Question 1: "Jeff, what the best way to anchor a firewall in a large, heavy model?"

Jeff: "Anchoring of the firewall is really a product of the design being built. The best method is to bring the crutch (used on Ziroli and Vailly designs) and wing saddle assembly up through the firewall and lock it on the front and back side with triangle stock (spruce or basswood). I like to build a motor box by mortising it through the firewall and pin everything with 1/4 inch dowels, steel tension pins, or even music wire, epoxied in to place. On Ziroli warbirds, the wing saddle is usually brought through the firewall anyway, and then has a top and bottom plywood plate added to create a "motor box. This method works well, but on large models, the but joints MUST be tied with hardwood triangle stock (at least 3/4 inch and not of balsa) in all the joints of the "motor box", and it is especially important to use it on the back side of the firewall. It is a good idea to pin this type of firewall in with dowels or screws. Therefore, I recommend a firewall with a thickness of at least 3/8 inch. I can provide close-up pics to clarify this setup."

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Question 2: "Jeff, I had a Goldberg Bucker Jungmann that had a wing span of 64.75" I always wanted to scale up the plans and have a Bucker like Dave Patrick use to fly in competition. I think it was 40 or maybe 50%. What can I do. Thanks, Daryl Pickett"

Jeff: "Daryl.....the best method is to take the plans to Kinkos and have them enlarged. It is pretty inexpensive and works well. I had a friend build a 50% Jungmeister 10 years ago and it flew well. Since the plans are not builder plans, he kept all of the rib and former punch outs and traced them on to paper to get the templates. First, decide how large you want the plane to be. If you want a 50% (half scale), determine the span of the full scale and convert it to inches. Determine the span, based on the percentage scale. Divide this by the span of the Goldberg. Multiply this by 100 to get the enlarged percentage. For example, I wanted a 1/2 scale Gee Bee. The full scale is 29 feet (348 inches). So a 1/2 scale is 14.5 feet (174 inches). The plans I have are 80 inches. I divided 174 inches by 80 inches and get 2.175. Multiplied by 100 give me a percentage of 217 percent. Therefore, I ask Kinkos to enlarge my plans 217 percent. Gives me a 1/2 scale Gee Bee at 173.6 inches. When you cut the parts, I always cut to the middle of the dark line. One thing that is Important when building, is to take ll your measurements from the same point (same side, left or right, top or bottom). "

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Question 3: "Jeff, I live in the Northwest and am considering trying my model-building skills on r/c stuff. I have been building models of nearly every type since I was 8 (32 years and still building...what does that tell ya?..). Most of the models I have built are the plastic static-display type and focus on anything (planes, mostly..) about WW II. How does one get started building r/c warbirds professionally? I pay allot of attention to accurate details, painting and other markings, weathering, etc. I have also built ships, tanks, cars. What suggestions have you? Thanks, Karl."

Jeff: "Karl...I will try to answer as best I can. To me, the term "professional builder" is used in wide ranging terms. I am not even sure I know what "professionally built" means. I have built for several people over the years, but have never referred to it as professionally built, even though I have been building models for 18 years.. I would say that if you want to get into building for other people, it is important that you have a good background. I can tell you that people tend to have a very high expectation when they have something built. This is, in some cases, higher than the expectations they would place on themselves if they were the one building the model. I can understand this. It is a large investment, and you are putting trust into that builder that goes beyond monetary terms. If you decide to build for others, I would recommend that you start small and prove that your skills are up to snuff. Use this to build a client base. You will be amazed how word of mouth travels in this hobby. There are less and less true "builders" out there these days. With the busy schedules and lack of time people have, ARF's are becoming a way of life. For those that do not want ARF's, there next best option is to hire out a built plane if they lack the time or experience to build it themselves. With that said, you may want to refer the question to Joe Huntley, the construction advisor at RCWarbirds. He may be able to shed more, if not better, insight. Good Luck with your decision.. "

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Question 4: "I come from Swiss, can not good English (sorry) and want an made a B 24 Liberator (Palmer Plans) My Question what is the Wing profile for the B24? is this a NACA or a NASA Profile? Is is very thick! Is this good for Model flying?? My B 24 I want made with 3500mm or 4000mm Wingspan and 4 OS 4 Stock Engines with 15ccm ( 91Surpass III )"

