Out of curiosity does GP/Tower/Hobbico et. al. test the models they sell with only the engines that are available through GP/Tower/Hobbico et. al.?

It seems to me that if you tested the Pitts with the 41cc gas engine it looks suspiciously like you used the US Engines 41. Now I know you like to sell your planes with the motor you also sell (vertical integration at it's best ) but I have to wonder if you use engines OTHER than the ones someone would buy through Tower Hobbies.

What about the other gas engines out there? Brison, DA, Fuji, Zenoah? I think you know a lot of us are NOT fans of the US Engine ( I had one and frankly, it sucked IMO) I think that most of the guys that are going to buy this Pitts are going to get their engines elsewhere rather than Tower. (not meant to slam you but Tower is not know for giant scale anything)

I must admit I had looked at this Pitts quite seriously but since I finished my Eagle (http://www.geocities.com/jbrundt/eagle.html) the NEED to get one has waned. But I might like to get one of your Pitts' in the future and I'd like to feel confident it was a well put together airplane. Giant Scale ARF's are still relatively new to the scene. I only hope the manufactureres of these big planes are cognizant of the stresses they can be subjected to and build them accordingly. I have seen many a modeler progress from 60 size planes to giant scale but still use the techniques they used on their smaller planes in their big brothers. This will NOT work. Giant planes need to be constructed more stringently with stronger glue joints and stress areas properly reinforced.

I'll get off my soap box now, but this is something I feel quite strongly about. Giant scale ARF's are going to allow folks that aren't quite ready for a giant plane to start much sooner and perhaps bypass some critical learning steps. So therefore the manufacturer HAS to make sure their plane is purposely overbuilt to survive the 'rough' handling it may see.

just my .02 cents....

Jeff