Flying for Real..

[VEGAS]

No probs Dave. I suppose it's my fault your in this!!

I can indeed see why the queries arose.

There are loads of connectors out there to suit your wires into EC3 battery.

Keeps it nice and neat and avoids the chopping and soldering process for the wires.

[DaveB]

I SUPPOSE it's my fault you're in this?? Good one Eddie

Adaptor sorted. Should be here in a few days I don't really need it yet as my 'glue job' is far from hard. Odd shit this Speed Epoxy. No matter how many times I make it up, it's different each time. I've a 'gob' here on my mixing tray that went off perfect.. so much so I didn't have enough time to use it all I quickly made another bit and ran out then got bored and just used the adhesive itself. I'm in no hurry so it SHOULD go off on it's own. I've topped the P51 battery up using the supplied car charger so I can still keep running anyway. All I need is something to put it in While I'm thinking about it, I may get a deans/EC3 adaptor so I can use the same battery in the Cub. Now.. let me get my head around this

EDIT: Dimwit alert. I've just ordered one for the charger haven't I. The same adaptor will allow me to use the P51 battery in the Cub Damn your hide Mr Vegas. I can't take much more of this!

ATB
DaveB

[DaveB]

Eddie..

I found the 'Balance' setting on the charger and the Cub's battery is now charging at 1.3 as suggested It's already been running for 28mins which is a darned sight longer than the first charge but in all honesty, I was a bit worried I had it setup wrong. Still.. it worked and I've just had the SCub out for it's second and third flights I love it to bits but boy.. do I find it intimidating or what. I guess it doesn't help having seen the P51 do a death roll yesterday I've had the fuse in the airing cupboard all night so if the glue hasn't gone off by now, it's not gonna

I need different grass on my common Ed. It's too long to allow the Cub to takeoff and land under it's own steam but not long enough to offer any sort of protection during a 'dump' landing. It's also too effin wet under foot. The water table here must be at the limit.. above the limit if you will. We only need a short drop of rain and puddles start appearing. Walk over there without wellies and you'd have wet feet after a very short time.. a few steps would do it Pity I'm not a rich mans pup otherwise I'd have a Hawk for just such conditions

Something I've also found that you'll be 'au fait' with.. what was once a vast area to fly the Champ in is now quite small It doesn't help that I'm frightened the Cub is gonna carry on and leave me. I'd be heart-broken if it did I only fly at a max of around 50% throttle.. less for the most part and it's still bloody quick. 75% is more than adequate for hand launch and I only get close to that again in panic mode

Get that bloody camera attached to the P51 and show us some aero's

EDIT: Me again. Is there any reason you can think of why I couldn't put the P51 rxer into the Wildcat (by this I mean putting the same rxer into the Wildcat not the one out of the P51 I have) It's not ideal but would allow me to use the ZX10 with both models until such time as I move them both to 2.4gig. I can actually buy an FMS 4ch 2.4gig system for less than the P51 receiver but it would mean having yet another txer! It's on ebay for £30 P51 27mhz rxers retail at just over £30 on their own.
EDIT#2: Not such a good idea. I've just realised the ZX10 is only 3-ch and the Wildcat is 4-ch. Perhaps the FMS 4-ch jobbie on ebay would do instead

ATB
DaveB

[DaveB]

Come on Eddie.. catch up

The P51 made it's second flight this morning and my 'control' thumb is still shaking though thankfully, less now than it was 20mins ago. Good job there aren't adjustable null zones on the ZX10 stick cause they'd have had to be at extra wide

I was full of confidence this morning..well, as much as you can have under the circumstances surrounding one flight, one crash The repair appeared to be firm but just in case, I got a big lazzy band off a face mask and looped it over the fuse behind the cockpit, under the wings, then over the fuse ahead of the cockpit. Visions of the wings coming off in flight buzzing loud in my head! Still.. that didn't happen. I made sure to keep my hands away from the 'so-easy-to-move' trim controls.. gave it a couple of notches of up trim and lobbed it into the wind.

Wind at body level was little but I could see the tops of the trees bending a fair bit so wasn't sure what to expect. In the event, it handled the upper winds pretty well I have to say. I kept it fairly high (fear of un-planned contact with the ground) and let it do a few straight-ish ccts for a min or two. I have the txer on low-rate which it advises and it still responds pretty well. Next time, I may go for full control as I didn't like low-rate much on the Champ. You needed full-rate to escape death

CCts of my grassy area are over all too quickly in the P51 and as I mentioned before, there's now a slight feeling of being hemmed in but above tree level.. that isn't a problem until it's time to land Successfully looped a few times.. tempted to fly inverted but bottled immediately Aileron rolls.. lovely I wish it had flaps to be honest with you.. it doesn't do slow at all does it. Slow=fast and fast is too fast to see I guess flaps would be in mortal danger of ground strike unless you had main gear fitted (which I have but don't intend to fit.. yet).

