FMS Pitts 1.4 V2

[ICM]

Just finished assembly of this Pitts and may maiden tomorrow with Roaring Top 6s 4500, weather permitting. Manual recommends 155-165mm back from leading edge of top wing at fuse. When I test it with finger tips, its tail heavy. Seem neutral at 130-135mm. Any one find the manual cg is off that much?

[OV10]

Hello ICM

The actual CofG with a 5000mAh Admiral centered in the battery tray is 125mm. Flies perfectly with no down pressure EL required while inverted.

There is a mod required to this bird to prevent the wheel axles from snapping off on hard landings.
This is because FMS decided to C clip the axle shaft to hold the inner wheel pant in place which reduced the shaft diameter by 1/3.
I JB Weld'd the slot and then used a wheel collar over that slot to hold the inner wheel pant which required removing approx. the same width of the plastic collar on that wheel pant.
I have purposely tortured that gear to get it to fail now and it is rock solid. Got about 25-30 flight on it after the mod so far.
There is countless reports of folks breaking the stock axles after only a couple flights. The FMS designer of this gear was certainly asleep at the drawing board
There are threads over on the "other" forums about a couple different methods to do this mod.

Best regards,

[ICM]

Thanks OV10. I can move my RT 6s 4500 further forward on the tray and get 125-130mm cg. I've already done the wheel axle mod.

[Aros]

I got one of these from a friend. I missed my old FMS 1400mm Pitts and this is the same plane just different brand. Is anyone flying this model and if so have you performed any power mods? I love it overall but it could definitely use more oooomph. Stock power is pretty blah. I don't want to have to buy a new motor/ESC/prop if I can help it. Any ideas?

[SanExup]

Aros, the Eflite one is 850mm and the FMS one is 1400. They still call it the FMS on Horizons site. And I thought Eflite planes are made by FMS anyway. I'm not being particular about it, I've just been ogling the FMS 1400 Pitts for a few weeks now.

[406PIlot]

I just ordered my FMS Pitts 1.4m V2. I'm using this as a test to see if i want to build a big scale pitts in the future. Everything i've seen so far this FMS V2 Pitts fly's great and is super efficient. Can't wait to get the maiden in on this one once it gets here.

Id like to see motion carry the blackhorse pitts in the future. I know they are increasing the blackhorse models that they sell. Fingers crossed for the pitts to be in that line up!!

[OV10]

Just an update to posting #2 that I did about the axle mod.
I acquired another V2 after I got brain dead stupid this past June while doing some low level knife edge show passes and planted it into a foam kit.
The latest ones that FMS is now making versus a year ago has remedied the deep C clip slot in the axle whereas it now is no longer an issue for snapping off on hard landing.
Just wanted to share this unexpected surprise I discovered while putting what I nicknamed "Don't be a Dumb Ass" together .
My other surprise was that the prop was perfectly balanced from the factory, I would expect that from MAS but not FMS

406PIlot How'd your maiden go? I would be surprised to hear that your FMS experience doesn't have ya building a larger version. These fly really nice.

[406PIlot]

OV10 The Maiden went flawless. I have been flying this thing so much. Now having had it for about a month I have almost 40 flights on it. It's just a fantastic bird. It really has become the favorite in my hangar. For the price and the flight characteristics it's just amazing. If / when this one gets retired I'll have another one it's that good.

I'd really like to see Motion carry the blackhorse Pitts!!! They would get my money for that one most certainly.