When you get a good hobby like RC flight...the question is not 'why' but, 'How'. I am talking about 'How' as in 'how far can you take it?'

I have been doing RC flight for about two months and I shudder to think how much money I have spent. How much cash I could be making on some hot-rod mutual fund? How much longer will my wife let me blow my hard earned cash before I show up at the house to find an attourney's litigation stapled over the keyhole? How much longer can I stay up until midnight when I have to get up for work at 3am....the questions continue.

I now have THREE Strykers...

One Stock, One Modified 400 brushless, and One super-mod-MEGA 16/15/4 model. I need a basement!

Today I was in the LHS trying to get my latest creation a heat sink when a guy walked up to me and said...'why on earth are you blowing hundreds on a 160 dollar plane to modify it with big engines and lipolys when you can just buy a really good plane to begin with?'

I replied...because I can...because I am not getting younger...and because my wife said I needed a hobby and I am hell bent on seeing how far I can take this..." he shrugged and uttered..'what a waste; starving people in the world and here you are spending all this money'...

"I know.." I retorted..."I am now one of those starving people, too!"

I would be thinking about a jet engine...but it would melt the foam.

off to bed...

--Chuck

word brother.....word.

Wow I would have flipped on that guy after he said "people are starving." So instead of enjoying life we are suppose to save our money or buy people food? What kind of thinking is that? We don't gets jobs to end up paying for others to eat! If we did everybody would be working at Mcdonalds. Man people like that drive me nuts.

...I know, McDonalds!

As an aside; as he walked away, the guy behind the counter muttered "guess we know who he voted for last month..."

We work, and therefore we shall reap the rewards of thy toils!

--C

This hobby is NOT a waste of money. I can't beleave someone would say that. Even at a LHS. That blowes me away.

The Stryker is a GREAT plane. THere is something about it to "newbies", I have noticed.

Keep on plugging, Chuck! This hobby is GREAT.

Thanks! I do enjoy it, immensely!

The NEW F27/1/2 (I added some balsa ) MEGA-Attack maidens at dawn...

--C

Chuck:

Hot Rod = Mega 16/15/5 on 4S1P 2100 mAh and either of the following:

APC 6.3 x 4, 21.7 amps @ WOT 29.6 oz thrust, 79 mph tip speed and a best ROC of 1979 ft/min @ 90 degrees

or

APC 6 x 4e, 19.2 amps and 26.6 oz thrust, 82 mph tip speed and a best ROC of 1691 ft/min at 62 degrees.

{For comparison purposes, the 16/15/4 on 3S1P and a 6 x 4 prop is 22 amps, 23.6 oz thrust, 77 mph tip speed and best RoC of 1517 ft/min at 55 degrees}

I am not sure I will be able to tell the difference between the two props (or a 6.5 x 2.9 or a 6.5 x 3.7 that I just picked up) but I sure intend to try tomorrow!

When flown with a 7 x 3 prop it would draw about the same as the /4 with a 6 x 4, but it would accelerate going straight up at 2100 ft/min. The only trouble was the cells got too hot - no air flow in this bird.

....let's see.... a second mortage will let me buy the necessary packs..... and I could add a second motor..... and that will need a 6000 mAh pack.....etc.

FoamCrusher

hey crusher, your gonna be at svss for the test flight? ill probably be out there sunday getting my mom going with her slow stick. it funny how people see planes fly and must have one. this hobby is more addicting than crack.

Originally Posted by corndog

hey crusher, your gonna be at svss for the test flight? ill probably be out there sunday getting my mom going with her slow stick. it funny how people see planes fly and must have one. this hobby is more addicting than crack.

If you are going to fly this weekend, better plan on tomorrow AM. The wind will be up by the afternoon with rain overnight. Sunday looks bad with lots of wind. See http://www.usairnet.com/cgi-bin/laun...t=Get+Forecast

I will be there tomorrow AM...after the fog lifts and my lipos thaw out and hopefully before the wind comes up.

Same thing in the slimer world. Guys are putting $300 Saito 4 strokers in a Hangar 9 Twist, which is a $99 plane when a .40 size engine will fly it that costs
about $80 or so. If you got the $$$, who the heck cares!
I have a jeti 30/3 brushless in a sailplane that only needs a 550 direct drive motor for power. Its way overpowered but the power is there when ya need it!

Dave...

Heres overpowered:
My pico stick FD with a Himax 2025 on 3 cells(didnt last long)

Originally Posted by LuckyArmpit

...Guys are putting $300 Saito 4 strokers in a Hangar 9 Twist, which is a $99 plane when a .40 size engine will fly it that costs
about $80 or so. If you got the $$$, who the heck cares!
Dave...

Problably the best example of this is a $35 Slow Stick with Himaxx BL motors in aluminum gear boxes powered by lipo packs.....but I wouldn't know anything about those

FC

Edit: Opps. I was typing while brianb was posting. It seems great minds run in the same rut! BTW, that is the same motor I am using. Are you using C or D gearing?

Excellent info, Foam.

I just maidened the STRYKER/MEGA16/15/4...WOW! Fast!!!

Still, I do not know how I am going to tell my wife I need a 4s Lipo!!! (HA!).

She asks if I will ever fly the 'stock' model I have hanging on the wall again; with some quick thinking, and a whif of creativity...I lowered my eyes, looked at her feet, and uttered..."well, probably I'll just take it with us when we go out of town...but, I was hoping I could hang onto it and teach our son, Charlie, to fly it when he's old enough..."

Her eyes got dewy; she gave me a hug and said 'You're a great dad."

My mental-umpire shouted....
"....AND HE's SAFE, AT HOME BASE!!! "

--C

Chuck, were are you getting the Stryker fuses and nose cones???? Do they sell via the net and do they take paypal????? If you do not want to post it then please feel free to PM me.

Just got back from the field. While it is not as cold as some places in the USA right now, 40F for CA is chilly, and the lipos are probably not putting out as well as they might at say 75F.

Flew with the Mega 16/15/5 on 4S1P 2100 and a 6.3 x.4 prop. It goes straight up until it specs out and is plenty fast, even toward the end of the pack in these releatively cool temps. Most of the pack was at 55-60% throttle. Any more and the plane did not go much faster, just the pitch sensivity increased. You can hear it rev higher, it is just that there is not that much difference in the speed, at least visually.

The cells come out hot, which leads me to think this might not be the best all around combination for this plane. It sure makes a nice combination to impress the slimers, but the heat is too much for the long term good health of those expensive cells. Some cooling vents would be required if I were going to keep this combination. It is like many hot rod set ups - fast and hot!

I took the /5 motor out of another plane, so I think I will put it back into the original plane and buy a /4 for the Stryker and trade or sell the two 2S1P Thunder Power cells. The /4 with a 6 x 4 will be fast enough for me. YMMV.

Chuck, if you want to make a deal on that pack, PM me. It only has about 3 flights on it.

FC