Question 73: "Hi, Jack I would like to make the next step up and start flying warbirds. I'm a really big fan of the P-51D. I was looking at the VQ Model Aircraft P-51D, could you give me any information on this plane and any others you would recommend. Thanks Hugh"

Jack: "Hi Hugh, The P-51 is a great Warbird and it is a good transition model into warbirds and there are lots of kits available that would fit the bill. The VQ line of kits are very nice models are very nice. I do not own one nor have I flown one but I have looked over this kit line extensively. They are well built with a good selection of fairly authentic color schemes available. The kits are very complete and you should be able to have one flight ready in just a few nights work Good luck with finding your Mustang and keep us informed how your transition into Warbirds comes out. Jack Devine"

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Question 74: "Hi there, I have just purchased an unbuilt Byron p-51 and was wondering if there were any other reduction drives available for this plane. Also, is the Zenoah 62 the right size engine for a direct mount or would the next smaller size suffice. Thanks,
Great website. Jim "

Jack: "Hi Jim, Sorry for not getting back to you sooner with a response to your question but time has been very tight lately. First off let me say that I have owned a Byron Mustang for the past ten years and I love the airplane. It has the reduction drive with the Mustang 50 in it and it flies well although it does not have the speed that the direct drive Mustangs. But man that scale prop is beautiful. The G—62 is a bolt in with the Byro-drive mount and it makes a very nice flying airplane. The increased power really speeds the flight envelope up but you loose that big prop. The reduction units are still out there and I see them occasionally on the R/C for sale sites. I bought an extra drive system with the reduction drive prop and spinner when I first bought mine so I would have parts if I ever needed them. I have many, many flights on my Mustang and the only replacement parts I have used are one set of new Bearings and one set of the little drive v-belts. The plane originally had a Quadra 42 in it and I converted it about five years ago to the Byron Mustang 50. The swap was easy and all of the parts were available through Byron at the time. The Mustang 50 turns the big prop about 800 rpm faster than the Quadra 42 did but because the blades flattened out Real bad when they get over 3500rpm prop speed. I think a carbon fiber prop blade would completely satisfy that problem . There has been lots of talk on RCU and some of the other websites about manufacturing a carbon fiber blade but to date nothing has become of it. I don’t plan on ever getting rid of my P-51 and I keep the maintenance up so it still has several good flying seasons left. My email address is jdevine97@comcast..net and if you email me your address I’ll send you some pictures of my Mustang. Good Luck Jim! ack Devine"

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Question 75: "Jack have you had a chance to fly the Model Tec P-40 and what do you think of it? Thanks, Steve."

Jack: "Hi Steve, Thanks for writing. I can’t give you any valid input on this particular P-40 because I have never flown one or seen one fly. If it is typical of most P-40s it will be a really great airplane in the air and a real handful on the ground. They have really narrow landing gear and the tail wheel lifts pretty early in the take off roll. You will definitely learn how to fly with the rudder on this plane because it won’t turn or taxi well without lot’s of rudder input. This is particularly true when taking off. You will need a lot of right rudder input to keep the plane running straight. If you don’t use it, the plane will take a hard left turn as soon as the tail wheel lifts off. In the past few years I have has the opportunity to talk with quite a few modelers who have bought or built the P-40 and the conversation has always gotten to this point. The P-40 is really a great flying airplane and a very nice looking airplane as well and having a good idea of what to expect on that first flight will go far in helping you be able to enjoy what comes once the plane is at a safe flying speed.Manage the throttle with steady input and let the plane run on the main gear until it’s ready to fly. Don’t force it into the air with a big hit of up elevator but let it build enough ground speed to make a smooth transition to flight. You’ll really enjoy your P-40 once you master the takeoff. Good luck Steve and let us know how it goes."

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Question 76: "Hello Jack, I have selected the GSP Spitfire (71") with a Saito 100 for my third airplane and was wondering if you have flown this plane and had any flying tips for this combination? My first airplane was a 40 size trainer and my second airplane, which I still have, is a Sig 4*60 with a Saito 100. The 4*60 has been a great second plane for me and I am comfortable flying and landing it. I suppose I would consider myself an intermediate pilot. I read with great interest your comments on the Pica 1/5 Spitfire and assume that some of those would apply to the GSP Spitfire, although there is a significant difference in weight--the GSP with the Saito should come in under 11 lbs. I have noted your comments on the CG and control throws and will be careful setting up the plane to be very conservative on both. The GSP Spitfire does have flaps, albeit small ones. Thanks and Happy Holidays, Ed"

Jack: "Hello Ed, Thanks for writing! The GSP Spitfire I'm sure will be a great airplane and as typical with most Spitfires, the flight characteristics will be outstanding. The Spit has a very clean airframe and is all business in the air. It will respond quickly to inputs and most of that is due to the long tail moments on this plane. It will fly much like a pattern plane with high Elevator authority. That makes them tend to porpoise a bit if you have a lot of elevator throw so start with about 3/4" up and down and dial in a little expo if your radio has that capability. It will slow the movement down under light application but still allow you lots of authority with heavy stick deflection. I love EXPO for this reason. It really reduces the sensitivity. Spit main gear is very narrow and you need to keep that in mind. Your approaches need to be aligned to the runway with the rudder input doing most of the directional adjustments while keeping the wings level. To master a Spitfire you have to master rudder control but once you get it done you will me able to fly in any wind conditions Spitfire Flaps are very effective and using them will increase your low speed stability. Just remember the Flaps are big speed brakes as well and you will need to add power to maintain a safe airspeed. All in all the Spitfire is an outstanding model that will keep you honest but will reward you with stunning performance once you are comfortable with the airplane. Good Luck with your new Spitfire. Jack Devine "

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Question 77: "I recently retired and am getting into r/c flying. So far, I have put together a few ARFs. Eventually, I would like to be able to build and fly such things as a Jet Hanger Kfir and a Zirolli P-61. I know that I have a long way to go before I can hope to build (or fly) either. Can you recommend a good kit plane that would be a good next step in my modeling experience? Al"

Jack: "Hello Al. Thanks for writing. I hope that your retirement years and radio controlled model airplanes give you many years of happiness. This is a wonderful hobby (Addiction) for some of us and as you make the transition into the more complex aircraft I’m sure you will find some very rewarding challenges and make a lot of great new friends on the journey. Reading your question I always come back to pretty much the same suggestion. To successfully fly a Warbird you need some full house control experience and that should include learning to fly with the rudder as a primary input for directional control and turning,, The use of flaps for landing and the proper use of the throttle to control a flaps down approach and last but not least a determination to make everything on the airplane right before you even consider flying.

