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Stop nose overs on the E-flite 1.2m P-51 with a few mods to the retracts
Having trouble with the P-51 nosing over in the grass? Tired of breaking props and don't know how to keep that from happening? Think your CG is too far forward? Well, this video is for you! Learn a few tricks and tips to improving the ground handling of your E-flite 1.2m P-51 Mustang when operating off of the grass. I have done these modifications and tricks to both of my P-51's and a Spitfire with great success. Nose overs completely stopped!
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I broke 5 propellers almost in a row on my 1.2 without getting off the ground. Then after a very sketchy hand launch I found your video. Your video gave clear simple instruction on how to fix the nose over issue. After installing my 24 3mm washers, not only did I feel it improved the scale look of the landing gear, I had 4 absolutely perfect take offs at the grass club I fly at. Your advice was invaluable and your paint scheme on your P-51 is outstanding. Thank you for taking the time to make and share this video.
@BRGT350
Жыл бұрын
Thanks and so happy to hear I helped you out! I too broke a few props on my P-51, busted a few parts off my Spitfire, and was going to give up on being able to fly my warbirds off the grass field at our club. A little examining of the problem gave me an idea and I haven't broke a prop or nosed over a warbird ever since. I have even started to tilt the nose gear on some of my planes forward so the force of the landing puts the gear strut more into compression instead of shear. I read so many reports of broken landing gear, but mine are still working well. I documented a few of my repaints on KZread in case you want to give repainting a shot. Working on the new Beechcraft D18 at the moment. Making that into a warbird :)
I used six 3mm washers per each of the rear landing gear servo screws as instructed. I flew it twice today and it worked like a charm for both takeoffs and landings. Very stable as compared to landing on grass without the mod. 👍 I bought the washers from Lowes and it took less than 30 minutes to complete. No issues with wheel clearance at all. I have the 1.2m June Nite version but everything seemed to be exactly the same.
@BRGT350
3 жыл бұрын
Awesome! Glad it worked for you as well! I have had a number of comments on here, RC Groups, and Facebook all saying the washers worked well and they finally were able to operate the P-51 off of the grass.
Thanks for the tip. I actually have a retract that is bent outward and plan on putting some on the outside area of the retract to try and straighten up the retract to the wing. I hope it works.
@BRGT350
2 жыл бұрын
Bending the strut forward makes it fit poorly in the wing when retracted, plus makes the strut more susceptible for bending upon landing. The washers under the retract rotates the pivot so the wheels are further forward, but still centered in the wing openings when the gear are retracted. The rear of the gear door doesn't fit as flush, but it is very minor. I have been having awesome luck with all my warbird tail draggers on grass after adding the washers. I had planes that would nose over on a putting green now have no problems getting through the grass.
Thank you for the Video, I bought myself a p-51d Mustang a year ago go and it's been on the wall stands for that time, Iv been flying 800mm war birds for about a year too to gain experience. But About 5am today I decided to give its first Maiden on short grass I was due to take off and it noses over busting the propellers. I believe it was nose heavy but really thank you for the tips I'm going to check the underneath of the 51 now.
@BRGT350
2 жыл бұрын
Most people wrongly diagnose the nose-overs as being nose-heavy. It is super common online that people end up moving the battery towards the back, basically at the receiver, and add weight to the tail. While that might fix the nose-overs on the ground, it sets the plane up for really bad flight characteristics. Angling the main gear forward is the answer. I have my battery all the way to the front of the fuselage and haven't had a single nose-over since raking the front gear forward. I operate from grass that will tip over pretty much any plane, but with the modifications I have done to mine, my P-51 has no trouble operating from the grass.
@mrradiocontrol3523
2 жыл бұрын
@@BRGT350 sorry for the late reply was away, I understand I would never put the battery near to the back bad idea I do like a smooth running plane in the air. I will sort my self out with some washers and fix that problem, I have also just received four P51 propellers for the just in case haaa. I really appreciate you commenting as quick as you can and again thank you for some advice and your video. Happy Flying
@BRGT350
2 жыл бұрын
Happy to help out. The washers really do work well and I haven't need a prop since doing that. I have a few extras just in case, but been ok. I need to get my P-51 out of winter storage and into the air. It is such a great flying plane that I need to get it out and go fly it again.