Kept cautiously looking at my watch and when approx 7mins had passed, I took it round for a couple of slow ccts (laugh!) until I felt comfortable enough and it was low enough for me to effect a landing. I walked all over the common before launching looking for dry areas with longer grass that weren't quagmire and there aren't many. One such area, the best as far as I could tell, is very close to a mini-pond which you can't see unless you're almost on top of it. That's what I aimed for and stopped about 12ft short of the uber-damp bit

So.. there we have it. Flight no.2 successfully completed with me mentally exhausted Will I ever be brave enough to fly it again? That's a big question I want to try and get the Wildcat running and quick option 'A' for that is to take the 6ch FMS rxer out of the Cub and lob it in the 'Cat. I need to replace a broken servo arm (sadly, one on the wing for the aileron which doesn't offer any sort of access) but have one ready to fit. Oh, and a cowl too which I'll source

Onwards and upwards

ATB
DaveB

[airboatr]

Dave,

How is SWMBO liking this. Or have you sedated her with the glue fumes. Thus eliminating the threat.

[DaveB]

Hi Joe

Well.. I got accused of 'taking over' this afternoon though I've no idea why. Ok.. so there's a Super Cub sitting on one table and the P51 leaning against the same table in the front room. My battery charger is on the floor next to 2 txers. My Champ box is still in the front room too and the Champ is sitting on top of a bookcase. Bit's of RC stuff are everywhere. I don't think she's realised that the front room is now my den She also complained she couldn't get fresh towels out of the airing cupboard because the P51 fuse was in there (baking the glue) but she's happy it's now gone but not where it's gone to. You could say she's happy but when are women ever happy? Fortunately, the Wildcat is out of sight (I tidied up) so I'm good with that! Her main gripe was that there wasn't room to put the dining table up but she managed in the end

That sounds terribly chauvinistic and it was meant to but I'm not really

ATB
DaveB

[VEGAS]

Hi Dave,

Great reading about your progress.

Apologies for not being on the ball with replies. I'm spinning plates all over the place these days. Especially with work & baby stuff.

Sounds very much like your mastering the Mustang and are already a sortie in front of me with her now.

I've only managed to take her up the once and was very impressed with her overall.

I know I keep saying it but your whole experience will change when you ditch that ghastly ZX10.

Can't beat the feeling of dual sticks.

Have a scan on ebay for those cowls. Around £7 for a pack of two. Very soft and flimsy plastic. Designed that way to be extra absorbant - like bog roll.

I had a very fast introduction into the world of EDF planes yesterday. Watch this space for the update!

[airboatr]

Dave.

Ahhh, so she probably wouldn't mind you building a small hanger out back then.

At any rate remember the rule of thumb when it comes to women.

If they's ain't complaing they ain't happy.

Hiya Eddie.

[DaveB]

Thanks mate

I openly admit I like the idea of these EDF jets. Having seen Dale's Hunter the other day didn't help either They really are just too darned fast for me at the moment but in the words of Sean Connery.. never say never

I watched that vid you posted of the Mig completely gobsmacked.. especially when it showed it being flown with equal vigour indoors. How the hell do folk get that good Kid's I suppose. They're more used to this sort of thing than oldies like me

Tell you what.. I quite fancy the Parkzone Spitfire...

I'm keen to get the Wildcat flying (as you've guessed) though what I'll probably do now is use the 6ch rxer currently in the SCub and use the FMS txer until I go 'Spektrum' later in the year.. perhaps come Christmas. It's a blinding good Chrimbo present idea Will you be going up to a DX8i or beyond by then I wonder?

Dunno how keen you are to have your P51 full 4-ch but you'll have no problem with the AR500 already fitted. Just lob a servo and control rods in (did you get control rods with it?) and hey presto. There's another good present idea for ya

Joe.. that's it mate. If they aint complainin'.. somethings wrong!

ATB
DaveB

[VEGAS]

I knew you'd fancy another warbird Dave. Thats what happens once your dragged in.

Parkzone make some beautys don't they?

I'm not tempted in the slightest to put another servo in the Mustang. I enjoy the simplist approach. 3Ch are perfect for me.

In fact I never bother with the Rudder in the Wildcat. I'd happily do without.

I can perform some trickey little aerobatics without any inputs from the rudder.

I'd like to see how the experts use the Rudder and what bonus it could offer. Stall turns and the like I suppose..

That little mig is truly mental. Makes the Warbirds look almost snail like..

Its size is the most worrying thing. Its so minute! Champ size. Can't believe something so tiny could perform like it does.

PS - Hiya Joe