There are many good transitional airplanes out there and one of my favorite is the Great Planes .40 size Mustang. It can be built with flaps and retracts and it is an outstanding transitional airplane. An added bonus is that it is easy to build and it is built with care and it comes out straight it will fly with the best of them. Once you are comfortable with the plane the installation of a 60 size motor will make this little Mustang really perform and the airframes will handle the increase in power with no problem. It’s a great airplane and it’s one that I highly recommend to a pilot wanting to go in the direction you have indicated. One other thing that is worth mentioning Al is that the larger airplanes are much easier to fly than their smaller counterparts and once you have the proper control techniques down the transition into the larger planes will be no problem. The Ziroli P-61 Black Widow is an outstanding airplane and it flies very well. I do not recommend a big twin engine model as your first large scale airplane. Get comfortable with a single engine plane and then make your transition into a multi engine airplane. The Ziroli line up are great models all the way up and down the list and any of them would be a good pick and the scale possibilities are very good. too. Build a good forty size full house kit and as you start to feel comfortable with it then make your t transition into the larger aircraft. Come back when you are ready to take on a larger airplane and I’m sure you will find lots of great advice right here on RCWarbirds,com Good Luck al!! Jack Devine"

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Question 78: "Jack, you mentioned improving the US 41 performance by substituting the Walbro carb as used on Q 50's.
My question: can you give the Walbro number? (Walbro must make a thousand different carbs--and there could be different numbered carbs on a particular engine.) Thanks, Hermon, Pekin, Ills."

Jack: "Hello Herman, The carb number for the Walbro carb is Walbro#144. It is the stock carb used on the Quadra 52 and it will make a big difference in you US 41. You need to get rid of the stock muffler too and build a straight stack for the exhaust. You will see an increase in top end performance of about 800 RPM and that makes a big difference in the power this engine develops. Jack Devine"

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Question 79: "Jack, Hi my name is Bill, I have read your article on the basics of flying warbirds. I recently finished a Corsair Top Flight Gold addition with flapsand am using a 1.2 cu OS four stroke engine. I have been flying for many years but never a war bird. Can you tell me first of all, since I am not used to flying with the rudder, is it a good idea to mix the ailerons and rudder and if so, what percent of rudder mix should I use? Also would liketo ask you, is it a good idea to use flaps on take off and if so how much?
Thanks, Bill"

Jack: "Hello Bill, Thanks for writing. Your new Corsair sounds great and with that big four stroker on the nose you should have a real nice airplane. Two Issues you need to focus on Bill. You can't fly a Corsair without the rudder and you have to manage the power with the monster on the nose. Takeoff roll is about power management. Advance the throttle slowly and let the model roll. The tail will lift almost immediately and you will have to input good amount of right rudder to control the torque pull to the left. Add the rudder quickly and then just ease off of it as the speed comes up. Once you have some ground speed the plane will track straight and true with very little rudder input but it requires a good airflow across the tail surfaces get that done. Once you have built up a good bit of speed gently ease in just a touch of up elevator and it will rotate and now the fun begins.Climb straight out at about a 30 degree angle and gain some insurance space between the ground and your new Corsair. Retract the wheels once you have completed the first turn and trim the model to fly straight and level at about 60% power. Fly it at this speed and gain some confidence but you will find that the Corsair is a great airplane to fly and a thrill a minute too. Do some left and right turns and feel the plane out and once you are trimmed and comfortable you can open it up a little and enjoy what being a Corsair driver is all about. They fly on the wing and respond with immediate reaction to your inputs. I guess the right thing to say is that they do exactly what you tell them to.

You said you built your model with flaps and that is a very good thing!!!!! You will not need flaps on takeoff but I highly recommend you use them to land. They reduce the nasty tip stall tendencies the Corsair is noted for and make landing a lot easier. They add low speed stability and will really improve the life span of your retracts. The Corsair flaps are also big speed brakes so be ready to add power when you lower your flaps. Approach angles should be steep at about 45 degrees and manage your decent with the throttle stick not the elevator. Adding power will flatten out your approach and reducing power will steepen the approach. Keep the wings level with light aileron input and you guessed it maintain directional control with the rudder. Once you learn the rudder you will really wonder how you flew without it. Practice the rudder as you fly and you will see all of your turns get smoother and more stable. It takes practice but it works and you won't find a good Warbird pilot anywhere that will disagree that you need the rudder to successfully fly a warbird.

Cut your power once you are sure you have made the field and let the model settle in on the main gear and as the speed bleeds off the tail will come right down and give you good ground handling characteristics again. Then you have to taxi back to your pit area and pry the big smile off of your face. Make sure the balance is spot on before you even think about flying and make sure your engine runs reliably before you ever taxi out to the runway. You don't need any inflight emergencies on the first few flights so just double check everything before you fly. Keep us posted on how it goes and good luck Bill. Jack Devine ''

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Question 80: "Jack I am in the process of collecting all the parts of a Vailly Aviation Hurricane project. I anticipate a weight of around 26lbs and will power the plane with a 3W 50 engine. I've recently read some horror stories of the plane being very difficult to land, and was wondering what your advice would be. Some of the terms I've read include things like "tail stall".
In a similar vein, I've got a Pica 1/5 Spit, at about 28lbs, with a G62. I've only had a few flights with it, both ended dead stick. I was able to fly it in both times, gear and flaps down. After looking at the 3w50 I'm putting in my Hurricane, I'm going to retrofit one to my Spit. How do you think the flight characteristics of the two planes will compare? I'm assuming that I want to keep my speed up and utilize a fairly steep descent with flaps. Thanks very much in advance. Sam"

Jack: "Hello Sam, I personally don’t have any flight time on a Hurricane model but my gut feeling is that it is no harder to fly or land than your Spitfire although any Warbird dead stick is not a fun airplane to deal with and if your decisions from the time the prop stops turning until the plane is safely on the ground are not text book perfect you will probably loose the airplane. I find it odd that a G-62 gave up like that as I personally feel it is one of the most reliable model engines out there. The 3W engines are also very reliable and you should get good results with them too but I don’t think the 3W 50 has any where near the same power as a G-62.

