Ichy

Wow! But..... but ....... it's too nice to fly!

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

We have several war bird events in the area and I intend to make the local rounds with her this year. We'll see. I have been know to sell planes when done just so I don't see them damaged first hand. I will say this, I will either fly it or sell it. I don't have room anymore for hanger queens.

My goal on this one was to take a 'ready to assemble' plane that had potential with scale lines, was a proven good flyer, and was light to begin with, and take it to another level in scale realism with modifications and detailing with only 5 or 6lbs added. This plane has a 90" wing that is almost flat bottom. I expect it to handle the extra weight of all this quite well. I think I have seen where this P-38 has gone as high as 19lbs and still flown good. I expect to be under that.

Ichy

"....take it to another level in scale realism ....."

You have certainly done that! Congratulations! Very nice bird.

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

Thanks. I'm glad you like it. The best compliment for me when it is done and at the field will be when they say "which kit is that, I don't recognize it".

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

Experimented with the aluminum foil and simulating paint chips on the leading edges. WOW, does this work nice. I used Rustolium Metal Finish and the foil and it looks better than anything I have ever used other than the tedious hand painting that takes me hours. This took about 15 min. I went right over top what I had already done another way. Thanks to GG for the suggestion. I also used it on the tail, and I'm going to see if I can use it on the cowls and gear doors, and nose cone as well.

The spinners and gear should be here today!!!

dalita

My Feedback: (82)

Hey Ram,

I flew mine this morning. I didn't go as far as you are with the modifications. I only cut the wings for removable tips and added retracts. I am using YS 63's, 2 receivers and batteries. The weight came out to 16lbs. 12 oz. Scared the heck out of me that it is so much.

NO PROBLEM!!!!!!!!

It took off like it had JATO. I had the elevator set at neutral and had to give it a bunch of down. PLENTY OF POWER. Most of the flight was spent at about half throttle, except for the loop and victory rolls. Mine is the gray one, and boy is it hard to see. On landing, after I got it lined up, it settled in nicely.

By the way, with the gear retracted, the balance needed 1 oz on the tail, which I did not add.

The elevator ended being 3/16 down from neutral.

Overall, I am very pleased with it. Dale

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

Thanks so much for this post Dale. Good info to have. Pictures, pictures, we need pictures!!! Did you do gear doors? What gear did you use?

I thought all along that this wing airfoil should handle a considerable amount of weight. One thing I liked about this plane when I got it.

I'm using two new Moki 61s and have been thinking more about that as this thing has evolved. But I keep coming back to that Top Flight 310 at 19lbs with two OS 55AXs. I've seen one fly with all the options and those engines and it was way faster than scale and even had the power to stay aloft and make a good landing on one engine!!!

Your post was enchouraging to me. I don't think I'll worry about it any more. Thanks again.

Baldeagle

My Feedback: (7)

Hi Dale glad to see you got the p38 flying. It is still cold up here and windy today. When are you comming up.? Rich

dalita

My Feedback: (82)

Hi Rich,

We probably won't be up until the second half of May. It was a little breezy and about 69 here.

Ram,

Spring air retracts with no gear doors, no fancy struts on the LG. I think you will have more than adequate power with the Moki 61's, but it's hard to beat the sound of the 4 strokes. I think Nitro was right about using 52's. I did use a TwinSync with onboard glow, mainly for the safety of engine out. I forgot to take pictures, but it's no beauty like yours will be.

Dale

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

Dale, thanks for the rundown. As far as beauty goes, it still won't win any scale contests, but it should turn a head or two. A three piece wing and retracts, as you have done, is still quite an upgrade. Nitro should give us at least that from the factory IMO.

I broke one of my own rules and mounted the engines inverted in a twin (purely for looks), so I'm also using on-board glow.

I do feel a lot better about my engine choice thanks to you. Thanks to your flight report. Thanks again.

dalita

My Feedback: (82)

Ram,

It's worth the price of a ticket to see it in a low flyby. Can't tell it is not close to scale. Sure is a smooth and responsive flier.

Dale

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

Looking forward to joining you for that rush, with mine. What do you think? Mine should be easy to see with green on top, Grey on the bottom, and full invasion stripes.

