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Almost ready to fly: Warbird guide

Model Airplane News, Sep 2001

An old saying among fighter pilots goes, "There are only two kinds of airplanes-fighters and targets!" Among modelers, there's no denying the popularity of the former-especially WW II fighters. Aircraft such as the P-51 Mustang, F4U Corsair and Supermarine Spitfire are superstar icons of the battles fought over Europe and in the Pacific theater. It is probably safe to say that modelers everywhere have, at one time or another, looked forward to flying a warbird. With the popularity of almost-ready-tofly (ARF) models at an all-time high and with so many well-built ARF warbirds to choose from, there has never been a better time to treat yourself to that fighter than right now!

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To complement the high-performance fighters described in this guide, we include details on popular military trainer aircraft from the 1950s and earlier. There are squadrons of aircraft to pick from; regardless of which insignia you want on the wings, there's sure to be something here for you. You, too, can fly a warbird!

Built to last

ARFs are constructed of three basic materials: wood, fiberglass and laminated foam/plastic. Each has its assets and drawbacks, but all of the ARF kits described in this guide are well engineered and go together relatively easily. Here are a few facts to think about when you decide which type of kit to buy.

Wood-very commonly used for ARF warbird Its that require only minor assembly of prebuilt parts that often arrive covered with heat-shrink plastic film. Wings are usually supplied in halves for shipping, but several of the newer models come with one-piece wings. Wooden ARFs are relatively easy to repair, and the repaired areas can be covered with new film covering.

Fiberglass--used for parts such as engine cowls, belly pans and wingtips and even for the entire fuselage. Fiberglass kits are very light and save you time and effort because they are often already painted and have decals applied.

Strengthening plywood bulkheads are factory-installed in the fuselage at key stress points. During rough landings or other mishaps, paint can crack away from the fiberglass as it flexes under stress. Repair major damage with an internal patch of fiberglass cloth and epoxy resin or even thin CA. When cutting a painted fiberglass cowl to accommodate the engine, be careful not to chip the paint; if you do chip it, you might be able to apply thin CA around the opening, sand the area smooth and touch it up with matching fuelproof paint.

Laminated foam and Mylar plasticoften referred to as "EZ" construction, this is very light and strong and has been used for many years in ARF construction. Surface details and markings are frequently printed right on the material, which is then coated with a clear protective finish at the factory. Details such as panel lines, rivets and fuel caps make models look more like the real thing without any effort on your part. Vacuum-formed plastic partsengine cowl, top fuselage turtle deck, wingtips, stabilizer and fin tips and belly pans, for examplehelp give these models their finishing touches. Though the material looks very attractive, the laminated foam that covers the strong underlying wooden structure can be difficult to repair. Don't use a CA glue to mend breaks unless you know you have one that is foam-friendly. Thirty-minute epoxy and life-ply internal patches work well to fix broken parts.

When it's time to patch your fighter, consider the materials it's made of. All but the most severe damage can be repaired, and your fighter will five to fly another day.

Tail-dragger checkout. Use right rudder!

Most fighters are tail-draggers with a conventional main gear and a steerable tailwheel. It's a good idea to get some stick time with a tail-dragger before you attempt to fly a warbird. This is especially true if you want to build and fly one that is equipped with retracts. You need to know something about the following:

Engine torque. This is the enemy of every tail-dragger; it tries to swing the aircraft to the left when you apply throttle for takeoff. As the prop spins clockwise (as viewed from the cockpit), torque tries to rotate (roll) the fuselage counterclockwise. This increases the load on the left main landing gear and decreases it on the right. Right rudder is required to prevent the model from rotating to the left. Torque is easier to deal with if you advance the throttle gradually and smoothly, and its effects disappear once the airplane is in the air.

Gyroscopic progression. This force tries to make the airplane swerve to the left when the tail rises during the takeoff roll. At the start of the takeoff run, the thrust force is basically the same throughout the propdisk area. When the tail comes up, the top of the prop moves forward. Because the prop spins clockwise, the forward force at the top of it is transferred 90 degrees to the right. This right-side push on the prop forces the model's nose to the left. Again, right rudder is needed to correct the heading. P-factor. This force attempts to veer the airplane to the left after takeoff. "P-factor" refers to the asymmetrical (unbalanced) thrust produced by the prop while the airplane is at a high angle of attack. The thrust imbalance is produced because, in the climb attitude, the prop's pitch relative to the airflow is higher on the right side as one tip travels downward than it is on the left side as the other tip travels upward. Hold a little right rudder during the climb-out to maintain a straight heading, Once the model has leveled out and is no longer climbing, P-factor is no longer a concern.

Almost ready to fly: Warbird guide

Model Airplane News, Sep 2001

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