PetersWolf,

Thank you so much for taking the time to write up how to use Mixing of servo inputs in order to prevent our nose gear from being activated while retracts are up.....this level of engagement and participation is most enjoyable and - for me provides proof that humanity will prevail ...at least within the ranks of R/C Electrics....LOL

I am printing off your How To Mix thread for study and set up. I know others will also appreciate your write up and the time it took to type it in....

Thanks again....really!!!

TwistedGrin

Now all you need to do is mix some alcohol in and you'll have a cocktail LOL

Originally Posted by TwistedGrin

PetersWolf,

Thank you so much for taking the time to write up how to use Mixing of servo inputs in order to prevent our nose gear from being activated while retracts are up.....this level of engagement and participation is most enjoyable and - for me provides proof that humanity will prevail ...at least within the ranks of R/C Electrics....LOL

I am printing off your How To Mix thread for study and set up. I know others will also appreciate your write up and the time it took to type it in....

Thanks again....really!!!

TwistedGrin

haha all I did was cut and paste, gadorey and freechip are the ones who spent the time!

Did my maiden today,

Winds out of the South East about 6-11Mph in small puffs. Our grass field runs North South so I lined her up heading into the South. I had COG tagged right at about 2.85inches...so kinda aft in the COG range. This is a Killer Planes modded P-38 with lots of carbon fiber so it is already on the heavy side or at least heavier than a non-carbon fiber equipped P-38.

Nice gracefull take off and straight forward climb -very scale. I did find I had to use a little bit of down elevator. Flying on 2800mAh 55C could have used a tad more nose weight (I installed 42grams in the nose in by build for COG). As you have described she flies very true, nice rolls and loops. Responds very quickly to rudder input. For my first flight I am at low rates, 35% expo and at 75% throws except for Ailerons at 100% no matter what. I also had to dial in a tad bit of right rudder...one or two clicks/tones only. Very good glide pattern...long and steady...never did give me any tip stall or wing rock. However when the wind puffed up above say 12-15mph she did buck a bit...no big deal.

I flew the first battery out to about 5:45seconds and coasted down to a super smooth power assisted loong landing.....the galley gave her a bit woop-daaaa yaa.

So I battery up for flight number two....very nice take off...super nice bank....big loop and a very wide roll......wwwwwwraaaaaap....she rolls quick. I can see the right fuselage motor is dangling down and twisting. I chop the throttle off, and went full elevator up, left aileron, left rudder, snapped on high rates....at this point I am about 20ft in the air, I gave a short blip of neutral elevator and flared up for nearly a descent landing.....I spun a wing tip but did not cartwheel. The right side motor wire leads are twisted and mangled together, spinner and prop are OK. The plane is OK except my left elevator control horn is broken...the paper thin front landing gear door came of and is cracked....no biggie no biggie.

I am proud to have been able to bring her down with a motor swinging by the wires!!!!! I don't yet understand why the motor came out of the plastic mounting plate.....I lost one of the screws to the motor...the other three are in OK. I guess it is possible the motor was not tightened down by the four screws that hold it to the clear plastic mount.....the mount did NOT dislodge from the fuselage.

So I am in the market for a replacement stock motor and that clear plastic engine mount....I suggest if you have not done so....remove the motor from the plane and triple check all nuts, screws and bolts....apply some lock tight and check it all over again and again.

I can tell this is really a very nice foamy...great presence in the air...very easy to take off and land on well cultivated and manicured grass strip.

Photos attached of my motor wire leads and engine bulkhead mount.....

I was able to finish the evening with three batteries on the Dynam 1200mm Spitfire just to clear the air as the sun set.....Now I am on a quest for a stock motor and motor mount.

TwistedGrin

Fellas, is Hobby King selling V1 or V2 of the P-38 Lightning?? Looking for a parts plane...but not sure of the landing gear from the HobbyKing model they are selling...photos on HK website show V1 Spinner....I would like the V2 servoless landing gear set up if I go for a parts plane purchase.

Best Regards,
TwistedGrin

Its a V1 (I just got mine from the AU warehouse last month)

Aye 10:4 DWU, what is the motor mount... clear plastic or plywood??

TwistedGrin

Just make your own out of thin hobby ply

Mine is two pieces of ply stacked per side. They screw into plastic mounts embedded in the foam.

As 03svtsnakevert said, just make your own out of ply. Or get some scrap perspex (need a jigsaw or bandsaw to cut that neat)

Thanks Gents, I don't have a band saw or jigsaw....will have to hack out something...as with all things....one small component renders the entire peice useless.

So I need a new motor, another motor mount...figured I'd get another plane for parts, HK sells V1...BananaHobby is selling something...Killer Planes I know sells the V2....

I may just pop for a new plane just for parts...but don't want a V1.

TwistedGrin

Originally Posted by TwistedGrin

Thanks Gents, I don't have a band saw or jigsaw....will have to hack out something...as with all things....one small component renders the entire peice useless.

So I need a new motor, another motor mount...figured I'd get another plane for parts, HK sells V1...BananaHobby is selling something...Killer Planes I know sells the V2....

I may just pop for a new plane just for parts...but don't want a V1.

TwistedGrin

I think Bananhobby is no longer carrying the Jpower P38. Shows as discontinued (and has) for me. Looks like they are exclusively selling the FMS P38 now.

Originally Posted by Wildjones

I think Bananhobby is no longer carrying the Jpower P38. Shows as discontinued (and has) for me. Looks like they are exclusively selling the FMS P38 now.

Aye 10:4 WildJones, thanks for the info

TwistedGrin

We put larger motors on ours with counter rotating props...haven't flown it yet but it pulls like a freight train

Originally Posted by 03svtsnakevert

We put larger motors on ours with counter rotating props...haven't flown it yet but it pulls like a freight train

I was watching my maiden flight looking for flexing as it came out of a dive...then going for loop number two....straight down the runway away from me....I saw it flexing a bit. Very glad I glued my wing section together..otherwise I would have backed way off and just flown is as docile as possible.

The two fuselages (Port and Starboard) don't seat very tight in thier respective wing saddles. I am just about ready to glue them into place...they still flex side to side too much for me. As soon as I get another motor and motor mount....then check her over again....I will epoxie the fuselages in place.

I really like the tricycle landing gear on the servoless retracts, even though the wheels are small and the props where just skimming the grass, I had no problems taking off either flight...landing was a breez. However, the wheels don't allow for very good taxi-ing...gggg. I have to place her on the grass strip and take off, then retrieve after landing. I think I will see how much bigger wheels will go into the wheel bays....having said this the front wheel must NOT be smaller than the rear wheels

TwistedGrin

On the topic of programming mixes...my kit came without servos. I understand the PNF has 1 elevator that is reversed from the other. Rather than buying or resoldering to reverse elevator servos, is there a way to program a mix so that I can just use my trusty HXT900s for elevlator? I have a DX7.




TwistedGrin,
I was just browsing YouTube over the weekend looking at JPower P-38 and saw a vid where a guy had 1 motor also come off but it was right when he landed and taxi in...extremely lucky. I've got the V2 kit so will be sure to give the motor some test yanks.