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User Guide rev. 2016/10

Fully 3d printable

Lockheed P-38 Lightning

scale 1:12, wingspan 1410mm (55.5in)

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Lockheed P-38 Lightning – fully printable R/C plane

for your desktop 3Dprinter
Future of flying - Print your own plane

We still trying move things further, so this project is again full of other improvements for
better durability , easier assembly , better geometry solution and so on..., we hope you en-
joy it, although this print may test your competencies to and quality of your printer
(welcome to the thin wall printing)

The first fully printable airplanes with suitable files prepared for your 3Dprinter.
Flight charecteristics are comparable or even better than classic build model airplane.
Simply download and then print it anytime you need only for $18 (filament cost).
This is not a dream, now you can print this HI-TECH …. at home, print spar parts, and so on...

Extensive hi-tech 3d structural reinforcement which makes the

model very rigid while still maintaining lightweight airframe and exact airfoil even when it
is made only from plastic. This perfect and exact 3d structure is possible only due to aditive
3dprinting technology. So welcome to the 21th century of model flying. Be The first at your
airfield.

Easy to assembly, you do not need any extra tool or hardware, you only need to
glue printed parts together and make pushrods for control. The rest of the assembly is very
easy.Simply add brushless motor, ESC, servos and radio system. Don´t worry, detailed step
by step PDF/VIDEO is included.
You will get superb performance airplane with High efficient powerplant which let you fly
7+ minutes at full throtle with the speed exceeding 110 kph (HP setup). On the other hand
low stall speed is achived for easy landing.

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General specifications (HP setup):

Lenght: 1042mm (41.0in)
Wingspan: 1410mm (55.1in)
Height: 298mm (11.7in)
Wing area: 30.5 dm2
Wing loading: 65.9 g/dm2
Airfoil: aircombat modificated
Print weight: 1160g
Empty weight (w/o battery): 1750g
Takeoff weight (3s 3000 lipo): 1980g
Max takeoff weight: 2200g
Never exceed speed, VNE: 205 km/h
Design maneuvering speed, VA: 165km/h
Stall speed, VS: 34 km/h

Powerplant
Propeller: aeronaut ELP 9/6 or APC 9/6 – 9/7.5
Motor: 2x Turnigy D3530/14 1100KV or similar 3530-35 1100kv
ESC: 30A Electronic Speed Controller or similar 30-40Amps
Battery: Turnigy nanotech 3000 mAh/3s/11.1V, 238g, 25C

Performance measurment

Max speed VH (level flight): 105 km/h – 56.7kn – 65.2mph with APC 9/6

Rate of climb: 20 m/s (5 373 ft/min) with APC 9/6

Flight time (3s 3000mAh/full): 7:40 with APC 9/6

5:30 with APC 9/7.5
7:40 with aeronaut ELP 9/6

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Lockheed P-38 Lightning , History

The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American piston-engined fighter aircraft.
Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms
and a central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament. The P-38 was used for interception,
dive bombing, level bombing, ground attack, night fighting, photo reconnaissance, radar
and visual pathfinding for bombers and evacuation missions and extensively as a long-range
escort fighter when equipped with drop tanks under its wings.

The P-38 was used most successfully in the Pacific Theater of Operations and the China-
Burma-India Theater of Operations as the aircraft of America’s top aces, Richard Bong (40
victories), Thomas McGuire (38 victories) and Charles H. MacDonald (36 victories). In the
South West Pacific theater, the P-38 was the primary long-range fighter of United States
Army Air Forces until the appearance of large numbers of P-51D Mustangs, toward the end
of the war.

The P-38 was unusually quiet for a fighter, the exhaust muffled by the turbo-superchargers.
It was extremely forgiving and could be mishandled in many ways but the rate of roll in the
early versions was too slow for it to excel as a dogfighter. The P-38 was the only American
fighter aircraft in production throughout American involvement in the war, from Pearl Harbor
to Victory over Japan Day.[citation needed] At the end of the war, orders for 1,887 more were
cancelled.

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Included:
1.STL 3d files
universal STL files designed for use with desktop FMD 3d printers and slicer software as
Simplify3D (recommend) CURA or MatterControl (this STLs are not compatible with Slic3r).

2.Factory files for Simplify3D slicer

with all our setting, this Factory files included all you need, note: we use PRUSA i3 ORIGINAL
printers so you may need adjust the basic printing parameters to match your printer or use it
as a start point for you, please give a look to Simplify3D

3.Step By Step PDF/VIDEO userguides

Apart from this userguide, please give a look to the Printing Guide with some Tips and Advices
for airplane printing (Thin Wall Printing)

4.Gcodes
Basic Gcodes prepared for direct use, so universal as is possible. Should work with i3 style
printers, you can try it out, but We can not guarantee that it will work with your printer.
100% works with PRUSA i3 ORIGINAL 3d printers...

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5.Prepared settings for CURA and MatterControl slicers

If you dont like Simplify3D for any reason, there is always possibility to use another free slicer
you can use our basic setting (setting files) as a start point and edit it as you need.

