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Fms 800mm p-51d v2
After beginning with RC airplanes in November, 2019, I built a F4U Corsair 550mm from a kit in February. I liked it so much I started looking for more war birds. I decided I liked the FMS 800mm war birds and at first wanted another Corsair, but then decided to get the P-51. Then after looking around, I saw that the FMS P51 was back ordered at most places. I found one, PNP, on Amazon for about the same price as most places, but it would come from China. Still, I was looking at May if I waited for them to be restocked in the states, so I ordered it. Ordered it on Monday, March 2 and received it on March 5. Turns out it shipped from Florida. Meanwhile, I had also ordered another kit, a P40 back around the end of February, that is mostly put together, but am still waiting on parts to complete it.
I decided I wanted to use my Devo 10 transmitter with the P51 so I ordered a Devo RX from MyRCMart on March 7. After a couple of weeks, it had still not shipped, and after a couple of inquiries, they refunded my money and said they could not ship it because of the pandemic. So I ordered a Futaba rx from Motion RC on March 16. An order from Motion RC on March 15 arrived on March 19, the March 16 order has still not arrived. Motion RC claimed their warehouse was backed up because of the pandemic. That March 16 order has what I needed to complete the P40 and get the P51 going. Finally I found a Walkera RX on Ebay, ordered it on March 23, and received it on March 27. I had bought the Devo 10 several years ago with the intention on converting it to a mult protocol transmitter, but never did the conversion and never used it. I thought it would be a good tx for the P51. So I downloaded the manual and studied it. It does not actually have instructions in the manual on binding with a receiver. Could not find a manual on the RX either. RX did come with a bind plug, so I tried binding it, guessing on how to do it. It did not work. Finally, using my grossly poor google fu I managed to find a 3.5 minute youtube video on binding a Devo RX yesterday, and got the RX bound and hooked up to the flight controller this morning. Still have to set up the transmitter and finish setting up the P51, but I may actually finally get the P51 to fly soon. |
Last edited by siriusflier; Mar 31, 2020 at 01:37 PM.
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I spent a couple of hours setting up the flight controller, transmitter, and receiver today. To windy to do anything outside. I have probably printed more than 30 pages of manuals for the Devo 10 and the HobbyEagle A3 pro fcb. Only used about 5 pages for the A3 Pro and didn't use hardly any of the Devo 10 manual, was able to figure out the Devo 10 by going in the menu and pushing buttons.
There are 6 different flight modes that can be set in the A3. I got it to work with a 3 position swich on the Devo. The modes are Gyro-off, Normal, Atti-lock, Trainer, Auto-level, and Auto-hover. It turned on with Gyro-off, Normal, and Auto-hover on the three positions on the Devo switch. I changed Auto-hover to Auto-level. Gyro-off is completely manual mode, Normal is rate mode and just uses the 3-axis gyro, and Auto-level is like beginner mode and uses 6-axis gyro. Aileron and elevator were reversed when I plugged it in. I tried to reset them with the flight controller, but it didn't work. So I just reversed them in the Devo 10. Then I did a level calibration using the A3 flight controller. Next I went into the Devo 10 settings and set up dual rates and expo on the aileron, elevator, and rudder. Set expo at -30 on all, what I have been using on the Futaba transmitters. I think I set dual rates at 100 and 80. Then I went and set gyro to 80 and 25. Not sure if that is the best settings, but I think I use 75 and 25 in the Futaba X7 transmitter. So hopefully everything is good to go except I need to install the propeller. I was going to order a couple more propellers, but they all seem to be back ordered stateside. I figure I can always make a 7 or 8 inch 2-blade prop work if I need to. |
Last edited by siriusflier; Apr 01, 2020 at 06:22 PM.
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Here are a couple of photos of the P51. First the jumble of wires around the flight controller. I may shorten the wires to make it neater. Second a comparison with my other war bird, a 550mm F4U Corsair I put together from a kit. The Corsair is what I have been flying mostly in the past several weeks.
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I got the plane about ready to fly I think. Last thing to do was check and set the center of gravity. Went through the RCGroups thread on FMS 800mm war birds, and really couldn't find a definitive answer on the cog. So I started with the manual's recommended 65mm back from front root of wing.