Jeff: "Hi Tom...although I did not build that B-24, the wing was built per the plans. It is a NACA airfoil, and is a high aspect ratio wing that makes for good flight. It is a long thin wing, but produces lots of life, especially at the root to the nacelles. You can basically think of it as a glider wing. The B-24 I have is in for repairs, but it had 4 Saito .91 4 strokes and weighed just 47 pounds, and has a 165 inch wingspan. Flight was very docile with no bad habits. It was not a crosswind plane. With 2 big rudders sticking up, along with the fuse side area, I found it difficult to handle in anything around a 10 mph crosswind. This was also compounded by the light weight of the airplane. 5-10 more pounds would have made it penetrate the wind a little better. If I were to recommend, I would say to go to 1.20 4-strokes for this size plane for a little more power/speed. It was a little slow. It took a while to get off the ground, but flew very nicely, and provided a very good glide for landing. Carl Bachuber did a great job building it. I lost it when I lost the 2 engines on the right wing. Flat spun in and is repairable."

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Question 5: "Ok Jeff, You have helped me scale up my plans for my Bucker, Now help me in choosing the right building material. Is there a general rule of thumb to go by. Or do I take measurements off of the plans. I just don't know. HELP, Daryl Pickett"

Jeff: "Hi Daryl...there is somewhat of a general rule. When going to this size, substitute aircraft ply in place of lite ply. Exceptions will be on non load bearing areas such as some middle fuse formers and sidewalls, except where firewall, landing gear, tail plane, etc.. attach. 3/16 balsa is nearly the same strength as 1/8 lite ply is another general thought. I would go with the size of the wood the plans blew up to, especially where balsa is used. Where you may find 1/8 lite ply used, I would use 1/8 aircraft ply as noted above. IF the plans call for 1/8 aircraft ply, I would stick with that when enlarging the plans (I.e. no need to jump to 3/16 aircraft ply). Again, some exceptions may be in order where you will use 3/16 ply. I usually only use this bigger ply on wing dowel formers, dihedral braces and maybe motorbox side walls. That's about it. I recommend a firewall of at least 3/8 aircraft ply, glued and pinned in. Without actually seeing the plans, this is about all I can offer. But, best of luck. If typical, you will over build it, which is OK. Most of the knowledge comes from trial and error of building these big boys. Good luck!"

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Question 6: "Jeff: Can you tell me who makes "all wood" plans plans for the P-40B Tomahawk...the bigger the better...Thanks.........Ron"

Jeff: "Ron...the only plan form P-40B is from Jerry Bates. That's all I know of for a B model"

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Question 7: "I'm currently building the Ziroli Corsair and am having some problems of finding the right settings for the wing incidence. I bought the pre-cut wood package, until now everything fitted well. While I was fitting my wing under the fuselage I noticed that they didn't match. Because I couldn't find any settings on the plans I have made all my settings to 0 degrees (fuselage, wing and stabilizer). I hope I have made the right decisions and my plane will fly like it's supposed to be. Can you please tell me if I have done it right ? If not, can I, by giving my engine some down or up thrust, readjust the whole thing"

Jeff: "You will be fine at 0-0 on your settings, just will need to trim for flight. The actual setting are not referenced on the plans, but I figure it to be 0 on the stab and 1to 1 1/2 degree on the wing. To verify actual settings, you may want to contact Ziroli. "

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Question 8: "Jeff: did you enlarge the plans for the corsair yourself? If not could you direct me to who did....I,m thinking about a P-40B Tomahawk. Your Corsair is about 40% scale? And it sure looks great......can,t wait to see it flying.!.......Thanks..Ron.....(Brasstown Flyers...Brasstown North Carolina)"

Jeff: "Hi Ron. Yes, I enlarged them myself at kinko's. Thx for the compliment on the Corsair, it is approx 33 percent scale"

