Author Topic: P-51 (Read 3585 times)

roger · « **on:** December 12, 2010, 10:18:19 AM »

DOSE ANYBODY HAVE A P-51 CANOPY FROM A TOP FLITE KIT? 4o size?

john e. holliday · « **Reply #1 on:** December 12, 2010, 08:09:33 PM »

I am hoping that you have trid Top Flite already?

Bill Little · « **Reply #2 on:** December 12, 2010, 09:58:29 PM »

Quote from: john e. holliday on December 12, 2010, 08:09:33 PM

I am hoping that you have trid Top Flite already?

Doc, if he is referring to the Top Flite "Superform Fuselage" 1"=1' kit from the '60s-'70s I doubt any one at Top Flite today would even begin to know what he is talking about.

I have a kit, but I cannot spare the canopy, sorry. But, if Bill Sawyer will agree to pull them I will send it to him.

roger · « **Reply #3 on:** December 13, 2010, 10:50:32 AM »

THE REASON ID LIKE ONE IS, IM BUILDING A HANGER 9 P-51 AND LIKE IT TO BE A SEMI SCALE PLANE. PEOPLE SAY THERE ARE THINGS WRONG WITH SOME PARTS ,ONE IS THE CANOPY. BUT THE T/F ONE IS A BETTER CHOICE. SO IM LOOKING FOR ONE.

Bill Little · « **Reply #4 on:** December 13, 2010, 11:34:16 AM »

Now you have thrown a curve ball to me and I was sitting on the fastball.....

A ".40" size TF P-51D? One I am not familiar with. The one I referred to had a 36" WS, and the only other TF kits I know of are R/C, smallest being a .60 size, about 65" WS.

roger · « **Reply #5 on:** December 14, 2010, 09:35:33 AM »

i have a picture of this plane but dont know how in the heck to put it on here. ie had a tinted cowl and im also lookin for the pilot i had in there, this was back in the 70s and i dont understand comp. lingo. and it had a .35 or o40 motor

Bill Little · « **Reply #6 on:** December 14, 2010, 09:55:12 AM »

Quote from: roger on December 14, 2010, 09:35:33 AM

i have a picture of this plane but dont know how in the heck to put it on here. ie had a tinted cowl and im also lookin for the pilot i had in there, this was back in the 70s and i dont understand comp. lingo. and it had a .35 or o40 motor

Hi Roger,

If it was a dedicated C/L Scale model, then it has to be the one I described (in 1"-1' scale). AFAIK, that was the only Top Flite kit of a P-51 for C/L scale. The kit was based on the "Sharpshooter" that is (was??) housed in a museum. 3 line BC recommended w/coupled flaps, throttle, etc.. And the fuselage halves came pre-molded. The original engine was shown as a K&B .35

I do have a canopy for THAT kit. And I will see if Bill Sawyer @ Wind Dancer will pull some more. His canopies are excellent, and it won't hurt the one I have.

Please email me through the email address here, to remind me. I am like an old mule, you have to get my attention some times (the Missus uses a 2X4 up side the head! LOL!!)! And I don't mind it at all.

roger · « **Reply #7 on:** December 15, 2010, 03:42:35 PM »

has anybody heard of a marks p-51 from the 70s? somebody said maybe?

John Witt · « **Reply #8 on:** December 15, 2010, 05:37:23 PM »

Speaking of P-51 kits, there was, back in the day, a kit of a Nats scale winning P-51H, as I recall in TEX ANG markings. I'm having a senior moment and cannot recall the kit maker. I'd love to get a set of the plans from that. Everyone has to have a P-51 before they die

Bsides, it's a little different from the B or D versions that are mostly done and overdone. A good P-51 kit is a treasure, there are some very subtle lines to the nose and that is an area that is often not right.

John

Will Hinton · « **Reply #9 on:** December 15, 2010, 06:59:24 PM »

John, I think that was a Veco kit. I used to go into the local hobby shop and as soon as Steve Wooley saw me he would pull that one down off the shelf and hand it to me. I have no idea how many hours I spent looking at the plans and the goodies in the box! Never did buy the beast, wish now that I had!

roger · « **Reply #10 on:** December 16, 2010, 03:46:32 AM »

thanks guys
roger

bill bischoff · « **Reply #11 on:** December 16, 2010, 03:48:08 PM »

You may be thinking of the Great Planes P-51. They had a 40-46 size kit, which later came out in ARF form. It would be comparable to the 40 size Hangar P-51. The 40 size P-51 ARF from Airborne Models is a copy of the Great Planes model. Airborne has several different color schemes, and the replacement canopies come pre-painted and trimmed.

Hope this helps.

