Flying for Real..

[DaveB]

Hello Mate

Well done on getting her in the air

One thing I've noticed with the P51 and Wildcat is that I can barely get my hand around the Wildcat. Do you have to have Hulk-like hands to hand lauch? The P51 is quite comfortable but as I said before, nervous doesn't tell half the story of how I feel about flying it I'll hit the gas and hope for the best

Can't believe how big the Super Cub is.. in every way. It weighs a ton The battery connector is a T shaped jobbie. Not sure what the name of it is. However, the P51 charges off the balance plug if you use the included charger and the Cub's battery has one also.. hence me wondering if one will suffice for both until the Imax arrives The SC has been converted to 4ch so that'll be a new experience for me. Not saying I'm a coward in any shape or form but I think I'll give that a blast first. It should be a whole pile less frantic than either the Wildcat or P51 though it's physical size is still daunting. I can hide the Champ underneath and you can't see it Once confident with it, I'll invest in a set of floats.. a poor mans Icon A5

If you can mate.. next time you fly the P51, lob your camera onto it if you can find somewhere for it to go. I'll get one one day but I dare not even mention it at the moment

The P51 docs mention doing range checks.. something you may not get with the BNF 2.4gig model. Gad knows who I'm going to get to help with that Range on the 27mhz model I have states 2500ft. I'm not sure I can even see that far!

EDIT: you snuck in with another while I was typing! That's a fine looking garage mate That said.. I've been in a 'boys' garage today too when I collected the models. Wonder if he'd let me move in 2 jets, a Chipmunk, a HUGE P51, a HUGE glider, another smaller (read not so big as the others) prop, a rather large Helo, a Triumph (TR4 I think) and a Kwak ZZR1400.. to name a few. I do hope his wife has a hobby

ATB
DaveB

[speedbird591]

I've been watching this new Bush Pilot series on 'Dave' and it's very tense. Will the new pilot applicants ever get a test flight? Will the two cessna airline run out of money before their next charter?

But the saga of Dave's new wings is far more gripping! Will he ever get enough compatible components to stay together long enough to get airborne? Will he be too intimidated by his neighbour's model to go out in daylight? Will he run out of money before he gets the final piece to the jigsaw? Or will he start work just as the weather clears and never ever have any more days off?

Go on, Dave! Throw it all together and give it all you've got! What could possibly go wrong?

Ian

[Garry Russell]

I've been watching this new Bush Pilot series on 'Dave' and it's very tense.

I've camped out in the bush and that was tents

[DaveB]

Super Cub 1 vs P51D 0

Had the Super Cub up after the rain stopped. Tried to let it takeoff from the grass but it was a no go so hand launched it. Landing was always going to be a problem (nose over) but in the event, landing speed was sufficiently slow and the old girl went on her nose and back

Buoyed by this success, I went and got the P51. Everything centred and off she went. My goodness, it's not slow is it! Did a couple of ccts of the common before the spinner came flying off so I put it down (heavier than I'd have liked but no damage). Eventually found the spinner. The prop had cut it into any number of bits.. I only found one. Went back to where I'd left the P51.. opened the throttle and off she went.. for about 30ft.. constantly turning in. I looked at the txer and where I'd been holding it, I'd inadvertently shoved the aileron trim over. Bad design and only needs the slightest touch but something I wasn't aware of. Now I have a nice almost new P51 in bits. It won't fly again without judicious use of glue and filler I'm afraid. The wing mounting points front and rear are fecked. Difficult to say how much damage had been done by the previous owner.. he said he'd only done 2 flights with it but it's buggered now. Never mind hey
I still have the Super Cub which flies like a dream. Very stable and very manoeuvrable with 4ch's. My charger turned up a few mins ago so I'll get it's battery charged up ready for the next flight

EDIT:.. Ed.. I've set that charger for 11.1v 3amps. I seem to remember Dale saying that 5amp was on the high side The included charger for the P51 only charges at 1amp so perhaps I'm being ambitious at 3amps?
Further info on the P51..
Having re-evaluated the damage.. it's not as drastic as I first thought. When you're stood in the field surrounded by foam, things often look bleaker than they really are I can fix the front and rear wing mountings easily with a gob of lovely speed epoxy I'll leave it all to dry out first then glue the doodars out of it later
ATB
DaveB

[VEGAS]

Hi Dave,

Good to hear you've got airborne with the new girls.

Always nice to fly something new and nothing beats the feeling of that first launch.

Yes the P51 does motor. Especially when you open it up.

