ram3500-RCU

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I didn't think so, but I had just done a roll down the runway at about 50' or so. Planes are all over the place during the gaggle, and you want a little room to maneuver under you. I did make a very low high speed pass the the next time around, and then an inverted pass, but not on the deck. I'm more comfortable with really low stuff if I'm at the downwind end of the runway. Not sure why. That flight, I was at the station closest to the up wind end.

luckyb

Brave words from someone who flies with their transmitter upside down............lol..........Doug

ram3500-RCU

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Here is a couple ways to deal with transport of these large Jugs.

I got this picture as we were packing up after Top Gun.

ram3500-RCU

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Flew Zombie at a local war bird event last week end. I had some fun with her with a couple hammer heads and some low inverted passes. I was shooting for 2-3 feet AGL with the rudder. This one sank more than I had expected. This great photo was taken just before I arrested the sink with a quick pull that actually pushed the rudder even lower. Just a couple inches AGL, I was told. I was watching the wings and the nose.

ram3500-RCU

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It was cool in the morning so I kept the cowl flaps closed during those first flights with no issues.

By the afternoon, it had warmed to about 80, but on one flight, I still had the cowl flaps closed. About 10 minutes into the flight, the engine overheated and started to sag on a low base turn for a fast pass. I quickly opened the cowl flaps and reduced the throttle to idle hoping to keep it running. She drifted past us on the center line of the runaway up wind, and some guys said they could count the prop blades as they turned. She was on the verge of quitting.

I was mentally preparing to belly in straight ahead, but first, I advanced the throttle to see if she had cooled down enough to pick up again. She had, and I aborted the belly landing at about 3' AGL as she smartly pulled out. None the less, it was time to land and I immediately climed into the landing pattern, gear down, full flaps, and an approach on the very next circuit. The rushed landing procedure resulted in this very unusual final attitude. I did recover and got a rare 3 point out of the landing. By this time, the engine was running fine again. I rushed getting her down but better safe than sorry. She ran great on the next flight with the cowl flaps open. They really do work well.

Scott Prossen

These last two posts of yours suggest that you are getting too comfortable with Zombie. Better be careful my friend or fate my bite your behind. Those pictures are awesome attitudes of the plane although certainly not prototypical. Keep having fun Gary!!!

Scott

glazier808

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Great shots Gary!

Casey

Mk23socom

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Gary, you have more stones with that warbird than EVERY 3D pilot with an Extra or Edge from my area.. they do that there inverted flight 20-30ft up.. no stones, it flat out ain't no fun to watch when those clowns fly.. Kudos buddy, but be careful! I would like to one day get mine in the air with yours when we can all make it back to Frank's or something.

ram3500-RCU

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Good to here from you Scott. Thanks for the post buddy. Good advise for sure.

I spend most of the flight time with Zombie doing the scale Top Gun type maneuvers for practice. However, it is indeed a lot of fun to break out of this for a few minutes once in awhile to experience all that these Meister P-47s are capable of. I never loose sight of the fact that this is still a heavy war bird and not a Yak, so I always have in mind limiting the G forces to the air frame.

I am learning that many maneuvers are very safe and predictable for the P-47. Yet on my list of things I want to do are the inverted flat spin, and the rolling circle. Both easy maneuvers with low G. I have rolled her around half the circle so far and am feeling out the speed I need to enter and maintain. I also have found that, unlike with normal aerobatic planes, with Zombie, I will do a 'descending' 360 with power while rolling. This helps with maintaining speed as the rolls try to bleed it off. I love the challenge, and a bail is easy with that large flat bottom wing. The spin will only take a nice long clime to a very safe altitude, and a 'cahoona enlargement' on my part, if ya know what I mean.

At an event, unfortunately, or, fortunately, as the case may be, it is usually the out of the ordinary stuff that gets the cameras clicking. On the inverted pass, I rolled inverted on the downwind and made the turn to the runway still inverted as I went to full throttle. So folks knew what was coming (and they know I love to do low inverted passes, remember, I fly with a reversed elevator anyway), but I was still surprised that the club got this picture at just the right time.

ram3500-RCU

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Thanks buddy. All in good fun.

ram3500-RCU

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Thanks Kirby. Although I love the scale look of the Meister P-47 in flight, I would like to put together a flight demo with the P-47 that demonstrates it's capability. Folks seem to like the big bird strutting it's aerobatic stuff once in awhile.