First, with batteries I have been using in the Corsair(about 1000mah), the cog was at least 10mm back. So I pulled out a GForce 1300mm that will fit, didn't help a lot. I had moved the esc as far forward as I can get it. I ended up putting a 30 gram lead weight up near the nose to get the cog to about 65mm. Won't know how well that will work until I get to try it. I had this center of gravity stand that I have used on my lighter planes, but I have had to hold the stand with one hand in the past to use it, so I fastened it to a base and braced the up right posts so it would be easier to use. It was goal posts from a football kicking game that my daughter's seldom played with. Works fairly well now for checking cog. Photo: |
Latest blog entry: UMX Air Tractor BNF
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Well, I took the P51 out and tried to hand launch it in less than 5mph winds with about 55'F. About all it would do is go down within 30 feet. At least it was in 2 foot tall wheat so no damage. Took it back in and took the 30 gram weight out of the front and went back out. Got it to fly a little way a couple of times, the last time it went a few hundred feet, but I was having to use a lot of up elevator. So I think it is still nose heavy. I do have a 10 gram lighter battery to try.
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Latest blog entry: UMX Air Tractor BNF
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So I tried a battery that weighs 10 grams less. After several tries I got it into the air and flew it around for a little while, but it was not very stable and still took a lot of up elevator. I am sure the cog is way behind what they call for.
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Latest blog entry: UMX Air Tractor BNF
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That's disappointing. Mustangs are supposed to be the easy ones.
How would you rate the quality of the build out of the box? I ask because I just ordered the FMS 920mm T-45 Goshawk with 70mm EDF PNP with flaps and retracts. So yeah, I'm a little nervous! |
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For some reason I thought I had answered your post about the quality but I will now for sure. The quality seems very good to me, nice detail, molded well, everything fits right, and the paint job is very good. Vinyl decals are a little off in fit and finish, but not really bad. Made me want to buy vinyl decal paper and print my own if I decide to use decals again. I have had the decals on the F4U flake or chip off a couple of times even with a light coat of clear spray on them. May not add any decals to the P40 unless I get it flying well. Good luck with the t-45.
I tinkered with the P51 a little today, mostly just checked COG with different batteries. Lighter battery moved the COG back enough to make a difference, hopefully that is what it needs. Now have to wait for less wind to try it again. |
Latest blog entry: UMX Air Tractor BNF
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I REALLY want his one to work out for you. I mean, I want them all to work, but this one will get you up into the small park flyer zone. Once you experience the joy of the bigger birds you'll understand why I love them so much.
Any chance you can video a flight? |
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I might do a video at some point but right now I am more interested in just getting them to fly. I don't have a nice camera person like you do, but I have a mobius set up on a visor if the battery still works.
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Latest blog entry: UMX Air Tractor BNF
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Didn't get to fly today because of wind even though I had my P51 ready to try again and also had my P40 ready to try. Corsair should be good to go again too.
Not having good luck with the P51 after the work I have put into it got me thinking I should just buy a RTF plane, so I have been searching for the past week for a RTF warbird to buy in the 800 to 1000 mm size. Horizon Hobby has an FMS Corsair but it won't be available until at least the first week of May. Another place had TopRC Corsair and a P51. But neither of those places identify what type of transmitter or receiver/stabilization those planes come with. I found a place with RTF Dynam RTF planes that come with 6 axis stabilization that can be switched off for aerobatics. A couple under $200US, a 900mm Spitfire or a 762mm P51. And the transmitters/receivers work with SFHSS protocol, not sure they will work with Futaba, but it is SFHSS. Transmitter with a display and a 30 model memory was an extra $20, and they have receivers with built in stabiliztion flight controllers for less than $40. I did some research on the Dynam planes and there was more good than bad. I kinda wanted to go with the 900mm Spitfire but it uses 3S batteries and I don't have any 3S that would work. I have several 2S batteries that will work with the 762mm P51, so I ordered another P51. Oh, and they also had free shipping for a limited time. Now I just wait and see. |
Latest blog entry: UMX Air Tractor BNF
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My P-51 luck ran out...
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Wow! What and how did you hit to cause that? Still looks like it can be glued. What brand P51 is that?
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Latest blog entry: UMX Air Tractor BNF
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It's the Volantex 750mm. I painted the wingtips, cowl, and tail, added decals and the blue inboard stripes. I just can't get these damned LemonRx's to work the way I want!
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I know the frustration of getting receivers to work right, I am not good at it.
No flying for me today, wind was low and I wanted to, but it never got up to 50'F, rained most of the morning, stayed cloudy, and even the short mowed grass never dried up. So all I did was build a hanger to hold my P-51 up on the mirror next to my Aeroscout, and moved the hangers for the 767 and T720 so I could hang up the P40 and F4U. Also hung the T720 where I did have the A600. Now my card table is cleared for the landing of the Dynam P-51 when it gets here. I also rewired my daughters remote control police cruiser so I could put a 1S 700mah Lipo in it. It has surprised me how long that lipo has kept her car going today. |
Latest blog entry: UMX Air Tractor BNF
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