After 62 years of flying C/L stunt, R/C scale, free flight, and gliders, this is my first model built by someone else. Mine is the ARF version, but, read on:
First Impressions:
On the plus side:
1. The P-40 already has adjustable leadouts, wingtip weight box
2. Construction is first-rate. Monokote job is also nice. The pieces are laser-cut and accurately assembled and sanded.
3. The “kit” is complete with all hardware.
4. Instruction booklet is pretty good, but does not show the balance point.
On the minus side:
1. Bellcrank and leadouts are buried, so I don’t know how sturdy or how long this will last.
The rest of my alterations are recommended, but not essential. And here they are:
1. I had the ARF version, but I then decided that plastic covering was not for me. So off it came! A hair dryer makes short work of this.
2. I was warned that the usual installation would be tail-heavy. Therefore, I extended the balsa at the nose an extra 5/8”, and mounted the engine as far forward as the maple mounts would allow. I also sanded the rudder and elevator to a sharp trailing edge. How much weight savings? I don’t know, but I still did it. More on balance later.
3. I installed 4-40 T-nuts for engine and tank. The balsa doubler had to be cut away for this, but it goes back without too much sanding.
4. I covered the fuselage from front to wing T.E. with carbon veil. Clear dope works for this. Epoxy isn’t necessary.
5. I used a carbon tube as pushrod, with a ball link at the elevator horn.
Finishing: I covered with silkspan and Brodak dopes. Engine is an OS40FPS with 11-5 wood prop. Tank is a 4 oz “chicken hopper”. This engine does the pattern on 3 1/8 oz fuel. (SIG 15% nitro and 20% oil half and half)
Flying: First, I discovered the plane needed some lead in the nose. Best balance is exactly 3” aft of the leading edge at the root. It now weighs 47 oz, but the weight doesn’t seem to hurt. Lap time with 66’ 0.015” lines is 5.2 sec.
The model required no flap tweaking. It does not “hunt” on level flight. Corners are tight, but I still don’t have the correct amount of wingtip weight.
Summary: I hesitate to assign any 1- 10 rating for this. It is an honest flyer, and has no bad habits that I can detect.
Floyd Carter
AMA #796