KMP P-38 flight reports?
04-21-2004, 08:19 PM
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RE: KMP P-38 flight reports?
Mine is balanced. Now I found another problem. The stabilizer is 4 degrees minus. Anybody have any suggestion on that one? The more I learn about this plane, the more I don't like it. If it flies it will be a miracle.
Rich
Rich
04-22-2004, 01:20 PM
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RE: KMP P-38 flight reports?
HI Guys:
I would gladly give the names of a few dealers who have customers with these planes flying.
Most have said thet they need some extra down elevator to keep the plane flying level.
Call me anytimne at 888-968-7251,
Cheers,
Andrew[8D]
I would gladly give the names of a few dealers who have customers with these planes flying.
Most have said thet they need some extra down elevator to keep the plane flying level.
Call me anytimne at 888-968-7251,
Cheers,
Andrew[8D]
04-22-2004, 05:41 PM
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RE: KMP P-38 flight reports?
Thanks MR. Konder. I was going to cut the stab and reglue it. I'm going to reset the elevator and see if it will fly. I'll tune my engines, and she's ready. When I can find some time. I'll call you tomorrow, I want to talk to one of your dealers.
Rich
Rich
04-23-2004, 09:35 AM
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RE: KMP P-38 flight reports?
I'm surprised at the lack of people flying these, or reporting that they are flying them, mine was 1 of I think 500, I think that's what Andrew said was in the lot. Seems like they should have shown up at fields by now, it's been 6 months since they came in...
Mine has about 4.5 positive wing incidence and 1.5 negative stab incidence. I think they all do. What this does is;
1. It gets off the ground fast, 4.5 positive on the wings acts like super flaps.
2. Landings are nice and slow, again due to super flaps.
3. It needs almost 3/8(11/32") of an inch of down trim to fly level. It does fly okay with this trim, flys good inverted with very little additional down elevator. I wouldn't want to try to do an outside loop with the amount of down elevator that's used up trimming it...
Also, anyone setting theirs up for the first time, mine on wheels had a nose down attitude and I think that it would have a hard time rotating to fly on the take off run. The mains are pretty far aft of the CG. I cut my main strutts to give it a zero attitute in relation to thrust line. This also made it look more scale as the real one sat in a tail down attitude.
Mine has about 4.5 positive wing incidence and 1.5 negative stab incidence. I think they all do. What this does is;
1. It gets off the ground fast, 4.5 positive on the wings acts like super flaps.
2. Landings are nice and slow, again due to super flaps.
3. It needs almost 3/8(11/32") of an inch of down trim to fly level. It does fly okay with this trim, flys good inverted with very little additional down elevator. I wouldn't want to try to do an outside loop with the amount of down elevator that's used up trimming it...
Also, anyone setting theirs up for the first time, mine on wheels had a nose down attitude and I think that it would have a hard time rotating to fly on the take off run. The mains are pretty far aft of the CG. I cut my main strutts to give it a zero attitute in relation to thrust line. This also made it look more scale as the real one sat in a tail down attitude.
04-30-2004, 08:14 PM
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RE: KMP P-38 flight reports?
I would like to have a P-38 but Kondor will not sell to my dealer and they are very close to there office in Kent, WA. Maybe they don't need to sell many airplanes to stay in business. What you guys are saying this is not that great of airplane, maybe I should buy another brand.
05-01-2004, 08:55 AM
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RE: KMP P-38 flight reports?
ORIGINAL: denney47
I would like to have a P-38 but Kondor will not sell to my dealer and they are very close to there office in Kent, WA. Maybe they don't need to sell many airplanes to stay in business. What you guys are saying this is not that great of airplane, maybe I should buy another brand.
I would like to have a P-38 but Kondor will not sell to my dealer and they are very close to there office in Kent, WA. Maybe they don't need to sell many airplanes to stay in business. What you guys are saying this is not that great of airplane, maybe I should buy another brand.
If you can't find one would you want a slightly used one? Three flights on it, flys very well, but it took a LOT of work to get it there.
05-01-2004, 11:16 AM
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RE: KMP P-38 flight reports?
Thought I would pass this report from Germany, but will not show name of person. He contacted me with questions about the 5 degree incidence problem and he thought he had a VQ. The pictures he sent confirmed a KMP. He did modify the elevator to approx 1.5 degree before this flight, but I do not know the method of modification.
Good Luck,
Twinman
From a German Modeler.