We'll get them together. This has been a different summer for me. Family needs have been greater this year, but we were still thrown a couple curves.

Look forward to getting together again.

Mk23socom

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Indeed my friend. Big hurdles in my camp as well and so the RCing has been rather limited to foamy flights and I JUST got the final wrinkles sorted out with my Top Flite T-6 and will be going out and putting a few more flights on her tomorrow morning.. My 47 is sitting in the corner patiently awaiting the later fall when I can give her the attention she needs.

Mk23socom

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Indeed my friend. Big hurdles in my camp as well and so the RCing has been rather limited to foamy flights and I JUST got the final wrinkles sorted out with my Top Flite T-6 and will be going out and putting a few more flights on her tomorrow morning.. My 47 is sitting in the corner patiently awaiting the later fall when I can give her the attention she needs.

ram3500-RCU

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Over labor day week end, it was a privilege to have been invited to fly at the Cleveland National Air Show as part of the AMA sponsored RC promotional demonstration. Zombie was well received, as was our 14' Decathlon, built by Frank Tiano. Looking forward to future participation.

Here is a link to some pictures.

http://www.cmac.org/photo/2012/20120...l?show_param=3

Mk23socom

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I was wondering who the lucky soul was that got Frank's old Decathalon... right on Gary!

ram3500-RCU

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Thanks Kirby.

It was a frustrating summer of several tries to get her running right. I had the engine out and back in 6 times (can do it in 10 minutes now). After having the engine serviced by TBM (a very helpful service department by the way), Frank had installed the arm on the throttle butterfly backwards, closing off the jets at 1/2 throttle and below. With TBMs help, we found and fixed this, but still could not get her to run. A whole new fuel system including a new routing for the carb supply fuel line (and larger tubing), and a rebuild on the carb, together with a slight adjustment to the timing, a special priming procedure, and she starts and runs like a champ. Very easy to start now, a must for Cleveland. You only have a small window of time after the FAA gives you clearance to get her started and in the air.

She is a joy to fly. On Labor Day, we had a cross wind coming off the lake and she handles it well. I have spent some time watching Greg's full scale Decathlon routine and my plan is to follow that for the most part, although a rolling circle will be added. The plane does it so well and it looks pretty cool as a first maneuver after take off. I even thought a scale ribbon cut with the rudder would be cool.

The plane has great "presence" in the air, and Frank and his company did a wonderful job on the construction and finish.

I hope to bring her back to Paradise Field for future FTE events.

Mk23socom

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Sounds like a winner to me Gary!.. I hope to see it in person one day.. all you guys and your gigantic planes..I feel like I am being left behind in the dust.. all I have is a partially built Meister P-47.. The Meisters looked like  toys compared to that 12 foot monster Frank and Scott flew last year..

Dwhart24

It is a cool looking plane.


DSC_0653 by dwhart24, on Flickr

ram3500-RCU

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I love that picture Dave. Thanks.

ram3500-RCU

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C-mon Kirby. Get that P-47 done buddy. I would love to get another group picture like we did a couple years ago at Franks Place.

Mk23socom

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Oh man, I hear ya buddy!. I am currently in the process of a career change.. once the ball starts rolling smoothly again, I should be back in business.

vease

Cracking model and great flying!!

I was getting a bit low with mine the other week but not that low... and not inverted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnsU1...feature=relmfu

ram3500-RCU

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Wish you all the best on that Kirby. Look forward to seeing that 47.

ram3500-RCU

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I think you may have been lower vease. Looks like we both get a rush in a similar way.

Thanks for sharing the video. That looks like a great event and a wonderful location.

The war bird gaggle was impressive with what must have been some very skilled well disciplined pilots. Nice job.

Mk23socom

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Thanks Gary, it's funny how things work out sometimes.. I got a call today for an interview tomorrow morning with the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers.. sounds like things might start falling into place sooner than I expected~!!