It was a Sunday Funday for me and my flying buddies. I didn't realize another pilot was videoing this but much appreciation to him for taking this candid video of my final approach to a greased landing in the Number 7 FMS 800mm Red Tail P-51D Mustang. This plane flies and lands like an angel!

FMS P-51D Mustang Red Tail 800mm on 3S - Final Approach to Greased Landing (0 min 28 sec)

Here is a performance flight of my FMS 800mm AT-6 Texan on 3S, using the Lemon Rx 7-Channel Receiver with Stabilizer.

FMS AT-6 Texan 800mm w/ Lemon Rx 7-Channel Receiver / Stabilizer Performance Flight (5 min 29 sec)

Just like my FMS A-1 Skyraider 750mm, I found this FMS AT-6 800mm model also sadly collecting dust on the box at another Hobbytown USA store, just a half hour away from my home on sale for $68, with a $10 off coupon. So I decided to take a chance on this model and give it a hangar to call home.

Initial setup of this plane was quite easy. The interior compartment of the FMS AT-6 is very spacious, allowing the swapping of the stock FMS 20-Amp ESC for the slightly heavier, yet more reliable Eflite 30-Amp Pro Switch-Mode BEC Brushless ESC (V2) to be a non-event. The connector for the Eflite ESC is also set for an EC3 connector, which is what my 3S Eflite Batts are already set with, making it highly convenient. Then after some research at RCGroups.com, I determined the CG to be at about 52mm from the leading edge of the main wing (just in front of the two red fuel dots on the top of the wing). Fortunately, this is also where my AT-6 balanced. One factor that helped dial the CG was the usage of the heavier Eflite 3S 1300 - 1350mAh Lipo Batteries (placed full forward in the battery slot with no foam cutting required).

Installation of the Lemon Rx DSMX 7-Channel Receiver / Stabilizer was also a non-event as it easily fits in the center of the...Continue Reading

Here is a beautiful sunset flight of my FMS 750mm A-1 Skyraider V2 on 3S, using the Lemon Rx 7-Channel Receiver with Stabilizer. (Click the "Show More" tab for details..)

FMS A-1 Skyraider V2 750 mm w/ Lemon Rx 7-Channel Receiver / Stabilizer Sunset Flight (5 min 4 sec)

I found this FMS 750mm model sadly collecting dust at a Hobbytown USA store, an hour and a half south of my home on sale for $74, with a $20 off closeout sticker. Recognizing the FMS model, I immediately asked for it from the salesman.

Setup on this plane was fairly straightforward. However, like most of the FMS 750-800mm line that I’ve experienced, there were a few hurdles to get past. To begin with, there was some was some confusion regarding the proper CG for this model. The Skyraider box had indicated a 40mm CG, but the manual called for a 65mm CG. To get a hint of which CG to go with, I measured the chord at wing root, divided by three, and started there for my initial measurement (thanks for the tip, Crash Override of RCGroups.com). The measurement was evaluated to be at 35mm, which is where my Skyraider balanced at. A few additional factors that helped dialing the CG was the usage of the heavier Eflite 3S 1350mAh 30C Lipo Battery (placed full forward in the battery slot with no foam cutting required), as well as swapping out the stock FMS 20-Amp ESC for a slightly heavier Eflite 30-Amp Pro Switch-Mode BEC Brushless ESC (V2) (placed in the port-side midsection of the...Continue Reading

Here is the initial test flight of my FMS 750mm A6M3 Zero on 3S, using the Lemon Rx 7-Channel Receiver with Stabilizer. (Click the "Show More" tab for details..)

FMS A6M3 Zero 750mm w/ Lemon Rx Receiver / Stabilizer - 3S Test Flight w/ Dog Chase (7 min 46 sec)

The FMS 750mm A6M3 Zero on 3S is a very impressive warbird and rendition of the once feared Mitsubishi Zero. Additional care with the setup of this plane is a must however, as this model came out of the box with some issues. The first matter to address was the inherent tail-heaviness of this model Having a 40mm CG and a short nose, it was absolutely necessary to use (5) 7-gram stick-on lead weights from Great Planes, in order to achieve the correct CG. The lead weights have been glued on using slow-cure epoxy at the front of the nose and covered by the cowl. The other issue was interior compartment space, or lack thereof. Careful cutting of the base of the fuselage allowed the Lemon Rx 7-Channel Receiver with Stabilizer to sit below the “cable traffic” and double-sided taped directly on the center of the main wing, unobstructed by wires and the ESC. The ESC has been upgraded to an Eflite 30-Amp Pro Switch-Mode BEC Brushless ESC (V2) and is double-sided taped to the port side of the interior of the fuselage, away from the Receiver. The final issue to resolve was the angle of the landing gears which would lead to frequent nose-overs and potential prop breaks. This was an easy fix,...Continue Reading