The problem with all model warbirds is they are usually flying on heavy wing loads and when they get low and slow disaster lurks just a second away. Recognizing a stall and quickly reacting to it are part of the learning curve that all pilots need to experience. Think of it this way. As long as minimum airspeed is maintained a model will continue to fly. If you loose the motor you need to react and the first consideration is altitude. Can you nose the model over to maintain airspeed? Second how far to the runway and on this one if you are far out and low trying to stretch the remaining flight energy to get the model back to the runway is a bad decision. You risk a stall that will be unrecoverable. Third deals with gear and flaps. Gear down and flaps down create the highest drag your plane can produce and the drag factor is the deception we don’t usually think about. A clean airframe will fly much further than a dirty one with gear and flaps down so again you must quickly make some choices. You will do far less damage to your model in a belly landing that just slides it down the runway than you will stalling and going in with all the gear and flaps hanging down that are going to get severely damaged when they contact the ground.. Flaps will not extend your flight unless power is available or you can keep the nose of your aircraft low and have the altitude to loose to maintain the flight energy.

Landing with good controllable power eliminates all of the above and I work very hard to make sure all of my models have reliable engines on them that run properly for the entire flight. Getting the appropriate adjustments done preflight is the best insurance I know of. I have seen several Hurricane models fly and thought they all flew very well but they had power available to manage the flight. I’m a firm believer of using flaps and making my approaches at angles take full advantage of the lift and stabilization the flaps offer. Once they are down, learn to manage the decent with the throttle and make your course corrections with the rudder. Add power to lessen your approach angle and reduce power to increase the sink rate. Once you are sure you have made the runway drop the power to idle and flair a foot or so off the runway and let it settle in. It all takes practice and some thought but if you have thought about the situations that can develop you will more than likely be able to successfully react to them.

The Spitfire is a cleaner airplane and it will be the cleaner flying model. You don’t hear many RC pilots complain about the performance of the Spitfire. It will grove and fly more like a pattern plane. The lines on the Hurricane are not as clean but if you keep your approaches fairly steep and use the flaps coupled with a reliable motor I think you will really enjoy the Hurricane too. Good Luck! Jack Devine"

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Question 81: "Hi Jack, I'm thinking of buying myself a Composite-arf P51D. Do you have any knowledge about this plane and its flying capabilities? how is it compared to other manufacturers? I'm also thinking to put a scale four blade propeller on it, do you have any suggestions towards engine and reduction drives? Thanks from Jan-Reidar"

Jack: "Hello Jan-Reidar, I can’t give you much help here. I have no experience with the Composite P-51 model. I have read several things about the company and the models that they produce and with an all composite airframe I would think you would be getting a structurally sound and very accurate Mustang. The strength of these models is unparalleled. The issue with the four blade prop is one that I am very familiar with. Typically most model airplane engines do not have enough power to swing a scale four blade prop and the RPM at which they develop peak power is far to fast for a prop to be efficient. Everyone that has even come close has used some type of reduction unit to create the torque needed and reduce the RPM to an efficient level. Byron made a great effort in developing a flying scale prop for several of their warbirds and the Mustang was probably one of the best attempts. It spun a scale 24” diameter prop with a Quadra 42cc gas engine. The prop was driven by two small V-belts through a reduction pulley that was direct driven by the motor. The prop spin at half of the engine speed through the 2 to 1 reduction. Byron later introduced a 50cc engine in an attempt to get a bit more performance out of the Mustang but the increase in power turned the prop about 500-800 RPM faster but the plastic that the Byron blades were made out of flattened out at any RPM above 3300 so the increase in horsepower was rendered effectively useless. The blade was the problem and with the advances in prop technology and the composite materials that are available today I absolutely believe an efficient system could be developed. There has been a lot of talk about this over the past couple of years and there are currently several new reduction systems in the early stages of production. We have far better engines today that make much higher power and when someone brings a solidly designed blade capable of standing up to the big horsepower, I’m sure a flying scale prop will become a reality. I still have my Byron Mustang in my hanger and it is a plane that is going to stay a active part of my collection. There is nothing better looking than a scale model P-51 with a big four blade prop on the nose passing overhead. They make a sound all of their own. If you decide to build the Composite P-51 I hope you make every effort to try and come up with a working reduction unit with a scale prop. It would be awesome. Let me know if I can be of any further assistance. Good luck Jan-Reidar And let us know how it all turns out. Jack Devine"

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Question 82: "jack, I 've noticed that all the questions the guys are asking you deal mostly(99%) with WW2 warbirds. So Ia m going to break the mold and ask you a question on a turbine powered aircraft. I have the Byron's T33 that I have converted to Turbine...specifically a Ram 750. This plane will weigh some where around 25lbs with 18lbs of thrust.This my first turbine powered aircraft. What should I expect. I realize that they flew off of a os 91 with maybe 13lbs of thrust. The gear is narrow, what should I expect for a takeoff roll and landing and just general flight characteristics? "

Jack: "Hello Tony., I have never flown a turbine powered RC aircraft but I have flown ducted fans. The big difference that I noticed was in throttle response and on the turbine as well as on the ducted fans the motors take longer to start producing thrust so you have to stay further ahead of the airplane. This is critical in the landing scenario especially. You hit the throttle like you would on a missed attempt to land and the power takes a few seconds to arrive. In the air the models are honest and behave rather well. They turn in much wider patters because the airspeed is usually quite high and you need to add a bit of elevator coupled with the ailerons to turn tight. Rudder input will keep your turns crisp.