@mrradiocontrol3523
2 жыл бұрын
@@BRGT350 Yes I'm heading to my local B&Qs tomorrow to grab some washers, over hear in the UK is having some great weather and will be nice all week so need to order my self a few more lipo batteries so I can have a really good flight. Would be awesome to see a video on that flight when you grab the P51 out of storage:)
Member of RCCD. Holding up elevator helps also keeping the tail down and ground handling.
@BRGT350
Жыл бұрын
Yes, absolutely. Even in grass with full up elevator, I couldn't get my P-51 to move forward without nosing over. There just wasn't enough elevator authority to keep the tail down and for the mains to overcome the friction of the grass. The plane just rotated on the main gear axles until the nose went over. Raking the gear forward was the only option for me and I still need maximum up elevator on grass and be super gentle on the power to get it to move and not nose over, but it is now manageable.
I love inventive ideas...thanks for sharing.
@BRGT350
3 жыл бұрын
It is a simple solution that works really well. I started doing that a few years ago on my B-17's to help with nose-overs and to lower the plane a bit to make it look more accurate on the ground. I figured the same idea would work well in other planes as well. I now do this to all of my tail dragger planes, except the Timber which has the gear way far forward and they don't retract. Anything with scale gear, I rake them forward.
Hey man, I just found your video. I recently bought the updated version of the plane with the cripes a mighty scheme. Do you know if there also has been an upgrade to the landing gear? Using your method it seems still possible to incline the onward, however I feel it’s only possible a few millimeters. This seems to be caused by the square housing of the retracts sitting in the square fixture of the wing. I’m not sure if I’m doing it correct though and I didn’t fly the plane yet. Could you show the washers in a video?
@BRGT350
2 ай бұрын
I looked around for pictures of the washers, but couldn't find a good one to link in the comments. I have to shoot some videos this coming weekend and can probably get the Mustang out of storage to show the washers better. There isn't an upgraded gear available for the P-51 and it really doesn't need it. The only issue is that the angle of the gear makes the plane more susceptible to nosing over. It doesn't need shock absorbing gear at this size and weight. The washer stack under the rear of the mounting plate for the retract only lift the rear of the plate a few millimeters, but since you are changing the angle, the movement at the tire is much greater. Moving the tire contact patch further forward is what prevents the plane from nosing over, or at least helps reduce the tendency. You still need good elevator authority and the ground can't cause too much resistance. Thick grass is going to be a no-go regardless of how far the main gear are angled towards the front. I have nosed over a Timber in tall grass, which is a plane that is almost impossible to nose over.
Hey man, thank you for the video! So I either have nylon washers with 1mm thickness or stainless steel 0.5mm thickless? (I assume you are using stainless steel)Which one would you go with? The only concern I have with the 0.5mm thickness is having 12 washers. Do you think that would be ok? Or should I go with the nylon ones? They also have an outer diameter of 6mm is that too small? Sorry for all the questions and editing. Thanks in advance!!
@BRGT350
5 ай бұрын
The nylon ones will work just fine. Easier to install with fewer washers as well. Something I am experimenting with is using an o-ring between the retract mount and the wing on the rear most holes to act as a spring for shock absorbing. The hard part is that the screws can't be tight on all 4 corners otherwise the retract can't move. I would just stick with the washers for now as that made the biggest difference for me. Another tip is to use a throttle curve on the 1.2m taildragger warbirds as it helps manage the torque better as you start to get moving on the ground.
Great job 👍
@BRGT350
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks!
What a beautiful paint scheme, you did that yourself? Can you share how? Very impressed 👍🏼👏
@BRGT350
2 жыл бұрын
Thanks, the paint job on LouIV was a very quick one using stuff I had laying around the house. Far from my normal quality. Here is a playlist in which I cover some of the techniques I used when repainting RC models kzread.info/head/PLppv0DR03yjUzds2jiZd7Zlwpm0yc_QvE
@boss2234
2 жыл бұрын
I can show you one better than this, air brush post it pack , tape all that’s need it
Thanks for the tip!
@BRGT350
3 жыл бұрын
No problem, hope that will solve your issues! It really made a big difference for me.
