Libertarian

Hey Gunracer. I like that vent! Nice work! I need to do that too since mine really runs hot. I had also seen corsair nut's version a few months ago. They look like the real thing too pretty much which is "cool" heh heh

guy5927

Thanks Lib .... found out the hard way myself [:@] ...

Remind me never to pull near-verticals when the liolpy is nearly depleted .. lawndarted into some high weeds, no damage ( count our blessings)

It's my fault really : I'v been using an unbranded 45 dollar 2000 mah pack for 30 flights or so on nihm-cutoff .... timing the flights ... but I got greedy and flew more and more minutes ...last flight it performed poorly so I removed the jumper ...latest flight was only 13 mins before lipoly-cutoff ... also charges only 60 percent of normal capacity .... I guess that's the packs way of saying thank you for mistreating me ...

afpe45

@Libertarian,

CofG Is recomended at between 2.75" inch to 3", but cheched mine stock with stock nmh battery and it is 2.50" as you say.
I measured from centre of leading edge.
afpe45.

Libertarian

afpe45 thanks for verifying that cog for me.

Yeah a LONG time ago I trashed a stang doing that exact thing. I was too far away to hear it die and by the time I figured out WHY it had fallen backward (looked for all the world like a Hammerhead stall[X(]) I could not gather it up before it lawn darted straight in. It was only about 120 feet up at the time also. I now try to fly about 200 feet or more up (or 3 mistakes high) and can pretty much always recover no matter when the motor quits.

electriceye

Hi,

Sorry I ammended my details. I live in the South. I understand your suggestion, in fact 'back in the day' when I had my rubber band powered actuator and single channel R/C (don't laugh, it was proably the same kit Pontius used when he was a pilot-boom! boom!) I built a 'V' tail slope soarer. It flew well except we haven't got any slopes round here!! Being a young teenager I threw it off Box Hill, the closest thing we have to a slope for miles, over a busy 'A' road with only car parks etc to come down on if I lost it-I couldn't do that now I'm a responsible adult!! I realise of course that the reason I found my 'stang so dificult was that it was on high mode so it was far too sensitive for my untrained hands. On low mode there seems to be so little movement on the surfaces though, I didn't think you would get much or any control, but I guess that small movement is all it needs and makes it more docile.?(The instructor who flew it would not enetrtain low mode which I quite understand, if you know what you are doing.) Next weekend I'll get him to take it up then switch to low mode and see how I get on then. Failing that I'll have to get a cub or something and train. Please let me know how you get on. Did you fly it in high or low mode? The most dificult part of launching is getting reasonable grip I found?

Any 'newbies' managed to get on with the PZ Mustang on 'low mode' and not trash it!!!

L0stS0ul

I was a newbie actually when I got this plane. When I bought the P-51 my only other flight experience was a HobbyZone Commander (original one) and a PZ Cub. The P-51 was my third plane. I was scared to death from all the horror stories from people on here when launching it. To be honest every time I go to launch my plane, even after over 120 flights, I still get the butterflies in my stomach. I keep thinking eventually I'm going to see this launching problem lol.

I flew the plane on low rates for 2 flights. Then switched to high rates and never went back.

Here's something funny, my avatar picture is the third launch I ever did of the plane. Ended in my only serious crash with the plane. I hit a tree when I was landing it and damaged the wing.

I have heard a lot about the differences from the original plane that was released and some of the upgrades that Parkzone has done. I wonder if some of these upgrades could be the problem. I can only imagine that with the wing having a 5mm depron skin now that it's a little heavier than mine. I also wonder if there might have been a slight change in the airfoil of the wing due to the size change. I just don't understand cause mine flies so wonderfully. I plan on making a new video the next time I go out that shows all of what this plane can do.

electriceye

Dear LOst SOul
It does seem strange that some people have such disastrous experiences and others like you and me have excellent ones (Whilst I didn't do the flying,) it did everything you could expect or ask if not more, as yours does, all stock. I suppose like a lot of manufactured things, they are not always of similar standard, some very good, most mediocre, some poor. Maybe we got lucky? Mind you if I flew it first off, with my lack of experience I would have smashed it right up and might blame the plane if I didn't know better? ( no offense meant to anyone who is not happy, perhaps you did get a bad'un?)I knew a guy who spent £150,000 on a Bently (the car), had nothing but trouble, oil leaks, poor paint work. Mased produced can't all be identical. Go figure as you would say?

Anything that can fly like yours does and mine can FOR THE PRICE has got to be alright? Looking forward to your next vid-

mbj

L0stS0ul,
A new video sounds great! The first one helped me alot and I thank you!
My hand luanches are effortless now and with a little head wind yesterday around 10mph it goes right up!
Is thier any chance that you can include a landing?


I Had an accident yesterday which pretty much destroyed the plane... But With a little 2 part glue and some packing tape I was able to fly it again altho I am in need of the fusalage and motor mount.
It cracked all of the plastic parts around the battery ripped the fusalage off just in front of the wings, battery went flying but I managed to keep from damaging the wings!

I was coming around to make an approach for landing when I made a few fatal mistakes
I first turned left a little sharp too avoid trees, and too make it worse I was only 20 feet off the ground going with the wind. I have learned going with the winds 10mph it drops alot more!
I had ran the same pattern 5 or 6 times but kept running out of room for a soft landing.
This was my second flight of the day and I had a feeling before I left the house but chose to ignore it.

3rd flight after repairs went well!
Atleast I have learned something and I am still able too fly it.

Has anyone ordered a new fusalage with the electronics?
I am wondering if it comes with everything I would need to put into another plane.
I want to replace my fusalage with the new one then maybe stick the old reciever and esc into another type of plane. Just not sure what it comes with since the sites I have veiwed just say electronics. Doesnt seem too include the servos but I am hoping I am wrong.
Any help would be appreciated!

kahloq

I think you'd be sorely dissappointed with a trainer cub or something similar. Although sure it will allow you to learn to fly, once you do that, its of no real use anymore. If I may, I would rather suggest that you get the Parkzone 3D typhoon....yes...the Typhoon. WHY???? Because on low rates, its one of the most stable planes out there. Also, it'll use the same batteries you have for the P-51 so you'll have an extra one for use with P-51 or two to use with the Typhoon. The plane flies decent on the stock Nimh battery. The included transmitter(for the RTF package) is a nice standard 4 channel radio that can be used in any plane. It also does even have a 5th channel(for flaps or gear) depending on what jumper settings you have on the rx. You can get an ARF version of this plane, but. you'd need a 4 channel radio to fly it so if you dont already own one, the RTF package is the way to go.
I learned to fly on this plane and it is very resilient to damage(easily fixed). Its thick foam instead of the thin depron of the P-51. It also has landing gear which can be used either on a runway or on grass.
Another benefit, is after you get proficient at flying...you can upgrade both planes with lipo with only changing a jumper setting on the rx's and if you want, can transplant the brushless motor from typhoon over to the P-51 at a later time.

L0stS0ul

I still like to fly my cub around the field It's a very relaxing flier where all the rest of my planes my me concentrate a lot on lol. I like having a lazy day flier. I think that's why so many people keep their Slo-V's and SlowSticks around as well.

I'll make sure to get the landing in the video as well. I'll give the ol wife orders lol like she'll listen.

kahloq

I agree on the relaxing flier thing. For me, my 3D typhoon is just that. it is a real easy flier on low rates. Plus, if you want, flip the switch and add more excitement, but I udnerstand why so many ppl like the high wing plane to just throw up and fly without much worry. Thats how my Typhoon behaves(low rates) and I love it.

Libertarian

I think I agree with Kahloq. I'd go for the more useful Typhoon for all of the reasons he mentioned.

electriceye I used Low rates for a long time when I first started flying this plane. 8 fuses and only about 3 wings later I now prety much exclusively use Hi rates, but then I STILL overcontrol often on landings. I'll think, "I'm just gonna come in slow and low and do a small flare up as I kill the motor".[8D] Almost every time I am bouncing it up and down 2 to 4 feet rather than the smooth low landings I used to get on low rates. I did everything (including rolls and loops) on low rates that I now do on Hi rates and the loops were usually better on low rates! Hi rates just makes the tricks easier, not the rest of the flying, IMHO unless you get in a sticky spot where Hi rates might (or might not) get you out. At first you are just as likely to overcontrol on them and crash anyway.

Crashcrazy

Completely agree with Kahlog and Lib re the Typhoon as a trainer with extra potential. I started with gliders, then an aerobird extreme, several strykers, then mustang and finally Typhoon and without a doubt the most stable model in the air and the easiest to fly is the Typhoon. Granted that by the time I got the Typhoon I had about 2-3 years of practice but I still think it is almost idiot proof for all of the reasons mentioned previously. Just look at its physical characteristics - low wing loading, massive prop (almost heli size), huge control surfaces with power to burn - certainly if you give the controls plenty of stick it will go mental and I guess that is where problems might come in but if you contain yourself and go easy for a while I think it is absolutely the most painless learning experience. Exhibit 1 - wife, never RC'd before EVER came with me the other day and I managed to get her to take the controls for about 1 min and she did a complete recce of the field using only rudder and elevators. For me it comes down to this (others may disagree) - with the Strykers and P51s/ Fw190 etc even reasonably tweaked on the darkside you still have to concentrate 100% all the time and be thinking about 3 moves ahead (like chess). With the Typhoon I can be 10 metres off the ground, do something nuts/stupid and still loop roll out and then try something else crazy. Typhoon - approx 100 flights, 0 crashes (touch wood); mustang and stryker - about 20 crashes across 5 models with 1 terminal stryker which ended up looking like bean bag filler. Last weekend went with all 3 to the field - 8 batts charged - put the mustang up twice and used all the other batts in the Typhoon and went home happy - stryker missed out.

As for specifics electriceye - I still sometimes launch on low rates with no problems (yet to have a launch crash) but my other mustang is a pig and needs high rates and heaps of thought all of the time (several launch crashes). From after launch and landing always high rates. I have found that mine fly better with a bit of wind and hence try to fly the mustangs with a reasonable amount of wind but only if it is coming from a constant direction. A bit of a run and chuck might help if you are still having trouble launching?

Libertarian

I agree with Crashcrazy. A little wind helps a lot. A few times I flew in no wind conditions and launches were tough to accomplish since the plane would sink almost to the ground before getting up enough airspeed to climb. This was very exciting and looked really neat. [X(]

HEY GUYS, GET EM WHILE THEY'RE AVAILABLE!!! Just like my Multipod![link=http://www.tufflight.com/5n1vidcam.html]Verbatim video cameras![/link]

kahloq

Ouch $115 dollars. Thats the cost of one E-flite Power 10 outrunner PLUS a 40 amp esc Note: I will be using 4 of these on an electric conversion 78" wingspan B-17

KingCobra79

OOH the B17 is my favorite airplane. I want one, where did you get it?

I crashed and burned Frankie #2 this morning. This is with the Typhoon motor and I was flying fast and for a while. On a loop, at the top, I had an ESC shutdown. The LHS said it was the probably using a large pinion and large prop. So I just made a Frankie #3 (yes, all new parts, except the stab is holding up quite well!) and installed a 9x4.5 APC electric. The power is extreme and spins MUCH FASTER. Frankie will fly tomorrow and I'll let you know how he does. The ESC that failed was a 40 amp E-Flite. Currently I have installed a 20A E-flite installed-reco by LHS. And it barely got warm in a static test with the small prop.

Rube Goldberg

By FAR the worst part of the design with the Parkzone P-51D and the FW-190 is the fit of the pinion gear on the electric motor. I've spun them off of both the P-51 and the FW-190 several times now, each time with a different approach at fastening the pinion to the shaft.

Attempt #1: Foam compatible CA and baking soda with a shot of accelerant. Lasts for about 20 seconds at full throttle.

Attempt #2: Thin CA and accelerant only after "roughing up" the shaft with a file and coarse sandpaper. Even put the shaft in a vise to try and deform it from a circular cross section to more of an elipse. Lasted one flight.

Attempt #3: Sig Epoxolite putty. Lasted 20 seconds at full throttle.

Attempt #4: Thick gap filling CA and accelerant on the roughened, viced shaft. 2 1/2 flights.

Attempt #5: The "current fix of the day" and the one I'm counting on holding. Removing the entire engine assembly (as was done in all the other fixes) down to just the electric motor, take the pinion gear and put a slight chamfered bevel on the hole that fits the shaft at one end of the pinion with your pocket knife/exacto whatever. Just a little bit is all that is needed. Now then, you look around and find a bag of heat shrink tubing from your local radio shack. cut a piece about 1/2 longer than the motor shaft, slip it over the shaft leaving about 1/16 gap between the end of the tubing and the motor, heat the tubing up with a lighter to shrink it to the shaft....let cool completely. Take pinion gear and slip it over the excess tubing with the beveled end of the gear towards the motor. Get it started on straight at the shaft, and try to pull the gear onto the shaft over the tubing while pulling on the end of the tubing to stretch it and make it thinner! At some point, invert the engine and push down HARD to finally slide the gear into position. If you wind up with a small "accordian" of tubing at the motor, cut it off with your knife. I think this is going to be the ticket!

L0stS0ul

try RED loctite, it won't go anywhere if you let it dry properly and scuff up the motor shaft a bit.

kahloq

There are a few B-17's in this general size range. The eam.net B-17 is 70" and is designed for electrics. There is also the Cedarhobbies.org B-17 ARF kit that is still in prototype stages, but can be bought at its current stage of design($425 on sale till june 20th...reg. price of 485). This one is designed for .15 - .25 or slightly larger glow engines. There are the stick build kits like Guillows, or Don Smith or any number of other complicated builds.
The plane I am being sent is one for research and devlopment purposes from Cedarhobbies. I was approached by the company to do an electric conversion for their plane and make whatever modifications I felt needed to make the plane look as good as I could. They had been approached by several customers about an electric versions so they contacted me to do it and see what i could come up with. I am to provide a review for publishing on whatever websites they deem appropriate and give plenty of pics of what I did and mods I made and the basic build process.

Rube Goldberg

oops--forgot Attempt #2A: BLUE loctite on roughened shaft. Lasted 20 seconds as well !

gunracer

dare hobby also has a nice looking b-17....and it's set up for brushed motors...when it's all said and done you're looking at over 500 bones, the time it takes to build it plus having to find an actual flying field...decisions, decisions...

http://www.darehobby.com/airplane-el...flyingfortress

Crashcrazy

Attempt #5 sounds like it should make things hold! I have used red loctite before a few times but mine still eventually let go. A few times I haven't been careful with the overrun and glued the motor shaft stuck as well like an idiot! I think someone way back when found a potential metal gear replacement - anyone remember or am I dreaming?

afpe45

@Crashcrazy.
No you arn't dreaming, its on here somewhere just look back a few (lot ) of pages

afpe45.

AJ1202

I have a question, I have PZ P-51 and have managed to bang it up pretty good, I have determined that each time it was due to my letting it slow down during a turn and stalling ending in crash, the question is has anyone tryed changing the incedence of the wing to reduce the stall tendencies, I hear the P-47 can just float and slow to a crawl and I have looked at pics only but it looks like the wing incedence is more and just a bit more span at the tips. I'm just wandering if making a small change would help.

electriceye

Hi LOst SOul, sorry to be such a "wuss" over this, but after seeing my 'stang fly so well in the hands of an experienced flyer, I really don't want to trash it. You say you flew the first few times on 'Low' mode. There seems to be so little travel on the control surfaces I wondered if there was enough to get you out of trouble at initial launch? When you flew on those first flights (if you can remember) did you launch with any up trim? Full power? Once it was up, did you find the limited travel of the controls were sufficient and made the 'plane a bit more docile, so you could do some controled, gentle circuits, until you were confident? What trim did you have on the airolons and elevator?
I am really hoping to get where I can fly mine like yours(as per this guy flew mine for me, so I know it is well capable). I know you have contributed a lot to this topic, but any last things you can think of when you carried out those first 'awkward' flights that you haven't nentioned might be a great help.

Thanks