Construction Tips? TF 1/4 Scale P-51D
09-04-2002, 01:28 PM
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Construction Tips? TF 1/4 Scale P-51D
I have just started building a Gold Edition Giant Scale TF P-51D Mustang kit. I would like to talk with someone who has built this model and pick up construction tips. Although the construction directions are outstanding I'm sure that an experienced builder will have additional advice.
09-06-2002, 02:38 PM
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Construction Tips? TF 1/4 Scale P-51D
I just finished the Corsair (TF Giant). There are a ton of things you can do to these kits, and as many places to flex your skills.
First, let me say that with only few exceptions, these kits are amazing. Very well thought out.
I'm sure this will turn into a conversation, but for starters, here are some things that helped me:
I bought 'everything' before beginning. Key things are radio gear, retracts, and any hardware that you plan to replace (steel pushrods go away in all my planes). Stan's Fiber Tech makes great fiberglass cowls, scoops and stuff to replace the ABS parts. 75 bucks well spent.
Next, do you have a really big FLAT table? The wing and fuse both build up as single structures, and need to be jigged well. That done, though, the kit makes getting a straight wing with good washout very easy. My Corsair flys like a dream, with no list to either side.
Do the US 41. It's a really simple treat of an engine. You can read about the mods I made to it by searching for 'US 41' in the search engine. The Corsair flys great with it and an 18/12 prop 40 foot take-off roll, and it's not touchy holding low power settings on approach. I come in about 3-4,000 rpm, only cutting power to near idle after well established on the approach, half flaps, dirty all the way. With a bigger engine, you will practically have to flirt with engine cut-off on final. Point being that these birds fly lighter than they really are due to good kit design. They are NOT the unruly warbirds that Byron and Yellow are cranking out. They give away scale in key spots to get a better-flying model. Look at the Corsair's wing-tips, real and Top-flight. Or the empenage, which sacrifices airfoil shaped surfaces to detune their performance (and the Corsair is still very trigger-happy in the elevator).
And, the US 41 fits in the cowl and can run with two pin-holes for cooling!
I built light in the rear to save weight, but blew it with the empennage linkage, and had to do a surgical repair after first-flight. I recommend looking at the plan and parts they give you there, and raise the quality based on your best skills, perhaps even going for a hidden pull-pull. I did that. I have digi-photos. More on that in a minute.
To give you an idea of who I am relative to all this:
I come from sailplanes. Big. F3B, 2-4 meter. The Corsair is my first powered plane. My building skills were exercised but not stretched by this kit. The way the wings and fuse are skinned was new, and the result was fascinating. Glider jigging gave me good wing-building skills, which paid off handsomely.
I fully plan to build every TF Gold Giant kit. It just happens to be very much exactly what I would look for in a kit series. Major systems can be swapped out (the US 41 can be run in all of them, and swaps out in ten minutes). Building technique is good and solid. I was even eyeing another Corsair when they discontinued the kit. This is another reason to get everything in front of you before beginning. My giant air tank for the retracts was on back-order, and it's buried early in the construction, so I was stalled. Don't go there. And don't skimp anywhere, either. Gear doors, fiberglass mods, engine mods, brass tubing for the empennage linkage, all should be in your head and on the board before you start. Things can go fast. I was building entire substructures in a session.
Have you built giant before? I came from gliders, where giant was still feather-light. I had to get used to large amounts of glue and stuff. Don't be afraid to glue the begeezees out of things, gear rails, etc. I've heard that all these kits dump gear if it's not well anchored.
email me privately if you want some photos of anything. I've also posted many here. search for my username, sagacity.
Cheers!
greg
First, let me say that with only few exceptions, these kits are amazing. Very well thought out.
I'm sure this will turn into a conversation, but for starters, here are some things that helped me:
I bought 'everything' before beginning. Key things are radio gear, retracts, and any hardware that you plan to replace (steel pushrods go away in all my planes). Stan's Fiber Tech makes great fiberglass cowls, scoops and stuff to replace the ABS parts. 75 bucks well spent.
Next, do you have a really big FLAT table? The wing and fuse both build up as single structures, and need to be jigged well. That done, though, the kit makes getting a straight wing with good washout very easy. My Corsair flys like a dream, with no list to either side.
Do the US 41. It's a really simple treat of an engine. You can read about the mods I made to it by searching for 'US 41' in the search engine. The Corsair flys great with it and an 18/12 prop 40 foot take-off roll, and it's not touchy holding low power settings on approach. I come in about 3-4,000 rpm, only cutting power to near idle after well established on the approach, half flaps, dirty all the way. With a bigger engine, you will practically have to flirt with engine cut-off on final. Point being that these birds fly lighter than they really are due to good kit design. They are NOT the unruly warbirds that Byron and Yellow are cranking out. They give away scale in key spots to get a better-flying model. Look at the Corsair's wing-tips, real and Top-flight. Or the empenage, which sacrifices airfoil shaped surfaces to detune their performance (and the Corsair is still very trigger-happy in the elevator).
And, the US 41 fits in the cowl and can run with two pin-holes for cooling!
I built light in the rear to save weight, but blew it with the empennage linkage, and had to do a surgical repair after first-flight. I recommend looking at the plan and parts they give you there, and raise the quality based on your best skills, perhaps even going for a hidden pull-pull. I did that. I have digi-photos. More on that in a minute.
To give you an idea of who I am relative to all this:
I come from sailplanes. Big. F3B, 2-4 meter. The Corsair is my first powered plane. My building skills were exercised but not stretched by this kit. The way the wings and fuse are skinned was new, and the result was fascinating. Glider jigging gave me good wing-building skills, which paid off handsomely.
I fully plan to build every TF Gold Giant kit. It just happens to be very much exactly what I would look for in a kit series. Major systems can be swapped out (the US 41 can be run in all of them, and swaps out in ten minutes). Building technique is good and solid. I was even eyeing another Corsair when they discontinued the kit. This is another reason to get everything in front of you before beginning. My giant air tank for the retracts was on back-order, and it's buried early in the construction, so I was stalled. Don't go there. And don't skimp anywhere, either. Gear doors, fiberglass mods, engine mods, brass tubing for the empennage linkage, all should be in your head and on the board before you start. Things can go fast. I was building entire substructures in a session.
Have you built giant before? I came from gliders, where giant was still feather-light. I had to get used to large amounts of glue and stuff. Don't be afraid to glue the begeezees out of things, gear rails, etc. I've heard that all these kits dump gear if it's not well anchored.
email me privately if you want some photos of anything. I've also posted many here. search for my username, sagacity.
Cheers!
greg
