futura127

My Feedback: (57)

"After a while you might actually learn something about building!"

I can't agree with you more! We have a whole generation of ARF builders not kit builders! I truly believe that you can not know all there is know about planes and their construction unless you have built a few by the kit form. I have been building now since 1983 and I am so glad that ARF's back then were out of my price reach otherwise I would not know how to fix problems that arise during mishaps. I also don't want to hear any excuses about not having anytime to build either! When I started I worked 10.5 hour days and had a 6 month old, helped my father on the farm, did what needed to be done around the house and still had time to build and fly. I feel that if you buy an ARF and do not know what to look for in reinforcements then really you shouldn't have any complaints when there is a failure. These kits are priced reasonably for a reason. I know a lot of people will disagree with me but I see this thing happen everyday at the flying field. Just my thoughts on the subject. Take time to build a kit, it will do you worlds of good and give you a good understanding about our airframes.

Joe

PS, I own the P51, Corsair and Hellcat and never had a problem with any of them and they fly great.

twinbrother

My Feedback: (7)

Futura127, I agree with you on kit building. You learn a lot more with kits than with ARFs. However, when people talk about time, they're saying they can put together 3 ARFs in the time it takes to put together 1 kit. I can spend my time building a kit, but it will take 3 or 4x as long. One of these days, I will invest the time to build a kit. But for now, I just have to go in and inspect my ARFs for enough glue and reinforce if needed. Yeah, I learned the hard way as most people do with ARFs, but it will still be less time to take the covering off the wings, apply more glue if needed, and recover.

I started this thread on one specific thing, glue in the ARF of the Hangar 9 Corsair. I was very specific about what happened, simple nose over at landing and wing failure in normal flight. One way or another, Red man decided to blame the pilot and point out all the possible things I did wrong rather than addressing the lack of glue in the plane. The engine or motor shouldn't pop off on a simple nose over and the wings shouldn't be failing in normal flight for any ARF from any manufacturer. If I was doing some crazy stuff, I would say that. And I have done some things in the past that was my fault and it did cause the plane to crash. That wasn't the case this time.

flyallday

What, your wings fell off and you could not control the plane?? You just need more experience brother!

Harry

futura127

My Feedback: (57)

When I started building my trainer was a Goldberg Eaglet 50, I read over the instructions three times to get a good background then from the start of build to maiden flight was 3 days. I agree that not all kits would build that quickly but I had never done it before and the pride of taking that first built plane to the field felt so good. On another note, a good friend of mine had always bought ARF's or prebuilts by another pilot, he had a Sig Kobra that he loved to fly and one day he decided to let his son try and and before you know it, it was a pile of balsa. He said to me, now what am I going to do I want another one but they are kits, I said to him well if you love the plane that much I guess your just going to have to build one and so he did. For his first kit plane he did a great job and it fly just as good as the other one! Now he isn't afraid to tackle another kit and can fix anything that might happen to any of his other planes!

jeffEE

My Feedback: (5)

I am sorry to hear about the loss of your warbird. Any loss of any plane is not a good thing. I have flown the H9 Corsair and may do so again, but a question if I may? What motor were you using?

jeffEE

My Feedback: (5)

Here is my Corsiar. Movers crushed it a few years ago.

blhollo2

My Feedback: (278)

soak the firewall and joints with thin CA and you'll be able to skibbibdy dee bop around like christopher reeves.

TBONE6

A . R . F. always re-inforce firewall ! 

