Has anyone had the thin center part of the elevator break? Mine is ok, but I keep wondering if it will stay that way. The hinges already failed so I question the quality of the entire part.

Rob

Originally Posted by Rob_G

Has anyone had the thin center part of the elevator break? Mine is ok, but I keep wondering if it will stay that way. The hinges already failed so I question the quality of the entire part.

Rob

I think everybody has had some kind of issue with the elevator. It's a serious design flaw. Mine failed in flight and caused a very bad crash. I sent mine in to Horizon Hobby 2 weeks ago and havent heard back from them. I really feel they will not come through for me but we will see. It's only a matter of time until you crash your plane because of elevator failure unless you fix it. I wouldn't fly it until it's fixed. Most people have had luck with the CA hinges, zip tie reinforcers and what not. I talked with a guy at Horizon and they said they were going to fix the problem in the next production run IF they get enough complaints about it.

If anyone else has experienced problems with their planes, please contact Horizon Hobby customer service at (877) 504-0233 and let them know about it. If the machine puts you on hold too long, a recording comes on and will ask you for a call back number. They WILL call you back if you cant wait on hold. If no one complains about it, they won't be aware of any issues and won't change anything. It's really up to us, as consumers, to demand better products for the kind of money we shell out for these "toys", which arent cheap! We can help Horizon be a better company and produce better quality planes if we just make them aware when we have any problems.

i dont want to come across as a fanboy, but i think theyre aware that the elevators are garbage. the ones from frankie work great, if you dont mind the color difference.

ok, im a fanboy. i dont care.

We're already all over the elevator issue, although it will be a while before any new design works its way through the distribution channels. Not all elevators seem to be affected, either. My best advice is to inspect, and if you find a problem, reinforce with tape or install new hinges.

Were was everyone back on page 29 post 435? http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...070619&page=29
Saying NO NO! dont buy that battery.....well i bought 2 of them and 2 and a half weeks later (slowbycity) i get them. Now im new and dont know anything so you can be assured i didnt test voltages or anything because i dont know how. Im flying around and right when im over the lake at the park i lose all control crash into the water. i go get a fishing pole and try to fish it out. 20 minutes and 20 pounds of seaweed later i got it. The esc is fried and where it was is all burned up the pilot top is still in the lake along with the nose cone the plane is soaked and who knows what still works on it. So if you dont know what your doing like me spend the extra money get the parkzone battery the speed they ship is worth it alone.

Originally Posted by Alfwok

Were was everyone back on page 29 post 435? http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...070619&page=29
Saying NO NO! dont buy that battery.....well i bought 2 of them and 2 and a half weeks later (slowbycity) i get them. Now im new and dont know anything so you can be assured i didnt test voltages or anything because i dont know how. Im flying around and right when im over the lake at the park i lose all control crash into the water. i go get a fishing pole and try to fish it out. 20 minutes and 20 pounds of seaweed later i got it. The esc is fried and where it was is all burned up the pilot top is still in the lake along with the nose cone the plane is soaked and who knows what still works on it. So if you dont know what your doing like me spend the extra money get the parkzone battery the speed they ship is worth it alone.

How do know it was the battery? and what charger did you use?

Originally Posted by hoverflyhehe

Either the stock gunfighter or the previous "ferocious frankie" spinners will work, and they are much cheaper than the Phase 3 listed in the other posts when you figure shipping. FYI, locally the ferocious frankie spinner is two dollars cheaper.

Much cheaper?

I guess it's relative Hover, but I don't want to mislead anyone. The Phase 3 spinner is only .50 more than the stock P-51 BL spinner and as you pointed out the "Frankie" spinner is $2.00 less than the stock P-51BL spinner.

Have you tried your LHS for a stock BL spinner? Probably not going to find one. That seems to be why most people (including me) have used the "Frankie" spinner. Wish Horizon would get the parts for the new P-51 to the LHS for stock...

Other than the looks, I would also like to point out that I am sure most people have had the stock P-51 spinner fly off unintentionally, either by a crummy fit or a crash. This will not happen on the Phase 3 spinner as it is held on by screws. Additionally, the Phase 3 is clear lexan painted red on the inside - this keeps the spinner from losing paint due to scratches when you land and nose over a little. The Phase 3 spinner looks as bright and shiny as the day I put it on.

