Originally Posted by cale10

ive seen both but i have heard with an 049 the hmmer is a bit underpowered.

It was designed as a reed valve powered sport plane with two full sized S-148 servos and a 600mah battery. It was pretty exciting in it's day..... if you want to compare it to something that has a brushless motor, it's going to be boring. Now, if you want to add micro gear, a light battery and a hot Norvel .061 it will be enough for just about anyone to have a Good Time.

Originally Posted by aspeed

I was just looking at the 'Idol' from Hobby King. It is a $16 electric kit that looks like a good candidate for a reedy. I think it is a bit fragile for a TD, and would need a quick check for strength if converting. Yesterday they didn't have one, but today they indirectly informed me that it is. (I didn't ask) I think any kit for $16 is worth a look. It could even be used as an electric if it was the end of the world.

You mean this one:

At 35" wingspan and generous chord, it is definitely .049 reed valve sized. As a kit, one just needs to beef up the firewall area (glue a 3/32" to 1/8" thick ply doubler to firewall to mount engine and epoxy say 1/8" stringers along joint behind firewall or 1/16" fuselage doubler on sides of fuel tank/radio battery compartment - we do have a bit more vibration than with an electric motor), make provision for accessing the fuel tank area behind the firewall by adding a hatch, etc. Should work fine for anything from a Cox .049 Babe Bee to a Black Widow, Golden Bee, Cox .049 Sure Start with external tank, etc. Use a 5x4 to 6x3 prop, may be even a 6x4 prop. Add a throttle (exhaust restrictor sleeve or Sure Start choke tube throttle) for more fun.

Yes, I could see something like that easily modified for nitro. However, the true coup de grāce is this:



At 46.5" wingspan for only $22 US, it would be a really sweet thing on a TT GP-07 or OS .10 LA, but it is beyond the topic of this discussion.

No dont stop there, youve sparked my intrest. Iv just so happen to have a GP-07 Iv been trying to use on an old ACE grasshopper. This little Cub looks like it might just work. I have been looking at the above "Idol" and been thinking about using that.
thanks
Don

I think what others seem to miss out on is the smaller GP-07 engine will work with the Cub if the aircraft is built light.

The smaller Idol would be "hot" with the GP-07. Normally, such a model would be powered and fly adequately with a .049 engine. Of course, with the .049, one was not able to do vertical climbs, a loop was done by building speed through putting the model into a dive.

Although given their very low price I am tempted to buy these kits, I have enough older kits collected over the years, those need to be built first.

Shipping from Hobby King often adds considerably to final costs. Doubling is not uncommon.
Surprisingly pricey when the purchased items are bigger than a coffee cup size.
Admittedly, It IS half way across the planet.
Although it can be cheaper than what some 'locals' charge across 2 states.
Greed knows no geographic boundaries.
Only saying that the advert price is Never the full tally.

Originally Posted by Bare

Shipping from Hobby King often adds considerably to final costs. Doubling is not uncommon. Surprisingly pricey when the purchased items are bigger than a coffee cup size. Admittedly, It IS half way across the planet.
Although it can be cheaper than what some 'locals' charge across 2 states. Greed knows no geographic boundaries. Only saying that the advert price is Never the full tally.

You bring up an interesting point, Bare. I have not yet ordered from Hobby King, so I don't have a good feel for their shipping costs. But you are correct, it is the turn key cost that is most important. For me, I have enough kits and supplies, my recent order was from Tower Hobbies. It was for those items I lack (1/2-A fuel, servo extension and Y cables, Polyspan (Coverite) light weight covering, Balsarite, etc.).

Originally Posted by Bare

Shipping from Hobby King often adds considerably to final costs. Doubling is not uncommon.
Surprisingly pricey when the purchased items are bigger than a coffee cup size.
Admittedly, It IS half way across the planet.
Although it can be cheaper than what some 'locals' charge across 2 states.
Greed knows no geographic boundaries.
Only saying that the advert price is Never the full tally.

shipping from HK depends on what you buy. it can be a 5 ft tall box but cost 10$ to ship because its 500Grams. even a tiny box o batteries can be 25$ to ship. it all depends on weight. i have like 10 orders from HK and i never had shipping overr 25$ however NEVER NEVER EVER order any thing that is back ordered. you will wait months trust me on this.

It looks like $10 shipping to here. That is the same as getting from the U. S. Which is still foreign to us in Canada. Then you may as well get a bunch of other stuff to make the shipping worthwhile....... Hmm maybe 10 orange receivers, and some motors, and...

Originally Posted by aspeed

It looks like $10 shipping to here. That is the same as getting from the U. S. Which is still foreign to us in Canada. Then you may as well get a bunch of other stuff to make the shipping worthwhile....... Hmm maybe 10 orange receivers, and some motors, and...

my last order had 2 orange receivers and 10 $1.75 servos all of which are very good quality and all of which work.

Shipping for some E-tailers who ship to US seem to have their costs subsidized.

Originally Posted by Andrew0820

Ditto!!

Can't beat it with a STICK!

Originally Posted by cale10

ive seen both but i have heard with an 049 the hmmer is a bit underpowered.

Not sure where you heard that from, but read my report in this 1/2 A section on a Hummer. Hope to have video this weekend if weather cooperates and then you can be the judge. Great combo in my opinion!

John

Originally Posted by surfer_kris

The Herr Pitts is not really 1/2a, it needs a little larger engine.

My favorite 1/2a build so far is the Yellow Jacket from Morris hobbies;

Nice looking airplane. Not many ribs(does it have shear webs). Looks light. Whats your all up weight?

I've started a hobbyking idol build for a throttled/muffled cox 049. I will make it 4 channel by adding ailerons - I'll post some pics

Originally Posted by robert harik

Nice looking airplane. Not many ribs(does it have shear webs). Looks light. Whats your all up weight?

I've put in shear webs in the center, but left the outermost bay without it. Ready to fly it weights 292g (about 10.3 oz) and has unlimited vertical. I have made the tail surfaces a little smaller than the stock design and the wing incidence can be reduced to about 1°. It then flies very well, long drawn-out turns and big loops at full throttle are a blast. The engine makes about 20500rpm on a 5x4 and flies quite well at about half throttle too.

For building picts, I have made a little build thread here; Yellow Jacket