|
||
|
Quote:
|
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
Quote:
ANY film covered model wing or tail can warp if it is covered in one environment, let's say China, and then shipped to another enviroment, lets say Texas. Temp and humidity differences can easily cause a wing or tail warp that did not exist where it was built and covered. Well sealed wings and tails are less affected, but ones with open wing roots and multiple servo hatches can absord humidity into the structure easily. |
|
Last edited by Thomas B; Feb 09, 2013 at 05:10 PM.
|
||
|
||
|
Quote:
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
Balsa arfs are nice. There is a reason why balsa kits are slowly becoming extinct. When you factor in costs such as rolls of oracover and other expenses, they are usually more expensive than arfs!! When I buy an arf, somebody has essentially built it for free AND it's cheaper!
A balsa parkflyer arf is anywhere from $75-$200 and you can easily spend $100 on oracover alone if you want more than a monochromatic color scheme (no, already having previous rolls does not count). If a balsa kit already came with covering and hardware and cost less than $50, sure, I'd build kits. Economically, kits are obsolete. That is why natural selection (the free market) has killed off most kits (and not to sound cruel but, time is also killing off more kit builders vs new blood entering the hobby which are by a huge majority arf only) |
|
|
|
||
|
Quote:
That stuff has been made since Moses went mountain climbing.... the price to produce has to be down to nothing. Besides, most ARF's use something completely different than Ultracote/Oracover |
|
|
||
|
||
|
Quote:
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
By most standards, yes, but she's an ounce or so over the spec'd weight of 2.8 oz. The LittleRod is closer to its spec weight, probably why it's the better flyer. It's 0.9 oz, all-up.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If cost is your only barometer of enjoyment you are missing out on a lot of enjoyment.
For me building is 75% of my hobbies. I enjoy flying but I also enjoy building and not only R/C airplanes but ships (both wood and plastic) and plastic airplanes mostly 1/72 scale. Some of my plastics put the cost of model airplanes to shame. In my shop I have two workbenches--one for R/C planes and one for the other stuff. I also have a 12 volume stamp collection and an extensive collection of books on the World Wars. I enjoy all of them but if I had to choose one--and given my advancing age that might be sooner than later--it would be the building part of it all--despite the cost. BM |
|
|
|
|
|
Been in the hobby a little less than a year. In order, I have picked up:
Hangar 9 Alpha 40 RTF (what I trained/solo'd on) Parkzone T-28 PNP E-Flite PT-17 Stearman ARF Top Notch Lil' Pup KIT Great Planes Super Sportster EP ARF I like flying, period. Glow, electric, I like aspects of both. The advantage to balsa, for me, is that I feel I can fly comfortably in a little more wind. That being said, my T-28 is plenty of fun. Quality wise, my only bit of disappointment with any of my planes is the Super Sportster. Between the covering, cowl, wheel pants, and spinner I've 4 different shades of red. The funny part is that the even the wheel pant are noticeably different shades from each other. It also came with a moderately warped horizontal stabilizer that I've not been able to straighten. I've trimmed the problem out with my transmitter, so it's not too big a deal to me. I enjoy building ARF's, and with the Lil' Pup I put together my first kit. It was an easy build and flies very well. With the kit, I like knowing it's put together well and straight. The part I didn't like so much was applying Monokote. Since then, I've picked up more info. about covering. I will buy more ARF's and build more kits. Balsa and foam. The only head scratcher to me is that I can assemble an ARF for less than building a kit. This may deter other newbies to the hobby from building kits-certainly those that are more into the flying and getting a plane in the air fast. I don't mind the price difference of kit vs. ARF as I enjoy model building as well as flying. Perspectives of an older (42) new guy to the hobby. |
|
|
|
||
|
Quote:
Frank |
|
|
||
|
||
|
Quote:
1. 42 is not older. Guess that's not a question. 2. why do your kits end up costing more than an ARF? Can you break that down? 3. the monocote is what intimidates me. Can you direct me to sources of info on how to do this? Thanks Jim |
|
|
||
Thread Tools | |
Similar Threads | |||||
Category | Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Discussion | First Balsa plane built from the kit | igorgoga | Beginner Training Area (Aircraft-Electric) | 73 | Dec 05, 2009 08:17 AM |
Discussion | My scratch built "STICK" balsa plane | molenjin | Parkflyers | 29 | Oct 27, 2009 03:58 PM |
Build Log | Hansa S5A float plane, balsa plans foam built!?! | Water Boy | Foamies (Scratchbuilt) | 65 | Dec 03, 2007 04:30 PM |
Discussion | any foamies out there that fly like a built up balsa plane? | epoweredrc | 3D Flying | 30 | Aug 11, 2007 06:21 AM |
Minor crash during the maiden of my second scratch-built balsa plane, the Tail Dancer | Hogster | Crash Discussion | 3 | Sep 05, 2004 02:10 PM |