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FT P-47 Thunderbolt - FT P-47 Thunderbolt Free Plans
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FT P-47 Thunderbolt - FT P-47 Thunderbolt Free Plans
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- Thread starter fliteadmin
- Start date
Hi all,
Great plane and great plans (thanks Dan)!! Just one complaint. I live in the EU and would love to buy SBKs but Gruapner never has anything in stock, much less the masters series. This is a big big bummer and a lost opportunity for Flitetest. Please, PLEASE put some pressure on Graupner to get with program and start stocking more stuff. I would very much love to support FT (very willing to buy most if not all the master series as they come out) but if I have no way to, I can't. This is a huge loss of revenue for FT and a lost opportunity to get more traction in the EU.
Great plane and great plans (thanks Dan)!! Just one complaint. I live in the EU and would love to buy SBKs but Gruapner never has anything in stock, much less the masters series. This is a big big bummer and a lost opportunity for Flitetest. Please, PLEASE put some pressure on Graupner to get with program and start stocking more stuff. I would very much love to support FT (very willing to buy most if not all the master series as they come out) but if I have no way to, I can't. This is a huge loss of revenue for FT and a lost opportunity to get more traction in the EU.
Prowler901
Junior Member
I think I've found a couple issues with the cut files on the P-47.
First is the battery box. The edge that glues on last is too tall. This makes the box somewhat out of square, and the formers won't fit over it correctly.
Second is the thin strip fuselage section that goes behind the cowl flaps. It ends up being too small. And, the #3 former won't go into it without crushing.
First is the battery box. The edge that glues on last is too tall. This makes the box somewhat out of square, and the formers won't fit over it correctly.
Second is the thin strip fuselage section that goes behind the cowl flaps. It ends up being too small. And, the #3 former won't go into it without crushing.
Attachments
Chocotaco101
Junior Member
Has anyone tried this with flaps?
newguy2012
Junior Member
Same issue here. And the batt box isnt long enough to engage former 4 and keep it square.
I have spent days cutting plans and foam. I am a bit frustrated.
I have spent days cutting plans and foam. I am a bit frustrated.
Thanks to Dan as usual for the wonderful work. As some previous posters pointed out, there is an issue with the battery box being too high on one side. If you have already built this you can get away with trimming 4.5mm off the high side. If you are cutting please see the attached which has the correct dimensions.
oliver.karst
Member
Same for me, I was able to fix the problem with battery box. But I am not sure how to fix at best the fuselage skin 1. Hopefully the other parts are correct and I can finish the plane.
Any solution for the fuselage skin 1? I want to try the version from the letter plan instead the full sized.
newguy2012
Junior Member
https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?threads/ft-p-47-v1-0-addendum.60234/
The rest of the parts fit. Keep going! The right skin is in the thread above
The rest of the parts fit. Keep going! The right skin is in the thread above
oliver.karst
Member
Thanks a lot for that hint.
Work is in progress. See attached pictures ;-)
Hopefully I can finish the plane before christmas
greetings from germany
Attachments
Jackson T
Elite member
Check out the Mig 3 build video, it's probably pretty similar.
Stonewall
New member
This is a post I made on the "*Unofficial* FT P-47 Thunderbolt" thread, but thought I'd add it here as well as the other thread seems pretty dead.
I'm wondering about the landing gear myself. I have the pieces still sitting by the plane for the landing gear, but nowhere does it discuss how to install it in the video. I'm not exactly pleased with the directions for this plane. The video shows two installs for both the Razorback and the Bubbletop, but it does neither great service. Whoever edited the video either forgot parts, or some parts just weren't ever shot. At several points in the video instructions aren't given and things just appear, i.e.- instructions about finishing up the bubbletop tail, then 2 seconds later it skips to having the elevator, rudder, and even servos attached to the thing you just finished 2 seconds ago because it cuts from the bubbletop back to the razorback without ever telling you. So if you were building the bubbletop, you would completely miss out how to go about setting up servos and linkages, and doing the rear control services, until its too late; unless you somehow had the forethought to fast-forward or re-wind a 4 hour video to the exact places it jumps around (which it doesn't tell you in the description, or tell you that it jumps around like it does). Honestly each build should have its own video, that way the video isn't 4 hours long, you don't have to continually skip around, and things won't get omitted.
