RE: 83' VQ models P-38 electric conversion   
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RE: 83' VQ models P-38 electric conversion - 1/11/2005 3:30 PM   
mookie1


 

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From: Charleston, SC, USA
Status: offline 		Sturtz,
Thanks for the praise. I think you should use the smaller Hacker motors or Axi motors. With a 5 lb plane it will not kill your pocket book. The Hacker just has more power; having said that I still use the AXI motors with a lot of success. Call Kirk from New Creations at 936.856.4630. He has really helped me in the past configure the proper system and they have good prices. Good luck.

Kram,
The batteries slide in and out very easily. The whole field set up is really quick. I put the wing on then slide the flap linkage in then flip it over and screw the wing on and slide the batteries in and thats it!. Oh I pump up my retracts and test them and screw on the turbo covers(they took the longest). Then just turn on my motor switches run it up once and go for it.
Yes my fleet is expanding. Here are a couple more.

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RE: 83' VQ models P-38 electric conversion - 1/12/2005 7:40 PM   
Bundy



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From: BundabergQueensland, AUSTRALIA
Status: offline 		Hi Mookie

Congratulations on your maiden flight - great job!! and how inspiring to see electric power emerging from park flyer status.

My Ziroli 101" B-25 conversion Mk2 is progressing slowly with time being in very short supply this time of year. Flight metal is fantastic stuff but can't be rushed. Mk1 B-25 weighted in at 36lb. I like to work on a figure of 100 watts/lb when working how much power is needed for safe flying. This meant I needed a max of 3600 watts of power - 1800watts from each motor. The Plettenberg 370 -50/A3 can handle this, 2 x 5S4P lipos per motor provide the power. I used variable pitch Solo props to tweak the pitch to set the max current to 45 amps but having found the ideal size, I'll use carbon fibre props on Mk2 to save about 2lbs of weight.

I don't change my batteries at the flying field or charge them out there either. Taking 2 planes out and with 30 min flying time from each I can fit in my hour of flying and still be back home in time for work.

Again great effort and more power to the electric conversions. I should have some much more meaningful pics of the power plants in this new B-25 conversion in the next month or so.

Richard

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RE: 83' VQ models P-38 electric conversion - 1/12/2005 8:31 PM   
Sturtz



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From: El Reno, OK, USA
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RE: 83' VQ models P-38 electric conversion - 1/16/2005 3:27 PM   
Glacier Girl



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From: Lakeland, FL, USA
Status: offline 		Mookie,
Man, your fleet is making the me look like a real amateur,beautiful jobs.
P.S. I can feel for you, trying to explain the money it cost to build a masterpiece,to your family, ie: WIFE!!!!. "you spent HOW MUCH for that!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No wonder they want you committed. If they do succeed, let them know I'll be more then happy to clean out that "JUNK" for them.
Good luck with the P40, never tell them where the money's hidden.
BJ

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RE: 83' VQ models P-38 electric conversion - 2/5/2005 8:57 PM   
twinman



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I am speechless on your flight and accomplishment. Fantastic. My VQ has two ST 90's and yours takes off from Grass!!!
I had no idea that electrics had progressed that far. NO fear of single engine flame out.
(Great...I have five gas twins and a B-17......that now have glow fishing weights attached...14 engines...obsolete.)
Twinman

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RE: 83' VQ models P-38 electric conversion - 2/6/2005 12:39 AM   
Sturtz



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From: El Reno, OK, USA
Status: offline 		Come on Twinman !!! Do a conversion for us Sir !!! Your electric questions for the power plants will get answered fast around here.
And it's always cool to see another double devil 38 . Nitro or elec.


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RE: 83' VQ models P-38 electric conversion - 2/6/2005 3:06 AM   
twinman



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Thank you for the invitation to the Electric Club. Let me consider this one. Possibly have an idea. If I get into it, you can bet there will be questions.
Thanks for the eye opener, Mookie
Twinman

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RE: 83' VQ models P-38 electric conversion - 2/8/2005 3:47 AM   
mookie1


 

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Status: offline 		Thanks Twinman I was wondering if you would see the end results. Thanks in part to your tips my conversion was a success. You really should think about trying this sometime; both my motors run perfectly in sync every time. If you need any help on the electric side I'm right here.

