Micro P-38 - No Controls Just Thrust build

FoamyDM

Building Fool-Flying Noob
Moderator
FoamyDM's Wild Hair:
Late october In the midst of building like a fool and drooling over the Soon to be released FT P-38. I had long ago noted Horseman P-38 build at Flitetest 2018, and vowed to build it. I had been on a bit of a PowerUp micro kick and thought... the P-38 might just be a decent choice for a PowerUp build, and I know JUST where to get something to start from. noting the banggood C-17 pops were ~2-2.5" which is 1/4 of the design 8 to 10"... I had an idea.

on October 22, I posted this in the Anybody else Scratch building tonight thread:
I took these plans by @Horseman3381 and printed them 8.5x11" letter sized paper. The goal was to get another plane for the PowerUp system, or some place to put in micro guys.
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This uses paper plates for the foam. This makes it light and easy/cheap to purchase.
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I used a bread tie to crease where the board was to be remove. A little glue and we are all good
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getting there now.
I little more work and it time to check the weight of it.

I would love for this to roll into the skylies, time for gear.
I made mine from three sized foam circles. A drinking straw box juice.
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To balance, I needed 1 penny where each motor goes. And only a nickel in the cockpit.
Time to install the gear on the belly.
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Looks great as finished and ready to test fly.
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I took it outside and had decent success. confirmed CG still applied, and brought it in to finish.

At this point I took the Banggood C-17 system I had on a previous concept project and installed it here. sandwiching three layers of DTFB with a ~6mm wide groove pulled out of the center section to install and hold the motors. I then jammed the Control unit in the cockpit area, and it ended up at about a 30° angle.

The night this was completed, I took it out on the driveway and tested it. It taxied well, and i throttled up to see - YES! takeoff oh no! rolled left and nosed in. again, same thing. Adjust flaps, thrust angle, battery placement - nope. roll - tank in. (BTW very sturdy.

Then I thought this might be the stability unit. maybe I should cut a groove in the center wing and get it vertical at CG. the 150-200 mah battery located at the rear of the cockpit balanced it. too dark and late.

Thanksgiving weekend - time to try again!
Opened the cockpit, cut a groove and reinforced with tape and glue. installed the unit upright, and made a pocket for the battery, charged one up and now was time to see if there was proof in this puddin'.

Maiden Flights:
With the plane adjusted for success, i think, it was time to test it

after a bit of fiddling, it was followed by this:
 

FoamyDM

Building Fool-Flying Noob
Moderator
Thats a rad little warbird! I’m also a fan of your avatar!
Congratulations on the build and the maiden! You really "socked" it to 'em! :p:LOL:
That’s too cool buddy! Congrats on the successful maiden!
Thanks guys the support here sometimes means the difference between going back at it and giving it a break.

I thank @Horseman3381 for the great plans to work from. This was easy to print, build, and fly. That C-17 is really a fun bird. I will try next flight with 300mah and see what times I get. Not the 6 mins the order final craft gets, I suspect.

I imagine a Sea duck working out just as well, and with a water proofed control board, ready for the sea.
It might be fun to Do a micro sized Seaduck and Don Carnage Triplane or three. Where they all fly toward a thin alleyway hall that opens up to a backyard community pool to land on.
 

FoamyDM

Building Fool-Flying Noob
Moderator
@K3V0 - thanks about the avatar too. D&D is a lifelong love. I run two campaigns and when time allows talked about starting a 5e FT forum crew.
 

BATTLEAXE

Legendary member
Thanks guys the support here sometimes means the difference between going back at it and giving it a break.

I thank @Horseman3381 for the great plans to work from. This was easy to print, build, and fly. That C-17 is really a fun bird. I will try next flight with 300mah and see what times I get. Not the 6 mins the order final craft gets, I suspect.

I imagine a Sea duck working out just as well, and with a water proofed control board, ready for the sea.
It might be fun to Do a micro sized Seaduck and Don Carnage Triplane or three. Where they all fly toward a thin alleyway hall that opens up to a backyard community pool to land on.
I do have to admit seeing this P-38 thread you have inspired me to do a 50% micro FT-22 with the electronics out of a Sport Cub S to teach the kids how to fly. An easy bank and yank with SAFE mode for training. It will be first micro build, do you have any tips?
 

FoamyDM

Building Fool-Flying Noob
Moderator
Light on glue, cello tape where you can. Cheap plates have film on one side, pretend it is like DTFB with paper on one side.
Hanging wire is strong enough. Small paper clips for heavy duty.

Oh, yeah! Have fun too.
 

K3V0

Elite member
I imagine a Sea duck working out just as well, and with a water proofed control board, ready for the sea.
It might be fun to Do a micro sized Seaduck and Don Carnage Triplane or three. Where they all fly toward a thin alleyway hall that opens up to a backyard community pool to land on.
I like the way you think! You captured the opening sequence of Tailspin pretty well. How are your knife edges in the alley?
 

FoamyDM

Building Fool-Flying Noob
Moderator
I like the way you think! You captured the opening sequence of Tailspin pretty well. How are your knife edges in the alley?
Knife edges end like when I throw a knife, stuck in the ground. Would it be filmed with Cinewhoops, or Beta75s?
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Also, who's gonna make Don's Base - the Iron Vulture - Deck would be like 4 boards, long sides together. or cello covered grid (like a torsion table). with two 18" by 4' mylar balloons (18"øx4'Lx2Ballasts* .0648x 30g/cf) ≈ 420g
(think a line of 0820 props on a 30/20A servo with a set of A pack motors in the back.) So, 100g bat. 125
Based on here: https://micro-motor-warehouse.com/products/cl-0820-15
each of 12 motors is 5g, thrust is 40g with brushed motors, and 2.75a (@3.7v). and for control 2 A-Pack works (16g, 12A esc), 20g motors. If I go any further with this I will need another thread.
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This would be amazing with Solar panels and automation... just saying.

As A side note I found this Card Game info dump.
http://www.sullivanet.com/pirateisland/loot/cardgame.htm
 

Joe Carpino

Well-known member
Awesome job! I tried to do a sea duck a while ago doing just thrust and differential and it was really sensitive. What control board did you use for the P-38? It looks really stable.
 
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FoamyDM

Building Fool-Flying Noob
Moderator
Awesome job! I tried to do a sea duck a while ago doing just thrust and differential and it was really sensitive. What control board did you use for the P-38? It looks really stable.
It's the banggood c-17 guts. The stabilizer is the only reason it is such A joy to fly.
Very important to keep it with the same orientation as the original.