Foam ARTF

[KenC]

After my 20 years away I can't get over the number and size of these foam aircraft. Expensive models with near six foot wingspans and needing high multi channel radios.

I cant help wondering how well the wings do with being removed and refitted so many time transporting these things to the flightline.  Anyone have experience of these, and are they worth the £500 +  in the long run ?

[Frank Skilbeck]

These foaming are quite robust, my MPX Heron is 6+ years old and flown regularly, it was in great condition until it was crashed when being used as a trainer. However a bit of glue and a new prop blade and it was flying as well as ever the next week.

 

I have an even older MPX Tucan, which I retrofitted retracts too, had problems with the retracts but the airframe is in great condition. 

 

I have several othet foamies still going well after 5 years.

 

Hanger rash is more of a problem.

[Ron Gray]

The wings can be protected with wing bags, as can the rest of the model thus minimising hangar rash. I use silver bubble wrap insulation to make the bags for my foamies which is cheap and works. But like you I was put off by the rising cost of foamies, I couldn’t see myself forking out £500+ on bits of foam when a few years ago it was a more reasonable £350 ish. Having said that I recently bought the FMS Viper 90mm edf and don’t regret it one bit, it’s worth every penny.

[Steve Colman]

I can beat that Frank. I have a MPX Solius that I still fly regularly and is still going strong 10 years after it's maiden flight in 2013. Similarly My MPX Acromaster is also 10 years old.

 

Both have well over 500 flights each and still have the original motors, esc's and servos that I installed when I first put the models together. I think that equates to some pretty good value for money. 

Edited March 23, 2023 by Steve Colman

[KenC]

Ron, are the fitted ( not recognised brand)  servos etc worthy of the £500  , or is it better to get a kit form without electronics and add stuff you know ?

[Ron Gray]

My experience of FMS supplied servos is that they are good and well up to the job, ditto eFlite and Freewing. I did have a couple of larger foamies, both HSD, a 105mm edf a Super Viper and an F16 and the electronics on those were very good too. I think that earlier foamies such as those from HobbyKing did suffer from cheap servos and my Dynamo Meteor (7 years old) has rubbish servos and poor U/C but it's still going strong after a lot of abuse although the fan unit is a bit beaten up now and needs replacing!

 

I think that whilst the prices have rocketed for the larger foamies the quality of the supplied electronics has also gone up too.

 

As a matter of interest what model are you looking to get?

 

[KenC]

No specifics at the moment, but I do like something with a bit of character.  One I looked at was the FlightLine F4U-1D Corsair, but with a 63" wing  and questions over how many times the thing could be reassembled without fatigue, I started to wonder.  I think if it had a wing that plugged in and allowed a body and two wing bags, transporting would be much nicer.