Official FlightLine RC 1600mm P-38 Lightning Thread

[FLTRI]

I regularly swap between 5000, 5200, 5800, and 6000, always pushed as far back in the bay as they'll go, and I don't see any difference in pitch sensitivity when I'm flying around. I don't even re-trim between any of those batteries.

Thanks, that helps my hand-wringing a lot. This plane is just hard to judge CG for me. I get it balanced, and if I tip it nose down a bit, it shows nose heavy. Tip it tail down, shows tail heavy. It doesn't matter if it try upside down, or right side up. It's almost like trying to CG a low wing fighter, right side up...:huh:

[mr.frankenjet]

I regularly swap between 5000, 5200, 5800, and 6000, always pushed as far back in the bay as they'll go, and I don't see any difference in pitch sensitivity when I'm flying around. I don't even re-trim between any of those batteries.

Good to know Alpha, Are you with 4mm up trim on the ele ? How about your cg. Picking batteries, I hate to add lead, lithium is better for ballast :o))

[Alpha]

FLTRI, The bottom of my elevator's trailing edge is flush with the top surface of the horizontal stab. It's a very small amount. I usually stick my fingers at the aft wall of the wiring channel under the wing, with the model upright on its wheels, and finger check CG around there. Then again, after hundreds of flights, I don't check CG every flight anymore. Just plug in the battery and fly.

One thing I can foresee is having a wire or two stuck between the boom and center wing section, which would prevent all four screws through the turbochargers from fully seating the boom flush to the center wing section. In flight that may result in more or less elevator trim. But as long as everything is flush, you shouldn't need much trim. It was mostly a factor of not being able to push the batteries further back due to the load distribution apron of the aluminum box spar than it was of incidence.

Frankenjet, if you don't want to add lead or guess, I recommend the sets we recommend on the website. No weight needed for either the Admiral 4s 2500 setup or Admiral 4s 3000 setup. I'm using Glacier 4s 5800 and Revo 4s 5200 as well. No lead needed.

[TiredIronGRB]

Finished adding the FreeWing P51 struts, it was a job.



The nose gear is a little stiff so I will cut a couple coils off the spring inside the strut, the main will need the spring stretched as they are about a quarter of the way compressed from the weight of the plane.



Here's a short video of the gear deploying and steering.

[Aros]

Tired Iron wins the award for Most Realistic Struts. Well done.

[Aros]

Frankenjet, if you don't want to add lead or guess, I recommend the sets we recommend on the website. No weight needed for either the Admiral 4s 2500 setup or Admiral 4s 3000 setup. I'm using Glacier 4s 5800 and Revo 4s 5200 as well. No lead needed.

Alpha, I'll have to bend your ear at some point tomorrow. I'm using two Admiral 4S 3000's and I have 6 oz of lead in the battery compartment which puts her around 72mm which is dead nuts LG down, but she acts tail heavy with gear up. I need to measure where I am at with gear up but I suspect the Robart wheels are playing a role here. I'm looking like I need to add more lead to the nose so she's not draggin' ass clean but by your account I shouldn't need any added weight. So I'm confused...

[Arycon]

For those of you having trouble with short flap control rods, I have a question for you: When in the "Flaps Up" position, are your flap servo arms 90 degrees to the wing, like an aileron/rudder/elevator arm would be? My flap servos arms in the "Flaps Up" position are facing aft ~45 degrees. I set this up by centering the servo electronically, then positioning the servo arm facing rearward and screwing it in at that position. The flap servo arm facing aft shortens the required length of the control rod. I haven't had any issues with any of my four P-38s in this regard. When my flaps are down, the flap servo arms are almost 90 degrees to the wing.

Yes. All flap servos were 90°. As previously stated by multiple people, if your flap control rods seem "short," they arent. You need to use a servo tester to rotate the control arm toward the tail of the aircraft and use end point adjustments in the flap settings menumber to achieve proper deflection.

[FLTRI]

FLTRI, The bottom of my elevator's trailing edge is flush with the top surface of the horizontal stab. It's a very small amount. I usually stick my fingers at the aft wall of the wiring channel under the wing, with the model upright on its wheels, and finger check CG around there. Then again, after hundreds of flights, I don't check CG every flight anymore. Just plug in the battery and fly.

One thing I can foresee is having a wire or two stuck between the boom and center wing section, which would prevent all four screws through the turbochargers from fully seating the boom flush to the center wing section. In flight that may result in more or less elevator trim. But as long as everything is flush, you shouldn't need much trim. It was mostly a factor of not being able to push the batteries further back due to the load distribution apron of the aluminum box spar than it was of incidence.

