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Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt ARF .60-.91: Building & Mods

Old 12-08-2011, 01:36 PM
  #726  
7kings
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Default RE: Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt ARF .60-.91: Building & Mods

TonyBuilder - that thing looks incredible! Great job, buddy!

Question - where'd you get the pin-up girl graphics? I found a few sites that have them, but it seems like the smallest anyone is wanting to produce is 6" in length.
Old 12-08-2011, 01:44 PM
  #727  
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Default RE: Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt ARF .60-.91: Building & Mods


ORIGINAL: landeck

TonyBuilder, where did you get the 5mm rod to connect your struts to the retract mechanism?

Bruce
I used the rod that came with my E-flight retracts and I cut them to size, with an extra pair for field replacement if I bend one.

TB
Old 12-08-2011, 01:48 PM
  #728  
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Default RE: Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt ARF .60-.91: Building & Mods


ORIGINAL: 7kings

TonyBuilder - that thing looks incredible! Great job, buddy!

Question - where'd you get the pin-up girl graphics? I found a few sites that have them, but it seems like the smallest anyone is wanting to produce is 6'' in length.
http://stores.ebay.com/HECTIC-DECALS

TB
Old 12-08-2011, 01:49 PM
  #729  
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Default RE: Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt ARF .60-.91: Building & Mods

The prop shown is not the one I will be using, I am starting out with a 17x10x 3 blade and would also like to try a 15.5x12x 4 blade too, that would be the preferred look for this bird.
I am finding it hard to not do more detail work on this baby, but my better half says "leave it alone, she is done" we will see if that happens!


TB

Old 12-09-2011, 10:18 AM
  #730  
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Default RE: Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt ARF .60-.91: Building & Mods


The birth of the ARF! Simply amazing the ingenuity to build a plane like this that one could put together in there back yard with basic tools and a hundred friends, imagine UPS showing up with that kit



Old 12-16-2011, 02:52 PM
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Default RE: Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt ARF .60-.91: Building & Mods

I tried to do my maiden the other week but when I got to the field and started to set up my Jug I noticed the tail wheel was castering. So I pulled the hatch cover off for the tail wheel and found that the steering arm bracket had crumbled. So no maiden that day. I did test different props to see what would work. The 17x10 3 blade was pulling 1200w and about 10lbs of thrust. Next was the 14x7x 3blade, this was pulling 600w, and around 5lbs of thrust so that one was tossed out of the running. Next was a 18x8 Xoar and it pulled 850w at around 8lbs of thrust so that might be the test prop for the first flight. I do have a 15.5x12x 4 blade I haven’t thoroughly tested yet but it looks like it will pull 850w + at around 8-9 lbs so that might work too.
For the tail wheel fix I made a bracket out of steel and a brass bushing, soldered it on and it works great, should have done that in the first place. I also went with a ball connector instead of the one provided.
Hopefully I will be able to maiden this weekend, rain might push me back to closer to Xmas though.


TB
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Old 12-16-2011, 03:22 PM
  #732  
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Default RE: Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt ARF .60-.91: Building & Mods

Tony,

Do you fly at the ARCA field off 290?
Old 12-16-2011, 05:45 PM
  #733  
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Default RE: Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt ARF .60-.91: Building & Mods


ORIGINAL: Lifer

Tony,

Do you fly at the ARCA field off 290?
Yes I fly at ARCA, and HCAM, mostly at the south field being it is only 10min from my house and ARCA is 50min away.

TB
Old 12-17-2011, 04:30 AM
  #734  
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Default RE: Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt ARF .60-.91: Building & Mods

I belonged to the ARCA club in the mid-80's. Lots of good memories!

Sorry to briefly hijack the thread...
Old 12-18-2011, 05:32 PM
  #735  
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Default RE: Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt ARF .60-.91: Building & Mods

I put the engine (O.S. FS-95V 4-stroke) through its break-in tanks a few days ago. First thing I'd like to say is that this engine looks to be a winner. It started right up, tuned easy, and sounded great. One thing that happened during the break-in procedure (on the second tank), is that my left aileron servo went south on me. It had worked fine up until this point, when I happened to look over and see the aileron jammed as far up as it will go. I recycled the receiver, hoping that would fix it, but no dice. After troubleshooting the system, I determined that the servo itself went bad on me. Thank God this showed up on the second tank of break-in while she was on the ground and not in the air during maiden.

