Official FlightLine RC 2000mm B-24D/J Liberator Thread

[rifleman_btx]

I always turn with rudder and ailerons. Mostly with rudder and control the angle of bank and turn angle with the ailerons.

[fhhuber]

Same here, I cross-control on every plane I fly as SOP. not sure I understand why it is a no-no. Would love an explanation.

It has to do with potential for inducing a stall, snap-roll, spin sequence.

I used to play around with demonstrating extreme adverse yaw with a Kadet Sr, modified with barn door ailerons and flaps. 45 deg flaps, 50 deg available up and down elevator, 60 deg available rudder, I could apply full left aileron, full left rudder and do circles to the right.
This condition is EXTREMELY unstable with the aircraft flying pointed appx 40 deg to the line of travel. Just a fraction off on throttle and it would snap right over. (but being a Kadet SR, it recovered in 20 ft)
I trashed the Kadet playing that game 5 ft above the runway to let people see the extreme control throws. Snapped inverted and splattered.

Cross controlling is normally used in side-slips to control bank angle while angling the nose well off to the side vs line of travel. The wing "behind" the fuselage is blanketed by turbulence and highly likely to stall. Its a great way to lose altitude and airspeed at the same time. Its also a great way to put the airplane into a spin if you lose too much airspeed.
Typically a technique used on landing approach, you have ZERO room for recovery if it spins.

These are using LARGE deflections of the controls to create an unstable condition on purpose.

But that is different from moderating small deflection aileron opposed to rudder for the purpose of preventing the rudder rolling the aircraft more than is desired.
There's not much of an issue because you are keeping the nose pointed the direction of travel.

[rifleman_btx]

Yup that's why I never hold a slip, unless landing in a cross wind. Then I'll hold it as long as i can until right when the mains touch down.

[Hardway]

Slip happens.......

[rifleman_btx]

^YES!

[Clearblue]

I call BS! If it's such a no no, then why do so many guys set it up as a mix? Tell ya one thing. If you'd try to turn my Nieuport 17 without first initiating with the rudder and opposite aileron to hold the banking? You'll be picking up sticks!

Jim

[fhhuber]

I call BS! If it's such a no no, then why do so many guys set it up as a mix? Tell ya one thing. If you'd try to turn my Nieuport 17 without first initiating with the rudder and opposite aileron to hold the banking? You'll be picking up sticks!

Jim

You are flying the plane working to keep the nose pointed in direction of travel and wings level or banked an appropriate amount into the turn.

And exactly what you are trying to prevent is the normal result of cross-controlling where it banks one way and points the nose for the opposed turn. Your plane's natural tendency to bank on rudder being excessive with that aircraft.

The mix is done to correct for adverse yaw (when using ailerons and pretty much ignoring rudder) or to correct for the amount of bank induced by use of the rudder. For relatively mild maneuvers this is fine.
For large control deflection, the mix amount appropriate at mild throw won't be right, but modern computer radios can have the mixing done on a curve to deal with that, assuming you never want to really learn to coordinate your controls manually.

Some aircraft need little to no use of rudder to combat adverse yaw when you use differential aileron throw. Some need very little aileron correction for the roll on rudder. Some need significant elevator correction when using rudder.
Knowing how much correction your particular aircraft needs with any given control input is just part of flying.

My Kadet Sr had such extreme adverse yaw (without differential ailerons) that it could not be corrected with extreme use of rudder. Knowing the plane let me get away with demonstrating a bad situation for a long time... overconfidence from repeatedly demonstrating with the bad situation resulted in wiping out the airplane.

Cross controlling can be useful. An airliner that ran out of fuel used it to bleed off speed and altitude for a safe landing. ("Gimli Glider" Air Canada 143) It is also a notoriously unstable condition where the smallest mistake results in a spin.

[Mike O.]

Has anyone had to change out a flap.servo? Got one that is acting up. How is it wired and is it easy to get at?

[dahawk]

Hey Hugh, I know that field. You fly at Markham. Nice field!!

With the owls Great facility

[MikeT]

With the owls Great facility

You got that right. Awesome little critters. Their happy to share the field with us.

Mike

[Hugh Wiedman]

Just about finished with 3D parts for the cockpit and front turret. Only waiting for the nice P-51 Mustang Pilots that Jim (ClearBlue) used. Couldn't find them in stock anywhere in the free world, except some very sketchy place in China called clubwhole (I'm sure it's a scam, ordered 2 pilots over 2 weeks ago-they charged my credit card-but doubt I'll ever see them, literally on a slow boat from China-but worth a shot if they actually ever get here). If they don't come in, I'll use the pilots I have in the pictures. Yes, I know, one of them is a woman, but if you notice, Callie also made me pilot names which have mine as pilot and the co-pilot is my wife (she flies also, so either I put her in the co-pilot seat or no more planes for moi). Besides, the guy looks just like me (yah right, at least in my dreams), and the woman at least looks like my wife. If the pilots do come, I'm already finishing cockpit parts for a third "battery hatch" and with one I will use the "real" pilots for our warbirds fly-in and the woman co-pilot for when I need to buy more planes or parts (the other 364 days).