For ME - if you consider that the Phase 3 spinner is only .50 more than the stock spinner, or that if you buy the "Frankie" spinner at $2.50 cheaper (You will end up with a spinner that needs to be painted ($$) or you have to run a spinner that does not match at all) the Phase 3 is well worth the extra" $$$

After all, I have to keep my image of a "Baller" up - so what's .50 when I easily spent 1,000 X that for my gold pinky pimp ring? LOL

I can atest that the hobby city batteries are awsome. I have always bought high end lipo( thunderpower,flightpower,enerland,polyquest,SMC ex. and the lipos I have gotten from hobbycity at 1/10th the cost have performed as well and some have performed better than the highend name brand lipos. More times than not the cheap hobbycity lipos have outperformed my more expensive lipos(and that really get to me)


Check your charger, and check the other battery. I cant see it being the battery is you lost all control b/c even if a cell died the bec would still work allowing you to have control over your plane(it would just shut off the motor and dont ask how I know)

Originally Posted by LunaRendezvous

How do know it was the battery? and what charger did you use?

well im pretty sure it was the esc that caused the crash cause it was on fire but im assuming the battery caused the esc to fail becuase i had 100 flights on the stock battery and 1 flight on the new battery. i used the charger that came with the plane.

I never had any problems with it (not even the elevator) it did break in the crash though along with the rudder wich nearly cracked off. other than that and the burned away foam where the esc was its ok i guess. maybe i just need a new, better, esc and hopefully everything else still works.

Originally Posted by Alfwok

Were was everyone back on page 29 post 435? http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...070619&page=29
Saying NO NO! dont buy that battery.....well i bought 2 of them and 2 and a half weeks later (slowbycity) i get them. Now im new and dont know anything so you can be assured i didnt test voltages or anything because i dont know how. Im flying around and right when im over the lake at the park i lose all control crash into the water. i go get a fishing pole and try to fish it out. 20 minutes and 20 pounds of seaweed later i got it. The esc is fried and where it was is all burned up the pilot top is still in the lake along with the nose cone the plane is soaked and who knows what still works on it. So if you dont know what your doing like me spend the extra money get the parkzone battery the speed they ship is worth it alone.

Hope you're kidd'n Alfwok. If you are not - let me give you some friendly advise...

If you are 'new" and "dont know anything" as you put it - READ. Read every page of this thread. I read over 600 pages on this web site and RCUniverse before I bought the PZ Corsair and I am still learning. One thing you will do is discover that just about EVERYONE on here has a different OPINION on what is the best...

It is up to you and ONLY you to figure out what works best for YOU. The answer to the type of battery, how to find the planes CG, type of ESC, type of motor, elevator mod, best Rx, Best Tx etc, is all contained here at RCgroups.

I would like to suggest two more things...

1. If you "dont know" ask BEFORE you try something - everyone here is very helpful and will be more than happy to get you on your way.

2. DO NOT FLY OVER WATER!!!!!




Also - I posted THIS on the first page, 8th post of this thread. It has been discussed in detail. Your plane flamed out because you did not upgrade the ESC.

I would like some other input here, but I personally cannot think of anyway that a battery can fry an ESC. One typical scenareo is that the motor is over taxed by too many volts, or too much prop. This causes it to draw more current than the ECS can handle. The ESC Fries. You loose all control and crash out of control. Of course with just a dead battery the motor will not run, but you still have control. Total loss of control = dead ESC. But a 3S battery cannot cause the Gunfighter ESC to fail. Something else has to cause an excessive current drain.

Other thoughts on this?

yeah im kidding....mostly
i dont blame anyone for not saying dont use that battery and im sure the battery is a good battery the esc just couldnt handle it. 1.) if you go back i did ask questions wondering if thats a good battery for the stock setup and nobody really said anything so i figured what the heck i should have researched myself rather than asked.
and 2. i fly mostly over land but there is a pond at the park im just unlucky i tried pulling up but nothing happened my reciever is probably broken too then i bet eh?

im just trying to warn people be careful with the batteries you put in there with the stock esc cause mine failed with a battery thats the same with just a slightly higher c rating.

Originally Posted by nageotte

But a 3S battery cannot cause the Gunfighter ESC to fail. Something else has to cause an excessive current drain.

Other thoughts on this?

oh so the battery cant cause the esc to fail? see i dont know anything

I use a more powerfull battery(thunderpower propower 1350 30C) than the one you posted and dont have an issue with my all stock plane I even use d a 1800 30C propower today for more weight in the wind (blowing 20+mph today when I flew)

Originally Posted by Alfwok

oh so the battery cant cause the esc to fail? see i dont know anything

A - read what these guys are saying:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showp...6&postcount=22

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showp...2&postcount=36

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showp...2&postcount=83

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showp...2&postcount=98

See the common theme? They are all saying you need to go to a BIGGER ESC.

Believe me A - I am no electronics expert, but basically when you go to a bigger battery or bigger prop you are drawing/pulling more AMPS through your ESC (Speed Controller). Each ESC is rated 18a (The A is for amps) 20a, 30a, 40a etc.

Anytime you are pulling more electricity through your ESC to go faster you need to go up (higher number) on your ESC.

Take some time and start at the beginning of this thread. read from page one to here. You must be a pretty smart guy, after all, you found your way here You will be amazed at what an expert you will become from reading and listening to what all the great people who know more than you or I know, post on here.

Sorry to hear about your plane. Now get her fixed and promise me that you will ask BEFORE you try something the next time.

Good Luck...