submikester

My Feedback: (6)

Here it goes I ordered it last week and it arrived today. It is of course the lovable Sig P-51B - made in China (proclaimed on the box).


This will be the normal, by the book build. I doubt I will deviate much as I don't have a lot of time for that. I've taken it out of the box to ensure all of the bits are there and I will hopefully start it this week. I need to get my hardware together and go buy a few servos and other bits.

I've built quite a few Sig products and so far this one looks to be on par with those - won't really know until I start.

I'll be using my trusty 9C with some 3004 series servos, maybe some 3151s. I'll be using a large 3000mah battery pack since there are so many servos in this bird (7 total).

I'll power it with my faithful Pre-surpass Os-!20 4 stroke. This is far from the most powerful engine out there but it looks good, runs reliably and sounds great.

You've seen the gas version, you've seen the electric version - brace yourself for the unassuming normal version.

Thorprops

Ok Submikester, I'll follow along with ya. Hope everything came out of the box ok. Keep us posted how it goes. I'm still on pins and needles with the TF stang on backorder with Tower[:@] It's ok I have some other birds to work on and update with some minor scale mods. Have fun with the build.

SMUGator

I'll be keeping an eye on your progress as well. I have a NIB FS-120 that was targeted for a BT Hellcat project. Since that one is now on the back burner due to the 1/6 Corsair scale build, I could use a little arfy for the meantime.

Tom

submikester

My Feedback: (6)

I went through the box last night to ensure all was there - appears it is. I'm in the process of cleaning up the garage and getting all the servos together tomorrow. Hopefully starting it tomorrow night, maybe laying things out on the bench at least.

submikester

My Feedback: (6)

First things first - have to get all my radio gear together.

2 servos for flaps

2 servos for ailerons

1 Rudder

1 Throttle

1 Elevator

1 Retract

I'll be using Futaba 3004s all around with a HiTec HS75BB retract servo.

I have a 6V 1800mah Nicd battery but I may go out and buy a Nimh. I have read some folks using a dedicated battery for the retracts and I am contemplating doing that here.

I have all the servos but it looks like I need to get some extensions and maybe a y-harness. I have a 9C, I'll use its mixing function for the flaps (use channel 6 &7 for the flaps) but since it is a 7-channel receiver I am using I'll need a y for the ailerons and a y for the battery/voltwatch.

Hopefully tomorrow there will be time to head to the LHS...

Thorprops

Ok Submikster, sounds like you're off to a good start. You may not need a second battery for the retracts if you have a 1800 mah flite pack. I use a HydraMax 2000mah 6v for my Hangar 9 60 warbirds with mech. retracts with plenty of battery capacity to run the servos. An extra pack may work ok if you need some weight up front. The second pack is good ins. though, so let us know how you set it up. The weather here in So. Cal is so sweet for flyin this weekend, I'm lovin it! [8D]

Flak

My Feedback: (1)

I would discard the mechanical retracts and gor for the Robart Econo air pneumatic retracts. I use them in my T/F P-51 and they are superb. Best of luck to you.

CorsairJock

My Feedback: (90)

I guess I just don't realize how lucky I was: I had a Great Planes AT-6 with mechanical retracts and a measly 600 mAH battery pack. I would fly it up to 6 times a day, with probably twice that many rectract cycles (I practiced touch and goes on the last flight or two of the day), and it never had a battery failure. I should have bought a Lotto ticket each and every day that I did that: I would have surely won by now with that kind of luck.

And then there is my DynaFlite Corsair with mechanical rotating retracts: pretty much the same story (except it had a 5 cell pack with 6 volt regulator).

Does any body out there have a Hobbico Accu-Cycle (or equivelent)? I like them so much that I have 4. They can tell me how much battery is left at the end of the day, which gives me a good indication of what my planes need (in mAH) for X amount of flights.

OK, I'll let it go for now. Enough on retracts and oversized battery packs.
Are you gonna use the stock, 2 1/2" wheels?

submikester

My Feedback: (6)

I'm using the mechanical retracts but if the stock ones suck I have a comparable pair that do not (suck).

The wheels have been on my mind I do not want to use them so I'm going to look into getting something at least bigger so things will look more correct.

I've had plenty of success with using one battery pack with mechanical retracts myself. I use a voltwatch which works extremely well (which I had those 20 years ago) in keeping you on your toes with the battery conditions. For charging I use my Triton Jr which does a very good job I really feel much better knowing what sort of charge my batteries needed when I need to charge them.