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Question 9: "Hi, thanks for taking my message. I've been waiting for your "Engine FAQ" to go online for awhile, but need some help quick. If there's any way you or one of your colleagues can help me out with this question, I'd really appreciate it... I'm in the process of building my first giant scale/warbird/gasser and really need some guidance in choosing a good engine. I'm building an 85" SBD Dauntless from Jerry Bates plans and am getting mixed opinions on motor selection. As I said, it is a 1/5.5 scale, 85" WS plane that is rated to come in at 18 to 24 lbs. Since I'll be glassing, painting and building maximum scale detail, cockpit, figures, etc., I expect it to come in at the full 24 lbs (better to guess heavy than light). The plans call for a Quadra 42, which will just barely fit inside the cowl. As you know, that motor is no longer in production and finding a NIB motor is virtually impossible. I'm leery of the used, "in a crash but runs great" offers out there... would prefer new. I've spent a lot of time researching my options on 40cc motors and it appears they will all require the cowl be cut to allow for spark plug area at the bottom of the cowl. The new US Engines 40 Sportsman looks like a real good engine value, not too expensive. However, in researching RCWarbirds.com, I've found that most of the Jugs, Hellcats, etc. in the 80 to 85" size are running at least a G62 or even larger like big Brisons or Sachs. I'm not sure how the G62 will fit in my cowl, I'm sure there will be some cutting involved there too (radial cowl measures 9.625" wide by 10.5" tall). I posted this question on RCUniverse, and a few guys are telling me that the G62 is way too much engine for this plane, and that the G62 is for 90-100" planes. If that's true, why would all the guys with 80-85" planes on your site be using the G62 or larger engines? I don't believe that here is such a thing as "too much power" since you can always throttle back. As long as the engine is not too heavy or physically too big, it seems like it would be fine? If I went with a 40cc engine and ended up having to add a bunch of nose weight to balance (inevitable in a warbird), wouldn't it be better to add engine weight instead? I know this is a dive bomber, not a fighter, and scale flight is not as demanding from a speed/power perspective... but I don't want to use a 40cc motor if it doesn't have enough power to keep a 24lb plane "out of danger." Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Tom Pierce"

Jeff: "Hi Tom...I have read your posts on RCU. Engine choice is a matter of opinion. A G-62 is not "too big" an engine. It is really a matter of how you want it to fly. The problem with the size SBD that you are building, is that the cowl is somewhat small for a G-62. By that, I mean that you will have to relieve the cowl to clear the side mounted carb and the sidemounted muffler. You may even have to cut a hole in the bottom of the cowl to clear the spark plug/cylinder head. If that does not bother you, and you wish to install a G-62, then I would say feel free to install it. That said, you will by no means need that amount of power. I think you would find it to be a very fast airplane, even at 1/2 throttle, with a G-62 installed. It is not a case of "structurally damaging too big". Yes, you can always throttle back. Another thing to look into is what consequences will result in adding a G-62. IF it will make it tail heavy, that is something to think about. CG as you build. If, however, it turns out that you need the noseweight anyway, install the G-62 and make the nose weight useable power. Many people put way too much power on their planes, relying on the prop to fly the airplane and relying less on the wing and control surfaces. The SBD plane has a huge wing for it's size with big wingtips for good, stable, slow flight handling. From my past experience with this exact plane, I can tell you that I had a Bates SBD that weighed 27 pounds with a Quadra 52 in it. It was a good choice, but still a very fast airplane. I had a couple of good size holes in the cowl for all the protruding parts. A G-45 would be an equivalent engine. If you are after scale flight, I think the Quadra 42 would be a good choice. This is a good engine, with a rear mounted muffler, that make for a cleaner installation by not having to gouge a hole in the cowl to clear a side mounted muffler. By the same token, it has a shorter carb that does not stick out as far as a Q-52 , G-45 or a G-62. A G-38 would fit the same description as the Q-42. IF you cannot find a Q-42, a US Engine 41 is the same engine. A Quadra 42 or a G-38 will fly a 26 pound plane quite nicely with the right prop.

