Galaxy Mustang P51D 1/6 Semi -Scale

[Paul Coxon]

Thanks for the advice Paul, duly noted ! I hope I have more luck than you do !

Thanks Jon for all the detailed explanation and for putting my mind at rest. It sounds like I'm worrying earlier than I need to, but it's very helpful to have my next few steps plotted out.

I just need to stick to the plan !

Have a good weekend

Cheers

Paul

[Paul Coxon]

Hi Guys,

Well I've made some progress recently.

The retracts arrived last week and I'm delighted with the quality, a good recommendation Jon. I don't know what to do with them yet, but that will come !

Armed with lots of earlier advice I took the plunge and started to glue the wing together. I've now added leading and trailing edges and tips, but haven't shaped anything yet and yes I did put the ply on the leading edge, but it doesn't go very far into the wing, since if it did it would foal the retracts.

I now have the choice as to whether to insert ply spars, do servo boxes or run channels for leads but logic tells me to put the spars in first, then insert the retract bearers, cut for the wheel wells etc before doing the servo boxes.

So its the scary stuff next !

Looking at Jon's hurricane, it looks like there are short spars that don't cross the hole wing, which would be easier.

Another suggestion from a friend in France was 6 mm ply scars right across the wing over 700 mm long and running either side of the retracts which would run through the wheel well, so the spars would need to be trimmed to accommodate the wheels, is that overkill ?

Another suggestion from a Dutch friend was to build beams in carbon fibre, assuming I know where to get the CF of course.

Just looking for a sanity check at this stage !

See photos below

Thanks

Paul

[Jon H]

Its a shame you didnt run those leading edge spars longer into the wing. As i mentioned in my previous post you could have shifted the retracts back slightly but raked them forward to compensate. It wont be quite as easy to tie everything together now but im sure it will work out.

The retracts look lovely but they should have sent cranked oleos, or did you ask for straight?

[Paul Coxon]

Unfortunately the retracts have to be cranked forward quite a long way already as per the plans, I've already moved the retract back a bit but any more would have looked weird.

I'll have to get round it somehow unless I cut off the leading edge and do it again. Should I do this or do you think the others suggestions are viable ?

Re oleos I'm afraid I don't know what cranked ones are, I just asked for retracts, oleos and everything else I would need for a P51D Mustang and that's what they sent.

Should I ask them to change the oleos if they're wrong

Cheers
Paul

[Jon H]

If you look at this photo of a real one you can see the leg is cranked round the wheel and most models do the same as it looks cool and keeps the wheel in the right place

[Paul Coxon]

Thanks for the photo Jon, I see exactly what you mean. Whilst I didn't specify which oleo, I was 100 percent clear on what aircraft it was for and I put myself in their expert hands.

Clearly they have sent me the wrong oleos and with a bill of circa ?400 I think they should have paid more attention to detail.
I've just e-mailed them requesting they change the oleos.

Unfortunately it took weeks for the others to be made and over a week in the post, so progress could now grind to a halt.

Is there any reason why I shouldn't move on to the servo boxes while I wait ?

Regarding the front spar, I could overlap what I've done with another piece of ply by about 30mm on the outside and extend the spar by a couple of inches if that helps.

Thinking about it, I'm reluctant to saw off the leading edge. What do you think ? And what do you think about the other spar suggestions ?

Cheers

Paul

[Jon H]

If you can accurately notch your retract plate to accept that tongue you will be in good shape. Another 1/8 spar at the back at full depth and a foot long should do a good job of holding it all together

[Paul Coxon]

Hi Jon,

Thanks again. I've just spent an hour writing a detailed missive and the forum didn't post it, I lost the lot.

Very much shorter version is.

I'll carry on with the tailplane but as far as the wing is concerned I'm going to take everything over to a new friendly Dutch friend of mine who speaks good English and lives only 50 miles away.

He's an engineer and a prolific model builder with 16 RC planes, many scratch built. Time to call in the local cavalry with so much complexity, there's the flaps to think of too for which there are no plans or instructions and it's unfair to put so much of a burden on you.

I'll keep you updated on progress !

Now back to bed !!

Cheers

Paul

[Paul Coxon]

Going to see my Dutch friend tomorrow, he's agreed to help with the wing.

Since I'm going to change the oleos which will take weeks I guess, is there any reason why I can't proceed and install the retracts based on what I have ? I don't have to return the straight Oleos yet.

I'm guessing the only difference will be planning for the crank which will eventually need to fit in the wheel well.

I've phoned Premium UK Retracts re the Oleos.

They are happy to exchange the ones I have for the cranked ones i.e credit the £80 for the ones they sent me and charge me for the cranked ones.

The only sting is that whilst they will do them for their best price, this could cost me another £100, ouch ! But they will look so much better !

Paul

[Paul Devlin]

I've been reading this with interest. Last last year I acquired a Galaxy Mustang, its taken till this year to get it to a point to fly, its my first go at a large model, air retracts, and the petrol engine strapped to the front!

It has flown in experienced hands twice this year, with me having a go whilst up, but this week was my effective solo maiden with it, and what has been mentioned, happened. Full flap landing, 5 feet to go, and my right hand took a life of its own applying stupid elevator too early, loss of airspeed, and down it thumped, ripping a retract out of the wing. Luckily, it didn't come through the top of the wing, so I need to repair, I really like this model, in the air it was awesome, so smooth on the ailerons, and very scale like. I'm in a bad place now as I not sure what to do, its become obvious its been repaired both sides previously, and wasn't very strong, I cant see much as its obviously a finished model, and there doesn't seem to be much supporting the retract unit, particularly at leading edge. This repair has pushed me to now consider what I would really like to do, the Mustang skirt things that go over the oleos and wheels when retracted, its just not a mustang without these. Has anyone every done this? I resisted prior to the bump due to the fact the oleos and wheels don't sit low enough in the wells to have a flush fit skirt?

Ill post pics up if the damage if anyone can offer some guidance as to the best repair. I don't mind really what it looks like, but want to get a real strong system in place, to prevent any further damage that could have come through the top of the wing, which really would have meant it being written off, I cant find spares anywhere so I doubt I will ever find a wing!

Paul