izzy-israel-73

opened my Peak models Pitts and found that down the fuse of the plane the seem of the covering is not joined what can I do to fix or should I leave it ?

sensei

I would cut a thin piece of Monokote, or Ultra Coat, or a get a thin piece of pin striping tape in a color close to a match and put it on.

Bob

jetmech05

I'd contact the company and get a new one, shipping on their dime

speedracerntrixie

My Feedback: (29)

I'd stop buying ARF's oh wait I don't do ARF's LOL The reality is that you should just fix it and fly the thing. Getting a replacement fuse is going to take longer then it did to order the airplane in the first place and it's a crap shoot if the replacement would be any better.

AMA 74894

My Feedback: (1)

yup, what sensei said.
if you can't find a matching color, try matching a trim color.

izzy-israel-73

Yes very disappointed when you pay a combo deal motor and plane and covering doesn't join up at the seem on the fuse also had no tail wheel assembly missing !!!

im_a_rcav8r

I say you use trim tape to fix it, add a tail wheel and REMEMBER who the plane came from and don't order another from them unles the price makes the extra work worth it!

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

I do not know anything about your retailer or the airplane but getting a replacement is iffy at best and if it were me I would just do a monocoat patch or something even as simple as putting a graphics sticker over the gap..


You mentioned that this was some sort of combo purchase. I find that if this involves the engine and the airframe that while yes it may save a few bucks but the engine is frequently less desirable is some way and not what I may have selected otherwise. I know you do have good radio equipment Izzy but since this is the beginers forum and possibly for the benefit of others the so called super combos that include the radio systems also are frequently very lacking and many of these folks are soon looking for better radio systems after purchase.

John

jetmech05

You can pay hundreds of bucks and except inferior products if you like but I'd be trying to get a replacement

tacx

My Feedback: (1)

I don't get it? Why some people accept carp from manufacturers. If their feet aren't held to the fire they will continue to sell carp to the public. Yes it's a hassal, but what's next? No rudder? Well, I guess we could just build a new one. No canopy? Well, I guess we could fly without one. If they continue to get away with providing inferior products and we accept them, then we are only promoting the problem.
U
If it were me I would hate to not have the plane I wanted, but I also refuse to get screwed. When these kinds of problems arise with manufacturers on a continuing basis we need to let the community know by putting their name out there.

Just my two cents.

kiwibob72

The current trend in very cheap ARF's now days (try building one yourself from a kit then add it all up) is indeed a double edged sword, which developed a 3rd sharp edge when you add in online buying.
We all want the big flash looking powerful model, and thanks to Chinese made mass production made ARF's fed by cheap labor markets (that we are all too aware of), quality assurance is never going to be the same as if we had built it ourselves with love and care. For them it's all about spitting out the next unit and getting paid for it, and sometimes small things that drive us the owners mad just don't matter to those living in an onsite accommodation block eating rice every night.
If you want QA, pay more for the model at the local model shop and make use of the opportunity to inspect the model fully prior to purchase yourself. If you CHOSE to buy online from unregulated countries/stores, you do so at your own risk. Expecting someone who's monthly income is odds on less than the cost of your new toy to care about your cracked cowl or imperfect finish once you've spent your money is utterly ludicrous, as it is US who enable them being as it is US who decided to save ourselves a few hundred bucks in the first place - IE we went with the 'cheaper' option off our own accord.

My own 30cc Sbach is not perfect, I have slightest little hint of white coming through the green on it's back, and the finely cut points of the black lightning bolt patten keep lifting. I ignore the very faint white bit, and use a little book binding (UV stable) tape to sort the lifting issue - and I've also replaced a lot of the rear control rods and all the horns as I didn't like them. I'm not complaining in any way about it as I got what I paid for, just as I expected i would, and it's still going to work out a lot cheaper than building it myself, and it'll look great when done.
And if anyone thinks they always get free from issue's ARF's and still thinks we are justified on moaning about every point, just ask yourself why it is that we all run CA around all the joints we can get access to on every build??

izzy-israel-73

nothing cheap about the kit cost close to 900 !!!!

kiwibob72

As per my statement above: "try building one yourself from a kit then add it all up".

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

One of the only good Great Planes tools I have is there stripe cutter. When I sharpen my own blades I'm able to get some really nice thin strips of covering and do my own pin stripes. Finding covering joints not touching is pretty normal for ARFs no mater what you pay but they are easy to fix and dress up by cutting the covering yourself and over lapping.
I have assembled a lot of ARFs for people and even just using an iron to remove the bubbles and sags in the covering can pull the covering away from the other colors.
Just the nature of the beast so don't give it another though, just clean it up.

izzy-israel-73

have built a Zig Fazzer cost was yes abit dearer but better quality if you know how to build !

kiwibob72

That was my whole point, you'll get better quality building yourself, though you will pay for the privilege in doing so, as for what they are (bits of wood and plastic), kit prices are mind-numbingly expensive! AFR's do offer cheaper alternatives, but will never be as good as something done yourself IF you have the skill set!

izzy-israel-73

that's not always the case lol when it comes to me for some reason I can build someone a plane and when I build mine I always f things up lol.

sensei

ARFs, you spend your money and take your pick. Personally I would rather build from a box of sticks, but that is just me...

Bob

TomCrump

That's because you take pride in your work. How much pride can there be in an ARF ?" Hey, Look at what I bought ?"

kiwibob72

Love them or hate them, ARF and RTF's are the mainstay of the hobby at the moment (and I cannot personally see that changing anytime soon).
Sure I'd love to build a nice 50cc P47 with a 77cc Evolution radial in it and then go to town and detail the hell out of the aircraft itself, but my situation does not allow for the space and time money needed to do just that. So I'll continue to take pride in my ARF's and the way I put them together, as I pump all the prides and time I can into making them all 'just so'!.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

In the past I have known guys that bought a nice ARF then removed the covering, made any changes they wanted then recovered them. Not a bad way to go sense the ARC is pretty much a thing of the past too.I enjoy building but I'm one of the few I know that still builds, it's a lot of time and trouble for anyone not equipped to do it. Most people I know would rather fly then build anyway. Recovering an ARF is pretty easy and you come out with a plane with your own look to it.Just food for thought.

sensei

Please don't get me wrong, there is certainly nothing wrong with owning or flying ARFs, I would just rather build my own stuff. As Graybeard has stated you can buy an ARF, strip it, fix it, and/or make thing as you see fit, then recover it as you please. I did this exact thing with a H9 35% Extra 260, I bought the kit for around $1000.00, stripped the covering, lightened the airframe Long story short. here it is ready to fly at 22 lbs. 13 ozs.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

For those that have never gone onto Bob's photo page or followed one of his builds I think you would enjoy it. I have been building for a lot of years and have built some nice big planes but Bob takes it to a much higher level then most of us. Worth a look.

kiwibob72

Indeed, it was worth a look GreyBeard. Some seriously well built and finished models in that photo library, I don't know if I could ever justify owning anything that big to myself let alone the wife, but one does have give fair comment where fair comment is due and those are fantastic looking models!

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

I was sent a video of a race plane on youtube the other day and at the end it took me to a bunch of RC videos and I watched one of an 80+% Pitts and my first thought was of Bob. They don't have the weight limits in Europe as we have here in the states and they build and fly some really big stuff. My wife is the one that questions it more them I do. I understand but the shop I have now doesn't allow me to build them like I used to. I don't have anyplace to store my last summers build and it's only 90 inch.