Red Eagle Model produce a number of EPP 3D planes that are heavily based on (i.e. copies of) planes made by Hokusei, a Japanese manufacturer of high quality EPP and balsa planes.I can see a number of Chinese companies that are outright copying or at least being heavily influenced by established brands. I'm not interested in getting caught up in the ethics of copying another manufacturer's designs, but feel free to rant if you must .

Hobby City sell 4 of the Red Eagle "unbreakable" EPP 3D planes.

Extra 300S: http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/s...idproduct=7372
Gee Bee: http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/s...idproduct=7371
Silent: http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/s...idproduct=7368
Yak: http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/s...idproduct=7369

www.bestvaluerc.com sell a few Red Eagle Model planes too, some of which are not available from Hobby City: http://www.bestvaluerc.com/shop/shop...Red+Eagle+Kits

www.crashandburnhobby.com also sell a few Red Eagle Model planes and ship from the USA.

I've built a Gee Bee, Extra and Silent. I didn't bother with the Yak because the Extra and Yak appear to share (almost) the same wings on a different shaped fuselage and I already have a Hokusei Yak (a great plane BTW). A few simple mods really improve these planes, such as strengthening the landing gear and improving the stiffness of the control rods. I really enjoy flying these planes, especially the Extra which is the best hardcore 3D plane I've flown but not much of a precision plane.

Here's the Red Eagle website showing all the planes in the series: http://www.wxhymx.com/eadmin/c_goods.asp?id=108

yea i've posted in here about these already. What setup do you use on your extra? And where did you put your esc batter and reciever? Also what size battery did u use?

I recall seeing your thread about these planes a couple of months ago and was surprised that these planes didn't attract more attention, given how cheap they are and how well they fly. I thought I'd give these planes a second chance . I hope you don't mind. Here's a link to your thread, which contains some useful information: https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=923670

Here are more links with info:
Extra: http://www.daddyhobby.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36829

Silent: http://www.daddyhobby.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36831

BTW My Extra uses a Scorpion 2215-18, GWS 10x6 prop, Turnigy 18A ESC, Rhino 3S1050 20C. All components are up top, with the ESC up front, the battery velcroed behind it over the wing and the Rx a little behind the battery.

I use the same motor, prop, ESC and battery on my Gee Bee and Silent. It's a killer combination; heaps of thrust for 3D and great speed for pattern.

Edit 10 Nov 08: Here's another thread dealing with these planes: https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=950981

psh i dont care about threads. I love this plane. Its so cheap compare to other kits and its better if you ask me. I was thinking about buying another and trying to make it as lite as posible.

Hey groovejet,

I have the Extra on my wish list. How does the Silent compare with the Primus?

Bob

I'd be curious to see some videos and/or comparisons of the models. Looks like a great size and fun for indoor flight.

Are the ailerons pre-hinged and attached to the wing or are the ailerons seperate?

[edit] I found some video of the Gee-bee on the reviews from hobbycity here:

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=u6PHZh1ti4I

Originally Posted by rmgmag

Hey groovejet,

I have the Extra on my wish list. How does the Silent compare with the Primus?

Bob

Hi Bob,

I maidened the Silent yesterday and I noticed a few issues that I'll need to sort out. The Primus has arguably better construction. eg. You can clearly see 3 layers of foam on the Primus' ailerons, with the middle layer looking more rigid like it's possibly Depron. The Silent has 2 layer aileron construction with both layers being EPP and it clearly shows. The ailerons warp quite easily, especially when the ailerons deflect. I did use some Hobby City hinges that are more stiff than the flimsy ones that came in the kit and this could be part of the problem. tip: use spare Hokusei hinges if you can. Hokusei hinges are great and worked really well on my Gee Bee and Extra. The fuselage also seems to twist more than I think it should (compared to the Primus). I was going along at about 3/4 speed and did a full deflection roll and saw the tail area trailing behind like I was flying a sloppy profile EPP plane! Not impressed. I also found that I would get the roll access trimmed out and then it would shift quite a lot, generally in the opposite direction. I assume this is caused by either the ailerons warping or the rear fuselage twisting. Given the initial success I had with the Gee Bee and the Extra, I was somewhat disappointed with the Silent but there are various things I can try before I write it off. It does fly nicely at lower speeds (if you make the aileron corrections required when it somehow gets out of trim after a hard roll or snap!) and it hovers very easily, about the same as the Primus. The Primus seems to have beter construction (specifically the 3rd foam layer in the ailerons!), but I feel that I can resolve these Silent issues with a bit of effort. It will be good to hear another flight report of the Silent in case there's something wrong with my kit or my hinges (Si has one but hasn't built it yet).

As it currently stands, I'm more impressed with the Gee Bee and the Extra. I built the Gee Bee first and was very impressed with its "out of the box" quality; super-stable harriers, hovers and tight normal and outside loops. Then I bought an Extra and it took me a bit more time to bring out its best. I strengthened the tail fin area is it looked very weak (2 sheets of about 3mm foam with nothing else to suport it). I also improved greatly in my flying thanks to the Gee Bee's hardcore 3D capability and short tail moment that meant I needed to be on the ball. I now find that I'm faster to make crucial stick corrections on any plane that I fly (thanks for making me a better pilot Gee Bee!).

