Plane Talk: Hangar 9 P-47D Thunderbolt 60 ARF - 2008/09

PAUL L. VLIET
Plane Talk: Hangar 9 P-47D Thunderbolt 60 ARF
Only the tail-mounted servos give
away the fact that this P-47 is a
sport-scale model.
A totally retract-ready version of the well-rounded
World War II fighter
IT IS SAID that in the entire history of military aviation, there has
never been an airplane that could match the P-47 Thunderbolt’s
ruggedness and dependability. The pilots who flew it during World
War II said it could do anything. It was one of the largest fighter
aircraft ever built, weighing in at just more than 7 tons.
A couple of Russian immigrants who came to America to escape
the “Reds” founded the Republic Aviation Corporation. Alexander de
Seversky, who founded Seversky Aircraft, and his chief engineer,
Alexander Kartveli, were responsible for the P-47 Thunderbolt’s
development for the US Army Air Corps.
The P-47 design was based on the Seversky P-35, the P-43
Lancer, and the P-44 Rocket. However, the Army Air Corps decided
that if the US became involved in the war in Europe, it needed
something larger and better than any of the other designs.
Alexander Kartveli immediately set out to design a fighter around
the Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp 2,000-horsepower, 18-cylinder
XR-2800-21 radial engine. At the time, it was the biggest and most
powerful engine ever developed in the US.
He designed the airplane to have eight 50-caliber machine guns—
four in each wing—and enough armor plate to protect the pilot from
all directions. Those characteristics added up to an aircraft that, at the
Below: This 60-class warbird offers
predictable flight handling and does an
excellent job of presenting the “Jug” in
flight. Its scale realism is convincing.
time, weighed approximately 4,000 pounds more than any singleengine
fighter.
The P-47 was so huge that when it arrived in the European
Theater, the Royal Air Force pilots used to tease the American pilots
by saying that they could escape the German fighter pilots by running
around inside the fuselage and hiding.
That design turned out to be one of the best and most prolific
fighters built during WW II; more than 15,000 were produced. Many
pilots brought P-47s back after missions, shot full of holes and with
pieces missing. Pilot Lieutenant Chetwood hit a steel pole after
strafing a train over occupied France and lost 4 feet of one wing, and
he was still able to fly the aircraft home.
The P-47 Thunderbolt has an amazing history! It’s no wonder so
54 MODEL AVIATION
Left: The Thunderbolt features primarily
wood construction, with fiberglass details
inlaid under the UltraCote covering.
The large graphics and insignia are UltraCote. The parts were
shipped individually bagged, and there were very few wrinkles in
the covering.
The wing dowels and wing joiner are dry-fit before the wing halves
are bonded with 30-minute epoxy.
A 30A Weller soldering iron with an X-Acto knife blade is used to remove the covering
without damaging the wood beneath.
The fuselage is placed in a cradle, and the wing is set in position. Measurements are taken
from each wingtip to a central point on the tail; the distances must be the same.
Removing covering from the underside of the wing before
installing the fiberglass belly pan permits adhesion of the epoxy.
Static photos by the author Flight photos by Bob Hunt
As is the cowling, the belly pan is molded from fiberglass and
painted to match the aluminum-colored UltraCote.
+•
Covering on entire model is excellent
both in detail and quality.
• All fiberglass work is high in quality.
• Preinstalled landing-gear retract
hardware.
• Landing gear retracts worked superbly.
• Excellent—and slightly lower than
advertised—flying weight.
• Exceptional scale appearance.
• Terrific overall kit value.
• Ease of assembly and short assembly
time.
• Complete, good-quality hardware
package.
• Fantastic instruction manual. -•
Landing-gear control wires were too
long and had to be shortened.
• Cowling looked canted to the right
when installed (probably because of the
right thrust built into the firewall).
• Wing dowels did not line up with the
holes in the former; the author had to
elongate both holes.
Pluses and Minuses
September 2008 55
The fuel tank comes out of the box as you
see it, complete with color-coded lines and
the fuel pickup set just right.
Locate the position of the muffler outlets
off the Evolution .61 engine, needle valve,
and glow-plug holes using strips of paper.
The engine needles are factory set.
The built-up stabilizer has a lengthwise balsa spar for strength. Before the fin is mounted,
it’s easy to get epoxy in all the right areas.
