Kit build P51 mustang
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ZK-AKL is very close to completion now - we are doing final assembly of the fuselage and cockpit at the moment. Power will go on ship by next weekend. I had hoped to beat the B787 into the air, but I fear we will miss by a couple of months. Latest piccies tell the story here :
Picasa Web Albums - Ken - NZ Warbirds T...
I have also got my little Avid Speedwing flying to serve as the base trainer for the T51. She can be a total bitch to fly so the name of "Wattle Witch" seemed appropriate. Actually she is a pussycat if you know how to fly properly and know what your feet are for, but sadly I find that some who try - can't and don't ...
Picasa Web Albums - Ken - The Wattle Wi...
Certainly getting our T51 syndicate members up to speed on the "Witch' is a good refresher of tailwheel microlight techniques and once they can fly her properly the Titan will be a simple conversion.
Enjoy the piccies and try not to drool on the keyboard thinking of those 1000's of solid rivets
Ken
Picasa Web Albums - Ken - NZ Warbirds T...
I have also got my little Avid Speedwing flying to serve as the base trainer for the T51. She can be a total bitch to fly so the name of "Wattle Witch" seemed appropriate. Actually she is a pussycat if you know how to fly properly and know what your feet are for, but sadly I find that some who try - can't and don't ...
Picasa Web Albums - Ken - The Wattle Wi...
Certainly getting our T51 syndicate members up to speed on the "Witch' is a good refresher of tailwheel microlight techniques and once they can fly her properly the Titan will be a simple conversion.
Enjoy the piccies and try not to drool on the keyboard thinking of those 1000's of solid rivets
Ken
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Onya Ken 
Makes me realise just how much work actually goes into one of these projects. Well done to all involved, I hope to see her in her natural element soon. Please keep us updated.
Makes me realise just how much work actually goes into one of these projects. Well done to all involved, I hope to see her in her natural element soon. Please keep us updated.
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Titan T51 #70 Update
Cowlings nearly complete. Power on ship in a couple of weeks... We will not beat the 787 into the air - but it will be close.
The whole photo album is here :
Picasa Web Albums - Ken - NZ Warbirds T...
MG
Last edited by MasterGreen; 26th May 2009 at 09:12.
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Jamie,
we are firmly locked into the 90/90 rule - 90% completed and 90% to go. Having said that we are now going to beat the 787 to flight. The engine runs were satisfactory and the 912 fired up 2nd go - not bad for 4 years in a box. The cooling system mods (all the rads in the nose on a custom plenum) appears fine and I have now managed to get ALL the instruments working.
The engine mount extensions turned out easier than imagined - in fact I managed to upset our 'metal wizard' by asking when these would be fully incorporated. In fact they had been done for a while and they were so neat that I couldn't see them added to the stock mounting). A reverse compliment if there ever was one.
The cockpit is just about complete apart from labels - what a nightmare that is.. We have the canopy surrounds to finish and one aileron to rivet up. There was one aileron with a small 'factory damage' nick in the lower trailing edge that needed fettling - so that one was left behind the assembly process.
I managed to find some blade server fans - dual counter rotating 2" units - that solved the demister power beautifully. The undercarriage controller worked perfectly and took just 2 hours to wire up. Considering that it took me six months to R&D and develop it - that was (hopefully) expected.
Here are some more photos. We roll her out for final engine runs and taxi tests this weekend (18/09) and will hopefully send her to flight line mid November. Flight tests will take a couple of weeks - depending upon the weather. I have booked leave to do the performance testing, but I have implemented the Dynon data gathering software - so that will not take very long compared with a pencil and kneepad job.
The Wattle Witch is proving invaluable in doing the training and she is sorting out everyone's Tail Dragger skills nicely. No more flying in big boots around here - it's gym shoes or bare feet to keep this lady from wobbling The stock phrase seems to be - "If you can fly that bitch - you can fly anything", which is just what is needed really.
Oh and yes, all the cowls and panels were English Wheeled from flat stock. We had to use a slightly thicker, softer alloy on the cowls to achieve the curvature, but the results are stunning (if I say so myself) - even close up. The biggest problem we have with visitors is to keep their sticky hands off the rivet lines
All the piccies are here :
Picasa Web Albums - Ken - NZ Warbirds T...
Some teasers here ....
MG
we are firmly locked into the 90/90 rule - 90% completed and 90% to go. Having said that we are now going to beat the 787 to flight. The engine runs were satisfactory and the 912 fired up 2nd go - not bad for 4 years in a box. The cooling system mods (all the rads in the nose on a custom plenum) appears fine and I have now managed to get ALL the instruments working.
The engine mount extensions turned out easier than imagined - in fact I managed to upset our 'metal wizard' by asking when these would be fully incorporated. In fact they had been done for a while and they were so neat that I couldn't see them added to the stock mounting). A reverse compliment if there ever was one.
The cockpit is just about complete apart from labels - what a nightmare that is.. We have the canopy surrounds to finish and one aileron to rivet up. There was one aileron with a small 'factory damage' nick in the lower trailing edge that needed fettling - so that one was left behind the assembly process.
I managed to find some blade server fans - dual counter rotating 2" units - that solved the demister power beautifully. The undercarriage controller worked perfectly and took just 2 hours to wire up. Considering that it took me six months to R&D and develop it - that was (hopefully) expected.
Here are some more photos. We roll her out for final engine runs and taxi tests this weekend (18/09) and will hopefully send her to flight line mid November. Flight tests will take a couple of weeks - depending upon the weather. I have booked leave to do the performance testing, but I have implemented the Dynon data gathering software - so that will not take very long compared with a pencil and kneepad job.