As for take off most jets roll very straight and the need for the rudder correction to offset the prop torque isn’t there. Cross winds can be very tricky with the narrow main gear and what ever you do don’t let a jet fly until it is at a safe speed. Take off runs are far longer and remember with the jet the more air you stuff through the front of it the more thrust the engine develops. With a little respect for their flight envelope and a touch of adrenaline control I’m sure you will find that your transition into the jets will be a lot of fun. I have been absolutely amazed with every turbine powered model I have seen fly and hope to one day get a shot at flying one. I had a Byron F-16 ducted fan model for several years and it was a lot of fun. It drank expensive fuel like a thirsty horse drinks water but it was sure fun to fly. Take off runs seemed a mile long with that plane but it was meant to be in the air and that’s where it showed it’s true colors The T-33 is a proven RC design and I think that even at 25 pounds it will fly pretty well. Jets are high maintenance and don’t scrimp in that category ever. Inspect preflight and post flight every time and do everything you can to keep the model in top shape. Good luck Tony! This adventure should be a blast. Let us know how it goes. Jack Devine"

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Question 83: "Hi Jack, here is my question. I have just finished building my Top-flite Giant scale Corsair F-4. The engine is a 3W-75. And I have the robart retracts on it. Yesterday I went to the field (old concrete runway) and made some high speed taxi tests. Unfortunately as soon as the airplane speeds up a little it starts turning left and when I try to correct that with minimum
control, it starts going right much harder and I have to idle back before it goes off the runway. I can t keep it straight with thrust at about 75 percent.The tail does not lift as well.The CG is correct according to the plans. Please help or I will never be able to get it flying. :) Can a heading lock gyro help that??"

Jack:"Hello Sarp, You describe some really abnormal performance from your taxi tests so let's see if we can sort this out. With the tail plane not lifting on the takeoff roll I first have to question balance. Every Corsair I have ever flown reacted the same way and the tail was flying before I got to half throttle. The left yaw is absolutely normal and it can require full rightrudder to correct it but keep in mind as the rudder deflection is input the force it generates to kick the tail back to the left is constantly increasing as the airspeed increases. You needto input enough right rudder to initiate the directional correction and then immediately start
reducing the input so you don't over correct. This takes practice to master but you will get the "feel if you keep at it. It's not abnormal to get a little wag out of the tail and often you just have to pulse the rudder to keep the take off roll straight down the runway. It's always going to the left so right rudder input is the answer but just enough to correct the left yaw without creating a yaw to the right. Remember the rudder authority is constantly increasing as the airspeed increases. As you see the rudder start to bring the plane back to the right, and it will happen fairly fast, start reducing the input. Sometime a little expo on
the rudder will help. Stay off the ailerons and stay off the elevator. If the tail stays down try a blip of down elevator input to see if you can raise the tail. Be careful here because it's easy to get the prop chewing on the runway if you add too much down elevator. The higher the tail plane gets as it comes up the more effective the rudder input will be. I have flown a couple of corsairs that needed the blip of down elevator but the vast majority of them had the
tail raise all on it's own.

Once the tail is up keep the mains on the ground and let it build up speed you should be steadily increasing the throttle all through the takeoff run and be at or very near wide open throttle before you let the plane rotate. Climb out at a safe rate for the first few flights and get your landing gear up as soon as you are sure you are comfortably flying. Once I have a few feet of altitude my fingers are going to the retract switch and I do this more from habit than anything else. You should be well into the flight envelope by the time you start your first turn. I don't think you could find a more honest airplane once you are at a safe flying speed.

Recheck the balance and make sure this plane is not tail heavy. If it is it will be very difficult to fly if not impossible and you have way to much time invested in this project to loose it first flight. Start with the balance and then dial in some expo on the rudder and try a few more taxi- takeoff rolls. Get the tail up and it will be much easier to keep it straight because the whole vertical stab becomes effective once the clean air gets to it. I would stay away from the Gyro for this problem. Stay in touch with me and let's figure this thing out so you get a chance to really enjoy that plane in the air. Once you become a Corsair Driver you will have a smile for weeks. It's a great feeling! Good luck"

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Question 84: "Jack, the RC Warbirds sight is an awesome resource for warbird fans... Thanks for your input on the sight! In an effort to "build" and fly a relevant piece of history, I have fallen in love with the F6F Hellcat and the significant role this plane played in the pacific during WWII against the fierce Zero. I am only 30, but fascinated with WWII era warbirds. I am curious what your thoughts are on the F6f Hellcat ARF made by Giant Scales Models. The kit calls for a 120 four stroke. I live in Denver, and with
the higher elevation, I am wondering if a 120 four stroke will do the job with this plane. Do you have any thoughts on the kit, its flying
characteristics, and engine recommendations? Any thoughts/advice will be much appreciated! Thanks, Matt"

Jack: "Hi Matt, I have not flown the GSM version of the Hellcat but I have flown a Byron Hellcat and my son and I each have Ziroli Hellcats and all three of these planes are a pleasure to fly. The Hellcat has absolutely no bad habits and it has very effective flaps. For the beast that it is it flies much lighter than it looks and it flies at very high speed when you pour the power to it. It's truly a pilots' airplane and if GSM stayed true on their kit I'm sure it will be a winner too.

Like all Warbirds you need to think about the takeoff roll. Bring your power up slowly but consistently and get on the right rudder to keep it going straight. As soon as the tail lifts the rudder will become very effective and I don't think you will have any problem taking off. Don't let it jump into the air but rather manage the elevator to let it roll on the main gear. Once you have sufficient airspeed it will lift off pretty as a picture with just a hint of up elevator. Fly straight out until you have some altitude. I always say at least 50 feet before you even think about turning. I'm usually at full throttle just after the airplane breaks ground and starts flying but the transition of the power application has been steady and smooth al the way through the entire takeoff. Once you have some altitude throttle back and get the airplane cleaned up. Don't worry about the retracts until you have turned onto the down wind leg
at least for the first few flights. Breathing would be a bit more important especially with a new airplane. I know you know what I'm talking about here.

