mixerfix

My Feedback: (1)

This is a copy of an email I sent 3DHS a few days ago, nary a response:

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I am writing to you to (briefly) summarize my experience with the Bigfoot.

First and foremost - I purchased the Bigfoot from Mr. Guy Itzhaki, who sells your products in Israel. Mr. Itzhaki has been of tremendous help, assisting with advice, work and everything in his power. I have nothing but praise for his part in this.

Alas, now we come to the model. As the assembly started, it was plain that the model was not overly well planned. The wing support anchor points seemed overly flimsy, the installation position for the throttle servo was not well thought out, wing servo installation was terrible… Indeed, the plane seemed too flimsy. It seemed as if the plane was NOT really meant to mount a gas engine.

But - after a significant effort, the model was ready and made a test flight. It was immediately apparent that the cockpit door locks and magnets were insufficient, but that is trivial. More seriously, wing supports acted up, with the front wing anchor point de-laminating or cracking under the strain of a very gentle flight with no aerobatics.

The very second flight prep, a different wing anchor point blind nut and it's support broke off inside the wing and rattled merrily. This being the case, one needed to check all other anchor points, too.

There are many, many, such minor and less minor gripes. Too numerous to list, and much too much to correct and rebuild and re-glue and recheck and review on the very tight time budget that I have for the hobby.

I do not demand or request anything of you. What I want to tell you is that one expects a plane that costs as much as the Bigfoot to be better planned, better designed and better glued. To be a better plane, in effect.

Alas, it is not. I threw mine away.

With respect and grave disappointment.

Zeeb

My Feedback: (41)

Outside of the fact that the 3DHS guys are most likely at the Joe Nall meet this week and probably would not be checking e-mail, for the most part the CS from 3DHS since they moved to Pennsylvania has been atrocious. They NEVER answer a phone, they RARELY answer an e-mail which is the way they claim to provide support.

There are fanboys around who will sing their praises which has to do mostly with the Jesky line of Slicks and those models do fly really well, but don't break one or request parts. I'd say you just learned a lesson about who to not do business with.

Scar

My Feedback: (3)

Wow! I learn something every time I log in here. Sorry to hear about mixerfix's disappointing experience, glad it wasn't me!

Good luck,
Dave Olson

yak86

I remembered when they came out I wanted one really bad, I had a seagulls models decathlon that it was sub par at best. I decided to read the manual for the Bigfoot and I could tell in the photos from the manual the plan was just another cheap china ARF that was thrown together. I decided against it and bought a Hangar 9 1/4 Cub and haven't looked back. I know there not the same style plane but the quality is much higher on the H9 stuff.

mixerfix

My Feedback: (1)

Well, I am quite annoyed with them.

not that I expect them to rectify or anything... I was not even looking for a crazy plane, just a big box to fly and maybe tow...

So now trying to ting what next...

erans

mixerfix- I got the Bigfoot a while ago and everything you mentioned is 100% as is on my own aeroplane. The only difference is that I am yet to crack the wing support anchor points.
However, my wing struts anchore points were sheeted over, so I had to cut open the sheeting of the wing top and look for them... Then, I inserted a T pin through them (from the top) so I could locate them at the bottom of the wing...

After 25 flights with the DLE-35RA, the engine mounting box "walls" glue seperated. Lucky that they are keyed into each other and the engine didn't seperated from the aeroplane...
I am now in the process of re-gluing it, adding triangles from the inside. How easy would it be to do it in the factory prior to assembly?

Absolutly aweful internal design and build execution. However, it does fly awesome at extreme slow speed.

Cheers,
Eran

dirtydobber

I am glad I read this blog. I thought I wanted a Bigfoot but have decided to for go the want. Has any one here had any experience with Texas RC and their planes. I've talked with the owner and he really seems down to earth and a fellow flyer to boot. I really like his stick line.

erans

It gets even worse. The photos below are of a snapped screw (which was supplied with the kit) on the Elevator link.
Lucky, this happened on the ground taxing back after a flight two weeks ago...
I have now replaced all linkages with Dubro 4-40 parts.


Eran