ORIGINAL: tms261

I just got the same ones from Todd last week. I decided that on my first jet, I would bypass the mess and effort of air on retracts. Yes, not inexpensive, but absolutely the best machine work and strength I have seen in model retracts. Yes I know the retracts mentioned are not intended for the same use.

We have a flying buddy who is always looking for a "bargain" and has bought from some outfits stating great products at great prices. We love the guy, but poor fella, he spends the vast majority of his time fiddling with stuff trying to make chicken salad out of chicken s#$t. The rest of us spend most of our time flying or jawing with each other.
He has been in the hobby a long time, and does reasonable builds, but skimps on servos, rx's and engines. He is always having equipment failures, and crashed planes when he does get in the air.

I agree that some RC stuff could be well made and be less expensive than it is. At the same time, I have a big Hawker Hurricane from a popular mfg, that came with retracts.
Price seemed ok. Flies so-so, but retracts are crap. Less expensive hardware has bitten me a couple of times in my 30 some odd years in the hobby. For this 1st jet, I didnt want to play around trying to save a dollar or 3, and got retracts and struts from Todd, practically a guarantee of success with minimal headache, and assured support.

If wide use of the retracts in this article prove them to stand up and be somewhat trouble free, I MAY even try them. Many engines from a certain country have been mostly short lived, poor performing, junk. This issue has changed a bit with DLE for example. Decent engine at decent price. Retracts may follow suit. Competition is great for our hobby. We would all love to get reasonable quality for less than most of us pay. In my experience, going for quality rather than price frequently ends up being less expensive.

Just my long winded 80 cents worth....