I went to the LHS today to pick up some supplies all rung up at the counter and I reached for my wallet and I forgot it.

DOH!

Maybe I'll go back tomorrow otherwise I'll hit it at lunch Monday.

mobyal

With you on this one. Want to see it built "out of the box".
Al

submikester

My Feedback: (6)

Well, I got the box down to the garage today and I really pulled everything out for inspection.

First I looked at the wings and they are very nice - I think 'noflaps' did a great job on his but I am not sure if he added larger wheels. The wheel wells would really need to be made much larger than they are for larger wheels (obviously) but there isn't a lot to work with there and I Would be concerned about taking any wood out. At this moment I am thinking of probably staying with the stock wheel size, maybe going up to 3" but I am definitely not using the stock foam wheels. They are ridiculously too light for the application. I would be surprised if they lasted a dozen flights. I hope Sig saved money on them, I'll buy some nice replacements.


Next I looked at the spinner and cowl. The spinner is a nice plastic spinner but its shape isn't right. Eventually I am sure I will replace it with an aluminum 4" spinner but this one will do for now. I know some folks have asked about the spinner's continuity of the shape of the airplanes nose, basically it is somewhat flattened in the prop cutout area, you can see it in the picture. All in all though it is a very nice spinner with good hardware included.

Following that I took a brief look at the fuse it isn't perfect but it looks good. The covering needs to be shrunk up and stuck down in a few places but it is a good job overall. Only slightly better I think than I could do myself. I believe eventually the airplane will have to be recovered but for now I will enjoy it as is (since that is the idea behind an ARF). I will say that I am again disappointed in the placement of the fuel tank for an inverted engine on another ARF. The tank is designed to be about 3/4" higher than it should be. My experience with inverted engines is that the tank should be ~1/4" below the carb centerline but at least in line with it. Above the centerline and you start to have idle problems, it is easy to fix but I don't think it should HAVE to be fixed - they designed it for an inverted engine, there is plenty of room - design it with the tank in the right place for crying out loud.

Last I looked at the landing gear. They are in their own package labeled "EZ" which looks a lot like the old EZ arf series logo. They appear to be a fiber-filled plastic resin. I'm concerned because they do not appear to have a set screw to hold the gear in. Otherwise they have very positive operation, the pushrod inside the gear appears to be the metric equal to 2/56" instead of 4/40" which I see normally on these low cost mechanicals. I believe I have an extra set of GP gear and I may use them because of these deficiencies - any feedback from current users is welcome.

Work this week will probably be a little light since I probably have to work most nights this week. But I should have some time starting Friday and I may take that day off to get started.

CorsairJock

My Feedback: (90)

I am familiar with the EZ retracts: isn't there a set screw in one side of the brass bushing? They are usually screwed in deep, and hard to spot, but the sets that I have seen have a set screw (on 1 side only).

If you are considering a mechanical alternative: the Robarts are the basically the same as thier air operated units. Just make sure you get the "HD"s, which have the 3/16" dia. struts.

I see what you mean, even 3" wheels would be a tight fit even if you left the wheel wells off. If it were me" I would consider removing some wood, so that I could install larger wheels. But then: I fly mostly from grass runways, where having bigger wheels not only makes it look better: it also makes ground hadling so much better.

I'm following you on this thread, while I patiently waiting for my Top Flite. I came REAL CLOSE to ordering the Sig on April 30th. That was the last day that I could have got $35 off the regular price (plus free shipping). But, I didn't, so now will be waiting until late June (or later?). Best of luck to you with your Sig.

submikester

My Feedback: (6)

Yeah, there is a big brass insert with a set screw very deep in there - not sure how I missed that last night especially since you can see it fairly clearly in the picture I took.

Well, I guess I will use them. They appear to move smoother than most that I have had so the only thing that worries me is how strong they are.

jmohn

All the stock part on this kit work great. My retract have been working fine without any issues. The only issues with them are an occasional adjustment if my landings aren't great. I have so many landings on this plane now that the tail wheels needs replacement The stock spinner wouldn't balance easily for me either, so I used a Dave Brown spinner. Otherwise mine was all stock, well except it's electric [)]


Jeff

submikester

My Feedback: (6)

Yeah, I saw your build thread. I will probably get the Dave brown as it looks very nice on your plane ($$$).