This is a Hitec HS-485HB (Link here). Anyone have any similar experiences with these servos, or was this just a fluke? I usually use Futaba servos, but Hitecs were recommended to me by a couple guys at the field.
Old 12-18-2011, 06:21 PM
  #736  
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Default RE: Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt ARF .60-.91: Building & Mods

7kings, we are both lucky today. I maddened my jug and on the second time threw the pattern and just got her trimmed it was apparent that she was very sluggish and barley flying so on my approach down wind to land the motor started to scream and it appeared I lost the prop but instead the motor was failing. I was low and loosing altitude fast so I turned into the wind to land on the grass but I was to slow, too low and all out of air. She came in ok but a little hard, flipped over only breaking the Woden prop and bending the landing gear post, love those soft post! No damage and it could have been really bad. after inspection the motor was screwed up and not working correctly. I am new to electrics so not much to go on. It appears my motor was to big, underpowered ( only 6s) and not enough prop, and a defective motor on top of that! So back to the bench.

I have a 60size motor that I had on another plane so I mounted that and it looks like the right fit, higher KV (400 vs 250) then the other one and pulls a lot stronger. It has the same mounting pattern so no adjustment needed, just need another good day to fly.

As for the servos, they go bad from time to time. I have had really good high end servos fry in flight and some die on the ground like yours. I had one die today on my chippy, all was good on pre flight then on roll out to taxi as I did my last control check the ruder stopped responding, dead as a door nail. Just lucky it happened on the ground and not during a knife edge

TB
Old 12-19-2011, 04:27 AM
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Default RE: Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt ARF .60-.91: Building & Mods

Wow TonyBuilder - close call for both of us - that's for sure (although it sounds like yours was a little more exciting than mine!). I just keep thinking about how bad it would have been had the servo failed in the air. I'm not sure there'd be any way to bring the bird down safely with a fully-up aileron, and if there is a way, I'm pretty sure I'm not good enough of a pilot to do it .
Old 12-21-2011, 05:29 AM
  #738  
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Default RE: Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt ARF .60-.91: Building & Mods

So I got the motor situation worked out,for now! I am very new to electrics so still learning! With the Bigfoot60 and a Xoar 17x8 I am getting 1450w at 69a pulling close to 11lb on thrust. With the new motor and the two 6s 3300 batteries I added 3 oz to the noes for good measure, she balanced perfectly with the batteries pushed all the way forward but I want to be sure so I added the weight, I can take it off once I see how she flies. With this same motor I was getting 9 min at full with one 6s 4000 on another plane, so I am hoping that with the two 6s 3300/ and or the two 6s 4000 that I will get close to 8 mins of full throttle performance, we will see!
Ready to fly weight is 12 lb 10 oz.
Looking forward to get this bird off my bench, out of my house and into the air

TB
Old 12-21-2011, 06:27 PM
  #739  
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Default RE: Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt ARF .60-.91: Building & Mods

Hey guys - kinda a noob question for you. I've never used a spinner nut before, and need to know how you guys usually use them. I'm using an O.S. FS-95v, which has a washer, hub nut, and lock nut. By the time I put them all on with the prop, there's not much room left for the spinner nut. I'm looking for some advice here - do I lose the locking nut and just use the washer, nut, and spinner nut, or just the washer and the spinner nut?

Thanks guys!
Old 12-22-2011, 10:04 AM
  #740  
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Default RE: Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt ARF .60-.91: Building & Mods

On my gas engines DLE20 I just use the prop washer and the adaptor for the spinner, in your case depending on the type of hub you are using you will just use the hub as your nut, if it is a tru-turn then you use the hub washer that comes with it and the adaptor, basically what ever works is the method, no set way to do it. On my P47 electric I am just using the washer and prop hub, no nut.

TB
Old 12-22-2011, 11:57 AM
  #741  
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Default RE: Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt ARF .60-.91: Building & Mods

The problem is that he is using a four stroke glow engine and that should use a saftey nut to double nut the prop. Otherwise there is a chance the engine will throw the prop on a backfire. I solved the problem by geting a hub spinner and saftey nut/adapter from True Turn. It looks identical to the one that came with the kit.