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RE: 83' VQ models P-38 electric conversion - 2/12/2005 12:25 AM   
twinman



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Status: offline 		Fantastic job. You know, even the sound is somewhat similar to the drone of the supercharged Allisons. They did not hammer like radials. Or....is that hammering I hear each time I fly my VQ with ST 90's,,,the sound of a hammering heart??
Mmm.
Thanks from all the modeling bunch to enlighten us on the current state of electronics. I know I did not know the power of electrics was up to that point.
Thanks again,
Twinman

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RE: 83' VQ models P-38 electric conversion - 3/5/2005 7:08 AM   
greggK


 

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Status: offline 		Awesome... 3 quick questions? Can you counter rotate the motors (where do you get the prop)? How much does the model weigh(is that with or w/out the batts and motors? What size props?Thanks

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RE: 83' VQ models P-38 electric conversion - 3/9/2005 3:58 AM   
mookie1


 

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Status: offline 		GreggK, you can counter rotate the motors by changing a wire on the speed controller but finding large enough pusher props will be tough. 15X10. The model weighs about 17lbs all up.

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RE: 83' VQ models P-38 electric conversion - 4/3/2005 6:50 AM   
ramboman


 

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From: waterloo, AR, BELGIUM
Status: offline 		I have got 16*8 contra from master airscrew for my bronco; they should fit


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RE: 83' VQ models P-38 electric conversion - 4/4/2005 3:57 AM   
mookie1


 

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Status: offline 		ramboman, is that a wooden prop or an e-prop?

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RE: 83' VQ models P-38 electric conversion - 4/13/2005 4:49 AM   
ramboman


 

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From: waterloo, AR, BELGIUM
Status: offline 		a black plastic prop designed for glow... normal & reverse (pull & push) see master airscrew site
good luck



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RE: 83' VQ models P-38 electric conversion - 5/4/2005 1:23 AM   
kirkvistain


 

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From: Gurnee, IL, USA
Status: offline 		Mookie, wow! Beautiful conversion. I recently converted a VQ Macchi C.205, using an AXI 4120/18 and 14 1900mAh cells. Its flight is very scale, and I can get at least 8 minutes out of the pack. I love electrics, probably because I spent my working career as an electronics tech/engineer, and, because I don't have to spend 20 mins. wiping the castor oil off the fuselage. Not to mention that, with electrics, you can turn 'em off and float awhile, without worrying about a restart. In any case, your P38 saga has given me the confidence I need to convert my Top Flite Airacobra to electric. When I first started building it, two years ago, those AXI outrunners weren't available, so I put a .90 4 stroke in it, and never flew. Recently sold the engine on Ebay and am designing an electric power pod for the P39. Feel free to head over to my website, http://www.vistain.com to view pix of my models, as well as the full scale birds they are based on.

Once again, congratulations on a beautiful conversion. And your videographer deserves a pat on the back, too. It is not easy to get an autofocus video camera to work as well as his did, in the twilight, with a high speed object. I had a hell of a time tracking full size planes at the Reno Air Races in bright sunlight.

Fly low. Go Fast. Turn Left.

Kirk


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RE: 83' VQ models P-38 electric conversion - 5/6/2005 3:29 AM   
mookie1


 

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Status: offline 		Kirk, thanks for the kind words. Your web site is great and the projects are top notch. Please keep me posted on the flight reports on the conversion. Lets see some more pictures posted. Good luck.

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RE: 83' VQ models P-38 electric conversion - 5/13/2005 3:33 AM   
DEdwards_2000


 

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Status: offline 		Congrats on your maiden flight.

I was wondering if you could summarize all the relevant electric stuff in a single post so the rest of us could learn as much as possible. Some of it is listed in past posts but it would be useful to have it all together.

What was the exact prop (size,pitch, brand, profile: thin electric etc) you used ?
Did you measure the current drawn by the AXIs under full power ? Did you ever get a chance to measure the RPM ?
Did I get it correct that each motor is powered by 2x3S4P = 6S4P 8000mah TP ? What "C" rating ?
Do you have any feel for how many minutes of average flight time the 8000 would probably give you (or conversely did your charger tell you how much it had to put back in after the flight) ?
What was the throttle position for level cruising around ?
I can't remember, did you use counter-rotating props ?
Did I read that the final all up weight was 17lbs ? Do you know how that would compare to a glow powered setup ?
Do you know its wing loading off hand ?
Do you happen to know what one of the 3S4P packs weigh ?
Where relative to the main spar did the packs end up being positioned to achieve the target CG ? (And I guess where is the CG relative to the spar) ?
Once in the air, did the plane (and throttle response) feel A) particularly lively, B) average (normal for a sport plane:glow or electric) or at all sluggish ? (ie how happy were you with the available power and power to weight ratio) ?
For those of us who have to fly off grass (I do), did moving to harder and slightly larger wheels satisfactorily completely solve the liftoff problem or is there still a need for improvement ? (My field has nothing in common with a golf "green"!)
Anything you would do different ?
Given the large number of servos, do you think making use of mini/micro servos be worth considering from a weight reduction perspective ?

Best of luck with future flights.


