DGM

Hi, Panhandler. Both of mine are (were) electric. I am using Electrify 50/55/500 motors 70 amp speed controls and 6s 4000mah lipos-

I have a speed control and an ESC iand 6s lipo batteries n each nacelle right behind the electric motors. I am using 13x10 APC 2 blade electric props. I flew it with regular gas props but did not fly with the authority the electric props gives it. As far as the "were" goes I built the first one 4 years ago and flew it for two years. I tried getting three flights out of the batteries without recharging and unfortunately had to make a goaround on landing and ran out of motor power. landed in some sagebrush and tore up all fuselages. Then I discovered that General Models was issuing the same plane a year ago, bought one and installed the motors etc fom the first plane. Flys well but not as well as the first one. The wing alignments were not true so took some modifying. Anyway they are fun to fly and absolutely dependable on electric. I left the wing in one piece and just remove the wing and center fuselage for transport. I have a 1/4 x 3 inch flat piece of wood screwed behind the main gears connecting the two booms together when the wing is off. Works fine. Thought about retracts but too much trouble. VERRYY happy I went electric.

panhandler

Thank you DGM for the most valuable insite on the power plants for this bird.
At this time i have TURNIGY C6364 280kv Outrunner with 6s 4400 bats. I have been flight testing them in a Nexstar to see how much vertical power i can get with various props before doing my maiden.These motors may perform better on 10s bats as they are desighned for but with the 6s that i intend to use just does not have the power for a almost 20 lb bird.

I am looking into what you have sugested but i think i need to go up to the 1.20 50-65-450 Brushless Outrunner due the the wieght.

It has been some time sense i posted any updates on the progress of this P-38 so here are a few pics and vid of my progress so far.
I still need to put the finishing touches on her as for invasion stripes and lettering . Thay will have to wait to this winter , but for know i want to maiden her as is .
Here is a before and after pic also a few others .

Dan

panhandler

A few more pics and vid.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHEKs...ature=youtu.be

bkramer

Gary,
Can you contact me regarding a P38 retro kit.  I purchased one from you a couple of years ago and would like to get another one.  I am ready to start and would like to purcahse one as soon as possible.  Please email me at [email protected].  Let me know either way if you can or cannot.  If you can't I will know to begin my own mods.

Thanks
BK

Dangaras

Pretty nice cycling action.I like the door closer & opening setup. Do you have any pix of the mechanism to open the doors? Spring loaded I guess?

panhandler

Hi Dangaras.

Garys desighn is very simple and fool proof on the closeing mechinism. They imploy a single piano wire for tention on the open stroke . I will take some close up pics and post later tonight and i am sure Gary has a few also.

I had a small prob with the nose gear motor , In the vid it sounds like it is laboring a bit , so i gave Mitch a call and he sent me out a replacement motor the next day , all is perfect now.

Dan

Dangaras

So the opening tension is from a piano wire.. Is it the wire that joins the ball links or another wire placed strategically to push the doors open?

panhandler

Yes on the mains only , The nose gear uses a spring from a ball point pen to the door open.And a cable system pulls all the bay doors closed from the struts.
Here are a few links in this thread from showing how Gary accomplished this and some pics of the my build.

Nose gear ,, http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_69..._8/key_/tm.htm
Main gear ,, http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_69..._9/key_/tm.htm http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_69...10/key_/tm.htm

panhandler

Nose gear

Dangaras

Pretty slick thanx.

 I have an A-26 where the stock door setup sucks. This looks much nicer and effective. I will give them a try this build season.

Twin_Flyer

My Feedback: (4)

threads been dead for a while, anyone make any progress with theirs?

Mine is still sitting in its box, too many other projects in the way....

Bill S.

panhandler

I have been meaning to update the progress on my build. Just need a little shove I guess ;}
I will put together some pics. As of my last post I have upgraded the power plants to Rimfire 1.20 connected to Castles Phoenix Ice 100 ESC'S and for batteries Gens Ace 5000 MaH 60C.
Just last night we ran them up to get the log data from different props. I will post the results when the test are complete,
Dan

Bob Paris

My Feedback: (13)

Hay Pan Handler...
How is your build...This thread has been a bit slow of late, but I would really like to know your Lightening is turning out.

I should talk...I've yet to fly mine. Yep...after a good year...I'm getting ready to fly the model. It took me a year plus to build mine, and I hung it up in the ceiling of my garage and just admire the model. But I'm getting ready to put the bird into the air. I built a F6F with a gas engine and a A26K since the P-38 was finished. I have the need for speed...so the P-38 is coming down off the ceiling and will fly her on my birthday.

