Guys, I think we have done the ethics thing to death here.

Or, should we look at the Libor farce or the soon to be breaking scandal of oil price futures?

Both products of Western traders' greed................

I don't understand why people insist on talking ethics when if you compare the photos the firewall is completely different, the rudder profile is also different just for starters. As for customer loaded manuals, there are tons of data uploads to manuals for items that are simular that people have found useful as guides even though the item is not the same. That’s just like minded enthusiasts providing helpful information. It's done all the time.

So the scheme is different, the actual item is different, it comes with pre-installed engine mount hardware and spacers and yet for some unknown reason it's still considered to be the same? Why?

First you get the orange slick argument: I have no problem with the airframe as it's different but they suck because they copied the colour scheme. No issue with the simular airframe it's just a colour scheme thing.

Next it's how dare they make a slick that’s obviously different in construction and colour scheme but hey they are mongrels because 3DHS make one the same size?

Mark

Originally Posted by KCV6

if you compare the photos the firewall is completely different

I'm confused... does "completely different" in Australian mean "motorbox and firewall look nearly identical"?

I'd been planning to do a little CA reapplication to my 1.5 year old 51 Slick motorbox, and figured I'd take a quick photo too.

Originally Posted by FireyFate

I'm confused... does "completely different" in Australian mean "motorbox and firewall look nearly identical"?
...

Dude... it's not identical! They put the "Hobby King" logo on it and they wrote it out right-side-up!

Perhaps it's time for something sweet .

Originally Posted by erkq

Dude... it's not identical! They put the "Hobby King" logo on it and they wrote it out right-side-up!

Don't forget that the other slick had a completely different motor box. If this new one is an improved model, as some people suggested that they may have just updated the original hk click, shouldn't it use the same motor box?

Cool, so it is the same as the 51". Gotta love the Chinese.

Mark

Comes with a sweet throw meter too! I feel like I've seen that before though.... Oh that's right, my 51" AJ Slick came with one.

Well, as the old saying goes: "Put a thousand monkeys working at a thousand typewriters, and they will eventually give up and clone a 3DHS product."

So what we have ascertained here is for $119.19 + 4.2Kg shipping one can get the exact same 51" Slick as sold by 3DHS with a different colour scheme? so parts won't be an issue either.

We have also ascertained that the 59" Slick is completely different but much the same assembly based on a customer at HK uploading the 3DHS assembly instructions for the 59".

Power to the people.

3DHS should probably have a word to their Chinese manufacturer.

Mark

Originally Posted by KCV6

.... if you compare the photos the firewall is completely different, the rudder profile is also different just for starters.

Mark,
I have no idea what photos you are looking at but other than the 'hobbyking' logo laser etched into the wood the I can see no significant differences.

Lets just face facts; the plane clearly IS a copy. I'm not making any ethical judgements here, and I'm no Hobbyking hater, but I can recognise a direct copy when I see one.

I agree, I was comparing to a 59" based on the uploaded instructions in the files tab.

Mark

Ahhh.. ok I understand.

I guess what this does show, if nothing else, is the true manufacturing cost of producing a plane like the 51" AJ Slick. Obviously Hobbyking are still making some profit on the sale so the true cost of manufacture in China must be somewhere less than $119.99 (at least when you have the buying power of Hobbyking)

Obviously HK dont have the additional expenses of 3DHS when comes to transport, good customer service, keeping stock of spares, financing design and development, sponsoring pilots, sponsoring events etc etc. Comparison of the prices of the two planes does give some idea what all that stuff adds to the price.

Without a doubt. I would suggest that HK have ended out getting a short run of these from "a chinese manufacturer". It will be interesting to see if this line continues or as has happened in the past with others be a 1 off type deal.

In all honesty as far as the copying or selling of copied stuff goes it happens and not just limited to this hobby. There will be those that don't like it, those that do like it and those that aren't fussed either way. More often than not none of the do cares or don't cares will know the full story. When I say power to the people it's not in spite, it simply means each and every person is going to make their own decision and that doesn't mean their credability should be questioned based on their choice. We are all just people on the end of a computer buying whats offered to us based on what takes our fancy.

Mark

There is a Sebart Sukoi 29s 30E copy now in a similiar weird scheme to the Slick

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...arehouse_.html

IMO this proves the slicks are copies and not from the same factory!

Just pointing out what I see.