Official FlightLine F4U-1A Corsair 1600mm (63") Wingspan

[Hugh Wiedman]

First I would like to note that most of us have remarked in this thread that the FL Corsair doesn't need takeoff flaps - it comes off the ground very quickly without any flaps and if you use takeoff flaps, it may take off before you are ready. But when landing, it does help to have the flaps all the way down, it helps slow this beast for landing. It also looks totally cool!! You need to make gentle 2-point landings (with some throttle) and avoid bouncing as much as possible. (Bounce = broken landing gear retract casing).

So, elevator trim can depend a lot on your CG and also how far down you put the flaps. Using the flaps will make the plane "balloon" a bit. So a little down-elevator trim is helpful. I have mine set so that the flaps go WAY down, like 70-75 degrees, and my radio's flap mix is set for 14% down elevator trim. (Its not much, its only about 1/8 of an inch) I had to experiment a lot to get to this point, I found that without some down trim, the plane will tend to bounce when it touches down. With a little down trim, it will stick to the runway and I find it much easier. Now, if you have your flaps set so that they come down only 45-50 degrees, you may need MORE down trim because the flaps will generate more lift. With the flaps all the way down they're mainly functioning as air brakes. Hope this helps!

Great points, I definitely agree that you are better off taking off with no flaps. I also have 1/2 flaps set around 40 degrees (hardly ever use it unless maybe in a strong head wind for landing) but that actually requires, for me anyway, about -7% elevator compensation, and that's up elevator, not down. I also land with about 70 degrees of flaps (mostly because it looks cool) but do not use any elevator compensation because I like to be in full control of the attitude and keep it level so the mains touch softly. Flaps create lift up to a deflection of 45 degrees, thereafter, as themudduck stated, they no longer create lift and begin to act as an air brake.

paulsnapp, I would not suggest that you maiden it and make your first landing at 75 degree flap deflection. Start out, IMO somewhere between 30 to 45 degree landing flaps and with mine, that does require up elevator trim of about 6%-9%. I also like to do my landing approach 42% throttle, then a few feet off the ground reduce it to about 28% throttle at which point I let the mains touch and only cut the throttle after the mains are down. Works for me but I'm sure other more experienced pilots have probably even better techniques.

[Hugh Wiedman]

paulsnapp, if your TX is capable of setting up Flight Modes, definitely use that and assign the FM's to the flap switch. Then go into Trim settings and set the trim on elevators for FM instead of the default (I also do it for ailerons in the event the flaps do not deflect at the exact amount) and this will allow you to trim the aircraft perfectly on each flap setting while you are in the air the first time. Trim settings then on elevator (and aileron if you enable it) are set for each flap position. The compensation you put in on the flap menu is just a starting point and you can fine tune it a each position just like you trim the plane anyway. This tool is a must!

[paulsnapp]

Thanks for the help and the replies. Hugh and Mudduck - you both state that the flaps produce lift up to a point, but you disagree on the use of the elevator. Mudduck recommends down elevator and Hugh recommends up elevator so I guess I am a little confused as to which way to go. Can you guys claify?? Thanks!!

[themudduck]

Thanks for the help and the replies. Hugh and Mudduck - you both state that the flaps produce lift up to a point, but you disagree on the use of the elevator. Mudduck recommends down elevator and Hugh recommends up elevator so I guess I am a little confused as to which way to go. Can you guys clarify?? Thanks!!

Hugh and I are pretty much on the same page regarding landing this plane - we've both posted similar advice in this thread several times. Over time we both struggled to master our landings and we've blown out a number of retracts (I think I've replaced mine at least 3 or 4 times!) It takes time to master it and everyone has their own technique. Its going to depend on your skill and the exact flap setting. During the first few years I used a little "up" trim because I wanted the plane to settle in with a positive angle of attack during final approach, for an attempted 3-point landing - but this resulted in bounces almost every time - even with nice landings. And even a small bounce will break the retract casing.

When you're coming in with full flaps you do need to use a significant amount of throttle (as Hugh said) to keep the plane from falling out of the sky (do NOT approach with full flaps and at idle). And its definitely better to make a 2-point landing instead of doing a three-point, or landing with the tail down.

