I am the same way. The way I see it, i have it here now, as long as I can get it back even into limp mode I'll fly it. I wouldnt have done it all over again that's for sure, but so far the repairs and tinkering have levelled off a bit. It's trimmed out and balanced enough that I feel confident enough flying it that I can get it back in one piece. It's pretty awesome looking in the air even though on the ground it looks like Frankenstein. I fixed the gear from the other day and it's ready again. If anything it's a great learning tool lol.

Originally Posted by Kawi

Defects notwithstanding, we all crash for the exact same reason, trading caution for excitement...

Very great points. I think I'm just gonna take a break from the mx2 for a while. I went out and flew my NexStar Mini today and had a complete blast with it. Think I'm gonna save up for a nice Spectrum radio and then decide what to do from there.

NexStar Mini - no wonder! There is a BIG difference between a trainer and an MX2. I did not tear up my MX2, I fly other big 3D planes also, but the MX2 was just sluggish. So I got away from it. If you like high wing trainers, stay there a bit longer. You'll know when you are ready.
Don

Originally Posted by dkrhardy

NexStar Mini - no wonder! There is a BIG difference between a trainer and an MX2.

Oh yah, I'm aware of the big step but I feel like I'm ready for 3D flying, aside from the brain fart I had the other day. It is definitely a different style of flying, but I was doing very well for about a full battery, before I wrecked. I know why to expect from 3D planes. I'm 100% comfortable on the nexstar. I've been flying it for a while.

Originally Posted by justin144

Oh yah, I'm aware of the big step but I feel like I'm ready for 3D flying..

I think you are right, Justin. The MX2 is not the path to go for slow "below stall speed" flying, though. It works as an aerobat. I strongly suggest you get (or save to get) an EPP 3D plane with a "plank" fuselage - much easier to learn with - more fun, less expensive. The only think you lose is the great looks, but you get way better flying fun! (Ask me how I know

I'm sick of this landing gear. I took all the foam $#!t off.

Again, I had more damage due to the stupid foam wheel pants getting twisted around the wheel, and this time I even had them glued solid. It's like the 5th time it's nosed over due to the gear.

Coming in for a landing, just a mild bounce and next thing I know it noses over. I go over to see what happened, one of the wheel pants hit the ground and twisted around the wheel causing it to wedge. I'm like oh well, I'll just go back and fix that, and then I notice one of the long foams that cover the post came off too, again. So then I decide to give the prop a small burst of power just to see if the motor shaft bent, and I forgot that it's got the "brakes" on, and it noses down just enough to chip the prop! ARGHH!!!!

That was my last prop!, and the lhs is an hour away! So now I have removed all the landing gear foam. Its nice and clean. Just the strut and the wheel. Doesn't look as great but at least its functional. I also put the original 3 blade prop on, guess I'll give that a try.

I had the HK "brother" to this plane, the MX2 and I never installed that foam wheel pant thing. Never had an issue with them in the grass because they were not on the plane! Pretty much worthless, IMHO.
Don

Originally Posted by dkrhardy

I had the HK "brother" to this plane, the MX2 and I never installed that foam wheel pant thing. Never had an issue with them in the grass because they were not on the plane! Pretty much worthless, IMHO.
Don

Same here, completely useless pants, and heavy too.

The plane is done. Crashed it tonight. First flight ever with the 3blade prop too. I actually liked the prop, got some hovering action in, i couldnt do that with the 2 blade for some reason.

It did the exact same thing it did last time it crashed, it entered this fast spiral and drove nose first right into the ground. I couldnt straighten out of it. I even pushed it down a bit harder thinking it had maybe stalled but clearly airspeed was not the problem. With impact imminent i shut the throttle right before it hit the ground. Saved the motor but plane is just beyond repair this time.

I "can" probably perform some crazy miracle surgery but I just don't trust this plane to not do this again. I don't know if it's a servo that twitches stuck or a bad wire or what, but it's something and it's aileron related. Oh well. Pics tomorrow.

Sorry Kawi (and others) for your bad luck with this plane.

I am relatively new with this plane (just 20 flights) and the fist and second were horrible too (it is my first acrobatic-plane)

Had to trim a lot up after start,
and with power the nose goes down and without power nose went up.
Not easy to control for me!

First landing was bottom up on grass with damaged undercarriage.

