Granpooba

My Feedback: (5)

Should have learned after putting together a Hanger 9 Pulse a couple of years ago. Was very dissatisfied with the wood, covering and hardware package.

As I said, I should have learned but I wanted a bipe for this winters project, thus I purchased the Hanger 9 Christen Eagle II, to be powered by a Saito 125. This Hanger 9 Christen Eagle has been nothing but disappointing for me since day one. Have had to make so many corrections and fixes on this model that I have lost track, but I will try to mention just a few here. Started with top hatch and pilot. Inside of canopy is covered with some kind of covering that has not been applied correctly and comes free. Well, the pilot is glued to this covering so guess what ? Yes, you have a pilot bouncing around in the canopy and marking it up. Finally ended up screwing the pilot in place as their is no way to work inside the canopy. Top hatch has latches. These latches are made from about the worst metal rods I have ever encountered. Just push on the rod/latch to unlatch the canopy and they bend. Needless to say, I removed the latches and opted for a bolt in place system for the canopy/hatch.

Covering ? Well I really do not know how to describe it. I guess all that I can say is that it is bad.

Hardware Package ? What a joke !! Some of the worst hardware that I have seen in all my years of modeling. I will give you just one example. While mocking up the whole model the other day, I inserted the bottom wing into place in the fuselage. With this done, you now have to bolt the bottom wing in place, inside and in the bottom of the fuselage. The bolts go through a wing bracket and into fuselage bracing that have blind nuts on the bottom. Here is a good question for all of you builders ! How do you screw bolts into blind nuts, when the blind nuts have NO threads ? That is correct fellows, hardware such as this is what I have been dealing with in putting together this over than $300.00 ARF. Needless to say the air turned brown with my cursing ! I did manage to get the bad blind nuts out and replace them with my own, good hardware. This was after I told the wife that this model is either going to the dump or back to the dealer.

Having talked about a few problems I have had with this ARF, I am sure that you will understand when I say that I am all done with Hanger 9 products. As a matter of fact, I may be all done with all ARF products, except perhaps Great Planes. I and others are finding out that ARF's are being produced with less and less quality.

Now I feel that I need to return to basics and build my own models as I have done in years past and still have some of those KIT built models. If you build it from a kit, you can build it right the first time and install quality hardware of your own choosing. With that said, I have just purchased a Balsa USA Eindecker 90 KIT and will most likely power it with a Saito 91.

That's right folks, Hanger 9 has turned this hobbyist off to ARF's. As the ole saying goes, live and learn ! Well, thank you Hanger 9 for teaching me that your products are some of the worst that I have ever seen, and that you will not be seeing any more of my $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ .

ameyam

Well, it was aeroworks first and now H9 as well you seem to have issues with. Why not give it back to the dealer and ask for a replacement?

ARF quality is dropping, even in GP. A few days back, I built a new fuse and tailset for a Reactor 46 only to realise that the two elevators are not symmetrical- they are either to left or two right halves covered as if they are a pair. Result- the airplane loops in a oblique direction and doesnt hold a hover. I flew like that at a demo I was supposed to fly and the keen eyed fliers picked that out. I wrote to Tower asking for some solution and I havent received a reply even after a reminder. Last year I had a similar issue with a Reactor Bipe.

We can & need to ask companies to be accountable for their products. Not everyone has the time to get into building these days

Ameyam

Granpooba

My Feedback: (5)

The problem I had with AEROWORKS was basically a design problem that caused the complete tail to separate from the fuselage. Probably could also add lack of glue and poor quality wood to the reason it failed. In any case, proof is that quality in these ARF's is diminishing !

I would sum up the Hanger 9 Christen Eagle as just plain POOR QUALITY, all around. There were other issues that I did not even mention. I did consider sending this model back to the dealer, but have yet to find a dealer that will accept a nearly completed model. I have just about 60 years of building experience under my belt and if I could not correct the issues with this model, then their would be something wrong with me. With that said though, I agree with your statement that companies should be more accountable for their products and need to improve on their quality.

I also agree with you when you say, not everyone have the time to get into building these days. But, I do have the time and I would rather spend that time building a model correctly from a kit, than waste my time and money on another poor quality ARF. When all is done, the time that went into making this model right, I probably could have built the model from a kit.

