Fox Posted May 16, 2011 Author Share Posted May 16, 2011 Yes Sir I would be honard to have your help, I think things are going to get real busy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foiler Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 (edited) Casey and I have been communicating on a regular basis, and he has asked that I post this link to the XP-82 restoration: http://xp-82twinmustangproject.blogspot.com/p/home_17.html I feel honored that Casey has invited me to come see the restoration in progress, and know I will learn a lot from the experience. This is truly a monumental and historical restoration! Ken Edited May 16, 2011 by foiler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAGNEW Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 Casey did Tom show you what feel out of the bottom of the PT-17 when they were restoring it? ask him about it. he was so proud. Glen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foiler Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 The first trip to Douglas to see the XP-82 restoration was a wonderful experience! Thanks to Casey, Tom, and Weezie for their warm welcome and help in answering questions about the model I am building and about their project. I could write a book about the first day, but Weezie tells the story extremely well on the restoration website http://xp-82twinmustangproject.blogspot.com/p/home_17.html The plane is being built in a series of modules rather than as large components with parts added on. As such it is hard to get a true perspective of just where the project stands. Completed modules and parts are stored in several locations rather than a single spot. So, I won't bore everyone with a bunch of repeat information, but here are some images from the trip I thought others might find interesting: The crew has altered the main fuselage fixture to allow the fuselages to be rotated for access to all sides, top, and bottom. I took some pictures of the inside construction because I knew that eventually it would all be buttoned up and never seen again. One of the old canopy frames needed a lot of work....... and got it....... Casey gets to do the up front sheet metal work, using an English Wheel to fine tune the shape and contour of each panel. The rest of the crew then drills all the rivet holes, trims the panels to fit, and rivets them to the internal framework. The firewall of the XP is significantly different than the others. Notice how much wider the tank indentation is for the larger (larger than the P-51) tank. And here is that pesky streamlined exhaust fairing...... Having this opportunity is a modelers dream come true! Tom has all 13,375 F-82 drawings from the Smithsonian microfilms converted to TIF images, and has told me I can look at any of at any time. I don't have any excuse now; I have to be accurate! Tom checked my model an told me there were only a couple places that needed to be changed to make my "B" model into the XP. With the wealth of infomation now available, it's really a no-brainer; the build is now officially the XP-82 prototype..... Please visit the XP website and follow the progress! Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fox Posted May 23, 2011 Author Share Posted May 23, 2011 Casey did Tom show you what feel out of the bottom of the PT-17 when they were restoring it? ask him about it. he was so proud. Glen Hey Glen I'm sorry I got busy and forgot to ask him,I will be talking to him this week and I will ask him then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAGNEW Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 hi Casey JR just got home from 9 days in Italy. so you should meet him soon Glen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fox Posted May 24, 2011 Author Share Posted May 24, 2011 hi Casey JR just got home from 9 days in Italy. so you should meet him soon Glen Cool loking foward to it,I will be back there soon maby by the weekend or so. Casey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougN Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 Now that is some nice 1 to 1 scale modeling there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foiler Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I just thought I would let everyone know that Weezie has posted the May newsletter update on the XP restoration project at http://xp-82twinmustangproject.blogspot.com/2011/06/may-newsletter.html There are so many subassemblies completewd for this project that I fully expect to go to Douglas one day and find a complete aircraft in the hangar! Beautiful work! Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fox Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 I just thought I would let everyone know that Weezie has posted the May newsletter update on the XP restoration project at http://xp-82twinmustangproject.blogspot.com/2011/06/may-newsletter.html There are so many subassemblies completewd for this project that I fully expect to go to Douglas one day and find a complete aircraft in the hangar! Beautiful work! Ken Hey Ken We may be going back by this weekend you up for it, I need to do some final adjustment to the bottom skin for Tom. And you can the progress is going fast we need to take more photos. Did I miss IPMS was it this weekend. Casey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foiler Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 I get to go back to Douglas Saturday to see what progress has been made. In the meantime I did a little more research. Ever wonder how the prop rotation was changed for the XP-82? I wrote to the folks at Vintage V-12 where Tom's engines are being rebuilt, and they were, again, nice enough to provide the answer. Here are pictures of the left and right hand engine gear reductions. This is the standard gearcase.... And this is the reversed rotation gearcase...... I have already made changes in my model for the odd gearcase. I couldn't resist counting the teeth in each to see just what reduction was achieved. the standard is 2.091:1, and the reversed is 2.087:1. Although they are different, that only means 2 prop RPM difference with the engine running at 3000 RPM. Guess that's why they have rudders....... I'll put up some more pics when I get back...... Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foiler Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 I got to go to Douglas again last Satruday, and Tom put me to work! Casey already had a helper, Paul, so he was in good hands. The task Tom had me help with was unusual to say the least...... This is a picture of the coolant tank for the XP that goes behind the pilot above the radiator. It is actually a ball within a ball, forming 2 chambers. Tom wanted to make sure any pin holes were sealed, so mixed a batch of FAA approved epoxy and poured it inside. I served as the rotational molding machine to make sure all the internal surfaces were coated...... I was able to get some straight-on shots of the oil tanks so I can make new ones for the model. Other than the access caps, I don't think there is a flat surface anywhere on the tank...... New tail wheels (tires)! Hard as a rock...... Tom asked if I would help with the instrument panels. I get to do the artwork for the lettering and box outlines, then get them silk screened. I am looking for a vendor for the screening, if anyone has suggestions. Weezie does a great job posting progress reports, so I will try to fill in some other areas modelers might be interested in. If there is an area anyone wants specific information on please let me know and I will try to get it for you. Between Casey and I, we should be able to get answers for you. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foiler Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 (edited) I just thought I would let everyone know that Weezie has posted the June newsletter update on the XP restoration project at http://xp-82twinmustangproject.blogspot.com/p/home_17.html They are starting the work on the wing center section now, which is critical to the assembly of all the major components they ghave already built up...... Edited July 10, 2011 by foiler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael931080 Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Any news or updates that can be posted here on the boards for us to see?? Thanks, this sure is a interesting project. Cheers, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foiler Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Any news or updates that can be posted here on the boards for us to see?? Thanks, this sure is a interesting project. Cheers, Weezie will be putting a July update on the XP website soon I am sure. I haven't been to Douglas lately, but understand the wing center section is on the fixture. I have been working on the artwork for the the lower instrument sections. We are working with Ian at Ad Astra Masks to get the lines and text recreated. Tom had all the drawings for these panels, but the actual panels were somewhat different. We are trying to recreate what is on the panels that came from the plane. Once we get the masks made I will be making another trip..... Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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