Made 4 significant changes on the plane, it flies now like a charm:

- put 2 washer (german: Unterlegscheibe) under the 2 bottom screws of the engine-mount to become more engine-angle to top.
- put an aluminum sheet between the wood and the iron undercarriage in the size of the wood and turned the metal a little to front, so the wheels are more in front of the CG
- changed the wheels to a bigger size for landing on grass
- For landing i move up both ailerons 20 degrees. So it will not drop a wing if it becomes to slow.

And I use expo on all rudders (and D/R on elevator)!

I use 2200 to 3300 batteries and put all of them maximum to the front. No CG problems with different weights.

I have the EU-version of this MX2 with 80A ESC and 4250 engine bought by Staufenbiel in Hamburg. It goes straight up with a little more than half throttle.
But at full throttle it consumes 71A...

The only "problem" is, that it goes in to a right "barrel roll" if i pull to much elevator on medium and higher speeds.
May by the elevator bends? But i can live with it and handle the elevator like a raw egg in lower altitudes.

I love this great looking fast plane and train now in hovering and torques in higher altitudes.

But i think too, it its NOT an typical 3D-Plane, but an good acrobatic trainer with little 3D capabilities

Greetings from Germany and sorry for my bad english!

Oliver

20 flights ,that is some kind of record.LOL.

Originally Posted by kandidat

Sorry Kawi (and others) for your bad luck with this plane.

I am relatively new with this plane (just 20 flights) and the fist and second were horrible too (it is my first acrobatic-plane)

Had to trim a lot up after start,
and with power the nose goes down and without power nose went up.
Not easy to control for me!

First landing was bottom up on grass with damaged undercarriage.

Made 4 significant changes on the plane, it flies now like a charm:

- put 2 washer (german: Unterlegscheibe) under the 2 bottom screws of the engine-mount to become more engine-angle to top.
- put an aluminum sheet between the wood and the iron undercarriage in the size of the wood and turned the metal a little to front, so the wheels are more in front of the CG
- changed the wheels to a bigger size for landing on grass
- For landing i move up both ailerons 20 degrees. So it will not drop a wing if it becomes to slow.

And I use expo on all rudders (and D/R on elevator)!

I use 2200 to 3300 batteries and put all of them maximum to the front. No CG problems with different weights.

I have the EU-version of this MX2 with 80A ESC and 4250 engine bought by Staufenbiel in Hamburg. It goes straight up with a little more than half throttle.
But at full throttle it consumes 71A...

The only "problem" is, that it goes in to a right "barrel roll" if i pull to much elevator on medium and higher speeds.
May by the elevator bends? But i can live with it and handle the elevator like a raw egg in lower altitudes.

I love this great looking fast plane and train now in hovering and torques in higher altitudes.

But i think too, it its NOT an typical 3D-Plane, but an good acrobatic trainer with little 3D capabilities

Greetings from Germany and sorry for my bad english!

Oliver

This is the strange thing about this plane, I supposedly had the same electronics, I did in fact have the 80a esc, I know this because it was faulty and I had to change it. I had the plane perfectly balanced and trimmed out. It flew great, albeit at fast speed, this plane doesn't like to slow down.

It has happened a few times in the air where I felt I lost connection to the plane, it tried to roll and I couldn't fix it, and then suddenly it responded. I checked the spektrum rx after and there was no loss of signal, so I have always been worried. After yesterday's crash, I checked the rx and there was no flashing light, so it wasn't a signal thing, it was something else.

Here are the pics.

The real funny thing? Remember that cowl broke into a hundred pieces that I stitched back together with scotch tape and sprayed with Plasti-Dip? It took 100% of the impact and check it out.

Wow dude that is some gnarly wreckage. I'm in the same boat. I CAN revive my plane, but don't think that this plane is worth saving. I have it sitting on the bedroom all broken up, and can't figure out what I want to do with it. I think we've both wasted too much time and money into this one.

yeah I agree, it's been worth it for one reason though, I got some real hands on aerobatic style flying. This plane is fast moving and very agile, it really gave me some good practice. And if it really is harder to fly than a good aerobatic, then that's probably a good thing. If I don't have to pay to fix it I'll keep flying it, but other than the prop, I'm not spending another dollar on it. Right now I'm going to go take a look at it, but it looks like it's done. I had to glue the wings into the body last time and the roots stayed there this time. So the wings took the force and not in a good way.