Top Flite 1/5 P-51D two piece wing retrofit

Top Flite 1/5 P-51D two piece wing retrofit

The four Top Flite 1/5 P-51D arf / arc's that I have assembled, I've made the wing in two sections. It makes transport of the wing easier for me. The wing is assembled at the field and then bolted on the fuselage. The two piece wing set up has held up to many flights.

You can probably improve on my method but here is the way I did it.

1. I only glue the wing joiner into only one panel.  The other wing panel sides on the joiner.

2. I glue a 1/4" thick maple or other hardwood  plate into the forward rib hole. 

3. From the wheel well, a 5/32" diameter hole in drilled in the 1/4" maple plate and a 1.5" long or so 10/24 socket head bolt is inserted. 

On the opposite wing another maple plate in glued into the forward rib hole and tapped to accept the 10/24 bolt.

 

When the two wing panels are slid together, the 10/24 bolt is screwed in to secure the front part of the two wing panels. The wing dowels also do the job of securing the wing panels together when the wing is bolted on the fuselage, but I added the 10/24 bolt for added piece of mind.

The back of the wing is held together by a 1/8" aluminum or ply plate that the wing hold down bolts go through.  One side of the rear hold down plate may be glued on and left on that wing section. The wing hold down plate is covered by the radiator scoop.

Now the radiator scoop. Once the wing is bolted on the fuselage, I attached the radiator scoop to the bottom of the wing. I used two dowels in the back of the scoop that go into the fuselage former and a center bolt to hold the scoop on. A threaded maple block is glued to the bottom of the wing to accept the scoop hold down bolt.  A club mate uses magnets to hold on the scoop and his rad scoop has never come off in flight. You may come up with an alternate method.

Bolt access hold for the radiator hold down bolt.

On a on piece wing this front fiberglass wing cover is glued on the wing however on the piece two wing the front fiberglass bottom wing cover is glued to the fuselage instead of the front of the wing. 

There will be two air lines coming out of each wing panel,  the method you chose how to hook these air lines up is up to you, I use the Robart quick connects and T fittings, and then hook the air lines to the airlines coming from the retract valve. in the fuselage.

At my age, I look for more functionality over than true scale appearance, your scale tastes may differ.

cheers - ken