"Hi George,
first flight was done yesterday, settings and spec's as following:
1) longitudinal dihedral: 1,5 degree
2) cg: 105 mm from the leading edge (middle of the aluminium tubing / plug in mount)
3) weight: 5,5 kg incl. fuel
4) engines: 2 OS 46 AX with pitts-style mufflers
5) airscrews: 11 x 7" max. rpm 10500
Flying abilities: like a trainer very stabil, no trims required, landing speed about 15 mph
Complaints:
1. could have more power, will change the airscrews to 11 x 6" -> target 14.000 rpm
2. wheels (foam) to be trashed and replaced by rubber wheels like robart
3. standard retract to shakey the P-38 did not roll straight a lot of correction was required
-> will overwork mecanically -> replace the shafts (that will cost me a couple of evenings)
4. flaps, after put them out the nose comes up with 45 degree (perfect against ateriocleriosis
and low blood pressure). minimum elevator trim at maximum flap -> 1/2" down.
resumee: nice plane, good flight preformance, attractive price at poor quality
After having finished the project, I would not purchase the kit once again, good options
seems to be the VQ, Nick Zirolis version with fiber glass parts, or the Marutaka kit.
Best regards from Mainz "
Good Luck,
Twinman
From a German Modeler.
"Hi George,
first flight was done yesterday, settings and spec's as following:
1) longitudinal dihedral: 1,5 degree
2) cg: 105 mm from the leading edge (middle of the aluminium tubing / plug in mount)
3) weight: 5,5 kg incl. fuel
4) engines: 2 OS 46 AX with pitts-style mufflers
5) airscrews: 11 x 7" max. rpm 10500
Flying abilities: like a trainer very stabil, no trims required, landing speed about 15 mph
Complaints:
1. could have more power, will change the airscrews to 11 x 6" -> target 14.000 rpm
2. wheels (foam) to be trashed and replaced by rubber wheels like robart
3. standard retract to shakey the P-38 did not roll straight a lot of correction was required
-> will overwork mecanically -> replace the shafts (that will cost me a couple of evenings)
4. flaps, after put them out the nose comes up with 45 degree (perfect against ateriocleriosis
and low blood pressure). minimum elevator trim at maximum flap -> 1/2" down.
resumee: nice plane, good flight preformance, attractive price at poor quality
After having finished the project, I would not purchase the kit once again, good options
seems to be the VQ, Nick Zirolis version with fiber glass parts, or the Marutaka kit.
Best regards from Mainz "
05-01-2004, 03:25 PM
#10
Thread Starter
RE: KMP P-38 flight reports?
ORIGINAL: twinman
Thought I would pass this report from Germany, but will not show name of person. He contacted me with questions about the 5 degree incidence problem and he thought he had a VQ. The pictures he sent confirmed a KMP. He did modify the elevator to approx 1.5 degree before this flight, but I do not know the method of modification.
Good Luck,
Twinman
From a German Modeler.
"Hi George,
first flight was done yesterday, settings and spec's as following:
1) longitudinal dihedral: 1,5 degree
2) cg: 105 mm from the leading edge (middle of the aluminium tubing / plug in mount)
3) weight: 5,5 kg incl. fuel
4) engines: 2 OS 46 AX with pitts-style mufflers
5) airscrews: 11 x 7" max. rpm 10500
Flying abilities: like a trainer very stabil, no trims required, landing speed about 15 mph
Complaints:
1. could have more power, will change the airscrews to 11 x 6" -> target 14.000 rpm
2. wheels (foam) to be trashed and replaced by rubber wheels like robart
3. standard retract to shakey the P-38 did not roll straight a lot of correction was required
-> will overwork mecanically -> replace the shafts (that will cost me a couple of evenings)
4. flaps, after put them out the nose comes up with 45 degree (perfect against ateriocleriosis
and low blood pressure). minimum elevator trim at maximum flap -> 1/2" down.
resumee: nice plane, good flight preformance, attractive price at poor quality
After having finished the project, I would not purchase the kit once again, good options
seems to be the VQ, Nick Zirolis version with fiber glass parts, or the Marutaka kit.
Best regards from Mainz "
Thought I would pass this report from Germany, but will not show name of person. He contacted me with questions about the 5 degree incidence problem and he thought he had a VQ. The pictures he sent confirmed a KMP. He did modify the elevator to approx 1.5 degree before this flight, but I do not know the method of modification.
Good Luck,
Twinman
From a German Modeler.