Pecanpatch

now that's funny right there!

pmerritt

My Feedback: (118)

If you nosed over hard enough to break the firewall, you probably did some damage to the wings un-noticed until you put some stress on them. With the angle of those style wings, a good smack did enough unseen damage to where you got the worst result possible out of finding out how bad you whacked them.

twinbrother

My Feedback: (7)

Trust me on this, the speed wasn't fast enough to damage the wings. I've nosed over before on other planes harder with no wing damage. This was a very slow nose over. And as I've stated earlier on this forum, after inspecting the damage, you can see there isn't enough glue in the wings and the firewall, which is the purpose of this forum.

mgrande11

We shouldn't have to worry about a firewall falling off or a wing breaking apart on an almost $300 plane.

mike31

My Feedback: (67)

People want arfs. People want light weight. You get exactly that. No glue = bye-bye plane. ARF should mean almost ready to fail.

prebres

My Feedback: (7)

I am the proud owner of a Hanger 9 warbird ARF, the Spitfire 60. Let me tell you guys something, this is one hell of fine airplane and put together well. On it's maiden flight, somebody forgot to balance it. It took me 5 tries to get her back on the ground. When I finally managed to get the plane down, she did a little cartwheel at the end. NO DAMAGE.

Flight number 5, engine dies on takeoff. I got the gear down and pointed the nose down and flared when I felt it was time. Lost the left main gear door, busted the prop and cracked the cowling.

I fly the hell out my planes. High-speed, low passes pulling up into victory rolls. Spilt S, Immelmen's, spins, inverted. Hanger 9 make the finest reasonably priced ARFS around. I have never had a single problem with Horizon's service either. In fact, they seem to go above and beyond to help a guy out.

I'm sorry some of you have had bad experiences with HH/H9. For me, they are tops.

jerrya

My Feedback: (4)

Thanks for the information. I will not be buying H-9 planes or products from Horizon ever if this is their atttitude. Years of problems with the same plane and no changes, and Horizon denying that problems even exist. The buying public is not all that stupid. I do a net search on any ARF that I consider buying. You would be amazed at the number of planes that I have rejected on the basis of people's experience with them. Not just a bad review or 3. This is normal, but multiple bad reviews concerning the same issues and I reject that plane forever.

I have had some excellent ARF's however. Tower Hobbies Kaos 40 is one. One of the best flying planes I have ever had, since I got into flying in 1978. I've been flying one for 3 years with an Enya 45. Fast-straight tracking, excellent flier. Over 250 flights so far. No problems other than the striping tape coming off where exhaust oil gets to it. (Seal edges with clear epoxy before first flight to prevent this). I always add some extra reinforcing to ARF's, 1/16" ply or so to the nose and side area to offset the loss of strength that the numerous laser cut lightning holes cause. Probably add 2-3 ozs to the plane but have one that doesn't break in half with a less than perfect landing.

RCER88

My Feedback: (25)

I can relate to the OP I have had quite a few arf's over the years and i have been flying twenty plus years. I have had firewalls fall off on a landing without nosing over and using the recommended engine. I have had wings snap in half outside of the center joint in flight. Mains bust out of the wing. I fly on grass so they need to be glued instead of spot glued with hot glue. That was clearly seen AFTER it happened The only arf's I buy now are kit builds that I find for sale. Covering fall off in flight and on and on.

The only arf I bought in the last two years is a CMP 120 Corsair. BUT that plane has had some MAJOR rework because I did not like the way some of things were done and how they looked. It is getting a 26cc gas engine and I needed to make it MUCH stronger so it has a chance to survive.

I fly my planes like I stole them. I want to have fun with them and push the limits of the plane and my skill. I also want them to last.

As far as the arf versus kit building time, is pure hogwash. Many kits can go very quickly. It is a matter of diligence and organization. Now that I have a dozen plus airplanes that I can fly I take my time building so I can make sure it is right. I swore off moneycote for fiberglass and epoxy paint because after a few years the covering starts falling off and coming apart. fiberglass and paint do not. Maybe just a touch up once in awhile.

The only other true ARF I have in my hanger now is a Sig Mess electric. It had its share of problems even being electric. Rt main came out on a landing and the motor mount area came out on a nose over after a perfect landing when I went into the heavy grass in one spot on the field. I missed the top of the hill where the grass is thinner by three feet.

Because of my experiences with arf's I will not buy another. I will build a kit. I know they will have the proper support in the critical areas. I have an old Sig King Kobra that is on the boards a victim of covering falling off after five years. It is also getting upgrades. Now it will have retracts and A Rossi 61re with tuned pipe.

