P-51 Mustang PTS – Part One

[andrew]

hi,

I am just getting into the sport/hobby and
having read this article on the mustang I think it is an ideal plane to start with.

I am in Ireland and there are no retailers of Hanger9 kits, could u advice on any good shops or websites where I can get them.

Thank you.

AMB

[Myron Beaumont]

Hi there I think it's far from the ideal starter Beautiful a/c but you must start with a high wing stable m/c that when you go hands off will fly itself ie built in stability I'm sure I'll be backed up by all experienced flyers out there. Have you flown an aeroplane on a simulator ? If so you'll know what I mean .Having said that I must admit my first a/c was a "bullet " 40 Webra tuned pipe the lot way back .& I never crashed it (ask Truro club )In other words "go for it if you feel confident & know what might happen".We're all different aren't we !

[Phil Meredith]

i would sugest a trainer such as the ripmax 40, or a tutor 40 with a reliable 46 up front,
join a club and get on a budy lead, when you get your A cert, put the rates up as far as they will go and and see if you can pull the thing apart in flight, most fun you can have with your clothes on,
ive had my A cert three years now and still throw a trainer around from time to time, you dont care if you kill it, and they are dead cheap if you do
phil

[Myron Beaumont]

Phil You give the impression (clothes on etc -quote) that aircraft are disposable items after all you've put them through unlike the female of our species!& they can cost you a lot more than one trainer -never mind a pair don't I know it.They're not cheap .The only certs I have are divorce ones!

[andrew]

hi,

I built a high boy trainer nearly fifteen years ago. I am afraid of putting radio gear and engine into it is so old now.
I have not really looked at it lately but I would not be surprised if it has wood worm now since it has been sitting on an old cupboard that does in my shed.

also when I got the high boy there was no instructions on how to install the equipment which without I am sure that I would make a mess.

ty.

ps

can u recommend any good internet retailers in the uk or the other side of the pond(usa)

AMB

[Phil Meredith]

the impression i was trying to give, is the fact that it would be cheaper to start with a trainer, and stay with a trainer until you get all the silliness out of your system, it is still far cheaper to make a mistake with a trainer, repair it, and make more mistakes than to make a mistake with a more upmarket aircraft, most of which fly faster and are far less stable than a trainer, and as such will damage beyond repair,,,, and yes, trainers are desposable, they have a limited lifespan, they do what they are designed to do, some survive (the very lucky ones) most are claimed by the goddess of gravity,,

i got one of them certs too, and my trainer was about all i had left,
phil

[Myron Beaumont]

Phil- I think our friend across the irish sea has not built much & I would hate him to prang his first model (excuse the lateral thinking but one could substitute the word trainer for Virgin in this thread ? Read it all again & you'll see wot I mean!) Wifes have a limited life span also don't they.Sorry to hear that's all you have left (a trainer that is )
AT LEAST i HAVE MY MOTOR HOME

[Phil Meredith]

ha ha ha,
dont be sorry byron it was for the best, now i have a lovely second model, about to be a dad again in 5 weeks, 21 years after the last one, :)
alls well that ends well, or begins again,
but trainers rule the skies,,, one pal of mine had a spare super air wing lying around nailed to the top of his trainer, made it a tail dragger, fitted a jen 56 on a 9X9 prop, never seen anything so rappid,,
they are just so versatile
phil

[Andrew Gardiner]

hi guys
the mustang this chap is on about is a trainer the pts stands for progessive training system all sorts of bells and whistles to make it stable and slow it down


andrew birmingham model centre are a very good store and i know for a fact he has that model in stock web site is www.birminghammodelcentre.co.uk and they do mail order

[Nick Chudley]

How about an electric trainer? They're quiet and light weight. no fuss and when you crash them in your neighbour's garden, they don't do nearly so much damage. Electric-planes have several. Now I've stuck my camera on this one, I have some brilliant aerial photos.

I agree with the other guys about the importance of starting with something that's easy to manage, till you get your head around the problem of standing on the ground steering a plane that might be upside down, back to front etc. And there's all those trees that are always closer than you think they are.

I think I might get reported to the moderator if I start trying to link some of these positions to married life!

[Malcolm Fisher]

Andrew - the Hi-Boy should be ~OK - I'm flying models much older than that. Dig it out and have a good look for signs of joints coming adrift, loose hinges and lifting covering. If all is OK have a go at putting engine and gear in - the Hi-Boy was a popular trainer and quite tough and I feel sure that there will still be some flying around somewhere.

Radio and engine installation s are pretty straightforwards as with most trainers.

While I don't have a Hi-Boy plan I have plans for similar models and the Bushwacker in RCM&E is similar if your Hi-Boy doesn't have ailerons. Even if it does the radio installation isn't that much more complicated.

[andrew]

Hi again,

Thanks for the advice, no need of marriage councelling here though.

I am going to take out the old high boy plane
and try and get it going.

I am interested in getting books on the subject aswell and wondering if I could get advice here. I am looking at getting Kelvin Shacklock's book, Aircraft Work Shop: Learn to make Models that Fly. Has anyone read or used this book.

thanks.
Andrew