Originally Posted by xfatdannx

Maybe i will have to try the eflite switch. I am having troubles with commitment to this plane bc of the gear. I mean ya it can be a hand launch plane but that doesnt do it for me. I just got my new fms 1400mm zero up the other day and since it is competing with the f18 for batteries, it may steal the f18s place in the regular flying time.

Part of me has considered selling this plane but when i look at it, i just cant.

I too have been down the hand launch route on a few planes. There are pro's and con's to either way, IMHO.

When I went back to putting gear on my birds, it made it more enjoyable for me. I've got only one hand launch jet left now (an FMS 64mm F-5) and that will probably be my last one.

The two rules I've learned with retracts is keep them simple and reinforce the mounts heavilly.

This one is a great candidate for hand launches too. I know a lot of guys have had a lot of success that way. Good luck with whichever route you decide. She's a great flier.

Originally Posted by Rangerfan

She's a great flier.

Its this part here that makes it hard to even fathom parting ways with this plane.

My PZ is fine as a hand launch plane. And my A-10...i said screw it and Gorilla Glued the mains in! They are not going anywhere! Its little things like the wheel just popping off the main that makes me second guess keeping them.

I posted a couple of weeks ago about not being very impressed with the power combo I chose for this jet....http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showp...postcount=2005

I am very happy to report that I AM thoroughly impressed now. I had bench tested my motor/fan combo to the tune of 1034W. Tested again in the airframe for 955W If I remember correctly. After the maiden, I was pondering the reasons for the lackluster performance, so I put the watt meter back on her. 675 watts!!! WTH?! Turns out, my rotor was slipping on the shaft adapter. *This is in no way a jab at Tam or his products*, just a heads up so maybe someone wont have to go through what I did. I ordered two 4mm shaft adapters from Tam, and on both, the unthreaded part of the adapter where the rotor rides, is longer than fan itself. In other words, the nut ran out of threads before it tightened on the rotor. Luckily, one of the two stock adapters I had was of good quality, so I swapped them out and retested. 1077W at 70 amps. More like it. Flew her Yesterday morning and WOW! Night and day. Went home and ordered more lipos!

Originally Posted by M3ATpl0w

I posted a couple of weeks ago about not being very impressed with the power combo I chose for this jet....http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showp...postcount=2005

I am very happy to report that I AM thoroughly impressed now. I had bench tested my motor/fan combo to the tune of 1034W. Tested again in the airframe for 955W If I remember correctly. After the maiden, I was pondering the reasons for the lackluster performance, so I put the watt meter back on her. 675 watts!!! WTH?! Turns out, my rotor was slipping on the shaft adapter. *This is in no way a jab at Tam or his products*, just a heads up so maybe someone wont have to go through what I did. I ordered two 4mm shaft adapters from Tam, and on both, the unthreaded part of the adapter where the rotor rides, is longer than fan itself. In other words, the nut ran out of threads before it tightened on the rotor. Luckily, one of the two stock adapters I had was of good quality, so I swapped them out and retested. 1077W at 70 amps. More like it. Flew her Yesterday morning and WOW! Night and day. Went home and ordered more lipos!

Wow man! You're gonna have to get her on radar. I'd love to know what speeds you're getting. Clean wings?

Originally Posted by M3ATpl0w

I posted a couple of weeks ago about not being very impressed with the power combo I chose for this jet....http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showp...postcount=2005

I am very happy to report that I AM thoroughly impressed now. I had bench tested my motor/fan combo to the tune of 1034W. Tested again in the airframe for 955W If I remember correctly. After the maiden, I was pondering the reasons for the lackluster performance, so I put the watt meter back on her. 675 watts!!! WTH?! Turns out, my rotor was slipping on the shaft adapter. *This is in no way a jab at Tam or his products*, just a heads up so maybe someone wont have to go through what I did. I ordered two 4mm shaft adapters from Tam, and on both, the unthreaded part of the adapter where the rotor rides, is longer than fan itself. In other words, the nut ran out of threads before it tightened on the rotor. Luckily, one of the two stock adapters I had was of good quality, so I swapped them out and retested. 1077W at 70 amps. More like it. Flew her Yesterday morning and WOW! Night and day. Went home and ordered more lipos!

You had me going OH@#%%! I just got mine back on the work table! I knew it was pretty sweet in the stock air-frame and after the mods I'm putting into this new one, I thought , " It just couldn't be" Thanks for the info!

Originally Posted by Rangerfan

Wow man! You're gonna have to get her on radar. I'd love to know what speeds you're getting. Clean wings?

