How do all

[Bob Smitham]

Just saying hello after joining.I do appear too allways end up here when browsing.It started three years ago with a multi rotor build with my then 12 year old son.He soon went back too his games console and I carried on.I'm from an electronics background and the technology in the multirotor world facinated me.This has lead to me crashing a few home built foam board flying wings on a run of six nearby football pitches.All cheap low skilled fun , far more fun than the quads.Which have now lost motors for fixed wing projects.My next steps in the hobby are joining a club learning to fly and my first balsa build.Im currently absorbing as much as possible from you fellas on here.Admittedly it's a tad intimidating reading through the build threads.Lot's of new skills required . But I have a shed, patience and a sports direct mug for tea.

Cheers

Bob

[Tim Ballinger]

Welcome , can’t go far wrong if you have a mug of tea!

Seems like you are starting off in the right direction and no doubt you have read other new starter threads so I suspect no nead to repeat. That said ask for clarification and advice whenever you want. There will be any number on here who will share there experiences. Many will be passionate in their replies because we all love our hobby.

Let us know whatever it is you need advice on.

Tim

[Josip Vrandecic -Mes]

Welcome onboard Bob ,Here you are at the right place.This sport-hobby is the best in the world .. All possible upcoming issues can be solved with expert modelers at this forum.
Greetings from Adriatic Sea

Jo

[Peter Miller]

As I always tell people,Balsa building is not hard. Remember that 12 year old kids did it on their own with a very basic kit, no precut parts, just printed wood, a razor balde and sandpaper and a set of instructions back in 50s and 60s.

You will have no trouble.

[Bob Smitham]

Thank's for the welcome chaps.

Very encouraging .Yes tea and enthusiasm will conquer all.But is a Sopworth Camel laser cut kit a good choice/ I realise a 1/6 scale Spitfire is beyound me at this stage.But a gas powered bi plane is a sirens call.Or maybe wait for the 2019 group build and stick to electric. I do enjoy jumping in at the deep end,.Build fly crash repeat is my airbourne experience as off now.Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;

Thanks.

Bob

[Peter Miller]

The Camel might not be an ideal first choice. The Camel has a very short nose which means lots of weight needed..

Biplanes can be a little less forgiving and definately are less robust and are much harder to repair.

A first build might be a high wing cabin model. A Piper Cub is always a great choice. Scale but easy to fly and repair.

[Piers Bowlan]

Bob, a welcome to the forum from me also.

Perhaps not a first model (!) but how about Peter's Toot Sweet from RCM&E 2002, the plan is available from Sarik Hobbies. Designed for 40-48FS glow, a simple, quick build and would be an easy electric conversion too.

[kevin b]

Eyup lad ! Tha's come to't reight place for thi information. The's lots of friendly folk on ere and tha's barn'd to get some reight good advice.

Personally Piper Cubs get right up my nose, but I can't argue that they are scale and make good trainers. Alternatively try one of the more docile Citabrias.

Kevinb greetings dept (Yorkshire)

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

How do lad.

[Nigel R]

Hello and welcome.

Lots of new skills to acquire sure but that's part of the fun!

[Ron Gray]

@KevinB - docile Citabria? why were they named Citabria?

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Peter Miller]

I found that the Sig kit had a viscious tip stall in a tight turn. It would flick into and opposite turn.

Mind you it was OK if you treated with respect.

Toot Sweet was very nice and relatively docile but fully aerobatic.

Edited By Peter Miller on 20/11/2018 21:08:28

[Bob Smitham]

Eyeup Kev

.Though from't better side ut Pennines cocker

I must admit a Cub doesn't fill me with enthusiasm for a build.I know all with experience say it's the go to model.But I can knock a foam board 44" cub with landing gear for around £20.But from reading the forum the step up in weight when going from foam-blasa/gas would be like starting over from scratch.I will check out the Citabrias thanks.

Unless a sub 50" Fieseler Storch lasr cut kit is found .Now I could sink my teeth in a build like that.

[Ben B]

Personally I'd first learn to fly with a nice cheap ARTF and then learn to build. Trying to learn to fly something you've built while traditional can stretch out the whole process.

I built my first plane (Precedent Hiboy II), tried to teach myself to fly around the unique way I'd constructed it and eventually gave up and got a simple semi-ARTF. Then moved back to the Hiboy and have a ball.

IE there's a place for lovingly built hand-crafted planes and there's a place for semi-disposable ARTFs...

[kevin b]

Posted by Ron Gray on 20/11/2018 20:57:39:

@KevinB - docile Citabria? why were they named Citabria?

The Bud Nosen 40 size Citabria was advertised as a trainer and is quoted as such in its build instructions.

[nigel newby]

Hi Bob, Well I thought I would stick my oar into the chat.

Welcome to the hobby.

If you want something to fly, with not to much worry, have a look on EBay. I saw a Vintage radio controlled plane with a 4 stroke engine go for £28 lately. Try to find perhaps a 3 channel type plane with a large dihedral. These plane tend to sort themselves out when in trouble. Just let go of the controls and they tend to head back to straight and level. Find a local club, they will teach you to fly, with a bit of luck.

All this gives you time to build your own plane, and be in a better position to fly it when complete.

But never forget we do this all for enjoyment.

Have fun Nigel N

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[ken anderson.]

welcome from me bob...

ken anderson...ne...1..welcome dept.