Initially I found that the Extra used to snap badly out of full throttle and full throw loops, but now I don't really notice it. I suspect that I'm instinctively making an aileron correction when required. The Extra's strengths are that it hovers as easily as any 400-500g plane that I own (the CST Katana and Primus are similarly easy) and has the sweetest transition to and from knife edge and a hover. I just love knife edging it 1-2 feet off the deck and then bringing it in close, popping into an inverted harrier and bringing it right up to myself, hovering for a bit and when the engine torque (p factor, whatever!) starts a left roll, giving full left aileron deflection for 1-2 dirty torque rolls and then punching out on full power. The Extra has very little precision on the pitch axis (it's fine on aileron and rudder), but it has amazing authority on all control surfaces so it can really be flung around in a somewhat haphazard way and all it takes are a few jabs of the sticks to stabilise it for its new orientation. It's my favourite plane for hardcore stick bashing 3D, but definately not my pick for mixed pattern and 3D (did anyone say CST Katana?).

I feel that the Gee Bee trained me for the Extra, and once I got the knack for flying the Extra I can pick up any of my other planes and fly them smoothly in hover, harrier knife edge attitudes. These planes are suitable for use as intermediate 3D trainers (as well is beginner trainers), because they are so cheap that you can take extreme risks with them. It sort of becomes an issue of just the time required to fix them, rather than time AND money. I've broken the Gee Bee a few times (unbreakable; my !). The Extra has proven to be remarkably tough, though I don't crash it that often anymore.

I feel that the CST Katana is still my most capable plane. I've been flying it for 7 months now and feel really comfortable with the plane, but I still need to fly it with a little respect because it's not a cheap plane to replace. The Katana has sweet hover, harrier, knife, tight loop characteristics that are similar to the Extra, but with a level of precision (espeially on the elevator) that the Extra lacks. The Katana does beautifully smooth stall turns. The Extra's lack of pitch precision tends to have it either pull up or down in this situation. I haven't noticed any bad tendencies in the Katana, though Mike Smart reported that he has. It seems that the Flash is almost a perfect fit to Mike's flying style and the CST Katana is almost a perfect fit to mine. I simply can't wait to try Exscend CST's Yak when it is released.

Originally Posted by mattk0

I'd be curious to see some videos and/or comparisons of the models. Looks like a great size and fun for indoor flight.

Are the ailerons pre-hinged and attached to the wing or are the ailerons seperate?

[edit] I found some video of the Gee-bee on the reviews from hobbycity here:

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=u6PHZh1ti4I

There are a few other videos around as well, though I haven't found any HD ones yet. I've got an HD camera, but I've had trouble getting a camera guy/girl for a few months now to film me outdoors, so it'll have to wait for a bit.

You need to hinge the control surfaces. The kit comes with some flimsy CA hinges. Some people say they work fine, but I hate them because they are so flimsy they often fold over just trying to poke them into the slits you cut in the foam; very frustrating! I prefer to use "Hokusei" hinges when I can. What I mean is the hinges that come in Hokusei or CST Katana kits. These hinges are stiffer and easier to slide into the slits. I tried some Hobby City hinges cut in half on my Silent and wonder if my warping aileron issues are related to this. I need to investigate this further, but I have the usual problem of plenty of fuss-free planes ready to fly so why should I spend much time problem-solving a difficult model?

I've flown the Gee Bee and Extra indoors in a 2 basketball court sized venue. Definately controllable and lots of fun. I fly my Primus in the venue each month and since the Silent seems to be a Primus ripoff it should be fine as well (assuming my weird roll imbalance is not common to all Silent kits). I think it's funny to see my 450g Primus flying indoors along with some 120g Depron planes. Watch out Depron planes; this Primus will eat you alive!

For the money, they seem to be good deals. I wonder if there's a way to tame the Extra's pitch problems?

I like the paint scheme of their Eagle 3D. Too bad hobby city doesn't carry it. Don't know about that Gee Bee, looks pretty ugly to me, but that just me...

For the money this is the best beater plane you can buy. I seriously fly mine into the ground at least 5 times everytime i go out with it...or into a pole or a tree or a parked car etc. It just doesnt die. I've gone through like 20 props though and my batter doesnt look to good.

Hi Scott,

I am loving my CST Katana as well beautiful big round knife edge loops and a great flying model. I like to fly a lot slower manoeuvres probably than you and the Katana just bites occasionally when I get them wrong . The Flash is more forgiving of my mistakes, but they are different models and each has its own merits. I think the Katana has now grown on me to the extent where it is now my equally favourite model along with the Flash (oh and indoor, Jazz and Clik ).
I have a RC Factory Yak 54 to build yet, so we'll see how that compares with the Katana and Flash. I'm just finishing off an Extreme Flight 58" Extra, so that will be interesting on 5s packs and 1200W It won't bounce of course, so I'll have to be careful.

