Official FlightLine RC 1600mm Spitfire Mk. IX Thread

[Quickone4u]

I've seen others mention having issues with their retracts pulling out of the wing but, I wanted to ask if anyone has had issues with the actual retract strut itself completely snapping? I have had this happen twice now in 6 flights! These have not been hard or rough landings either! The plane otherwise is completely undamaged and the retract itself didn't even pull out of the wing either time it happened even though it happened both times on the same side! This seems to me like poor quality or defect in material of the strut rod. I haven't yet ordered my most recent replacement as I'm a little let down by this at this point. No issues otherwise with the retracts or plane as a whole but snapping the strut rod itself clean off up near the pivot point this many times in short succession has me worried going forward. Loving this thing otherwise. For context and additional info, I'm landing on a cleared dirt strip in a field on my farm. Roughly 40'x250' dimensions.

[Elbee]

It is a compliment. IMHO you are the Picasso of Hobby Squawk. Best, LB

[paladin]

hugh, sorry for your loss (i would never send flowers), maybe whisky.

mine had a similar problem at 100 flight threshold as soon as i took off i realized something was wrong, tried to trim it out and came to the realization i had no elevator center and the dead spot was getting larger as i flew. mine was acting like the dead spot on the servo had grown to 20% of servo throw. so it would never go to center going to 10% from neutral on either side and no rhime or reason as to which side it would go to. i managed to get it down in one peace by timing the poorpus (luck). i really did not know what was happening till i got it down then could watch the servo stop before center or skip over it to the other side.

I've seen this before (i have servos in use since 1975) its the coating on the pot wearing through.

Joe

[Hugh Wiedman]

Hugh, I didn't know or I would have sent flowers, forgive me. Your beautiful recreation of Britain's most beautiful fighter is obviously 'muse-inspired' and who could blame you. Your unique impressionist style is reminiscent of Post-Modernism using both the associative method of realism in which the traditions of the past have been tastefully transformed in a spirit of experimentation with a tendency away from the narrative all the while maintaining the nature of materials, function, and purpose of a war-machine. We who struggle with self-expression salute you, Sir. Bravo Zulu. Best, LB

Most of that went way over my "pin head". How eloquent, not only are you a master modeler, but are also blessed with a silver tongue. Thanks for the compliments (I think ), got to maiden Spitfire #2 and forgot how exceptional it flies. So glad I replaced it, ended up getting almost 10 minutes on a 5000 "test" battery from our friends in Illinois. And best of all, had absolutely no issues with orientation. I'm getting impatient with releasing the test results on those batteries, but it is one "hell of a battery". Hopefully more later on that.

[Elbee]

Well, R.I.P. my 1st Spitfire. Wasn't sure if I was going to replace it, but my Corsair and 1700 mm P-51 really missed it,]

Hugh, I didn't know or I would have sent flowers, forgive me. Your beautiful recreation of Britain's most beautiful fighter is obviously 'muse-inspired' and who could blame you. Your unique impressionist style is reminiscent of Post-Modernism using both the associative method of realism in which the traditions of the past have been tastefully transformed in a spirit of experimentation with a tendency away from the narrative all the while maintaining the nature of materials, function, and purpose of a war-machine. We who struggle with self-expression salute you, Sir. Bravo Zulu. Best, LB

[Hugh Wiedman]

Well, R.I.P. my 1st Spitfire. I must have had some 200 flights on it since I got it 3 years ago with never a single "pilot induced mishap", something very few of my aircraft can claim. So WELCOME Spitfire #2.

About 4 months ago I had the Spitty out and after finishing the inverted loop on a split S, something I've done thousands of times with this aircraft and virtually ever aircraft I have (cool maneuverers 101), on the way down after cutting the throttle, it started gyrating something awful in all directions. I was able to get the nose back up but it continued to go in all directions and augured down directly in the middle of the grass runway. A total loss, and after getting a backhoe to fill in the crater, I tried to determine what went wrong. At first I thought either one of the servos or control rods malfunctioned, but everything was still hooked up and all servos still worked and it wasn't signal loss as I had control over the elevator and throttle. Could it have been serious pilot error, the only way it could have acted like it did was if I gave full input on each surface at the same time (a neat maneuver for my Extreme Flight planes but not a warbird). Then I noticed the wings were separated horizontally around the wing tube. Was this the cause, too many G's over a long period of time. Still not sure, but that's the most likely cause and the "accident investigation team" has yet to come up with the exact cause, although I'm betting on wing separation 95%. Could still be pilot error, but only 5% likely, and that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Wasn't sure if I was going to replace it, but my Corsair and 1700 mm P-51 really missed it, so I still have tons of extra parts, the RX and the sound system from #1 and a couple of weeks ago I said to myself I really need to replace that Spitfire, it's such an outstanding flying prop warbird. So here's the replacement, with a little extra paint, graphics from Callie and including the MR RC Sound system. For those of you that have seen some of my aircraft, you won't be surprised by all the extra paint, as I have difficulty with orientation sometimes and this helps a lot (doesn't do anything for control stick screw-ups though). I call this livery my Barnum & Bailey "Bring in the Clowns". Hey, I'm sure this Spitfire wouldn't exactly be "stealth" in the battle over Briton, but then the Red Baron's Fokker DR.1 Triplane wasn't exactly stealthy either. Maybe just the sight of my Spitfire will chase all the Luftwaffe Messerschmitt BF 109's running home!