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RE: 83' VQ models P-38 electric conversion - 5/13/2005 3:50 PM   
mookie1


 

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Status: offline 		DEdwards, I flew the plane this past weekend and I had no problems taking off. The larger and stronger gear really helped on grass. The plane feels fine in the air, not sluggish or slow. I did some loops and rolls and the roll were really pretty quick! I would use the Thunder Power new light batteries to save wt. Also a Hacker motor may be a little stronger and more efficient but it really flies fine. I think I can get 3 flights out of my packs. Two fairly long flights is enough for me in one day. I still have yet to delpoy my flaps which makes for a fast landing. I broke my front strut again on my landing. It was not the smoothest and the gear bent then broke. I am just happy to have it in one piece when it is on the ground. It still gets my heart going while in flight but again it is super stable and look killer in flight. I took it to an electric fly-in and was "bell of the ball".
As far as the CG is concerned I got lucky and the only spot, in the pods in front of the wheels, worked perfect. I can't move the batteries even if I wanted to. I cut the firewall just to squeeze then in. The TP light batteries are smaller too if you buy those. I used a 15X10 prop I think and the amp draw was 45. I have about 1" prop clearance. I think you should use smaller servos if they will work; anything to save wt. Good luck and I will try to post my flight from this weekend.

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RE: 83' VQ models P-38 electric conversion - 5/13/2005 4:38 PM   
DEdwards_2000


 

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Status: offline 		Mookie1. Thanks for the great update. Building an electric P38 has been at the top of my build wish list for a number of years but issues like our less than ideal grass field and the size and weight of these planes for electric power has made me hesitate. Now I don't have any excuses.

Have a great flying season. Keep us updated and above all keep up the regular maintenance/retightening schedule. We all want to see this plane flying for years.

Dave

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RE: 83' VQ models P-38 electric conversion - 5/22/2005 11:00 AM   
Bundy



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From: BundabergQueensland, AUSTRALIA
Status: offline 		Hi Mookie

My Ziroli B-25 electric conversion is ready for her maiden. I've attached a few pics of the business end(s) to show you how it came together.

I had problems on the first B-25 with electrical interference from the motors causing the PCM failsafe to cut in and out a few times - have you had any radio problems with the bigger twin electrics? I've never had any problems with these same motors in single engined planes. This time I've miminized all the wiring and am now using a Schulze reciever especially designed for electric planes which so far is working extremely well. It has a small LED built into it that flashes to indicate how many bad signals it has recieved which has made refining the wiring to reduce noise much easier.

The battery packs in each nacelle are 2 x 5S4P Thunderpower pro-lites and with the much lighter 2 bladed 18 x 10 electric props are producing around 1700watts each motor. It is so easy to balance an electric plane by just moving the batery packs and not having to add useless balast!

Weather and work permitting I hope to have some pics and maybe a video of her first outing this week.

Richard


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RE: 83' VQ models P-38 electric conversion - 5/22/2006 8:38 PM   
nemesis4u



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Nice conversion..ANy updates or new video? I tried accessing the video but no luck?
any new link to the video?
Thanks

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RE: 83' VQ models P-38 electric conversion - 5/23/2006 1:21 AM   
speed is life



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Status: offline 		Hi guys,
Thought I'd add my .02 cents worth to the Electric VQ P-38 arena...........usually hang out over at RCGoofs or WattFlyer in EDF's. Tomas @ VQ implored me to post here and over at "twins".

Got the kit about 2 years ago and have finally finished it and flown. It has AXI 41/30/16's, CC Phx 60's, Master Airscrew 3 blade (counter rotating) 16x10 cut to 15", TP6s3p6000ProLite's each side. SpringAirs with 100degree nose, JMP door sequencer and CenturyJet pistons for the gear doors, pilot by Aces of Iron.
AUW is a portly 19.5lbs however it flys just fine with 110watts/lb. The flaps help the landings.
Cheers,
Mike

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RE: 83' VQ models P-38 electric conversion - 5/24/2006 7:01 AM   
TargetG


 

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Status: offline 		Mike,

I'm converting one now, and wanted to ask you how did you adapted the props?

THX

Leon G

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RE: 83' VQ models P-38 electric conversion - 5/24/2006 2:35 PM   
speed is life



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From: Larkspur, CO, USA
Status: offline 		Hi Leon,
I used spinners from TrueTurn http://www.tru-turn.com/product_line.html
They have developed a collet adapter that solves the spinner mounting issue. The "FAI" spinner style is a perfect match for the P-38 profile.
-Mike

< Message edited by speed is life -- 5/24/2006 2:36 PM >

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RE: 83' VQ models P-38 electric conversion - 5/12/2009 12:54 AM   
voodoodb



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Status: offline 		Speed, how long of a flight do you get with your packs in the P38?

Thnaks
Doug

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