Lardog,

So, are you going to go right out and get another Revolver? Or, on to the next plane?

I haven't flown mine since about June, but it's ready to go, finally, and hanging from the ceiling. I get the itch to charge the batts and get out to the field, but life intervened lately and it won't happen until after the holidays probably. Sure is a great looking bird, though. Nice design, great colors.

Hidaven: sounds like your CoG was way forward. Which is flyable, but landings are hot. And, maybe REAL hot, depending. I also fly with 6S 5000 batteries, Hyperions, and I shifted them to the back a bit until that CoG is just right. I found that if the CoG is forward 5 - 10 milimeters, for safety, the plane landed like a rocket, and I never did really master it before it (the first one) crashed. Again, the story is buried within this thread way back somewhere. My current Revolver is set up for spoilerons, as has been suggested by some guys here on this thread, and I hope they make the landings a little more "comfortable".

I've already got a replacement lined up. A local guy here bought one after seeing mine, but then, decided not to build it and is going to sell it to me for $90.

ok!

Well, after a lot of flights with gradually increasing thrashing, I finally found a weak point on my Revolver!

I had been flying it for quite a while with the Rimfire 46, an Ice 100 and a Nano-Tech 3300 6s 45c, with an APC 11x8E. It was FAST! Estimates were 120++, but I never did get a good doppler. It pulled 2,100 watts.

I also had at least 4x the recommended throws everywhere, with 60% expo on the ailerons and elevator. 50% on the rudder. It would snap VIOLENTLY at any speed!!! That was awesome!

I found the limits while doing a fast blender. Something snapped and it went in fast. I had little time to let off.

It's completely destroyed!

I just bought another one, as I love this plane in the air.
====
This kit has a lot of problems. I wonder why that is? The original Revolver kit was flawless.
1. The cowl was cracked in several places. The shipping and internal cardboard box are perfect.
2. The covering was horribly wrinkled on one wing and the turtle deck. I can't get these all out.
3. The wing tube on one of the wings didn't have a hope of fitting.
4. Both wings do not sit flat on the fuse sides. There is a rather large gap in the front of the wings.

Fixes:
1. I just ordered a new cowl. It is perfect. I can use the cracked one as a spare. I have already CA'd the cracks. It's ugly but serviceable. (I rarely send things back.)
2. No fix. I just got out the wrinkles the best I could. I only burned one small hole in it. I hate Monocote, and when it's applied beyond the shrinkability, forget it.
3. I spent an hour and a half with a 1/2" dowel, 3m 77, and sandpaper wrapped around it to get the wing tube in the wing bigger. I had to remove a lot of material. The tube in the wing looked cracked. It fits Ok now.
4. I don't know how to fix this.
====
I think I'm finished with Great Planes anything, after buying quite a few for many years. Their quality has gone down the tubes.

I just sent back my first ever plane, a Great Planes Reactor Bipe. The wood was poor, and the wrinkle problems with it were far worse than this Revolver. It was beyond hope.

The most recent two GP planes I bought were aweful.

I am very sad, as I love the Revolver. It's a beautiful plane and I love the way it flies.

Sorry to gripe.
Kent

Kent,

Maybe you got a bad plane. Why didnt you just send the whole plane back? We all know these planes are not built to strict USA quality standards, but most of the time, theres just a few minor adjustments to be made on a new ARF.

Before you decide to leave Great Planes, let me say that I have the revolver and the 53 inch Matt Chapman. BOTH of these planes are built more solid than ANY other manufacturer I have experienced. In this day of trying to reduce weight at all costs, these planes are what plane building SHOULD be about. Electric motors and power have come a long way and we don't need to shave every last gram from the setup. I have had numerous planes including some expensive Extreme Flight stuff that was like paper mache compared to these planes.