The Weller soldering iron in use. Removing the covering from the
portion of the vertical stabilizer that is glued into the slot on the
fuselage is critical.
A straight pin protruding from the hinge line between the elevator
and the horizontal stabilizer sets the correct hinge gap prior to
gluing.
The receiver battery is located in the model’s nose before the foam-wrapped fuel tank is
secured with nylon zip-ties.
56 MODEL AVIATION
Specifications
Test-Model Details
Engine used: Evolution .61 twostroke
Muffler: Bisson Pitts style
Propeller: APC 12 x 6
Fuel: S&W Hobby Supply 15%
nitromethane
Radio system: JR XP6102
transmitter, JR RS600 FM receiver, five
JR 537 servos, one JR Sport RT88
retract servo
Ready-to-fly weight: 7 pounds, 9
ounces
Wing loading: 22.18 ounces/square
foot
Flight duration: Seven to 10 minutes
many modelers have immortalized the
aircraft throughout the years, and now
Hangar 9 brings us a wonderful ARF version
of this superior WW II fighter.
Construction: The product comes out of the
box with all the parts meticulously wrapped
in sealed plastic bags. The aircraft is covered
with UltraCote. One will find few wrinkles
to iron, although there are always several.
Joining the wing halves begins the
project. I had to do a bit of light sanding to
get the joiner to fit properly in the wing.
Dry-fit the wing halves, at which point I
suggest that you check the length of the
retract actuating wires. They were too long
in the test model, and I had to shorten them
Type: RC semiscale ARF
Skill level: Beginner builder,
advanced pilot
Wingspan: 65 inches
Wing area: 727.5 square inches
Length: 51.18 inches
Weight: 8-9 pounds
Wing loading (average): 26.9
ounces/square foot
Engine: .61 two-stroke/.72-1.00
four-stroke
Radio: Five channels (minimum), six
servos
Construction: Plywood and balsa
with fiberglass compound details,
fiberglass cowl, clear PVC canopy
Covering/finish: Hangar 9
UltraCote, fuelproof polyurethane
paint
Price: $259.99
using a Dremel tool and a cutoff wheel. It is
easier to shorten the wires now than after the
wing halves are joined permanently.
Remove any excess glue with paper
towels and rubbing alcohol. Make sure there
are no gaps between the center joint on the
wing’s top and bottom surfaces. Place
masking tape across the joint on both sides of
the wing, and set it aside until the glue has
cured.
It is necessary to remove the covering
from the wing in the area where the
mounting-bolt plate is to be glued. I prefer to
outline the area with a fine Sharpie marker
and then remove the covering, leaving
approximately 1/8 inch under the plate.
I use a Weller soldering iron that is
capable of holding and heating a #11 X-Acto
blade. The blade requires little pressure when
it’s hot, which allows the user to get through
the covering and not the wood.
I had to elongate both dowel holes to the
outside of the saddle in the fuselage so I
could insert the wing dowel pins. Mount the
wing using the wing bolts.
Measure from the notch formed at the
wingtip where the aileron goes to a central
spot on the rear of the fuselage, as described
in the instruction manual. The distance must
be the same on both sides. The measurement
on the test model was perfect.
Position the fiberglass belly pan on the
wing and align the forward and aft edges
with the fuselage. Use a Sharpie to mark the
position of the belly pan’s outside edges
when you are satisfied with the fit.
Adhere the belly pan to the wing using
30-minute epoxy. The kit comes with two
strips of covering that are roughly 1/4 inch
wide by 1 foot long. Iron these on the joint
between the belly pan and the wing on both
sides.
Make sure the stabilizer is centered side
to side in the fuselage. Measure from a
central position on the front of the fuselage to
the tip of the stabilizer on each side of the
stabilizer. Make sure the distance is the same
on each side.
With the aircraft still upside-down in the
cradle, measure the distance from wingtip to
your table on each side and make sure the
measurements are the same. Measure the
distance from the table to the surface of the
horizontal stabilizer on each side, making
sure these measurements are the same.
The diagrams in the instruction manual
are great at covering these steps. They should
be followed not only on this model, but on
any model you build.
