patboone7

So,although I got into the hobby back in '98 for a very very short time, I recently got back into it this summer again and started on a trainer and buddy box again. I feel pretty confident with my flying and my instructor is pleased with my flying and said I'm ready for solo and have been taking off, flying and landing all on my own the last 2 weeks. I have been flying a PT-40 trainer (great planes) and I really want the PTS P-51 Mustang by Hangar-9. I like the warbirds and understand they are not 3D planes, but I just love the Mustang and this one seems like a perfect next plane. Some of the guys at the field I fly at think I should pass and get a Pulse XT (Hangar-9 ARF) but I want any opinions about the PTS before I buy it. I was going to get the whole thing with a JR radio and servos and an evolution motor and save my 46LA and Futaba radio/servos for my next plane like the Pulse or a Dazzler! Thanks!

Ken Erickson

It is a nice rig. There have been several threads about it. Check out the old threads.

Remove the "speed brakes". Get some buddy box time. It is a really nice semi-scale P-51.

Ken Erickson, AMA 19352

bigedmustafa

My Feedback: (2)

Go for it! The Hangar 9 P-51 PTS would be a great second plane. Don't be too quick to take apart your PT-40 tough, you can always add floats or skis to it and fly it off the water or off snow if you get that where you live. I have a couple of really nice sport planes, but there are plenty of days where I enjoy flying around with my old trainer and just enjoy being out flying instead of practice my aerobatics.

Mr67Stang

Okay, I'll take the other side. While the draw to the P-51 is instinctual to all flyers I will urge you to resist. I will support my argument in this way. If you like scale aircraft; get a scale aircraft, not another trainer. The Pulse XT is a far more capable sport plane and will give you far more enjoyment than a semi scale/semi sport/ semi trainer. Also it will be a good stepping stone to that scale P-51 or whatever you decide on.

aerowoof

what aerobatic manuvers can you do with your trainer?cuban 8,inverted flight,rolls,spin.don't laugh,a flat bottom airfoil will fly inverterd.I flew my s ray inverted and it would actually climb though a bit slow while holding full down.with only 3 channels it would also do nice barrel rows.can you land and take off in a crosswind using cross coupled airleron and rudder ?If you can answer yes then you are ready for a second plane,if not then practice these manuvers as they will be very beneficial as you progress.

YNOT

You were in it, got out, now back in. Welcome to your new addiction.

Buy what you want. Want the Mustang, get it. You can fly it. Take all the beginner stuff off, strap a APC 10-7 on the nose and hang on, when your ready. In your hands, the Mustang and the Pulse will do the same stuff, one will not do anything different then the other. The Mustang will be teach you more as a pilot, then the Pulse.

I saw the 3D refference, you want 3D? Don't even think about the Pulse or the Dazzler type stuff. If you are going to do it, do it right.

Take all the gear from your PT 40 and drop it into a Mojo or Zero G 40 ARF profile. It will fly slow, fly well in a high wind, teach you how to knife edge on planes that knife edges great, teach you to hover and harrier. And they will do all that on the stock gear you have in your trainer. Same motor, servos, battery, everything. You will be highly impressed with how well you can fly it, with all the same basic knowledge you have from your current bird.

Edit: I do not want to hear the, "I don't like the way profiles look" crap. In 3D, you want a airplane designed to fly that way and sometimes looks are secondary to flight performance.

The Mojo is a more expensive airplane then the Zero G. The Mojo is more of a custom built ARF, then true production built ARF like the Zero G. Do you want the mass produced or the custom bird? Most pilots can not tell the difference in flight performance, it just money. And don't ***** about money. You are not entering a hobby where money needs to be the major concern, however everyone has to stay in a budget. There just has to be a budget and too many people enter it without a budget.

I know there are going people say this is wrong, however I say you haven't flown one of these airplanes. Part of my thinking here is, you have done this in the past, you are just on your way back in and the learning curve is a bit flat for you. These 3D profile planes fly so well, you should be able to fly it. Note: 3D planes are designed to fly slow, Mustangs are designed to fly fast. Throttle control is a talent all pilots should learn, 3D teaches it and make you a beter overall pilot.

