Need a fuel tank for my Sig Mustang

Just finished a Sig Mustang Stunter. The Hayes slim 4-ounce tank that came with is does fit. The K&B .40 also fits. But, I just discovered they won't fit at the same time. The nipple of the gas tank is crammed into the back of the engine. The Hayes is listed at 3.8" long, but when you put it together, it is actually 4.5 inches. This fuselage is too narrow for a regular tank. I was thinking about a Sullivan round 4 ounce tank, but it is described as being 3 5/8" in length. I'm wondering if that is before assembling it. Need advice on what others have tried over the years. Thanks.

Have you checked the Sullivan Flex Tank? It can be tweeked to fit into limited spaces.
Steve

What about cutting into the leading edge of the wing? What is the final weight? Everyone I've seen from a kit has been heavy. Did you use the plastic parts or replace them with balsa?

The plane needs more lettering on the fuselage, it is just too plain and a four bladed prop painted silver with yellow tips.

It actually has panel lines, but you can't see them in the photo. I did use the plastic and it weighs close to what my Vector does. The problem about cutting into the anything behind the tank is that it buts up against the firewall, which is up against the leading edge of the wing. I'm wondering if someone has a round sullivan tank they can measure with the plastic can on the front. If that is too long, I may have to get a flex tank and try to remold it with a heat gun. If anyone has ever done that, I may need advise.

I think it looks fantastic!! And if you have panel lines on it they must be near scale. My gripe with panel line is that if I were to walk up to a real plane and see lines like on some of our models I wouldn't get in, the gaps would be 1 1/2" wide!

Anyway, I had to make a tank for mine. If you like I can measure it up and give you the dims.

Mine came out at 48 oz, a real porker. It will not negotiate triangular maneuvers. I think if it were lighter it would be a very nice airplane and maybe someday I'll build another with a built up sheeted wing. I did use the plastic parts and doubt much could have been saved substituting balsa there. Most on the weight in mine is actually finish (I had some problems) It only weighed 32 oz before I painted it.

>Mine came out at 48 oz, a real porker. It will not negotiate
>triangular maneuvers. I think if it were lighter it would be
>a very nice airplane and maybe someday I'll build another
>with a built up sheeted wing. I did use the plastic parts
>and doubt much could have been saved substituting balsa
>there. Most on the weight in mine is actually finish (I had
>some problems) It only weighed 32 oz before I painted it.
>
>Randy Ryan
>AMA 8500
>SAM 36
>I fly 'em all and love it!

Are you meaning to say you put 16 ounces of finish on it? Most sig kits vary a lot in weight according to the wood they include. Just make sure you replace any that is overly heavy and it should come out fine. The plane should carry the 48 ounce weight, however.

Yes, 12 oz of finish, 4 oz of repair. The kit had some really nice wood in it and I was really looking forward to a nice flier. You've got to remember how small this airplane really is. I can't remember area off hand, but its little, the wing loading at 48 oz is high. I should add that there is a major repair in that weight, before the damage the model was at 44 oz, and it flew quite a bit better.

Lots of lessons learned with this model. I keep it around and fly it occasionally. I really just like that way it looks. Mine is done up in metalic blue with white and gold trim and gold leaf graphics, sort of like a pseudo-racer.

Randy, you need more power.

LAST EDITED ON Dec-10-03 AT 09:28 AM (CST)
 
I don't think so Ty, there's a point were more power can't help because wing loading is too high, this is the case with my little 'stang. More power won't help and overloaded wing except in a straight line. If can't produce enough lift to keep in grooved in turns.

Beside that, there was barely enough room in the nose of the little bird for the .40FP, and not room at all for a pipe.

I built the tank for my Sig/Lee Mustang. It's a tapered, pinch corner, uniflow design of around 4.3 oz. If you like to do this kind of thing, email me and I'll send you the drawings.

I made a built-up wing for mine and really watched the wood. The whole thing came out at 40 oz. My ABC Fox flies it just fine. A very nice flying airplane that is quite competitive at an Advanced level.

BTW, your Mustang looks real nice!

Fred

Fred,

You hit the weight I was hoping for. This airplane does actually fly pretty nice but at the weight of mine the cornering performance really suffers. Squares are just doable but the close proximity of the corners in triangular corners makes then look almost round to keep from stalling the airplane. The final corner of the hourglass is always exciting.

Mitch,

The 4 ounce round Sullivan is going to end up right at 4 inches with the stopper. Will a standard Sullivan slant front fit? They are only 3 1/2 inches long but 2 inches wide.

If I can get it squeezed about 1/4", I could get it in. As far as making a tank goes, my soldering skills are probably equivalent to that of an untrained Mongoose's.

LAST EDITED ON Dec-09-03 AT 01:46 PM (CST)
 
>If I can get it squeezed about 1/4", I could get it in.

If you could squeeze it about 1/4" you wouldn't have anything left

regards,
Rick "catdaddy" Blankenship

btw
nice looking 'stang counselor.

I'll check around the shop tonight, I have been know to make duplicates of all sorts of stuff while I'm "at it", maybe I have another tank like the one I made for the Mustang.

Got it. Thanks for all your assistance. Pulled a Sullivan 4. ounce flex tank off the shelf. Placed it between two pieces of plywood. Put one hand on the top board, pushed down while holding a heat gun on the tank with the other hand. Rotated the heat gun a bit to get all the sides. Voila! I have a 1 3/4" wide flex tank that is short enough to use. I went for ease and didn't make it a uniflow. Have vent, fuel to engine and a fill tube I cap off under the plane. Can't wait to see how it works. I sure hope it does, as it will be harder than heck to remove since I put a brass vent line through the side of the fuse and a fill tube under the fuse that will interfere with removal of the tank. Can be done, but will take a bit of twisting those tubes to remove the glue and pull them out.

Great,

I looked around last night and I do have a tank but its not 4 oz. I had to replace it with a larger one to feed the FP.40. Doubt it will do you any good but if you find you'd like to try it its yours.

Later,

If you would be willing to part with it, I'd buy it. I'd like to have an alternative because I usually have to mess a lot with fuel tanks to get a plane running the way I want it. Plz e-mail me at [email protected]

Thanks.