Rich Griff Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 (edited) After reading the recent article in rcme ( June issue ? ) Magazine, I took the plunge... I would have liked the spitfire version ( the wife loves them ) but settled on the bf109 version, mode 1. Anyone else got one of these ? The "digital trim" on elevator does not bleep when given down trim command and only bleeps per " pull" one bleep at a time rather than "multi bleeps" when held in up command. No "central bleep" when system detects "central position" and no trim movement seen on elevator at all. Throttle trim bleeps on up and down throttle trim but does not seem to effect maximum power or throttle off. Anyone else having this problem ? Replies appreciated before I contact supplier and Perkins... Not flown yet as suspect a problem and it's far tooooooooooooo rough and wet here... Thanks Edited August 5, 2023 by Rich Griff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Griff Posted August 5, 2023 Author Share Posted August 5, 2023 Also, no positive location for the battery, it can/could/will move in flight and we all know what that means... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Griff Posted August 5, 2023 Author Share Posted August 5, 2023 Just re read David Ashby rcme June article on this/these models.... Is David on here ? Motor arming procedure on page 10 of manual, binding instruction, item 5. In the mag article David mentions "immediate application of down elevator, lots of it and the frantic application of trim correction ", which implies the elevator down trim should work ? If you read this, could you please comment please David ? Maybe I have been sent a faulty product ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EarlyBird Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 33 minutes ago, Rich Griff said: Just re read David Ashby rcme June article on this/these models.... Is David on here ? 🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EarlyBird Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 @David Ashby - Moderator Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 The similar Volantex 400mm warbirds do need lots of clicks of down trim to stop them climbing, but they are set up quite tail heavy out of the box. Some folks have added a little bit of weight to make them a bit more nose heavy. The TX doesn't remember your trims, so they need resetting each flight. Usual sound of a mass launch is lots of beeping as the downtrim is piled on. 🙂 The Top RC transmitters are reportedly not compatible with the Volantex/Eachine/Sonik RC models. I think QC and build quality on these wee transmitters can be a bit iffy - at least one of mine the Aerobatics button only works intermittently and another doesn't seem to give the telemetry battery voltage beep that all the others do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 I'm surprised that there is an issue with battery location though, certainly on all of my 400mm ones there is very little scope for moving the battery even a couple of mm. On a couple of them - The P51 from memory, the battery goes in with it's long axis vertical, in most of the others the battery goes in with it's long axis longitudinally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ashby - Moderator Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 Yes, like Leccy, I've found the battery to be pretty snug. The battery leads and connector seem to pass the battery in place when the hatch is closed. Mind you, a mm or two movement won't be noticed with the gyro on. Make sure you power the model up when it's level of course. I gave the '109 away but have just tested my Mustang. There are multiple trim beeps and a centre tone in both directions, so perhaps it's your Tx Rich. Just make sure you test fly in 'Midd' mode unless your life isn't exciting enough 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Griff Posted August 5, 2023 Author Share Posted August 5, 2023 Thanks David, so I conclude the tx is faulty, will contact supplier and enquire with Perkins customer service both on Monday. The battery is anything other than a snug fit, it rattles around in its "space" and will move, so some "jamming" I place needed or a light cardboard "box" made and glued in so as not to block air flow/cooling..... The trim changes to elevator and rudder seen when altering the "skill level switch" would definitely make this model a real challenge/handful !!! Even the elevator control rod seems to " bind" thus giving poor control. I shall see what the supplier says on Monday as well as Perkins. Would I recommend this model ? Not at the moment..... I wonder how many of these have been returned to the supplier/suppliers ? £80 or so is not "pocket money prices" imho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 FWIW I think if you'd offered someone a full house, four channel, gyro stabilised scale model warbird, complete with battery, charger and transmitter for £80, twenty years ago, they would have bitten your hand off. They are incredible value for money now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Griff Posted August 5, 2023 Author Share Posted August 5, 2023 If they work properly, yes. £80 is a lot of money to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Griff Posted August 7, 2023 Author Share Posted August 7, 2023 Had email from shop, return to shop for investigation. They will supply a returns slip to cover carriage via rm. Perkins, the importer and distributor have replied also....... Don't have copy and paste on this internet phone so will write down the reply and post on here. Interesting reading..... They have not mentioned binding/sticking elevator control rod or large trim change when gyro switch is used, to change skill level ( gyro control ) whilst in flight. The manual states the Gyro switch can be used in flight. This product needs a "recall" I think. More later as further emails needed to shop and Perkins. If you have this model, toprc bf109, or one in the series, spit, Mustang and a few others, how are you getting on with it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 I have the Corsair, Volantex version and it is excellent. It can fly in all weathers as the gyro is very powerful and the battery lasts for ages (flying buddies have they Mustang and T28 and can get the best part of 30 mins from a battery!). I've also bound mine to a Jumper multi module Tx and that gives me far greater control over the settings. All in all a brilliant little model. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Griff Posted August 7, 2023 Author Share Posted August 7, 2023 Toprc not volantex..... Toprc Toprc hobby Shenzhen top RC hobby tech co. Ltd.. Does this company make volantex stuff ? Waiting for further email replies from shop and Perkins... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 All of those small gyro equipped models are really one and the same, just rebadged. Hence Eachine, Volantex, Sonik, TopRC all sell them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBG Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 I have the TopRC Mustang and so far no problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Griff Posted August 7, 2023 Author Share Posted August 7, 2023 Mmmmmm, perhaps it's just the bf109, will be checking Perkins suggestions this evening....but.... If a vehicle manufacturer fitted the clutch pedal where the brake pedal is supposed to be ..... still waiting for email replies... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Griff Posted August 7, 2023 Author Share Posted August 7, 2023 Hi gbg, May I ask please, is your toprc Mustang mode 1 ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBG Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 No, I fly mode 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Griff Posted August 7, 2023 Author Share Posted August 7, 2023 Thanks gbg, May I also ask, throttle left, if you push the digital trim away from you ( throttle up ), do you hear one bleep from the tx, and, if digital trim pressed away from you, and held, you hear continual bleeds. Similarly, digital trim pressed once towards you, throttle down, you hear one bleepy, held gives continual bleeps ? Also, elevator digital trim, pressed either way, elevator moves slightly. One last question, if model trimmed with gyro switch towards you, and you change gyro switch to centre or even fully away from you, are any control surfaces now out of initial trim ? Thanks for your patience in this..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 I have the TopRC FW190 and it hasn't had any problems. The TX is a similar layout to the Volantex/SonikRC/Eachine models but subtly different and I'm told that they will not bind to the other makes -all of which are completely interchangeable. There are at least a dozen of these in our club and there haven't been any significant issues, other than them being very easy to lose sight of and, since they are stabilised, they can very quickly be out of range and lost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 It sounds as if you might have the 450mm TopRC Bf109 though, which, again, is slightly different than the Volantex/Eachine/SonikRC 400mm warbirds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Griff Posted August 7, 2023 Author Share Posted August 7, 2023 Thanks leccy, Any mode 1's in that squadron ? Any toprc bf109 mode 1's ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 Well spotted Leccy, I stand corrected! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Griff Posted August 7, 2023 Author Share Posted August 7, 2023 I just cannot believe I am the only person in the country to buy a toprc bf109 mode 1 model ? I know David reviewed one and then he said he gave it away... I wonder if that one is still in flying condition ? Still waiting for further emails from the shop and Perkins... Disappointed... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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