Official FMS 1400mm P-51D V8 Thread

[prestonowtm]

I will post some pictures of my Redtail when it's done. Since I am rebuilding from a bad crash I decided to try some new stuff. I have been filling in cracks and body lines with a paintable caulk and airbrushing it to match. The front cowl was the worst. I went to the 650 motor and the cowl was back almost a 1/4 inch. I moved it up a lot closer glued it and caulked the gap in instead of using filler. I know the filler would have cracked up there due to vibrations and bumps. We will see how well it works.

[jadams812]

Hey Gents, wanted to post a few pics of my FMS P-51D work-in-progress. I am converting this model to an F-6D photo recon version from the Pacific theatre. Pacific Mustangs are not very well represented so I wanted to do something a little different. The particular aircraft I am modelling is "Gonzalez", an F-6D with the 1st Fighter Sq, 2nd Air Commando Group, flying out of Burma. Plans call for a full refinish with modifications to enhance the scale appearance and to add details specific to an F-6D, A scratch built cockpit and panel with a figure that actually looks like an AAF pilot is also planned.

To this point, I have stripped her of all markings and paint. I am also in the process of replacing the stock power system with 460kV/6S set up from the P-47. I have also upgraded the prop & spinner to the Freewing P-51D version. The scale fidelity is so much better than the FMS spinner. I also replaced the FMS drop tanks with the Freewing versions. I'm not sure what scale data FMS designers were looking at when they penned the tanks, but, God, they are just horrible. I also have built tank pylons out of 1/2" balsa and will permanently mount them to the wings.

I have been hanging around this forum since early January and the knowledge I have gained has given me the confidence to take on this project. I appreciate any and all comments and suggestions on my posts.

[JamesonC]

If you want some real speed out of this model, go the 550kv/6s route! Ton of power and fun!!

[Boots Whirlygig]

Right with you on the Freewing prop/spinner combo. In addition to the better blades, the blade mounting is more secure and the spinner outline is more to scale than FMS. I did go with the 460kV/6s upgrade, though. I'm doing so much refinish work on this thing I have a feeling my Mustang is gonna' be a portly ol' gal.

Yeah, I think the 460kv/6S is the right choice, the Mustang definetly needs to look 100 mph faster than any prop driven adversaries sharing the air space!
i do find it odd that FMS chose 3.5mm bullets though, when their 4S warbirds have 4mm.
:Thinking::Angry:

[jadams812]

Any of these 4258 motors are the perfect upgrade, a virtual drop in with the F3A prop adapter and the higher cap ESC.
The Freewing 4258-580kv and it’s propellor and spinner will fit your FMS Mustang, and the propellor has a broader blade to move more air than the fms prop. See the photo.
I know the 650kv is swapped into the warbirds that have 3 bladed propellors and me thinks the FreeWing 4258-580kv is better matched to the Stang’s 4 blade prop on 4S.
My Old Crow is now sporting the P-47’s 460kv motor, which we already know can spin a 14x8 4blade with authority!

Right with you on the Freewing prop/spinner combo. In addition to the better blades, the blade mounting is more secure and the spinner outline is more to scale than FMS. I did go with the 460kV/6s upgrade, though. I'm doing so much refinish work on this thing I have a feeling my Mustang is gonna' be a portly ol' gal.

[Grossman56]

Well, maybe so Boots, but I have 650's in mine spinning the stock 4 bladed props and it works amazingly well. With BBD, I upgraded to 580 and then to 650 and there was an improvement albeit not a huge one. When I went directly from the 540 to the 650 in Shangrila it was a much bigger difference. BTW, I use Mantis 85A ESC's in them all (Don't forget the short ESC to Motor cables if you go this route. Order extensions). I agree that the 6s system from the P-47 would rock in the P-51, its awesome in the P-40. Now, that is the reverse to what you describe because I went from the stock 4 blade prop that powered the P-47 to the 3 blade prop that the P-40 uses. Now, CB changed out his prop on his P-40 because he had some issues with the stock prop when doing a power dive, if I remember correctly.
Bottom line is that all these systems will work on the P-51, just a matter of picking a route to finding your joy.

Grossman56

[Boots Whirlygig]

Any of these 4258 motors are the perfect upgrade, a virtual drop in with the F3A prop adapter and the higher cap ESC.
The Freewing 4258-580kv and it’s propellor and spinner will fit your FMS Mustang, and the propellor has a broader blade to move more air than the fms prop. See the photo.
I know the 650kv is swapped into the warbirds that have 3 bladed propellors and me thinks the FreeWing 4258-580kv is better matched to the Stang’s 4 blade prop on 4S.
My Old Crow is now sporting the P-47’s 460kv motor, which we already know can spin a 14x8 4blade with authority!

[Grossman56]

I had that with the battery hatch on My Little Gal, the magnets on Old Crow were such that her battery hatch cover repelled off My Little Gal, fortunately, when I got the replacement for MLG, the magnets were correct. The assembly line must have reversed the magnets on Old Crow for some reason, but they wouldn't have known because it worked for her. Weird.:Silly:

Grossman56

[prestonowtm]

Regarding the Gap from the spinner to the fuse, here's the before and after on Old Crow...



Makes a big difference if your looking for the scale look.

Grossman56

Hey Grossman...figured out why the FMS canopy wouldn't go on to that new fuse. Feel dumber than a rock. The freakin magnet on the new fuse was backwards. Of course after I trimmed the crap out of the foam, then colored it trying to find where it was catching per your advice...all to no avail...lmao backwards magnet.

[jadams812]

Thank you, OV and Grossman. It's refreshing to find so many helpful voices. Quite a rarity these days.