Been using the stock cockpit and a modified front turret (with a gunner figure and hooked up to a servo, but without the 3D parts) so I don't loose any flight time. Only have about a dozen flights so far, but every time I fly it, I like it more and more-a great model. 10 minutes at 1/2 throttle on the 4s 4000mah batteries and the take off and landings are so smooth, it makes me look like I know what I'm doing (at least until anyone sees my landings with the 1600mm Spitfire, and the 1700mm P-51 and Corsair). I've modified the top turret with a servo and a slightly smaller gunner figure, but haven't found a way to use the 3D parts for the top turret. A "matching" size figure to the pilots and front gunner would result in the head only-something out of a horror movie. Anyone got a suggestion?

Really wish Flightline would re-introduce a 2000mm B-17 using this same platform. Looked at the HobbyKing 1875mm B-17-looks OK, but a lot of things seemed inferior to this B-24 1) like the retracts with no suspension struts and the rear tail wheel that does not retract 2) the nose under turret is just a chunk of foam, 3) uses 3S batteries 4) access to the batteries are just the top canopy, doubt if I'd have room to get a sound system in without major re-construction, and a few other things. But the question is, can I wait for a better B-17 to come along? especially since I've calmed the gods by putting her in the co-pilot seat, how long can that last!

I'll let everyone know if this China place comes though if anyone else what's to get them, as Jim's figures and cockpit are outstanding! Happy flying, the weather is starting to get better and better (although here in Florida you can fly 12 months a year, save a few hurricanes holing us up).

[dahawk]

Maidened Tupelo Lass on Tuesday. A replica from the 93rd heavy bombardment group(Ted’s Traveling Circus) 409th bomb squadron. A plane my Dad likely worked on as a crew chief. It survived Polesti.

The Flying Ant ( Anthony) was on hand to shoot video(coming soon) Flew great. Used rudder almost exclusively for turning. Even a little opposite aileron.

Grass field. Went with the 8” MAS props. Plenty of zip. Hardly needed any trim. A couple clicks of right.

Happy camper,

Hawk

[xviper]

Maidened mine this morning. It's a great flying model, very stunning in the air, makes all the right noises. It takes off very nicely even with the lumpy ramp that bounced it into the air prematurely. Lands very nice and has plenty of power. I was flying mostly at 1/2 to 2/3rds throttle on the maiden. My only annoyance is all those connections that have to be made when putting it together. The combi-connectors is a saving grace but that still leaves those 8 ESC cables to plug in. It would be no issue for those who can carry this thing whole but not many of us have that ability.
I've only seen a couple of private flying videos of this plane on YouTube, one build video. Wonder why? Anyway, here's my video from my usual bumpy grass field, complete with ruts, mounds and gopher holes (how the other 1/2 lives).

[themudduck]

Nice job! I'll bet that hill on the right side has eaten its share of planes!

Can't speak for everyone, but the weather has been super-crappy for the past month where I am, its only become half-way decent in the last several days. So maybe that's the reason for "not a lot of videos so far". I'm hoping to get some flights on mine this weekend! And maybe some video if I can find a cameraman who doesn't have the shakes.

Hey so you're in Canada eh, It looks pretty realistic but where are the moose? :Confused:

[mirored]

I am finishing up my second B24, both with full up cockpit and turret mods. Both planes will show up at Joe Nall in a couple of weeks. Should be cool and looking forward to seeing many more there.

[xviper]

Nice job! I'll bet that hill on the right side has eaten its share of planes!

Can't speak for everyone, but the weather has been super-crappy for the past month where I am, its only become half-way decent in the last several days. So maybe that's the reason for "not a lot of videos so far". I'm hoping to get some flights on mine this weekend! And maybe some video if I can find a cameraman who doesn't have the shakes.

Hey so you're in Canada eh, It looks pretty realistic but where are the moose? :Confused:

Yes, it has, both taking off and landing. The updraft coming up and over the hill can be deadly for sailplanes.
Summer finally has come but we seemed to have skipped spring.
The moose are in the hills in the distance (about 2 miles) that you see in the video and the beavers are just in the gully in the same direction (about 1/2 mile).

[xviper]

Hey so you're in Canada eh, It looks pretty realistic but where are the moose? :Confused:

Funny we were talking about moose. This is what walked through my flying buddy's condo complex this morning. This is well within the city limits and a couple of miles from the flying field. The moose near the field have moved further into the forest due to the freeway construction. We do typically have to fetch our downed planes within a few feet of a coyote den.

[Sky Wolf]

I am finishing up my second B24, both with full up cockpit and turret mods. Both planes will show up at Joe Nall in a couple of weeks. Should be cool and looking forward to seeing many more there.

Looking forward to seeing them at Joe Nall.

[kevinnikki35@yahoo.com]

Anyone want a B 24 CHEAP. I'm done with it and motion rc. They really suck with their parts inventory. Had my bomber for month and flew it exactly twice. What a bush league company.

[Woodcock]

Wow, ya know friend, "Motion RC", and "Horizon Hobbies" are about the best of the best in my opinion. Could you please give some detail? If parts are an issue, it's usually the manufacturer not the vendor. The vendor can only offer parts the Manufacturer make available. It does suck. As near as I can tell the Manufacturers run these planes in batches. Basically one plane at a time. I believe that once the batch runs stop everything else stops, including spare parts.

Best Regards
Woodcock