only add weight but no strength. After a couple of days curing sand the epoxy/ glass with 220. Don't use wet and dry at this point. Then brush on another thin layer of diluted epoxy. After another two days you can sand it with 220 grid wet and dry. If you use primer, use it very sparingly as it will add reduntant weight really quick.Always sand between applications. Only so you keep the weight under control. I weighted mine the other day and she topped off slightly more than 19lbs. This is not bad considering all the fiberglass work I did including the paint job. Also with a heafty G-38 in her nose. Keep us posted with your progress. It's always interesting to read how somebody else is doing a make over of an ARF. Good luck Bobby
thevirginian

thevirginian

Here are some new pictures of my P-47 in her new outfit.

littlebobh

looking good virginian! hopefully ill get mine lookin that good. i think im gonna go with Frank Tiano's radial too. Looks awesome! My dad has a Yellow P-47 the same size as mine and were going to do them both in 78th FG schemes.

jcflysrc

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thevirginian,

Your plane does look nice. I recently glassed a Hangar 9 Spitfire, and painted it with Warbird Colors paint. It turned out nice and final weight was 1/4 lb under the max estimated flying weight of 9.5 lbs! I used Robart retracts on mine. So littlebobh, if you are careful in your use of epoxy, and sand adequately, it IS possible not to turn your plane into a flying brick.

Looks good so far!

thevirginian

Thanks for the compliments, guys.
You are correct, jcflysrc. Glassing does not necessarely mean more weight.

littlebobh

virginian... im curious as to why you say not to use wet and dry after you apply the first layer?

B Shipp

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Hey Bobby,
Where are you and your dad flying?

Brian-

thevirginian

Bobby;
After the first layer of cloth and epoxy there are pinholes, which would allow the water to penetrate and soak the balsa wood. After the first sanding and the second coat everything should be sealed. Now it's safe to use 220 grid wet & dry with water. Again, make sure you use as little epoxy as possible.

littlebobh

Hey Brian... its been a long time eh? We fly up at PGRC now. Where are you flying?

Virginian... that makes sense. Makes the plane as light as you could get it.

Anyone know of a good place to get a 1/6th scale pilot bust?

Richard L.

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KMP has painted ones. Horizon Hobby has unpainted latex. Century Jet has both painted and unpainted versions.

mobyal

I'll be interested to watch this one....
You going to change the gear at all?
Al

littlebobh

no i plan on keeping the gear stock. they seem pretty sturdy enough. its all about the landing my good friend. steady decent to a nice soft 3 point landing. but i do plan on reshaping the wheel wells. i wanna make them bigger to fit 4 1/2 in. wheels. Bob Frey did that with his P-47. Im also gonna shape them to look a little more like the real ones

mobyal

Yeah. It's looks rather than function I was thinking about. I agree w/ you about the landing technique.... Tho I have to say, I do have a set of Shinden struts for mine, which also has a different scheme. "Big Stud" w/ checkered cowl flaps too. (See pics)
As you can see, I've got the markings on it, and will weather and flatten as I go along.
This was going to be my next project, but RC Guys new Super Decathalon called and is now on the bench. Guess the P47'll be my winter project.
Anyway, good luck to you and I hope to pick up some helpful pointers.
Al

littlebobh

lookin good! i like it. did u strip the monokote and then fiberglass it? or did you just paint over the monokote? and yea i think the gear look fine. its the damn wheels that are too small! haha but a little doctoring will fix that. i know what you mean about other project coming up. i was building a little 1/12th scale mustang before i go this kit. first giant scale... couldnt resist!

mobyal

Thanks.
No. No glassing or painting. The OD/Gray colors are those on the supplied covering. The checks on the cowl -- not true to the fullscale "Big Stud prototype, but I like them, so... -- are 1" Ultrakote squares ironed onto the individual cowl flaps w/ low heat. The markings on the plane just peeled right off, and all the graphics, including new fuse and wing stars/bars (which as supplied by H9 are way out of scale) were cut to scale for me by Dennis Kirby of Kirby's Kustom Vinyl Graphics using pics of the full scale prototype. If he has the pics and the full-scale dimensions he can make up about anything you want in the appropriate size.

Capt. Winters

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I thought I would share my little story here. I put together my first P-47, as shown in pic 1. I cleared it with Lustrekote flat. Well after sitting for about 1 month it began to brown. At first it was ok,as it just added to the overall effect of the weathering, but then it turned all brown. Can't have that, so I repainted the plane one more time . Here it is finished, pic 2. Pic 3 is one I am fiberglassing, hope to finish soon Capt. Winters

littlebobh

you did a really nice job finishing it Winters. did you do any ofther modifications to your plane?

thevirginian

Great job winters;
I used Minwax Helsman Satin Spar. Hope it won't turn amber. They say its for outdoors and I have luck with it, so far. Bobby, I like our idea about the "three point landing". Problem is, there aint such a thing as a three pointer and warbirds. You need to fly this thing in till the wheels touch the ground. Don't try to float her in. Big mistake[X(]. You only do it once. Believe me. But the stock gears are O.K. for decent landings. If your land hard they won't last long.

Capt. Winters

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Hi Littlebob, Both planes are stock, One has a g-26 ,the glassed P-47 will have a Brisson 3.2 for power First plane has a full cockpit, as will the second. Keep up the Pics on your project. Capt. Winters

littlebobh

where did you get your cockpit from?

Capt. Winters

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Littlebob, I built it from scatch,If your looking for a cockpit, Dynamic Balsa sells one to fit the P-47. Capt. Winters

BobH

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Capt. Is your cockpit/pilot full depth? I noticed that in order to make a full depth cockpit some of the structure needs to be cut away in the Fuse.
I'm posting a picture of the instrument panel for my Yellow P-47. It's scratch built from styrene. If lilbobh wants to make a similar one all he has to do is look on the work bench and use mine as an example.

Capt. Winters

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Hi Bob H, It was because of your help in the past I was able to make my own cockpits. Yes it is a full cockpit, I reinforced those areas that were cut out, I would like to see some pics of your finished P-47? Capt, Winters

littlebobh

Capt. Winters I was contemplating doing the full cockpit. At first, I wasnt going to do it because I hadnt heard or seen anyone who had done it. But I see that it looks awesome in your P-47 so I think I am going to cut it out and reinforce it. I guess Im lucky cause BobH is my father and I can just look at his and use it as a guide to make my cockpit. Where did you get your pilot from?