Art Hobby JK Thermic 2.5 meter

[WGH]

How many have built this glider? I received mine a couple of days ago and am almost ready for the maiden flight. I've heard that Art Hobby kits are really nice and I wasn't disapointed, the fit and finish is great, however I did think the hardware was a little cheap. They supply a chunk of wire that you have to bend into a tow hook and the control horns are a bit flimsy, also I didn't like the little 2 mm steel pin that you are suppose to use in the leading edge of the wing for the hold down. I happen to have plenty of tow hooks laying around, I used the control horns that came with the kit, I threw away that little 2mm pin and used two nylon bolts to attach the wing. I went with the deft finish and will add some accent pieces of ultracote to the wing, so far it looks like it will be one heck a of TD bird.

P.S. If this kit didn't come with any hardware it would still be a bargin at $175, I hope it fly's as great as it looks.

[F3X]

It’s a nice kit and a good flying model. Just don't go hard on the launches, it wasn't designed for all out full peddle launches. Using 2 bolts is a good idea. Keep it within its design parameters and you will have a bunch of fun for a long time. I am thinking about getting the RES version for our local TD contests...just for fun.

[AustinTatious]

I had one that used the little 2mm pin and it woked beautifully... I was very aggressive on the winch as well.. jsut FYI

[WGH]

I use hi-starts only, however I would use a winch if one was available. Got a few trim flights in between rain showers, it fly's very well control response is very crisp feels more like one of my areobatic nitro planes than it does a glider. I'm using spoilerons, I thought it would realy dive when deployed instead it just slows way down and thats with the both ailerons up at nearly 90 degree's. I really like the way it turns should be greeat for working small thermals, hope its sunny tomorrow I can't wait to get out and speck this thing out.

P.S. My hi-start is still out at the field darn rain blew in so fast I didn't have time to wind it up, on the bright side it will be waiting for me in the morning.

[WGH]

I have the Thermic flying pretty good now, I was surprised how fast this glider is and how ineffective the spoilerons were it can be a bit of a handful on landings. So I added flaps, it wasn't as easy as the ailerons as there isn't a piece of wood glued inplace on the cut out line. Now it can be slowed to a crawl using crow, and I can droop the trailing egde for better launches and reflex it to scoot across the sky in a hurry, the flaps also really help slow it down in tight thermals. It was a good flying bird before without the flaps but its a great flying bird with them.

[sblckwd]

If you're going to HiStart this aircraft you need to beef up the center wing joint. The kit supplied pin works great but beef up the fuselage wiith CF before drilling the hole for the pin. See the final posts in the Arthobby Thermic Res Thread. You'll see how I beefed up the wing joint, after my wings folded durning an aggressive launch. Never had any trouble since. Also take the time to do a proper set up with the decalge and CG. Makes a BIG difference on this ship. The factory settings don't really do it justice.
Steve

[WGH]

Thanks for the info. Mine is balanced well aft of the recommended CG elevators are at 0 degrees trim and it fly's great right there, I don't see any need to shim the wing on mine. I've had zero problems with the hi-start but I don't think I'll put this wing up on a winch, I don't have access to one anyway.

[sblckwd]

As long as you get a nice shallow recovery from a high speed dive, with the CG set so the elevator at neutral, then the decalage is as good as it's going to get.
My Hi Start is set up for my modified Magestic, which weighs about 4 pounds, so I have to be sure I only stretch it back about 3/4 for the little Thermic. Even so the Thermic really really shoots up there. A good "flip" at the end and it ends up quite high. Super fun to fly in light air even though it can handle a pretty good wind.

[WGH]

The Hi-start does make a difference, I'm using 2 meter comp hosemonster rubber on my hi-start so it's fairly safe, It really is a nice flying glider.

[LWThompson]

OK now...where's the photo?

[WGH]

Now that I have a bunch of flights on the Thermic and have it all pretty well trimmed out I can safely say this plane is great! The flaps were the biggest improvement, spot landings are easy with crow, add a little flaps when working small bubbles of lift and it really slows down nice, reflex the whole trailing edge up a few degrees and she really scoots across the sky, lower the whole trailing edge and she launches like a rocket. I also found that it's best to use almost no down aileron, mine really wallowed in turns so I kept messing with the aileron differential until I ended up with only a few degree's down aileron now it really banks nice in thermals.

In the process of adding flaps I had to move the servo's for the tail back under the wing, this made all kinds of room up front so I chucked the 250 mah pack and all the lead weight and put a 1700 mah pack up front it balances perfect and now I can fly all day on a charge, well almost all day. I thought that 1700 mah pack was over kill but on the other hand if I have to add weight anyway it may as well serve a purpose.

I don't have a good scale so I can't give you any weights but I can tell you my thermic will work low level light lift like a hand launched, it signals lift very well with the usual bump or sudden bank and really penetrates wind. On landing approach I use about half flaps and she just floats down at about 100 feet out I switch to crow and land it at my feet every time. The flaps make this plane fly so much better I wish they would consider adding them as an option.

[Masterpiece]

If you're going to HiStart this aircraft you need to beef up the center wing joint. Steve

Is this opposed to hand towing???? Don't you mean, if "winching", you'll need to beef up the centre joint, like I did with carbon as I will be using a winch soon with mine.

Hi-starting is just the "minimum" way to get this sailplane up.

[sblckwd]

I mean Hi Start. The stock wing joint cannot handle a decent Hi Start launch. I use a 1/8 x 1/8 from Hose Monster so I do have to be careful not to stretch it all the way out. I think that would shatter the wing. With the beefed up center joint it'll zoom right up there and handle a good toss at the end for some extra altitude.

[american junior]

took the model out for the 1st time knowing that it was way overwieght cause I went by the instructions and balanced it as per plans but just today found out it was way nose heavy and showed all the signs, so we took out about 4 oz. ballast and set the elevator at neutral and things calmed down also making for a lighter model..dont know about you guys but mine wieghs 32 oz. all up. also didnt use the v-tail and made my own X tail w/o rudder and figured the ailerons would turn it good enuff and it did!! even though the guys at art are doing a good job something needs to be done about the control rod situation, this is why I didnt mess with the Vtail. took a chance and got it up on a wench, the model held together, must have been the good glass job. I didnt use flaps , and yes the model comes in hot, but a good head wind always slows it down ...........I think A/H turns out affordable models with lotsa potentail.

[davekra]

Word of warning if your using the stock tail with the stock hinges...ADD TAPE to the hinge.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3719895&postcount=328
If I were to do it over I'd add 3/4oz glass to the tail and tape the hinge.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=315316

Have fun with it.
davidk

[Prawnik]

I've given my almost-stone stock (only real mod was using two nylon bolts to mount the wing) Thermic some reasonably aggressive winch launches and it holds together fine.