Official FlightLine RC 1600mm P-38 Lightning Thread

[Aros]

Thanks fellas!

[RC Griz]

Something I hope will help Flightline P-38 buyers and builders as this is truly one of the best Warbirds ever in it's price class AND "the prettiest girl at the dance." Having said that the one annoying aspect of the build are the short wires which make wiring the circuit module and assembling the Nacelle kind of challenging. Now the servo leads are a no-brainer: use standard servo extensions. You'll need a few 3-6" and a few 12". But what about those LED leads? If like me you're not an expert in wiring, figuring out even what type of connectors are on those wires can be a challenge. Here's the answer: They are 2x1 Dupont Connectors. These are "female" Dupont connectors and are designed to plug into boards with pins or into male Duponts which are the exact same housing with the male pins sticking out. If you want to make an extension that has a more dependable connection with the female dupont, a 2-wire red JST connector will work. Now I'm always confused about what to call male or female with these, but the JST with the larger housing but with male pins inside is what will work to connect with the Dupont that comes from the led's - it fits over the Dupont securely. Altho the other end can also be the other red JST (smaller housing with female metal sleeves that fits into the other JST housing) - but because this housing is just a bit thicker than the Dupont, you'll need to dremel it down to get 2 of them to nest together in the module. Instead you can make the other end a Dupont like the original (see image). A set of Dupont Connectors is less than $15 on Amazon as is a set of JST's. You'll need a crimping tool if you don't have one for 15-20 and you'll need to learn to do it (10 minutes on YouTube)! But once you make these extensions, the installation is 100% easier as is test the leds which is necessary to figure out which lead goes where as the picture in the manual is not exactly accurate (a wing and strobe designation is switched on mine). Anyway, I had such a hard time figuring out what I've described that I wanted to save others the time. The P-38 is definitely worth it. One of the finest models I've got and always attracts a "crowd" at the field.

[GliderGuy]

Thanks fellas!

Excellent work, Aros,

A couple of EASY additions that look great (IMHO).....

#1 Take some permanent silver sharpie and semi-dampen a cotton swab with the silver. Then gently brush the cotton swab's tip against the black areas behind the nose gun barrels. If you do this carefully, it makes an excellent "gun powder deposit" silvery shadow on the fuselage.

#2 Take some black eye shadow make-up and lightly color a cotton swab with the black. Then gently brush the cotton tip against the silver body area behind the exhaust ports on top. This coloration will wipe off, so it must be coated with a clear SPARVAR urethane clear satin coating.

Note: There may be better ways to color the area behind the turbocharger exhaust ports that won't require an overcoat, but this way works and can be made to look very realistic. The cotton swab as an applicator allows one to obtain that smoke look that one would anticipate an exhaust deposit might look like. I gave the entire bird a urethane coating anyway...to secure the decals.

-GG

[Elbee]

Something I hope will help Flightline P-38 buyers and builders as this is truly one of the best Warbirds ever in it's price class AND "the prettiest girl at the dance." One of the finest models I've got and always attracts a "crowd" at the field.

RG, Great advice. Hoping to add this pretty lady to my hanger one day soon.  I have enjoyed building another Flightline warbird lately. Best, LB

[GliderGuy]

RG, Great advice. Hoping to add this pretty lady to my hanger one day soon.  I have enjoyed building another Flightline warbird lately. Best, LB

RG - Thank you!

Hi LB,

To save you some digging for lots of "tips" and lessons learned when you decide to purchase one....Here is the link to #4243"

https://www.hobbysquawk.com/forum/rc-airplanes/rc-warbirds/1978-official-flightline-rc-1600mm-p-38-lightning-thread?p=331742#post331742

-GG

[Elbee]

GliderGuy I thank you good sir. If we don't get a 2000mm B-17 soon, it will be the next warbird. I have the Freewing B-17G from several years ago NIB, though if a larger version comes from Flightline this summer/year, I would build that instead. So, a P-38 would fit a gap for this guy. Besides the"Forked-Tailed Devil' is just 'too cool for school' as it is. Best, LB

[Twowingtj]

The P-38 is my go to Flightline bird. Just so rock solid. Even the wind.

Nothing else compares to that unique profile in the air either.

[Aros]

Excellent work, Aros,

A couple of EASY additions that look great (IMHO).....

#1 Take some permanent silver sharpie and semi-dampen a cotton swab with the silver. Then gently brush the cotton swab's tip against the black areas behind the nose gun barrels. If you do this carefully, it makes an excellent "gun powder deposit" silvery shadow on the fuselage.

