Just got one of these

[Groovydale]

FMS Mustang 57in wingspan foamy with elertric retracts
http://www.cmldistribution.co.uk/cml_product.php?r...
Saw the thunderbolt in the local modelshop the other week.Well impressed
Really large size and retracts work slow with a built in worm screw drive
Read plenty of reviews before plumping on the P51
Not much to put together built it up this afternoon
Want this wind to die down before maiden

[steveo3002]

looks good..id like the me109

how much roughly does the radio gear and batteries etc cost to make it go

[Groovydale]

Comes complete with 2.4ghz radio. CML website gives the same price with or without radio So ordered with radio version Comes without battery so you need a 4cell 3000mah or so Ive got some I use in the panther and got 2 more comming from china via ebay 25 quid each.
Radio that comes with the plane is a bit basic (what do you expect for nothing!)
so will swap a futaba reciever in one of my lesser models and run the Mustang on my familiar Futaba setup

[dr_gn]

Groovydale said:

FMS Mustang 57in wingspan foamy with elertric retracts
http://www.cmldistribution.co.uk/cml_product.php?r...
Saw the thunderbolt in the local modelshop the other week.Well impressed
Really large size and retracts work slow with a built in worm screw drive
Read plenty of reviews before plumping on the P51
Not much to put together built it up this afternoon
Want this wind to die down before maiden

I think you chose by far the best looking of the bunch: I love the look of real Bf109E's, but on that model the undercarriage is far too widely spaced to be realistic (if it was scale I expect it would be very tricky to land), and the spinner is all wrong. The Thunderbolt looks scale, but was never as 'right' as the Mustang in real life IMO.

I'd be very interested to know how it flies; especially whether it's under-powered or not, how effective the flaps are and what times you get out of the battery.

Are you flying from grass or concrete?

[Emsman]

Don't they now do the spitfire in the same size?
I have seen the mini range they do- about 800mm wingspan and pisses parkzone for the money.
Sorely tempted by the p47, until I saw windrider models are due to release a hurricane- wanted one for ages- wouldn't mind their dauntless either.
Let us know how you get on though please, lots of plane for the money

[Groovydale]

Yes was tempted by the spitfire, but everyone does them and the mustang just looked right. Seen the small ones in the model shop Not half the size of this one!!
May be a some time before I gets to fly this, as the field will be in a state with this crap weather, and no one will have been down to cut the grass. Will keep you posted though

[Emsman]

Very true, lots of spits out there, although 50 quid on the phase 3 mini spit is money well spent- great little thing.

I'm looking at a thunder tiger flying legends spit, or rather was until the fms range came out.

Just need a hurri though, or better still, a gladiator

[Groovydale]

If you need a Hurri, take a look at VQ Models 60 size. Got some good reviews and several electic conversion build threads
Could be my next model, if the Mustang stays in one piece.

[Groovydale]

Well got 3 flights out of it today. Not without its dramas but still in one piece!
Down to the field this morning, barely any wind. First was to see how it taxies and any ground loop tendencies. As soon as the throttle was moved open she nosed over, this happened several times. the grass hasnt been cut for a fortnight now but nothing the spacewalker (with smaller wheels) couldnt cope with. By holding in some down elevator I could get it to fast taxi and could see there was very little tendency to pull left, although a higher throttle could maybe induce some
Anyway in for a penny, lined her up straight and with a touch of elevator to hold the tail down, fed in 1/2 throttle or so, and within 15 ft or so lifted into the air. Climbing a bit, so trimmed out the elevator and that was it. Flew it about for a couple of mins. (forgot to set the timer), before thinking about landing
Not my strongest points I might add. Came in on aproach, flicked the flaps down, then fought with it to stop it from balooning back up, by which time the speeds dropped right off and she stalls about 3 ft in the air. Fortunatly no damage. Second flight was a carbon copy of the first except no flaps this time. again I let too much speed drop off and she just dropped a wing a couple of feet from the ground, again no harm done. Third flight appoached faster and although not a good landing as it nosed over at the end she got down ok.
So whats the verdict. Looks good in the air, Flys quite neutral, obviously strong enough she weighs 30 gram short of 2kg with 3200 4 cell Not heavy considering the size so I think she floats a bit. Flys on 1/2 throttle easily at something like scale speed. Probably not got the "taughtness" of a built up model But with practice could be thrown around no problem.
Dislikes.
The flying surface hinging is crap, the rudder was so stiff it would barely turn right. I will replace all of the moulded hinges with proper ones. I will try to cant the retract legs forward a bit to try to stop the nosing over. There are several threads on this, also maybe reinforce the area a bit. I am glad I ditched the radio and fitted my Futaba kit as I had no problems with "feel" of the transmitter. As robbed the 617 reciever from the wildcat, I later tried the widcat on the FMS kit, it was well wierd, almost like relearning again. The wildcat will have another futaba reciever asap

[Stig]

Interesting reading - thanks!

A few of my mates have recently got back into RC flying and have rekindled my interest in it. Consequently, I have a Parkzone Corsair and a Mustang P-51D with a Spektrum DX6i waiting for me at home

I'll let you know how I get on with them!

[Emsman]

Cheers for that.
Another item on the christmas list.

[Hard-Drive]

These look great!

Question, could one of these easily be flown on a calm day by someone with no previous RC plane experience (but I do have an indoor heli and an RC yacht so I'm OK with the whole "coming towards ), but full size aircraft experience (solo in a glider and Piper Warrior)

Really tempted, however I did wonder if the A10 Warthog might be the best bet? I assume it will fly quite slowly, with tricycle undercarriage there's less chance of standing it on it's nose, plus with no exposed propellor there's less to break if the landing is a bit, erm, definite...

[Emsman]

I wouldnt risk it.

At all.

They are quick, and although they can be slowed down, if you do, they are likely to stall or lose a lot of altitude at the very least.

I let someone have a go on a parkzone spitfire- after they had used a simulator for hours- and the flight lasted all of 20 seconds.

Dont get me wrong, the display he gave for that 20 seconds was superb, but it all went wrong, and the model ended up in pieces the size of talcum powder.
Start with a rudder and elevator only model, or a specific beginners model- much cheaper long term.
Where in the midlands are you? I hae something you could borrow if you wanted to

[Hard-Drive]

Emsman

Thanks for the tip...I'll take that advice on board totally! Looking at the videos, I do see what you mean, they do look a bit nippy!

I'm in Rugby, but the prospect of borrowing anything that can be destroyed in one second flat is a bit of a non-starter (although very kind!)

[Emsman]

Hard-Drive said:

Emsman

Thanks for the tip...I'll take that advice on board totally! Looking at the videos, I do see what you mean, they do look a bit nippy!

I'm in Rugby, but the prospect of borrowing anything that can be destroyed in one second flat is a bit of a non-starter (although very kind!)

I've got a mini v trainer from flyingwings.co.uk

it's a pusher motor so unlikely to break in a crash, is made from epp foam (which bounces) and if you lose control you just let go- it self rights and is set up to glide.

So far, it's been used to teach 7 people, and it's still going strong (albeit with a fair amount of hot glue these days!)

if you are looking to learn, I would suggest one in an instant(already have!) or if you have the space, get the larger version.

Superb planes, ideal for purpose, yet good fun to come back to when you have learnt