Remove the covering from the top and
bottom sides of the horizontal stabilizer
center-section, coat the center-section with
30-minute epoxy, and reinsert the stabilizer
into its slot. Recheck all the measurements
and allow the glue to set.
Remember to insert the U-shaped elevator
joiner wire in the rear of the slot before
gluing the horizontal stabilizer in place. Be
careful not to get any epoxy on this wire.
Dry-fit the vertical stabilizer in the slot
and make sure it is perpendicular to the
horizontal stabilizer. Permanently install the
vertical stabilizer, as you did with the
horizontal stabilizer.
Install both ailerons and the elevator
halves using the provided hinges. Glue in
place with thin cyanoacrylate. Use a small
amount of 30-minute epoxy in the grooves
and holes into which the elevator joiner wire
goes.
It’s a good idea to separate the elevator
joiner wire from the horizontal stabilizer
with waxed-paper strips while the epoxy
sets. This prevents you from gluing the
elevator joiner wire to the horizontal
stabilizer.
Epoxy the tail-wheel wire into the groove
and hole in the rudder. Attach the rudder to
the vertical stabilizer using the hinges that
are provided and thin cyanoacrylate. Tighten
the collar on the tail wheel, screw the tailwheel
bracket to the fuselage, and install the
tail wheel.
Epoxy the retract-servo mounting beams
and servo tray into the opening provided in
the wing. Take care not to get epoxy on the
retract wires during this process. Install the
servo, the control arm, and the provided
linkages. I did a temporary radio hookup to
the retract servo to test the travel and make
any necessary adjustments.
Follow the instructions for installing the
two landing-gear bay doors to the landing
gear. Test the retracts with the bay doors in
place and make sure they lay flat when
closed.
Everything needed to install either the
Evolution .61 two-stroke, as provided for
use with the test model, or the Saito 1.00
FA-AAC four-stroke that is provided in the
kit. The only change I made was to use a
Bisson muffler (item 5661 on the Bisson
site) on the Evolution .61. Follow the
instruction manual when installing these
engines, and you will have little difficulty;
everything was well thought out.
The fuel tank supplied with this kit
comes with preinstalled plumbing. The fuel
supply to the engine is color-coded red, and
the vent tube is coded green. Simply wrap
some foam around the tank and put it in the
aircraft. I strapped it into position with a
wire tie through the former and around the
rear of the tank.
The control-surface servo installation is
fairly straightforward. Each elevator and
rudder servo in the tail requires an 18-inch
servo extension. Each aileron servo requires
a 12-inch extension and a Y harness. You
will also need a 12-inch extension to hook
up the retract servo.
The aileron servos mount to the servo
bay covers; thus they are hidden inside the
wing. Preinstalled pull strings in the wing
are used to fish the servo wires through. All
control-surface linkages and the throttle
linkage are provided.
The kit provides a wonderfully crafted,
prepainted (with the checkerboard)
fiberglass cowling. A dummy radial engine
is also provided.
You must remove the dummy radial’s
excess material around the cylinders before
you install it in the cowling. Make sure the
September 2008 57
space between the dummy engine and the
front of the cowl is even all the way around
the front of the cowl.
The cowling must be centered on the
perimeter of the firewall while the opening in
the dummy radial engine where the propeller
shaft comes through is centered on the thrust
washer. Secure the cowl with four screws
driven into four hardwood blocks that were
previously glued to the firewall.
To complete the cowl installation, make
the cutouts for the needle-valve extension,
glow-driver hole, muffler-exhaust lines, and
carburetor. I like to tape construction-paper
strips to the fuselage behind the cowling and
allow these strips to extend forward over the
needle valve, glow plug, etc. Mark and cut the
location of the holes for the preceding items
from the paper strips, and transfer and mark
the position of all the cutouts on the cowl’s
surface.
Install the cockpit seat, dash decal, and
canopy, and the aircraft is complete. I taped
the canopy in place and marked its outline
with a fine-point Sharpie. I removed
approximately 1/4 inch of covering from
around the inside perimeter, which was
roughly 1/16 inch inside the marks. Then I
glued the canopy in place with 30-minute
epoxy.
Flight-Testing: I ran in the new Evolution .61
at home before going to the club field for the
test flights. The engine ran beautifully right
out of the box, and after a couple tanks of fuel
I decided it was time to head out.