RiverLarry

Twinbrother !! I have 8 HH / H9ARF !!! and 5 HH / Segull ARF !!! most of them have ALL cart wheled from time to time !!!! still OK
CA. has so many things band !! maby Glue is one of them !!!!
heck on the box my DS821 Digital JRSport Servo has a Warning !!!!
( This product containes known to the State OF California chemicals that can cause cancer / birth defects and other reproductiv harm )
and that is just from a Servo blame CA not HH
what brand of Servo's do you use !!!! if thay are JR you cant Fly in CA. legal any way
if you do !!! dont try to have kidsbut if you do have then !!! better count there toes!!!! there My $00.02R/L

daven

My Feedback: (1)

Buy an ARF and you take your chances. Some are good, some aren't, I don't care what they cost.

My Hangar 9 Corsair is at least 5 years old and has a Jett .90 on the nose. No firewall issues (I reinforced before I flew it), and I did some extra gluing in the fuse and wing.

My only issues with it were the cheap landing gear which I pulled out for a pair of century jets

RiverLarry

Hay Daven !!!!how do you like that Jett 90 ?????
I am at the point trying to put DLE20 in some of my birds !!! trying to get away from glow !!! as much as posable !!!!
I all ways ck the ARF over and add CA where I think is needed !!! that is a no big diel
A little wood and some CA cant hurt R/L

flyingfrog007

dont know about all these problmes. but had a 60 size spit flew it 2 times the elevator try came out called hanger 9 told them they sent me a box filled it up with the parts they sent me a new hellcat and a note saying they were sorry about no glue. since then i glue and epoxy all my arfs now when thy come apart its my fault. like putting a g 26 in a 60 size a little much but fun for a little while.

RiverLarry

FlyingFrog 007    10 - 4  on  HH  I have not had any problim with them !!!   
I have had only  2 times problim with a ARF !!!!  thay ( LIKE YOU )  sent what ever I needed  PLUS !!!
on a Piper I needed 1/2 of a wing  heck thay sent me boath and a bag of  ALL the hardwhere 
tried sending back what I did not need !!!    and the 1 wing 1/2 that was bad !!!  and they said  Marry X mass.  
if  HH does not have what I need !!!!  I guess I dont need to Fly it .  
people just need too take there time  add a little  CA where it is needed 
I also Fly off of grass  and  YES  need to mod. a fuew things  but that is what makes the hobby fun 
as long as I dont bend a crank !!!!   a little packing tape and some CA where needed !!!!  HECK I AM GOOD TO GO !!!!
P S    all ways have a black bag in your Trailer           YOU JUST NEVER KNOW      R/L

madolive3

My Feedback: (3)

Chinks??? What kind of a racist comment is that? So what's a chink? are you referring to all people of Asian descent or just The Chinese? If someones eyes aren't round, does that make them a 'chink', please clarify because I want to know if my wife is a chink or not.
Do a little reading and you would find out just how much wealth there is in China and how many Chinese individuals can afford to engage in this hobby.
Unbelievable.

twinbrother

My Feedback: (7)

Madolive3, I'm with you. Last time I checked, all those Chinese are buying up all those houses in Irvine, CA with cash. That's $1 million in cash, no financing. Seems like a lot of money for some poor Chinese people. And guess who America is borrowing all their money from? Yup, the Chinese. The Chinese literally have no debt while America owes over $13 trillion in debt. Not bad for a country of people who don't make money.

madolive3

My Feedback: (3)

Yea, not only that, but just look at the street shots of any small, mid sized or large Chinese city and you can see the wealth, the cars and bikes and the way people dress. 200million Chinese are online. I think there are millions of Chinese workers who can afford to fly RC planes. I'm still curios though, who exactly qualifies as a 'Chink'?

jeffEE

My Feedback: (5)

chink1    /tʃɪŋk/ Show Spelled
[chingk] Show IPA

–noun
1. a crack, cleft, or fissure: a chink in a wall.
2. a narrow opening: a chink between two buildings.