Dennis Saydak · « **Reply #12 on:** December 17, 2010, 05:01:07 PM »

There is at least one more nostalgic P-51 scale kit. I have a Royal products P-51 Junior kit (.40-.46 size) that is approximately the same size as the Sharpshooter construction article , which was publish in an old MAN magazine. Although it was intended for R/C it would make a great controline scale job. I hope to get around to building it soon. BTW, the Sharpshooter had a McCoy .60 for power as I recall.

Bill Little · « **Reply #13 on:** December 17, 2010, 10:47:13 PM »

Quote from: Dennis Saydak on December 17, 2010, 05:01:07 PM

There is at least one more nostalgic P-51 scale kit. I have a Royal products P-51 Junior kit (.40-.46 size) that is approximately the same size as the Sharpshooter construction article , which was publish in an old MAN magazine. Although it was intended for R/C it would make a great controline scale job. I hope to get around to building it soon. BTW, the Sharpshooter had a McCoy .60 for power as I recall.

Hi Dennis,

Homer Hudson published a P-51D, the Sharpshooter. A touch larger than the Top Flite C/L Sharpshooter kit. He covered it with printer's plate and had 3 lbs. (yep, 48 oz.according to his own words) of weight in the nose. The article shows a K&B .45. I never got the plans, but they are some I wish I had!

I *believe* he won the US NATS with it, but I would have to go back and read the article again to be sure.

Bill

Will Hinton · « **Reply #14 on:** December 18, 2010, 04:06:14 PM »

Ty just jogged my memory, the one I was thinking of probably WAS the Jetco. It did, indeed, win the nats in the mid 50's. (I don't know when Great Planes came to be, but I believe it was long after that.)

John Witt · « **Reply #15 on:** December 18, 2010, 08:20:30 PM »

Yeah, the Jetco is the one I was thinking of. I saw that kit first time when I was in Okinawa in 1955 -- My dad was stationed at Naha. Even then I was amazed at the great plans and the lousy die cutting.

I've thought off and on about building one of the Top Flites, but it is really just a shade too big. Anyone fly one of those as a ukie?

John

Chris McMillin · « **Reply #16 on:** December 19, 2010, 01:21:01 AM »

Quote from: John Witt on December 18, 2010, 08:20:30 PM

Yeah, the Jetco is the one I was thinking of. I saw that kit first time when I was in Okinawa in 1955 -- My dad was stationed at Naha. Even then I was amazed at the great plans and the lousy die cutting.

I've thought off and on about building one of the Top Flites, but it is really just a shade too big. Anyone fly one of those as a ukie?

John

Which Top Flite? The C/L Scale kit was 1" to 1', 37inch span. The red box R/C kit was 60 inch. The Gold Edition is, I think a few inches bigger. I have a couple of the C/L kits, threatening to build one.
Chris...

Bill Little · « **Reply #17 on:** December 19, 2010, 02:24:42 AM »

Quote from: Chris McMillin on December 19, 2010, 01:21:01 AM

Which Top Flite? The C/L Scale kit was 1" to 1', 37inch span. The red box R/C kit was 60 inch. The Gold Edition is, I think a few inches bigger. I have a couple of the C/L kits, threatening to build one.
Chris...

Hi Chris,

Wow, we could be long lost brothers! We seem to like the same model subjects almost all the way down the line.

I have one mint kit of the 1"=1' Top Flite "Superform" Sharpshooter kit and another "builder kit" that I have started. Since the plans show (or hint to) modifications to a "B", the 2nd kit will probably be done as that. The mint kit will be done as a "D". When I got these, I was impressed with the connected flaps, etc., connected to the throttle and all done by a Roberts 3 line set up. But now yo have to operate the flaps separately to get the points. However, I will build the "D" as the plans show and not worry about it. That was what impressed me to get me to buy the kit! LOL!!

BTW: I saw a Youtube on a B-17 from Brazil (

) that looks like it was built from the 1963 American Modeler plans of the British NATS winner. 43" WS and (4) Babe Bees in the original. Which had homemade throttles and retracts. This one had 4 "product" engines and throttles, but I couldn't tell if it had retracts.

Sorry ot get off topic, but I can't think of a P-51D with out thinking of a B-17.

And they are my two favorite planes from WW-II

The restoration really looks great!

Chris McMillin · « **Reply #18 on:** December 22, 2010, 07:10:15 PM »

Hey there big bro,
That's because we like the classy stuff.
Now with the Staggerwing done I can finish some more stuff. Nobler and California Jet would be nice.
Merry Christmas, Bill!
Chris...

Bill Little · « **Reply #19 on:** December 22, 2010, 09:50:07 PM »

Quote from: Chris McMillin on December 22, 2010, 07:10:15 PM

Hey there big bro,
That's because we like the classy stuff.
Now with the Staggerwing done I can finish some more stuff. Nobler and California Jet would be nice.
Merry Christmas, Bill!
Chris...

Merry Christmas Chris, to you and your family!

After the New years celebrations, you can get to that California Jet.

