Mark R

Oooh seems quite a 'hot' subject!  Tho i do find similarities between all these new 2.4ghz thingamgigigameriesand when i worked in a motorbike shop.  When the latest bike came out everyone ran to buy it then spent on top of the £10k it cost, a further £2-5k adding 'bling' to it.  Now i am not saying that all the extra info is not usuable, but its like fitting gear changing lights to your new bike (or in my case very old one, why oh why did i do that, oh i know i wanted to have the 'new toy'), basically it was no use really apart from making the 'cockpit' of my bike light up and flash green to amber to red.  So why did i fit it ermm it was the new toy syndrome to be honest, after 2 weeks i found it a pain in the (_!_) as i didnt really need some new fantangle box of leccy bits to tell me to change gear when i could 'hear' when the engine needed to change.  Definately not a technical guy, i fix things with 6 inch nails and if that doesnt work an FBH always sorts problems, but how much extra power does it drain from your tx or does it have an separate power system.  And as Timbo pointed out, he gets lots of data on landing from his 'box of tricks'.  Are we falling into the 'ooh its new it shines its the latest gadget etc' hole, where we HAVE to have it coz its new.  Mark

Hi Timbo, cheers for that, never been good at all fings leccy...but now have a good rule of thumb to go on....next stop Giant CodCheers once again

Hi all, to those about to re spec their Spits, loads of pics please please!  I have mine sat in garage and i am determined to get it in the air this summer.  So retracts is the way to go. Timbo regarding choice of engine, how did you work out what would work well in it?  I had the brushed engine sat around but didnt want to fit it as i prefer brushless, but never had the 'were with all' to work out what is a good alternative......how do you go about choosing correct size engine, there seems to be a lot around these days all making different claims about Kv etc etc...what is the secret? Is there a secret or is it like a game of Cluedo, wild stab in the dark. cheeers Mark        

Cant knock today at all.......like you say leccy + 2.4 luuuuuuurrrrrrrvvvvvvvvvvvlllllyyyyyyyyyyyy  

Well decided to ignore the weather man today....even Noah gave up, why cant they get weather reports right,actually i should know the answer  being an ex air traffic controller. Went to the field, sun was sort of out and wind about 10-15kts, so not too bad all things considered,Sorted out Thunderbolt, put a turnigy large leccy engine up front, and slapped in the corona 2.4ghz system.  Well Thunderbolt is loads better with bigger engine, willingly rolls and loops and the corona system worked faultlessly, really impressed with it as i wasnt too sure how good it would be, will use in Wot 4 now. Got F16 out, also using corona system, put battery in closed canopy and strolled to patch.  Full bore and a gently throw...WOW straight and true, didnt need to panic getting to the sticks to get control, very very impressed with this plane.  Goes well, stable as you like, but i had dumbed down the throws from the recommended ones in handbook, so rolls and loops not so quick, but once again corona worked very well, no glitches and i didnt notice any delay or slow moving servos.  Upped the throws on the F16 (now 75%) and off i went again.  Still soo stable for one person launch, rolls loops lots better, very crisp.  As this is my first ducted fan plane i really really impressed, very good value, excellent quality all round and an excellent flyer.  So if your looking for a first ducted fan, i can heartily recommend this one.

Evening all,  i am in the process of changing my FF9 to 2.4ghz and plan on using a Spektrum system.  So was looking around the web to see if there was anyway of 'hiding' the coax and plug on the back of the Spektrum module, found this on another forum:HereAlso just in case anyone has got a TM7 or TM8 module i found this compatability chart:Here  Not sure if this is all old info for people, if so can i Mod delete this thread

Okey dokey, will use standard texts, sorry just so used to using italics i dont notice

Okey dokey, sorry didnt realise, as i couldnt see it on the bar at the top....is there a problem with me using italics, just curious.

Ahh it due to me using word (for spell checker) and i use italics on there and transpose on here.  Helps cut out spelling mistakes as i am dyslexic.  Should i only use normal font....if so sorry   Edited By Mark Rowse on 22/03/2010 17:46:19

Ermm got a 'what' meter ...... cheers for the info Steve will try a 8x6 prop and slug 3s thru it.  Alphas do fly really well, which was fy i was surprised at lack of throwability in this one, could just be me, used to throwing the P51 one around, as they say all models fly differently. Next up is the Phase 3 F-16......once i am 2.4ghz......Dear Easter Bunny s*d the egg gimme 2.4 pwease

