Al Magaloff

Has anyone received one yet? Just wondering what it looks like, how well they are done, etc.

tIANci

Contact ACE HOBBIES and you will be informed that the plane will be out in April only. I am waiting for one and then there is the GP Little Toni ... to be released in late April! Sigh ...

planebuilder66

My Feedback: (8)

I heard that Ace or Thunder tiger is having trouble getting all the the rights to use the "Rare Bear" logo. Other than that, I here it looks awesome, an should be a fun reno warbird to add to your stable. I'm sure that it's going to be semi scale but it should go together easy and you'll probably only have to change the cheap hardware and retracts for something better. I might replace my TF P-47 with this plane myself.

Bob Paris

My Feedback: (13)

I called and spoke to Ace about the kit. It will be in the $300 to $400 range. It will be set up for retracts, but no retracts will come with the kit. It seemed a bit expensive, and with the need to buy a retractable gears...I now question the cost. I was told the price has not been set yet...so the market will set the price. I need a new warbird...since I stuffed my P-47N in. But I will wait on this one.
Soft landings always,
Bobby of Maui

tIANci

$300-400 w/o retracts is nuts, I might as well get a World Models Dago Red and it will cost a lot less for sure! If the plane comes w/o retracts then I think the Little Toni is a much better deal at $269.00. Mind you if you were to look closely at the advert (in Model Airplane News) for the Rare Bear you will note that the topof the fuse is probably using plastic like the old EZ Models. Hmmmm ... choices.

HighSierra

My Feedback: (2)

I saw it last fall in Vegas at the big trade show... The one they where showing was quite nice and very good quality....... as for price... We'll see what the street value is... but It's comparable to the big H9 p51.......Having never missed the air races (except for when it was canceld) for over 25 years I'm sure I'll have to get one....even though I 've always been a Strega fan...(but I think It'll be allright now since Tiger has retired).

MormonMike

My Feedback: (2)

This is what im waiting to hear. Good, looks like " Uncle Sucker " is going to wait and see what happens with somebody else's money before he blow $400 bucks on a plane that needs $200 bucks worth of retracts. This stuff is just getting too darned expensive. We'll wait and watch.

tIANci

Want cheap nice planes? Try Vietnamese ... hahahahaha ... yeah if the street price is 300-400 w/o retracts then its absurd. Who knows it might be about 250 only. The 300-400 might perhaps be the RRP/RSP. Let's wait and see ...

Frag

Well, I ordered the TT Rare Bear from Tower yesterday at 335.00...I guess theres one born every day but I couldn't resist this sweet looking plane
Its currently on back order so when I get it (early May) I'll post some pics and give my initial impression of the quality. It better be darn good!! Now what power plant....TT .91 FS?

yard-dart

My Feedback: (35)

Try more like a 1.20 or larger four banger!

John

Frag

Is the Magnum XL-FS120AR any good? I've never had a Magnum product before.

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

I saw the Rare Bear at the Ontario show and it looks sweet. It seems to be an in between size and I think it needs to be powered with at least a YS 11o or equivalent. I have also heard the rumors about marketing rights and I think they are talking about selling it without the decals till they get it worked out, more rumors for the mill.

I also saw the Little Tony at the RCX show last weekend and it looks promising. A very thin wing should make it pretty fast and I like Great Planes products so it is a definate consideration.

Cyclic Hardover

My Feedback: (3)

Sorry but $335 for a 60 inch wing Scale Plane is ridiculous. There are much better alternatives to that kind of cash for a plane. I am an ARF man but this is not cost effective vs. whats on the market. Also to consider is Thunder Tigers popular fleet of Shelf paper covered hotgluing pieces of junk. Not worth the risk.

LSP972

My Feedback: (13)

Is it just me; or does marketing a trademark logo without securing the necessary rights FIRST sound a bit on the retarded side???

.

Frag

I'm not sure what you mean by cost effective Bogo. It would take me a really long time to put together a kit like this. Considering it takes me about three hours to earn the money to buy the plane, it is actually cost effective for me. If it falls apart then lesson learned, but I plan on going over it pretty closely upon arrival and beefing up and epoxying wherever necessary prior to assembly.

Cyclic Hardover

My Feedback: (3)

hey, I'm an ARF man too but maybe I should say there are planes of equal size and better quality than that for the same price or a lot less. Lets face it. TT does not have the best in quality ARFs on the market. There is no doubt it will look nice but the construction? For that price and not even some cheap retracts? Sorry but this just does not sound right.

Now as far as the engines go, I rank them equal to OS in quality and performance. Look around at some of these below.

