Official FlightLine RC 1600mm P-38 Lightning Thread

[TSHobbies]

Sure does look that runway never had a FOD walkdown. Before flight ops on the carrier, the Air Boss ALWAYS had the deck crew do a Foreign Object Damage walk.
For those that were never a brown shoe in the Navy here's what it looks like.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US_Navy_070327-N-8923M-157_Sailors_participate_in_a_foreign_object_damage_(FOD)_walkdown_aboard_Nimitz-class_aircraft_carrier_USS_Harry_S._Truman_(CVN_75).jpg

Best regards,

lol, heck,we had to do that at Ft Knox too...never picked up so many cigarette butts in my life...

[Aros]

Love the new nose art TS!

[Aros]

Another great sortie today. So smooth, solid...Can't wait to do the P-51 strut mod.

I found this video on YouTube...Okay FlightLine, is this your next offering? ;)

[PlaneCrazy]

Has anyone experienced having the propeller blades mis-labeled?? I went to build my prop's tonight and the reverse blades were the normal ones and vice-versa. I verified this by comparing them with spare blades I had bought and also on another plane I have with a 3-bladed prop. Be sure to check things out. The normal prop goes on the right hand motor and the reverse blades go on the left hand motor. Just sayin'

[Arycon]

Speaking of propeller blades, how tight are you guys able to get your props on the spinner hub? I really have to crank mine down and it isn't easy to do. I'm worried they are seated firmly enough. I think the props are my one nitpick with this plane. Just a friendly tip...I have marked the inside of the spinner hub with an arrow rotating in the direction of whatwhat each propeller spins, with "Pilot's Left," and "Pilot'so Right" for added security. Eliminates any possibility of putting the propellers on the wrong engines.

[dkalwishky]

I've got my bird ready to fly, just waiting on a day where the winds aren't over 25 kts! Tomorrow will be that day.

I've got a question about the ESC's......

I noticed that with the throttle and trim all the way down and if I turn the transmitter off the motors will start spinning at low RPM. None of my other planes do this. I suspect I need to do something with the programming perhaps in the ESC's.

Anyone have any tips for me?

[F106DeltaDart]

Did you calibrate the ESCs with no throttle trim in the radio?

[OV10]

I've got my bird ready to fly, just waiting on a day where the winds aren't over 25 kts! Tomorrow will be that day.

I've got a question about the ESC's......

I noticed that with the throttle and trim all the way down and if I turn the transmitter off the motors will start spinning at low RPM. None of my other planes do this. I suspect I need to do something with the programming perhaps in the ESC's.

Anyone have any tips for me?

NEVER TURN YOUR TRANSMITTER OFF BEFORE DISCONNECTING THE PLANE POWER. This is the number 1 safety rule of electric planes bar none!!!!

[F106DeltaDart]

You could also try re-binding. If the throttle was just a hair above the lowest position when bounded, this could cause your issue. Essentially, the position the controls were in when the model was bound are the "default" control positions with the radio off.

[dkalwishky]

Did you calibrate the ESCs with no throttle trim in the radio?

I did not, I had already moved the trim down. I will rebind and see what happens.

[dkalwishky]

NEVER TURN YOUR TRANSMITTER OFF BEFORE DISCONNECTING THE PLANE POWER. This is the number 1 safety rule of electric planes bar none!!!!

ACTUALLY I DID NOT DO THAT, IT WAS JUST EASIER TO TYPE.

What I did was select a different plane in the transmitter with the P-38 powered on. I did this so I could look at how I had the retracts configured for my P-51, I figured that was the same as powering off the transmitter and much less to type. Now that I've explained this I should have just typed it all to begin with. :)

I think it was you that had a story I read not too long ago about prop safer, being that I fly full scale planes as well I am very mindful of props in general. I have not put the props on the P-38 yet, I'll do that when I get to the field tomorrow.

[rtwatkins]

I've got my bird ready to fly, just waiting on a day where the winds aren't over 25 kts! Tomorrow will be that day.

I've got a question about the ESC's......

I noticed that with the throttle and trim all the way down and if I turn the transmitter off the motors will start spinning at low RPM. None of my other planes do this. I suspect I need to do something with the programming perhaps in the ESC's.

