Ok, so much time between now and spring flying, that I just had to start building something else.
I was going to make a whimsical flying model of the Beatles Yellow Submarine, but in drawings and with a small-size mock build-up, the thing just looked wrong with wings.
I have an extra E-Flite 1.2 meter P51 Mustang wing, so I searched the internet for something different, and I found the plane in the photo shown here in this post.
The first step was to draw the plans in my head!
My investment so far is a sheet of 1/2" styrofoam, and I probably have everything else lying around. I hope.
I've started the fuselage first.
Good fit so far!
Looks great Micheal.
I am going to do a project similar to this, but using both the wing and tail portion of the fuselage which includes the horizontal/vertical stabs and control surfaces, along with the canopy and air inlet for under the fuselage. All parts were salvaged from my E-flite Mustang.
Your build has encouraged me to get at it as soon as I return.
Quote from: bweaver on January 08, 2017, 05:46:34 PM
Looks great Micheal.
I am going to do a project similar to this, but using both the wing and tail portion of the fuselage which includes the horizontal/vertical stabs and control surfaces, along with the canopy and air inlet for under the fuselage. All parts were salvaged from my E-flite Mustang.
Your build has encouraged me to get at it as soon as I return.
Great!
Working on the aft-top fuselage.
Things are shaping up!
Anyway, this image shows how I'm building the fuselage. It will be sanded and hollowed out later.
Cool!
When you design in your head, is it like an Etch A-Sketch? Don't give your head a shake!
So, I got thinking .......
Being a racing plane, I didn't want to have a tail wheel hanging down in flight, so I devised a retractable and steerable tailwheel.
Always wanting to make things as simple as possible, I simply attached a small electric retract to a swivel-type mount, made of plywood.
OK, here's my problem with the above; when retracted, there isn't room for the component to move left and right when the rudder is moved.
A solution might include a separate steering servo for the tailwheel, on a separate channel (flaps; I will not be using flaps), which is mixed with the rudder, but which turns off when the wheels are retracted, through another mix.
Does that seem right?
If I can't figure this out today, I'll switch to a fixed tailwheel.
Done! ;D
A separate steering servo for the tail wheel (aux2) is mixed/controlled by the rudder, but the mix is turned on and off by switch A (retract/gear switch; in the same mix screen).
Works great!
Now that the pesky tailwheel is out of the way, normal building continues.
It's starting to look a little P51-ish, or maybe Mustang-ish, I'm not sure.
Looks fabulous - ish!!!
More progress ...
I like this pointy spinner more for a racing plane.
Carving a canopy; front top held down with magnets.
Still more sanding to do. A lot more.
Stabilizer and elevator: wood dowel joiner on elevators, carbon fiber rod inset into stabilizer, temporary hinges, mostly sanded and shaped.
Will you be offering kit versions? ;D
The fuselage is coming along great.
I was planning on laminating mine to strengthen it. Then painting the laminated surface.
Quote from: bweaver on January 15, 2017, 10:37:44 PM
The fuselage is coming along great.
I was planning on laminating mine to strengthen it. Then painting the laminated surface.
I may 'fiberglass' my plane. I would use water-based poly-urethane.
Fin/rudder.
Wow! :o :o :o :o :o :o
No images.
Progress:
1. I installed and tested wrong-size retracts. This was to save money (that's what I had on hand), and the adjustments and changes to mount the retracts worked well.
2. I finished shaping the fuselage, and have begun filling and sanding. When reasonably smooth, I will permanently install the fin and stabilizer, and fiberglass the whole unit.
Rear wing fillets. Tapered top fuselage between fin and stabilizer.
Fuselage sanded and ready for fiberglass.
Looks Great Michael, good job
I saw this at a place where I bought fiberglass cloth. It's a better way to cut the material before applying. I usually make a mess with all the loose strands, but this eliminated the problem entirely. I place masking tape where I want to cut, and then use a knife or scissors.
Very nice trick! I'm going to copy that!
Brilliant Michael. Like Simon, I will copy that.
Fiberglassed, sanded and painting started.
Thanks for all the ideas. I have some catching up to do. ::) Starting mine today.
Quote from: Michael on January 16, 2017, 08:02:28 AM
Quote from: bweaver on January 15, 2017, 10:37:44 PM
The fuselage is coming along great.
I was planning on laminating mine to strengthen it. Then painting the laminated surface.
I may 'fiberglass' my plane. I would use water-based poly-urethane.
Hmmm... You mean to use poly-urethane instead of fiberglass resin?
Even with all that mess, things are coming together.
Basic painting is done and radio installation is next. The photo is from the last 'TEMAC Pilot's Meeting".
Radio and landing retractable gear installation complete, hinges glued in, and wings glued on. All wiring is accessible from from the battery hatch area.
Still to do: battery tray, balance, details, painted and/or plastic film trim windows and decoration, adjust throws and get a bigger prop.
Oh yeah, and engine exhausts, and air-cooling too.
looking really good! It'll be fantastic when decorated.
Oh, and that runway is very well groomed.
Very slow progress .....
A bit more ...
Engine exhausts are one of the essential characteristics to a P51 Mustang, these constructed of foam sheet and a plastic straw.
more ...
... stripe ...
Red stripe!
Clearly Simon, red stripe might taste good but it clearly wouldn't show up! It had to be a white stripe...
Looking great Micheal.
I don't know if this will work, or if it's worth the effort, but I'm trying to make functional landing gear doors.
They are made of of a two-piece foam sandwich with epoxy for strength, but I'm not sure they're strong enough. If it functions, I may fiberglass these parts for additional strength.
I also applied some lettering to the bottom of the left wing.
Very nice job Michael. Like the way your Mustang looks. You mentioned you are trying to make functional doors. Are you are trying to make inner doors that will close to cover the wheels after the main gear closes?
Yes, that's the intention.
very nice!!
Finished.
Painted, decorated, balanced, propped (at 29 amps draw on a 3-cell lipo battery), and throws adjusted.
Ready for dry weather.
I was unable to do a reasonably good job with the wheel covers. I might try again at a later date if the plane flies well.
It looks super Micheal!
It flies ..... ;D
Photos from Greg H.
OK, here's the details of the first flight.
It flew nicely, but .... it took a lot of right rudder to take off (to fight the propeller torque); it was very under-powered; thus needing full throttle for decent flight; thus getting everything too hot, thus causing the power to shut off; necessitating a dead-stick landing (which was smooth and successful).
Here's what I did.
I switched from a 3-cell battery, 40 amp speed control and a 480-size motor, to a 4-cell battery, 60 amp speed control, and a 25-size motor. I opened up the air inlet (just a bit) below the spinner, added small air-flow exit holes on the fuselage sides sides behind the dummy engine exhausts, and put in a proper battery tray.
I have since flown it in cold and windy conditions, and it flew faster and much better. It really slowed down nicely for landing.
I don't need full throttle, and everything was cool after landing.
Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-kBQ4ND4Io&feature=youtu.be