Lee Wilson Posted October 29, 2010 Share Posted October 29, 2010 Hi all, bought a Blackhorse Super Air ARTF mainly because I had a spare OS46 LA and it is a cheap model. Knowing this I expected a few issues with the build quality but not as many or as major as I have found. Minor but annoying things like the poor quality of screws provided, the heads seem to strip if you show them a screw driver, the thread on the tank bung bolt stripped before I even got it tight ( I'm not heavy handed really). The control rod for the throttle was routed through to the engine but the hole was right behind the engine mount so that when the mount got fitted it trapped the control rod behind it. I have offered up the horizontal and vertical stabilisers to check the fit and the vertical looks a long way off straight so this will need some attention. All things that are easily rectified but annoying none the less. Worst of all though I just decided to sit the wing in the fuselage to see what it will all look like (as you do) and it does not fit in the wing seat. As you can see there is quite a gap at the trailing edge. I suspect that either the dowels in the wing are in the wrong place or the holes for them are in the wrong place. I guess the other option would be the cut out in the fus is the wrong shape. Have E mailed the shop where I bought the model but dont know where I stand as I'm part way through assembly so wating to hear from them. Guess I could open up the dowel holes so the wing will sit further in to the fus but didn't know if this would cause further problems, any ideas? Will wait to hear from supplier before I start any butchery, Cheers, Lee Edited By Lee Wilson on 29/10/2010 17:57:46 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve W-O Posted October 29, 2010 Share Posted October 29, 2010 Your problems are in a way very similar to mine with the Wot 4 foam, and to Lee with the engine problem. It seems that we are being sold items that are not ready for use without work that is not part of the normal assembly. It seems that suppliers and manufacturers think it is cheaper to lose a few customers and a degree of reputation, than it is to give acceptable service. Many people would keep quiet, and that is exactly what they are counting on. When I buy something new, I expect it to be in new condition, and to work as expected, I don't think that is unreasonable???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
propogandhi Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 aren't both of these model from RipmaxEdited By propogandhi on 30/10/2010 00:46:49 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve W-O Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 Posted by propogandhi on 30/10/2010 00:45:56:aren't both of these model from RipmaxEdited By propogandhi on 30/10/2010 00:46:49 I don't know, the Wot 4 Foam-E is, don't know about the Super Air. If it is, looks like a message is emerging! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winchweight Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 Super Air is an early Black Horse model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Richards Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 Sounds like you have got a dodgy kit. Try and send it back and get it replaced. Failing that I would elongate the holes where the dowels fit into the fuselage so that the wing sits properly in the fuselage cut out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Wilson Posted October 30, 2010 Author Share Posted October 30, 2010 Bruce I agree completely, opening up the wing dowel holes would let the wing sit properly in the fus but I want to see what the supplier has to say first. E mailed them yesterday but haven't heard back yet. Further problems found with the vertical stab is that the cut out in the fuselage for the lower rudder hinge doesn't line up with the hinge, again a quick and easy fix but I get the feeling the QC dept had a day off during this production run. Steve, agree with you as well. Although I knowingly bought a cheap model and expected some issues I still payed for something that I would expect to fit together. Another strange thing is the picture on the box shows a trike undercarriage but this is a taildragger, wonder if they make 2 different models and some of the parts got mixed up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanN Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 Lee, I've had two in the past, with none of the issues you've encountered. Definitely the right thing to do to give the supplier a chance to sort it out for you. The upside is they fly great Although Black Horse did do a trike aircraft in this series (Travel Air or "Something Else" Air, I think) the Super Air has never been supplied as a trike, that I'm aware of I'd like to ask one favour, if I may please. I've got a Super Air wing doing nothing and intend to build a box fus to hang it onto. Seeing as you have the fus to hand , to give me a starting point could you please confirm the two measurements (a) front of wing seat (ie front of wing LE) to firewall and (b) rear of wing seat (ie rear of wing TE) to front of tail LEEdited By IanN on 30/10/2010 14:27:33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Grigg Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 I loved my Super Air and also had no problems with it.It was my first black Horse kit and I was impressed.I lost it for a month in rape seed crop and although it was quite damp it flew again.The fuselage had been weakened by the dampness so I stopped flying it as a precaution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Wilson Posted October 30, 2010 Author Share Posted October 30, 2010 Ian, Front of LE to front of firewall 135mm. TE to LE of horizontal stab 450mm. Does your wing have any dihedral built in or is it flat? Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanN Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 Lee, definitely a small amount of dihedral - 1/4 to 3/8" from memory. I'll dig it out of the rack and measure it for you, to be sure. Many thanks for those fus dimensions - a great help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garry Pollard Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 Lee Super Air is a taildragger, Speed Air is the trike. Sounds like you have a half and half kit. Dont do any alterations, demand a replacement and dont take no for an answer. You have a pup and you will never be happy with it. If the shop is worth its salt they will replace immediatly, if not demand your money back and shop elsewhere Garry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Wilson Posted October 31, 2010 Author Share Posted October 31, 2010 Garry, your right thats probably what I should have done but I had another look at it and due to impatience/good weather forecast/lack of a little model I can chuck in the car easily, I decided to get the wing to fit. In the end all I had to do was extend the holes by about 1mm and all was good. So it was down to the field today for a test flight and I'm pleased to say it flew great. Had a couple of flights to sort out trim and make a couple of adjustments and I was away. I did have a slight landing mishap that ended up with it running off in to the ploughed field next to the strip but no damage done, guess the undercarriage is a bit stronger than I expected it to be If you look at the links you will see the Super Air as a trike here and here and here. My box showed a trike on it the same as the one in the link and it also had a control rod inserted for nosewheel steering, wondering if this was old stock from an early production run which could explain why I had so much fun with it. In the end I got it together and it flies well. I will still inform the suppliers of the problemms I had and will write a review including all the fun I had. Cheers, Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garry Pollard Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 Hi Lee As long as it flew well that is all that matters. I must say I was supprised to see the pics of it as a tryk. I have always been under the impression that the speed air was the only tryke out of the three. We live and learn Congrats on the maiden Garry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Grigg Posted November 1, 2010 Share Posted November 1, 2010 Hi Lee,must say the u/c took some battering from me and stood up well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Wilson Posted November 2, 2010 Author Share Posted November 2, 2010 Good to hear Stephen, most reviews I read about the Super Air seemed to mention the weak undercarriage. I did contemplate beefing it up before I flew it but decided not to cut in to a nice new wing and beef it up if it does break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Grigg Posted November 2, 2010 Share Posted November 2, 2010 I found mine needed bending forward from time to time,but it lasted well,certainly better than th BH Renegade that came off very easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Grigg Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 How are you doing with your super Air Lee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Wilson Posted November 21, 2010 Author Share Posted November 21, 2010 Hi Stephen, not had as much chance to fly the Super Air as I would like, do any of us, but I have been happy with it so far. Did find I had to bend the undercarriage forward as it tended to lift the tail before it would start to move as you powered up for take off on our grass strip. Good practice at balancing a tail dragger on take off mind you. It also tended to nose over on landing as well but that seems to be sorted now. All in all I'm happy with it now. Has made me think twice about my xmas present though, I have an SC91 fs that needs a model to fit round it and was looking at the Blackhorse Trojan T28 but after the fun I had with this model and reading Ross's Seagull Yak 54 thread I may get the 60 size Yak instead. Cheers LeeEdited By Lee Wilson on 21/11/2010 12:00:02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Grigg Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 Glad your making good progress Lee,learning to hold a bit of down in when you take off is a new thing from trike U/C isnt it, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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