nemesis4u

My Feedback: (77)

Walt,
COngrats!!!!! Nice Video and great Landing!!! Those YS Engines really Move the P-61.....You can really Climb on that one!
I am looking forward to starting mine...Just waiting on those darn retracts from Lenny to finish my OV-10 FIrst!!!
Congrats!! Well done!

kram-RCU

Excellent job!!

Congratulations on a job well done!!

Looks like she flies arrow-straight and rock-stable.

Thanks for the video.

mt

Build-n-flyer-RCU

My Feedback: (4)

Thanks guys for looking and commenting!

This was one of those times where the first flights went exactly as hoped and expected- nothing to really do except clean it up, re-charge the batteries and bring it back out to the field. But here are some thoughts and observations that we had.

The balance was set right at the front of the range (3 inch) and the plane flew fine there.

Landing was easy but pretty hot with the flaps set at about 30%. We are going to gradually add flaps to see if it will slow down some more and still stay stable. By the way the plane weighs in at almost 23 pounds with the YS engines and three 1700 mah batteries.

The landing approaches were made with the engines running at a "high idle". With the big props (and virtually no headwind) this was plenty enough to keep it gliding in. There is room to reduce the idle but for the time being I will probably leave it on the high side and pull back on the trim on touch down.

Take off with flaps at 30% was cool and worked very well. I have just a touch of flap-elevator compensation dialed in and it was about right. Bill says the trim is affected more by the gear than by the flaps so I may program some elevator compensation for this.

Bill says he flew the plane in "bank and yank" manner and never really needed to add rudder in the turns. The ailerons worked fine at the recommended settings but he wished there was more. As others have reported rolls need to be started with the nose very high, or some elevator added to keep it level while it is rolling through inverted.

He flew the plane with the elevator at low rate, which was about 60% of recommended. The plane flew fine at the recommended rate but it was a lot more than is needed. Coming out of the loop at idle he had to pull back on the stick pretty hard to level out so prop wash seems to be a factor in elevator response.

My plane is fast with the engines opened up fully and we were concerned about how much force the airframe can take. There is no doubt that the YS engines could make good use of more pitch on the blades. The 4-blade props that I will be trying are up to a 10 pitch from an 8 and they really moved my Extra right along.

So, any thoughts on how much speed that this airplane can safely take?

Walt

kram

My Feedback: (7)

My experience with the 61 is that you don't need flaps for landing, but they will help slow it down. Your landing on the video looked exactly like most of mine....burn up half the runway just "settling" before you actually touch down. Despite it's weight, the 61 seems to float at landing speed. Actually, it's more of a "scoot" than a "float," 'cause it will waller and try to tip stall if you slow it down too much.

I never use flaps for take offs.

Regarding over-powered engines: my sincere and completely unproven opinion is that the 61 can handle all the speed you can generate. It's the insidious destructive effects of big engines' vibration I fear will someday shake my airframe apart.

Again, congratulations! A very nice plane.


mt

Build-n-flyer-RCU

My Feedback: (4)

I took a turn at the sticks yesterday for the first time- only one flight, we had a nasty crosswind and keeping it lined up on the runway for landing was tough. But the crowd at the field wasn't going to let me leave without flying it.

What a sweet flying plane! Very easy to control and flies rock-stable and straight as an arrow. Actually easier to fly than my H9 150 P-51 was.

The hardest part for me to get used to was the throttle. A couple of clicks on the stick is all it takes to go from a sane flight speed to hyperdrive. But I'm sure this will be great fun once I get used to it. And maybe the 4-blade props will tone it down a bit.

Walt

Randyt26

My Feedback: (9)

Walt
Great Video and nice flying plane. Thanks for sharing it.
Keep us appraised.
Randy

Build-n-flyer-RCU

My Feedback: (4)

Update-

My VQ 'Widow has flown maybe 1/2 dozen times now with absolutely no problems and I am starting to build real confidence in it. The plane flies great- kind of like a heavy trainer on steroids.

