SO WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE PILOT F-1, FROM JAPAN. IT IS A PROTOTYPE OF AN ARF VERSION OF THE PILOT DJ-3. I HAVE HAD TWO DJ-3S, IT'S A NEAT AIRPLANE, AND THE ARF VERSION SAVES A LOT OF BUILDING. THIS F-1 ARF VERSION OF THE DJ-3 WILL PROBABLY NEVER BE RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC...THE ONE I GOT WAS A PROTOTYPE, AND I THINK THEY DECIDED IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE TO PRODUCE. IT DIFFERS FROM THE DJ-3 IN THAT IT HAS FIXED GEAR AND SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT INTERNAL CONSTRUCTION, INCLUDING A FIBERGLASS CANOPY INSTEAD OF A PLASTIC ONE. I HAPPEN TO LIKE THE FIXED GEAR A LOT, THE RETRACT SETUP ON THE DJ-3 WAS A REAL HEADACHE, AND THE FIXED GEAR SEEMS TO LOSE LITTLE, IF ANY SPEED OVER THE RETRACT VERSION. THIS PLANE IS EQUIPPED WITH THE LATEST VERSION OF THE TOKI 18 PULL START ENGINE DUCTED FAN SYSTEM, VERY RELIABLE WITH VERY DECENT POWER. WITH THE ONBOARD TANKAGE, IT IS GOOD FOR A FOURTEEN MINUTE FLIGHT. I USE 30 OR 40% FUEL. NO LESS. STILL CHEAP TO RUN AT 6 OUNCES A FLIGHT. TAKEOFFS ARE VERY EASY. I HAVE ONLY FLOWN IT OFF PAVEMENT, BUT I AM SURE IT COULD GET OFF OF DECENT GRASS OR YOU COULD BUNGEE IT. LANDINGS ARE REALLY NICE, A VERY EASY JET TO LAND. TOP SPEED WOULD BE AROUND 100, I WOULD GUESS, COMING OUT OF A DIVE. LOOPS AND ROLLS FROM LEVEL FLIGHT ARE NO SWEAT. WEIGHS 64 OUNCES, SPANS 48 INCHES. THE PLANE HAS 30-40 FLIGHTS ON IT. HAD SOME FUN WITH IT. I PUT IT UP ON EBAY AS PART OF MY SPRING CLEANING...THE ARFS ALWAYS GO FIRST TO MAKE ROOM FOR PROJECTS I HAVE BUILT MYSELF. DOUBT YOU WILL EVER SEE ANOTHER ONE, SO HERE ARE SOME PICS.

ANOTHER THING IS THIS...WEIGHT. IT'S HARD TO BUILD A REALLY LIGHT AIRFRAME AROUND A 95MM FAN. 64 OUNCES AND 2.2 POUNDS OF THRUST, WELL, THAT'S HOW IT'S GOING TO FLY, YOU KNOW? TOKI IS WORKING ON STUFFING A 27 ENGINE INTO THE SAME SIZED FAN, THAT WOULD REALLY HELP.