GP Shoestring
WM Midget Mustang.
New Lil Toni
Some GSP's on sale
ModelTech P-47-.60
H9 .60 size P51

MANFRED

My Feedback: (27)

Smoking crack again? Comparing thunder tiger and magnum engines to OS is like comparing toyotas to mercedes! But if it's all you can afford, then go for it. To me it seems hard to beat the reliability factor of OS four strokes.

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

Hey Manfred if your gonna do analogies at least get it right. I think Magnum is more of a Hyundai while the OS is the Toyota, reliable, well made yet not the fastest or most powerful. Thundertiger has it's place, inbetween in my mind, maybe closer to a Nissan. Then you have the YS which is the Cadilac of engines or if your younger maybe Porshe would make more sense to you. Saito, maybe a BMW and let's not start with gas or electric.

ABORH

I have an OS 91 FS in an Ultra Stick 60 and a Thunder Tiger 91 FS in an Hobbico Extra 300 60. Both planes have have been flown A LOT, and have been abused (= crashed from time to time). Both power plants swing a 14x6 propellor efficiently. I have found both power plants to be reliable, and powerful enough for their respective applications. They both have had problems ... the OS lost a valve spring after one season and TT stripped a tappet set nut, also after one season. (OS charged me about 70$ to replace the spring while TT sent me the nut for free) The TT is a smoother running engine, but a bit heavier... and for the money, I think is an excellent engine; I would purchase another.

In addition, I have a Magnum 80 FS over-powering a GP Texan and a Magnum 52 FS in a Slow Poke. I have found the Magnum 80 engine to be easy to operate and reliable athough not as "pretty" as the OS or the Saito FS engines I also own. If one had the Magnum completely enclosed, I doubt anyone could tell the difference between it and an OS engine. The Magnum 80 has been in use for one season so the jury (in my mind) is still out on it. I really HATED the 52 FS until it got broken in. Now, after 3 seasons and many many flights (I like the Slow Poke) it is a sweet, reliable, easy to feed and use engine, and swings a 12x6 prop in one of my favorite planes.

I think the engine you choose really should depend on your application, pocketbook and your level of experience. If you are very experienced and working with a high performance airplane where every extra oz may have a deliterious on performance, then spend more and get the lightest and most powerful engine. But if you just like to fly, it is certainly possible to get adequate, reliable performance without breaking the bank.

All manufacturers make a boo boo once in a while so it is important to work with them if something is not right. Usually they will make things right. Be patient while breaking in an engine (especially a ringed engine, they take longer) and I believe you will be pleasantly surprised with what ever engine you choose.

PS: Thunder Tiger makes a nice, good looking 54FS. I have one of these in a Koysho Super Stearman. It gives me good, reliable scale-like flights.

Frag

The Magnum XL-FS120AR is looking good at 259.99 from Tower considering your opinion ABORH..

MANFRED

My Feedback: (27)

Begging to differ, as I own or have previously owned several models of Magnum, Saito, YS, thunder tiger, Enya four bangers. My opinion, and that's all that really matters to me anyway, is that the OS offers the most reliable, trouble-free performance of all. Are they as powerful as YS, no, are they easier and more long lived then YS? Yes. I think you have to be a real tinker nut to operate YS, and I do own 6 of these. OS is straight out of the box and flying perfection. Magnums are OK but deliver at least 20% less power then the OS counterparts. Saito has a long break-in period and tend to have a bit less power then OS as well. RARE BEAR, probably an OS 120. i'VE SEEN THIS SHIP LIVE AND IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE WORTH MORE THAN $200 TO 250 COMPARED TO OTHER SHIPS OUT THERE. No retracts included.

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

Manfred, We agree for the most part. I think you know your engines it's the analogy to the cars where you were off. Your OS description sounds like a Toyota to me.

Frag

Now the backorder date is mid JUNE! Whats the deal Tower...it was mid May two days ago?!

wldcwbypilot

OS is like Ford, found on road dead. I have an OS 91 piece of junk, and I also have Magnum 91 and Saito 90 plus Magnums and Saitos in other size designations. I have very few problems with my engines but both my OS engines have never started by just flicking the spinner. It always requires use of an electric starter, my Magnums and Saitos start immediately after priming and a slight back flip of the spinners. Even my Magnum 80 out flies the OS 91 both have the same prop and are mounted in like sized and weighted aircraft. Magnums for their price are a very good value and offer way better performance than OS, which in my opinion should be a Yugo. You go get a better engine, buy a Magnum.

Desert Toad

Sounds like you shouldn't have ordered from Tower.

Ordered mine from Quantum and it shipped yesterday.

But I'm still deciding on the powerplant, was thinking maybe my Supertigre G-75, but it looks to be a heavy plane and I just want speed. Flew an Ultrastik 40 with a Jett 90, that was pretty fast....