Anyone have any tips for me?

I'd also check your failsafe settings for your receiver

[dkalwishky]

I'd also check your failsafe settings for your receiver

That's new to me, I'll go do a little reseach to see what I can learn. I was in the hobby back in the 70's / 80's and then quit as I was flying full scale. When I got back into it last June I was amazed at what was possible with electrics....

[dkalwishky]

Found the info I needed in the Spektrum AR610 receiver manual. Failsafe, cool idea.....

I'll bet when I bound the receiver the throttle was not at it's lowest position. I'll rebind it today and see if that takes care of my issue.

[downwindleg]

I did my invasion stripes over the weekend and was noticing there was quite a bit of difference in the widths of different people's stripes. My understanding was that on twin engined planes they were supposed to be 24" wide on the real planes and 18" on single engine planes. Does anybody else have any info on that?

[FLTRI]

Speaking of propeller blades, how tight are you guys able to get your props on the spinner hub? I really have to crank mine down and it isn't easy to do. I'm worried they are seated firmly enough. I think the props are my one nitpick with this plane. Just a friendly tip...I have marked the inside of the spinner hub with an arrow rotating in the direction of whatwhat each propeller spins, with "Pilot's Left," and "Pilot'so Right" for added security. Eliminates any possibility of putting the propellers on the wrong engines.

I had the same problem, and found a simple fix.

I installed the blades to the hub on the bench, and screwed (torqued?) them down to what felt good and snug, without stripping the hub or cracking a blade. After balancing, I installed them on the plane. With the spinner off, I was looking at the hub and blade, and discovered a couple of the screw weren't fully seated. With the props on the plane, I went back over each screw. Backed them all out slightly, and then re-torqued each one, one at a time. It's just easier to see and "feel" each screw and blade when it's on the plane...

[PlaneCrazy]

I did my invasion stripes over the weekend and was noticing there was quite a bit of difference in the widths of different people's stripes. My understanding was that on twin engined planes they were supposed to be 24" wide on the real planes and 18" on single engine planes. Does anybody else have any info on that?

downwind,
I just ordered invasion stripes from Callie and was wondering how easy they are to apply.........especially on the booms? Any tricks or tips you would care to share?
Thanks,
Andy

[FLTRI]

downwind,
I just ordered invasion stripes from Callie and was wondering how easy they are to apply.........especially on the booms? Any tricks or tips you would care to share?
Thanks,
Andy

Not who you're asking, but I thought I'd chime in.

I did my Callie stripes last week. Not too hard, just takes some patience. Full disclosure, this is my first order from her, so I'm a Callie Newbie...

The wings were pretty easy, I only did the tops. Just line one strip up with the straight line at the end of the wing connector, cut to fit the leading and trailing edge, Exacto out the aileron and landing light. The booms were a bit more involved.

The boom stripes came in two pieces, and are not tapered or shaped for the boom. First thing I did was cut off one white stripe. It would have covered the radiator, and I didn't want to half cover the factory decal. It also would bet pretty hard to do and make it look right, with all the compound curves. I put the outboard decal on first. Pretty easy, just smooth it on from the center out, and then use a straight edge to Exacto the extra along the two seams in the boom. The inboard section took some more work. I lined up the front, and then removed the backing paper. It took some stretching and realigning to get all the black and white lines to meet the outboard boom stripes. Once they met, use the straight edge to cut off the excess. Finally, I put one of the red factory decal stripes on.

For my first go at it, I think they came out pretty well. Not 100% perfect, but 95% at least, and unless you really look for the errors, you'll never see them. Here's a few pics...

[OV10]

ACTUALLY I DID NOT DO THAT, IT WAS JUST EASIER TO TYPE.

What I did was select a different plane in the transmitter with the P-38 powered on. I did this so I could look at how I had the retracts configured for my P-51, I figured that was the same as powering off the transmitter and much less to type. Now that I've explained this I should have just typed it all to begin with. :)

You assumption of changing to another plane on the transmitter is like powering the Tx off was spot on whereas that is bad mojo too!

[dkalwishky]

You assumption of changing to another plane on the transmitter is like powering the Tx off was spot on whereas that is bad mojo too!

Completely agree, won't be doing that again. Well not intentionally....