William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

Walt:

The AF Museum does allow cameras. Take plenty of film.

How about that Brown Airplane Truck? My second Twin-Air 45 walked in the door today. Whee!

Bill.

twinman

My Feedback: (2)

The mix sounds great. Cannot help with JR as I fly Futaba. One is not better than the other, I just don't know how the programing system works. The exponetial on sync'n the engines works well.
Servos on the P-61.The prototype had only standard servos for everthing, but if you look the elevator has two and the rudders are not really that big. I turned the plane 45 degrees with rudder only. Ailerons really aren't that big.
Get to work.....I am
Twinman
PS As long as you are into programing...mix the rudders into the engines above 50% throttle. Knife edge and spins much easier. DO not initiate this mix below 50% throttle or you will be chasing the plane on the ground. Not safe.

MANFRED

My Feedback: (27)

Try this. www.cbrnp.com/profiles/quarter2/p-61_euro.htm

samparfitt

My Feedback: (43)

I'm putting two OS FX .91's in mine.
They have been excellent on the P-38 and MAS 3-blade 14X7.
I've used this match on 4 planes (single and twins) with excellent results.
The MAS are not as efficient as the APC'S (in my experience).
I've found that I can go up a size or two for 2-blade props on the APC's over the MAS and the engine can still handle it.
Also, on my WM F-82 using OS FX .46's, it works well with MAS 2-blade 10X8's or APC's 4-blade 10X6
With this logic, I've been considering the APC's 4-blade 13.8X10's.
Any comments or experience.
Thanks,
Sam

ps: Fedex says my P-61 is about 60 miles north of me.
With the 12-20" snowfall, now it should be next week instead of the original delivery
date of today.

BillS

Please keep us informed. My friend has an 8103 and a bashed four-star twin and engine out experience is desirable. Engine out experience is necessary before he is pressed into service as driver of another friends P-38. My experience is that a 652 radio is extraordinarily awkward to simulate engine out (but possible).

Thanks.

Bill

Tony Pacini

Hey, guys-

A few questions for those of you who have ordered one of these birds:

Is there any kind of confirmation after placing an internet order?

What's the normal delivery time?

Are the tracking numbers automatically furnished, or do you have to ask for them?

I can't wait for mine to arrive! I really hated to let the Ziroli go (at 50 cents on the dollar) but I realized that I probably wouldn't get around to building it for a while. It would have been quite a project.

Thanks in advance for any replies-

Build-n-flyer-RCU

My Feedback: (4)

I got an e-mail directly from FedEx right after placing my order- the best kind of confirmation there is! I placed the order Thursday afternooon EST, and the shipment is currently somewhere in Georgia with an estimated delivery this Wednesday.

Walt

Tony Pacini

Whoa-

I placed my order on the 22nd (Wednesday) and still haven't heard anything. Perhaps it just took some time for my PayPal payment to clear.

Guess I'll just give them a call tomorrow and see what's up.

Thanks!

Build-n-flyer-RCU

My Feedback: (4)

According to Fed-Ex, my plane is in the delivery van and will be here by this evening. I can't wait to take a look at it and begin gathering all the parts/pieces to put it together!

Does anybody have an opinion on Saito 120 vs 150 for this plane? The weight is the same so that is not a factor. I know that the Twinman's advice is to not over-power a twin but I know how to use the throttle stick. I fly off grass so I definitely don't want to be underpowered. And I definitely want to use 3-blade (or 4-blade) props. Fuel usage could be a factor- how big a tank will fit?

Walt

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

Walt:

I run the Saito FA-120 engines with MAS 14x8 3 blade props, for me they do fine. Knowing you didn't like my selection on your Twin-Air, you might want to apply a grain of salt. My favorite Saito is the 120, but if you are going to the FA-150, the FA-180 is just $30 more than the 150, and adds one ounce. After all, if you're going to overpower he plane why not do it up brown?

The FA-120 with the 14x8 3B pulls my Ultrastick 120 very nicely. And it's the older heavy version too.

Bill.

Build-n-flyer-RCU

My Feedback: (4)

Bill,

My experience with the 3-blade props on the Twin Air and with the Saito 200Ti on my Mustang is what is driving me toward 150's. The 2-blade props on my Twin Air are fine- its "just" a sport plane. But I want to be absolutely sure that I will be OK with 3-blades on this one. And the Saito 200 is a recommended engine for my Mustang and it flies the plane just fine, but there is not much reserve power. I don't like flying with the throttle wide open! If someone could convince me that the 120's would give me adequate reserve then that's the way I'll go. I'm just not convinced, yet.

180's? I think now we are talking seriously "over-powered". Not really my goal.