As with #1, I rewired the wing servo leads coming off the blue box using a Hansen Hobby 5 pin polarized latching connection for easy wing detachment, since I break down my wings on all aircraft for transport. Plugs in and out very smoothly without having to tug on the wires. The way it comes, having to plug in and out 4 servo connectors each time is a pain and likely reduces the longevity of the connection and this is the only "negative" I have on this aircraft. Wish they had a wing harness on this like most of their other ones. I also covered it with 4 coats of clear gloss exterior spar urethane. The attached video is just of the sound system, no flights yet. Hope to get that done tomorrow if the weather holds.

[39Zulu]

Hey Guys ! Im new to all of this, Im thinking about the Flightline 1200mm Spitfire but would like to know about the panel lines on it, Dynam also has the same Aircraft in 1200mm scale but the few reviews I have come across thus far all say the same they are overly done could any of you give me some feed back on your Spitfires. Thanks

[Jeffco]

Thanks for the links to the pilots!

[Elbee]

I've just joined the group after my Spitfire arrived today. But it has been hidden until Christmas! The pilot looks a little small in pictures. How easy is it to find and fit a correct scale pilot?

http://www.acesofiron.com/8th_scale.htm

http://www.cgtrader.com/3d-print-mod...spitfire-pilot

https://www.motionrc.com/collections/pilot-figures

JC, A very hearty welcome to "The Squawk". Great folks here and even some good advice. I used the "Aces of Iron" USAAF pilot (See Link above).I modded him a bit to more resemble an RAF Pilot. Also, there are some very good 3DP Pilots (check out cgtrader link) if you have access to a printer and most recently, Motion R/C has added a new line of pilot busts though I do know if those are offered in different scales. Glad to have you onboard, Sir. Best, LB

[Jeffco]

I've just joined the group after my Spitfire arrived today. But it has been hidden until Christmas!
The pilot looks a little small in pictures. How easy is it to find and fit a correct scale pilot?

I'll be comparing it to my Hangar 9 Spitfire which flies with a 90 4-stroke.

[Beeg]

Anyone else tried this?

Great job!

[Hugh Wiedman]

Anyone else tried this?

Now that's something you don't see everyday, outstanding. How does it fly with those. I image it's a chore to keep it tracking straight on the water, or do you have rudders on the back of the floats? But I guess it doesn't matter anyway keeping it straight, not like you'll go off the edge of the runway.

[Legman01]

Thanks Elbee. I think the Britts made five of these during the war. BTW were you a Phantom Jock?

[Elbee]

Anyone else tried this?

LM, That's just awesome. So reminiscent of the original Supermarine Schneider Cup Racers. Great mod. Best, LB

[Legman01]

Anyone else tried this?

[Turbinefancy]

Flew dusk patrol formation with my wingman this evening. A shot looking back at his Spitfire.

[Grossman56]

Has anyone besides me had issues with the plastic oleo struts breaking on the landing gear? I called Motion RC and was told that they are not available as a separate part.
So in order to replace a broken one you have to buy the entire strut assembly.
I was told that the Mfg. Monitors this site. So if others besides myself would like to see the Oleo Assembly sold as a separate item please add yourself to the list.
thank you.

I had the same problem with one side and after gluing it together several times, I just removed it. It's just cosmetic anyway and does not change the functionality.

Grossman56

[Beetlemankurt]

In the flight review video Stuart Warne @ 3:45 mentions: "slowed down the servo rate on ESC by 1ms to stop torque (prop?) from being so violent ..." Can someones elaborate on dat??

Narly

Hey there, I asked a similar question when I first got mine and was advised on here not to be too concerned about it.....they were right, I need not have worried .....It really is very manageable and well mannered IMHO.

cheers
Kurt

[Evan D]

Some ESCs have programable slow start up, used for helos more than planes.

[Narly]

In the flight review video Stuart Warne @ 3:45 mentions: "slowed down the servo rate on ESC by 1ms to stop torque (prop?) from being so violent ..." Can someones elaborate on dat??

Narly