I practiced doing this, coming in with full flaps and with a little up trim, and then landing on two wheels and I was still bouncing on touchdown. So for me, when I switched to using a little down trim, it resulted in perfection. It was my "Ah Ha" moment. So you drive it in dirty, you fly it in all the way and then when it touches down it does not bounce. At all. Perfect 2-point landing, cut the throttle and and just slows down immediately. For me, the down trim keeps the tail up during final approach and results in no bounces on touchdown. This is what worked for me.

The difference can be a matter of personal preference! There's certainly more than one way to do it and it depends on how you fly - so you'll need to practice and find out what works best for you.

Incidentally I've found the the FW Corsair is very sensitive to elevator - my radio is set to 55% travel for the elevator. (and I also use expo) If you have too much elevator then landings will be a scary adventure, like a roller coaster. This is another thing that can make a big difference. Again, its a matter of preference.

[Hugh Wiedman]

Hugh and I are pretty much on the same page regarding landing this plane - we've both posted similar advice in this thread several times. Over time we both struggled to master our landings and we've blown out a number of retracts (I think I've replaced mine at least 3 or 4 times!) It takes time to master it and everyone has their own technique. Its going to depend on your skill and the exact flap setting. During the first few years I used a little "up" trim because I wanted the plane to settle in with a positive angle of attack during final approach, for an attempted 3-point landing - but this resulted in bounces almost every time - even with nice landings. And even a small bounce will break the retract casing.

When you're coming in with full flaps you do need to use a significant amount of throttle (as Hugh said) to keep the plane from falling out of the sky (do NOT approach with full flaps and at idle). And its definitely better to make a 2-point landing instead of doing a three-point, or landing with the tail down.

I practiced doing this, coming in with full flaps and with a little up trim, and then landing on two wheels and I was still bouncing on touchdown. So for me, when I switched to using a little down trim, it resulted in perfection. It was my "Ah Ha" moment. So you drive it in dirty, you fly it in all the way and then when it touches down it does not bounce. At all. Perfect 2-point landing, cut the throttle and and just slows down immediately. For me, the down trim keeps the tail up during final approach and results in no bounces on touchdown. This is what worked for me.

The difference can be a matter of personal preference! There's certainly more than one way to do it and it depends on how you fly - so you'll need to practice and find out what works best for you.

Incidentally I've found the the FW Corsair is very sensitive to elevator - my radio is set to 55% travel for the elevator. (and I also use expo) If you have too much elevator then landings will be a scary adventure, like a roller coaster. This is another thing that can make a big difference. Again, its a matter of preference.

themudduck and I are on the same page, went through at least 5-6 (or maybe more) retracts in the beginning. I will tell you that with flaps anywhere deflected from 20 degrees to 40 degrees, at least for me, to keep it level at about 45% throttle you will need some up elevator trim, anywhere from -3% to -7% depending on how much flap you use. At 70 degrees for me on landing since the flaps are now just creating drag and 0 lift, I don't use any compensation and prefer to control the pitch myself, depending on the wind. I know this may be a little confusing paulsnapp with one of us using up elevator trim and the other down, it's just a result of personal preference. When I get about 1 foot off the runway the aircraft is slightly nose up about 5 degrees, but maintaining altitude. At that point I reduce throttle from 40% to about 28% and pitch the nose down slightly so it is level as the mains touch, then cut throttle. May try it ala themudduck next time out, sounds like it works well, but since I land on grass, it hasn't bounced for me in quite some time, but then there's always tomorrow!

[paulsnapp]

Thanks for the clarifications!!

[heartlandaccents]

My FlightLine F4U-1A Corsair converted to a F4U-4 VMF-323 Deathrattlers that my Dad flew in Korea.

[Elbee]

heartlandaccents, Tremendous repaint and fitting tribute to your father. Bravo Zulu, Sir. Best, LB

[406PIlot]

heartlandaccents Great tribute an amazing work!!

[Hugh Wiedman]

heartlandaccents outstanding, can't wait to hear how much you love it after the maiden!

[themudduck]

Thanks for the clarifications!!

Hay Paul, and Hugh Wiedman , I took it out flying today with the aim of getting a video of my landing technique. My friend Brent took some cool pics and a few videos of me trying to land it - well wouldn't you know, I failed to make a "perfect" landing for the camera in four flights. But we did manage to capture the technique I was trying to explain in the earlier post. I was fighting a bit of turbulence and crosswind...