I'm wondering about the landing gear myself. I have the pieces still sitting by the plane for the landing gear, but nowhere does it discuss how to install it in the video. I'm not exactly pleased with the directions for this plane. The video shows two installs for both the Razorback and the Bubbletop, but it does neither great service. Whoever edited the video either forgot parts, or some parts just weren't ever shot. At several points in the video instructions aren't given and things just appear, i.e.- instructions about finishing up the bubbletop tail, then 2 seconds later it skips to having the elevator, rudder, and even servos attached to the thing you just finished 2 seconds ago because it cuts from the bubbletop back to the razorback without ever telling you. So if you were building the bubbletop, you would completely miss out how to go about setting up servos and linkages, and doing the rear control services, until its too late; unless you somehow had the forethought to fast-forward or re-wind a 4 hour video to the exact places it jumps around (which it doesn't tell you in the description, or tell you that it jumps around like it does). Honestly each build should have its own video, that way the video isn't 4 hours long, you don't have to continually skip around, and things won't get omitted.
oliver.karst
Member
Finally my P-47 is completed and maiden flight with crash was done. Until now I did not work on the canopy. After successful flight I will add it and color it. But currently I struggle heavily with technical issues :-(
Here a picture of the P-47 in front of the maiden flight
In final assembly I had a problem with the hatch fitting into fuselage skin 2. I did not fit in. I don't know what I did wrong but it seems that fuselage skin 2 is too short in front of the wing. The hatch cannot fit into the small half. Here a picture after 3 crashes.
I struggle with technical issues in first three maiden flights. When starting the plane it went up like a rocket into the sky (4S lipo ;-) I had to use more down for the horizontal stabilizer.
But after around 30 seconds of flight the motor stops and starts and the plane went uncontrollable. I changed the esc and tried a second attempt. Same problem. After the second crash I changed as well the motor. Same problem :-( Now I changed the receiver.
In a try run I let run the motor without propeller and there was no issue. The esc and the motor didn't went warm and as well the receiver is okay.
When the next attempts ends again in a crash while motor stops around 30 seconds flying I have no idea what else could be the problem :-( I am a bit in fear of the next fly.
Here a picture of the P-47 in front of the maiden flight
In final assembly I had a problem with the hatch fitting into fuselage skin 2. I did not fit in. I don't know what I did wrong but it seems that fuselage skin 2 is too short in front of the wing. The hatch cannot fit into the small half. Here a picture after 3 crashes.
I struggle with technical issues in first three maiden flights. When starting the plane it went up like a rocket into the sky (4S lipo ;-) I had to use more down for the horizontal stabilizer.
But after around 30 seconds of flight the motor stops and starts and the plane went uncontrollable. I changed the esc and tried a second attempt. Same problem. After the second crash I changed as well the motor. Same problem :-( Now I changed the receiver.
In a try run I let run the motor without propeller and there was no issue. The esc and the motor didn't went warm and as well the receiver is okay.
When the next attempts ends again in a crash while motor stops around 30 seconds flying I have no idea what else could be the problem :-( I am a bit in fear of the next fly.
Stonewall
New member
@oliver.karst
I had issues with the plane acting very weird as well. My first flight, after hand launching the plane just held a constant left turn until it finally just did a wing-over and crashed into my fence. For me it was a two (possibly 3) fold issue. Problem #1 was my control surfaces. I followed that god-awful P-47 build video to the best of my ability and did everything as we are shown in the video, but my control surfaces were never close to being correct and equal. I had to do some major sub-trimming with my DX8. Problem #2 was a big issue with my elevator and rudder. My rudder just would not turn at all, I mean it would not budge. That 9g servo from Flite Test would whine like crazy but the rudder acted almost jammed. Then on top of that for whatever reason my elevator refused to move both sides evenly. It would only move the side with the control horn, and the other side would just refuse to move; the side with the control horn had proper deflection, and the other side was like a wet noodle. There was a slight crease in the corner where the horn gets glued in, but nothing that should basically ruin the elevator. I replaced the small Flite Test 9g servos running the elevator and Rudder with a couple spare full size Spektrum A6110 HV servos I had. That fixed my rudder issue, but the elevator still would not move equally, even with a bump up in servo power. I eventually had to make up a brace that ran about 3-4" that would ensure the elevator couldn't move one side without moving the other. So with all that fixed, it flew better, however it still didn't fly anything like the one in Flite Test's build video, or like the ones in that video where they increased the size of the P47 by 180%, or fly like they did in the Battleship video where they flew the P47 and dropped the toy bathtub ducks from it. All those flights looked amazing, I'm lucky to fight to keep mine in the air. Possible problem #3 was a bad pitch angle from the power-pack. When I installed the power pack I installed it like Josh said to in the video with a slight down angle. So I took my power-pack out and reseat it, but I honestly don't know if it was even a problem or if reseating it fixed anything because it's still not very fun to fly. I've contemplated throwing the thing in the trash, salvaging the electronics, and just building a new one. But that would mean having to once again rely on that terrible build video. From having the wrong parts in the earlier versions of the kit, to not telling you how to install the landing gear, to jumping from one style tail to the other and skipping a dozen steps while doing so, to having some folds that are marked just be wrong (like the battery box), I just don't think if I tried again I'd have any more luck. I seriously wish they would re-do the video for the P-47 and made the bubbletop and razorback separate videos instead of mashing both of them together in a 4 hour long mess.