As for power I know a YS 1.20 would handle it well even at Denver's altitude but it may be marginal with a less powerful 1.20. Saito has a nice 1.50 that is a real power house and that .30 cc increase might be good insurance. Like most ARF kits the plane will be light and obviously that is to your advantage. I would recommend that you talk to some of the Warbird Pilots at your field and see what they have to say about the four stroke performance in the high Rockies. They should be the Fort Knox of information relevant to the motor performance and I'm sure many of them can base their opinions on experience. Under powered Warbirds can be a real handful. You can always throttle back if you have some "Extra" but your out of bullets when you are wide open and the model is just mushing along. I always make my power decisions based on having enough power to enjoy the plane at 2/3 to 3/4 throttle. It puts some power in the bank so to speak and if you get into the situation where you need it, it's available.

I think you will really enjoy this model Matt and if you assemble it and balance it correctly it should give you hours of great fun. Becoming a Hellcat driver is an experience you will remember for years to come. Good luck Matt and keep us all posted on your F6F!!!! Jack Devine"

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Question 85: "Hello Jack, I am completing a Top Flite P-40, and I wish to use a 3 blade prop that is close to scale in appearance. Will the .91 2 stroke be adequate, or should I consider a 1.2 or even a 1.8 4 stroke engine? I have all 3 engines available, and all I need is a prop and spinner. Thanks, Lewis"

Jack: "Hi Lewis, Nice to hear from you. The Top Flight P-40 is a great airplane and it you built it straight and have it properly balanced come flight time you will really enjoy the airplane. You have a torque advantage using a four stroke motor so turning a three blade prop is possible. To get to near scale size the prop would need to be about 16” in diameter and the .91 will not turn a 16” three blade prop at a high enough RPM to make the plane fly well and the motor would almost certainly overheat. The 1.8 is too much engine for this airplane and I’d stay away from that much power. It would also induce torque loads that the rudder would not be able to overcome early in a take off roll and I think you would have great difficulty keeping the plane on the runway. That leaves the 1.20 and it will have considerably more power than the .91 and it would probably be adequate to turn a 15” diameter 6 to 8 pitch prop. At 16 inches in diameter I think ground clearance will also be an issue. So if you are set on the three blade prop I recommend the 1.20 and the 15” prop. That will fly the airplane just fine.

The P-40 is a bit tricky on the ground and you need to be careful with it. The narrow landing gear makes it a handful if you are not prepared to deal with the torque and the pitch to the left you will see if you add power too quickly. Bring the power up slowly and let the plane run on the main gear until you have built enough speed to successfully rotate and begin your climb out. Do not try to turn until you have a bit of altitude and if your flying field allows it get at least 50 feet up before you make any major changes. Leave the gear down and minimize the aileron input. Once you are safely flying put the landing gear up and you’ll see an immediate increase in airspeed. It gets fun after this. The plane will turn with the best of them and learn to coordinate your rudder input in turns. It makes them smoother and with less altitude change. Rudder is a mandatory input when it comes to flying a Warbird. I wish you the best of luck with your new Warhawk. Let us know how it goes. Jack Devine"

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Question 86: "Jack- As you know, I’m building a Byron Mustang, and have been for a while. I’m still at the point of being able to make modifications so would like to see what your thoughts are in regards to the ailerons. I read in an earlier post that you didn’t like the original set up and modified your plane to have a servo in each wing. Can you please detail for me how you accomplished this? If you have any pictures to share that would be fantastic. I appreciate your enthusiasm for this unique plane. I hope that Iron Bay is able to freshen it up a bit and get it back on the market! Mark "

Jack: "Hi Mark, Nice to hear from you. I really love my Byron Mustang and it has been a great airplane to own. There is nothing like that big four bladed prop coming in on a nice low pass. It has a sound all of it’s own. I never did care for the torque rod aileron linkage and the single standard size servo that drove both of them. To avoid the sloppy linkage hazard and improve the reliability of the airplane I cut two new servo pockets into the wing about three inches in front of each aileron. They are two and three quarter inches square and are two inches outboard of the inside edge of the aileron I lined the sides of the pocket with 3/16th balsa and glued a ¼” square hardwood blocks into the corners that end 1/8th’” below the bottom wing skin. The servos are mounted to 1/8” aircraft grade plywood plates and those plates are mounted to the wing with four wood screws that screw down into the four corner hardwood blocks. This allows the plywood plates to fit flush inside the servo pocket even with the bottom wing skin and it gives you easy access to the servo’s if you ever need it.

I used 4 X 40 solid pushrods that are short and very rigid and give good positive aileron control and I could tell the difference immediately. It was a easy modification to accomplish and one that works far better than the original torque rods. I hope this gives you a clear picture of what I did and if you need any additional info let me know. You will like the Mustang Mark. They are really good flying airplanes but they could sure use a good carbon fiber blade design for the four blade system. Take care Mark! Jack Devine"

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Question 87: "Hi Jack, I’m fixing to make the jump to warbirds and I want to start slowly with a Mentor T-34, what advise can you give me about this aircraft? I want to get ready for a warbird, in your vast experience which would be the best one to be my third plane? Thanks, Mauricio from Southern Mexico."