In closing, all I can really offer is that engine choice is in the perception of the builder/pilot. I have seen a G-45 on a 1/4 scale cub....don;t need it, but......If you are of a less proficient caliber pilot, and need power to keep you out of danger, versus your thumbs, install an engine in the larger size. But, if you are not a "must be perfect scale" pilot, as I am, I would recommend installing a G-45 and making the necessary cutouts to clear the protruding parts. If it must go with no holes, install the Q-42/G-38. It will fly the plane nicely, but will not be a speed demon. If you want the G-62, install it. No engine described here will present a problem to be concerned about. It comes down to how you want the plane to look and fly. Good luck and I hope I have helped."

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Question 10: "Hello Jeff, I saw the pictures of the Owatonna Warbird Fly-in and Tim Johnson's P-38 Plane. I have one of these kits and would like to talk to someone who has built one as mine does not have any real directions and I don't even know if I have all the pieces. Do you know how to contact him or the Owatonna R/C Modlers club. Thanks. Also if you have any info or tips regarding CBA kits I would appreciate it. This kit is the 120.5" wingspan kit and seems to be from the mid-eightes. I do not know if the company still exist or when they went out of business. Gary Mann"

Jeff: "Hi Gary....CBA was a company out of Ohio. He retired in the early to mid 90's. His kits are very nice and they fly well. I had one of his F7F Tigercats. I have never seen their P-38 kit form, so not sure what you have. I know Tim, and he picked up the plane second hand in beat up condition. He stripped it all the way down to the glass finish and redid it, and finished out a really nice model. I will see Tim this weekend. He just got a new e-mail address and I do not have it yet."

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Question 11: "I am looking to build an pby 5a Catalina. Is there a kit out there? Dan Peterson"

Jeff: "Dan.....The only PBY's I know of is the Kyosho ARF, the G and P sales PBY offered at 62, 81 and 108 inch wingspan. The G & P website is http://www.rcairplane.net/ The last option I know of is offered by Jim Conachen at www.conachenaircraft.com. This is a PBY with a 170 inch wingspan. There are also a set of Vintage RC Plans available thru them. These are the only ones I know of, and hope it helps in your search. "

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Question 12: "Hello Jeff, I was talking to Joe Huntley and explaining my problem and he said you would be the best person to answer my question. First, you should know that I am new to building. So far I have put together two ARF's and that is the extent of my building experience. I just started building the Ziroli Corsair. I bought the kit from PCK. I am having trouble installing FS-2. It is not even close to fitting. I checked it against the template and it seems to be correctly cut. I know of another person building the same plane and having the same problem. Do you know if there is a problem with that part on the plans or are we just missing something? Thanks for your reply, Tony B"

Jeff: "Hi Tony...sorry to hear of your problem. I must say that having built 6 Ziroli Corsairs, I have never had a problem with the fitting of FS-2. The notches are what you want to focus on. Look to make sure that the two are cut identical. Then, line up the stubs on the formers 2 thru 6 to the notches cut into FS-2. The front and back may not line up with the firewall and former #7 perfectly, but as long as you have the formers square to the WS-1 and line up FS-2 as I describe, that's will be what you want. All will be fine. A little trimming and sanding is OK. IF I have not focused in on your fit problem, please send a follow-up e-mail describing exactly what is not lining up and what problems you are encountering. We will get to the bottom of it. "

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Question 13: "Hi Jeff, I recently purchased plans off of ebay that are enlarged from the original plans. Anyway I would like to know if you could tell me what is the smallest cloth I can use to cover the bird. It is a military L-4B Piper Cub that has a weight of about 15lbs. and a 105" wingspan and it's going to have a 1.20 4-stroke in it. I hope this will be enough info to answer my question"

Jeff: "I would recommend simply covering it with Solartex. It is available from Balsa USA in 5 meter rolls (about 24-25 feet). It is lightweight, sticks good and never seems to lift so much as a corner. If you want to go full scale and apply scale fabric, dope and do the whole doping and painting thing, I would recommend using a light weight scale fabric such as Ceconite light from supplier such as Aircraft Spruce and Specialty www.aircraftspruce.com"

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Question 14: "Hey Jeff, Should there be a lot of twisting involved in the installation of FS-2 in the Ziroli Corsair? I noticed you mention it was quite a task to bend it down and around the body in your photo of the 13 footer. I seem to have to bend it ALOT to get it close to where it should be."

