Start with a foamy and go from there.
Even with plenty of experience, it will pay for itself in the first dozen flights.
Go with something larger if you want retracts (90mm). For hand launch 50-70mm is fine (and cheap).

Originally Posted by 4stripes

Start with a foamy and go from there.
Even with plenty of experience, it will pay for itself in the first dozen flights.
Go with something larger if you want retracts (90mm). For hand launch 50-70mm is fine (and cheap).

Hey thanks for the reply.

I was initially considering the Taft Viper jet 90mm, and the Freewing stinger. They are the same weight, similar power systems, and actually slightly more expensive because (at least where I am in Germany) they aren't for sale locally, would require shipping. Whilst the hobby shops here mainly have wood ARF's. Do you think they would be 'easier' to fly?

The only relatively cheap one I can find is the PZ foam Habu 2. And Ultra Micros. I would obviously get one with gear of some sort to practice landing/taking off rather than hand launching.

-Edit: Just had a look at your jets! Very nice.

If you have pavement, the 70mm Habu2 will be fine and can be fitted with retracts for fun.
Both the Stinger and Viper are good jets, so it is a matter of taste (and cost).
Best of luck!

Originally Posted by 4stripes

If you have pavement, the 70mm Habu2 will be fine and can be fitted with retracts for fun.
Both the Stinger and Viper are good jets, so it is a matter of taste (and cost).
Best of luck!

Thanks!

Originally Posted by TheRyder

i'm getting a het f4 phantom from the videos looks like a baby in the air

Especially if you add the canards!

Originally Posted by RaidersRoll

Especially if you add the canards!

Interesting concept -- we had the F-4 stationed here at the local guard base.
RF-4C "Phantom" 1976-1983
F-4D "Phantom" 1983-1990
See dates- http://www.148fw.ang.af.mil/history/index.asp

And I don't recall any having canards!..

Also keep in mind that post you responded to was made on Feb 22, 2008, over 7 yrs ago.

In my opinion Taft model viper jet is suitıble as a first EDF jet.
If you have information about general RC equipment taft viper may be good option. This plane servo and some electronics quality isnt good but take of, fly and landing are very easyl and fun with taft model viper jet.

Originally Posted by Squinton

Hey thanks for the reply.

I was initially considering the Taft Viper jet 90mm, and the Freewing stinger. They are the same weight, similar power systems, and actually slightly more expensive because (at least where I am in Germany) they aren't for sale locally, would require shipping. Whilst the hobby shops here mainly have wood ARF's. Do you think they would be 'easier' to fly?

The only relatively cheap one I can find is the PZ foam Habu 2. And Ultra Micros. I would obviously get one with gear of some sort to practice landing/taking off rather than hand launching.

-Edit: Just had a look at your jets! Very nice.

If you're in Germany, get a Tomahawk Viper Jet (made in Germany). It's not an ARF and requires more work and expense, but has great flying qualities.

The ParkZone Habu isn't a bad first EDF. If you have no pavement, you can get or build a launcher and bungee launch it from a grass field (same as Tomahawk Viper)>

Amazing what is not considered an ARF, now-a-days. Not trying to be critical, just showing my age.

Originally Posted by St. Martin

Amazing what is not considered an ARF, now-a-days. Not trying to be critical, just showing my age.

My first ARF was GP PT-40 in 1994. That had a pre-made fuse and wings. The Tomahawk Viper fuse comes in pieces and has to be glued together as do the wings. All the wood pieces have to be added. It's what I would call a foamy kit. They extruded the foam pieces and die cut the wood parts but you have to put it all together. As with the PT-40, you also have to add all the servos and power system and radio system.

The Viper would still be considered an ARF to me, as the pieces being glued together did not have to be constructed first. Times and definitions have just changed. Work is often considered building. Maybe we should come up with a new term? Pre-constructed?

Please don't misunderstand me, if it were not for the ARF market, I would not be able to enjoy the advancements that market profits have brought. After 57yrs of building, I'm still trying to cope with the new terms. And out of 100 people that come to the flying field, I may be one of 3-4 that still fly planes that are really "built". Which to me is 75% of the hobby.

Regards, Fuzz

Originally Posted by St. Martin

The Viper would still be considered an ARF to me, as the pieces being glued together did not have to be constructed first. Times and definitions have just changed. Work is often considered building. Maybe we should come up with a new term? Pre-constructed?

Please don't misunderstand me, if it were not for the ARF market, I would not be able to enjoy the advancements that market profits have brought. After 57yrs of building, I'm still trying to cope with the new terms. And out of 100 people that come to the flying field, I may be one of 3-4 that still fly planes that are really "built". Which to me is 75% of the hobby.

Regards, Fuzz

I'm the same way, I build all my nitro planes from kits. Amazing how some SIG kits are still available. I built many SIG kougars beginning in the early 80's and the most recent one a few years ago. I've also built a view Byron Originals , Great Planes and a few other makes over the years. While I do agree that most or a very large part of the hobby is actually building, it is nice to get something that's already built in a ARF or PNP version and just skip all the work involved. I primarily get ARF and PNP type of birds if I'm getting a EDF type. There is a place for the ARF and PNPs in the hobby for me, which is when I just want to throw in a fully charged battery and fly. But I still love my vintage SIG Komet and SIG Kougar that I built myself. I didn't build them with all the fancy retracts and flaps, or the externally mounted servo's in the wings, but I do love the satisfaction of flying something I actually constructed from a pile of balsa, monokote, fuel system components and hardware. To me half the fun is building it. It all boils down to the era in which we got into this hobby. I got into it when I was in my junior high school grades during the last year in the 70's and first year or so in the 80's. During that time 90% or greater of the planes were required to be built from a pile of materials and plans/blueprints. I got out of the hobby for a number of years but recently got back involved in it due to the very advanced radio equipment, electronics, and power plant systems. Stuff we can do now which at one time was left up to our imagination. Funny to look at the contrast of what was then and what is now. Just radio equipment alone, no such thing as throw, expo, delay and only AA batteries in the transmitter and receiver. And those were the good old days when one radio per airplane, not like now where multiple airplane settings can be stored on just one radio. I love the equipment now, but still the memories of how it used to be are very fun for comparison.

Originally Posted by St. Martin

The Viper would still be considered an ARF to me, as the pieces being glued together did not have to be constructed first. Times and definitions have just changed. Work is often considered building. Maybe we should come up with a new term? Pre-constructed?

Please don't misunderstand me, if it were not for the ARF market, I would not be able to enjoy the advancements that market profits have brought. After 57yrs of building, I'm still trying to cope with the new terms. And out of 100 people that come to the flying field, I may be one of 3-4 that still fly planes that are really "built". Which to me is 75% of the hobby.

Regards, Fuzz

I understand. I just defined ARF (Almost Ready to Fly) from my PT-40 experience. Great Planes defined it with that product as: Joint the wings, add servos, engine, fuel tank. So that's how I define "Almost". Build up the fuse is not in the above activity list.

I did kit build a few kits in my day; I just didn't enjoy it much. Building to me is a necessity if I want to fly.