One more thought: The PTS stuff is great for out of the box fun with really good equipment, however, you know with in two weeks of flying it, you are going to want a 9 channel radio, different motors, servos, etc. Sooooooo, would this be a better time to do it? You can get the Mustang as a ARF and you install your own gear. With R/C gear, you get what you pay for. Is the 300 motor better and more powerful then the 100 motor, yes. Is the 120 servo better, faster, stronger then the 15 dollar servo? Yes. Do you need all the bling bling equipment? No.

Buy what you want, don't listen to anyone here.

Missileman

From a former PTS owner;
Be prepared to replace the main gear blocks, they have a history of being weak. The airplane does land hotter than a high wing trainer and you will have a couple of hard landings (it tends to drop strait down if you let it get too slow) I had to replace my tail gear also as the wire was weak and split lengthwise.
Above all else let an experienced pilot do a trim flight (this airplane is very squirly if it is not trimmed out)
Put a servo in for the flaps or fly with the flaps up. This plane does not handle well with flaps down but they can help with landings (take offs are a breeze and flaps really aren't needed)
My biggest problem, and the main reason I crashed it, was visibility. The overall grey color was hard for me to see at any fair amount of distance.

patboone7

Wow, thanks! overwhelming responses! I saw this p-51 and knew I have to have it. I don't plan on scraping the trainer just yet and will probably use the trainer into the beginning of next season.

As far as the crosswind question, I RE-learned to fly in only very windy fall like weather this year, so I'm ok with that! I haven't mastered any ariels really, inverted flight, loops, barrell rolls. Besides my trainer I have flown the Dazzler a few times and had some fun with 30% running hot!

I just have to get that Mustang, once I lay eyes on something I want, I have to get it. I may love it and then again I may just keep it as a decorative piece later and get somthing else, is there really a maximmum number of planes anyone can own???!??!?

My big worry here is having my Futaba then getting a JR. I have only ever had and used Futaba and hear your either Futaba or JR fan. Most of the big birds here use and swear JR!

I will keep you posted, looking at about2 weeks before I order it!

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Yes, and the exact number is dictated by your wife

You can get the PTS ARF which comes without the radio.

But in either case, be prepared to go back on the buddy box for a while.

RCInfo

I've owned the P 51 of which you speak. For a new pilot it is a great trainer but you must be patient. The inclination is to think you are a better pilot than you are and with this plane that translates into not installing the training aids that come with the plane. You don't need flaps on this plane. They are fun though. Your instructor can show you the best way to use them. When you fly without the training aids the plane becomes fast and requires more lead time when you want to land. With the training gear on, the plane forgives alot without them not as much. The one issue I've had with this plane is with the landing gear. The bushings into which the landing gear is installed are brass encased in hard plastic and cannot tolerate much in terms of rough landings (the bane of new pilots). I have paid the 18 dollars for new landing gear mounts x 2 now and I consider myself an pilot of intermediate skill level. I will say that when you land it right you touch down on the mains and the tail settles beautifully. If you bounce on the mains you may lose both main landing gear at the same time because they fracture where the gear mounts into the airplane. I've never lost one gear they always collapse as a set. Your friends may want to stear you away from a tail dragger, especially a p-51...Another reason for that is that if you don't keep up your speed on approach and keep your wings level in a steady decent to the ground you may encounter a tip stall close to the ground. These are difficult to impossible to recover from for a new pilot (luck can save you at times). Tip stall is a problem with slick, fast airplanes and requires that you fly the airplane all the way to the ground.

I hope this helps. I still have my P-51. It is total fun to fly. Next is retracts for mine (Santa claus take note.) Good luck ..RCinfo

smithcreek

My Feedback: (25)

You know the saying "better late than never"? Well, I don't think that applies in this case.

bingo field

only by a couple of years...

scooterinvegas

My Feedback: (1)

I would say you should stay with the trainer a little longer. You need you be proficient at everything (set-up, range check, starting, tuning, take-off, flying in the pattern/traffic, landing, dead stick landing) before moving to a 2nd plane. Dont dismiss the Pulse 60 too quickly. GREAT plane.