Jack: "Hello Mauricio, Nice to hear from a fellow modeler way down in Mexico. I don’t have any personal experience with the T-34 but looking at that particular plane I’d have to say it would be a fairly stable platform. It has a good wing and generous control surfaces so it should be very responsive without being overly sensitive. That is a good combination for a training type aircraft and I’m sure that is why the full scale has been so successful as an advanced trainer aircraft. The tricycle landing gear has it’s advantages for ground handling and takeoff is easier with the steerable nose gear too. Most modelers that have mastered a trainer type beginner’s RC airplane flew a trainer that had the same type of landing gear as the T-34 so it would be a fairly easy transition to the T-34 as a second plane but remember there are very different ground handling characteristics with a tail dragger. Most of the popular Warbirds are tail draggers but there are some exceptions there too. The P-39 Airacorbra and it’s advanced version the P-63 King Cobra are two examples of Warbirds with Tricycle landing gear. For a third plane I like to recommend the Great Planes P-51 Mustang. This is a 40 size kit that really can perform with a .61 on the nose. You can easily install retracts and have a very responsive beginners Warbird that is really easy to fly. This little airplane is very forgiving and will allow you to grow as your skill level grows. It will perform any warbird maneuver in the book with ease and it will remain very predictable while it’s in the air. The P-47 Thunderbolt is another favorite and in my opinion the Top Flight P-47 is the best flying model in the TopFlite gold edition inventory. It can handle a good 1.20 four stroke for power and it is one of the most predictable planes I have ever flown. I have built and flown all of the Top Flite warbirds and like I said the P-47 is the best of the bunch. It has great ailerons and outstanding flaps that really ease the complexity and anxiety of landing a Warbird. The Mustang from Great Planes is a good choice for the third plane and the next one in my book would be the P-47. Once you advance that far I think you would be able to successfully fly most of the Warbirds that are available.

I hope this brief piece of advice helps a little with the choices you have to make. I have recommended the Great Planes P-51 many times and I have never received any negative feedback on this recommendation. Keep us posted and good luck with the T-34. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you have any further questions. Jack Devine"

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Question 88: "Jack, Hi my name is Brian. I am relatively new to the sport of r/c flying; I have only been flying for a year or so. I have a Hangar 9 Corsair and I have a couple of questions about it. First of all I have read some of the posts and you say that you recommend flaps for landing. I do not have flaps on my Corsair but do you recommend flaperions and do they have the same effect as actual flaps. The reason I ask if they will have the same effect as the flaps is that the ailerons are only 12 inches long by 1 in wide and only about ¾ inches height at the hinge; there not that big and don’t throw entirely to much. Are flaperions really going to help or are they just going to inhibit the movement of the ailerons during landing. Also I have heard many people say that the planes pitch up drastically when deploying flap/flaperions they say to deploy the flaps in your turn onto base and it will be less noticeable. Do you know of any other ways to counter this? Another question I have is about keeping the corsair straight on takeoff. Other than just correcting with the rudder, do you think a gyro on the rudder would be a good idea? Thanks, Brian"

Jack: "Hello Brian, Great to hear from you. I always enjoy talking with a fellow modeler that is going to become a new Corsair Driver. I want you to understand that my opinions are just that my opinions but I think I can steer you in the right direction and make your transition into the Warbird ranks with a great chance for success. I’m here to tell you flying a fighter is a thrilling experience and one you get it mastered you will spend a lot of your future extra time zipping along at wide open throttle and punching holes in the sky. I have never cared for flaperons on a powered airplane. The aileron effectiveness is drastically reduced once you turn them into flaperons you have a very different airplane to deal with. The hanger nine model is light and I think you can fly it well without flaps and once you master this airplane then move up to another model that has the full house flap system because if you are going to stay into Warbirds flaps are definitely in your future and more important than the flaps is the need to fly with coordinated rudder input. Too many R/C pilots learn to fly without the rudder and that is something you will not get away with on a Warbird. Most of them are tail draggers and you loose wheel directional input as soon as tail wheel leaves the ground. The rudder will save the day and let your model take off straight down the runway. It will also let you make some really good looking turns that don’t yaw the airplane into really ugly flight paths and is just tames the beast and makes you look good doing it. A rudder gyro may help on the rudder to keep your takeoffs straight and that might be something to consider. If you check out the techniques section on the RCWarbirds.com website you can read a couple of articles that I wrote to help guys that are right where you are in this hobby right now. Do this right Brian and you will have more fun than I can describe and if you follow the advice your chance of success is very, very high. Keep us posted on your progress and Welcome to Warbirds. Jack Devine"

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Question 89: "Jack, I am building a TP P-40 and was thinking about putting in a super tiger G-90. This would be the first time that I have used a super tiger. Is this engine suitable? I have an old OS120 at hand, but I would prefer to use that on another project. Looking forward to hearing from you. Wayne"

Jack: "Hello Wayne, The Super Tiger .90 will fly this model with no problem. The 1.20 four stroke motor would be a good choice too. I have a Super Tiger .90 in my Warhawk and it flies very well. I have used this line of engines for years and I have had very good luck with them and the G-90 is a powerhouse. This airplane no matter what kit it is, is a handful on the ground. Tall narrow landing gear make ground handling very unforgiving. On your takeoff roll advance the throttle very slowly and let the plane stay on the main gear as long as possible. As the throttle comes up you will have to consistently increase your right rudder input to keep it rolling straight. If you start to loose it on the takeoff roll abort the takeoff because you have a nasty tip stall that will most likely end in a crash waiting to pounce on you if you try to force the takeoff. It takes a little practice but once you master the right rudder input to correct the torque related yaw to the left you will really enjoy your P-40. It’s a very honest airplane in the air and it will have a very impressive airspeed once you open up the throttle. I built mine with flaps and they are very effective. Landing speed is high without them.