It just seems like everything else these days, companies are more concerned with just getting the product out the door, rather than to concentrate on a quality product. In the long run, poor quality will hurt these companies. As far as I am concerned, the long run has arrived and be it so little, Hanger 9 will never see another purchase from me !

1320Fastback

It's getting harder and harder to meet the price point for H9 I'd imagine.
Sure they could offer a 1st rate 40 or 60 size ARF but who's going to buy one for $500-$600?

Unfortunately it seems that no matter the manufacture (which isn't who really builds theses ARFs) that quality is not on the priority list.
I recently got a large scale Beaver from a well know advertiser in the AMA mag and it is less than airworthy, in fact if assembled as shown it would be unsafe to fly!

Im at the point where I buy what I like the looks of and just fix it when I get it... Money doesn't get you what it used too...

Granpooba

My Feedback: (5)

I certainly do have to agree with you that money does not get you what you used too !

But perhaps that is part of the reason that I am going back to building from a kit. I know that in the long run, it will cost me more to build it, not even taking into consideration the time that I will dedicate to the build. But then again, I know that it will be built correctly and I have always enjoyed building from kits.

Perhaps I should have held off venting my disappointment with Hanger 9 products. If I held off, I could have added another problem that I ran into today, that only took me most of the afternoon to correct. As you stated, I am at the point with this Christen Eagle that I just want to make it airworthy and " SAFE " !

As you also stated, it is a bummer that you have to fix a new ARF, even before Mother Earth has had her chance to ding it.

chuckk2

I'd have to agree that ARF quality is not getting any better!

funnotcrazy

It takes a long time, BUT... I build all of my planes from kit. NEVER had a structural issue in 25 yrs of flying. And YES, I fly the BEJEEBERS out of my aerobats.

skyraider71

A few years ago I bought an H9 UltraStick, big mistake. The firewall was glued in with several degrees of up thrust, and the
pushrods would barely move in the tubes. I called Horizon and they wouldn't do much about it. I sold it at he swaps for a loss
and swore off H9.

Granpooba

My Feedback: (5)

I could most likely sell this poor excuse of an ARF to a friend or somebody else. Trouble is, I don't want to loose any of my friends and I don't want to make an enemy.

bikerbc

I have had very good luck with Hanger 9 products . I recently assembled their 1/4 scale PA18 and I have never seen a nicer ARF . Before that I I put together a 125 Pulse and I would buy another one in a heartbeat if they still made them . I Will agree that if you have the time to build one from a kit you are going to get a much better plane . I Just finished a BUSA 1/4 Scale J3 Cub and I believe it will take a lot more abuse than my PA18 will . There were a few issues with my PA18 like a crushed wing tip but Hanger 9 product support took care of me with no argument and I had a new wing in a few days plus I got to keep the damaged one for a spare . I guess I have been lucky. I can understand your frustration . A blind nut with no threads .. now that's a new one . Maybe you should use a bolt with no threads ..I know that there can be a big difference in each individual ARF . You almost need to open the box and inspect the kit to see if there is any damage or if its all there. The problem is its almost impossible to catch everything .

Granpooba

My Feedback: (5)

Bolts with NO threads ? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, there is a thought ! Question is, where do I purchase them ? Does Hanger 9 keep them in stock ?

bikerbc

Ya you should ask them if they wouldn't mind sending along the non threaded bolts for the non threaded blind nuts ..That must have been a little tough getting them out and replacing them . They should be stuck in there pretty good so as they don't fall out and end up rattling around inside the wing . If they had threads it would be easy but with no threads ?

Granpooba

My Feedback: (5)

Believe me when I say that this whole ARF Christen Eagle build has been tough and I have at least 60 years of building experience under by belt. Tough enough like I said that if I am going to spend this much time and money, that I am going back to building from a kit.

I started in the model airplane hobby with Comet, Guillows, Sterling, Jemco, Pica kits, etc, etc, etc. Now I figure that I may as well finish it with the same way I started. Have a new Balsa USA Eindecker 90 " KIT ", yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, sitting in the box, just waiting for me to start on it.

bikerbc

I just finished building an Elder . Its not really a scale plane but it looks like one . When I built my BUSA Cub I was very happy with the quality of the kit . The wood was top notch . I ran into trouble a couple of times and a quick phone call to Dave always sorted things out . You can't go wrong with Balsa USA . My first kit was a Sterling Piper Tri Pacer . They just don't offer as many kits as they once did but I remember the way the parts were die crushed and that has improved for the most part .