"Hi George,
first flight was done yesterday, settings and spec's as following:
1) longitudinal dihedral: 1,5 degree
2) cg: 105 mm from the leading edge (middle of the aluminium tubing / plug in mount)
3) weight: 5,5 kg incl. fuel
4) engines: 2 OS 46 AX with pitts-style mufflers
5) airscrews: 11 x 7" max. rpm 10500
Flying abilities: like a trainer very stabil, no trims required, landing speed about 15 mph
Complaints:
1. could have more power, will change the airscrews to 11 x 6" -> target 14.000 rpm
2. wheels (foam) to be trashed and replaced by rubber wheels like robart
3. standard retract to shakey the P-38 did not roll straight a lot of correction was required
-> will overwork mecanically -> replace the shafts (that will cost me a couple of evenings)
4. flaps, after put them out the nose comes up with 45 degree (perfect against ateriocleriosis
and low blood pressure). minimum elevator trim at maximum flap -> 1/2" down.
resumee: nice plane, good flight preformance, attractive price at poor quality
After having finished the project, I would not purchase the kit once again, good options
seems to be the VQ, Nick Zirolis version with fiber glass parts, or the Marutaka kit.
Best regards from Mainz "
I agree with everything he said, I used .76's(2 stroke) for power and it's at the top end for the airframe, seems like above 3/4 throttle it doesn't go much faster, .60s(two stroke) would seem to be a good choice. I used Bisson pitts mufflers.
I'm using the stock wheels, until they wear out.
Retracts, man how many complaints do I have there... I'm using the stock mains(second set from Andrew) and I rebuilt them, sealed them with Goop and JB welded the struts in to get rid of some of the shakeyness. I put a springair on the nose because I couldn't get the stock one to lock down reliably.
Flaps, work good but with so much incidence you don't really need them. Talking about incidences, the incidence of the horizontal stab isn't that far off(-1.5°) comparing it to the fuse centerline and thrust line. The wing is off a lot more(+4°) so if you compare the stab to the wing it looks like the stab is way off.
Quality.... yeah that's the word I keep thinking of with this airplane, not in a good way though...
05-02-2004, 12:06 PM
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RE: KMP P-38 flight reports?
I HAVE ONE OF THESE P38'S THAT I HAVE NOT STARTED YET!! I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING STARTED ON IT BUT NOW I'M WONDERING IF IT'S WORTH THE EFFORT. YOU GUYS DON'T SEEM TO BE VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE QUALITY!! OF THE KMP KIT.
I WAS PLANNING ON PUTTING A PAIR OF YS53FZ ENGINES ON MINE...DO YOU THINK THAT WILL BE ENOUGH?? THEY SHOULD SPING A 12/7 ABOUT 12000
LET ME KNOW ABOUT THE MOTORS......KEN TRAINOR
I WAS PLANNING ON PUTTING A PAIR OF YS53FZ ENGINES ON MINE...DO YOU THINK THAT WILL BE ENOUGH?? THEY SHOULD SPING A 12/7 ABOUT 12000
LET ME KNOW ABOUT THE MOTORS......KEN TRAINOR
05-02-2004, 05:29 PM
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RE: KMP P-38 flight reports?
Although I do not own a KMP. If above post from my friend in Germany is correct and OS 46AX are marginal, then YS53FZ will be worse to very underpowered. If you under power a P-38.DO NOT ATTEMPT A LOOP. It will snap roll violently. There are two VQ's locally and they are flying well with .60 two strokes. Not over powered, but well.
Good Luck,
Twinman
Good Luck,
Twinman
05-10-2004, 06:26 AM
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RE: KMP P-38 flight reports?
I'm back in the air. We had a fly-in at Harriman, Tn saturday. I put the P-38 up for two flights, the first one was without the cowls as it was on the test flight, the second flight was in full dress. It required a little more down trim with the cowls on. I may be 3/16 down with the cowls on. The plane flew great, I got a little wilder than I did on the test flight. The landings were slow and smooth without the flaps.
06-02-2004, 08:59 AM
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RE: KMP P-38 flight reports?
Guys,
Phil Cope went to the Chattanooga (Ooltewah) field for their Warbirds meet and they have some great pictures of Phils P-38 on their site.
http://www.crccflyers.org/images/warbirds04/index_2.htm
Joel Hebert
Phil Cope went to the Chattanooga (Ooltewah) field for their Warbirds meet and they have some great pictures of Phils P-38 on their site.
http://www.crccflyers.org/images/warbirds04/index_2.htm
Joel Hebert
06-03-2004, 11:43 AM
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RE: KMP P-38 flight reports?