Do not force the tail down when landing but rather let it settle as your airspeed drops off and remember use the rudder and the throttle to set up your landings. I really like this airplane and once you understand it and know what to expect you will really enjoy flying it. Good luck Wayne! Jack Devine"

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Question 90: "Hi Jack! I took your advice and installed individual servo pockets at the ailerons on my Byron Mustang wing. My question now is did you do the same for the flaps or did you leave it to the stock setup? Inquiring minds want to know . . . . Mark"

Jack: "Hi Mark, I left my flaps alone because they were hooked up to the Byron slow transit 180 degree servo and I just didn’t want to eliminate the slow flap extension. The plane responds well to letting the flaps just drop slowly into position and there is no real change in flight attitude but you immediately need to add power to maintain airspeed. They slow this model very quickly at low power settings. I think ACE is the actual company that designed the flap servo and I also have a second one of this same servo on my retract air control valve. The slow transit time allows the gear door sequence to work flawlessly. It was tricky to set up but once I got the timing adjusted they work very scale like. The flaps worked very well the way Byron designed them and I have not changed anything on the flaps. The ailerons as you know are a whole different story. The model is much more responsive with the individual direct linkage ailerons. Good luck with your P-51. Jack Devine"

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Question 91: "Hi Jack, I have just finished a Maratuka Stuka and I am preparing this model for its first flight. The model weighs 10lbs with 12 ounces of lead in the nose for balance. I am using an OS FX 61 for power with a 12/6 prop. I do have functional flaps, ailerons, rudder and elevator. I am currently flying a Pica FW 190d and also a Great Plains Citabria, so I have a lot of experience with tail draggers. Can you give me some pointers on how this model should fly. I really appreciate your help. Randy"

Jack: "Hello Randy, Nice to hear from you. The Marutaka Stuka is a very nice version of this airplane and my flying buddy Jon has one that he flies all the time. It’s a difficult model to get into the air when there is any cross wind but a pretty normal warbird on calm days. The rudder is very effective to keep your takeoff role straight but the elevator is sensitive so I’d recommend a low rate setting on the elevator or if that is not possible on your radio and you have exponential control just tone the elevator throw down a little with light stick movement. In the air the model flies well and the only thing I repeatedly noticed is the sensitivity of the elevator. Once the radio was adjusted it was no problem. This particular airplane had a Super Tiger .90 on it and had plenty of power. It flew very well at just over half throttle. The OS .61 is a good motor and I think it should adequately fly your Stuka. This was never a fast airplane but it proved very effective in the roll it was designed for. The flaps work well for landing and definitely increase low speed stability. On takeoff bring your throttle up slowly and let your ground speed get up so the rudder becomes effective. It will yaw left if you add too much power to early. If you can fly the FW 190 D9 I don’t think you will have any problem with the Stuka. Add the big bomb because it is a blast to nose this model over and see how accurately you can place that bomb on the runway. Good luck with your Stuka Randy. Jack Devine"

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Question 92: "Hello Jack, I've been scouring your advice concerning the P-40 warhawk. Looks like most of the questions deal with the Top-Flight P-40 however. I've got a Kyosho P-40 Warhawk that I plan to put a Thunder Tiger Pro-46 on, + hobbico retracts. Could your comments concerning the Top-Flight P-40 (although a larger plane) be applicable to this airplane in terms of take-offs, stalls, handling and landing? Any pointers? Tim"

Jack: "Hi Tim, I have not flown the Kyosho version of the P-40 but I have flown the Top Flight, Pica, JDM, and the Ziroli and I have found that they all fly very similarly. They are a handful on the ground and a very honest airplane in the air. I like this airplane but it can scare you if you are not prepared to deal with it's personality. You should have adequate power with your TT Pro-46. I don't know how much Warbird experience you have but I can guarantee you is that if you do not take flying with the rudder seriously your experience with Warbirds will not be a good one. It becomes second nature once you understand it and you will see most of your flying improve when you use this input consistently. Lot's of RC guys learn to fly with ailerons and elevator and never touch the left stick accept to adjust the throttle setting. On most trainer aircraft you can get away with that but you won't on a Warbird. You will see your banking turns get much cleaner and your approaches much more stable when you use your rudder. In full scale aircraft your instructor sets you straight on the use of the rudder before you ever get into the cockpit and it is constantly part of the discussion as you go through your flight lessons. Taking the time to learn it will give you hours of great flights to enjoy. Good luck with your P-40
Tim. Jack Devine"

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Question 93: "Jack, Hope everything is going great for you these days!!! I need some help with a NWHT kit I recently purchased from a friend. Who by the way has SEVERAL more if you know of anyone looking for antyhing from NWHT!! As well as built models!
What engine would be best for a NWHT Bearcat? I really like the Fuji engines as for starting and ability to work on and adjust.
Do you know of any querks or things I should be on the lookout for as I build this kit? I know it says "Flying" under your name but you now own this line and I know you know them better than anyone.This is an older kit. How did yours handle? thanks for your time in this matter!! ANY advice will be welcome and appreciated,believe me!! Best Regards, Tom"

Jack: "Hello Tom. Nice to hear from you. I think you will find that your NWHT Bearcat will fly very well with a 45 - 50cc gas engine. It will fly on a Quadra 42 or the US 41 but it will lack the performance of a Bearcat. I have a G-62 on mine and it flies very well with that power and is not challenged to do any maneuver that requires power. The plane is exceptionally stable and with the big flaps a very easy plane to land. Respect the flaps because they are also huge speed brakes and the airspeed bleeds off very quickly once the flaps are lowered. You have to manage the throttle stick and add some power to maintain a safe airspeed. This is a very accurate plane in appearance and with a little work can finish out to be a very scale. Bill Krummel is building one on the RCScalebuilder.com
website under the Jack Devine Models forum title. He is doing a great job on it and there are lots of pictures that might be a great help as you start on yours. He is building his to race and is going to install a very healthy 4.2 Sachs and I'm looking for this plane to fly well over 160MPH. That is a bit fast for my flying style but Bill is an excellent Pilot and if anyone can tame a Hot Bearcat it will be him.

