Official FlightLine 1600mm P-51D Mustang Thread

[Evan D]

I'm flying a 5300mAh HV and come down with more than 3.8V/cell after 12 minutes.

[GliderGuy]

I'm flying a 5300mAh HV and come down with more than 3.8V/cell after 12 minutes.

Evan…that confirms my suspicions. When the wind stops blowing 25 knots, I intend to fly a 75% to full power aerobatic flight for 7 min (my current timer setting) and check the voltage afterwards (6000 mAh).
As noted in prior posts, 1/2 throttle cruise flight leaves 3.95 V in the cells after 7 minutes.

If anyone has done something similar, let us know. We can begin to bracket this bird’s flight time.

PS…Please report cell voltages vs % because cell voltage is the critical parameter of a LiPo battery.

-GG

[GliderGuy]

A 7 minute flight at 75% throttle and several full power aerobatics and fast passes leaves a bit more than 3.8 V per cell…like 3.83 V.

She sure makes you look good. I botched my first landing today and bounced up about 3 ft and a wing dipped.
She settled back in with some aileron application to level the wings and made a butter landing!

A bit gusty…on another landing from about 2 ft up, she dropped. Full back stick and she settled in for another butter landing!!!

Coming in with 1/2 flaps and 30-35% throttle in today’s gusty conditions.

I love this bird!

-GG

[GliderGuy]

Finally OK winds…made 10 flights today.

Using High Rate 100% of the flight.

Finding that 1/2 flap and a somewhat “smart” application of the throttle (as opposed to a slow throttle application)…she jumps into the air before the P-factor and torque yaw her to the left.

Said another way, you can get by without any right rudder on takeoff, and she jumps into the air straight.

Kiddies…do not try that type of take-off power application if you are in a full scale P-51! You’ll find yourself chasing jack rabbits in the infield!

-GG

[Glazier808]

Finally OK winds…made 10 flights today.

Using High Rate 100% of the flight.

Finding that 1/2 flap and a somewhat “smart” application of the throttle (as opposed to a slow throttle application)…she jumps into the air before the P-factor and torque yaw her to the left.

Said another way, you can get by without any right rudder on takeoff, and she jumps into the air straight.

Kiddies…do not try that type of take-off power application if you are in a full scale P-51! You’ll find yourself chasing jack rabbits in the infield!

-GG

100% agree about take off. Once you find that sweet spot for throttle application, take offs are right down the middle with little or no p factor (making you look sooo good!)

I actually had a couple guys at the field this weekend ask about the takeoff and if I needed to apply rudder(because they look so smooth)

as glider guy stated this doesn’t mean that you don’t need to know how to use rudder when taking off in this plane…..

But there is a sweet spot in advancing the throttle where it will pop the tail up and give full rudder authority with little or no p factor

NOT ALWAYS, and probably not initially, but it will come

[Aros]

Well I am tickled to announce I just purchased this puppy! I can't wait! By the sounds of it, she's a real jewel. I am looking forward to maidening when the weather improves. I bought the gyro version. I'm tired of losing jets, lol. Back to good ol' prop warbirds!

[GliderGuy]

You will be pleased! Set her up by the manual.

AND for SAFETY…wait until you do all the ESC, TX set-ups BEFORE you install the prop!

PUT THE PROP ON AFTER ALL IS WORKING!

Update: Got 10 more flights this afternoon. 10-15 mph and gusty again. Only made one “no bounce” landing…little bounces on 9 landings..

Of course, the last one of the day was butter! 3.87V in the cells after 7 min of 75% throttle with a mix of full throttle aerobatic hot rodding.

-GG

[f4u ausie]

Yes. I accidentally reversed throttle on my spit setting up.. nasty went thru my leather work boots. Got my big toe really baad

[davegee]

Yes. I accidentally reversed throttle on my spit setting up.. nasty went thru my leather work boots. Got my big toe really baad

OUCH!!! You ok, mate??

Davegee

[Glazier808]

We just had an issue this past weekend when two club members were trying to do a throttle/elevator mix and they made the mistake of slaving the throttle to the elevator and it went to 50% throttle catching two of them…
one escape with only 14 stitches… the other was awaiting surgery for amputation of a finger 😳

always be diligent!