Jeff: "Indeed, there is a lot of compound twisting that takes place with FS-2, especially from F5, back to F7. Use some triangle stock hardwood at the F7 junction to take some of the load off the former. This will assure that it does not pop loose after a while.. I do not know what your kit cutter used, but you are fine to used 1/8 lite ply in this piece, in case he sent you 1/8 aircraft ply. If you have to, just cut new pieces out of lite ply. I only used aircraft ply because I will be hoisting my plane in this area, with the fuse, alone, weighing about 35-45 pounds. In the stock Ziroli, this is not a concern at the much lower weight. If you look at the Ziroli fiberglass Corsair fuse, there are only 2 glass layers in this area, so lite ply for FS-2 is plenty tuff once sheeted. One other thing to do is to sand a slight bevel along the top of FS-2 former #2 to former #5. Get it to a nice contour with the fuse/formers, so that the sheeting does not bulge out when you sheet over FS-2."

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Question 15: "Jeff, I saw that you own the 124" Holman Mosquito, and I would like to know where you balanced it at. I have one ready to fly, but no plans sheet showing the CG. How much weight did you put in your nose area to balance with the g-62's? Appreciate your help,Jerry"

Jeff: "Hi Jerry....my Mossie is balanced 4 5/8 inch from the leading edge of the outer wing panel, inboard rib (take the measurement right outside the engine nacelles if you have a one piece wing, where the leading edge steps back). I know from the plans, it is hard to get a read where to balance it. Mine was balanced level with the gear EXTENDED, not retracted. I did not build the airplane, but the builder told me there is 7 or 8 pounds of lead in the nose. I have the solid, and not the glass nose. They fly great. You will enjoy it. Good Luck."

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Question 16: "Hi Jeff, I've been admiring your planes online for some time...I wish I were such a prolific builder! I recently bought the big FW-190 from Stuart Mackay in England along with the 215 cc 5 cylinder radial that he suggests to power it. I haven't started assembly yet and was just curious as to what you think of this combination. I know it's received a fair amount of coverage in the Warbird forum on RCU, with the general concensu being that the 215 is way too much engine. What do you think? Thanks, Rob Bailey"

Jeff: "Hi Rob. Well, first off, thanks for the kind words. As for the FW190, I am not familiar with the kit. However, there are 4 guys here in town that are building that same FW190 kit at this time. They also have the 215 radial to install in the plane. These guys are VERY experienced builders/pilots, and obviously, they have no concerns in installing the radial. As for power, keeping in mind that I cannot speak to the structural integrity of the kit and it's design (having not looked it over), I would say that from a power standpoint, I would not hesitate installing it. First off, if the designer says it will go...I would assume he would know better than anyone. Also, as with any FW190, you have a real short nose, so you typically need all the noseweight you can get to balance it. Lastly, the FW190 was no slouch of a plane, so to do it justice, give her all the power you can. So, based on the comments I have heard on the kit from the four local guys, and my experience, I would not hesitate installing it. As always, opinions vary. Good luck. "

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Question 17: "This really is an incredible site...My father in law LOVES the P-51 mustang and I am trying to figure out where you can get plans to build one......I saw that there are about a $1000-1500 to buy...but he also likes to build, where could he find good plans? Brandon Scott"

Jeff: "Hi Brandon.....I think the nicest "scale" looking and best plans to build from are from Nick Ziroli. You can check his website at www.ziroliplans.com His mustang is a 96 inch wingspan and runs a gas engine. He carries all the accessories to finish the models. If you are looking for a smaller mustang, Top Flite has a nice 85 inch span kit, available thru any local hobby shop. Dave Platt also offers a 79 inch Mustang that runs on a glow engine, but can be modified to accept a gas engine. Check his site at www.daveplattmodels.com He also offers the cowl, gear, etc. Good Luck"

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Question 18: "Jeff, I was out of the hobby for quite some time and now again have the big itch. I was wondering are there any good prop drives out there for the big engines to power a scale size prop for my project 86" P-51? I have found that the Byron drive is now out of production. Did it not work well or was there not enough interest to keep them going? I don't see any planes being flown with scale props and wonder why that is. Thanks, Don Beason"