The plane is really a pleasure to fly and is all business in the air. Throttled back it flies easily with no surprises and when you want to get the old blood pressure up a notch or two just push the throttle stick forward and prepare to have some real fun. The Robart 622-5 retracts work well in this plane and the Robart 160 tail wheel is a great touch to add as well. The plane should finish out at about 22 pounds ready to fly. Keep me posted on your building progress and I'm always here if you need some help during the build. Good luck Tom!. I think you will really like this one. Jack Devine"

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Question 94: "Hi Jack This website is a great resource, keep up the good work. I have been flying R/C for about 5 years. I started out on glow 40 size trainer than moved to low wing sport stuff. My passion is warbirds and I want to move to giant scale gassers. What would be a good first giant plane to start with (no arfs, no stingers) to make the transition as smooth as possible? Thanks Pete "

Jack: "Hello Pete, Nice to hear from another modeler ready to take the Warbird plunge. With five years of flying under your belt I’m sure you will have what it takes to become a Warbird driver and in my opinion one of the best flying and most stable models out there that is an official big bird is the P-47 Thunderbolt. There are several of them available that are IMAA size legal and I don’t think there is a bad one in the bunch.

The bigger models are rock steady and I think you will find that the transition into the big planes will be very worthwhile. Check out the offerings from Yellow Aircraft, Meister Scale, Nick Ziroli and I have both the Razor back and the Bubble canopy P-47 in my kit line Jack Devine Models as well. The Bubbler canopy version is available with the D model wing and the N model High altitude wing. I highly recommend the P-47 and I don’t think you could go wrong building one. If you would like more information on my kit line email me at jdevine97@comcast.net and I can fill you in. Good luck Pete! Jack Devine"

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Question 95: "Hi Jack could you tell me if flight metal or Aluclad in specific would it interfere with radio reception
I just lost my mustang 5th scale pica witch was covered with flair aluclad I had a new pcm futaba receiver
placed inside the canopy with the antenna out of the fuse. I am building a p47 and I would like to use the same covering
I think it was a bad battery pack but just to make sure can you find out if any one else had any problems."

Jack: "Hello Arthur, I can not speak to the use of Aluclad as I have never used it but Flight Metal seems to work very well. One of my flying friends in my club has a GS P-51 B and a P-47 both done in Flight Metal and both planes have been flown many times at lots of different locations and there has never even been a minor glitch with either plane. The antennas are strung externally on both planes but nothing else was altered from a base radio system installation. Both of these planes are gorgeous airplanes and the weathering capability of the flight metal is outstanding. Both planes are flown on standard FM receivers. I hope this helps. Jack Devine"

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Question 96: "Hey, I just built a new giant scale F4-u Corsair from Top Flite. I have a 3W-75 on it with a 3 bladed 24 x 12 prop. And robart retracts. I went to the field last week and attempted some take-off. Unfortunately as the airplane speeds up on the runway, it starts to drift to one side, then when I try to correct that with opposite rudder, it violently turns in the opposite direction and runs of
the side of the runway. The CG looks normal but the tail takes a while to lift up. I would appreciate any comments on how to correct that problem. I spent way too much time building to let it hang in my garage :(( thanks"

Jack: "Hello Sarp! Nice to hear from you. In reading your description of the take off events and thinking about it for a bit here is what I think. The 3W-75 is at the very top end of the power range for this model and with the bite that 24" diameter prop produces your torque yaw which causes the left turning on the runway is a result of just how much power you have on the front of your model. Once the plane is airborne I'm sure it will fly just fine but getting it into the air is going to be the challenge. First: Throttle management is absolutely essential to flying the Corsair and you need to bring the power up slowly. With this much power on hand you create a big problem if you apply too much power too early in the takeoff run. You should be just approaching half throttle as the tail lifts and the rudder really starts to become effective. With the violent turn back to the right that you describe the rudder has good authority and is capable of correcting the normal tendency for the Corsair to track to the left but if you add too much rudder it over corrects and you will have the exact condition you described. Recheck the CG and make sure you are accurate on that too because if you are not balanced properly this plane will be very difficult to fly. Double check everything and then think about this routine and I think you will be in good shape.

Taxi to the center of the runway and take a moment to take a few good breaths and relax a little. First flights are nerve racking no matter how many models you have flown. Slowly advance the throttle and as soon as you notice the plane starting to track to the left add just enough right rudder to keep it tracking straight. Remember you also have tail wheel authority until the tail lifts and that can also complicate the correction to the right that you need to keep the model going straight. Slowly keep adding power but what ever you do, do not ram that throttle stick forward because you simply will create a problem that you cannot correct and the ground
looping effect is there before you know it and you end up aborting the takeoff. The other problem that can occur is the plane starts flying before it has built up enough airspeed to fly safely and the torque roll to the left starts and you will not recover from this condition either. Adding the right aileron to correct the left roll puts the plane into a deeper stall and it rolls right over into the ground. I've seen this happen to way too many new Corsairs and let's make sure it doesn't happen to yours.

Throttle management: Ease in the power and let the ground speed increase. Add the right rudder early but just enough to keep the plane going straight and as the tail lifts let it run on the main gear and build up speed. Stay away from the elevator until you know you have enough ground speed to safely transition into flight and then just a hint of up elevator will let the Corsair begin to fly. You should still be below 3/4 throttle at this point in the flight. Do not attempt a turn until you have at least 50 feet of altitude and then
slowly add aileron and rudder to coordinate that first turn. USE THE RUDDER!! It will make your turns crisp and smooth and once you realize how the model reacts to the coordinated flight control inputs you will be amazed at how cleanly the plane will fly. You will never become a good warbird pilot without learning to use the rudder. Once I have the first turn accomplished I clean up the airframe and get the landing gear retracted and then it's time to have some fun. With the amount of power you have on this plane it should be extremely fast. I have flown one of the Top Flight Corsairs with a G-62 and it's performance was awesome so your's should be a real kick if you like speed. The Corsair is an honest airplane and it's my favorite Warbird. It will go exactly where you tell it to go and will perform beyond your expectations once you get comfortable with it. I hope you built your plane with flaps as they make the other mandatory maneuver (landing) much easier too. Use them!!! Go to the Techniques section of this website and read the article that I wrote there talking about just the exact experience you are going through. It's good advice and it will help you develop a routine that will give you many happy hours at the controls of your new Corsair. Good luck and if you have any more questions just let me
know what they are and I'll try and give you some helpful answers. Keep us posted on your progress!! Jack Devine"

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