Bruce
Old 12-22-2011, 01:50 PM
  #742  
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Default RE: Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt ARF .60-.91: Building & Mods

The reason I'm asking this is because I did throw the propeller during break-in already, even though I was pretty sure I had tightened it sufficiently. The way it was set up was just the washer and spinner nut at the time. I've since installed the O.S.-provided locking nut pair that came with the engine, but want to get back to the spinner nut (just safely, this time).

Based on some advice I got from someone today, I've ordered: Harry Higley's Light Lock Nut to pair up with a tru-turn spinner nut. I'm hoping the combination of the two of these will provide a secure setup.

Old 12-23-2011, 05:15 AM
  #743  
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Default RE: Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt ARF .60-.91: Building & Mods

Hi gents, I'm a bit of a late arrival to the thread, but I was just given one of these planes as a gift and I'm anxious to get started on it. As far as engine choices go, I'm looking through my shelves and an Evolution 100 that I can't ever find a use for stood out to me. I know some may think this is too much engine for the plane, but I'm a bit of a speed freak so the power will be just right for me. I'm curious about mounting it though. The consensus seems to be that you should not mount the Evo 100 inverted because it just doesn't like to run that way. There isn't enough room in the cowl to mount the engine sideways, but there is enough room to mount it upright. I'm concerned about cooling air though. So, my question to you guys is this: If I cut the top "cylinder" out of the dummy radial instead of the one on the bottom, and I figure out a way to open up the simulated cowl flaps, do you think this will allow enough airflow over the head to keep it cool?

My backup plan is an O.S. 91 mounted sideways. It is much more compact that the Evo with it's funky looking cylinder head. Thanks!
Old 12-23-2011, 05:23 AM
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Default RE: Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt ARF .60-.91: Building & Mods

Hi irocbsa! I'm surprised you have enough room to mount an engine upright in this cowl, but I'll take your word for it.What is your opposition to mounting the O.S. inverted instead of sideways (if you go that route)? As far as the cooling goes, The manual states that you must have at least 6 square inches of vent for proper engine cooling. I'm not sure you'll be able to get that by opening the cowl flaps a little.
Old 12-23-2011, 06:48 AM
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Default RE: Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt ARF .60-.91: Building & Mods

Haven't read the manual yet, thanks for the heads up. It will be tough to get that amount of area.

I'm not particularly opposed to mounting the O.S. inverted, I'm just trying to finally find a use for this Evo motor! I'm going to take another look tonight. I might be able to squeeze the Evo in there by clocking it at about 10 o'clock.
Old 12-23-2011, 06:54 AM
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Default RE: Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt ARF .60-.91: Building & Mods

Can anyone help me out?
I have searched the site for how to start a new post.... no luck. I have tried to send a message to Moderators.... less luck
I am trying to let fellow enthusiasts in my area know that I have several large planes available for pick up only....
any help would be apprieciated
Thanks
Old 12-23-2011, 08:16 AM
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Default RE: Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt ARF .60-.91: Building & Mods

If you navigate to the root of the appropriate forum, you'll see a "New Post" button on the top of the page above the list of threads. Hope that helps.
Old 12-23-2011, 09:58 AM
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Default RE: Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt ARF .60-.91: Building & Mods

I tried that, it tells me to log in, even though I am already looged in. thanks anyway
Old 01-14-2012, 09:04 PM
  #749  
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Default RE: Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt ARF .60-.91: Building & Mods

Hello
Where would it be the best place to find a pilot for the p-47 ?
Tower hobbies?
Can't seem to find one anywhere else.
Thanks for the help.
Old 01-15-2012, 06:08 AM
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Default RE: Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt ARF .60-.91: Building & Mods

I bought an Aces of Iron 1/7 scale pilot for mine - I think he looks great, despite my lack of painting talent. He came as a bust, which I glued down to a pair of Century Jet pilot legs I had laying around. The Century Jet pilot looked like crap, honestly, so I never used it.

www.acesofiron.com/7th_scale.htm


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