Its no speed demon. I would hate to think how much power you would have to stuff in her to actually make her "fast". But she flies with "authority" now. Go WFO, and point the nose toward the sky, she climbs like a homesick angel. And yes, my wings are free of any ordinance. I will try to get a vid the next time I fly.

Originally Posted by 3rd-dem

You had me going OH@#%%! I just got mine back on the work table! I knew it was pretty sweet in the stock air-frame and after the mods I'm putting into this new one, I thought , " It just couldn't be" Thanks for the info!

Hey Walt! Nice to see youre still lurking around this thread. The videos of your F18 were a huge inspiration for me! Cant wait to see [and hear] your new one.

Originally Posted by M3ATpl0w

Its no speed demon. I would hate to think how much power you would have to stuff in her to actually make her "fast". But she flies with "authority" now. Go WFO, and point the nose toward the sky, she climbs like a homesick angel. And yes, my wings are free of any ordinance. I will try to get a vid the next time I fly.



Hey Walt! Nice to see youre still lurking around this thread. The videos of your F18 were a huge inspiration for me! Cant wait to see [and hear] your new one.

Thanks to you! as for "How much Power" my buddy put a CS 10 blade with a Cyclone power 3300kv on 4s in his this past weekend and it ripped the wings off!(the one time we weren't videoing) So make sure to beef up the wing if you try that kind of power, It was awfully fast though!!!

Got four good flights on mine today. Certainly my favorite jet. Did anyone put the ordanance on theirs with a magnet mount?
Does anyone know of a mount for the ordinance that would make it removable?

I would love too but i don't think mine will fly with all the stuff on.

Mine has been sitting for a bit. Have a bunch of parts and mods scattered across my workbench waiting to go into her, including a new CS10 rotor thanks to Will!
Work has been busy, my wife has twins in her belly and it has been a hell pregnancy and I've had to buy everything from a new roof to appliances and a pile of baby stuff X2 that has cut into my me time.
In any case, taking a month off work when both kids are born and plan to sit them in the bassinet beside me and they can watch me mod my F-18.
I'm happy with the Turnigy motor and CS10 rotor, bench tested it a few weeks ago with a Turnigy Superbrain 80amp esc. It is pretty small and light does the job, power is good. everything is running smooth.
Going to pop it into the plane, grab some cables and run yellow and red LEDs into the rear nozzles off a hobby king LED controller that runs off the balance port of the 4S batteries I'm using.
Still want to mod the elevators into full flying stabs, have some roto hinges for the job but I'm feeling flight sick. I need to fly again soon. Might be a spring job.
Jet remains dirty with missiles, just like the diapers I'll be changing between battery packs (maybe my own!)

Originally Posted by Rangerfan

Got four good flights on mine today. Certainly my favorite jet. Did anyone put the ordanance on theirs with a magnet mount?
Does anyone know of a mount for the ordinance that would make it removable?

I made the belly tank magnet-attach, with embedded skewer stick pegs to locate and prevent sliding. It held for two flights, then came off on the third. I think it just needs to be a bit stronger by making it a magnet-to-magnet interface instead of magnet-to-washer, and/or add a second magnet. Once I get that down, I will do the same on the other externals.

Originally Posted by herk1

I made the belly tank magnet-attach, with embedded skewer stick pegs to locate and prevent sliding. It held for two flights, then came off on the third. I think it just needs to be a bit stronger by making it a magnet-to-magnet interface instead of magnet-to-washer, and/or add a second magnet. Once I get that down, I will do the same on the other externals.

Neat idea!
I wonder if the small round rare earth magnets would be too much? Like stressing the foam when removing ordinance.

Spin you're gonna be busy! Twins on the way! I can only imagine. Our only child is 19 months now and says "air-pane" everytime she sees a plane. She likes watching me fly the slower and quieter prop planes. The jets scare her when they taxi back. Too loud.

I used the magnets to attach the nose cone. I epoxied them in and they hold real well. I may try them on the centerline tank and see what happens. I've got the wing tanks and wing tip sidewinders epoxied on and I noticed a drop in speed of about 5-10 maybe. Don't want to sacrifice too much speed.

I've been too lazy with mine. I still need to remount the nose gear and set up the pull pull again. I think i am going to use a small flexible cable with clamps this time. I've seen them on other planes and i think that will be the best way to have strength and flexibility. Just need to find the parts now.

Herk - did you angle the pin/skewer rod? Think I'm gonna try this. Gotta get a few more magnets and perhaps some carbon fiber rods to make some pins.