Tobey was nice enough to send me one of the new Bearcats by Eleven Hobby for review...they can be ordered here...

http://bit.lc/4lfB

I have read that a few folks have had some issues with the tracking and getting their order in a timely fashion, but I must say that after my order was placed I did not have any trouble with any of that. The tracking worked for me and was accurate right up to receiving my order...which I got in just over a week.

The plane was packaged very well and made the long trip to Ga. in tact with no damage. As others have pointed out it was extremely easy to assemble...I took the extra time to safety tape all my Y harness connections, zip tie my wiring and glue the ties into the foam, and embed my receiver antennas in to the foam and tape them down so they cant lose proper orientation. Setting up the transmitter and adjusting the throws, and six screws and I was still done in about an hour and a half. Two things of note...the wing screws are really hard to screw in...they go in all the way but it took more torque than I expected. I also dremeled the tail wheel "stops" back a bit. I like a lot of rudder authority to handle P factor, crosswinds, etc. and the tail wheel was getting stopped and binding the servo with the extra throw. This would not be a factor with a normal amount of throw. To get the plane balanced with my intended 3200 and 4000mah 3s packs where I wanted to start I used one once of steel weight in the nose. The internal...Continue Reading

I have heard and read on countless occasions "all RC planes have an expiration date...you don't know when it is, but it's gonna crash eventually" or some form of that saying.

I can't really say I agree. Back when I started in the 80's with the radio equipment we had so many things that could interfere with your plane other than the obvious knucklehead turning his transmitter on...that was on your channel...at the most inappropriate time. Now 2.4 has changed that for the most part...no it's not full proof, but its darn close if you use good equipment and maintain it. I also feel a persons approach to the hobby has a lot to do with the fate of ones airplanes. This is totally my terminology and take on it, but I see two categories of RC pilots..."Modelers" and "Model aviators".

"Modelers" take the total toy approach...they just want to fly, have busy schedules and often are in a hurry and treat their planes as toys basically. They don't get to attached to a plane and often over - extend their capabilities. They crash a lot, and will probably continue to. Their planes definitely have an expiration date.

There obviously is a category (or several) in between the two I am discussing, but the next one is the meat and potatoes of my theory on the expiration date adage.

Now comes what I choose to be with most of my planes...a "Model aviator". I apply full scale practices to my RC flying and upkeep of my planes. Bear with me...Continue Reading

This blog is the place to talk with and learn from KJKimball without offending the "sensitive types" in threads that think we are hijacking a thread... Thanks to Kevin for being willing to hang with us!!


Adam

Just thought I'd get the community's opinion on a few category's... should be interesting to see how many have been offered by manufactures and how many haven't...

1. Civilian - mine is the Beechcraft Staggerwing

2. Warbirds (in General) - mine is the Mk1 Spitfire

3. Warbird WWI - mine is the D. Va Albatros

4. Warbird WWII - mine...see above

5. Warbird Jets (any era) - mine is the A4 Skyhawk

6. Airliners Prop - mine is the Constellation

7. Airliners Jet - mine is the Concorde

And finally...the choice of yours you would most like to see offered by a manufacture...and who would you want to offer it and how? Foam? Balsa ARF? - Mine would be a .32 to .46 e powered Spitfire by E Flite...Balsa arf similar to the Platinum series P-51B they used to make.

Please...no insulting or debating anyone's choices...thank you.

Lets have some fun with this shall we...

Adam