GallopingGhostler

I've got 50 years building under the belt and had my share of Comet, Guillow, Midwest, Dumas (Jetco), Top Flite, Goldberg, Scientific, Airtronics, House of Balsa, OK Models Pilot and Estes kit builds, FF, CL and RC. But you haven't lived until you've assembled a Berkeley kit. Doing my first build on a 1959 Berkeley Impulse Single Channel Pylon Racer kit now. Rib die cutting overall was good, but fuselage side outlines were off as much as 1/8", mid-fuse splice joint 3/16" off, and very noticeable side swirls from rotary saw blade cutting of sheets, with the usual die crunching.

I guess building Berkeley kits made a man out of many a folk.

BelAirBob

Have to agree with a few of the posts above. Building takes much longer, but you know where the glue went and can beef up weak areas etc. I have never had one I built fall apart either. I did have the tail section of a Pulse 125 come off and somehow got it back to the field in one piece. HH did send a replacement tail section. Seems like when an ARF first comes out, there are unforseen issues, but are eventually corrected. This goes for the electrics too. My UltraSport 60 is much stronger than any ARF I have.

If you do want to build, the Sig kits with laser cutting are great. The parts just fall out and fit together perfectly. The 4 star 60 I built was a fast build and flys great. I think they have rekitted some older models and cant wait to build one.

bob

CRG

My Feedback: (3)

What did Product Support say when you called? Horizon will make it right. It's Hangar 9 by the way, not Hanger.

Luchnia

My Feedback: (21)

So then, if you buy an ARF today, you ARE basically re-building it

Granpooba

My Feedback: (5)

As far as I am concerned, nothing is right with their products, thus I will continue to spell it with an " e " ! LOL

Granpooba

My Feedback: (5)

I think that I became a man many years ago as yes I can now recall building a Berkeley. Do not recall the model as my memory is not that good. LOL

Granpooba

My Feedback: (5)

Your statement just about perfectly sums up my Hangar 9 Christen Eagle II ARF !

Granpooba

My Feedback: (5)

As the assembly progressed I just kept correcting this, correcting that. Realized that I was to far into the assembly to even bring it to Horizons attention.

Yes, they may have made it right. But then again, I have read statements from people that Horizon did not make things right. In the past, I have dealt with Product Support at Horizon and they treated me very good and made right the product. I can only assume that each and every situation is different and handled differently.

Horizon does know about it as I posted a review on their website.

raptureboy

Well if they paid the Chinese workers a living wage then we would all be building because these arfs would be $1000 instead of $300. Thats the problem, you want quality and cheap, and those 2 words don't go together. A good kit will cost you $300.00 min, and then you have to add all the extras. There's bound to be a lemon or 2 in every bunch so a careful exam before assembly will help.

SkyPilot101

I think Horizon put out a good ARF, shure there are comprises, but that comes with the price point, never got an ARF from them that wasn't easily correctable, and if you do, there customer support will take care of it.

Propworn

My Feedback: (3)

HMMM!!!!!!!! It’s really not that much of an enigma. When you buy an arf its no different than buying someone else’s build project. Most of the time it’s not the way you would put it together if you built from scratch or a kit. I cannot remember ever settling for the hardware in a kit so I don’t expect much from an arf. Metric hardware always seems to go missing or need replacement on a Sunday event when there is nothing open. I replace everything with good North American hardware from Microfasteners. Stainless if they have it. Last Hanger 9 ARF was the Piper Pawnee did not use much of the supplied hardware. Have a 60 inch Edge and EXP from Extreme Flight the hardware package was ok the only thing I substituted was screws the did not have nylocs on them. I always try to use nyloc nuts. I don’t like wood screws that hold structural parts together I usually swap them out and add a ply backer with a tee nut and bolt. My favorite is to strip an arf before assembly re-enforce and strengthen any week areas then cover it in the livery of my choice. Yes it’s an arf but much improved and different than the rest of the crowd. For example this started as a Great Planes 1/3 scale Pitts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-XED79b6Ok