[kc]

There are two aspects to RC model aircraft - one is building the other is flying. Ideally you should build what will be right to help your flying progress............ But often the desire to build a particular type of model can influence the situation! You either need to curb your building ambitions or be prepared for the lack of flying skill smashing your exotic model prematurely.

A compromise might work though - build a model that's not too fiddly to build but a bit better looking and more aerobatic than a trainer . One design that comes to mind is Peggy Sue 2 which was a recent RCME plan and of course it's a Peter Miller design which means Peter is on the forum and often able to advise on any problems.

Another aspect to consider is size - too small and it may be difficult to see as well as tricky to fly. Most people find 52 to 60 inch span is big enough to see but fits in a car easily. It all depends on eyesight - youngsters often have no problem but older people usually opt for a larger model that they can actually see when it's " 3 mistakes high " in the sky.

[Dave Hess]

Posted by Bob Smitham on 20/11/2018 21:47:58:But from reading the forum the step up in weight when going from foam-blasa/gas would be like starting over from scratch.

I wouldn't say that's at all true. I fly foam-board planes all the time now. I wouldn't say that their flying characteristics are anything different to anything else. By that, I mean that there are a range of models that each have equivalent characteristics to anything else that could be a different size or shape or power. The main attraction for me is that they're cheap and quick to build. I just like to fly for fun. Its man and machine in harmony while pushing to the limits. Some people are happy just seeing a big plane cruising around the sky, but that just doesn't do it for me. Everybody'sdifferent.

Every plane flys differently. There's a fair difference between three channel rudder control an 4ch with ailerons, and there's a fair difference between a 4ch with low/mid wings compared with high wings. Whatever planes you choose, you want to progress from easy upwards. If you want to fly on your own, cheap is the best way to go. If you want to spend hours tied to another pilot with a buddy box, you can get whatever floats your boat.

[kc]

Bob said " Unless a sub 50" Fieseler Storch lasr cut kit is found .Now I could sink my teeth in a build like that. "

Well a small Storch is likely to be tricky to fly but the bigger problem would be that all the time consuming struttery and undercarriage would be very vulnerable to poor landings. And of course landing is one of the things that is hardest to learn so needs a robust trainer which is easily repairable. A realistic Storch has a very complex and fragile fuselage!

[Nigel R]

What are you looking for here Bob?

If you're looking for a "first wood" build recommendation, everyone is going to suggest a simple model here. For good reasons. I would guess you want a kit build. A straightforward sport model fits your needs quite well. It's a stepping stone to more complex stuff. Maybe you'll even make one and decide that more complex stuff isn't actually what you want to do right now. But you really need this step first.

Flying side of things, going to heavier models is not at all like learning from scratch. The added 'thing' is inertia. Foam board models have almost none. You close the throttle, they stop. A bigger heavier plane doesn't - you have to learn to plan ahead. If you can fly foam boards quite happily, then a simple sport model with nice flight characteristics fits your needs quite well. This model doesn't have to be the "build" one, you could pick up an ARTF like the Boomerang and fly it for a while. Loads of second hand airframes to be had.

As for kits, popular stuff off the top of my head...

DB Mascot.

Chris Foss Wot 4.

Mick Reeves Gangster.

Pegasus Models Hornet.

Last two being a bit spicier in the air I think. Depends what your situation is, in a club with buddy box for a few flights, no problem, solo you'd want something more like the Mascot.

Lots of recent plan/short kits from the RCME mag available - any of Pete Millers designs would work for you here, Super Marauder, Ballerina, Ohmen and more. Lots of build threads on this site for all of his stuff.

Good luck whatever you pick.

[Bob Smitham]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I'm not planning of flying a balsa build until I have got to grips with my budget foam options.It's more of a long term take my time project for when I'm proficient .After using an entire roll of gaffa tape on a learning too launch a£40 800mm foam wing.Then wedging it high in a tree after only 3 hours or so flight time.I have printed and cut a tiled plan from Flietest.This is intended to be my basher.If I crumple the nose or wing simply cut another out.I also have a 1200mm mini Talon V tail near enough completed as my next step from my little Foam board numbers.A few pics of the story so far.

A little fast at first but RC desk pilot helped me manage my first few hours flying.Sadly wedged it high in a tree.When I returned with a friends fishing pole it was gone.

This is the Talon.I'm not risking flying this untill I have mastered this little fella below the FT goblin.It's using an old multi 2400 motor and the foam board cost £5 .Next foam build I will be choosing a high wing with a few more channels.

Still getting too grips with the forum, if you stand on your head you will get an idea.

[Bob Smitham]

Lot's of advice too take in fella's.I thank you for your input it's much appreciated .I realise I am entering the hobby from a totally different direction than most builders on here(pardon for asumptions).Flight controllers with built in modes for limiting roll and pitch plus the ability for "passthrough" no aid options.The god send of RTH and Loiter modes when the ineviable (oh which way am I pointing) moment happens.Full telemertry back to the Taranis giving me speed,Amps,voltage,heigt,distance from home and all the rest .I intend to use foam builds with the benifitts of less time and most importantly cash to develop my(analogue|) flying skills before commiting too a more complex cash and time consuming wood builds.

Is the 2019 lasercut kit version of group build beyound me? I have no intention of flying the bugger untill I have got too grips with my electric foam numbers.It's more of a getting too grips with wood RC construction.Coupled with following the build threads of the experienced forum members.

Don't be shy I'm a thick skinned middle aged git .A verbal slapping for an apprentice is no bad thing.I won't be sulking off just yet.