Frankenjet, if you don't want to add lead or guess, I recommend the sets we recommend on the website. No weight needed for either the Admiral 4s 2500 setup or Admiral 4s 3000 setup. I'm using Glacier 4s 5800 and Revo 4s 5200 as well. No lead needed.

Okay, I hate to keep pestering you about this, but do you the mean the back of the square hole where the wires exit the outside of the boom, where the outer wings screw on? Or, the rear edge of the main wiring channel between the center pod, and both booms? Copy on the elevator setting, that's where mine is. No problems with wires between the booms and center wing, I was very careful when I installed them.

I lost a plane once to bad CG, completely destroyed it. I'm just OCD about it now, and don't want to damage my new pride and joy...

[PlaneCrazy]

Finished adding the FreeWing P51 struts, it was a job.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n36506[/ATTACH]

The nose gear is a little stiff so I will cut a couple coils off the spring inside the strut, the main will need the spring stretched as they are about a quarter of the way compressed from the weight of the plane.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n36507[/ATTACH]

Here's a short video of the gear deploying and steering.

Is it easy to get to the springs for the adjustments? Will stretching do or maybe a small piece of tubing to take up the excess compression. I'm doing the same mod so would appreciate a walk-through on the mod.

Thanks,
Andy

[Flyer Phill]

Finished adding the FreeWing P51 struts, it was a job.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n36506[/ATTACH]

The nose gear is a little stiff so I will cut a couple coils off the spring inside the strut, the main will need the spring stretched as they are about a quarter of the way compressed from the weight of the plane.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n36507[/ATTACH]

Here's a short video of the gear deploying and steering.

Don't stretch the spring, they'll just sag again after a couple of landings. Instead, add a spacer. I had the same issue with my PR bushwheels 1/4 scale cub shock struts. Adding a small spacer solved the problem.

Phill

[Alpha]

Okay, I hate to keep pestering you about this, but do you the mean the back of the square hole where the wires exit the outside of the boom, where the outer wings screw on? Or, the rear edge of the main wiring channel between the center pod, and both booms? Copy on the elevator setting, that's where mine is. No problems with wires between the booms and center wing, I was very careful when I installed them.

I lost a plane once to bad CG, completely destroyed it. I'm just OCD about it now, and don't want to damage my new pride and joy...

I'll snap a picture for you in the morning, FLTRI. Which batteries are you using? Admirals?

[Pheonix]

Have not started to work on mine yet. Still working out the kinks on my P40B. I am hoping this model does not have such issues. The Model Aviation article mentioned that two of the screws for the center nacelle were too short. I hope not for me. If so, I hope I can find some that will do. I hate this issue.

[Pheonix]

Where can I find this little box? I looked under spare parts and it is not there.

[Sky Wolf]

Where can I find this little box? I looked under spare parts and it is not there.

Here you go!

http://www.motionrc.com/flightlinerc-p-38l-control-board/

[FLTRI]

I'll snap a picture for you in the morning, FLTRI. Which batteries are you using? Admirals?

Thanks Man, I appreciate it. No, I have two Turnegy's and a Floureon. 5000 and 5500mAh. The plane is set up with a Y-harness, single battery. They weigh 532 grams, which is more than the Admirals at 492 grams. Not by much, less than an ounce and a half. That's what's confusing me. With no added weight, and the battery moved back, it's obviously tail heavy...

[tdevince]

Tired Iron,
What wheel are you using for your nose gear ? Looks good!

[Shirty]

G'day alpha, could you check your pm's please? Thanks. :)

[Arycon]

@ any of the Motion guys

Have any of you tried 3600's or higher in the P-38? I've measured the battery area and 2 Admiral 3600's should fit. Really hoping you guys can tell if the P-38 can handle the extra weight. 760g compared to 620g for the 3000's. Would be appreciative of your thoughts on this and if you can confirm the 3600's will fit. I need some spare props so may grab those lipos while I am at it.

Thanks

[TSHobbies]

Looks great TI ! cant wait to get my gear in..

[dkalwishky]

@ any of the Motion guys

Have any of you tried 3600's or higher in the P-38? I've measured the battery area and 2 Admiral 3600's should fit. Really hoping you guys can tell if the P-38 can handle the extra weight. 760g compared to 620g for the 3000's. Would be appreciative of your thoughts on this and if you can confirm the 3600's will fit. I need some spare props so may grab those lipos while I am at it.

Thanks

I ordered two Admiral 3600's, they will be here today. I'll let you know how they fit.