New E-flite P-51D 1.5

[OV10]

Here is my 3D printed pilot :-)
Pinky had to go !!

That pilot is way better than the standard ARF provided ones.
I bet ya could sell a bunch of them ………….. seriously, the market needs some reasonably priced 1/6 and 1/8 sized ones

[e4dragongunner]

Some progress, clear coat, detailing and some light weathering left to go , oh and reworking that really bad LouIV decal

FANTASTIC!! AWESOME !! WONDERFUL !!

[e4dragongunner]

That pilot is way better than the standard ARF provided ones.
I bet ya could sell a bunch of them ………….. seriously, the market needs some reasonably priced 1/6 and 1/8 sized ones

Thanks OV! ... I purchased the .stl I don't think my purchase price allows me to distribute. Plus I would go utterly mad painting pilots all day! :-)

[La7 flier]

Okay all you PNP guys..... how are you setting up your electronics? Are you using the AUX BEC cable and the ferrite cores? Got any photos?


Thanks!!

I just received mine but the gear wont work with my JR equipment. All channels work fine EXCEPT the gear channel....HH sent me a replacement synchroniser thinking it may be a problem....no joy. I isolated each gear with the channel and nothing works.....the channel runs all other electric gear just fine so its not a TX or RX problem....some weird incompability issue....now Im thinking I have to go buy a used Sprectrum Tx/rx to fly this thing...

[xviper]

I just received mine but the gear wont work with my JR equipment. All channels work fine EXCEPT the gear channel....HH sent me a replacement synchroniser thinking it may be a problem....no joy. I isolated each gear with the channel and nothing works.....the channel runs all other electric gear just fine so its not a TX or RX problem....some weird incompability issue....now Im thinking I have to go buy a used Sprectrum Tx/rx to fly this thing...

Have you tried testing each gear plugged directly into a servo tester?

[La7 flier]

Have you tried testing each gear plugged directly into a servo tester?

not a tester (dont have one) but I verified the JRrx gear channel is working with other electric gear I plugged in....I find it hard to believe that all three gear servos are bad (two mains and retract) yet none work on the JR rx gear channel

[xviper]

not a tester (dont have one) but I verified the JRrx gear channel is working with other electric gear I plugged in....I find it hard to believe that all three gear servos are bad (two mains and retract) yet none work on the JR rx gear channel

That may or may not mean anything. Other electric gear (like servos) don't care about end points. Retracts only respond to defined end points. They don't move if the signal is in between. At least check the end points for the gear channel (ie, travel and sub-trim) on the monitor and servo menu screen. All possibilities should be exhausted before making any conclusions. However, if you're satisfied with the testing you've done, not much anyone else can say.

[La7 flier]

That may or may not mean anything. Other electric gear (like servos) don't care about end points. Retracts only respond to defined end points. They don't move if the signal is in between. At least check the end points for the gear channel (ie, travel and sub-trim) on the monitor and servo menu screen. All possibilities should be exhausted before making any conclusions. However, if you're satisfied with the testing you've done, not much anyone else can say.

i checked all the travel adjustments and endpoint settings and nothing will get the retract gear working off this transmitter/rx so I will have to invest in a spectrum trans/rx or send this bad boy back

[xviper]

i checked all the travel adjustments and endpoint settings and nothing will get the retract gear working off this transmitter/rx so I will have to invest in a spectrum trans/rx or send this bad boy back

If you know someone with a Spektrum TX, ask to borrow it just to bind it up to your plane and see what happens. Cheaper than buying even a used on only to find out that's not it. A servo tester can be had for a few dollars too.

[La7 flier]

If you know someone with a Spektrum TX, ask to borrow it just to bind it up to your plane and see what happens. Cheaper than buying even a used on only to find out that's not it. A servo tester can be had for a few dollars too.

I just ordered a servo tester....good suggestion

[xviper]

I just ordered a servo tester....good suggestion

If you lived in my city, I happen to have a used DX8-G2 as a spare but the shipping alone wouldn't make it worth while. A servo tester is great for setting up a new plane even before you put all the pieces together. Centers servos ahead of time so you can put on the rods when you've got lots of room. You can also eliminate dead servos and either settle up with the seller or replace them more easily.

[BluesDragon]

I tried, really I did, but just couldn't wait any longer! I only did a bit of paint on the exhaust, air intake vents, and rear strut & wheel( couldn't stand the white with the mains being silver). Added a few coats of polycrylic over all and finished dailin it in this afternoon. Was hopin' to maiden today, but the weather just isn't having it. "Rain rain go away.. come again another day" lol

[Alpha]

Is that your hand launch partner sitting in the background, BluesDragon ?

I hope the weather brightens up soon so you can enjoy a successful maiden with this bird!

[BluesDragon]

I used to take him to the 1st field I had joined. It was more out in the desert and the members were more open to him. He is a gentle giant.. unless he smells ya as threat.