6.Scale markings PDF

Let print on thin adhesive foil and place on the model as needed, violet cut lines included...

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1042mm (41.0in)

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1410mm (55.1in)

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Step By Step PDF/VIDEO userguide

1. Choose airplane at www.3Dlabprint.com, our Facebook for live information...
Basic requirments (P-38 Lightning):
min volume 195/195/150mm (250/120/150)
nozzle 0.4mm recommended (0.35 or 0.5mm alternatively)
Heated Bed recommended
PLA filament (or PETG, APLA, htPLA, PC-max....) not ABS
If you feel a little bit confused you can download wing test
part from our websites or thingiverse, (the biggest part). Or
contact [email protected]

2. Create account, download

You will get download link for all files to your email (zipped)or you can log in to your ac-
count and download directly from our websites.

3. Gcodes preparing
options A Gcodes:
if your printer is i3 comptatible you can directly use prepared gcodes, simply save each to
SD card and let 3d printer do his job, HE temperature is set to 230 for best layer bonding,
you can edit speed and temperature on your printer LCD only. If Gcodes does not work
please proceed to the next options.

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options B Factory files Simplify3D (recommended)

We prepare all you need in this files (basic FFF, parts arranged and so on...)
You can use this our setting as a start point and edit it as you need (adapt it for your printer),
print only parts you need and so on... On moust 3d printers it should work as it is, but please
give a look to the setting and edit it if is different to your printer, we are not liable for dam-
ages resulting from the use of our settings. If this does not work please proceed to the next
option.

options C Simplify3D manual setting (watch and learn)

Use our video guide 2 for proper setting... this is very good option and you will learn a lot
about Simplify3D and become an 3d expert. Of course you spend a lot of time and youtube
pause button will become your friend.

AND... please give a look to VideoGuides:

video 2 Simplify3D setting

video about Thin Wall Printing

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options D CURA or MatterControl

MatterControl and CURA are free :-) and also gives very good results and airframe is still
strong enough, slicer setting is very easy.
Please try find right extrusion multiplier and temperature for good weight and bets layer
bonding, give a look to parts weight list for proper multiplier setting.

You can also use our predefined CURA or MC slicer setting file included in package (always
adapt it for your printer, change build volume, filament diameter and so on... depends on
your printer!!!):

CURA_wing_fuse.ini (wing and fuselage and so on... parts)

CURA_ailer_elev.ini (only ailerons, elevator and rudder parts)
CURA_thick.ini (motor mount, battery holder, spinner)
OR
MC_wing_fuse.slice (wing and fuselage and so on... parts)
MC_ailer_elev.slice (only ailerons, elevator and rudder parts)
MC_thick.slice (motor mount, battery holder, spinner)

AND... please give a look to VideoGuides:

video CURA slicer setting

video CMatterControl slicer setting

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4. Print it
Save generated Gcodes and insert SD card to your printer, prepare your printer and start
printing, we prefer to use SD than direct connection via USB Note: ABS filament is not suit-
able for this...
Scaling the model will lead to unusable result!
video guide about printing
you will need: PLA filament - good quality and strong PLA (we need good layer bonding)
Strong hair spray (or your favorite adhesive bed surface)
Razor blade

AND... please give a look to VideoGuides:

video printing guide

Main parts weight list:

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Basic Typs and Advices

Plese Experiment with your extrusion multiplier...
Also HotEnd temperature is very important for strong result, please try increase tempera-
ture to find the best value (200 up to 260 celsius)
Turn OFF cooling fan for better layer adhesion (HE fan of course ON) we dont need it for
our thin wall printing...
We try lot of filaments and so far PLA is still the best for our models (2016).
You can try aslo PETG and PC-max from polymaker is very promising filament.

HEATED BED is very recommended, 60-70celsius (print without warping ends)

Looks like any standard quality PLA is OK for our planes, BUT it always depends on combi-
nation PLA vs. Extruder vs. HotEnd.
We find that some color of filament has lower layer adhesion also.
Nowadays there is lot of 3dprinters on the market, very most of them is OK for printing our
aircrafts (specific thin wall printing...) suficient volume, heated bed, 0.4mm nozzle.

Please give a look to Printing Guide:

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5. Assembling printed parts

5.1 Wing assembling
Glue wing parts with CAglue together, use activator and instal ailerons...
Please, ailerons and elevator may differ from videoguide, simple glue them together..
See video guide #4
you will need: CA Glue - medium or similar medium viscosity CA glue
Activator for CA Glue or similar, but not-mechanical is better
AC Hinge Sheet or similar
Scissors
Snap knife
Some cloth for wiping CA glue...

