Official FlightLine RC 1600mm P-38 Lightning Thread

[rifleman_btx]

Heck yeah! Hooah!

[Aros]

Amen! I suspect the vast majority of us treat our model warbirds like the full scale as much as possible. It's part of what makes this hobby so special. I HATE it when friends say "Oh is this your new toy?" Now, most of them don't mean to be disrespectful but the word TOY is an insult to most of us in the hobby, especially those of us immersed in the warbird culture. Dorky or not, I treat my warbirds with respect, thinking they are symbols, living, flying symbols of the real aircraft that has a story to tell. The sacrifices, the lives lost...Every model has a true story. This is Non Fiction in action and it is something I am acutely aware of every time I fly.

So when my wife busts my chops every time she sees a new pilot arrive in the mail and says "Oh, lookie, it's your latest doll!" I know she doesn't mean any harm.

But I also know she doesn't have a clue of the depth and meaning behind it all. And that's okay. I do. WE do.

[mr.frankenjet]

+1,fantastic pieces of history, flying works of art. A true testament to those who designed, built, and flew them.

[Grossman56]

I hear you! One of the guys at work asked me what planes I owned, when I rattled off "Three Mustangs, a Tomahawk, a Bearcat.... His jaw just about hit the ground until he realized I was talking about R/C planes and not the full sized planes. I guess the guys who own them get the same thing as we do, as a lot of people refer to full scale warbirds as toys as well (sports cars as well when you think about it)
Hey that's good Aros, "Look dear, it's not a new plane, it's a pilot wrapped in Foam!"

Grossman56

[rifleman_btx]

Had 3 flights today, looks like I'll have to add time to my timer. 6 min flight still had 50% charge. Such a joy to fly

[mr.frankenjet]

An update for anyone has used the p-51 fms gear. I had found the springs too soft for the main gear, last 2 landings she was hopping as the mains compressed. I did order springs form Mcmaster carr that had 2 pounds more compression loading and similar specks on the rest, made from piano wire (more strength according to them) I left the small spacers I had made previously and the lift now seems perfect. Funny the originals look stronger.

[Oxotnik]

Had a fantastic flying day today. The P-38 is poetry in motion.

https://youtu.be/cpnGUtJM9SY

[rifleman_btx]

Indeed it is

[Aros]

Had a fantastic flying day today. The P-38 is poetry in motion.

https://youtu.be/cpnGUtJM9SY

Nice flight!

[Delizar]

Great flight Oxotnik. Nice landing, smooth approach slight nose up angle of attack settling to a touch down anyone would envy. (i know i do)

What hat cam do you use? Good picture.

[downwindleg]

Hey Aros, I know the Northwest Model Expo is a far cry from what it was when it was in Puyallup but one of my flying buddies and I will be attending on the Saturday morning of that event so if you or anybody else from our band of brothers wants to say Hi or tell a few lies let me know. We will probably just stay there for an hour or two and then head over to Paul Allen's flight museum. I'm always taking documentation/detail shots for that next project and the level of restoration quality of some of those planes is phenomenal!! Next year for the Hawks, Brad

[Aros]

Yeah that could work! When is it this year? I normally try to go that Friday as you can really get some sweet deals/planes. Yeah the Hawks need to heal up and work on that OL. It's not often they look outmatched in a playoff game.

[downwindleg]

I believe it is the weekend before the SuperBowl Jan. 27, 28, 29. I was thinking Saturday because they often fly one of the collection at the Historic Aviation Museum on Saturday but that is negotiable. Yeah, we gotta get Locket and Earl Thomas back although I got a little tired of the commentators driving the Earl Thomas thing into the ground as the game progressed. Anyway, I've got your six, Brad

[Oxotnik]

Great flight Oxotnik. Nice landing, smooth approach slight nose up angle of attack settling to a touch down anyone would envy. (i know i do)

What hat cam do you use? Good picture.

Thanks, Aros, Delizar, and Lon (by PM and commenting on the video myself). I was on my game that day. I didn't make a single bad landing. I was relaxed and greased every single landing. Then, I go back to the field the next day (a much windier day), and I couldn't buy a decent landing to save my life. Very frustrating. After grimicing for a few minutes, one of the guys finally said, "Yesterday was yesterday. Today is today." Very sage advice. For grins, I made a composite video of my Ta-152 with several botched landings. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjNxE55Ycfw

Delizar, I use a Firefly Q6. It's capable of 1080p x 60 fps, but I only run at 30 fps. For a $70 camera, I like it a lot. Here's a video of it on my EFlite P-47D (chasing a Stuka around the sky): https://youtu.be/YpAd4m1icvQ

[Oxotnik]

I'd meant to add these photos to my previous post. Anyway, it's photos of the Firefly Q6, mounted on my hat and on my daughter's EFlite Timber.

[Wesnc]

Hey Guys,
I have almost completed my P-38 'little buckaroo' build and was hoping to get some advice. The left outer wing trailing edge is approximately 5mm out of alignment with the inner wing trailing edge as per the attached photos. Is this there for washout or is the outer wing warped? The right outer wing trailing edge aligns perfectly.
Raymond from RC-castle cannot get a response till the 8th of feb due to Chinese New Year & I am dying to fly it as my F7f is so awesome

[Lon]

Wesnc. Along with myself and a few others. This issue has come up. I and others have taken a clamp and flat stock material to clamp and align the edges, leave it clamped for a day or so. And it reduced or eliminated the trailing edge difference. One of my 38's had this issue and after doing this. The edges are almost aligned perfect and i dont detect any issues.

[downwindleg]

Hi Wesnc. I would just add that you have to be very carefull on how you clamp that edge. The first time I tried it, even with the flat stock, I wound up with a permanent dent in the inner wing trailing edge. Another option is to turn the plane upside down in your stand and then put some weight on that trailing edge but not the the inner trailing edge. I would suggest enough weight so that it almost removes the misalignment completely and then let it set that way at least overnight until it is slightly past where it needs to be. You may have to adjust the amount of weight to get there. Anyway, when you remove the weight, it is going to relax or return somewhat. That's why you need to go past the alignment point. And by the way, welcome to the forum, Brad

[Wesnc]

Thanks Lon & Brad,
I appreciate your help.

[ruffneckx1]

My solution was rather simple. I inserted a small wooden tad into the fuselage at the trailing edge of the wing. When the wing is inserted the trailing edge of the wing rests on top of the tab.

Woody