A Great First Twin-Engine Warbird

Legend Hobby/Seagull B-25 Mitchell Bomber

For everything in RC you need a good starting off point to be successful. If you’re already an experienced sport pilot, the Legend Hobby/Seagull B-25 Mitchell Bomber ARF is just about an ideal first serious twin warbird. It is very nicely designed and looks great. And being an Almost-Ready-to-Fly (ARF) scale warbird, you’ll be at the flying field ready to go in a lot less time that building a kit.

Made famous by Jimmie Doolittle’s WW II raid on Tokyo, this B-25 is intended for intermediate to advanced modelers. It features balsa and plywood construction throughout and it has plug-in wing panels for easy assembly and transport. It comes with a flat Oracover film finish, and all the formed parts to make it look like a serious wartime bomber.

An extensive hardware package is included and the B-25 is ideal for 15cc- 20cc gas engines, and it can be easily converted to electric power if you prefer. Plus, with a 95-inch wingspan, it’s a serious scale size for easy installation of hardware and power systems, not to mention great flight performance.

All necessary hardware is included for either glow or electric power system, and optional electric aluminum landing gear are available (not included).

Features include high-quality balsa and plywood construction covered in genuine Oracover film, eyecatching scale color scheme (decals included but not applied), durable lightweight fiberglass cowl and painted trim parts, functional flaps, bomb bay doors, landing gear doors. A scale cockpit kit with two crew figures, machine guns, and formed scale radial engines are also included. The included aluminum wheels for the B-25 are 2.75 in., for the nose wheel and 4.5 in., main wheels.

If you’re looking for a twin engine bomber that will impress, this one will successfully accomplish the mission.

ENGINE OPS

For reliable performance, both of your engines must be set up as identical as possible. Use the same type and size servos and the same throttle linkages and pushrods for both powerplants. The linkages should be attached to the same holes in the servo output arms and both throttle arms at the carburetor should move exactly the same amounts when the throttle stick is moved. Don’t even think about flying if one throttle servo lags behind the other. Everything must work in unison.

For the engines to operate similarly, you also have to use the same propellers and balance them properly. The mufflers too should be the same and it’s a good idea to secure the muffler bolts with some safety wire so there is no way for one of them can become loose.

FLYING TIPS

The most important thing when piloting a twin is to fly your airplane smoothly. Make your throttle adjustments gradually and never slam the controls or the throttle stick. As long as both engines are online, flying is no different than piloting a single-engine aircraft. If one engine does go silent, throttle back just slightly and quickly figure out which engine is dead-stick. (This is where a good caller comes in handy.) Then make any required rudder trim adjustments to compensate for the offset engine thrust and the unwanted yaw conditions. Now would be a good time to land your plane. Don’t turn sharply into the dead engine. Concentrate on maintaining proper airspeed while setting up your approach and emergency landing. Most twins usually have higher wing loadings than similar size singles so never allow your plane to slow too much; it will stall and spiral in.

Twin-tail airplanes such as B-25s, B-24s, P-38s etc., usually fly better than single-tail twin engine designs. This is because dual rudders located in the engine’s prop wash are more effective. If you want to fly a single-tail twin, pick one that has a large fin and rudder like a DC-3.

Flying twins is always fun. Set up your engines properly and operate your twin smoothly while paying attention to throttle response and airspeed and you’ll successfully experience that multi-engine excitement. Regardless of their size, twins are very hard to beat!

A great twin to start with is the Legend Hobby B-25 ARF. It comes with plenty of accessories and can be set up for glow, gas or electric power systems.

As the name implies, twins have two engines requiring twice as much attention to safety. When you are starting up, make sure you have some buddies assisting to help secure your plane during run up.

Single-tail twins are also easy to fly. Just make sure you choose a plane with a large fin and rudder like a DC-3 or C-47.

If you are using glow engines with your twin, consider using an on-board glow driver to keep the glow plugs lit. This is important for reliable operation when then the power is reduced, such as during landing.

The most important thing when piloting a twin is to fly your airplane smoothly. Should you lose and engine, continue flying, make any trim changes to correct unwanted yaw and setup for an emergency landing.

Giant scale bombers are always attention getters. Here, Paul LeTourneau’s big B-26 settles in for a perfect touchdown.

Twin warbirds tend to have heavier wing loading so try to fly smoothly and concentrate on maintaining proper airspeed. Don’t stop flying your model until it is safely parked in the pits. Here, a twin-tail Messerschmitt Bf 110 comes in for a landing.