I put it on static display in the R/C section of the local Augusta full-scale Airshow this weekend (Boshears Sky Fest) and won the "Spectators Choice" award with it. The airplane generates a ton of interest everytime I bring it out.

Next week, my first fly-in with it.

Walt

kram-RCU

Congratulations on your award. Obviously, that's because you did a fine job on finish and detail. The P-61 is a natural traffic-stopper at any airfield, even when a lot more worn and rough than yours.

mt

Build-n-flyer-RCU

My Feedback: (4)

Here's an interesting problem that I am having with my 'Widow.

I am flying off grass and here in the south the grass is starting to die back for the winter. And now I have quite a collection of dead grass and fine sand collected in the rear canopy area. I even have a big grasshopper that has taken up residence back there. Since my canopies are all glued on I am going to have to pull the fuse from the plane and shake it all out. With the amount of stuff that I can see collected at the back I am sure that the fuse and booms are full of junk kicked up from the ground.

Lesson learned, and recommendation for others building the 'Widow and similar planes- seal the holes behind the wheels with covering or something to prevent stuff from being thrown back there!

Walt

nemesis4u

My Feedback: (77)

WALT..
Have you flown it yet with the 4 Blade Props??? I am curious... What do you think about 2 Magnum 91's spinning 2 blade props for the P-61?? DO you think it will have plenty of power as well???

Build-n-flyer-RCU

My Feedback: (4)

Tomas,

I haven't flown the 4-blades on the 'Widow yet, however I finally have a new pair. I plan to give them a try this weekend if the weather is good. My experience testing the 4-blade on my Extra is that thrust was at least as good as my Saito 100 with a 15x6, but airspeed was higher due to the 10 pitch. I am hoping that the P-61 will still be at least near unlimited with them, we'll see.

I'm not familiar with the Magnums- I don't think that anyone at my club is flying one. But I personally wouldn't go with a 4-stroke less powerful than a 100 Saito unless all you want is "scale flight". The plane is very stable at slower speeds, but it really grooves when it is opened up

Walt

nemesis4u

My Feedback: (77)

Roger that WALT.....at $330+ for each YS ....gulp...I will stick with my 90-91 2 Strokes....much easier on my pocket book
I wonder if the 2 Stroke 90-91 size motors will have close to the same flight speeds as the YS 110 4 Strokes??? wonder how fast SAMPARFITT's is??!?!?!

Jerryballs

My Feedback: (19)

Gentlemen, I have enjoyed reading your posts and have learned a lot. My question for you is about engines. I purchased a "Jap Batty" from a gentleman who used FPE 1.3 gas engines. (you may have seen it advertised in RC Universe). Do you think these engines will be OK or would you recommend something else? I checked and cowls are available from Mike. Thanks for any advice> Jerry

nemesis4u

My Feedback: (77)

I saw that Jap Betty for sale here on RCU like you stated...Pretty Nice deal the way it was... I believe you have more than adequate power maybe more than necessary...
I know this plane flies on .90 2 strokes and .91-110 4 strokes... these FPE have more power that ST G90 2 strokes from what I have read... I just dont think you need to change anything
hey KRAM where are you!?!?!
I know Mike at VQ did a P-61 also in Jap Betty Colors as a test for small displacement Gas engines... you should call him and check about Gas engines on this Bird...He would know best I believe...
They are expecting the next shipment of BLACK P-61's late December as customs in Vietnam held the order from being shipped due to RED TAPE...typical customs... there is a line of people waiting for the BLACKWidow...

nemesis4u

My Feedback: (77)

Hey KRAM do you have any pics to post of your VQ P-61... I know you bought one but dont recall seeing the pics of it? did you end up building/assembling one afterall?? any details on it you can share with us?!?

Build-n-flyer-RCU

My Feedback: (4)

I know how my 'Widow flies but I can't provide much help/advice on performance with engines other than the YS's.

What we need is more on-line video to do some comparisons. SamP's 2-wheel landing video is fun to watch but it doesn't provide much insight into flight performance with the 91's. Sam, I thought you were going to post some more for us!