After a final range check of the radio, I
taxied the Thunderbolt onto the runway,
turned it into the wind, gave it some throttle,
and the engine quit; it was too rich on the idle
setting. After several attempts with the engine
quitting, I was finally able to get the P-47
airborne by bringing the throttle up slowly.
Ground handling was excellent.
It took several clicks of down-elevator trim
and right aileron trim to attain level flight
once the model was airborne for the first time.
After that, it flew superbly. The engine had
plenty of power with more than ample vertical
for tall stall turns. Four-point rolls were
predictable and easy. Loop tracking was great.
I tried a couple snap rolls, but they were more
like barrel rolls. Inverted flight was stable.
Landing speed was slow, and the aircraft
was steady on final. I carried slight upelevator
on the entire landing approach, which
maintained the stable attitude with throttle
added as necessary. A little flare at the end,
and the Thunderbolt settled in for a nice
landing. The mechanical retracts functioned
perfectly.
I didn’t like my approach on the first
landing and tried to go around, but the engine
quit because the idle setting was too rich. This
resulted in a landing in the soybeans at the end
of our field, but luckily there was no damage.
The engine problem was corrected, and there
was no trouble on subsequent landings.
All things considered, I highly recommend
the Hangar 9 P-47 Thunderbolt 60 to anyone
who is interested in a semiscale type of
warbird with sport-model flight
characteristics. This is an incredibly highquality
ARF for anyone with intermediate or
better piloting skills. MA
Paul L. Vliet
[email protected]
Manufacturer/Distributor:
Hangar 9/Horizon Hobby, Inc.
4105 Fieldstone Rd.
Champaign IL 61822
(877) 504-0233
www.hangar-9.com
Sources:
Bisson Custom Mufflers
(705) 389-1156
www.bissonmufflers.com
Evolution Engines
(877) 504-0233
www.evolutionengines.com
JR
(877) 504-0233
www.jrradios.com
Other Review Articles:
Fly RC: August 2006
Flying Models: August 2006
Model Airplane News: March 2006
Quiet & Electric Flight: February 2006
RCM&E: August 2006
R/C Report: June 2006

PAUL L. VLIET
Plane Talk: Hangar 9 P-47D Thunderbolt 60 ARF
Only the tail-mounted servos give
away the fact that this P-47 is a
sport-scale model.
A totally retract-ready version of the well-rounded
World War II fighter
IT IS SAID that in the entire history of military aviation, there has
never been an airplane that could match the P-47 Thunderbolt’s
ruggedness and dependability. The pilots who flew it during World
War II said it could do anything. It was one of the largest fighter
aircraft ever built, weighing in at just more than 7 tons.
A couple of Russian immigrants who came to America to escape
the “Reds” founded the Republic Aviation Corporation. Alexander de
Seversky, who founded Seversky Aircraft, and his chief engineer,
Alexander Kartveli, were responsible for the P-47 Thunderbolt’s
development for the US Army Air Corps.
The P-47 design was based on the Seversky P-35, the P-43
Lancer, and the P-44 Rocket. However, the Army Air Corps decided
that if the US became involved in the war in Europe, it needed
something larger and better than any of the other designs.
Alexander Kartveli immediately set out to design a fighter around
the Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp 2,000-horsepower, 18-cylinder
XR-2800-21 radial engine. At the time, it was the biggest and most
powerful engine ever developed in the US.
He designed the airplane to have eight 50-caliber machine guns—
four in each wing—and enough armor plate to protect the pilot from
all directions. Those characteristics added up to an aircraft that, at the
Below: This 60-class warbird offers
predictable flight handling and does an
excellent job of presenting the “Jug” in
flight. Its scale realism is convincing.
time, weighed approximately 4,000 pounds more than any singleengine
fighter.
The P-47 was so huge that when it arrived in the European
Theater, the Royal Air Force pilots used to tease the American pilots
by saying that they could escape the German fighter pilots by running
around inside the fuselage and hiding.
That design turned out to be one of the best and most prolific
fighters built during WW II; more than 15,000 were produced. Many
pilots brought P-47s back after missions, shot full of holes and with
pieces missing. Pilot Lieutenant Chetwood hit a steel pole after
strafing a train over occupied France and lost 4 feet of one wing, and
he was still able to fly the aircraft home.