I am just wondering what is the thickness of the washers you are using ? 1 or 2 mm ? Do you use the same screws or swap them out for longer ones to accommodate for the extra thickness of stacked washers ? The 3 mm washers I bought are 2 mm thickness and it looks like I can get maybe 3-4 washers stacked on each screw . Thanks for your video and response.
@BRGT350
2 жыл бұрын
I have 1mm thick washers. On the P-51, I did use the original screws. On another plane, I had to go with longer screws as I needed more washers to get the gear far enough out. With the 2mm thick washers, 3-4 of them sounds about right for the P-51.
In the title and description it is shown as the 1.2M plane but this is the 1.5M in the video, correct?
@BRGT350
Жыл бұрын
no, it is the 1.2m E-flite P-51. This was filmed before I bought my 1.5m. All of my P-51's are repainted with my 2 1.2m Mustangs being repainted as ones from the 361st FG. One is Detroit Miss (the one in the video) and the other is Lou IV. My 1.5m P-51 has been repainted back to her wartime colors. The 1.5m P-51 doesn't have any of the nose over tendencies the 1.2m ones have. The larger size and weight makes the 1.5m P-51 less prone to nosing over on grass compared to the smaller 1.2m ones.
@StevenWise-qj5fh
Жыл бұрын
@@BRGT350 Okay, thanks for the reply.
Where exactly do you place the washers? Between the screws and the retracts? Thanks!
@BRGT350
2 жыл бұрын
Goes between the U shaped flat plate with the 4 screws that secure the plate with the retract to the wing. The two rear screws get the washers to tip the retract assembly forward.
@MrPipeline100
2 жыл бұрын
@@BRGT350 Thanks again! Ordering the P-51 today. Aloha!
@BRGT350
2 жыл бұрын
You will love the P-51! Let me know if you have any other questions. Always happy to help out.
@MrPipeline100
2 жыл бұрын
@@BRGT350 - Got the plane and what a beauty. Your method is working perfectly as my grass takeoffs are a breeze. Mahalo again!
Between this one and the Eflite Corsair, which is better for grass?
@BRGT350
3 жыл бұрын
Not sure as I haven't tried the Corsair yet. I think the Corsair will be less likely to nose over. Much shorter distance from the gear to the nose, so less inertia to try and tip the plane. The landing gear are also on the leading edge of the wing on the Corsair instead of near the CG on the P-51. The ability to counter the prop torque seems to be more of an issue on the Corsair. I think that is due to the shorter distance between the vertical stab and the main gear where the P-51 has the vertical stab as far back as it can go.
If someone has trouble flying that model off grass, they need to give up the hobby. That has to be one of the easiest models on grass there is, seriously!!! Good video.
@BRGT350
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks, but there are a lot of guys who gave up on this plane on the grass. I have been flying for almost a decade now and almost always from grass. I couldn't get the plane to move without tipping over no matter how much elevator I applied or how smooth I was on the throttle. I had something like 110% throw on the elevator and it would still tip over. One of the guys I fly with had the older FMS version of the plane and got rid of it after not being able to get it in the air and he has close to 30 years of flying experience. The type of grass, thickness of grass, height, and smoothness of the surface all play a huge role. Once I got the gear raked forward, I haven't had a nose-over since. I don't expect this to work in the late spring/early summer grass when it gets really thick and grows quickly. I will have to wait until July to fly the P-51 again as that is when the grass starts to get dry and the growing slows down. There are times the grass is so thick that a Timber will nose over!
@ohioace58
3 жыл бұрын
@@BRGT350 GREAT tips BRGT!! Question though,, how do I get my cat (Reginald) to STOP chewing on the ends of my prop?? ;) Your cat rocks.. lol..
Your videos would be easier to watch without wanting to scan through them if you would embrace, thrift of verse. You explain obvious things in excruciating detail and then you tend to repeat the same things over and over, as if we weren't listening the third and fourth time you said it. The first 3 minutes and 25 seconds is just you rambling about stuff we either already know, if we're experienced enough to even be watching this video or just irrelevant to us. I'm not bashing, just trying to help you produce videos that are less tedious and more enjoyable to watch. Good video otherwise and all the best in the future. 👍