5.2 Fuselage assembling

Glue with CAglue fuselage parts together, use activator, instal elevator, instal peg, fine tune
parts shape with knife or sandpaper f.e. when asembling slots for wing and fuselage, first!
fine-tune peg with a hole!!!.
See video guide #5 part1 See video guide #5 part2
you will need: CA Glue - medium or similar medium viscosity CA glue
Activator for CA Glue or similar, but not mechanical is better
AC Hinge Sheet or similar
Scissors
Snap knife or Sandpaper
Soldering Iron or any hot tool

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6. RETRACTABLE LANDING GEAR preparing

See video guide #6
you will need: Main Landing gear servoless Retract
Nose Landing gear servoless Retract
2x main LG wheel + nose LG wheel
3mm quality LG spruts (spring steel), please ask in local hobby shop or any
LG wheel stoper
Tube clutch 3 to 4mm for steerabla nose gear, please find any will fit...
12 x Self Tapping Screw M3x12mm or similar
2x Servo Lead Extension or similar
Y servo cabel or similar
Screwdriver +
Hex screwdriver 1.5mm
Dremell or any steel handsaw
Soldering Iron or any hot tool

Some recommended motor setups (or use your own with

sufficient thrust and weight):
ECO PERFORMANCE SETUP
you will need: 2xTurnigy D3530/14 1100KV or similar 3530-35 1100kv
2x30A Electronic Speed Controller or similar 30-40Amps
Male XT60 connector
Turnigy 3000mAh 3S 20C or similar 3000-3300/3s
or 2x 2000/3s (use 2to1 parallel connector)
16AWG Wire red and black
propellers, scale 3 blade or more efficient two blade 9/6 CW/CCW
Solder wire and Soldering Iron
printed motor mount, find the one which fits... (25/19)

OR HIGH PERFORMANCE SETUP (if you like it hot, yeah)prop 9/6, 9/7 fast:
you will need: 2xMotor – AX-4008Q-620KV
2xSpeed controler (ESC) – CC Talon 25 or similar 25A/6s
6x PAIRS, 3.5mm Gold Connectors - optional
Battery 1550mAh/6s – or 2x 1550/3s better (use 2to1 serial connector)
16AWG Wire red and black
Male XT60 connector
Shrink Tube black
Solder wire and Soldering Iron
Hands free Holder - optional
propellers two blade 9/6 CW/CCW
printed motor mount (25/25)

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7. R/C Equipment and servo pushrods installing

Instal prepared RC equipment: Motor, ESC, Servos...
Nose and motor mount are already in angle for compensating rotating propeller stream.
Test and center all servos with servo tester or transmitter, then instal horns in midle posi-
tion... use HXT900 or any 21x21x23mm
See video guide #7
you will need: 9x 9g Servo HXT900
12x Servo Lead Extension or similar
Snap knife
8x Screw 3/12-30mm depends on motor-mount
Small screwdriver+
Your earlier prepared R/C equipment
6x Self Tapping Screw M3x8mm or similar
6x Steel pushrod, diameter 1.0-1.2mm
Pliers
CA Glue - medium
Activator for CA Glue or similar, but not mechanical is better

8. Receiver installing and LG retracts check

Refer to your R/C system userguide for installing information, check if Landing Gear Re-
tracts work OK or if there is some blockage with LG spruts (too deep)
See video guide #8
you will need: Your own Rx/Tx system
Battery for your setup...
Velcro strip for Li-Pol battery
Scissors
Small screwdriver+
CA Glue - medium + activator

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9. Final Completion
Instal your reciever, connect batery, setup servos and etc. with your trasmitter, lock servo
position, then instal propeller...
!!!Make sure that the battery is placed properly and secured with wing battery holder, if
battery moves during flight it can shifts the center of gravity backwards and aircraft will be
uncontrollable!!!
See video guide #9
you will need: Your own Rx/Tx system
Battery for your setup...
Foam strip for Li-Pol battery
Scissors
Propeller + printed spinner
Small screwdriver+
CA Glue - medium + activator
Scale markings printed to adhesive foil

!!!Never set ESC with instaled propeller, this is very dangerous!!!

10. Go flying
Before flight check: center of gravity is very important (move it forward for the first flights
see CG markings and chapter 11 bellow), battery properly charged, ailerons and elevator
deflection check, your own flying skills or RC simulator training...
Accelerate gradually and keep the direction during taxiing by using the rudder, try it first
without taking off a few times ( taxiing on the runway ) Then gain speed until the plane
move up tail part , then pull the elevator gently and you’re in the air.
Big But, it is very useful spend some time in this discusion, very very recommend:
Basic to advanced ground handling take-off’s and landing for warbirds

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11.Pilots Please Attention!!!

For the first flights we recommend set center of gravity of the airplane by about 5 mm for-
ward of the CG tag - nose heavy, this increases the stability (you can use heavier battery).
Also is good to increase expo settings on your transmitter for elevator and ailerons to 80 %
(this calms response from your stick inputs)
Also you can decrease elevator and ailerons deflection.
Make sure the battery is well fixed in proper possition if it moves during flight it will cause
move CoG aft and will lead to uncontrolable flight behavior...

You can then return to the center of gravity (balance aircraft)the CoG points and expo set to
60 % as stated in the video/instructions... this gain back extra maneuverability when you will
be sure with flying your airplane.

!!!Never fly aft positioned CoG!!!

And Please, use this files only for your own purpose, do not
send further... Thank you very much

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