Mathew Brooks Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 Hello everyone. I'm new to rc aircraft. I have always wanted one and only now been able to afford one. I have a hobbyzone super cub. All I needed for a newb to get me going and learn how to fly. I have now had three days where wind has been at an exceptable speed for me to be able to be in complete control. Loved every minute of it. I have recently just bought the plans to a tony nijhuis 62" spitfire. (Something I've always wanted). I am also planning on buying the wood pack and the Cnc bits and bobs. I do have a question though. I need to buy servos and retracts for it along with all the radio gear etc and I have no idea on what to buy. So if someone could point me in the right direction that would be a great help. you must all think I'm crazy to buy and make a large model with such little experience but my theory is that by the time it is ready to fly I will have a fair few flying hours under my belt and be ready to undertake such a flight. Thank for reading Mat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 Hi Matt, well it will be a long time before you will need servos for the TN Spit so I wouldn't worry too much just at the moment. TBH your learning curve to the Spitfire might be somewaht longer than you anticipate. If I were you first I'd consider a larger wood built trainer that will give you a lot more experience. After that you should consider a low wing trainer - low wing aircraft are inherently less stable and so a different (and higher) degree of skill is needed. Once you have plenty of experience with them and can take off, fly modetrate aerobatics and land consistently well, then I would consider a more "user friendly" warbird - maybe a P47 or something similar - of about the same size as the Spit. Once you can fly that with confidence then you might be ready to try your hand at the Spitfire. BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn K Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 Hi Mat Welcome to this wonderful hobby and probably the best forum not invented by Carlsberg. I would go along with BEB except with a suggestion that your next model should be an: ARTF 46 sized trainer - my personal preference is the Tutor 2 - nice and cheap and flies really well. This will get you used to flying a larger model that flies faster and less forgiving. It will also give you a good feel for installing and setting up radio gear and see how models are setup. Use this to get to BMFA 'A' standard and while you are doing this, build (from a kit or plan) a similar sized low wing transition model to get you used to flying something that is inherently unstable.. There are many designs out there, choose something that you like the look of. Accept the fact that you will have crashes - probably far more than you would imagine - and this will dent your enthusiasm a bit, but remember, it is better to crash and repair a model that you haven't spent hundreds of hours building (like a scale model). Build the Spit by all means, but IMHO, there are better paths to get you flying safely and reliably than the foam trainer to heavy fast expensive scale model path. Good luck Martyn Edited By Martyn K on 17/05/2013 11:54:43 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathew Brooks Posted May 17, 2013 Author Share Posted May 17, 2013 Thanks for the replies guys. Been a great help already. Martyn, is it possible for you to post a link to a decent 46 sized trainer so that I can have a look at one. And so I can price up how much It will cost me for the bits. Thanks to both BEB And Martyn for you help. Realise a better trainer is needed Mat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn K Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 Hi Mat **LINK** This is the model I (re) learnt to fly on. Still got it after 2 years of serious abuse. I would suggest going for a 46 sized engine rather than a 40 as this will give you more flexibility for the future. I am not especially recommending this shop - its just what google popped up. If you have a local model shop (LMS), see what they can do for you but expect to pay a few more pounds. That extra investment will pay itself back in years to come with the help and advide you should get from them. Regarding Radio Gear, join a club (and BMFA) and find out what the instructors are using. Then get gear from the same manufacturer. This will enable them to connect transmitters together and 'buddy' up to get you through your first powered landings and take offs. BW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nev Haycox Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 Hi Mat and welcome to the forum, I'm a relitively new comer to rc flying and have no experence in building so can't really help there, I have only ARTF aircraft in my hangar so I will leave building advice to the experts. I learnt to fly with a Tutor 40 and quickly moved on to a Black Horse Renegade, I'm happy flying both and fly modetrate aerobatics with each. I now feel ready to move on to my Harmon Rocket which I have only had two flights with and my Zlin which I have yet to maiden. Some people may say that my steeps are too small whilst others may say they are to big but only I know what I'm comfortable with. If you are a natural then you can afford to take big steeps towards flying a Spitfire but if you find progress a little challenging then my advice would be take small steeps and enjoy the journey. Nev. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyro stu Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 Hi Matt if your not to far from banbury & would like a go on a trainer i have 3 makes 3 & 4 channel all set up on buddy leads your more then welcome to try before you buy, Stu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nev Haycox Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 Sorry Mat, Take steps not steeps.Senior moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josip Vrandecic -Mes Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 Hello Mat , welcome to the big ''amusement park''......and greetings from Croatia... Cheers Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathew Brooks Posted May 18, 2013 Author Share Posted May 18, 2013 thanks for the great welcome guys. Looks like i will find excellent advice for a complete novice here. pyro stu, im from bicester so not that far from banbury, just up the M40. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mothy Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 Hi Matt, I am in the middle of building one of these and I have to say that it is a fairly complex build - even if you used the CNC pack. I have been modelling for 30 years and although I don't build scale models much I have built enough sportsters. I got my retracts from Hobby King -they are the electric ones and I got some UC legs from the same source. Standard , good quality, servos will suffice for this one with perhaps good quality minis for the ailerons. By good quality I mean HiTec, Futaba, JR etc and you do not need digital servos. Most of the people that buy them don't need them ! However, if you havent bought anything yet I would go for a 46 i.c trainer such as the Irvine Trainer. Then I would build a low winger such as the Mick Reeves gangster from his kit - to go from ARTF to scratch build is ambitious and this would get you some building experience. And spitfires can be a little tricky to fly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathew Brooks Posted July 24, 2013 Author Share Posted July 24, 2013 Hi Mothy, thank you for the information. i have now got myself a .40 ripmax trainer which i am currently modifying and bringing 'up to dat' and running the way i want it to as i have bought it second hand and have some control issues. but should be sorted by the weekend. I am yet to but the nijhuis kit due to lack of funds but on the plus side this gives me time to fully underdstand how the model works and learn how to flyu it properly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mogs Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 Hi Matt You appear to be running parallel to me, I've bought a TN Lysander, this is my long term goal, I'm still slowly buying kit for it. In the meantime, the steps Im taking are learning to fly on my Seagull Swift (Ive already said goodbye to a Seagull Boomerang) Hopefully next will be and Acrowot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 Hi Matt in Oxford from me in Oxford! Though I'm only here temporarily for my daughter's graduation. I never did to see any model flyng on any of my visits here, though I did find the site on the flood plain on the north west edge of oxford on one visit - nobody flying there though. (Edited to correct "cloud plain" to "flood plain". Entered on my phone that takes guesses at what I'm typing and sometimes gets it wrong! Port Meadow was the place I meant.) Edited By John Privett on 26/07/2013 20:40:08 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PIlot Error 2 Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 Hi Matt, It seeems I did the same as you, building a WW2 fighter whilst learning to fly. Incidentally I notice you bought a secondhand Ripmax 40 trainer and had some control issues. That was my first trainer and like you i bought it secondhand. It cost be £20.00 in a junk shop to include 3 Futuaba servos, Rx and an OS40LA engine. However, I had control issues with it as well and the guy who was teaching me told me he used to have one but binned it as after a while the tail surfaces tend to warp and they can be a bit of a nightmare on take-off. I deciced to bin the Ripmax 40 and put all the gear into a new Hanger9 Alpha 40 and I havent looked back since. The Zero is finished now but hasnt flown. good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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