Soft Landings Always,
Bobby of Maui

panhandler

Hi Bob
Wow it only took me 4 months to reply ,,, my bad.

To tell you the truth the P-38 has been on the build bench sense last winter. As of today I could take her out to the field and blow all the building dust off. But i am still at the final stages with painting the invasion stripes on her. Then the final tweaking. the one thing that has eluded me is trying to find a new or used canopy . When i received my kit from the get go the canopy was very thin on one side and of course it cracked. I have done some research on making a new one on my own but that is about as far as i got.

I haven't stopped building other projects though. I just completed a Twin Air.45 MK2 twin tail from Northeast Aerodynamics. And just started recovering a 1/4 scale Morrisiey Bravo.

Never fear the P-38 calls out to me to finish her and that is on plate for this winter.

Have a great holiday

Dan

panhandler

It is official. The dust is blown of the P-38 and is sitting in its cradle to be completed.
I have a question for Gary or anyone can chime in. At this step of the build I need to add detail. I want to paint the underside and as for the edging was a template used or is an air brush going to give me the best effect. What is the correct color? I have seen several variations from flat grey to a grey with a hint of blue. If I did my history correct these birds were painted at the field to suit there mission.



Dan

gregandhollie

Gary,

I sent you a PM but it doesn't show in my sent box so I don't think it went through. I bought one of these planes new in box and wanted to see if you still had kits available. Thanks!

panhandler

Hi gregandhollie

I was wondering where you purchased the kit from.
I sure would like to have another one on hand.

Dan

gregandhollie

Hi Dan,

The one I bought popped up on eBay about two weeks ago and ended last Friday. It was something the seller had bought a while back and was now getting out of the hobby.

red76ta

Gary,

I bought one of these planes new in box about 2 years ago on ebay and wanted to see if you still had kits available. I was going to start the build after finishing my current project, an F86 Sabre Dog, my first turbine.
The 38 has been my favorite airplane since I was young and my dad told me about them and WWII. I built the Royal P38 in the 70's, powered by 2 Enya 60's. Flew it, rebuilt it, flew it again, then removed all hardware and moved on. I had an engine quit shortly after take-off on both flights and model quickly went into a spin. I built and flew the Great Planes profile p38, have the plans would and laser cut kit to build the Ziroli, I found the royal kit plans with all parts shown for scratch build, was given a partially built P38 with foam wings and fiberglass booms and traded a plane for another GP profile kit. Guess I to am hooked on them.
I stumbled on this forum while looking for info on my turbine and have read all 40 pages. Again, I would like to at least buy your patterns and CD if you don't offer the cut parts.

Thank you and happy flying,

gregandhollie

I talked to Gary tonight and he's having some computer problems so it may take him a bit to respond here. He does still have the patterns and manual available.

Twin_Flyer

My Feedback: (4)

Nice!

Still have one sitting in the box waiting as well...

Bill S.

red76ta

Good deal! Thanks, Greg.

panhandler

Finally got time to test a few props.
Well here goes and I hope this makes sense.

Brushless motor- Great Planes Electrifly Rimfire 1.20
Esc - Phoneix Ice 100
Batteries - Gens Ace 5000 60c 6s

MAS 14-9-3 4 minute run time
Start voltage 24.7 finish 21.9
current Avg. 40A
Watts avg. 873
Temp avg. 108 f
RPM avg. 5010
Ah avg. .53

Xoar 16-6-2 2 min. run
Voltage start 25.2 finish 23.0
Current Avg. 39.5A
Watts avg. 909
Temp avg. 96.7
RPM avg. 4412
Ah avg. .19

End result the 14-9-3 will give me more run time but less power then the 16-6-2.
Note I only ran these props for a short time to accumulate some data. The total run time before the bats drain has not been tested yet.
Btw the Xoar prop had noticeably more pull by far, this is great but the flight time will most likely be greatly reduced.
Next I want to test a 15-8-2 maybe this will be the sweet spot.

panhandler

Here are a few pics showing how I plan on cooling the esc,bats and hopefully the motor.
I mounted the esc in the firewall at a 45 degr. angle ( to collect more air from the prop wash).
For the batts I mounted them on the CG in the wing with a large vent opening at the bottom.
Then I cut open the back side of the radiator covers to allow air flow thru the booms.

Also I finally found time to lay on the invasion stripes and run all the electrics on a more permanent basis.


Still looking for a canopy!

Bob Paris

My Feedback: (13)

Hay Panhandler,
Nice work and since I'm completely ignorant of electric (being a glow and gas type of guy), love your work. I only wish I installed 15cc gas engines into my model from the beginning...but pray two K&B Twister .61's will do the honors.
Aloha and Soft Landings Always,
Bobby of Maui