Dynam F4F Hellcat

[Dewey H Lee]

Man. Sorry to hear that Farmflyer. Been hoping to see a post saying you had maidened. Good luck and let me know how it goes. I still haven't gotten mine up. Weather is beautiful when I'm working and crap when I'm not. I'm hope maybe this weekend after I take care of an elderly neighbors grass for them. Good luck again.

[farmflyer]

Installed the new retract today it's working fine but now I've got to order the strut cover set. I didn't check ahead of time the covers are glued together over the strut and can't be removed without destroying them. I'll fly without the cover until I make another order to save the shipping.

[farmflyer]

I got my replacement retracts in now I only need the weather to cooperate so I can get the maiden in. I'm excited to get this bird in the air and can't hardly wait for a good day to come.

[farmflyer]

I've been lucky and had very few problems with any of my previous planes so I guess I was due. There's not much chance of flying in this part of Texas this time of year with daily winds 20to30 and gusts to 40 occasionally to 60. So I'm mostly just getting things ready to go when I get a chance even if it's only an hour at sunrise or sunset. I've got two maidens to do this one and the um pt17 I'll get em done sooner or later.

[Dewey H Lee]

Man . Sorry to hear that. Still no maiden on mine. Hopefully Spoon.

[farmflyer]

Well not having very good luck with this plane yet while doing a systems check after replacing a bad esc the left retract quit I checked all connections and even tried another known good y connector. I havnt even flown it yet. I'm not worried though I have no doubts that MRC will take care of me. I'm hoping to get it all sorted out soon and start enjoying this fine bird.

[LiveToFly]

I've flown the Hellcat for a couple years now and find it a very good flyer. I'd certainly recommend it as a first warbird. It is very docile and smooth. Just a couple negatives:
- Have had the cowl fall forward due to weak magnets. They were in place but didn't hold on a somewhat rough takeoff strip. Was very happy to see MRC pick up the plane as I knew they'd supply the cowl and prop I needed to repair.
- Landing gear are wobbly and weak. They often bend slightly on landing. I always do a test retract as I carry it back to the pits to see if the gear fit in the well.
- One of the gear doesn't want to extend in cool weather. It retracts just fine but getting it down is a little different. No biggie, I can always belly land in the grass next to the strip.
- Directional control sucks until you get the tail down. Landing at the correct speed is very important, or when you force the tail down the plane will lift off again.
- The aforementioned low throttle stutter- I look at that like a cold radial getting started but really, I don't run at that throttle setting so it generally doesn't bother me.
- The supplied pilot is way too big for the scale look. I'm looking for a 1/10th scale WWII pilot to fit the bill.

As I said, I enjoy the plane. I fly it often. It gets admired by some of the guys at the field as well.
I bought it at a different site that was always out of spare parts. Even at that, to replace the cowl they wanted me to buy an entire fuselage. Thanks MRC.

[farmflyer]

Dewey I would definitely still buy Dynam planes but part of the order in the future will include a replacement esc. On the 109 I like it but a couple of issues with it (1) the fuse had a gap in the seam from the cockpit forward (2) need to trim to clear the spinner (3) the ailerons and flaps are connected in one piece that runs the full length of the wing like a 3d plane which made for very sensitive control I cut the flap section loose and made it stationary (4) shim the gear forward they are long and will bend on a rough landing but you can bend them back easily. I put 1/2oz of lead up front with an admiral 2500 all the way forward and liked the balance there. I posted a review on the MRC site on the 109. I really like the way it flies it feels locked in good power and as expected a little tricky on the ground with the narrow stance. I think you will like it. My next Dynam will be Waco then the Corsair. I'm lucky I fly off of smooth rolled asphalt and have never flown off grass.

[Dewey H Lee]

Is it me or does it seem Dynam just doesn't care. The planes are a value at the price. It would be nice if MOTION would at least post that this problem is a strong possibility just like they do with the retracts. Knowing what you know now. Would you still have bought the plane. Yea I think I would. Plan on getting the 109 soon also. What do you think of it. I know I'm going to have trouble with those long skinny retracts flying off of grass. I like running out the take off and my landings on the mains. Not bragging but I have spent more time it seems practiceing my landings than any other aspect of flying. Especially my Corsairs. They look so good coming down and not planting the tail till there's not enough airspeed to keep it up. Have never had the opportunity to take off and land on a hard surface as of yet. No clubs close to go to that has one. I envy the guys that do.

[farmflyer]

Today I changed the esc out for a detrum 30amp and the stutter went away. I put the 40amp back and the stutter was back I went back through the programming did not go away. I did notice on high timing it was worse. Also no difference with or with out the amplifier. I'm using a tacti 624 receiver. I feel you on the (sick day)

[Dewey H Lee]

On a better note. I told the Boss that the first day this week the winds down and pretty. I'm not going to be at work that day. Good Lord willing MAIDEN..........😁😁😁😁😏😏😏😎😎😎😎. Ya think I'm excited.

[Dewey H Lee]

Yea I know what you mean. I think this has been going on for a long time though. My Pitts is a 4th party owner and every so often I'll still have to go back to defaults because it'll just start doing it. Can fly a couple of batteries and then put in the 3rd and boom it be there on rc groups there has been speculation that the receiver has a part in it. Especially the spectrum 6210 which is what I have in the Pitts. But now the F6f. Tactic. But so far the defaults corrected it. I'm with you on something better though. Let me know what MOTION comes up with.

[farmflyer]

Yea Dewey I'm using the (amplifier) it also came with my 109 but I can't tell any difference on either one with or without it. Hopefully MRC or some other company can convince Dynam to fix this in the future. Maybe they'll run out of the junk esc soon and replace them with a better one.

[Dewey H Lee]

Thank you Farmflyer.
I'm really touched that finally someone else in the world believed there's more to life than there own needs. I've been ridiculed by coworkers and relatives alike for helping others that can't help themselves. I've thanked God many times for the friend's I have made over the years doing so.
On another note. Are you using the signal amplifier that came on the esc receiver wire. There was one shipped with my bird. When I contacted motion I spoke with (I think it was brad) the tech and was told it was a throttle reverser. Need with a couple of different tx. But cruising the the esc and motor section in the form explained it as a Signal amplifier.

[farmflyer]

Or he could be saving you from something in your future. It's good to help people out when they're in need. I've volunteered in EMS,Firefighter,City Councilman,School events,Etc for almost 35 years and have always felt blessed to do so. It will come back to you in the end.

[Dewey H Lee]

No😖. Last minute problems with some elderly neighbors I try to help out as much as I can prevented me from getting to the field. I think God's punishing me now for something😬.

[farmflyer]

Voodoo the 4000 admiral is 4.4 oz heavier than the 2500 so seems like the 2500 would require that much to balance the same or am I missing some other aspect in the balancing thought process.

[farmflyer]

I've opened a ticket and have no doubt they'll take care of it. The ztw in the 109 they actually sent as a replacement. The throttle response on the ztw is much smoother and gave me a few more rpm. Dewey did you get to fly?

[Dewey H Lee]

Dang man. Hate to hear that. I would at least talk to motion first. I was able to get mine right by programming it to soft start. If you can't get it right with the defaults they should replace it I would think.

[farmflyer]

I've been working on trying to reprogram the esc but no luck I can't get rid of the low rpm stutter. I'll be ordering a ztw to replace it that's what I did on the 109 and really like it.