The Wattle Witch is proving invaluable in doing the training and she is sorting out everyone's Tail Dragger skills nicely. No more flying in big boots around here - it's gym shoes or bare feet to keep this lady from wobbling
The stock phrase seems to be - "If you can fly that bitch - you can fly anything", which is just what is needed really. Oh and yes, all the cowls and panels were English Wheeled from flat stock. We had to use a slightly thicker, softer alloy on the cowls to achieve the curvature, but the results are stunning (if I say so myself) - even close up. The biggest problem we have with visitors is to keep their sticky hands off the rivet lines
All the piccies are here :
Picasa Web Albums - Ken - NZ Warbirds T...
Some teasers here ....
MG
Here ya go MAX,
MUSTANG P-51 • $40,000 • FOR SALE AGAIN • Stewart p-51 project, near complete, V12, reduced for quick sale, all serious offers considered, full details avail. must sell by months end.. • Owner - located Granchester QLD, Australia • Telephone: 61-0-407-448-414 . • Posted September 25, 2009 • Show all Ads posted by this Advertiser • Recommend This Ad to a Friend • Email Advertiser • Save to Watchlist • Report This Ad
MUSTANG P-51 • $40,000 • FOR SALE AGAIN • Stewart p-51 project, near complete, V12, reduced for quick sale, all serious offers considered, full details avail. must sell by months end.. • Owner - located Granchester QLD, Australia • Telephone: 61-0-407-448-414 . • Posted September 25, 2009 • Show all Ads posted by this Advertiser • Recommend This Ad to a Friend • Email Advertiser • Save to Watchlist • Report This Ad
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Looking great MG! Can you please tell me how the outer wings are attached? I assume this aircraft is not intended to be derigged often?
I am seriously considering the Titan T51 for my next project and the ability to fit the wings at or near the end would make it much more attractive. I would rather have the ability to do most of the work at home and move a near-complete aircraft by road to the airfield, as opposed to driving to the airfield to do all of the work...
Those cowlings really are beautiful!
I am seriously considering the Titan T51 for my next project and the ability to fit the wings at or near the end would make it much more attractive. I would rather have the ability to do most of the work at home and move a near-complete aircraft by road to the airfield, as opposed to driving to the airfield to do all of the work...
Those cowlings really are beautiful!
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Jamie,
The outer wing panels are plugged in at the spar and secured by 4 bolts a side + rivets (as per plan, or screws / captive nuts in our case) around the skin join. It is a bit of mission, needing 3 people, but not a major problem. Wiggle / push / wiggle / bugger / back a bit .... etc. I have done worse on gliders.
As long as you make the required quick join provisions for the light / strobe cables and whatever in the wing it is possible to de- rig it in 30 minutes. The aileron push rods are one piece and can be disconnected at either end. The flaps are just a set of bolts along the trailing edge.
Wings off she is 8ft or so span. Each panel being another 8 ft = 24ft span.
One word of caution. We are close to 4000 logged hours on this sucker and God alone knows how many peripheral hours. To do a decent job you will need some seriously competent metal skills and a lot of patience. It CAN be assembled with basic tools and some help. As part of your research I would take a long look at the Yahoo group for the T51 - found here :
titanmustang : Titan T-51 Mustang Builders Group
There are lots of links, photos and observations there that will be invaluable. I would never do another one, in fact if I knew 4 years ago what I know now, I would never have started this one. Right now I am pleased I did, but building one of these is a once in a lifetime job. Satisfying when done, character building - definitely.
Costs - well I have just done the accounts up to yesterday. With the caveat that we brought the main components 4 years ago at way old prices and didn't spend too much on specialised equipment (since we have most of it in house). There are no hangerage costs in here either. The butcher's bill to date is NZ$143,412.04 exactly.....
MG
The outer wing panels are plugged in at the spar and secured by 4 bolts a side + rivets (as per plan, or screws / captive nuts in our case) around the skin join. It is a bit of mission, needing 3 people, but not a major problem. Wiggle / push / wiggle / bugger / back a bit .... etc. I have done worse on gliders.
As long as you make the required quick join provisions for the light / strobe cables and whatever in the wing it is possible to de- rig it in 30 minutes. The aileron push rods are one piece and can be disconnected at either end. The flaps are just a set of bolts along the trailing edge.
Wings off she is 8ft or so span. Each panel being another 8 ft = 24ft span.
One word of caution. We are close to 4000 logged hours on this sucker and God alone knows how many peripheral hours. To do a decent job you will need some seriously competent metal skills and a lot of patience. It CAN be assembled with basic tools and some help. As part of your research I would take a long look at the Yahoo group for the T51 - found here :
titanmustang : Titan T-51 Mustang Builders Group
There are lots of links, photos and observations there that will be invaluable. I would never do another one, in fact if I knew 4 years ago what I know now, I would never have started this one. Right now I am pleased I did, but building one of these is a once in a lifetime job. Satisfying when done, character building - definitely.
Costs - well I have just done the accounts up to yesterday. With the caveat that we brought the main components 4 years ago at way old prices and didn't spend too much on specialised equipment (since we have most of it in house). There are no hangerage costs in here either. The butcher's bill to date is NZ$143,412.04 exactly.....
MG
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The Tail Flies - T51#70 doing final engine runs and tailplane load / on ground pitch stability tests 31 Dec. She is running late - again - but we are ready for flight bar a lick of paint on the cowlings.
Full Piccies here :
Picasa Web Albums - Ken - NZ Warbirds T...
Movie of Growling Rotax here (it's on straight pipes
:T51 #70 Final Engine Runs on Vimeo
First flight in a week ... It says here, but after all this time I am not in a hurry any more...
MG
Last edited by MasterGreen; 2nd Jan 2010 at 06:18. Reason: Photo added
Sprucegoose
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Looking good Master Green, if it were up to me all aircraft would be polished aluminium!