Walt

dadp47

Got mine today, one day earlier than the expected delivery date. I really like Santa! I got the black one and it is absolutely beautiful! Finances will slow my assembling time but will get it in the air ASAP. I'll probably stay here to ask questions as this is the first twin I've owned. I'll also want to keep up with your experiences, hoping you'll post pictures and flight comments.

Build-n-flyer-RCU

My Feedback: (4)

My plane arrived- now the fun starts!

Everything looks good. And the "kit" is more complete than I thought it would be, with nice looking control hardware, etc. The supplied struts look like Spring-Air. I'm gonna give Bill a call tomorrow and see if I can get a set of retracts on the way. My plane is an ARC but it came complete with all the ARF covering panels and decals. I am going to go with Ultracoat instead because it will make repairs easier down the road. I will miss the panel lines and rivets (unless I get motivated to do them myself) but I am sure that I will be happier in the long run.

Overall, assembly looks like it should be pretty simple. But there sure are a whole lot of parts!

My instinct on a twin is to install the biggest tanks that will fit, and my experience is that 16 oz is a good size for a Saito 100 on a single-engine plane. I filled one of the provided fuel tanks with water and found it would only hold 13 oz. And so far the biggest tank that I can find that will fit the P-61 bays, with some modification, is a Graupner 17.5 oz which is available from Hobby Lobby. This is moving me back in the direction of Saito 120's vs the 150's. If anyone finds a bigger tank that will fit let me know.

Another trick will be figuring out how to actuate the gear doors...



Walt

Tony Pacini

Got mine today, too!

I didn't receive any confirmation because my server rejected VQ's e-mails. When I called I was told that it shipped the next day and should arrive today................and it did!

I am amazed by the detail in the covering and the panel lines molded into the cowls. The drop tanks are a nice touch as are the oleo struts and gear door hinges. The machine guns are pretty cool, too! Even the glass and ABS trim parts are cut-to-size and painted. This kit should go together very easily.

Now it's time to round up retracts, engines, and servos and get this beast built!

dadp47

I have to do more research, but I remember seeing activation of gear doors by using string. You tie the string across the doors and as the gear comes up it pulls the string up and closes the door. The gear open the doors by pushing the doors open when extending. I believe I saw this installation on the Combat Models F-16. I'll have to pull the instruction video and manual to see if there is more detail. Hopefully someone on the new, Construction of the VQ P-61 forum, will have ideas also. Anything more I find out will be posted there.

twinman

My Feedback: (2)

dadp47
Sir, you can do the closing via string, but adjustment will drive you crazy. Either use a light rubber band or a very light spring. You can also use a light spring to open the doors. Use slightly more tension on the closing spring thant the opening spring. Go to Sears aor any good hardware store for a good selection. DO NOT only rely on the gear to open the doors or sometime, the gear will hang up on the doors, either opening or closing.
Twinman

dadp47

Twinman

Haven't built the F-16 yet so I only remember that that's how they did it and don't know the problems of their method. Perhaps you can influence Samparfitt to detail the spring installations on the construction forum so all can see how it can be done. Thanks.

gpier

My Feedback: (2)

Dadp47, the Combat Models F-16 method does indeed use string that is pulled taut by the gear retracting up. This system works well with a air up air down system, but DOES NOT work with Spring air retracts. To get the correct tension on the doors to close properly inhibits the locking mechanism on the spring airs from releasing....Don't ask me how I know this ( BTW the combat Models F-16 is a really nice flying bird And it lands well on 1 main gear still up! )

Greg

Tony Pacini

For those of you who haven't seen it yet you really need to check out the construction thread:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_24...tm.htm#2481238

This builder goes into far more detail (ALL of it useful) than any manufacturer could ever dream of. All those little glitches you might run into are fully explained along with solutions.

Enjoy!

av8r4aa

My Feedback: (82)

Here is how I did mine:
I used those sonic tronics spring loaded hinges.
I used 2 per side and one non springed hinge.
That way the door is loaded to open.
Then go to your local bass pro or any place that sells fishing line.
Get some of the basic light weight stuff.

you will need to drill a small hole on both sides of the gear doors.
one hole per side.
Firmly attatch one side via glue or washer or big knot.
Loop the line BEHIND the gear leg and feed it through the hole on the other door.
Retract your gear, the string will catch the fishing line and want to close the door.
When the gear is up you can pull the string taught and tie off the other side.
It is now the exact length to close the door and remain shut.
as soon as the gear starts to come down the string will loosen and alow the door to open.
per the spring loaded hinges.
Fishing line is nearly invisable and is slippery and will slide along the gear leg.
You can also set the amount of gear door will spring open with a line from side to side
in FRONT of the leg.
This prevents the door from hyper extending when open.
It took me many different ideas to come up with this one.
It is simple and it works
Patent Pending.
Greg