G'day Crash. My LT-25 is now in retirement or having a rest. Like all planes it is a compromise. It is a trainer and so is heavily compromised to meet the needs of a trainer. It was never meant to go fast.

It has lots of dihedral. This makes it more stable for the new pilot but makes aerobatics untidy and makes it prone to problems in cross wind landings.

It is light for its size and so has a low wing loading. This means it can fly slowly which is very important for a learner. More time to think.

It is quite large. This makes it easy to see but as it has a low wing loading and dihedral it gets pushed around in cross winds.

It has a flat bottom wing. This means it generates lots of lift at low speeds but as you add speed, it generates lots more lift and so your "problem". I used to trim mine for half power or so. If you do trim for high power you will find it will fall like a stone when you pull the power off for landing.

Mine has had various engines in it over its career. It started with a 30 four stroke which was just about perfect, graduated to a 46 Leo (vastly too much but we could fly it happily for hours on FAI (no nitro) fuel). And has had other engines too. We put the 46 in because it was the only engine available at the time. It worked but it spoiled the plane overall.

If you want to go faster then it is time for a new plane. How about a Stick of some sort. They are a really great second aircraft and they will fly fast. Or our club's workhorse, the World Models Skyraider Mach II low wing trainer. They go like stink, are cheap and I hate them but that's just me. Everyone else loves them.

Keep having fun. That is what it is all about.

Oh yes, next time you are flying it in the wind, see if you can get it to fly backwards. Reduce the power to near idle, and gradually pull in more and more up until it slows right down. It will then hang there like a kite. You have to do this pointing directly into the wind. If all goes well, it will then start to fly backwards. Cool. You will find as you slow that the controls do become rather mushy but this is to be expected.

Cheers

Mike in Oz