Jeff: "Hi Don....I am not real familiar with prop drives. To answer your question on why you do not see them, I think it is a result of the cost and complexity involved, especially when replacing a 3 or 4 bladed prop. About the only big engine prop drive I am familiar with, is the one offered by Mick Reeves of the UK, offered by Bob Holman plans service. Check it out on Mick Reeves website to see specs. http://www.mrmodels.fsnet.co.uk/ You can also check with Ironbay Models, who took over the Byron line. They may be offering it. Their site is http://www.ironbaymodelcompany.com/Webpages/Home.html Sorry I could not offer more. "

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Question 19: "Hi Jeff, Congrat's on your position of prestige at RC Warbirds! I have seen your work on Ziroli's website. The giant P-40 looks awesome. I have his Stuka and his P-40. Now that I have the "big bird BUG", I am going to build a 1/3 scale Curtis Hawk P6E. Here is a pic of my friend Slick Larson with his 1/4 scale hawk. Slick has about 45 mint condition giant scale planes in his basement ready to go, I originally ordered a set of Wyndal Hostettler plans, but threw them away (they were REALLY bad). Slick still had his set for a 1/4 scale (his plane is 22yrs old!) and I am about to blow it up to 1/3 scale and start construction. I was wondering where you would recommend separating the wing (in two or three sections etc...). Both of my Ziroli's are one piece wing, but 135" is a bit too much for me. Because of the struts/cabines I don't know if I should use a wing tube, or aircraft ply, and where to put it. I could separate it in the middle, or a foot from the middle, or just inside the ailerons. Also, what size would you recommend for a 40-50lb plane (it has a Clark Y airfoil, so I wont be hot-dogging it). Any other suggestions as to what I need to beef up going to something this large would be appreciated. I am going to try and keep it very light so that I do not need the extra support. I managed to get my Stuka in at 26lbs with a brison 4.2, scale cockpit, sliding canopy and 4 bomb drops. Here is a pic of it also. Thanks! Patrick"

Jeff: "Hi Patrick...thx for the kind words. Nice pics. I also like the P6E, and had a Hostetler about 5 years ago that I sold. If you wanted to build a multiple piece wing, I would go along the lines of what Balsa USA does on their 1/3 Stearman...it worked nice for me. I would make the top wing a 3 piece, leaving the middle section attached to the cabane wires permanently. Using a 1.5 inch round aluminum tube, or a 3/4 square aluminum tube (like Balsa USA....square tube is much stringer), I would slide the outer panels on to the center section and use a couple of tangs on the bottom side of each panel to lock them to the middle section. For the lower wing, I would make it one piece, but if were to do a multiple, I would make the lower wing a 2 piece, broke at the middle and supported on the same size tubing. Run the tubes in the thickest part of the ribs, as close to the spar as you can. Will take some time to draw in, but worth it when you are done. The main areas of concern for beefing up are the spars and shear web materials, and areas of structural attachment (cabane area, gear, etc.). From what you are telling me, I think a Quadra 100 (6.0 cu. in/100 cc) engine, or any in this range will give you good scale flight with plenty of power. As your need to hot-dog needs increase, up engine size accordingly). For a point of reference, my 1/3 Stearman had a 118 inch span, weighed 63 pounds, and flew on a Sach 5.8. It flew very nicely, but was not a speed demon....flew like a real Stearman. Good Luck"

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Question 20: "Great site. My name is jesper and i live in Copenhagen.Denmark. what are the max. weight for rc planes in America? In Denmark the max.weight are 20kg. I have a 1/4 scale fokker Dr1 at 7,8kg and a1/4 scale piper-cub 106 inch span ai 11 kg. Hilsen Jesper Gebuhr"

Jeff: "Hi Jesper....how are things in Denmark this time of year? In the USA, the max limit for non-restricted flight of RC planes is 55 pounds takeoff weight. That is with fuel. You can fly a plane between 55 and 100 pounds, if you obtain a waiver from the governing model association, in our case the AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics). This waiver must be renewed every year. Planes over 100 pounds are not allowed to be flown at an AMA chartered field. All of these weights take in to consideration that the plane is being flown at an AMA chartered field. Of course, flight outside of these fields, say at your local sod farm, have limitations. In fact, we got a 200 pound B-25 into the air last summer, but unfortunately it was lost when an engine threw a propeller."

