Simon B Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 I'm considering buying my first glider and i'm not sure where to start. I'm tempted by this glider: Link I wouldn't mind ailerons, but it's not a biggie if it's 3 channel with rudder only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 IMO the one you've linked wouldn't be a good first glider choice. It's a bit small for thermal soaring, a T tail can be vulnerable unless you can land smoothly which isn't always the case for slope flying & the supplied motor is a throwaway can jobbie that will need to be replaced if you intend using it as a motor glider. If it's the same maker as the Speedo the fuselage will need some internal reinforcing. When you factor in the postage the price isn't attractive either.Otherwise it's a bargain Would an Easyglider Pro suit your needs ? It has a decent all round (but not startling) performance for sloping, thermaling & mild aerobatics. It can be tow/bungee launched or electrified. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon B Posted July 27, 2009 Author Share Posted July 27, 2009 Sorry, i should have added i have a 140w brushless going spare i can put into a potential model. I would like something ready for a motor to go in it rather than having to do my own modification. Point duly noted on the tail though. I think as you say, it's probably not the bargain it first appears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peewhit Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 Are you going to slope or thermal from flat field? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon B Posted July 27, 2009 Author Share Posted July 27, 2009 Thermal from the flat. I live in Cambridge, so we don't get much in the way of slopes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 The EG pro standard power only pulls 19amps & the "tuning" power 32amps both on 2s lipos, which equates to around 140w & 240w respectively. What motor do you have & what's the kV ?I have a cheapy motor from Giant Cod in my EG on 2200mAH 3s lipos. Power is around 300w but a 30sec burst gets the model uncomfortably high for visibility. A couple of guys on RCMF seem pretty happy with motors weighing 90g using 900mAH 3s lipos. My model weighs 980g theirs are quite a bit less.Alternative models that spring to mind are the JP Pretty & Greensleeves. I think they both come with brushless motors/esc combos.If you don't mind building from plans the Apollo 3 would probably be a good thermal soarer choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myron Beaumont Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 I'm very -very tempted to buy the Sparrowhawk kit .Anybody know anything about it? It would be my first glider ever with radio control & it's made in my home town Nottingham! Would it work on the Great Orme or no ? In other words -What sort of wind speed does it require to keep it afloat when the motor is not running . It is acrobatic apparently .Would it be a good starter for an ic man? PS Don't know the " Apollo" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon B Posted July 27, 2009 Author Share Posted July 27, 2009 Anyone got an opinion on this? I've got a bit of a foam hatred, which i'm finding hard to shake, so this appeals to me and proves that there are some good prices around from UK suppliers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 Simon, it looks quite good & at a very reasonable price. The size & general layout should be fine for thermal hunting. Depending on what sort of climb performance you want your motor will probably be fine if it can turn a 8" or 9" prop on 3s lipo. Only thing that doesn't appeal to me is the rubber bands wing fixing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 Posted by Myron Beaumont on 27/07/2009 19:56:29:I'm very -very tempted to buy the Sparrowhawk kit .Anybody know anything about it? It would be my first glider ever with radio control & it's made in my home town Nottingham! Would it work on the Great Orme or no ? In other words -What sort of wind speed does it require to keep it afloat when the motor is not running . It is acrobatic apparently .Would it be a good starter for an ic man? PS Don't know the " Apollo" I don't know the Sparrowhawk but I think just about anything will fly at the Great Orme when there's a decent wind. I believe it's a favourite site for PSS. Here's the Apollo plan listing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris van Schoor Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Posted by PatMc on 27/07/2009 20:55:08:Simon, it looks quite good & at a very reasonable price. The size & general layout should be fine for thermal hunting. Depending on what sort of climb performance you want your motor will probably be fine if it can turn a 8" or 9" prop on 3s lipo. Only thing that doesn't appeal to me is the rubber bands wing fixing. Rubber bands are a very good idea for a first glider (or any glider that is flown on slopes with dodgy landing zones). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Posted by Chris van Schoor on 29/07/2009 17:52:22: Rubber bands are a very good idea for a first glider (or any glider that is flown on slopes with dodgy landing zones). Wing's secured by rubber bands are a throwback to free flight. IMO they do nothing except add drag & look untidy to almost any RC model. I modify even vintage models to use bolts. The only models I have using them are a couple of indoor & a 9ft span OD electric glider. The reason for rubber bands on this model is because it was a quick conversion job from a pure glider. The wings were originally plugged into a f/glass glider fuselage but for expediency they now sit atop a ply box fuselage that holds the battery etc. BTW my local slope doesn't have the luxury of a good clear landing zone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Leigh Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 I've a slope Blizzard you could have for not much cash. But might be a bit much for a first glider. I have too much foam in my rafters, so it's going cheap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris van Schoor Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Posted by Chris van Schoor on 29/07/2009 17:52:22: Posted by PatMc on 27/07/2009 20:55:08:Simon, it looks quite good & at a very reasonable price. The size & general layout should be fine for thermal hunting. Depending on what sort of climb performance you want your motor will probably be fine