So I guess we're up to three of these flying now!!!!
Phil- you need some color and stickers on that plane! Good to see it flies....
Phil- you need some color and stickers on that plane! Good to see it flies....
06-03-2004, 01:02 PM
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RE: KMP P-38 flight reports?
I am still re doing mine.
I have all the balsa parts glassed and sanded.
I need to assemble/glue it all together.
This should be a great flying plane when I finish it.
Greg
I have all the balsa parts glassed and sanded.
I need to assemble/glue it all together.
This should be a great flying plane when I finish it.
Greg
06-03-2004, 01:46 PM
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RE: KMP P-38 flight reports?
When I test flew mine in december, I asked for info from anyone who had flown the KMP and got no answers. After my test flight, Bobs replied to the post and had obviously flown one. He was waiting for better weather. Now evan and rv man have had flights. I suspect if we contacted Andy Kondor that there are probably others. I know the plane flew in other countries prior to my flight. Phil Cope
06-04-2004, 08:25 PM
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RE: KMP P-38 flight reports?
Evan,
I flew my KMP P-38 yesterday. It flys just beautifully with 1/4" down trimmed in the elevator. But the the retracts are absolute junk. I would have 50 flighta by now if the retacts would not plague me on every flight. I swear the plane sways 2" side to side and 1" back to front!
I'm using 2 well broken in OS 70 4 strokes. They never skip a beat. Now I have a great flying twin and the landing gear either colapses, or a leg drops out, or they leak, or the plywood gear mounting plates let go. I'm wondering if anyone knows if Spring Air makes a replacemnt set?
I'm getting a big kick out of all this incidence crap about the wing and stab. Just fly the bird and forget all the science. I want to take this plane to some flyins, but I can't trust the gear.
Mine is pretty much stock, pull-pull elevator, no gyros, servo for each rudder and motor, rubber bands holding the wings on, etc. I hope this answers some of your questions. I love the plane, hate the retracts!
Bob S
I flew my KMP P-38 yesterday. It flys just beautifully with 1/4" down trimmed in the elevator. But the the retracts are absolute junk. I would have 50 flighta by now if the retacts would not plague me on every flight. I swear the plane sways 2" side to side and 1" back to front!
I'm using 2 well broken in OS 70 4 strokes. They never skip a beat. Now I have a great flying twin and the landing gear either colapses, or a leg drops out, or they leak, or the plywood gear mounting plates let go. I'm wondering if anyone knows if Spring Air makes a replacemnt set?
I'm getting a big kick out of all this incidence crap about the wing and stab. Just fly the bird and forget all the science. I want to take this plane to some flyins, but I can't trust the gear.
Mine is pretty much stock, pull-pull elevator, no gyros, servo for each rudder and motor, rubber bands holding the wings on, etc. I hope this answers some of your questions. I love the plane, hate the retracts!
Bob S
06-05-2004, 05:29 PM
#24
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RE: KMP P-38 flight reports?
Bob, I agree with everything you say, I don't really have any questions or ask any questions in this thread other than what has happened to the other hundreds that were sold. I used an old spring air retract in the nose because I couldn't get the ariginal to lock in the down position. I did JB Weld the struts into the retract block and it helped alot of the wobblies of the original retracts I use for the mains. I haven't had any problems with the air frame or the wood framing the retracts bolt to but I have been flying it off a paved runway, I'm scared to try grass. I agree it flys very well, never said it didn't. It even flys well inverted though I'm carefull with all the down trim using half the available down travel of the elevator. To attach the wings I put a wood block in the underside of the wings and in the wing tube and drilled and tapped it and have a 4-40 socket head bolt to hold each wing on, I trust it much more than I would a rubber band. I also put in two elevator servos next to each rudder servo that move the elevator from each side using a Dave Brown fiberglass push rod, I used the DB push rods on rudder too. I put in .76 2 strokes and felt the extra speed warranted the extra security. With yours that makes four of us flying them in the US and on RCU. Four out of ??? sold.
06-06-2004, 09:06 PM
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RE: KMP P-38 flight reports?
spring air retracts fit in very nice.
i agree the retracts that came with the kit are junk and unusable. i was sent a second set by kmp and they were no better.
i agree the retracts that came with the kit are junk and unusable. i was sent a second set by kmp and they were no better.