Here is my GWS 38. I wanted to just get it built and flying, so I didn't take a lot of time to make it pretty. Motors are KDA 22-15M swinging 10x5 props. May try 9x6. Turnigy 30 Amp Plush ESC's mounted in the booms at about the wing spar. Flew it one time so far, seemed to fly ok. Weight is 41.6 oz with a Hyperion 2500 3 cell. I glassed the booms from the scoops back, and the elevator. Added a carbon spar to the horizontal stab, and extended the wing spars all the way to the tips.



I fabbed up this nose gear using the stock wire. It goes through a 3/4" tall pine block with a wheel collar on top. The spring between the plywood mounting plate and the lower collar gives it about 5/8" of suspension travel. The springs on the servo protect the gears from stripping from wheel twisting.


I made these thin plastic covers screw on to hold the wires in place.



I came out nose heavy, even with the tail glassing and relocated servo. Had to move the battery way back. AR6200 RX up front, the second RX is outside the gondola near the rear. Added a CF tube across the center to reduce the gondola flexing. UBEC sits at the bottom under the mass of wires.


Elevator servo was located in the boom scoop.

Nice job on the mods Larry. That nose gear arrangement is just the ticket. Mine gets bent back even on good landings on grass. That looks like it should absorb a pretty good whack.

Originally Posted by dLdV

Nice job on the mods Larry. That nose gear arrangement is just the ticket. Mine gets bent back even on good landings on grass. That looks like it should absorb a pretty good whack.

It looks like it will absorb a straight down plop ok, but the leg will bend back if the plane is driven in hard. I didn't want to glue in the stock GWS plastic part, I made this so I could unscrew and repair the nose gear. I went with the stock GWS wire, thinking it will bend rather than rip out the mounting.

The counter, none counter rotating prop argument got me thinking. I was was not sure but checked my photographs again

Man, I've got 5 flights on this beast, and each landing was progressively worse! Last weekend I over flared, bonked it on its nose and dinged both wing tips. This weekend I was up about 5 feet on approach, must have got too slow, stalled, and it flipped over and hit the ground inverted. Suprisingly little damage, mostly flattened the nose and ground off more wing tips.

Guess I need to work on coming in a little faster and smoother, with some power on all the way in. At least thats the theory.

Hi Larry,

And using flaps or more wash out is helpful, too.

Chen

Originally Posted by GWS CHEN

Hi Larry,

And using flaps or more wash out is helpful, too.

Chen

How do you add washout?

Might try flaps, would be pretty easy to hook up with a single servo.
Yesterday had a good smooth landing with a bit of power on all the way to the ground. We are lucky to have a huge paved lot so you can really take your time setting it down.

Hi Larry076,

"Washout" could be added by heating the wing tip portions and manually twisting the wing tips. But you have to take great care when doing this, apply hair dryer to heat the foam, keep the dryer 2" - 3" away from the foam, then heat it for 5 seconds, then twist it, repeat these until you make it on both tips. Probably hot water can be used instead. Just my two cents. Well, adding flaps is actually safer and better than this way.

Chen

Extending the wing spars all the way to the tip has really helped save me. I'm sure the wing would have broken in half without this mod during one of my cartwheel landings.

My LHS ordered 2 of these for me over 2 years ago and i never picked em up. I went back last week and there still on the shelf !?

Figured someone would buy em, guess thats not the case with GWS anymore.

Hi,I just got a gws p-38 from my wife for my birthday...it has the brushed motors...i was wondering what brushless setup i could use....motors,escs,etc....

It will be the first time i put a plane together and i would like to do it right...I don't want a speed demon...lol...i like scale flying....I would also like to use the 3 bladed props from gws..

Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

Oh servo suggestions are also welcome

Contact headsuprc.com: I, and a few others, have bought setups from him and he'll have whatever you need at very good prices.

1000kv outrunners will swing the 3 blade props good. Wont have much for top speed but climbing power will be good. Any 9 gram servo will be fine for this plane, doesnt need anything special.

Biggest tip is getting a good solid battery. Remember, you are essentially running two power trains off a single energy source. The P-38 flies GREAT but really doen't like to loose a motor. More P-38's have been lost due to a motor cutting out and the plane flupping over with the resultant crash.

Good luck!

Jim