Fly-n-3D

bdavidson, that was well said.

Fly-n-3D

Obviously the yak will be less work. If you have to do all of the sanding and ironing for the Christen Eagle.

Freakazoid

My Feedback: (1)

The christen eagle has a bit more work (unless the yak requires you to glue the fuse yourself, because then the yak actually has more work to it), but I think its worth the extra fuzz. Because allthough some people say it wont, I think a plane made of depron and being used outdoors, will be more upkeep in the long run then the EPP christen eagle. Besides, IF an accident happens, I think EPP will last a bit better.

Fly-n-3D

It might it might not.

Freakazoid

My Feedback: (1)

We shall see. It looks nice on video and ive had alot of good experiences with EPP, so I think it ll be ok.

GWR

My Feedback: (31)

Hey guys, try like I did. I got that Freak blocked. Works great. Just click the "block" icon on the bottom of one of Freaks messages; no more comebacks.

emnm79

My Feedback: (5)

sorry PAL, but that is complete MALARKEY.

Just because a plane is more durable doesnt mean it doesn't fly as good...

you are right that all planes will break if you crash them (enough)

BUT. you can look at a shocky the wrong way and it will break, you can slam my Yak54 into the ground on its wheels, and they flex, nothing breaks... If someone new wants a plane to learn foam or learn 3d on, imo they should look at durability, a yak or 3d foamy will take alot more beating that any tensor or shocky... sure they will both eventually break, but from experience, the less durable planes will be unrepairable or a ball of glue alot soner than a more durable plane...

tf2psycho

i found it guys the best 3d plane yet
perfect to learn how to hover with[X(]
also looks fullbody to me

Freakazoid

My Feedback: (1)

Heheh, the GWS merlin, an odd little buggar. Indeed Full "body". And a head, too!

tf2psycho

i actually want to get one i think it would trip people out especially
where i fly[8D] just imagine that little witch with a outrunner and small li po
cruzing down the beach lol...but for now im saving for the mini edge because its going to be out before you know it july i think

Freakazoid

My Feedback: (1)

The merlin has a nice touch. Ive seen it buzz around the field once, And his version was indeed a witch. Maybe GWS is selling witch versions.

Ive got some plans laying around of a diskshaped UFO. [8D] If I ever get my hands on a couple sheets of depron or fanfold (freaking hard to get over here in holland), im gonna make me some funky little alien vehicy. That would take care of my urge for a scifi plane. Its based on a GWS flying pizza, but then with a foam fuselage in the middle. Heres a pic of it:

Now think away the print, straighten the stab, and add a little foam log along the middle.

And did you mean the Mini Edge 540 from E-Flight? Tasty little plane.

Fly-n-3D

There is a video of the merlin at modelflight.com.au

MalaysianFlyer

Just to throw an option in here, have you considered the Hacker models Zoom Zoom or ZoomBi 4d planes? EPP wings and fuse, tail feathers are depron, a bunch of us over here used these to learn to hover. it breaks when you crash, and all u need is CA and kicker to stick the EPP back together, and your back in the air within a couple of minutes. Its not a full body, but will be a good trainer that you can repair quickly at the field so you dont loose flying time.

Fly-n-3D

MalaysianFlyer, where is the website for the Zoom Zoom or the ZoomBi 4d planes.

Freakazoid

My Feedback: (1)

http://www.alleRC.com has them.

MalaysianFlyer

the link totheir main site is www.hacker-model.com

Chehck out the Extra Chaos, my next project. Lovely plane

Fly-n-3D

The Zoom Zoom 4d looks like a good plane.

bdavison

My Feedback: (1)

The shockflyers have a carbon strip on the leading edge and the trailing edge of the wing. Ive smacked shockflyers in so hard it folded the fuselage in half, but no damage to the wing. The wings are VERY durable. Ive only managed to fracture one shockflyer wing, and that was by flying it into a chain link fence on knife-edge at full throttle. The wing tip caught the top of the fence and it cracked the wing. A little CA and 2 min later I was up and flying again. You couldnt even tell where it cracked.

With the shockflyers, even on hard smacks, the wing is rarely damaged. Not bad for 3mm depron.