The P-47 Thunderbolt has an amazing history! It’s no wonder so
54 MODEL AVIATION
Left: The Thunderbolt features primarily
wood construction, with fiberglass details
inlaid under the UltraCote covering.
The large graphics and insignia are UltraCote. The parts were
shipped individually bagged, and there were very few wrinkles in
the covering.
The wing dowels and wing joiner are dry-fit before the wing halves
are bonded with 30-minute epoxy.
A 30A Weller soldering iron with an X-Acto knife blade is used to remove the covering
without damaging the wood beneath.
The fuselage is placed in a cradle, and the wing is set in position. Measurements are taken
from each wingtip to a central point on the tail; the distances must be the same.
Removing covering from the underside of the wing before
installing the fiberglass belly pan permits adhesion of the epoxy.
Static photos by the author Flight photos by Bob Hunt
As is the cowling, the belly pan is molded from fiberglass and
painted to match the aluminum-colored UltraCote.
+•
Covering on entire model is excellent
both in detail and quality.
• All fiberglass work is high in quality.
• Preinstalled landing-gear retract
hardware.
• Landing gear retracts worked superbly.
• Excellent—and slightly lower than
advertised—flying weight.
• Exceptional scale appearance.
• Terrific overall kit value.
• Ease of assembly and short assembly
time.
• Complete, good-quality hardware
package.
• Fantastic instruction manual. -•
Landing-gear control wires were too
long and had to be shortened.
• Cowling looked canted to the right
when installed (probably because of the
right thrust built into the firewall).
• Wing dowels did not line up with the
holes in the former; the author had to
elongate both holes.
Pluses and Minuses
September 2008 55
The fuel tank comes out of the box as you
see it, complete with color-coded lines and
the fuel pickup set just right.
Locate the position of the muffler outlets
off the Evolution .61 engine, needle valve,
and glow-plug holes using strips of paper.
The engine needles are factory set.
The built-up stabilizer has a lengthwise balsa spar for strength. Before the fin is mounted,
it’s easy to get epoxy in all the right areas.
The Weller soldering iron in use. Removing the covering from the
portion of the vertical stabilizer that is glued into the slot on the
fuselage is critical.
A straight pin protruding from the hinge line between the elevator
and the horizontal stabilizer sets the correct hinge gap prior to
gluing.
The receiver battery is located in the model’s nose before the foam-wrapped fuel tank is
secured with nylon zip-ties.
56 MODEL AVIATION
Specifications
Test-Model Details
Engine used: Evolution .61 twostroke
Muffler: Bisson Pitts style
Propeller: APC 12 x 6
Fuel: S&W Hobby Supply 15%
nitromethane
Radio system: JR XP6102
transmitter, JR RS600 FM receiver, five
JR 537 servos, one JR Sport RT88
retract servo
Ready-to-fly weight: 7 pounds, 9
ounces
Wing loading: 22.18 ounces/square
foot
Flight duration: Seven to 10 minutes
many modelers have immortalized the
aircraft throughout the years, and now
Hangar 9 brings us a wonderful ARF version
of this superior WW II fighter.
Construction: The product comes out of the
box with all the parts meticulously wrapped
in sealed plastic bags. The aircraft is covered
with UltraCote. One will find few wrinkles
to iron, although there are always several.
Joining the wing halves begins the
project. I had to do a bit of light sanding to
get the joiner to fit properly in the wing.
Dry-fit the wing halves, at which point I
suggest that you check the length of the
retract actuating wires. They were too long
in the test model, and I had to shorten them
Type: RC semiscale ARF
Skill level: Beginner builder,
advanced pilot
Wingspan: 65 inches
Wing area: 727.5 square inches
Length: 51.18 inches
Weight: 8-9 pounds
Wing loading (average): 26.9
ounces/square foot
Engine: .61 two-stroke/.72-1.00
four-stroke
Radio: Five channels (minimum), six
servos
Construction: Plywood and balsa
with fiberglass compound details,
fiberglass cowl, clear PVC canopy
Covering/finish: Hangar 9
UltraCote, fuelproof polyurethane
paint
Price: $259.99
using a Dremel tool and a cutoff wheel. It is
easier to shorten the wires now than after the
wing halves are joined permanently.