On my 2nd WOT4 ARTF.......first one build wise was ermm interesting, the wings joined where they touched, shame they didnt touch in many places, had to sand about 2mm (carefully) to get them to touch front, middle and rear and not just in the middle.  That one went down in a spiral after, now this is were i am speculating, ailerons on one side seem to ermm come adrift, reason to say i am specualting is that it went thru a tree (no folliage) on the way down and dont know how much branch interference happened, BUT it did have one aileron totally detatched and the other is attatched.  Some of the club members have said they are not 100% sure on the CA hinges, are they upto the job etc.  Second WOT4 seems to be ok, build was lots better this time everything seemed to fit well, did use 'lots' of CA on the hinges this time, so hoping it was one off and it was pilot inability or interference (35mhz boy here) rather than airframe failure.Love the plane tho, very easy to fly and i fully understand why its popular with people.

Can i jump in on this thread......i have a H9 P-51 Mustang, tho not the one you have.......what is the undercarriage support like?  Seems a little ermm flimsy to me, am i looking at a rebuild of undercarriage support after first grass landing?  Is it worth beefing up before i fly it, if so has anyone done that mod? Cheers

Ok folks sorry not to get back sooner..... specsXtra 2826/15 motor, can handle 2-3s lipo APC 9x6 elec prop Mystery 30A BEC ESC could probably go to a 10x6 prop tho not 100% sure, all props sizes are from a model shop i trust.....tho i am sure there will be some going tsk tsk not right etc. Used same engine and set up on P51 and the Corsair too. All batteries are in good nick, charged before i fly and when is over balanced charged.  Tho some reckon you should leave them 1/2 charged til your ready to use them.  Not done that in the 3-4 years i have been using Lipos (Trex 450 heli) not had problems with batteries.  Launching is just over 3/4's throttle and i launch myself so its a throw but not a massive heave! Its not so much power i am looking it, its it lack of 'throwability', now i know it does say its a 'docile' flyer, but.......       

Hi all, thanks for responses........its using same negine as was in my P51 before i ahem upgraded it.....P51 pulled hard and was fine using 2 cell 1800.....friend who had Corsair was using an 850-1100 i think, definately smaller than battery i am using......its more the lack of wilingness to roll or loop......new servos, checked rate settings etc but just dont wanna do it

Well i use APC in my leccy stuff......not bad props, seem to work well and give good performance to battery time.....generally get an easy 7 min flight out of themBIG downside is this time of year when its cold they do tend to break very easily.....

Hey Dusty, cheers for that

Will add my 2 peneth..... ARC Ready 2........excellent trainer, easily handle a .53, mine did.......easy to repair if/when/should the ground race up to meet it!  I would say 98% of the guys training at my field use them.....well worth a looksie Edited By Mark Rowse on 19/03/2010 19:42:56

Hi guys.....okey dokey seems like bungee has the vote urghhhhh Timbo, was worried about expenditure on the battery power, using digital servos probably wouldnt of helped. Now i presume to get the best lift/speed would a ramp help?  Presume ground dragging (over carpet or summit) isnt a good idea as its a taileron and could possibly have restrictions on the tailerons if its dragging on the ground.  Checked the US websites and its a 50/50 split on ground dragging or ramp, guess a trip to B&Q is on the books  Thanks again for help

Ow dooo all, i bought one of these to replace my Corsair, pilot inability!  I have the P-51 version which is excellent, helps to have an oversized leccy motor and 3 cell lipo , the problem i have with the Thunderbolt is its lack of manouverbility, wont loop without a 'power dive' to help it at the beginning and as for rolls, pahh seen better rolls on a British Rail train.  Have everything at 100%, whereas the P-51 is on about 60% and does everything well, replaced the the servos and the motor is good and pulls well, i use 2 cell 1800 lipo in it, but its just seems sooo sluggish and unwilling.  Has this anything to do with the fact the body could hide a suma wrestler behind it?  Seems very ermm bulbus to say the least?  Any ideas? Why is it raining why why why

Hi all, newbieto this forum ) I have myself an HET F15, not got much done to it as i am in a bit of a quandary....Too Bungee or not too bungee!  Or Dolly or not too dolly! Have looked at both possible scenarios and the thought of 'straining' an elastic band (yeh i know its not elastic band really) to propel 5lbs+ of plastic into the air does somewhat scare me!  Its the thought of the ground anchor deciding it would like to try flying itself and coming at me in a horizontal attack.  Anyone used a dolly to launch one of these.  The recommended engines give about 700 watts of power each (i believe), would this provide me enough power to launch from a dolly on a grass strip?  If so what type of dolly, any plans available.  Or if its going to be a bungee launch where can i get a decent set up from, preferably with a corkscrew ground anchor.  cheers all Mark