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Question 21: "I'm building a kit I've had in the box for 7 years now, the Byron Zero. Although the directions call for Econocote over the bare foam wings, I've become proficient with Z-Poxy and glass finishes, and I plan to use that for the wings (1.5 oz cloth to counter the lack of underlying sheeting). Now the problem: There are several areas (notably aileron surfaces) where 1/16" ribs are glued to the foam, then the covering applied over that. I don't know how to glass over a surface that's not solid. I'm afraid the resin will either stick the cloth down to the underlying surface, or just drip through the glass and add a lot of weight and take forever to fill the weave. Any tips? Thanks a lot for doing this column. I review it and your website frequently. mark taylor "

Jeff: "Hi Mark.....you will not want to glass over an open bay/area. It will not look right and no way to make it work. The glass will sag and tear very easily. You only want to glass over a solid surface. The 1/16 false ribs you speak of would indicate a fabric covered surface. You will want to cover this area with a fabric material. I suggest Solartex or similar. Solartex is a tight weave. You can prime right over it and barely see the weave, which is the look you will want anyway. IF you want to fill the weave a little more, I have brushed on a couple of light coats of Minwax Poly-crylic or actual dope, before priming. Have fun "

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Question 22: "Jeff, I have been doing research for my Corsair project and have found that the BuNo 86 Corsair attributed by many as being flown by Maj. Boyington was, in fact, never flown by him. I found it on the website www.fightingcolors.com. Would this influence your desing/demarcation for your enlarged model? I still have not found a consistent source of info that states which number Boyington regularly flew, so I' m afraid I don't know how to help with a reference. Check out the site, though, it's cool. Thanks, Karl"

Jeff: "Karl...you are correct. Lulubelle was, in fact, a photo op airplane. He actually flew a blue/grey F4U-1a with the number 883 on the side most of the time. This was his primary combat plane. I am not sure of the BuNo. However, I am a real fan of PAppy and while I can appreciate the fact of his true mount, I prefer the classic two tone blue, white underside. That is why I chose Lulubelle. You can read more on what I am talking about at www.acepilots.com/usmc_boyington3.html "

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Question 23: "I am looking in to geting a P-51 I am thinking of the Top Flight p-51 or Zirolie's P-51 can u give me some pros and cons of both kits and some pic of both thanks "

Jeff: "Hi Nick...I do not have any Mustang pics, and opinions will vary on this one, but here is what I would say. I have built both. If you are fairly new to building, I would recommend the Top Flite kit. It may be easier to build with the step by step instructions, and everything all laid out for you with the how to's and therefore's. That's not to say a Ziroli is hard to build, it is not. But it is a different style of building that is fairly straight forward, but you have to do the vast majority of the thinking, Therefore, some scratch building experience will save you some frustration. I built a Ziroli as my 3rd giant scale airplane and had no problems. There is plenty of help out there if you ask. The Ziroli glass fuse, is a nice option that would save some building time and make it goa little faster than a Top Flight. Of course, the Ziroli is a fair bit larger and if you do not mind the size, it flies very well with all that wing area. However, they both are really nice fliers. Neither is 100 percent scale, but the Ziroli is closer, by far. So, I would make the decision based on size and building experience. You will not be disappointed with either. "

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Question 24: "If the ziroli p-51 is not a 100% scale p-51 what is a 100% scale p-51 whith a wing span over 80inches and flies nice thanks, nick"

Jeff: "There are 3 really good choices. The 3W P-51 is probably the most scale. It is all composite fiberglass/carbon fibre reinforced, 112 inch span. A real close second is the Fiberclassics, out of Germany. The Fiberclassics P-51 is basically the same plane as a 3W. Same size and power requirements. These are highly pre-fabbed and can be in the air in about 60-80 hours with some building experience. IF you want to do an all built up version, Don Smith Plans has a 112 inch, 1/4 scale P-51 that is pretty scale. A friend of mine has one of these Don Smiths. It came in at 45 pounds and flies briskly with a q-100 turning a 22x16 prop. "

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