Remove any excess glue with paper
towels and rubbing alcohol. Make sure there
are no gaps between the center joint on the
wing’s top and bottom surfaces. Place
masking tape across the joint on both sides of
the wing, and set it aside until the glue has
cured.
It is necessary to remove the covering
from the wing in the area where the
mounting-bolt plate is to be glued. I prefer to
outline the area with a fine Sharpie marker
and then remove the covering, leaving
approximately 1/8 inch under the plate.
I use a Weller soldering iron that is
capable of holding and heating a #11 X-Acto
blade. The blade requires little pressure when
it’s hot, which allows the user to get through
the covering and not the wood.
I had to elongate both dowel holes to the
outside of the saddle in the fuselage so I
could insert the wing dowel pins. Mount the
wing using the wing bolts.
Measure from the notch formed at the
wingtip where the aileron goes to a central
spot on the rear of the fuselage, as described
in the instruction manual. The distance must
be the same on both sides. The measurement
on the test model was perfect.
Position the fiberglass belly pan on the
wing and align the forward and aft edges
with the fuselage. Use a Sharpie to mark the
position of the belly pan’s outside edges
when you are satisfied with the fit.
Adhere the belly pan to the wing using
30-minute epoxy. The kit comes with two
strips of covering that are roughly 1/4 inch
wide by 1 foot long. Iron these on the joint
between the belly pan and the wing on both
sides.
Make sure the stabilizer is centered side
to side in the fuselage. Measure from a
central position on the front of the fuselage to
the tip of the stabilizer on each side of the
stabilizer. Make sure the distance is the same
on each side.
With the aircraft still upside-down in the
cradle, measure the distance from wingtip to
your table on each side and make sure the
measurements are the same. Measure the
distance from the table to the surface of the
horizontal stabilizer on each side, making
sure these measurements are the same.
The diagrams in the instruction manual
are great at covering these steps. They should
be followed not only on this model, but on
any model you build.
Remove the covering from the top and
bottom sides of the horizontal stabilizer
center-section, coat the center-section with
30-minute epoxy, and reinsert the stabilizer
into its slot. Recheck all the measurements
and allow the glue to set.
Remember to insert the U-shaped elevator
joiner wire in the rear of the slot before
gluing the horizontal stabilizer in place. Be
careful not to get any epoxy on this wire.
Dry-fit the vertical stabilizer in the slot
and make sure it is perpendicular to the
horizontal stabilizer. Permanently install the
vertical stabilizer, as you did with the
horizontal stabilizer.
Install both ailerons and the elevator
halves using the provided hinges. Glue in
place with thin cyanoacrylate. Use a small
amount of 30-minute epoxy in the grooves
and holes into which the elevator joiner wire
goes.
It’s a good idea to separate the elevator
joiner wire from the horizontal stabilizer
with waxed-paper strips while the epoxy
sets. This prevents you from gluing the
elevator joiner wire to the horizontal
stabilizer.
Epoxy the tail-wheel wire into the groove
and hole in the rudder. Attach the rudder to
the vertical stabilizer using the hinges that
are provided and thin cyanoacrylate. Tighten
the collar on the tail wheel, screw the tailwheel
bracket to the fuselage, and install the
tail wheel.
Epoxy the retract-servo mounting beams
and servo tray into the opening provided in
the wing. Take care not to get epoxy on the
retract wires during this process. Install the
servo, the control arm, and the provided
linkages. I did a temporary radio hookup to
the retract servo to test the travel and make
any necessary adjustments.
Follow the instructions for installing the
two landing-gear bay doors to the landing
gear. Test the retracts with the bay doors in
place and make sure they lay flat when
closed.
Everything needed to install either the
Evolution .61 two-stroke, as provided for
use with the test model, or the Saito 1.00
FA-AAC four-stroke that is provided in the
kit. The only change I made was to use a
Bisson muffler (item 5661 on the Bisson
site) on the Evolution .61. Follow the
instruction manual when installing these
engines, and you will have little difficulty;
everything was well thought out.
