Originally Posted by _OZ_

I also painted the inside if the canopy black once. No pilot needed then.

I used to smoke all of mine, but you have to mask off the inside or the darkness of the paint would bleed through the colored part. It was a giant PITA and I absolutely hated it. You could never get a smooth, consistant coat using the cans, and I don't have an airbrush any more.

Finally the 48" EXPs came out, and they have tinted canopies. Since then I have not bothered to tint anything.

In Florida you do have to be a bit careful not to leave the plane in the sun. I have seen darker canopies melt and drop down into the radio compartment! That, and the covering takes a real beating in the sunlight and heat.

wow spraying canopies sounds hard would it not of been easier to buy a sheet of window tint the ones they use for cars and then stick that on?

Originally Posted by nathan100

wow spraying canopies sounds hard would it not of been easier to buy a sheet of window tint the ones they use for cars and then stick that on?

I don't think you could get it to bend the tight curves.

There was really no good way to do it. an airbrush would have been better, but you would hace still had to mask everything off on the inside. On some planes it was nearly inpossible to get the tape where you wanted in. On one of them I had to put it in place with tweezers and then reach up in there with a popsickle stick to push it down. What a pain.

The best solution has been the tinted plastic masked and painted on the outside. I am much happier having the planes come with the canopies pre-tinted.

Originally Posted by nathan100

wow spraying canopies sounds hard would it not of been easier to buy a sheet of window tint the ones they use for cars and then stick that on?

Well, smoke colored paint is hard to do because it's transparent, so there's no getting it even without a spray gun. Solid colored paint like gold or silver or black or what-have-you is easier because you just coat it and it's mostly even since it's not transparent. Of course, with solid colors you need to mask of the rest of the canopy like Austin mentioned or the solid color will bleed through and make the factory painted part of your canopy look nasty. However, I personally like the stock tint on these canopies, and actually, none of my planes have a pilot head in them yet. I just see it as extra weight, and unless you fly IMAC in the upper echelons where you get deductions for not having a pilot or dash panel, it's just an aesthetic component. Plus, for planes this size they're all plastic helmet heads. I really like the ones Red Aero RC makes for giant scale! They look realistic, and when you see them in person they're just Siick!

--Tom K.

Originally Posted by Tom K.

Well, smoke colored paint is hard to do because it's transparent, so there's no getting it even without a spray gun. Solid colored paint like gold or silver or black or what-have-you is easier because you just coat it and it's mostly even since it's not transparent. Of course, with solid colors you need to mask of the rest of the canopy like Austin mentioned or the solid color will bleed through and make the factory painted part of your canopy look nasty. However, I personally like the stock tint on these canopies, and actually, none of my planes have a pilot head in them yet. I just see it as extra weight, and unless you fly IMAC in the upper echelons where you get deductions for not having a pilot or dash panel, it's just an aesthetic component. Plus, for planes this size they're all plastic helmet heads. I really like the ones Red Aero RC makes for giant scale! They look realistic, and when you see them in person they're just Siick!

--Tom K.

Yeah the Red Aero pilots are soo nice!! Here is mine in my 120cc Edge!!!

Tom,
Cool pilot heads for sure. I got a question for you. I have a new 48 Extra on its way here. I have a 70A ESC coming and the MF 2820-750KV motor. I'm not sure what servos I want to put in it yet. I really like the savox 255mg on the elevator in my edge. Could not for the life of me get a good KE spin until I put it in actually, now they are really sick when I hit it right. What servos do you run on your other surfaces. I was looking at the HS-5065 but since the savox worked so well in the tail I'm thinking maybe try them on the ailerons and rudder. Spec wise the high speed 0257mg looks OK but your setup may help me decide.
thanks
Alan

Years ago I was at a Huckfest type of event and it was raining. No one wanted to fly, but it was a charity event and people who had paid to get in were standing around wanting to see some action. I flew something like 36 flights the first day. At the end of the day it was still raining, and to get some action going the announcer comes oiver the PA and says next plane in the air wins a prize.

All day they had been giving out hot dogs, and since I was hungry I simply flung my electric into the air from under the shelter. Everyone lost it because it was pretty funny, but my canopy blew off and by the time I retrieved that I was like a drowned rat.

My prize was a 43% scale red Arrow pilot, worth something like $100. Since my biggest plane was 47", I gave it to a friend who have a big plane, but it was sure nice.

I'll send the Boss a note and see if we can get some Pilot X made up for the 48" planes.

Originally Posted by Doc Austin

Years ago I was at a Huckfest type of event and it was raining. No one wanted to fly, but it was a charity event and people who had paid to get in were standing around wanting to see some action. I flew something like 36 flights the first day. At the end of the day it was still raining, and to get some action going the announcer comes oiver the PA and says next plane in the air wins a prize.

All day they had been giving out hot dogs, and since I was hungry I simply flung my electric into the air from under the shelter. Everyone lost it because it was pretty funny, but my canopy blew off and by the time I retrieved that I was like a drowned rat.

My prize was a 43% scale red Arrow pilot, worth something like $100. Since my biggest plane was 47", I gave it to a friend who have a big plane, but it was sure nice.

I'll send the Boss a note and see if we can get some Pilot X made up for the 48" planes.

That would be awesome Doc!!! I'll take a half dozen right now!!! Hope he goes for the idea!!!

I really like pilot X in my MXS

Originally Posted by Liberty10

I really like pilot X in my MXS

Very nice!! I have the same one!!

Originally Posted by Doc Austin

Most guys flying 4s 2700 packs are getting around 6-7 minutes, but I get five just because I hammer it so hard.

I could tell the difference between 3s 2260 and 3s 2650 packs, but even it just went from way floaty to a little less floaty. I'm running big 4s 2700 65C batteries the plane is still plenty floaty. It's an Extra......you don;'t want it to bob around like a cork. You need some weight for tumbles, and for it to lock hard into a high speed groove.

Great point! Thanks Doc.

Custom color

now thats sick

Now That's Cool Geno. I do like the green but it's a bad color for visibility for me.