We all know that WW II wabirds, especially giant-scale fighters, are some of the most popular RC aircraft flying today. Go to any RC event and you’re bound to see at least a few classic warbirds like the P-40 Warhawk, P-51D Mustang, or the P-47 Thunderbolt on the flight line. With so many great flying warbirds, more and more RC modelers are stepping up to giant scale and enjoying the power and performance of these classic dogfighting machines.
One of my favorite warbirds is the F4U Corsair ARF from Top Flite. Compared to other warbirds in its size range, this giant-, bent-wing warbird is a relatively easy to fly model and would make a great first big warbird. As with anything new however, it does take a little getting used to. Here are some tips for flying your first giant-scale warbird.
GROUND CHECK
All successful flights start with a proper preflight condition check. Actually, this is a good thing to do for any size RC plane, but I consider it mandatory for big warbirds like the Corsair. But even before you get to the flying field, be sure that you have assembled everything correctly in your workshop. My first bit of advice would be to add some thread-locker to all the nuts and bolts so they won’t come loose. Also, be absolutely sure that your warbird is properly balanced and the CG is where it is supposed to be.
Team up with an experienced RC warbird pilot before and during the first flight. Two sets of eyes will help discover any issues that may need correcting. Also, having a pro test-fly your plane first is the best way to start off.
CONTROLS
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