The fully sheeted wings and the robust fuse build is fantastic IMO. I wish they would build more planes to this standard (minus the quality control issues) After flying a bunch of eflite and hangar 9 stuff with ribbed/ film wings that twist/ warp like crazy, these fully sheeted wings are the best bet yet. Look at the rudder : ) Its a SOLID piece of material unlike the perforated nonsense covered with film to reduce cost/ weight thus compromising structure and integrity.

This is also because both planes are Gp/ EP planes but who cares, so be it. They should ALL be built to this standard, instead of the disposable nonsense they are passing for quality.

If my revolver went down, id have a new one on the way within hours. This plane can do 145-150 mph with NO modifications! Find me another plane that will do that for this money. Its not all about 3d, theres fast aerobatics and this plane cuts the mustard. Mine is 4 years old and looks 4 weeks old : )

PS, I also run the rim .46 on 6s5000 spinning a xoar 11x8. My gas friends are totally pissed when i shoot by them on long straight shots. My only design gripe is the stock landing gear are slanted too far forward. They look great but too many nose overs. I swapped them for the Dubros and are MUCH better.

Just my 2 cents Kent : )

-Dave

I hear you Dave!
This is an amazing plane! I am not aware of another like it! That's why I kept and worked on making this one flyable.

This Revolver is now flyable, but it still has gaps between the wings and fuse and it's wrinkled beyond repair in a few spots. I'll keep and fly it. From a distance it looks Ok. I hate to send something back that I have worked on. Well, I never have anyway. If there has ever been hickups, I have just fixed them.

This kit is just a very far cry away quality wise from my original Revolver kit.
I really think that GP needs to check their quality controls.

Kent

My only experience with Great Planes customer service was regarding a Rimfire motor that (incidentally was in my first Revolver) threw a magnet the first time I ran it up. In fact, I had purchased this motor from a guy on eBay. It was new in the box. I send Great Planes an email, they told me to send them the motor and I had a new one in about 10 days.

Bad items slip through sometimes. it happens. If you are that dissatisfied with your current model, give them the opportunity to make it right. I bet they will.

akent,

Back on posts #427 - 430, there is my experience with Great Planes customer service, and it's very positive. With a digital pic or two sent to them via email, they might take a look at your plane, and fix you right up. They might be experiencing a rash of customer complaints and know the problem already and would be eager to make it right, or yours might be the only one, and they might possibly be doubly eager to make it right; hard to tell how companies react to customer complaints, but my experience with Great Planes far exceeded my expectations.

Good companies see a customer complaint as an opportunity to keep a customer, so let them know about your experience, and see what happens. I'm guessing, just a guess, that it would not be a waste of your time.

Every rare issue I'd had with tower hobbies/great planes have been resolved expeditiously and generously. They have very good customer support.

I had to deal with them a long time ago and never had an issue.

Hey Kent,

What happened with your new plane? Great Planes come through for you?

I for one can't wait till I get the chance to take the revolver back out this spring. I look at it everyday and think, dang it's cold out!

Originally Posted by tlr-boise

Hey Kent,

What happened with your new plane? Great Planes come through for you?

I didn't push the issue. I've just been flying the wrinkle puppy.
One of these days I'll recover it.

Even all wrinkly, it flies great!
Kent

Hey guys, first time posting here. I picked up my revolver from a friend who couldn't get it working. It had been pounded multiple times and he finally decided to trash it. Being the frugal person I am, I rebuilt it, made it flight worthy, and am getting ready for my maiden. My question is about batteries. I don't want to go invest in a 6s battery until I know this thing is going to fly. I have quite a few 2s 5000mah car packs and was wondering if the revolver could handle the weight of 3 of them in series? Or would this thing fly under 4s power?

weight should be fine. What size prop are you using? Im on 6s spinning a 11x8 xoar. Takes a long run to get airborn and land due to the small diam. Burns up the sky once Im going though : ))) Id suggest a larger diam prop to start and see how she handles. The plane can handle the weight with no problem. Theres a vid around of one on 12s doing 160 : ) Great plane and built like a tank!

-Dave