Great Planes Mustang .46 ARF conversion to electric.

[Frank v B]

Next project- Bought this 46 size Mustang on RcCanada (thank you Oscar).  It is covered, came with electric retracts and nothing else.  No servos, no motor.
I have been flying a similar one for about 5 years and it is terrific to fly.  Bought this one as a spare.

Stats for this new project:
: motor- a Turnigy Aerodrive (black)SK4250-650
: ESC - 60 amps
: 5 cells (approx 950 watts)
: prop- just big enough (tba)

Prep work:
- took all the slimer stuff out (tank, tubing, throttle cable, motor mount)
- took the cowl off.  A separate project to plug the IC engine holes (exhaust, needle valve, etc.) Photo 09

3 main tasks
1) install the motor in the proper place so the spinner clearance is correct.
2) install the electronics and make sure everything works properly.
3) finishing touches- paint, trim, cowl repair, etc.

Frank

[Frank v B]

Made the motor box.  A quick calculation showed that the box needs to be 1 7/8" thick to place the spinner in the correct place.
- balsa in between two plywood plates.
- tri-stock inside the box
- when cured- to top will be sanded flat and the plywood with the hole for the shaft will be glued on top.
- the whole box will be fibreglassed for strength.

F.

[Frank v B]

Glued the top on the box with 5 minute epoxy and turned upside down to cure.  That way the drips would act as bracing inside.

Fibreglassed the box.  Could not do it in a gift wrap method (all sides at once) because the corners formed air pockets quickly.  Air pockets are weak.  See photo 14
- mixed 5 minute epoxy and thinned it 50% with denatured alcohol.
- used about 6 oz glass cloth and brushed the epoxy onto it until soaked.
- wrapped waxed paper over the glass cloth, pulled it tight and wrapped masking tape tightly around it.
- stood it on its end , put a piece of wood across the top and weighed it down to cure.  Am hoping it will keep the corners tight until the glue cures. 

Stay tuned.  Will open it up after dinner and report back.

F.

[Frank v B]

Filling the IC gaps in the cowl and nose.  These holes were for the muffler, carb, needle valve, glow head.

Cowl- used a small piece of waxed paper on the outside and tape it in place.  Used as a local mould.  The cloth and epoxy were applied to the inside.  A single layer just soaked enough to hold its shape.  Once dry, it will be doubled on the inside and filler will be used on the outside.

Nose- rough-filled with 3/16" balsa and epoxied in place.  Once dry, will fill it in further with balsa.

Frank

[Frank v B]

9 cylinders are not enough!  3 exhaust stacks were missing.
Made the base out of tri-stock.  Made the stacks out of 1/2" square balsa.

Once the glue dries and a final sanding and shaping I will paint them black.  Installation will happen after the covering is finished.
50:50 rule applies!

Colour decision:
 It will be in the colours of the Tuskegee Airmen Red Tails.  This means the nose will be red.

Frank

[Frank v B]

Oops!

Tried to shrink the wing covering to get the wrinkles out.  Got a little too close.

Guess where the yellow wings stripes are going to go on the wing and how wide they will be?

Frank

ps: The covering was the British Solarfilm.  I love it for small planes.  It is the lightest regular covering compared to Ultracote or Monokote and it shrinks the most of any covering material.  The only problem- the dividing line between maximum shrink and burning a hole is about 2 degrees.  I found the line! 

[Frank v B]

Done!!

- finished the covering.
- painted the cowl red.
- attached the canopy and added black stripes for the frame.
- attached the repaired 3 exhaust stacks.  We now have 12 cylinders.
- added the yellow stripes on the wing to cover the holes in the covering.
- added the numbers.

Anybody have?
- one standard size servo (Hitec, Futaba, etc.)
- US air Force insignia for the top of the left wing and the mid section of the fuselage.  See photo.
pretty please!

Frank

[GuyOReilly]

I have a servo for you!
Guy

[GuyOReilly]

I have some USAF stars and such, I will email a picture after lunch.

[GuyOReilly]

I hope the size of the decals is adequate for your purpose.
Ruler for comparison.
Servo is a JR NES-517.
Guy

[Frank v B]

Thank you Guy.  I will take the two 4" wide USAF symbols and a 3rd one if you have. If there is not a 3rd one, I will take a USAF sticker and put it on the wing.

Thanks again.

Will be up in the area either Wednesday afternoon or Thursday afternoon.   Will call you.

Frank

ps: ...in my new (old) car.  Got a charcoal grey Dodge Journey.  It can make the trip without scraping bottom.