North American YP-82L Tri-Stang

PR19_Kit · December 15, 2014, 04:41:38 PM

I got fed up with PSR-ing the long wing, I've been sanding for DAYS it seems, so I did something else for the Tri-Stang.

Because the two outer engines rotate opposite to each other to minimise the torque reaction it makes no sense for the centre engine to go one way or the other, and the obvious answer is a contra-prop. Unfortunately it seems that no-one made a contra-prop for a P-51, let alone a P-82 so no-one has made a model of one either. (Yeah, yeah, I know, some wise-guy will now come up with a pic of a racing Mustang with a contra-prop, but models of same are damned hard to come by!)

So having LOTS of spare props on this project I made one, or tried to anyway. I cut the nose off the spinner of one spare prop and filed it as flat as I could, then glued another prop, but the opposite hand, on top of it. Of course the joint was anything BUT smooth as the rear spinner tapered quite a bit so it needed a fair amount of putty, but getting it into the tiny space round the blades was NO fun. Sanding or filing it down afterward was even worse, and it'll need lots more PSR sessions I'm sure, but here it is as far as it goes.

Tophe · December 15, 2014, 09:01:50 PM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on December 15, 2014, 10:19:49 AM
But I could build an asymmetric Mustang with the bits I've got left.

I love this idea! Please finish urgently this YP-82L great model and start the next one...

McColm · December 16, 2014, 02:23:43 AM

Have you ever thought of building an R/C flying model of this?

zenrat · December 16, 2014, 02:30:07 AM

Quote from: Flyer on December 15, 2014, 06:18:19 PM
Quote from: PR19_Kit on December 15, 2014, 04:41:38 PM
Unfortunately it seems that no-one made a contra-prop for a P-51, let alone a P-82 so no-one has made a model of one either. (Yeah, yeah, I know, some wise-guy will now come up with a pic of a racing Mustang with a contra-prop, but models of same are damned hard to come by!)

I'm not being a wiseguy , I stumbled onto a whole range of racing aircraft kits including contra-prop Stang's on eBay, of course I don't remember the kit manufacturer or where I found them now . They were probably 3 blade contra-props anyway.

What you have put together there looks the business Kit .

High Planes Models?

kitnut617 · December 16, 2014, 05:43:36 AM

Quote from: zenrat on December 16, 2014, 02:30:07 AM
Quote from: Flyer on December 15, 2014, 06:18:19 PM
Quote from: PR19_Kit on December 15, 2014, 04:41:38 PM
Unfortunately it seems that no-one made a contra-prop for a P-51, let alone a P-82 so no-one has made a model of one either. (Yeah, yeah, I know, some wise-guy will now come up with a pic of a racing Mustang with a contra-prop, but models of same are damned hard to come by!)

I'm not being a wiseguy , I stumbled onto a whole range of racing aircraft kits including contra-prop Stang's on eBay, of course I don't remember the kit manufacturer or where I found them now . They were probably 3 blade contra-props anyway.

What you have put together there looks the business Kit .

High Planes Models?

I've got one of those, the prop is a modified Shackleton prop, meaning the blade tips were cut down

Captain Canada · December 16, 2014, 06:08:38 AM

Neat idea, and it's going to look very good. One going one way, one the other, and one going both ways ! lol.

PR19_Kit · December 16, 2014, 07:36:50 AM

AFAIK all the contra-prop race Mustangs used 3 bladers, no good for the Tri-Stang I'm afraid, and I'd never be able to afford one just for the prop anyway.

2nd phase of the prop has been done today. It had me searching out my narrowest needle files to get down between the blades, and then I gave it all a coat of Mr. Surfacer 500 (doesn't that stuff smell weird?) which just revealed that I'll need at least ANOTHER PSR stage.

I've also been sanding down the main assembly, and sanding and sanding and sanding........... $:-\$

With hindsight (the world's only exact science....) I should have PSR'd each of the three fuselages separately before I assembled them. As it is, trying to do anything on the centre fuse is a nightmare, my sanding block is too large to fit through the gap! I'm going to borrow some of Mrs_PR19's nail sanding sticks when she gets back, she has about a zillion of them so hopefully won't miss one or two.

Tophe · December 16, 2014, 09:06:44 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on December 16, 2014, 07:36:50 AM
I'm going to borrow some of Mrs_PR19's nail sanding sticks when she gets back, she has about a zillion of them so hopefully won't miss one or two.

hehehe...

Librarian · December 16, 2014, 09:27:36 AM

I've been reading this thread but my eyes went skewy....screen's too small. Is she going to be recon with a centre contra prop and outer handed props? That would be beautiful. The longer wings are definitely better

PR19_Kit · December 16, 2014, 09:45:12 AM

Quote from: Librarian on December 16, 2014, 09:27:36 AM
I've been reading this thread but my eyes went skewy....screen's too small. Is she going to be recon with a centre contra prop and outer handed props? That would be beautiful. The longer wings are definitely better

Almost.

The outer engines will have opposite rotation, and the centre one will have a contra-prop, or it will if I EVER finish the PSR work on it. It's not a recon aircraft though, it's an ultra-long range fighter with 12 x 05.s, 6 in each wing centre section. The idea was to escort B-29s all the way from Hawaii to Tokyo and back..........

PR19_Kit · December 25, 2014, 04:37:53 PM

I've FINALLY finished the contra-prop, and a right pain it was too. It very nearly got slung out the window a couple of times, but then I thought that it HAD to be done as no other prop made any sense for the centre engine.

I had maybe 4-5 PSR sessions on the spinner joint during which two of the rear prop blades broke off but I managed to get them superglued back on OK. Then I primed it and did two MORE PSR sessions, and then I decided I might as well paint it as I'd got that far. And after that I thought I'd apply the SIXTEEN prop blade decals and finish the thing off. Applying the decals to the rear prop blades was a right fiddle, but I managed it.

So bizarrely the centre prop is the first part of the Tri-Stang to be finished. I'll get on to extending the port wing tomorrow, when I get back from my birthday party that is.

Tophe · December 26, 2014, 10:48:33 AM

Congratulations!

Captain Canada · December 28, 2014, 06:38:44 AM

Looks good. Nice and smooth now. Have a great party !

Librarian · December 28, 2014, 07:24:43 AM

"You're a better man than me, Gunga Din"....if there's one thing I hate doing, and totally avoid in whiff-world, it's prop decals. Horrible things. Beautifully done

.

That reminds me, I've got some Kipling cakes somewhere.......

PR19_Kit · December 28, 2014, 08:44:55 AM

Quote from: Librarian on December 28, 2014, 07:24:43 AM
"You're a better man than me, Gunga Din"....if there's one thing I hate doing, and totally avoid in whiff-world, it's prop decals. Horrible things. Beautifully done .

That reminds me, I've got some Kipling cakes somewhere.......

You should have heard the barrage of swear words while I was trying to apply those decals. The inner ones on the rear blades were underneath the front blades of course as I'd not set the props up at 45 deg to each other in the interests of 'realism'.

Dumb or what?