if it can turn a 8" or 9" prop on 3s lipo. Only thing that doesn't appeal to me is the rubber bands wing fixing. Rubber bands are a very good idea for a first glider (or any glider that is flown on slopes with dodgy landing zones). To encourage someone who is looking for his first glider (see OP) to possibly convert from rubber bands to bolts is foolhardy and ill-advised. To convert a vintage model that came out with rubber bands to bolts is even worse. Rubber bands do not add significant drag (we are not talking about competition mouldies here), and are an exceptionally good way of absorbing energy on landing that would otherwise have to be absorbed eslewhere in the airframe. Looks (on the ground) are hardly top of the list of priorities for a first glider. If you do not like some other aspect of the design of the glider referred to, please point to that, not just the fact that it uses rubber bands, which is not a reason for the OP to discount particular model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Please keep things gentlemanly guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Posted by Chris van Schoor on 30/07/2009 16:29:40: To encourage someone who is looking for his first glider (see OP) to possibly convert from rubber bands to bolts is foolhardy and ill-advised. To convert a vintage model that came out with rubber bands to bolts is even worse. Rubber bands do not add significant drag (we are not talking about competition mouldies here), and are an exceptionally good way of absorbing energy on landing that would otherwise have to be absorbed eslewhere in the airframe. Looks (on the ground) are hardly top of the list of priorities for a first glider. If you do not like some other aspect of the design of the glider referred to, please point to that, not just the fact that it uses rubber bands, which is not a reason for the OP to discount particular model. Chris, you seem to be expounding your own opinions as if they were facts. I wasn’t encouraging the conversion of the model to bolt on wings – merely stating a personal preference & I certainly wasn’t discounting the model from consideration – quite the reverse. So far your only contribution to Simon’s request for advice on choice of model is to negatively pick on a small part of one of my posts & then rudely attempt to build your own apparent aversion to bolt on wings around it. If you care to have a look at Simon’s photo gallery you’ll see that although he wants advice on his first glider he already has several other relatively advanced models. I suggest that he won’t find landing a glider on a flat field too onerous if he can land these models reasonably competently. It would be hijacking Simon’s topic to debate the merits of different wing fixings so I won’t continue the subject here but if you wish to raise the topic in a new thread I would be happy to argue the point – politely. BTW can’t make sense of your remark re converting a vintage model to bolts. Edited By PatMc on 30/07/2009 21:58:10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon B Posted July 31, 2009 Author Share Posted July 31, 2009 Chaps, pointless personal squabbling aside, you've both raised interesting points of view. Personally i think a well fitted rubber band is fine and shouldn't result in the wing lifting and will give you a degree of security in the event of an unfortunate landing. Personally i hate building or repairing wings, so anything that can avoid this is to be cheered in my book Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Butler Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Simon B, I've just ordered an SFM Hawk glider from the link in your previous post. This is one I was not aware of but ticks all the boxes in my humble opinion and at an excellent price too. Will be an interesting move up from rudder / elevator models. Thanks for the link. I will post some pics when it arrives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Butler Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 Well it arrived today. I'm always a bit wary of ARTF's and spent a long while contemplating this one. On the surface it looks OK, nice shiny film covering that has been better applied than some very expensive models I have had. No dry joints were in evidence and the whole thing is laser cut. The usual instructions are included, with lots of pictures, not the best but definately not the worst I've seen. Then you begin to notice the little touches that set this apart. All the control surfaces are pre-hinged and pinned. The front of the fuselage contains two slots for cooling and little fairing / scoop pieces to go on. This is a bit pointless unless there are slots cut to allow the airflow out again, which this model has. The control snakes are pre fitted and there are strings in the wing to pull the servo lead through. The wing joiner is in three pieces, ply on the outside with an aluminium inner, fairly unremarkable but this is already laminated together and fits perfectly. All in all I don't know how they do it for the price - just £49.99. Looking forward to getting this into the air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 Sounds good Andy, how about some close up pics of the various parts. In particular the internal nose area, servo/Rx bay & battery space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Butler Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 Not a problem PatMc, I'll try and do it tonight but might have to wait for the weekend - will that be OK? One thing I should mention is that the hardware (horns etc) are pretty good but I will substitute for my personal preference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Leigh Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 I need another little electric after I've given up with my Graupner Junior "S" (long story). Quite fancy the one Andy bought. Before I give that a go, has anyone tried the Thunder TIger ehawk 1500? Edited By Alex Leigh on 12/08/2009 08:14:10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Lloyd Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 I've got one you can have! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Leigh Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 Is it still broken? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Lloyd Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 Have a guess... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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