But if you HAVE to have a P-51, the Hangar 9 P-51 PTS is a good place to start. But what happens when you out grow the trainer type P-51? Then you will want a more scale type P-51 like the blue nose arf.

Your replacing a trainer with another trainer. That = $$

Get something like the pulse 60, then move to a better P-51 like the Blue Nose 60 ARF with a DLE 20cc. Done

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

I'm not a big fan of the PTS system but when all the training gear is off the 51 isn't a bad little plane. I just agree with Scooter though, the Pulse is a great stunt trainer. I went from the trainer to the Up-Roar and Dazzler and would go that way more then the 51. The Dazzler is a fun fly design and that thick wing allows it to slow down very nice for landings and the plane can do any stunt you can think of with style. The Pulse is a much better second plane though, it's not as good for stunting but it does everything and does it a bit slower so it doesn't get away from you as often.

carrellh

It probably does not help the original poster. The question was asked in October 2006 and he last logged on in August 2008.

scooterinvegas

My Feedback: (1)

Damn! I'm usually good about watching the dates on threads before posting. I missed this one. I have to stop sniffing glue...[:@]

dredhea

My Feedback: (13)

It was fun watching the new responses, though!

scooterinvegas

My Feedback: (1)

This thread was brought back by someone who has been a member for 8 yrs and has 3 posts!!

Figures. RCInfo, I break wind in your general direction!

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Been seeing this a lot lately, took a lot of searching to pull it up so you may as well answer.
Scooter, Flying tomorrow at about 10:00. Looks good all during the week. I have one pilot going that is afraid of the wind and one that will be doing the maiden on the Cub I built him. Should be a fun day.

scooterinvegas

My Feedback: (1)

Sounds like fun. I have video of me flying that little P-47 in 20+ MPH winds. It went cross wind at a true 45 deg angle.

The only thing hard about flying in the wind is keeping everything on the ground from blowing around/away.

patboone7

Hey thanks for the several year later response! HAHAHA.
***********UPDATE***********
I went ahead and bought the PTS P-51. Still have it. YES I did break the landing gear, but I beefed them up with new balsa. It's still flying fine, a few tiny abrasions here and there. I actually haven't flown my glow planes in 2 years, instead I've gotten into the electrics and love my F4U Corsair by ParkZone. I also have the Ultra Micro P-51. I found these tiny park flyers much better for me since I live about 40 miles from the field, I can run down to the local park and fly these guys all afternoon. I hope to one day get closer to an airfield so I can get back into the Gas planes. This time I'm jumping in to the 60 size planes.

scooterinvegas

My Feedback: (1)

Bam! In your face! (just joking)

I felt dumb for talking to a dude that has not been on here for years, so I e-mailed him! [8D]

Welcome back!!

Like I told you in post #13, the P-51 Blue Nose 60 ARF with a DLE 20cc.

Gas is where its at now days.

opjose

And the number of tolerated storage locations/space available!

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

I'm sure the new person that brought this thread back up must have searched long and hard to find it so the new answers were a reward for the effort. Yesterday was great, just a strong breeze except for one big gust that caught is during a bull session, moved my pattern plane about 8 inches and got us to spitting sand. That was our big wind. Today the 6 mph breeze freaked the other guys out so we didn't go out again. One just wanted a calm day to shoot touch and goes with his Cub so I can understand. I do find your little P-47 very impressive in the wind. The only plane I fly right now that gets bumped around is that Hots I was flying, you saw how bad that one handles in a breeze.

markhamregular

Just like you, I am new to this too.
An just like you I started with a PT40.

My best suggestion: get a Big Stick. With a good engine, it's fast, will do all the aerobatics a beginner can do and will lnd on low speed like a bird.