Mike

Originally Posted by bigwood212

For the money this is the best beater plane you can buy. I seriously fly mine into the ground at least 5 times everytime i go out with it...or into a pole or a tree or a parked car etc. It just doesnt die. I've gone through like 20 props though and my batter doesnt look to good.

Bigwood212:

Parked car? I hope it's your car I hit a light pole flying the Gee Bee at night. It tore the wing up a bit but was easily fixed. The Extra seems tougher as the foam seems very strong and the thinner wing is more stiff.
Agreed; the Extra or Gee Bee are the best 3D funfly bash-around for the money, though once you add on the cost of all the components, there isn't a huge difference in price between one of these clones and some established brands like the Hokusei kits sold at great prices by Max at www.wattaplane.com. If you've already got the components then it's easier to see the value in these Red Eagle kits; about 2 planes delivered to many places in the world for the price of one name brand plane. It's probably different for people in the US and Canada because they have access to lots of great planes with low delivery fees. About the only quality 3D EPP kits that's readily available in Australia is the Hyperion Sniper. I have to look overseas for most of my planes and high postage fees is a given.


Mike:

Glad to hear that your Katana is much loved. Now I don't have to feel like I hyped it up too much . My Flash is flying better now that I am flying better, but it still needs a crazy amount of left rudder to hold a hover. What are your thoughts on the cause of that? Too much right thrust? A heavy imbalance laterally? Despite the hover issue (which I can compensate for on the sticks), it knife edges really nicely and float around in upright or inverted harriers very nicely. I just wish it had more pitch authority, perhaps the rc-factory Yak will solve that problem. I almost bought one last week; chickened out on the paypal "pay now" screen at the thought of spending twice as much as these Red Eagle planes when I can see how much fun I have with the Gee Bee and Extra (and maybe the Silent once I cure a few issues). I have a spare Extra kit sitting in a box as insurance, but I haven't actually killed an EPP plane yet. The Flash has come closest as as soon as I got it flying really nicely with super sweet knife edge I had a lot of mysterious lockout/cutoff issues (Spektrum or ESC I guess) that have led to it nosing in hard and breaking off the nose multiple times. I broke 3 props and 4 noses about a week ago and almost gave up on the plane. I'm glad I turned the motor around for a front firewall mount a few months ago as I'm convinced that the nose is more crash resistant this way, despite my recent damage. The next time the Flash stops responding and goes into a nose dive I'll try swapping the Rx or ESC one at a time and seeing how it goes. It's like my Flash is cursed. I just haven't had a good run with it overall, thought it's had some moments of glory. I've been reparing it with hot glue mostly as it seems to break so often that I wanted to avoid using my "precious" 3M Scotch or UHU glue, so it now weighs over 500g but still floats around.

1200 watts eh? sounds dangerously exciting I've been awfully tempted by the PA Katana MD, but have enough fun with the foamies for now. They are so easy to fly hard and low and the consequences are not too severe.

Ive got the Geebee and its really nice. I don't like how it does inverted harriers (it tends to wobble/ snap out.) i think mine had some dihedral in it, thats probably why it exhibits these characteristics. But it does extremely stable upright harriers. That video above was of my second and third flight with it, so you can see how quickly you can get confident with it. It does the coolest inverted blenders out of any foamy Ive ever tried and can even land in an (upright) flat spin! I should get an updated video soon, but boy has mine been through some rough crashes. The G forces Ive put through it have broken the X mount on my motor, so you can get a sence of how much I abuse it.

I think my cameraman had a hard time shutting up while videoing

i realy realy like the red eagle planes, expecially the silent but its kind of expensive after shipping

MC:

Very nice flying in that video! I just checked my Gee Bee and there's no dihedral. I've been tinkering with the Silent a bit today, but no flying due to the rain. The fuselage easily twists at the rear near the horizontal stabiliser and seems to hold a different position each time I do it. I can only imagine what's happening when I fly the thing. I also swapped over one of the aileron servos as it looked like one of the wires may have been damaged during installation and there's a chance that one aileron was occasionally powering down and this could explain the weird roll characteristics I noticed on the maiden 3 packs of flying. Not sure when I'll get to try it again. I'm getting married tomorrow in a late afternoon ceremony, but my wife-to-be is already up in the Dandenongs with her friends. I'm all alone at home, so if I wake up early enough, anything's possible. I tell you one thing; if she finds out that I flew planes on my wedding day she'll probably want to kill me .


P.K.:

Where are you located ? Canada? Alaska?

Typically it costs me $30 - $40 USD to ship a plane kit from the US to me in Australia. I rarely buy gear from the US these days as the postage prices are quite high. It's generally cheaper to source parts from Asia and sometimes even from the UK.

Typical shipping prices to Australia from China are $25 - $30 USD, but Hobby City somehow manage to do it for $20 USD, at least on these Red Eagle kits . Not only do I save money on the kit but I also save money on the postage.