PrinceD

Hey Guy's:
I need some help with the choice of my second plane. I currently have a 60 size trainer, So I would like to stay in this size range and not smaller. I'm a true die hard WW2 fan, so with that said. I would like something that would be a great platform that would be a developmental step to the skills needed to the beautiful WW2 Birds. Something that could be at sometime be converted to a taildagger. Something that would be an build or ARf or ARC.
Thanks

DMehalko

My Feedback: (42)

Find and master a low wing taildrager first. It would not be worth destroying a WWII just because you like them. Then again I really don't know your skill, soo...

I reccomend a Four-Star 60 or a Tiger 60 in taildragger form.

Hope I helped a little,
David

PrinceD

thanks DMehalko:

Thanks for your advise, I don't think I made myself clear in my first message. I wasn't looking for a WW2 as my second plane. But something in between that would help me to develop my skills in my quest for the WW2 birds. I will look into the two planes you have listed thanks.

DMehalko

My Feedback: (42)

Ahhhh... Gotcha, I thought you ment a good WWII plane for your second. I still reccomend you look at those two 60 size planes. They come in ARF an Kit form.

David

Flak

My Feedback: (1)

Prince D,
I went from flying a Cub to a P-51, a P-40, then a F4U Corsair. With a low wing WW II fighter, the thing to remember is there is a high wing loading, so don't fly too slow. Keep the hammer down until you get the feel of the airplane. Avoid the dreaded tip stall, especially if you are near the ground! My first take off with my Top Flite red box P-51 went like this: I faced her into the wind and headed down the runway. I saw the tail come up as soon as I reached half throttle, (Super Tigre 61) I added power and pulled back on the elevator a couple of clicks. She lifted off beautifully. I kept her straight and level while climbing to about 200 Ft. I added a little left rudder and left aileron. She turned down leg very scale like. I flew her around the pattern several times at full throttle just to see how she handled. I only had to make a couple of minor trim adjustments. I climbed to about three hundred feet and checked out the flap reaction at about quarter throttle. She didn't do anything alarming. I brought he in base to final at about half throttle with no flaps for the first landing. Wow! She ate up 600 ft. of runway to stop. Next time I landed with flaps and she sat down pretty.
The key to being successful with warbirds is to be cinfident in yourself and don't chicken out. Get the Great Planes G2 Flight Simulator and practice until you get it right. This is a great investment that will save a ton of money in wrecked aircraft.
"Keep 'Em Flying!"
Flak

PrinceD

Flak

Thanks Guy's for the very good advise. I will do as you guy's have said with the planes and invest in the G2 as well. Can never get tooo much practice
Thanks

CraigM

I highly recommend the Tiger 60. It comes as either a tail dragger or with tricycle gear. It handles quite differently than a high wing trainer with lots of dihedral. It goes where you point it and doesn't try to level the wings when you turn, yet it is an easy flyer when you get used to it. It's a good low wing trainer.

Craig

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

Heck, the Tiger 60 can be made to look like a WWII fighter! Go for it....

Jerry

Flak

My Feedback: (1)

Correction,
I briefly forgot that between the Cub and the P51 was a Spitfire. That was an old Sterling kit. Man did that plane fly well. She had a Super Tigre 75 in her and could always come through.
You have to be your own judge as to when you will be ready for a low wing Warbird, but once you go there you will be headed down a path of addiction you will not believe. A three foot above the runway full throttle fly by is thrilling! I have so many Warbirds I would have to take the time to count them. I am currently going to larger scale Warbirds as they fly better and are much easier to see. However, I'll fly my 60 size Warbirds until they are DUST!
"Keep 'Em Flying!"
Flak

FHHuber

Go with a Four Star 60... you can play with the fusealge a bit to give it a fighter look. Round the tailplanes a bit and its a "sorta P-40" (or play with other "sorta" looks)

As your skill builds... clip a bay off each wing... then begin adding lead on the CG to practice takeoff and landing skills for the heavier, more expensive warbird.

Its actually a...[:-]plan[:-] ... [X(]

****

I gotta get plans drawn of how I put retracts in my 4*60... it makes a good first plane to use retracts in too...

daw

My Feedback: (6)

Lanier makes a very enexpensive P51 ARF. It is not very scale but would make a very good first low wing tail dragger. I flew one with a BB.46 but it will take a 60 2-stroke. Spray painted the white ABS gray and I had a Mustang, sort of. The plane flys great identical to a 4-star, and the ABS is very durable. I put it in to a tree leaving only a slight dent in the leading edge. Pressed the ABS and foam back into shape and flew it another season. Tracks well and looks good running accross the feild on it's mains. I even cut light ply to look like gear doors that bolted to the landing gear. The landing gear did seem to be the only weakness I found. It eventually got loose where it went into the wing.