139% MS P-51

[CrshNBrn]

Probably not the smartest thing I've ever done, but I'm starting an enlarged MS P-51. My methods are a bit crude- I just take snapshots of the plans and print them up at 139%. That scaling will give a wingspan of 1700mm, the largest my vehicle will hold and also can use store-bought bits from the FMS 1700mm P-51, like the cockpit canopy or scale 4 blade propeller. I'll plan on using have to use some larger 17g servos for control surfaces, as well as retracts when the time comes.

Because many pieces are too big for one piece of foamboard, I've been hot gluing foam sheets together with simple butt joints. I did this on my Big Spit, and it seems to be working so far. This P-51 will be a little bigger- I'm curious to know how big foam can go without additional internal supports. Based on my experience with Big Spit, I will need to either cut skins a little smaller or formers a little bigger. I'll try and post some additional picts as I go.

 

[CrshNBrn]

Wing assembly today. Its important to remember that not all items at 139% should be so, like the wing spar slots on the bottom wing. Cut only the width needed for the slot to fit snugly. Instead of wood, I'm using a 48" pieces of 1/16 x 3/4 aluminum for the wing spars- cut a little notch in the center to help bend the dihedral (hat tip: Nerdnic). I used Gorilla Glue instead of hot glue here to try and save weight- it's all going to be hidden, anyway. Finally, you can see the seams on the upper wing skin where the two foamboard sheets came together, but I think I can hide it with some panel lines on the wing. I'm waiting to glue to upper skin on until I decide what kind of landing gear to put on this thing. This thing is going to be BIG!


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[CrshNBrn]

Putting this one on the back burner for a bit. I was burning through SHEETS of foam in cutting it out...then I started getting scared about the cost of electronics to finish it. I'm going to work on the Beechcraft Model 18 for a bit and then think about going back to it, maybe at a slightly smaller scale (1.5 meters, maybe).