The fuel tank supplied with this kit
comes with preinstalled plumbing. The fuel
supply to the engine is color-coded red, and
the vent tube is coded green. Simply wrap
some foam around the tank and put it in the
aircraft. I strapped it into position with a
wire tie through the former and around the
rear of the tank.
The control-surface servo installation is
fairly straightforward. Each elevator and
rudder servo in the tail requires an 18-inch
servo extension. Each aileron servo requires
a 12-inch extension and a Y harness. You
will also need a 12-inch extension to hook
up the retract servo.
The aileron servos mount to the servo
bay covers; thus they are hidden inside the
wing. Preinstalled pull strings in the wing
are used to fish the servo wires through. All
control-surface linkages and the throttle
linkage are provided.
The kit provides a wonderfully crafted,
prepainted (with the checkerboard)
fiberglass cowling. A dummy radial engine
is also provided.
You must remove the dummy radial’s
excess material around the cylinders before
you install it in the cowling. Make sure the
September 2008 57
space between the dummy engine and the
front of the cowl is even all the way around
the front of the cowl.
The cowling must be centered on the
perimeter of the firewall while the opening in
the dummy radial engine where the propeller
shaft comes through is centered on the thrust
washer. Secure the cowl with four screws
driven into four hardwood blocks that were
previously glued to the firewall.
To complete the cowl installation, make
the cutouts for the needle-valve extension,
glow-driver hole, muffler-exhaust lines, and
carburetor. I like to tape construction-paper
strips to the fuselage behind the cowling and
allow these strips to extend forward over the
needle valve, glow plug, etc. Mark and cut the
location of the holes for the preceding items
from the paper strips, and transfer and mark
the position of all the cutouts on the cowl’s
surface.
Install the cockpit seat, dash decal, and
canopy, and the aircraft is complete. I taped
the canopy in place and marked its outline
with a fine-point Sharpie. I removed
approximately 1/4 inch of covering from
around the inside perimeter, which was
roughly 1/16 inch inside the marks. Then I
glued the canopy in place with 30-minute
epoxy.
Flight-Testing: I ran in the new Evolution .61
at home before going to the club field for the
test flights. The engine ran beautifully right
out of the box, and after a couple tanks of fuel
I decided it was time to head out.
After a final range check of the radio, I
taxied the Thunderbolt onto the runway,
turned it into the wind, gave it some throttle,
and the engine quit; it was too rich on the idle
setting. After several attempts with the engine
quitting, I was finally able to get the P-47
airborne by bringing the throttle up slowly.
Ground handling was excellent.
It took several clicks of down-elevator trim
and right aileron trim to attain level flight
once the model was airborne for the first time.
After that, it flew superbly. The engine had
plenty of power with more than ample vertical
for tall stall turns. Four-point rolls were
predictable and easy. Loop tracking was great.
I tried a couple snap rolls, but they were more
like barrel rolls. Inverted flight was stable.
Landing speed was slow, and the aircraft
was steady on final. I carried slight upelevator
on the entire landing approach, which
maintained the stable attitude with throttle
added as necessary. A little flare at the end,
and the Thunderbolt settled in for a nice
landing. The mechanical retracts functioned
perfectly.
I didn’t like my approach on the first
landing and tried to go around, but the engine
quit because the idle setting was too rich. This
resulted in a landing in the soybeans at the end
of our field, but luckily there was no damage.
The engine problem was corrected, and there
was no trouble on subsequent landings.
All things considered, I highly recommend
the Hangar 9 P-47 Thunderbolt 60 to anyone
who is interested in a semiscale type of
warbird with sport-model flight
characteristics. This is an incredibly highquality
ARF for anyone with intermediate or
better piloting skills. MA
Paul L. Vliet
[email protected]
Manufacturer/Distributor:
Hangar 9/Horizon Hobby, Inc.
4105 Fieldstone Rd.
Champaign IL 61822
(877) 504-0233
www.hangar-9.com
Sources:
Bisson Custom Mufflers
(705) 389-1156
www.bissonmufflers.com
Evolution Engines
(877) 504-0233
www.evolutionengines.com
JR
(877) 504-0233
www.jrradios.com
Other Review Articles:
Fly RC: August 2006
Flying Models: August 2006
Model Airplane News: March 2006
Quiet & Electric Flight: February 2006
RCM&E: August 2006
R/C Report: June 2006