Dave is right...I think the Parkzone Icon is the best looking of the bunch and the most refined design for sure

There are exactly four Foam Icon A5 models out there at this point in time. There is the 72" large one, sold by NFD and by HobbyKing (at least WAS sold by HK) and by KMP, there is the littlest 1.09 meter one, also sold by Hobby King, there is the little Guanli Icon A5 (worst of the bunch, but the cheapest...it has non scale tip floats.....)

And the excellent Parkzone Icon A5, of course.

I own the biggest one and the littlest one and have flown the PZ one...love them all!

I have the PZ I Con5 and really like flying it and it also has the tail wag but no problem flying it. It was flown on its wheels for a while before it went to the water. I have a few videos of both ways. My videos are a bit long and no music. The one that says second video shows how tough it is. Just watch the first couple min. and last two min. enjoy.

Second video 11 13 12 (10 min 31 sec)

It's a shame that the PZ model design was "locked in" before the wing was finished. But it's also wonderful that ALL the current foamies skip the prop guard now showing on the latest version at iconaircraft.com

What a hideous wart on an otherwise great design! Hopefully it's an option.

... you could say that. Personally I am glad they released it when they did so we can fly it, rather than sitting on their hands until the full scale was in final production.

Originally Posted by Renfield

It's a shame that the PZ model design was "locked in" before the wing was finished. But it's also wonderful that ALL the current foamies skip the prop guard now showing on the latest version at iconaircraft.com

What a hideous wart on an otherwise great design! Hopefully it's an option.

The prop guards are old news and no longer on the real plane. Most of the prop guard stories date from 2008. Dave E. From Horizon Hobby stated in the long PZ Icon thread that they were not on the real aircraft as of May 20 and HH had been working closely with Icon for their licensed PZ model.

The prop guards were only seen on the original non flying mockup and on some computer graphic models. None of the flight test airframes had the prop guards, and I would be extremely surprised if they made it onto the aircraft at this stage of flight testing. (I work in aerospace)

However, flaps did make it back on the real one recently, after being on, then off. They were trying to hit a weight target and the choice at one point was roadability/folding wings or flaps: the weight budget could not cover both. Flaps were off the aircraft when Horizon finalized the PZ foam molding tooling. I do enjoy the flaps on my 72" Icon...work great. Even the little 1.09mM model has optional flaps molded in.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showp...&postcount=897

Originally Posted by Thomas B

The prop guards are old news and no longer on the real plane.

Ah. Thanks for the link. They need to update their site. Those prop guards were hideous and they're all over iconaircraft.com

Also, the guards are still shown on a white version at EAA airventure 2012.

Icon A5 at EAA AirVenture 2012 - Oshkosh, Wiconsin (1 min 30 sec)

Thomas, how do you like the 71"? I'd go for the PZ if it was larger, but I like bigger

Originally Posted by jk6672

Thomas, how do you like the 71"? I'd go for the PZ if it was larger, but I like bigger

It's big alright. A big goose egg. Advantage with PZ is that they actually exist.

Originally Posted by jk6672

Thomas, how do you like the 71"? I'd go for the PZ if it was larger, but I like bigger

I do love my big Icon, but they sure have gotten hard to find. It is my favorite of the two I own and the three different ones I have flown.

Looks like it will be out if stock everywhere untill the factory does another production run. These things get made in production batches and if the mfg has newer and hotter models going into production, old ones can get shelved, or greatly delayed.

Originally Posted by Thomas B

I do love my big Icon, but they sure have gotten hard to find. It is my favorite of the two I own and the three different ones I have flown.

Looks like it will be out if stock everywhere untill the factory does another production run. These things get made in production batches and if the mfg has newer and hotter models going into production, old ones can get shelved, or greatly delayed.

Hotter than the Icon?!? Please.

Well, I'm not convinced of a supply problem. I've found PLENTY of stock offshore. Since the shippers go by volume instead of weight, they're all cost prohibitive.

It hit me this morning like a bolt of lightning. Here's a "what if" thought.

If you were a hobby shop in the U.S. and Horizon Hobby informed you they would no longer supply you if you offer XYZ (Big Icon with full amphibious capabilities for less than the PZ Icon???) what would you do?

Answer: Don't carry XYZ.

Sounds like capitalism at it's finest to me.