[f4u ausie]

Thanx Dave ye that was couple years ago.. now

[davegee]

Thanx Dave ye that was couple years ago.. now

Still...you never forget something like that! Glad you recovered ok. Have you heard of Australian comedian Chopper Read? In some parts of the USA he is still very popular, great comic! He talks about his friend Bevan who cut his own arm off on a dare "Spot On, Bevan!!" (Just kidding).

Cheers

Davegee

[Elbee]

Hah, but not a funny Hah.

Does anyone else have a uniform set of scars running along the inside of their forearm from adjusting a needle valve from the wrong side of the prop?

Ya only do that once unless you just like that kind of thing.

Scared the wee outta me and of course I was out at the field by myself.

What a moron I was that morning; bled like a stuck pig, no stitches just a really nice set of scars.

Best, LB

[davegee]

Hah, but not a funny Hah.

Does anyone else have a uniform set of scars running along the inside of their forearm from adjusting a needle valve from the wrong side of the prop?

Ya only do that once unless you just like that kind of thing.

Scared the wee outta me and of course I was out at the field by myself.

What a moron I was that morning; bled like a stuck pig, no stitches just a really nice set of scars.

Best, LB

The chicks Dig scars! 🤣🤣

[GliderGuy]

Messing with the FL P-38 ESC calibration with the (I knew better) props on. She came alive at 100% throttle and jumped off the workbench straight at me.

Instinctive reaction was left hand out to stop it from hitting me. Ended up with blood everywhere / floor, ceiling, walls. The bathroom looked like a surgical table.

The ER doc gave me a tetanus shot… no stitches. I spent months with a squeeze ball getting the fingers to function correctly again.

A lesson that will be long remembered!

Those P-38 props are SHARP as a knife! The P-51’s 16 inch prop on a more powerful motor….I shudder to think the damage it might cause.

-GG

[f4u ausie]

Yep we r very familiar with. Chopper.. famous. Or more like infamous when I was a boy one of his let's say eliminations was only couple mile . From my home at the time remember it well. Unfortunately

[davegee]

Yep we r very familiar with. Chopper.. famous. Or more like infamous when I was a boy one of his let's say eliminations was only couple mile . From my home at the time remember it well. Unfortunately

Yep, he's a "little" over the top, but some friends of mine and I enjoy his outrageous humor. Of course, we're lifelong Python fans from the 60s, so that humor agrees with us!

Cheers

davegee

[xviper]

I was still working, I was up close and personal with finger "decaps". A young worker at a new house build cut off 4 fingers with a chop saw. We were tasked with finding them in the dirt and sawdust. Found them but none were re-attachable.
During a flying day, someone cut off 3 fingers in the prop of a 2M Carbon Z Cub. Found them but again, none were re-attachable. Any prop plane powered by a 4S to 6S is a dangerous piece of equipment. Never underestimate what these things can do.

[WDivCV61]

Hah, but not a funny Hah.

Does anyone else have a uniform set of scars running along the inside of their forearm from adjusting a needle valve from the wrong side of the prop?

Ya only do that once unless you just like that kind of thing.

Scared the wee outta me and of course I was out at the field by myself.

What a moron I was that morning; bled like a stuck pig, no stitches just a really nice set of scars.

Best, LB

Not those, but the ones at the base of the thumb where it meets the wrist from the Cox and Testors .049 days in the 70's. That specific sound when a 3.5 prop meets flesh and tendon. Scratch built a 1/2A Stuka back in the day and put a .010 on it, pissed off little carpenter bee that was, the level of concentration to adj the needle when it's parked 1mm practically from the prop, didn't extend it, chose to live dangerous lol. On so many blood thinners gotta be uber careful nowadays, stinks.

[Elbee]

Yep, forgot about the .049 days. And I remember the blisters from trying to hand crank the Cox tether cars. LOL

[Aros]

Somewhere on my external HD I have photos of my buddy's calf that got completely torn up from a prop. He was working on his model, went to stand up and his knee accidently bumped the throttle stick all the way up and he paid the price. I had to drive him to the ER immediately. It was gruesome but luckily nothing major other than embarrassment and a lot of stitches.