I have had a few planes all electric, TT simple series F4U, a foam profile yak 54, and most recently a Wattage P-51 which I modified alot and flew until the wing broke in a hard loop. I have also had a T-Rex 450 and a Raptor 50 which I still fly (no 3d) I have been flying the Top Flite Giant Scale P-51 on Real Flight and it is amazing. I fly this better than any of the planes I have ever owned which makes me question is it the size that makes it "easier" or is it just "unreal." All planes are bound to crash sometime, but I'd rather not buy one like the TF P-51 and crash it on maiden because I believed I culd fly something like that when I really couldn't. What do you guys think?

Okay you fly helis so you have good coordination. That will really help when it comes to flying bigger planes than what you been messing about with. BUT ... one thing you may not be ready for in a scale plane such as the P51 is knowing how to land her without stalling. In the sim its a perfect environment, sometimes no wind at all, trims are perfect, no dead stick etc. In real life there is also the pucker factor, money money money ...

I will not believe that a sim is like the real thing ... it will not be at present. If you really think it is then sorry to say you are only deceiving yourself. When I started on a sim I could not land it right, I will always do the Kangaroo Hop ... but in real life I can grease it in. On a sim I can fly a heli pretty decently, in real life you gotta be kidding me!

Without experience on smaller planes you may just stall her on landing, warbirds have a relatively higher wong loading compared to an aerobatic plane. Flaps are your friend and unless you are familiar, it may end up as a pile of match sticks. Still it does not mean you cannot but its a risk ...

try and tip stall the Mustang in the sim...everyone I have flown in the sim wouldn't tip stall...try and fly the Mustang...better keep the speed up or she'll snap over

Yep - It's the pucker factor all right. On my sim I can hover close to the ground and do a perfect rolling circuit. In real life the pucker factor goes off scale and suddenly those hovers and rolling circuits are not so easy. On my sim if I make a mistake I push the red button for another go. In real life I count the $$$ value in my mistakes and save up to do it all over again. I agree, dont ever kid yourself by thinking you can emulate the success of your sim to that in real life. It's def pucker factor 10/10. Having said that - maybe start out with a smaller 40 - 60 size nitro plane and work your way through. It may save you some heart ache and money along the way.. Good luck.

Jet ... now that you mention it, heck yeah ... I have never stalled a plane in the sim before! Interesting ...

Bjor ... I use that little button a lot too! Hehehehe ...

Dan ... one thing experience assists you is the BLANK MIND Syndrome department, as a newbie when you are in trouble, the mind goes blank, you are unsure as to what to do. Hence, by taking the longer road you would have built up you dexterity in flying and somehow the fingers can remember, they just know what to do when you are in trouble and to also avoid trouble.

Larger planes do fly better than smaller planes, generally speaking. The notion that a large scale P-51 would be a *****cat to fly is simply pure fantasy, however.

There seems to be a "marketing effect" built in to Real Flight at times that gives an unfair impression of certain planes. It just seems to me at times that certain prominent Great Planes ARFs seem to be nearly indestructable and often exhibit a weird ability to land themselves. Off the top of my head, I seem to remember that the Matt Chapman Cap 580 models seemed like they were exaggerated with regard to ease of flying, for example.

I know of one very skilled pattern flyer in my club who can take his .40-size Ultimate Bipe or his Ultra Sport w/ retracts out and just ring them out like nothing I've ever seen before. Beautifully smooth aerobatic manuevers, screamingly fast inverted passes on the deck straight down the runway, and perfectly greased landings. He's amazing to watch. He commented that he has a large scale P-51 Mustang and that he never flies it anymore because it makes him nervous and he's gotten tired of repairing the landing gear over and over.

Guys who fly large scale warbirds generally only bring them out for special scale events two or three times per year. Putting the landing gear back in them and repairing them gives these pilots something to work on during building season. I'm sure there are warbird fans who fly scale warbirds on a regular basis at their clubs. We don't have any such pilots were I fly, however.

Like everyone says... the simulator is not real life, especially on that Mustang.

I currently own a .60 size Mustang and I've had a .40 size in the past. Flying is no problem once in the air... hammer the throttle and it flys like it is on a rail. Take-off's and landings are a different story though. Get it too slow and it will snap right into the ground. Learning to land the plane with a good bit of throttle takes some getting used to and you'd better grease it just right or the plane will cartwheel down thte runway or the gear will pop out of the wing. Even the very experienced warbird guys in my club, a few of which are excellent pilots, experience issues from time to time.

There's nothing wrong with aspiring to one day fly a plane like that though. Work your way up starting with a .40 size sport plane, then maybe a .60 size warbird, etc. before jumping to the big one. You'll thank yourself for doing it right and enjoy flying a lot more.

I only use the sim to get my brain and fingers going in the right direction when learning something new. They are a big help and learning tool but they tend to give you false hopes when it comes to the real world. Flying foamies and small Epowered planes gives you an advantage but they are a bit different then flying a bigger glow or gas powered plane. Like Chuck said, once in the air there isn't much problem, take offs are a bit different, {under statement} and landing any of the wet powered planes is a big difference. You may want to get something in a size that will take all the gear you will use in your warbird and try flying that first to get the feel for a bigger plane, something like the 60 size Super Sportster, 4* or Tiger and see how well you do. You may have no problems at all but better safe then sorry. Then just get the Stang and transfer the gear to it.

Thanks guys Ill take all of this advice into consideration. I flew a Phase 3 EDF today and it was a blast but I couldnt make it go fast enough. Anyhow Ill keep looking Maybe one of the "combat" planes woud be a good warbird?

If you really like warbirds then try the following as a 1st warbird:

VQ Mig 3
VQ P 51
WM Mustang 46

The fly nice, land easy like a sports plane.