P51 Mustang scale FPV Project
 

next project started. yes the sticks move. Trying out VRFLYER's instrument panel tricks: printed out two Mustang panels. lammed one with carboard, hole punched out the gauges, put clear plastic and the other printout behind. Maybe not for scale competition, but I hope it looks OK in the SD videolink.

This is a fairly lightweight Art-Tech 3 ft Mustang in PNP form from HK. Bonus is it is moulded in EPS foam, which is lighter than EPO.

I will try and target 700g AUW with FPV. That might mean cutting out a lot of foam and ditching the tailwheel or worse. It is already over 600g without battery. Hope to put in a 2200mah 3S. One fellow (Ican3D) on RCG did a very successful long range FPV version with this plane, and claims 40min flight times and well under 700g AUW. http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1867109

[URL=http://s285.photobucket.com/user/bcsaltchucker/media/20140719_144520_zps899a0ea3.jpg.html]http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps899a0ea3.jpg[/URL

Re: P51 Mustang scale FPV Project
 

Wow bc that is really nice looking mustang, hey that is the one from HK?

Re: P51 Mustang scale FPV Project
 

Hey here is super in depth build and flying blog about this airframe by ICan3D on RCG.

Everything you could want to know about transforming this Mustang in a capable FPV aircraft. He'd even flown it out 12km and back, cloud surfed, etc.

http://www.supermotoxl.com/FPV/UAV-m...nu-id-119.html

Re: P51 Mustang scale FPV Project
 

I remember seeing that guys videos when they first came out and I was in awe. I couldn't get over the fact that the plane was a 36" model. It flew so well (and so long) in FPV it was hard to believe it was such a tiny model. My 52" FPV mustang is a dog by comparison.

I'll be watching this thread, Salt. :)

Re: P51 Mustang scale FPV Project
 

Thanks bcsalt that is a very interesting information he put together there

Re: P51 Mustang scale FPV Project
 

well she is pretty much all done ready to fly. But mostly OEM form, with fpv added.

I want to get to lightening her up, but it is just daunting. Sits at 650g without battery, but will be well over 850 with a 2200mah lipo. How ICan got it down to 650g with 2200mah and full autopilot blows me away. I don't know where to start. Can melt off some foam, but only so much of that to be done. I ditched the spinner as the oem one looked like junk. Maybe weigh a bunch of redundant parts to simulate how much can be removed - like Rx case, foam, servo plugs, may be even the rudder servo too.

Anyways, I first let's hope for calm air to maiden her as-is, tomorrow. But they predict 50kph gusts.

Re: P51 Mustang scale FPV Project
 

Wow you have to bring her down 200g, that's a lot of weigh well keep us posted

Re: P51 Mustang scale FPV Project
 

might not happen. Could be pie in the sky. But I will be removing more foam today. It can be hand tossed/grass landed to save the weight of the gear - but not so scale. Just learned it needs bigger ESC than oem, so a bit more work to do. Kind of calm now, but I am tired - 3 hours sleep because my office had a break in early this morning.

Re: P51 Mustang scale FPV Project
 

A break in Oh man that sucks :(

Re: P51 Mustang scale FPV Project
 

Would maiden now but it is blowing hard here now. Maybe tomorrow morning early.

P51 has a nice battery slot in her. Can fit anyting 1600-2200 maybe more in it. However, makes the plane nose heavy! Lucky I have some 1800 Zippy compact that weigh the same as 1600 Turnigy lipo. And I still had to put the vTx in back and had 3 small lead weights on the tail. Soldered in a 30A Plush - the silly company put a 10A ESC in this thing. I cut off heatshrink from the heatsink, and then mounted it along the engine with square hole so the ESC gets lots of airflow. Have the Frsky D8R telemetry receiver in it with 2 dipoles I made. I put the sticks on their own channels just cause I could.

Had to cut off the rest of the canopy to make room for the CCD cam. Sorry, I just like CCD cam much more.

I used a 180 degree turnigy servo with 'one channel pan and tilt'. I mounted the servo tilted back about 15 degrees, then mounted the cam tilted fwd on the servo 25 degrees. This gives me a more straight ahead look when looking forward and then the camera tilts down when panning left and right. I get 'pseudo pan and tilt' with only 1 servo and 1 channel this way. effect is about 10 degrees down when looking forward, and 35 degrees down when looking 90 degrees left or right.

I have the nicer Durafly props on now, but no 4 blade spinner that fits it. (I have many 2 blade spinners) So I might see how it goes without a spinner. Right now the vibrations are pretty minimal. Yeah looks ugly outside but can't see spinner from the cockpit. Spinners are notorious for causing vibrations, yet another thing to balance. Motor gets a lot more cooling now - LOL

Came it at 650g incl FPV but without lipo. The 1800mah Z-C lipo brings it to about 780g, and has a light feel to the plane still. Hope to get 10min flights for now. Then consider surgery to reduce weight in future.

I made a little video. Then later realized I didn't focus the camera yet - LOL.

VIMEO: https://vimeo.com/102681327

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps3dafd11f.jpg

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps3811a4f3.jpg

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps548f593d.jpg