#2 Take some black eye shadow make-up and lightly color a cotton swab with the black. Then gently brush the cotton tip against the silver body area behind the exhaust ports on top. This coloration will wipe off, so it must be coated with a clear SPARVAR urethane clear satin coating.

Note: There may be better ways to color the area behind the turbocharger exhaust ports that won't require an overcoat, but this way works and can be made to look very realistic. The cotton swab as an applicator allows one to obtain that smoke look that one would anticipate an exhaust deposit might look like. I gave the entire bird a urethane coating anyway...to secure the decals.

-GG

Good ideas, thank you! I also use screen repair mesh to add to the lower section of the cowlings and the cooling intakes on the side of the booms...Small details that really pop!

[Aros]

Added the mesh to the intakes...Next stop, weathering!

[Elbee]

Added the mesh to the intakes...Next stop, weathering!

Aros, I like all the scale details you're adding. Really great work, Sir. Best, LB

[Aros]

Thanks my friend. The P-38 is my favorite or second favorite or third favorite warbird of all-time depending on what day, hour, minute it is.

[davegee]

Thanks my friend. The P-38 is my favorite or second favorite or third favorite warbird of all-time depending on what day, hour, minute it is.

Very nice touch, Aros!!

Cheers

davegee

[Aros]

Thanks davegee!

[I-fly-rc-aircraft]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pXCuDGM-jY..

Short video of my P-38 taken from a drone by a fellow club member.

Tom

[primodus22]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pXCuDGM-jY..

Short video of my P-38 taken from a drone by a fellow club member.

Tom

Awesome footage!

[I-fly-rc-aircraft]

Awesome footage!

Thank you. I need to work on the landing though.

[Spad Driver]

Hello fellow Motion RC fans!,
May I present the latest creation from the Wallsburg Warbird Works. Flightline P-38J/L as P-38J-15-LO sn#(42-104012) assigned to the 80th FS " Headhunters ", 8th FG. Stationed at Nadzab New Guinea 4/1/1944.
named "Down Beat ". Had the name "Evelyn " on port nacelle. Crew chief was Sgt. Sam Scher.
Captain Richard "Dick" Bong only flew this aircraft once according to Sgt. Scher. Not when Bong shot down his 25th and 26th kills to break Rickenbaucher's WWI record.
The aircraft has been modified with the upgraded suspension landing gear and tires. The front gear are raked forward with 2 extra thick washers from my spares box under the back of retract. The toy looking white rim on front wheel is covered with Bare Metal Foil to make it more realistic looking.
The paints are all acrylic thinned with water and Flood Floetrol. Sprayed on with a Harbor Freight touchup HVLP spray gun @35 p.s.i. with a first coat of Minwax polycrylic gloss protective finish to give stock stickers and Callie grafics something to grab onto.
glare shielding on nose sides and disc's for turbo-supercharger inlets are cut from excess stock sticker material. The datum markings and serial #'s were cut individually from the stock stickers. Then aligned and set with Elmer's glue.
the gun barrels are painted with metal masters buffable gunmetal and burnished with a cotton swabb. The radiator openings are flat black painted not covered with window screen as some do. Personally think Alpha and his designers wanted full air flow over those esc's for a reason. The front wind screen is coated with future acrylic floor polish mixed with blue food coloring to represent the armored glass first installed on the -10 version. 3 further coats of minwax polycrylic clear gloss to seal the skin.
2-3000 mAh 35c parallel connected Admiral batteries power her. She has a Spektrum AR6610T reciever with satellite. The elevator has been modified with a double-sided screwed together horn installed. The tape holding the wires in on the bottom are reinforced with gorilla tape to prevent them from pulling up again.
She flies like she is on rails and is my new favorite!. Just keep the speed up in turns and use the rudder. Found that out thankfully 3 mistakes up!.
question for you folks. Should I stay with the gloss finish?. Or go with a satin finish?.
And bye the way if I customize my aircraft.
the only grafics I will ever use are from the one and only Callie Soden @
Callie-graphics.com 👍

[Elbee]

Hello fellow Motion RC fans!, May I present

SD, Wow & Wow. Nicely done, Sir. Acknowledged and Agreed with reference to the lovely and talented, Ms. Callie. Best, LB

[Aros]

Well done Spad Driver and welcome to Hobby Squawk! Fine job there!

I added my prop decals from Callie so all that is waiting besides the maiden (mid 90's here, ugh) is some weathering.

[Elbee]

Aros there is beauty in those details, i.e., from basic flyer to miniature aircraft, it is the details that make a difference. Nicely done, Sir. Best, LB

[Aros]

Thank you fine sir. While I may not reach your level of "scalism" in this life or the next, I do like the little details here and there. Cheers!