I decided it is the only "Shark" I will build.

Take care!
Bill

Chris McMillin · « **Reply #20 on:** December 23, 2010, 03:18:27 PM »

BTW Bill,
About that B model. I will be working with my decal guy to make me a Paul Mantz racer set for my P-51C R/C ship to replace Dallas Doll. He does them on his computer and they are scaleable when printing, just have to tell him which scale to print! Blood red racer anyone?

Bill Little · « **Reply #21 on:** December 23, 2010, 04:54:15 PM »

Quote from: Chris McMillin on December 23, 2010, 03:18:27 PM

BTW Bill,
About that B model. I will be working with my decal guy to make me a Paul Mantz racer set for my P-51C R/C ship to replace Dallas Doll. He does them on his computer and they are scaleable when printing, just have to tell him which scale to print! Blood red racer anyone?

I GIVE UP!!!!!!!!!! I YIELD TO WHAT EVER COSMIC POWER THAT IS CAUSING THIS!!!!!! WE ARE BLOOD RELATIVES, MAYBE TWINS SEPARATED AT BIRTH!!!!!

Chris,

My P-51B stunter (redrawn from Bob Hunt's "D" model) is going to be the #46 Paul Mantz racer! I even have the book from the Smithsonian (thanks to Dennis Leonhardi) about that plane, and somewhere in there is the paint code for the Randolph's red that was originally used, and I will have to be ordering shortly.

I will read through the book and find the Randolph color for you if you need it.

Now I will have to have you get me a set of those decals sized to fit my model!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Merry Christmas lil' Bro!

fernando torres · « **Reply #22 on:** January 27, 2011, 04:35:14 AM »

Has anyone tried to build an Al Meyers semi-scale Mustang? I just got the plan from AMA(with the original article and instructions). Seems great.

Bill Little · « **Reply #23 on:** January 28, 2011, 03:01:44 PM »

Quote from: fernando torres on January 27, 2011, 04:35:14 AM

Has anyone tried to build an Al Meyers semi-scale Mustang? I just got the plan from AMA(with the original article and instructions). Seems great.

HI Fernando,

I have had the plans for decades, but never built it. However, it seems to be a whole lot like Al Rabe's P-51D, in a smaller size, so I figure it is a good flying plane.

Big Bear

fernando torres · « **Reply #24 on:** January 31, 2011, 02:16:31 PM »

Actually I am right now in the sanding stage of an Al Rabe model. It has been an experience. A lot of mistakes and learning. It has been almost a year since I started it.

Bill Little · « **Reply #25 on:** January 31, 2011, 09:15:24 PM »

Quote from: fernando torres on January 31, 2011, 02:16:31 PM

Actually I am right now in the sanding stage of an Al Rabe model. It has been an experience. A lot of mistakes and learning. It has been almost a year since I started it.

Al's planes are a bit more "complicated" in construction than the average stunter, but worth it if you really like a "scale" stunter.

It will be easier the next time!

Ron Burn's planes are possibly even more complicated.

I have been working with him on a design for about three years now. I hope to actually start construction on in the very near future, but I will have to clear the bench of the projects there already. It will take my full concentration, and attention, to build it right!

Post some pictures, please.

Big Bear

Al Rabe · « **Reply #26 on:** May 08, 2011, 05:52:31 PM »

I used to make all of my own canopies, but found a better way. For the past 10 years all of my canopies have been made for me by "sparky" in Fort Worth. I make the molds. Sparky copies the molds and makes copies of my canopies on his vacuum forming machine. He is an American airlines mechanic and a wonderful craftsman. The canopies are either .300" or .040" PETG and priced very reasonably. He provides a f-51D (Snaggletooth) canopy which trims to 10" and a larger F-51D (Cavalier) canopy which trims out at 11". These canopies could probably be shortened a bit without losing their characteristic appearance. Also commercial canopies are likely to be much thinner. Quality is always excellent.

Sparky's e-mail is sparky2@att.net.

Al

beercamel · « **Reply #27 on:** October 04, 2014, 10:47:38 PM »

Quote from: John Witt on December 15, 2010, 05:37:23 PM

Speaking of P-51 kits, there was, back in the day, a kit of a Nats scale winning P-51H, as I recall in TEX ANG markings. I'm having a senior moment and cannot recall the kit maker. I'd love to get a set of the plans from that. Everyone has to have a P-51 before they die Bsides, it's a little different from the B or D versions that are mostly done and overdone. A good P-51 kit is a treasure, there are some very subtle lines to the nose and that is an area that is often not right.

John

It was a Jetco Kit.. I have one.. It is SMALLER than the Top flite P-51D C/L kit by about 7 in in wingspan.. It is an 'old school' build.. wood blocks

the Plans are available for free here..

Jetco F-51H

Jetco F-51H

http://www.outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=4563