Flying for Real..

[DaveB]

Cheers Mate

I've just put the cowl back along with the prop and a new spinner backplate and already, it looks better. It also looks like the spinner cone is gonna be a complete tw@t to get on AGAIN though at least I know how to get around the problem now.

I'm gonna let this repair go good and hard before I try flying it again. The airing cupboard (aka model glue oven) is full which is completely out of order so it's having to dry 'au natural'

Shame this had to happen to the Mustang (though I'd have been cheesed off had either the Cat or Cub ended up the same). It's such a nice model to fly and looks a treat in the air. I'm keeping a weather eye on a MkII Spit on ebay (27mhz). It's been flown a dozen times but the seller says there are only the usual landing marks on the underside. It's not as sporty as the current MkIX but if the asking price doesn't go up much more.. I may throw a last min bid in.. telling SWMBO I've done so of course

In the meantime.. I have the rx in the Cub but I may lob it into the highspeed barrel.. a rock and a hard place. The Cub I can't land correctly as the grass is too long but not long enough and the Cat which is, in a word, dangerous

I've thought of using hot water or steam to straighten stuff so glad that's a go-er should I need to

Stay lucky mate
ATB
DaveB

[airboatr]

but if the asking price doesn't go up much more.. I may throw a last min bid in.. telling SWMBO I've done so of course


Stay lucky mate
ATB
DaveB

As if she'll believe its your last min bid. Ha!

Shine on you crazy diamond.


Joe

[DaveB]

That's one of my favourite tracks Joe and yes.. she'd believe me Not sure if I'm gonna pursue it now as it's one of Parkzone's originals and doesn't look like it's Z-Foam. Foam yes but the old fashioned stuff not the newer stuff. Think I'll pop over to Wheelspin and order the float set for the SCub instead. That would make the SCub more difficult to crash as I'll be able to use it as a boat instead
ATB
DaveB

[Garry Russell]

Just remember Dave more difficult to crash doesn't mean you won't manage admirably

[DaveB]

Indeed not.. I'm fully versed in the 'land' crash procedure and want to expand my horizons to include crashing on water. How can you talk about it with any authority if you've not done it is my moto

ATB
DaveB

[Garry Russell]

A guy from work used to take the guilotine blades down to a specialised company to be sharpened. The man there was an old chap who'd been sharpening blades all his working life.

He had many scars on his hands and arms, most quite faint, from thin sharp cuts, others more noticable with various chunks and even whole finger tips missing.

That's experience

[DaveB]

The Mustang has gone together for the first time since it's last prang and doesn't look too bad..



You can see the glue line along the break in this close-up.. the line is slightly further fwd on the RH side by perhaps a cm but all in all, it was a pretty clean/even break. All wiring reconnected and checked.. she's still in visual trim Note, the break was total.. the fuse was in two parts..


A few days ago, I thought the worst and here she is ready to go again. Never underestimate the power of glue By far the most difficult part of the repair was, again, fitting the spinner cone on. Having tried and failed a few times to fit one after the last repair.. I thought I had it nailed but it was no more easy this time. I scoured the net this morning looking for tips and found a likely vid.. 16mins long where the chap replaces the cowl, prop and spinner after hitting a tree. Some 8mins into the vid, text came on the page explaining he spent the rest of the vid trying to get the spinner cone on and couldn't! Reading the comments under the vid, it seems that of all the things to replace on the P51.. fitting a spinner is the most difficult. Many just chamfer down the lip on the inside of the cone and glue it in place Don't break your's Eddie

The float set for the Cub arrived this morning. There are more do's and don't's in the instructions, I'm afraid to fit em now We'll see. They're here now so I can fit and try them at my leisure

ATB
DaveB

[VEGAS]

Hi Dave

Thanks for the snaps. Doesn't look too bad from your photos.

I'm sure she will fly just fine mate.

Interesting about the prop cone removal. I'm not looking forward to that when it happens.

Funny how, in contrast, the Wildcat prop is a doddle to remove.

Just unscrew the cap at the front and it slides off.

I'll have a look at the tutorial for the Mustang on YouTube.

On another matter. I broke a record with the Radian today.

More like smashed it really.

Longest flight on a single battery; 1hr 8mins.

Wasn't sure how much juice was left in the battery so I brought it in.

Afterwards I discovered that it had about 40% left!!

A brilliant afternoon with gentle lifting winds and rising warm air.

Kept pushing the Radian upwards constantly.

A really lovely experience today and very satisfying.

I think I like the Radian again now.

[DaveB]

Hello Mate

Every time I look at the Radian/Pro.. I want one as I do the Mig but I need the DX6 first.. most frustrating I will get both one day! The Mig goes phenomenally fast but from the vids I've watched.. will poodle along with a lot of composure at slow speeds. It's less of a handful to hand launch too.. an area which still causes my pulse rate to shoot through the roof.
The Radian I'd like for all the reasons you mention above. Having only 6mins of flight time with the Cat and P51 is nowt short of a pain in the arse although you get plenty of adrenalin during those 6mins I think the Radian uses the same battery as the P51 doesn't it though with the right conditions, 1 appears to be more than enough

Flying the SCub off the canal is going to be a real challenge.. perhaps too much of a challenge. Looking at the vids, takeoffs are short and sharp and subject very much to them being into the wind. Unless the wind is very low, there's no room for error on the canal. Pity it's not the Manchester ship canal We'll see.. I have to give it a try. Some cutting of the old Cub fuse required (though very little) as well as a few dabs of epoxy to keep the rear float support in place. Directional control for takeoff and landing would suit a 3ch setup better and mine is 4ch.. the rudder being with the throttle on the LH stick. A number of things to ponder

Oh.. don't bother watching that 16min vid mate as the chap doesn't managed to get the front cone on! He succeeded later but not during the vid. General opinion amongst the minions is that it's a very poor design. The front cone will snap onto the backplate with ease when it's off the aircraft but not with it fitted. I wonder if the Spit would be equally difficult

Decent weather on the way for a couple of days

ATB
DaveB

[airboatr]

Foam yes but the old fashioned stuff not the newer stuff.
DaveB

But Dave, keeping mind the ol saying they don't make'm like they use to. Wouldn't they old one be better.