3D Lab Print P-38 problem

[95726]

Yesterday my brother gifted me a 3D Lab Print P-38 with extra parts. Its cool and all, but... no instructions. I have never messed with a "printed plane" before. Anyone have any ideas how to start this project? Plus I dont know but it looks like there is a dent in the wing, or is that how the plane was made; see pictures.

 

[ColoFlyer]

You might start here. It has the User Guide, as well as some videos for assembly and such.
https://3dlabprint.com/shop/lockheed-p-38-lightning/

 

[kilroy07]

That dent looks like part of the design (kind of hard to tell in the picture), but be aware that you do not want to leave a 3D printed plane in a hot car exposed to sunlight. The plastic (PLA) CAN, and will warp. Hopefully that is not what you see here.

Also be advised while really cool, a fully printed plane in PLA will be a bit heaver than maybe what you are used to. I would spend some time on the 3dLabPrint site @ColoFlyer mentioned above and make sure the parts are at the expected weights, it can get pretty tricky to get good 3D printed parts that are light enough to fly well.

Good Luck and keep us posted with your progress!! (It look absolutely awesome!)

 

[sprzout]

That dent looks like part of the design (kind of hard to tell in the picture), but be aware that you do not want to leave a 3D printed plane in a hot car exposed to sunlight. The plastic (PLA) CAN, and will warp. Hopefully that is not what you see here.

Also be advised while really cool, a fully printed plane in PLA will be a bit heaver than maybe what you are used to. I would spend some time on the 3dLabPrint site @ColoFlyer mentioned above and make sure the parts are at the expected weights, it can get pretty tricky to get good 3D printed parts that are light enough to fly well.

Good Luck and keep us posted with your progress!! (It look absolutely awesome!)

Also, if you land any harder than pretending you're landing on eggshells, it can turn into shrapnel. Thin wall 3D prints like these tend to be very brittle and can shatter on a hard landing.

 

[95726]

After looking it over, I'm not sure I'm going to make this one fly. I have 16 Flight Test planes to build, fly & crash. Might turn the P-38 into a wall decoration. Treat it like a plastic 1/48 model, only bigger. Dont want to bring a shop vac to the field & vacuum up a plane...