RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
Mike Jones, do you have a picture of the motor and motor mount that you can post ??
Posted on: 3/31/2012 7:50 PM by Author "capriman" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11023082

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
When your knees stop shaking and your hands stop sweating, pat yerself on the back...job well done.
Posted on: 2/25/2012 9:05 PM by Author "capriman" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10976072

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
Spring bind happens when the amount the valve is moved by the camshaft is a distance that is greater than the total distance of the space between each coil of the spring...something has to give. Take a spring out of a ball point pen and compress it on a table until it is fully compressed, and then go further, this is what is happening. You might need to buy a few feeler gauges in the .001 to .009 range to make this check with the valve fully open. Look for clearence between each coil from top to bottom.
Posted on: 2/21/2012 10:01 PM by Author "capriman" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10970210

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
when you install the new valve springs, set the valve lash very carefully !! watch for spring bind, you should have a couple of thousandths between each coil of the spring.. ( I build race engines also )
Posted on: 2/20/2012 9:31 PM by Author "capriman" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10968593

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
do you have a picture of the scoop not fitting ??
Posted on: 2/8/2012 8:03 AM by Author "capriman" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10949642

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
I have a concern about the way the elevator linkage, "the bent wire elevator joiner" , is supported. My linkage does not have any tubing, or bushing on the joiner that can be glued, or fastened to the stab, it seems to rely on just the strength of the balsa that is it riding on. This does not seem like a good long term pivot method.
Posted on: 2/1/2012 10:12 AM by Author "capriman" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10938607

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
Bez88, I too am about to start the build of this kit, and what I did over the course of a few days was to read the entire 100 plus pages and I made a notebook of the areas of the build, and tips, that would help me. This note book is with the kit now for reference, and included the item noted, the page of the thread, and the post number, and saved the relevant pictures to a file on the computer. I did not note anything about servos in the wing, so I can't help you there. I have noted that weight is your enemy on this bird, as is not paying attention to wing tip washout and balance. If you get your build over 10 pounds, I don't think it will be the sweet bird you are hoping for. I will be replacing ALL of the wood in the kit, making my own formers, and trying to build at under 8 pounds. A gram scale with 200 gram capacity will be your friend during the build.
Posted on: 1/23/2012 9:21 AM by Author "capriman" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10923204

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
dionysusbacchus Thanks for the story, and I am very sorry to see the damage, you did a great job building the "Doll". McCord is 60 miles south of me. Did the OS 60 have enough power to comfortably fly the 9 1/2 pound plane ? So an OS 91FX would be more than enough ?
Posted on: 12/31/2011 9:59 AM by Author "capriman" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10884590

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
About that 10 yr. old p-51, what year did you build it ? I bought mine on January of 1994 and will start it in a few months.
Posted on: 12/29/2011 11:17 PM by Author "capriman" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10882427

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
Jimmy, bad link to your other build...try again ??
Posted on: 12/23/2011 10:03 AM by Author "capriman" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10873123

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
Nice to see this thread is still with us, my plane is still in box form. I wish some of the members here that have finished their planes would check back in and report how the have been flying for them.
Posted on: 11/20/2011 8:09 AM by Author "capriman" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10820696

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
Mike, welcome to the thread and RCU. I too hope to start the plane this winter, but I will be replacing most of the wood with lighter wood, as I have an extensive collection of lumber. If you look hard at the plans, it shows the wing to be set in the fusalage at a positive 1/2 degree incendence, and the stab is set to zero. What the plans don't show is the wing tip washout. The wing is built upside down with jig tabs to set the washout, but that can change when you remove the wing from the board and start sheeting the other side. I contacted the designer and he told me the washout is 2 degrees, so keep that in mind. This is one bird that can make good use of an incendence meter, and some weight saving measures. I will start my own thread of my build so all of my weight loss methods can be viewed. Can you post a picture of the bald eagle scheme ?? Neil
Posted on: 10/10/2011 9:33 PM by Author "capriman" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10759163

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
Mark 2412, Topflite makes a template that will fill your needs, it is part number TOPR2187 and they also have a panel line pen under number TOPQ 2510....hope this helps. I too am interested in the E-Flight electric retracts. Where is all of the postings of first flights from all the other builders ??
Posted on: 8/5/2011 7:22 AM by Author "capriman" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10656535