If anyone wants to show off their P-61 video I can host it for a while. Just send me a PM so that we can work out how to get it to me.

Walt

kram-RCU

nemesis:

My VQ-61 hasn't even been unwrapped, although I have the engines (Saito 100's), the radio and landing gear for it. Waiting till I crash my Ziroli-61, I guess!

build-n-flyer:

I've got a nice DVD of the engine-out flight of my Ziroli-61, but I'm nowhere near smart enough to post it. Any ideas?

All fellow Brothers of the P-38:

I lost my 4 year-old Yellow-38 Thursday. Heartbreaker! Cause: (What else?) right engine out. Can't figure out why. The engines, radio and landing gear OK, but airframe damaged beyond repair. Nothing so violent in this hobby as the snap a 38 does when you lose an engine at high throttle. I was starting to build some confidence with my engine-out recovery skills, but only managed to convert this spin to a high-speed, shallow-angle dive.

mt

Build-n-flyer-RCU

My Feedback: (4)

mt,

Regarding posting your Ziroli DVD, I know how to do it though it does involve some effort- I'll send you a PM.

VERY sorry to hear about the loss of your P-38. From what you guys have said regarding engine-outs I am not sure that I am ready to tackle one of those yet. Does anyone have a story about actually saving a P-38 when an engine flames out?

Walt

Build-n-flyer-RCU

My Feedback: (4)

I tested the 4-blade props today, and they are going to stay on my plane.

These are the APC 13.8x10's that you can get from Tower or Central Hobbies.

My YS's are spinning them right at 9,000 RPM with open exhaust and 30% heli. This is less RPM than the 15x8's but the added pitch makes up for the difference. Airspeed is very close, maybe slightly slower on level flight. And there's less raw torque under 1/2 throttle but the plane is still virtually unlimited.

Everyone watching agreed that the YS's sounded even better with the 4-blades, still gutsy but more "scale"- probably because it quieted down the prop noise. They look much better. And the throttle response is much smoother. With the 2-blade props it seemed like I was getting just about full power at 1/2 throttle. With the 4-blades the plane responds all the way through the stick travel.

If I were going for raw power/speed I would next try 14.4x11 two blades, or maybe 15x10's.

But I am going to stick with the 4-blades.

Walt

nemesis4u

My Feedback: (77)

Walt,
COngrats Man..
Can you post another VIdeo , this time with your 4 BLaders doing there thing?
I bet they sound and look awesome!!! Try to get video of them at idle , taxing...takeoffs...THe whole flight ...I am excited for you man....THat is awesome!!

MANFRED

My Feedback: (27)

Yeah a guy named Lucky Lindy figured it out for our boys in the Pacific. It seems an unusually high number of flame out-stalls to crash were happening on takeoff. Lindys' answer, slam down the throttle and glide her (like a rock) down to earth. Might work with the models as well, if you have the time to drop the throttle that is.
He actually taught them how to increase range and flight duration, which ultimately led to Yamamoto's demise. He actually scored combat victories as well.

nemesis4u

My Feedback: (77)

Walt!!,
Is that JR channel expander compatible with a Futaba Radio?? I am strongly considering going your micro servo route for my gear doors....
LMK....
did you get more Video of the 4Blade Props powering your P-61 Widow'???

nemesis4u

My Feedback: (77)

SAMPARFITT,
You there man? How is the BlackWidow doing?? any more Video of it flying?? How are those OS 91FX's DOing and pulling it???

Build-n-flyer-RCU

My Feedback: (4)

Tomas,

Sorry, I don't know if the JR expander module is compatible with Futaba or not. It seems like it should be since you just plug it in to the receiver like a standard servo. But I would ask someone who knows for sure, or has tried it first.

I'll get some video with the 4-blades some time during the next several weeks.

Walt

scale dail

My Feedback: (8)

Wish I got one of these the first time around! waiting for December this time!. I want the ARC version so I can build "Jukin Judy" a turretless A model that was in the 422NFG in Europe. had a scratch built model in the 80's, my first twin.