There. I've said it. I bought an A7 Tornado as my second ever RC plane, and I've had fun with it! It sounds cool - like a jet (Or an over-amped hair dryer.) It flies as well as most any other 2 channel. And like all 2 channels, that is its fault. But it's not one that can't be overcome...

I am disgusted with the prices I usually see for Megatech models, but that is just what the market will bear. Alot of this RC stuff is overpriced. It hasn't reached the commodity/appliance stage yet. It is a step closer with the PZ-Kyosho Cessna, but that's another subject. I paid $39.99 for the A7 and I think it was worth it.

I will admit that I was horrified to see the entrails of a Megatech Airstrike in one thread. But I am even considering a different Megatech model as my next plane purchase and mod. The trick is to just shop the Internet to find a decent price. They are out there.

Well, the first thing I did was to mod the A7 to use a lipo. The NiMH pack was 7.2 volts so a 2 cell worked great. In order to keep C/G the same I used a 450 mah that was about 10 g less than the 200 mah pack it replaced. I had to cut open a different place for the pack which was forward of the old pack. I got many flights in with that setup, and it taught me the hard part of flying. (Stick to low wing.) If it got into a dive, however, all I had was full power and prayer to pull up. After about my 18th one-point landing, I said I'd give anything for elevator control. So I added it. Out with all the 2ch electronics, and in with receiver, 2 servos, and a brushed esc. I also replaced the over-epoxyed chin scoop with some bluecore, and painted it. It flies great! A nice lazy glider that looks and sounds like a jet! Yeah, it may not be for everyone. But I think the 2 blade EDF is very efficient not only pricewise, but also as an air mover. At any rate, it's fun. That's what it's all about, right?

That's an interesting mod! Thanks for the pictures.

I was just looking at one of these on eBay, the 2nd going for $10 plus $10 shipping. Seems like a cheap platform to get and tear up! I keep getting the "B-29" thing for about the same price though, but this looks easier as 4 engine nacelles become a powering issue. This A7 also looks like an EASY hand launch for us crippled gimp survivors of real airplane crashes.

Oh yeah.... can you quickly post some data as to these "servos" that come with it please?

My LHS sells e-sky 8 gram servos for $8.99. I wanted even lighter and less visible servos, so I used CIRRUS 6 gram servos my LHS sells for $11.99. You can see them in this picture.

The stock A7 came with a cheap actuator for the rudder only.

Mmm yeah I think I could launch it from a chair. Strangely, I can fly this easier than a cub .

dead thread? Hoping for help! Sounds crazy maybe, but I'm thinking of putting Stormlauncher guts into my A7. Already tried a single motor tied into both motor terminals on a 2 ch RX (skyforce, donated to science), it works with full proportional control and on a larger motor than the ones used with that RX. Microbuilder did a "differential thrust to rudder mod" that may serve to provide rudder control, possibly with a servo. The SL proportional evevator would be used.
Any hope, advise? Don't wanna spend too much, just trying to make chicken soup out of chicken s**t here...

airfoil'd

You're heading into uncharted airspace, captain. Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

how heavy is the stock battery?

Originally Posted by akwardflyer

how heavy is the stock battery?

The stock 6 cell NiMH pack weighs 36 grams.

can i put an 800 mah lipo in or should i use a 400mah?

Whatever will balance the model at the same place as the stock battery. Heavier battery will have to be moved back, lighter battery will have to be moved forward. Keep the cg same as stock. Find it before doing any modifications.