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
Ok I just got the notice of the latest reply by Mark2412, and at my house in Seattle it is 6-17-2011, 9:18 pm PST/daylight saving...look at the time and date stamp of Mark's post above mine...are we on Zulu time on this site ???
Posted on: 6/17/2011 9:17 PM by Author "capriman" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10579768

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
Has anybody done anything more with their planes.. ??? any first flights to report ??
Posted on: 6/3/2011 11:45 PM by Author "capriman" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10555999

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
I did my tour of duty by reading all 108 pages, over several days. Has anyone had a problem with the elevator control "yoke" wearing the surfaces that it pivots on ? Mine has no sleeves or bushings to bear against the balsa, it just rubs against the balsa.
Posted on: 2/11/2011 8:10 AM by Author "capriman" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10328304

RE: Top Flite Gold Edition P-51D
Just to be clear, all of the ribs had the tabs on them, and each wing panel was built "upside-down" over the drawing of the opposing wing. IE: right wing is built upside down over the drawing of the left wing. Therefore, the tabs are on the top of the wing ribs. The bottom of the wings are sheeted first, that allows you to work on the installation of the retracts, ect. The plans list the incindence of the wing at "positive one-half degree", but the washout is not mentioned. 2 weeks ago, i called the designer of the plane, David Ribbe, and asked him about washout, and his reply was "two degrees". there is also a 108 page build thread on this forum... http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_2886581/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm and your butt's-a-gonna hurt by the time you get through it. I did not post in it until page 107. Having said all of that, set the wing on your >FLAT< building table, support the LE with scrap, and measure the washout you now have as a reference point. Good luck, and if it is too far gone, get another kit and start over. Try to keep it under10 pounds.
Posted on: 1/29/2011 7:55 PM by Author "capriman" in the forum "Great Planes, TopFlite, Duraplane, US Aircore"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10299015

RE: Top Flite 1/7 P-51 Build
I have this kit that I bought in Jan of 1994 and all the parts are die-cut. I have read all 107 pages of this thread, but would like to know if the new kits have laser cut parts or not. Thanks. Neil
Posted on: 1/8/2011 1:54 PM by Author "capriman" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10248546

RE: GrnBrt - Art Grabow SR in the Hospital
Here is the link to the Everett paper obits that has Art in it.... http://www.legacy.com/HeraldNet/DeathNotices.asp?Page=SearchResults&DateRange=Today&Product=0 here is the link if you want to view or sign the guest book..... http://www.legacy.com/HeraldNet/Guestbook.asp?Page=GuestBook&PersonID=17274179 Neil...
Posted on: 4/1/2006 12:18 AM by Author "capriman" in the forum "The Clubhouse"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4109753

RE: GrnBrt - Art Grabow SR in the Hospital
Mike, He bought that balsa display case from me. I got it from the TrueValue store in Smokey Point when it closed. It was full of balsa, which I kept, and sold the case to Art. That "real ugly".."Real Thing" I bought from another friends estate in an unfinnished condition, and because I had another one that my wife was flying, I sold it to Art. IF I had known what the he** he would have done to it, I would have kept it. I think it was his way of "rubbing me". He gave me a call one day and said."go look at what's hanging at Tim's hobbies. That's when I saw what he did. Here is his final rub for me:....His services will be held on my birthday this saturday, and family has already made my plans. Damn, he was good !! Sure will miss him !! Neil
Posted on: 3/31/2006 11:53 AM by Author "capriman" in the forum "The Clubhouse"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4107025

RE: GrnBrt - Art Grabow SR in the Hospital
One day I was trying to get somewhere on R/C Online with no success, and in my anger I picked up the phone and called Art. As soon as he said "hello", I laid into him....hard, about his lousy web site. I didn't stop there...oh no...I kept on ranting and telling Art how to set up the site so the average idiot could actually use it. When I quit, he calmly said."are you done?"..Then he showed me how to do what I wanted to do. If you look at his website above, on the planes he built, the goofey colored "Real Thing" he bought from me. When I first saw it, I chewed him for the colors...didn't bother him in the least. I talked to Art about 4 weeks ago, and he sounded weak. Art, you gave me over 20 years of good times and tips, and you gave your best to our country. How can we ever give back to you ? THANK YOU !!!! and just to keep the record straight...I STILL got more balsa wood than you do, my friend !! Neil
Posted on: 3/31/2006 3:22 AM by Author "capriman" in the forum "The Clubhouse"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=4105909