Just checked and still no nose gear.[&o] However, one of the two spinners I ordered came in. I found that a True Turn 2 1/2" FAI spinner is very close to the scale shape. The LHS only ordered one instead of two. They stock a couple dozen other True Turns, but not this one, of course. []

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

Engines are back in. Here is how I locate holes in cowls. Did a little more painting on the wing roots also.

mpope1

Amazing work! I have been flying this plane (electric) for over a year now, 2 of my buddies went in on the project with me. We modeled it after the california cutie. I thought we put alot of work into ours, but after following your thread I don't think that anymore. Your attention to detail, well I am speechless. Here are a couple pix of ours, look foward to following the rest of your build, Mike.

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

I enjoyed your post as well. It's encouraging to see others flying this plane with such success. Yours looks great. I liked the air shots with the gear up. It looks like a P-38 should in the air.

Hope to have mine done by spring. I'm getting closer all the time, but keep coming up with more things to do to her.

BTW, did you know the plane that was California Cutie was destroyed in a fatal air show crash. I saw the video and it was hard to watch.[&o]

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

Well, I ran into my first real problem with this project. Usually i think through operations very thoroughly, but I didn't foresee the mufflers not fitting in the cowls, as I had planed. I could have mounted the engines at 100deg. or so maybe, but I'm past that now.

So, the mufflers are going to have to be exposed. I had the choice of leaving them in the stock installation, and cutting the hole near the top of the cowls, or reversing them and making the hole lower and less obvious. I chose to invert them. I cut the pipes short so the forward angle isn't an issue now. I also had to round the other side of the mounting block and take some material off the mounting face to pull it closer the the engine.

Here is what I'm going to have. Not the end of the world I guess. I just didn't want to see them or have the extra holes to mess with my plan for exit air cooling. Looking at it now, if the whole plane was done in natural metal, they wouldn't look too bad.

I may also need to open up the bottom more now. I'll have to do the math and see.

Glacier Girl

My Feedback: (4)

Gary, sorry about the muffler mishap. Here's how you fix that. Only fly the close up flybys from left to right. That way no one will see the mufflers hanging out the left side.

Meesh

My Feedback: (135)

Gary,

Go on Towers site and do a search for the Top flite in cowl muffler. They have a military and civilian version. If you need the dimesion for the military version I have one at home.

Bob

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

Now that is interesting. I already have the pitts style on them, but you say there is another muffler that may work better? I'll check into that. Thank you.

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

I like the way you think!!! Inverted will have to be right to left then, right?

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

Sorry guys. Been a little busy here, but I did steal a little time to play with some panel lines and distressing.

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

Couple more shots. On the wing, I think I will do a little more scuffing and chipping beside the cockpit, add fuel streaks behind the fuel caps, some wind streaking and footprints, and call it done.

Still waiting on that nose gear. I'm getting anxious as my brother and I picked up a Meister 102" P-47 (with all the gear parts) partially built, and that is the next big project. We would like to have it in the air for the local war bird events mid summer.

mr chuck

I am going to buy a Nitro P38 90''. I was planning on just building it and flying it. No modifications.
Is there anything I need to know that could cause me problems. ( mandatory modifications ) Should I go with OS 55s or 61s.
Is the standard hardware package sufficient? { bigger wheels, stronger push rods, or whatever }
Please give me a little advice.
Chuck

Glacier Girl

My Feedback: (4)

Very nice Gary. Are you using a silver marker pen to do the rivets? One part I really don't care for, going cross eyed from sitting there doing up rivets. [sm=stupid.gif]
You have to tend to be a craftsman or masochist (?) or a bit of both, to do that kind of detail work. Good on you.

Well I think I've come up with an idea. On mine, which was electric, I had to pull both supercharger covers and the wing off to access the packs. Well the VQ comes with drop tanks............what better place to put the packs.

I was already going to use them for the gun pods, so other then the gun barrels sticking out of the front, they are empty.

I'm thinking of hinging them on one side, and use some type of latch on the other. Pop the latch, and the bottom half of the tank will drop. Instant pack access. In my case refueling would mean just unplug the pack, install and plug in the new pack, and button up the drop tank.

What'da think?

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

Yes on the silver pen. Up on the cowls, I did every one, but on the wings, I'm doing a random pattern of rivet wear (easier also). I used your aluminum foil tip and chrome paint, on the top of the wing up to and around the cockpit, where the men would be walking on it.
I could go on and on with this plane, and may do more next winter, but I am going to save some time and git-r-done, so I can help my brother with our Meister P-47. I'll still do all I've talked about in the thread, but I'm not adding anything to the list right now.

Your pod idea is brilliant. What a great place for batts. Easy to get to and right about on the CG. How will you cool them? We will need pictures.