SOH P-61 project

***warchild*** · August 10th, 2010, 20:34

Fliger! your roll rate is outstanding. better than mine because you got it to behave the way it should at low speeds whereas i hadnt gotten anywhere near that and it would have taken me a few dys to accomplish in a perfect lil world.. Your thrust table is also a lot better. quicker and more powerful than the one i'm working with, so those are parts of yours i'm specifically keeping. I need to massage the pitch and AOA rates as well as the CG but once thats done it'll simply be a matter of you and i polishing the flight model and dialing it in..

**crashaz** · August 10th, 2010, 21:14

animations will be done by this weekend.Have flaps, ailerons working... elevator and trim easy.. gear will be fun lol

***warchild*** · August 10th, 2010, 22:58

fannntastic

**Cag40Navy** · August 11th, 2010, 00:13

Sweet!

***jankees*** · August 11th, 2010, 03:20

here's a small update from the paintfront.
I've been busy collecting info on the different paintschemes used, and it turns out life is relatively simple: there's gloss black and there are a few OD/grey aircraft (mainly P-61A's), so once we have the basic paint ready, life should be simple. Any particular aircraft you would like to see?

Since the black paint peeled rather easily, I would like to make a bare metal base job, so that we can have metal shining through. I also tracked down one bare metal P-61A, other than the prototypes, that was used in the Pacific, so I want that too.
Then there are the special paintjobs for Project Thunderstorm, black with red and yellow.

I believe a few were used after the war as firefighters, but I'm not having much luck tracking down images, so if anybody can help there?

Here are the three basic schemes, black, OD, Thunderstorm, taken from the Aircraft in Action series:

**Cag40Navy** · August 11th, 2010, 03:42

Well, i have photos of the tank variants but when you get on the TS, ill tell you whats the low down.

***jimjones*** · August 11th, 2010, 05:16

Really looking forward to the base plane and paints.

***warchild*** · August 11th, 2010, 11:00

Ok.. i just recieved word that Snuffy is not going to be able to join us in this endeavor. He's had a major case of life fall in his lap and has to take care of those things first. If you pray, please keep him in your prayers..
That also means the radar station is up for grabs. Michael? Feel like working on the old girl just one more time ( or two)???

**michael davies** · August 11th, 2010, 12:48

Pam,

Much as I'd love to and had just reinstalled Gmax for the Virtavia Seaking, my hand has been forced by other developments (threads), with the added pressure of a plan B if A falls by the way side, thankfully the Essex is about done, but there is no spare time left I'm afraid due to contractual pressures elsewhere.

Sincerely

Michael

Originally Posted by warchild

Ok.. i just recieved word that Snuffy is not going to be able to join us in this endeavor. He's had a major case of life fall in his lap and has to take care of those things first. If you pray, please keep him in your prayers..
That also means the radar station is up for grabs. Michael? Feel like working on the old girl just one more time ( or two)???

***warchild*** · August 11th, 2010, 12:57

I understand completely.. But before I went and opened the door for someone else i wanted to give you the opportunity. Keep us informed if you ever get a chance to hop in.

Ok Gentlemen, we have a radar operator station open.. Crashaz and N2056? This is in your ballpark, so discuss it and let me know if you think you two can do it, or if we should look for a third modeler..

and keep up the great work

..
Pam

**michael davies** · August 11th, 2010, 13:06

You carry on, your doing a grand job, nice to see the still born project gaining momentum.

Kindest

Michael

Originally Posted by warchild

I understand completely.. But before I went and opened the door for someone else i wanted to give you the opportunity. Keep us informed if you ever get a chance to hop in.

Ok Gentlemen, we have a radar operator station open.. Crashaz and N2056? This is in your ballpark, so discuss it and let me know if you think you two can do it, or if we should look for a third modeler..

and keep up the great work

..
Pam

**Cag40Navy** · August 11th, 2010, 13:11

She is in good hands.

**fliger747** · August 11th, 2010, 14:48

Not having my R2800 book (I am on a 5 day trip) I am going to guess that a R2800 25S might be a -10 or 65 Built by Nash. Neither Hundred Thou or The R2800 book, which cover the engines on the P-61 series in some detail mention this engine. I can find out a bit more on it when I get home Monday or so. The 2500 HP makes it sound like it could also be a "C" series engine such as used in many post war commercial and military aircraft. All of the two stage blower engines used a similar system, neutral and two aux blower stages with (usually) an intercooler. The biggest exception except the turbocharged models was the sidewinder dual blower used in the F4U-5. It is possible someone stuck a commercally available C engine in one postwar. Warbirds are almost never original.

Some planes had a 75 gallon WM tank and had perhaps 1/2 hour available. However, Only the P61-C could be considered a fast plane because of it's turbocharger system allowing very good HP at high altitudes. The A & B models might have been good for almost 370 mph, but not 370 Knots. I'll post some graphs that I will have to massage thta I grabbed with my camera out of Hunnert thou before I ran out the door.

Cheers: T