I had issues with the plane acting very weird as well. My first flight, after hand launching the plane just held a constant left turn until it finally just did a wing-over and crashed into my fence. For me it was a two (possibly 3) fold issue. Problem #1 was my control surfaces. I followed that god-awful P-47 build video to the best of my ability and did everything as we are shown in the video, but my control surfaces were never close to being correct and equal. I had to do some major sub-trimming with my DX8. Problem #2 was a big issue with my elevator and rudder. My rudder just would not turn at all, I mean it would not budge. That 9g servo from Flite Test would whine like crazy but the rudder acted almost jammed. Then on top of that for whatever reason my elevator refused to move both sides evenly. It would only move the side with the control horn, and the other side would just refuse to move; the side with the control horn had proper deflection, and the other side was like a wet noodle. There was a slight crease in the corner where the horn gets glued in, but nothing that should basically ruin the elevator. I replaced the small Flite Test 9g servos running the elevator and Rudder with a couple spare full size Spektrum A6110 HV servos I had. That fixed my rudder issue, but the elevator still would not move equally, even with a bump up in servo power. I eventually had to make up a brace that ran about 3-4" that would ensure the elevator couldn't move one side without moving the other. So with all that fixed, it flew better, however it still didn't fly anything like the one in Flite Test's build video, or like the ones in that video where they increased the size of the P47 by 180%, or fly like they did in the Battleship video where they flew the P47 and dropped the toy bathtub ducks from it. All those flights looked amazing, I'm lucky to fight to keep mine in the air. Possible problem #3 was a bad pitch angle from the power-pack. When I installed the power pack I installed it like Josh said to in the video with a slight down angle. So I took my power-pack out and reseat it, but I honestly don't know if it was even a problem or if reseating it fixed anything because it's still not very fun to fly. I've contemplated throwing the thing in the trash, salvaging the electronics, and just building a new one. But that would mean having to once again rely on that terrible build video. From having the wrong parts in the earlier versions of the kit, to not telling you how to install the landing gear, to jumping from one style tail to the other and skipping a dozen steps while doing so, to having some folds that are marked just be wrong (like the battery box), I just don't think if I tried again I'd have any more luck. I seriously wish they would re-do the video for the P-47 and made the bubbletop and razorback separate videos instead of mashing both of them together in a 4 hour long mess.
oliver.karst
Member
@Stonewall Thanks for your reply. I have as well problems with the elevator. Same as your elevator. With clue I added a wood stalk in the middle of the elevator that makes it better but not good. I thought about to cut the elevator and replace it with a double layer of foam board for more strength. As for the front part of the horizontal stabilizer. May the horizontal stabilizer in my P-47 is not right as well. When horizontal stabilizer and elevator are in one line the P-47 is with more thrust like a rocket going straight up in the sky.
I use as well the 9g (metal) servos and may this cause the flight problems where the motor stops and starts like loose connection. Because when testing the plane on a desk without a prop and playing with throttle, and full throttle, there are no issues.
When I have time I will try to fix the problems and give the plan another try.
The most of my ofter flite test planes are great flyers (bloody baron, 150% version of tiny trainer, spitfire, simple cup, spear, versa wing, etc)
I learned really a lot from the other build videos and I am incredibly enthusiastic of flite test planes. Like a little drug addicted :-D ;-)
BATTLEAXE
Legendary member
What Tx/Rx system do you use and where is the ESC located?
Zetoyoc
Elite member
I have not flown mine yet but i did have issues with the accessory hatch and had to do a lot of trimming there. I also did not like the arrangement for the control rods to the tail. I found on mine at least they could bind and cause too much strain on the servos which in testing caused a receiver brown out with only 2 servos. So I rerouted and opened up that area a bit and at least on the ground in testing everything seems to be working. ill be holding me breath for the maiden flight though still 
