As the importer of this HS kit I find the way in which people talk about something they have absolutly no knowledge increadible.
I have personally been flying a HS for over two years and I have people very close to me flying two more. None of these have had a problem with the fuselage even though my own example has been flown from rough grass as well a runways. It's even had some rough landings, but I always check the model over before re flying it.
The fact that three HotSpots haven't had a problem is not a Guarantee of quality, but I have sold over 50 Hotspots in the UK and this was the first one of kits I've supplied that I've been aware of having a problem.
I did hear of the "exploding" fuselage rumour through another HS dealer. I was told that having the U/C cutouts open would pressurise the fuselage and make it split, I decided this was unlikely and did some test with things in the fuselage to see what happended to them. I concluded that there wasn't enough pressure to worry about. Two years later I still think that.
I have seen plenty of HS flown VERY fast without gear doors and are still flying like that today without problem.
The model in question has been heavily modified from the kit design. the Retract openings have sharp corners where the kit shows round smooth openings, the fuselage has other openings cut in the top surface for rudders. Modellers will modify kits and that's fine, but it is up to the individual to decide whether the mods are strutually safe.
The HS has proved it'self to be more that capable of handling the sort of flying it was designed for. It's a Jet Trainer/Sports model, not a BVM Bandit.
I don't recommend to any of my customers that they fit P120 size Turbines to a HS, The few that have we have de-tuned the motor back to 18-20lb of thrust.
The operator of any Turbine powered model is personally responcible for the airframe they are flying, if this failure happend as descibed to me then the weekness was already there and should have been sorted before flight. This model flys from grass a far as I know, which can put a lot more load through the U/C mounts especially on heavy landings...
Dave Wilshere