I think the Wildcat is far more frightening to fly. Certainly not as forgiving at lower speeds.

The tx for the 27mhz is something rather odd. Especially to look at. I'm used to two control sticks.

I don't like a slider throttle and a control stick, I think that would just confuse the issue.

It'll be better for you when you get onto 2.4Ghz and ditch that thing. But for now is just the job.

The batteries for the P51 should be 3S 1300mah Lipo's. Set your iMax to 1.3. And always balance charge.

That prolongs the life of the Lipo. Many say you only need to balance every 10 or so cycles.

But it only takes a second to plug in the balance lead and if it gets you more battery life then why not always do it?

The super cub will be an excellent trainer for you. Getting used to 4 channels and that added benfit of another control surface.

Another benefit of these models is the punishment they can take and how forgiving they are after repairs.

I'm fortunate to have very tall grass in the fields where I fly so my landings comprise of a ditch into the safety net of tall grass.

I've got another confession too mate...

I've had my eye on another plane for a few weeks.

Just sold a heap of old stuff on ebay and with the proceeds I've decided to buy another plane.

I've always fancied something with an EDF (Electric Ducted Fan). My mate has got a couple of EDF Jets and they sound incredible. So powerful and imensely fast.

So, Dave, have a look at whats heading my way.. (have a look at the vid - its rapid!! )

http://www.wheelspinmodels.co.uk/i/123673/

Can you see the danger of having a Tx that aircraft bind too? Its incredibly tempting to go out and buy a BNF plane.

Two in a week!

The wife will go spare...

[DaveB]

Spare indeed! Mine said nothing when I told her about the prang.. a wise move

Looking at the leads with that charger, there's not one for the P51 connector Mercy me! I've charged (or I think I've charged) the Cub battery up.. we'll have to see I didn't see the 'Balance' option for it either despite the balance plug being in the side.

Something I meant to ask.. perhaps I've already asked. Do you use a timer or just play it by ear.. for flying that is? I didn't have time to go anywhere in the P51 before the ding but I felt uncomfortable with the Cub. It goes fast even when it's slow (compared to the Champ) and I had visions of suddenly losing control and off it'd go into the wild blue yonder

ATB
DaveB

[VEGAS]

Hi Dave,

The iMax comes with some weird and wonderful connectors. Many of them useless for us.

You'll need a Tamiya to EC3 connector. The connector from it is compatible with your connectors supplied with the charger.

It looks like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tamiya-Mini-M ... 2572d00a49

That will link straight to your batteries.

Yes I do have a timer. Its on the Tx. You can set it as you wish.

I set it as follows;

Radian - 30 Mins

Wildcat/Mustang - 6 Mins

That duration leaves plenty of juice in the battery for any required go-arounds.

When the timer runs down to zero an alarm sounds to remind you to bring her in.

I also get a one minute from time warning alarm.

[DaveB]

Hello Mate

This gets more complicated by the second I can't see how that would fit the adaptors we have with the iMax.. must be having a senior moment Surely we need something to fit into the EC3 connector from the battery (the output) that will match one of the plugs supplied with the charger The mini end of that would, I guess fit into one of the adaptors.. T shape female one end.. red flat the other which would then be plugged into the male T, the other end of which will go into the charger but that still leaves the output leads not connected to the battery. Shoot me please

ATB
DaveB

[VEGAS]

Ok. I've just taken a couple of snaps to try and show the connectors and the Tamiya connector.



The wires on the left are the supplied ones. One end goes in the charger (red to red/black to black). The other end goes into the little connector that you'll need to buy.

The wire in the middle is the little connector(the one you'll buy). One end has a Tamiya connection and the other is EC3.

The battery is obviously on the right.

Here is everything connected together.



Clear as mud?

I think I've confused myself!!

[DaveB]

Ah.. I see. I don't have that connector you have. My large red/black connectors (the ones that fit into the charger) have a shitty red/brown T shaped connector on t'other end. Can you see now why I was confused All of the connectors I had in the box end (or start) with the T shaped plug.. either male or female

So.. when all is said and done, I need an EC3 to female T connector in order to charge the P51 battery.. that or cut the chuffin plugs/connectors off and add some of my own.. which I'll have to source as I don't have any. Let me see what I can dig up on ebay

Tks for taking the trouble to shoot and post those pics btw

EDIT.. here ya go. All the connectors in my box are deans (T-shape) but this little tinker will do the job..
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/C8009BV2-Fema ... 6rk%3D1%26

ATB
DaveB