Thanks.. the rains are clearing here now.. keepin my fingers crossed for tomorrow though!

[BluesDragon]

Little bit of cloud coverage, but no rains! Maiden went well.. I think she's my 'go to' bird for a while.

[La7 flier]

If you lived in my city, I happen to have a used DX8-G2 as a spare but the shipping alone wouldn't make it worth while. A servo tester is great for setting up a new plane even before you put all the pieces together. Centers servos ahead of time so you can put on the rods when you've got lots of room. You can also eliminate dead servos and either settle up with the seller or replace them more easily.

Thats a nice offer.....unfortunately, it wont help. HH has been great with customer service but nothing will get these mains working. They sent a new pair of mains...I checked them individually on the servo tester....both work beautifully. I installed them in the plane...checked them again with the servo tester and they both work beautifully. Hook everything up as specified.....all channels work.....EXCEPT the landing gear....neither main works......took the tester and hooked each one up individually....nothing.....wait, they worked 5 minutes ago??!!?? Now they are as dead as the first pair. I have a call into HH but honestly, this was the worst buy I have ever made.

[xviper]

Thats a nice offer.....unfortunately, it wont help. HH has been great with customer service but nothing will get these mains working. They sent a new pair of mains...I checked them individually on the servo tester....both work beautifully. I installed them in the plane...checked them again with the servo tester and they both work beautifully. Hook everything up as specified.....all channels work.....EXCEPT the landing gear....neither main works......took the tester and hooked each one up individually....nothing.....wait, they worked 5 minutes ago??!!?? Now they are as dead as the first pair. I have a call into HH but honestly, this was the worst buy I have ever made.

Wow, that's a real mystery. Do you smell anything burning? How about polarity of the retract connection and any extensions (or Y's) that may be present?

[La7 flier]

no burning smell (that would have been too easy) as it is only a 6v lipo powering them (along with all the other servos which work fine)...HH is stumped, as well and is sending me another set of main retracts (their service is excellent)....testing through a servo tester worked fine until I hooked them into the "Y" connector for the wing mating...then nothing....almost as if the motors go to a preprogrammed shut down because some parameter was exceeded but HH says they are not designed to do that. Connections are all "black to black" so there should be no polarity issues. Im wondering whether I need to run everything through the BEC but that wouldnt account for the weirdness I am encountering.

[xviper]

Im wondering whether I need to run everything through the BEC

Can you expand on this statement. If you haven't been running via a BEC, how have you been doing it? Can you detail everything from the battery (specs?) to the retracts in each case (ie, when using a servo tester and when going through the RX)?
When you get the next new set of retracts, try to trace the "Y" right from the RX to the retract connection. Is it possible the "Y" changes polarity (bad build)? If it looks good, power the retracts directly at where it plugs into the receiver (ie pull it out of the RX and plug it into the servo tester).
And what about the gear sequencer? Have you examined it to make sure everything is plugged into it correctly with the correct polarity? I have seen some planes shipped with stuff plugged into the sequencer completely wrong. That could cause a non-functioning gear system and can even wreck some components if things are plugged into the wrong pins or if plugs are not plugged in with the correct polarity.

[La7 flier]

Regarding the BEC...I typically don't use one as I use battery voltages higher than BEC's can handle. I run the battery directly into the Rx through the switch. I wasn't sure on this design if the BEC had to be in the circuit although I can't figure out why that would be....hence my statement.
Regarding the battery, it's a 2 cell lipo 2700 mAh 6 volt pack...typical Rx pack I have always used with no problems....it is fully charged putting out 6v.
Regarding the retracts....eflight....they come with the plane. I have tried running them through the plane wiring, a "Y" connector bypassing the entire plane wiring and directly into the Gear port of the Rx, running the "Y" through a servo tester, running the individual gear motors through a servo tester, running an individual gear motor into the Gear port on the receiver. All resulted in the same thing. Nothing. The motors act like they are completely dead. No sound, chatter, movement of any kind. What has really got me stumped is the first pair HH sent me to replace the originals that came with the plane worked fine out of the bag using a servo tester. They worked when I installed them in the wing testing them individually with a servo tester. I plugged them into the "Y" setup in the wing that came with the plane and nothing. What I didn't do is test them individually off the rx gear port which is what I will do with the second replacement gear set HH is sending.
Regarding polarity, I am running a JR Tx and Rx which should be completely compatible with this setup according to HH. It is impossible to reverse polarity because the male/female plugs won't fit in reverse polarity.
Regarding the sequencer, that was also replaced by HH and the polarity has been checked and is correct according to the labeling and the wiring.

Overall, I have been setting up flight systems in this hobby for 40 years so I have a pretty good idea of to do and how things should connect. This is truely a unique situation. There is no way these gear motors can be burning out with only 6v and HH concurred. The wiring is simply a pathway for the electrons to move to where they need to go. If the pathway is wrong, it wont work but if it is right, it should work. I have to chuckle at the irony of "plug n play" because this has been anything but....