I fly from an asphalt runway so I typically don't need large wheels for ground handling but foam wheels do not hold up well or for very long. Do they on any surface?

jmohn

Mine are pretty well worn down and ready for replacement. I will be changing them when I install oleos. I must have around 100 flights on mine so far.


Jeff

submikester

My Feedback: (6)

I hate 30 minute epoxy. Putting the wing halves together this morning. I'm a little irritated - somehow I have some blemishes in my wing sheeting already. It's soft soft balsa so it doesn't take much. I think it will come out with a bit of heat so it probably isn't a big deal. I just don't know how it happened ALREADY!

30 minute epoxy sucks; takes 2 hours to set up so that things don't slip but the wing halves are just too much area to cover with 5 minute epoxy and I don't have anything in between. I've got it all clamped together in my garage at home so it should be okay. I used a dot of CA here and there to help hold things in place.

mobyal

I'm with you on the 30 min epoxy. Mix up a batch and you have to get it on quick or it'll begin to set so you can't apply it any longer, but takes forever to harden fully. I just leave it to cure overnight. Plus I always make a mess w/ it....
There's probably a better way; I'm just not smart enough to find it or skilled enough to use it! LOL
Al

jmohn

They make 15 minute epoxy, but it's more like 2 hour epoxy. Your doing it the right way. It needs a slow setup to harden correctly anyway. Use some IPA to clean up any mess too. Good luck...can't wait to see another P51B!

Jeff

submikester

My Feedback: (6)

I don't have a problem with the slow setup really - except that it is also slippery and hard to clamp big objects together so that they stay lined up properly.

I think I have it right - when I left this morning it had stayed lined up for about 30 minutes or so. It should be good and dry when I get home.

submikester

My Feedback: (6)

Wing looks good; I'll work on the flaps later tonight and hopefully move on to the next steps as well.

jmohn

I am ready to get another one and rip the covering off and make it a "Blue Nosed *******" P51B. Actualy the one I have now has a couple of cuts in the wing from me sticking the prop through it when I take the wing off maybe I will just recover it. It's a good winter project. It's flying weather now!


Jeff

submikester

My Feedback: (6)

Flaps are done, ailerons are done. Going to start on the gear tonight if I can break away from the wife.

submikester

My Feedback: (6)

Alright, I have to say - so far this is an awesomely done ARF. The covering is probably the part where it is lacking the most but that's okay really because if it doesn't last it will be easy to rip it off and do a fantastic recover on it. In fact...this thing is so nice it may negate the need for me to build the top flite kit.

Now...onto the progress:

I finished most of the wing today - I get half days on Friday so I worked pretty much from 1pm -4pm and then for an hour and a half or so after my son went to bed. The flaps went well just by following the instructions - you just have to ensure that you push those hinges into the hinge line well enough to eliminate the gap and ensure proper alignment with the contour of the wing. The manual suggests using a reversing y-harness. I didn't do that - I just used 2 channels on my radio and tied them to the same knob (one in reverse). I also reduced the travel of the servo to about 25% which gives me about 60 degrees deflection (I imagine that is enough) and eliminates any binding in the horn openings.

The ailerons don't require any mentioning as they are just ez hinges and are very well done.

Next came the gear - I am not a wizard with mechanical retracts and I've stripped enough retract servo gears to keep some extras on hand.

Totally not required here.

I'm a boy scout - reading directions is not in my nature - I know how to do everything already. But on a lark I read these and boy am I happy. These guys have everything measured and even have a template to bend the pushrods to in their! They tell you the measurements you need on the rods and what it should be at the servo horn. I followed them exactly, when I was done it darn near matched the pictures (very close) and holy crap! they are the smoothes retracts I have ever installed. Ever. So, I hope the gear hold up and I hope that I can put some struts on there in the near future. Since I haven't had a chance to get to the LHS I just put the stock wheels on there.

All I have left to do is the wheel wells and then the gear doors.

Tomorrow however I think I will skip that and start on the fuse.

The Landing gear is done.

submikester

My Feedback: (6)

Well, I had a bit of time to work on it today and I completed the radiator, front fairing and wing saddles. I 5 minutes epoxied all of those bits on and they seem to be set fairly well. I have the rudder servo installed and the tail wheel setup. Tomorrow I believe it is time to put the tail group together.

Hopefully I will have a bit of time to do it but it's mother's day with a pretty full day planned. We'll see...