...anyway you can clearly see that the tail stays up during the approach and the 2-point landing, and I managed to run off the edge of the runway, but there was no dreaded bounce which is what we're all trying to avoid.

Here's the short 25-sec video of the approach and landing. Try playing it back at 1/2 speed!
(I do have a MrRCSound system, which is why it sounds a little odd in the video)
And here are a few still pics.

[Denniswpb]

Like most, I have a few landing gear retracts where the worm screw inside got bent and now the retract shakes when extended or retracted. Instead of purchasing new retracts, does anyone know if there is a source where I can just get the worm screw?? I can straighten the worm screw, but it has to be perfectly straight not to shake. Hate to keep buying retracts for a $2.00 part.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know.. learn how to land and you won't bend them, etc. etc.

[Hugh Wiedman]

Hay Paul, and Hugh Wiedman , I took it out flying today with the aim of getting a video of my landing technique. My friend Brent took some cool pics and a few videos of me trying to land it - well wouldn't you know, I failed to make a "perfect" landing for the camera in four flights. But we did manage to capture the technique I was trying to explain in the earlier post. I was fighting a bit of turbulence and crosswind...

...anyway you can clearly see that the tail stays up during the approach and the 2-point landing, and I managed to run off the edge of the runway, but there was no dreaded bounce which is what we're all trying to avoid.

Here's the short 25-sec video of the approach and landing. Try playing it back at 1/2 speed!
(I do have a MrRCSound system, which is why it sounds a little odd in the video)
And here are a few still pics.

Looking Good! Got my Corsair out today as well, no videos or photos in the air though (so maybe it didn't happen).

[f4u ausie]

Is it possible the bigger mig 29 rotating retracts may fit with some work.

[406PIlot]

The e-flite f-18 rotating gear may work. Not 100% sure but I am thinking they are close in size.

[Aros]

themudduck Great shots!! Loved the landing...Looked very scale...As most know, the full scale had varying degrees of bouncing. Your landing looked full scale to me. Not a "model" bounce, just the normal hop many taildraggers experienced. In fact, I think it looks better when there's a gentle, subtle hop on initial touchdown. Nice job!

[xviper]

The e-flite f-18 rotating gear may work. Not 100% sure but I am thinking they are close in size.

Check the mounting hole spacing in the retract body. That's the determining factor. I believe the FL Corsair uses a standard FW retract but with the 90 degree rotation pins and pin catchers. Find out the hole spacing for the Eflite unit and compare that to the FW one. Also, consider the weight and size of the strut and wheel assembly. The Eflite unit may not be strong enough to move a heavier assembly.
For example, the FMS retract on their Corsair is not a standard hole spacing. Those are a bit larger spacing than the usual FMS retract.

[f4u ausie]

Hey guys. Hope u r well. Dont b confused. But keeping the scale slash appearance of my first and beloved f4u. Is important its not first and foremost. With regards to reliability. Fly fly fly..... I still have my share of trouble with the retracts. If 4 strenght sake. I could cut. Modify retrofit. The mig 29 retracts i would ..... If it was a once off deal........ They look bigger ,,should b stronger. Hole spacing pin diam. Seems simple 4 an old school person. Just wana fly in crappy places if poss. The original retract. R not awsome. Not to judge. We have been used to a world of price first quality second. O well. That may change

[paladin]

Could someone please share with me what the correct Flap to Elevator Mix is for the Flightline Corsair? It would save me a lot of time trying to re-create the wheel!!

a little late to the party, i set my max flaps in flight so that it requires the same e hold as all my other planes to keep it flying level. corsair empennage is quite far back so it will flair if you just think about it, so don't. i use 50% throttle (or close) for landing and there are pic's here of me landing in some wind in a very steep dive. the key is it will slow like you hit the breaks when you reduce the throttle so you can come in hot and throttle back close to the runway the nose will drop a little as you do that to give you a good touchdown without doing any E adjustments.

takeoff flap was only used on the real plane if loaded (extra gas, booms, etc). my model is not carrying any external loads so no flap on takeoff. the real reason is when i do takeoff with flaps i forget the flaps are in get flying and retrim the plane then land. at which point it is very poorly behaved cause its trimmed for partial flaps. now i have to go back up and trim it to clean again. so no flaps on takeoff.

Joe

[John Bergsmith]

My son is starting to put some flights on his Corsair. I took some pictures yesterday in the grey, hazy, damp sky, sort of cool looking.