[OV10]

Thank God I ran into this thread today. I had just placed an order for the 580kV upgrade and so, now, have requested order cancellation in favor of the 650kV or 460kV mod. Also, I was a bit curious about the whole "2mm longer than stock 540kV motor" statement, as I was already measuring a 2mm gap on the stock set up. You cleared that up nicely. Thanks, OV, for the encapsulation. It is greatly appreciated!

One question concerning the ESC you recommended; are you using the factory default settings?

Thanks again!

Stock factory settings on most ESC's are sufficient;)

[Grossman56]

Regarding the Gap from the spinner to the fuse, here's the before and after on Old Crow...



Makes a big difference if your looking for the scale look.

Grossman56

[jadams812]

Hello Curly,
The power mods to this bird have been well documented over the years as well as the recent past because of the latest motors to hit the market.
So to put things in a nut shell for you versus perusing hundreds of pages on both the forums looking for those pearls, here ya go.;)
What I am presenting below is a basic bolt in swap of equipment that doesn't require any frame modifications and can still use the 4 bladed prop.
First the motor mount X brace hole spacing is 30mm at the plastic motor mount.
There are two newer FMS motors that have the same X mount brace spacing as the 4250-540kV stock motor & the 4250-580kV which was the early years upgrade along with the zip tie prop mod and bigger ESC.
For a 4S setup you will use the 4258-650kV from the FMS 1400 P-40B.
For a 6S setup you will use the 4258-460kV from the FMS 1500 P-47.
For either one of these motors you will need to use this prop shaft adapter from the FMS F3A Olympus in order to keep the spacing for the spinner appropriate because both of those motors are 8mm longer than the stock 540.
You will also need to upgrade the ESC from the stock 70A to a minimum of 85A. I used the ZTW 85A with no issue on both my 1400 Stang and Corsair upgrades.

Now the Motion product page for both versions(Redtail & Petie) they show an optional upgrade to the 580kV that I mentioned earlier.
The documentation is somewhat misleading.
" FMS 4250-580kV motor which will pull 62A (static) and yield a significant boost in performance. The 580Kv motor is 2mm longer so there will be a slight gap between spinner and cowl"
First it does not provide a "significant" boost in performance and secondly the 580 is not longer than the 540.
Also the 62A static draw is over the 56A max rating of the motor. This is why the 580 was not a long lived upgrade.
They also recommend the 100A Castle ESC which is an overkill for power demand needs and $40 more than the ZTW.
I did those 580 upgrades back in the day and they were so-so, when the 650 and 460 came out now that was the boost.;)

Hope this helps,

Thank God I ran into this thread today. I had just placed an order for the 580kV upgrade and so, now, have requested order cancellation in favor of the 650kV or 460kV mod. Also, I was a bit curious about the whole "2mm longer than stock 540kV motor" statement, as I was already measuring a 2mm gap on the stock set up. You cleared that up nicely. Thanks, OV, for the encapsulation. It is greatly appreciated!

One question concerning the ESC you recommended; are you using the factory default settings?

Thanks again!

[Boots Whirlygig]

I have the FreeWing Old Crow which comes with the 580, but it’s a 4258 size, not the fms “upgrade” which is the smaller 4250 size.
Also the prop adapter is the same as used by fms, and the same screw pattern, unlike the prop adapter used by Flightline.
I would recommend using the Old Crow motor as an upgrade to the FMS P-51,and you will want to get the fms F3A prop adapter if the gap bothers you! It bothered me!

[Drake]

I am planning on doing the prop mod, I ordered the screws from the link listed at the start of the thread, for others it is worth mentioning that each order of screws comes in a 12 pcs to a pack...I thought they were sold individually, so I ordered 8 for spares, ha-ha, I got plenty of spares now.

[prestonowtm]

Man...I just cracked up my old Redtail. Wind was too high but I flew anyway since it had been weeks since I have had anything in the air. New fuse and a few parts on the way. Probably had more than 150 flights on it. Dropped it in twice doing touch and go's to make sure I could get it down safe. The third time in a crosswind blew it 45% to port and right into one of my shop doors...crap. It was like someone just slapped the nose right to the side...tink, boom.

[JamesonC]

I somehow missed there was a thread on this plane over here on Squawk. I have a V8 that has had all 4 of the main motor options on it along the way. It is now on the 550kv 6s setup and I love it! For general info, here are the radar speeds off each setup I had. All were with no prop mods or shims:

Stock 540kv - 67mph
580kv - 73mph
650kv - 78mph
550kv (6s) - 93mph

[Grossman56]

[QUOTE

Finally got the Mustang out with the 650 and 85A ESC. Ran both a 4000 and 5000ms 4S. Ran GREAT!! Very noticeable performance improvement. A whole new airplane.[/QUOTE]

That's what I ended up doing as well, tried the 580, but it wasn't very noticeable. The 650 gives it a much more scale-like performance. Fortunately, after seeing CB's P-40, I swapped out the motor in that for the 6s system from the 1500 FMS P-47 and had a spare 650kv. The only Mustang that's running a 580 right now is My Little Gal II (Resurrected) which is a FW P-51. My Old Crow is running a 650kv and it works great in it as well as the FMS P-51s.


Grossman56

[curlyculp]

A 3200mah, 4s is not much of a battery for this plane, especially when hopped up like that. I flew mine on 4000mah, 4s and then 4000mah, 6s when upgraded again. These give a decent 5 to 7 minutes. You'll also find that with the more powerful system, you won't fly it "medium to high" power most of the flight. The more power the thing has, the less likely you will fly it "balls to the wall" much of the time.

Finally got the Mustang out with the 650 and 85A ESC. Ran both a 4000 and 5000ms 4S. Ran GREAT!! Very noticeable performance improvement. A whole new airplane.

[xviper]

I don't know about anybody else, but when I mod up a plane, I don't continue to run around at a lower power setting. :Silly: