JohnVH

My Feedback: (38)

beautiful bird, I wish KMP would make some more 80"++ birds (big bird legal, plus just cooler)

planeome

you've got an awsome plane!

nemesis4u

My Feedback: (77)

I have 3 sets of the SIERRA PRECISION KMP/ESM SBD DAUNTLESS RETRACTS instock... Just drop me an email if and when you are ready to update your gear!

BTW... I love that super scale cockpit !! REALLY KILLER!

-TOMAS
VQ WARBIRDS

[email protected]
www.vqwarbirds.com

Jimmy Bananas

My Feedback: (13)

I just re-paint the hole with the same color of paint...leave it open,just in case you have to re- balance the plane........You can get matching paint from Andrew at this address: [email protected]

As for the wire scheme for the flaps,a friend gave me the scheme for it,but will check with the JR radio people at Horizon. then I'll let you know how I did it..not too happy with it now,so next week I should have the correct one.....First trying to get a C-130 and a P-61 ready for the Multi fun fly in Ames Sept. 5th..then after that,test flights for the Dauntless...............

drifter

My Feedback: (53)

I know it's been said that the dive brakes were never used in a landing mode (and I've repeated it). Only when diving on a target were they to be deployed.

Would someone care to comment on this photo?
Obviously he is not on a bombing run. He has not just pulled out of a dive (the bomb is still there).
And, the landing gear is extended, so he is not about to start a dive. What's going on? Photoshopped? [sm=71_71.gif]

JohnVH

My Feedback: (38)

photo pass?

LDM

My Feedback: (15)

yes , I know this one , the pilot was flying past a nude beach , he needed to slow down .

drifter

My Feedback: (53)

I think the photo was faked. It is probably a plastic model posed as if in flight.

Anyone ever see a real SBD flying in that configuration?


Just confirmed the fake - http://www.hsgalleries.com/gallery04/sbdas_1.htm
So as far as we know it's still not safe to fly in that configuration

Jimmy Bananas

My Feedback: (13)

Hey Drifter:

Thanx for exposing the fake photo...never hurts to do a little searching when in doubt.....BTW, boys and girls, have the correct radio scheme for the Dauntless flaps...You do need a match box..all 3 flaps are working in unison...will put it here tonite,so keep your eyes opened and peeled for the great explaniton...

Catch ya Later

Evil_Merlin

My Feedback: (13)

Here is what the SBD really looks like coming in for a landing. Mind you this is really an A-24 painted to look like a SBD.

warbird51

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Evil, I know you know it's an A-25 instead of an A-26.

drifter

My Feedback: (53)

I'm confused. I thought the Army designation was A-24.

Evil_Merlin

My Feedback: (13)

A-24. Fat finger. My bad! The A-26 is the Invader. The A-25 is the Army version of the Helldiver called the Shrike.

warbird51

My Feedback: (12)

It's an A-something or other...LOL Maybe I should do my KMP SBD into an A-24. That is a great picture BTW.

Jimmy Bananas

My Feedback: (13)

Hi People:

OK, here it is ..the radio scheme for the dauntless flaps....Pictures show more than I can explain....hope this helps...enlarge photo to get a better picture of it...

RF.....Right Flap
LF..... Left Flap
CF.....Center Flap

Scheme for JR Matchbox.....Sorry can't help if you have a differnet brand radio

Any questions on this(And I know there will be some), write to me and I'll answer it as best as I can...BTW, C-130 flew great...Video should on you tube I beleive sometime today...enjoy

Banana man over and out...................

Evil_Merlin

My Feedback: (13)

That's what I've been thinking too.

I want to hear a bit more about how they fly first. The problems with the ESM/KMP Bf 109 flights have me a little nervous.

alanc

talked to the owner of the blinged one mentioned earlier, he reports it fly superbly, and, in fact, for some reason, wants Wayne to do another,

as for the 109, mine flys superbly, so do all of ours, what are you lot doing so wrong?

Evil_Merlin

My Feedback: (13)

I'll wait till there are some flight reports still. I mean it HAS to fly better than the 109... that wing is just huge and the airfoil so much more forgiving (assuming they are using semi-scale airfoils)...

Jimmy Bananas

My Feedback: (13)

To All Who It May Concern:

Test flew the plane yesterday and it was a battle to get back down...The CG is way off...at present location,it ( 125mm) it is VERY tail heavy and squirrely to fly, So am moving the CG up at least 10mm (3/16") or better...Landing gear didn't hold up (Rough landing),so will probably order Sierra Precision's gear..Will order from Tomas at VQ Warbirds ...The G-26 is the right engine to have in it...Will make the neccesary adjustments and then try to fly it again..hopefully,the next test flight will be more successful.......................got to mention, NO, I didn't use any flaps what so ever..It might of snapped roll if i did......

Jimmy Bananas

My Feedback: (13)

Tomorrow will test fly the Dauntless agin..have moved CG forward 7/16" and moved battery pack behind the firewall..now it balances nose heavy between 10-15 degrees.....going to fly it thata way....also couldn't get the 3 sectional flaps to operate right with a match box so it's either full up or full down..flaps set at 30 degrees....will try to have a video of it also.....

Here's looking at you ,kid

Banana man......................

LDM

My Feedback: (15)

Good luck JB , remember when in doubt with the CG I use the 25% of max cord menthod , measured near the fuse /wing closest point , has never failed me ,
Good luck today

Jimmy Bananas

My Feedback: (13)

Really don't know how to start this comment,but it did fly,but same problem as before,tail heavy...the CG is not correct...always wanting to climb,and i had full down trim in it...flew ok at half throttle,but went I pushed the throttle open to full power, it still want to climb ar an alarming rate...I beleive the CG is way off..suggest anyone building this plane,start with a 25% CG point..also check the incidence, and maybe put some down trust in the engine...

The mishap happen on landing...was trying to land and didn't have enough power and the LG dug in and torn up the wing pretty bad...flaps were down ( 30 degrees)and no ill affects there...It didn't pitch up or down when applied...Alot of nice comments about the plane...You can blame this mishap on pilot error, do everything I suggest to do before you fly iy....I might get another kit and try again...really put alot of time and effort in building this bird...It looks like the only plane I can fly at the present time, is my C-130.....no problems there....

So like I said, do everything I suggested to do before you take it out to the field........nuff said

Doug47

My Feedback: (24)

Just beautiful work Jimmy, man, you have a gift for the detail bud.
Speaking of a gift , saving that thing with a CG jacked up showed some serious flying skill as well.
We've all done it. On a maiden flight of a little, but incredibly fast Alfa ME-109 I would've had the smoking hole if I had just a couple clicks of down trim less than I had. In the end to fly right the CG wound up where it always does for me....about 1/3rd from the LE of the wing in the middle of the wing.
The Dauntless was not only a war winner it was a life saver. Those 20 something year olds at Midway had it all to win or lose, all on them. They kicked ass and so did their airplane. Without their performance that day the war would've been at least a year or two longer. Wow.
The Helldiver that replaced it was a higher performance,longer range,higher payload undependable piece of junk, and when the SBD was replaced there was a lot of sadness.
Oh, on that picture. I read an account of an SBD pilot at Midway who after dropping his bomb was trying to get out of Dodge,and he wanted to know why he was going so slow, getting peppered by the enemy AAA.
He'd left his flaps deployed and inadvertantly dropped his gear to boot His gunner,his best man at his wedding after the war, said "if I could've reached him I would've strangled him" .
Another from the same morning was an SBD pilot was straight and level and wound up with a Zero square in front of him. His concern was if he fired his single forward gun if it wouldn't just torque off the Japanese flyer who would come around and flame him. That's the story from a real veteran.
There was Swede Vetjesta(sp?), who flamed three enemy planes including two Zeros flying CAP in a Dauntless.(!)
That aircraft has some history. Doug
Doug

Doug47

My Feedback: (24)

PS;
If that was my plane I'd be sure of a 30% max CG, check the engine thrust line and then check that wing and stab incidence. This would be a good one to maybe use one of those incidence meters on. Doug

Jimmy Bananas

My Feedback: (13)

Doug:

You think that after being in this hobby for 46 yrs, that I would of checked the thrust line on the engine, incidence, and CG before flying it...The true is I didn't ..just went with the 125mm that was mention in the instruction book....Have built several planes from KMP,and didn't have any problems with them..One of them is a B-25 and no problems and I still have it....Maybe if I get a new Dauntless kit , everything will be measure and checked...You can take that statment to the bank.......BTW,as soon as I find out when the video of the flight will be available, I will post it on RCU........nuff said