Most of the damage to shockflyers is knocked off motor mounts, broken noses, or folded tails. All easily repairable with CA. And if you do manage to make the nose explode on it, just take some 3mm depron and cut a new nose and CA it on. Ive done it tons of times.

When I first started, I got a shockflyer extra. I of course broke it....alot. Each time I broke it, I would "reinforce" it with more foam or thicker foam. While it made it stronger, I ended up with a brick that flew like crap. It weighed so much that when it did hit, it would do more damage, and I kept "reinforcing" it. It was an endless cycle of absolute hell.

Well now I know that you DO NOT reinforce it. Keep it light. The lighter it is, the better it flys. If its light, it has less mass and kinetic energy, so when it does smack in, it barely does any damage.

Build it to fly, not to crash, and it will fly better, and crash less.

Freakazoid

My Feedback: (1)

Nice list of do's and donts on the shockflyer. Ill keep it in mind when I get to the stage where preformance matters more then durability.

For now, Ill just fly EPP and put up with crashes without a bottle of CA.

benintendi

Freakazoid,
I think what you might be looking for is the Zlin 3D ARF. While it is still foam, the wing design provides true lift vs the flat foam and eliminates the carbon spar issue. Check out this link [link=http://www.rcmodels.ca/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=29]Pacific Models[/link]. I'm currently looking for my 2nd 3d plane after flying the EFlite Ultimate for about year now. I love the ease of repair on the foam but am in the market for something where the guts are not hanging on the outside of the plane. I am currently down to either this plane or the Mini Funtana.[sm=rolleyes.gif]

I've not seen it fly nor have I seen any commentary on the plane so I can't comment on its flight characteristics. Let me know what you think.

[sm=rolleyes.gif]

MalaysianFlyer

The Zoom Zoom 4D is an AWESOME plane, and being EPP you can use normal thin CA and kicker to fix it. Most of us over here have gone to the ZoomBi 4D, as it hovers much better and more easily. In fact thats the most popular one here, with most of our regulars already on the second plane.

I recommend it highly because it behaves well, and also is easily field repairable, so for practising prop hang at low level, it is perfect.

For info, the setup we are using is as follows.

1. Himax outrunner 2812 1080kV
2. APC 10x3.8/11x3.8/10.47/11.47 (each of us has our own preference)
3. 1250mAh Li-poly 15C

Don't use a stick mount for the motor, and definitely do not use the stock mount supplied. Cut a ply circle for a radial mount and it is much less likely that you need to fiz the mount, as the nose will break cleanly and you just glue it back.

Also, we don't use the supplied reinforcement wires, carbon rods are substituted instead.

Hope that helps anyone who is considering this model

Freakazoid

My Feedback: (1)

Im just wondering, how do you guys manage to break EPP? Ive had some seriously sick impacts with my fast flying EPP planes, none of em ever cracked.

Ian.W

EEP will not break with impact. However, you can tear it easy

Freakazoid

My Feedback: (1)

benintendi: Looks perty nice, a hollow wing with profile, that thing ll love normal flight just like any other plane. But Hitting something with the wing will be perty much sertain death? If it gets cracked at some point on the leading edge, it might be hard to repair because of the curve and such. It sure does meet my wishes halfway though. Ill keep it in mind for when im confident enough with my 3D flying, and want something lighter then EPP.

Ian: Thats indeed true, Its more like a lump of cloth then actuall foam.

Ive had a topheavy (25oz) spacescooter do a full throttle spinning dive into dry dirt from atleast 25ft. The resulting bang was perty loud and scary, but when I picked it up, only the battery shifted a little, and the tailplain was slightly shifted. A little bit of pushing it back in the slots, and off it went again. Another story was with my picojet that got blown over on a low pass, and went stab first into the ground at atleast 50mph. Dustcloud visible from space, and some people laughing, but I picked it up, whiped off the sand, and off it went again. EPP can take some perty odd dings. I havent had one give up on me yet.

Watching a couple indoor depron planes crack up redicilously quick (wings snapping upon wheeled landing!), combined with experiencing how much crazy sh|t my EPP planes put up with, Is the reason why I think EPP is perty good. No doubt others may have different experiences with both EPP and depron.

Fly-n-3D

It all depends on what you really want.