t-max97

My Feedback: (9)

Does anyone have experience with the funstar 3d? If so how does it fly? http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXEDP0&P=0

the gipper

I've been flyin' one for almost a year, and I love it. I powered mine with a magnum .52 4-stroke and it really performs well. The plane is very light, and has a very light wing loading. Mine flies at about 4.5 lbs. and has a wing loading around 12 oz. per sq. ft. which makes it a real floater.

phase5

My Feedback: (2)

I have one with a OS FX46 on it, it is fun to fly will & cut up, for the money I think it is a great plane. Only down side to me is Oravover but for the price I can deal with it.

t-max97

My Feedback: (9)

How well does it 3d?

raydar

I have one of these I picked up super cheap, good fun fly plane, crap 3d plane.

It has the worse knife edge coupling of anything I own and does not have good rudder authority for hovering.

Get a omp 47 edge and stick a 53 to 55 size two stroke in it.

t-max97

My Feedback: (9)

Thanks for the suggestion but If I was going to get a profile I would probably just get a mojo and build it.

ameyam

Tmax,

I have been noting your progress regarding your search for a small 3D airplane. If I am not mistaken, you considered the UCD earlier. If you really want a good 3d beginner full fuse airplane, start with the UCD and then move on quickly to a good proper 3D capable airplane- an Edge, Extra, Yak or whatever. The UCD / Funstar fly like baloons and are not "precise" fliers

If you want to start with a cheap sharp flier, the airplanes to consider are the Reactor 46, Reactor Bipe, Phoenix Extra 60 etc in glow and the Goldwing Sbach / Extra 20cc, Phoenix Edge 540 120 or similar. Note the handling here will be a lot less forgiving then the floaters but you will not develop any bad 3D habits

Ameyam

zacharyR

My Feedback: (5)

you get what you pay forl also .. just saying

wyo69cowboy

My Feedback: (2)

tmax, if you want a good looking, good flying ARF, I would look to 3DHS or Extreme Flight. Any of the 48-60" planes from them fly awesome. I've even seen a couple of glow conversions of the 60" planes, if you prefer glow over electric.

If you want a GREAT flying, inexpensive, tough profile: [link=http://www.valuehobby.com/airplanes/profile/sabre-47-profile-3d-plane-arf-almost-ready-to-fly.html]Sabre 47[/link]. I just put one together, after having the VH Yak55(no longer available), powered by a Saito .82. Great flyer, very tuff: I deadsticked it twice out of a hover, directly on it's nose, from about 10'. Once out of fuel, second time likely from a jumpy throttle servo I've since replaced. Both times, I thought there would be all kinds of broken parts, but nothing more than a prop each time! Otherwise, you hit the nail on the head: Mojo, baby!

I agree with Zach though: you get what you pay for. Other than the Value Hobby profiles, I prefer a "good" plane from one of the big 3D manufacturers, like EF, 3DHS, PA...they just don't seem to have any of the bad habits imitation stuff has

t-max97

My Feedback: (9)

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, I'm not necessarily looking for something full out 3d but mostly just something very aerobatic/3d with a light wing loading, I had pretty much decided on the Aeroworks edge 540t .46-.90 but then I read some reviews about it tip stalling bad and that's exactly what I don't want. so I'm looking for something else now, I'm not in a big hurry just looking around.If I can't decide on something I may just wait a while and then get something in the 20-30cc range later, I really want a gasser anyway, I'm kind of impatient though lol.

zacharyR

My Feedback: (5)

then buy the EF 60" Edge 540 ...

it doesn't tip stall

t-max97

My Feedback: (9)

But I don't want a flashlight lol.

maukaonyx

Gee I don't mind the Funstar. Mine is equipped with an OS 52 Four Stroke and AUW was 4 pounds when new, a few years ago. Flies great. I can hover it decently. I am not a 3Der though, but I try with it. Does sport pattern pretty well in a tight window. Great fun fly plane, my go to one. Also loads of fun in high winds to fly with no ground speed, float, land on a dime, loop in a few wingspans. I kinda love mine. Here is a pic, aka the SNAFU with the same letters that came in the ARF. Jon

nh4clo4

My Feedback: (33)

I had one with a Saito 56. The knife edge coupling was bad, And the covering was so transparant, it was hard to see which way was up.

zacharyR

My Feedback: (5)

okay then 50cc time if you dont want a flish light


88" EF edge 540

[:-]

Jim Branaum

My Feedback: (3)

Ah, the dreaded tip stalling airframe. What the term 'tip stalling' really means is that the ailerons stall the wing tip while there is still enough lift for the airframe to fly.

In other words, tip stalling is a controllability issue you need to practice for by doing slow flight level figure 8's at altitude (3 mistakes high) to learn how to identify its onset and avoid it.

However some tip stalling can be made less of an issue with one or two inch triangle stock at the roots such that the point is on the high side of the wing causing it to stall at the root first and or a little more nose weight. This also effectively raises the approach speed but can be helped by using the rudder to level out the wings on approach instead of ailerons. Part of the problem is the 'down' aileron almost always has lots and lots of drag that you really cannot afford at low speed. In fact if you practice some high altitude slow flight you might notice that when it snaps over in a turn the direction is almost always towards the 'drooped' aileron.

YMMV

zacharyR

My Feedback: (5)

you want something cheap and tuff ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=3W4uyl-_1jE#!


its a flash light though

go to twisted hobbys web page for more

hsukaria

You did not mention what engine you plan to use. If you are limited to a 46 2-stroke, then go with a profile, as suggested.

I have flown a U-Can-Do 46, a Seagull Harrier 46, a Model Tech Magic 36, and a Kangke GeeBee profile (2 stroke). I suspect that the Magic is the closest to the Funstar. The Magic could not do knife-edge, the fuse was short, so hovering was difficult, and it did not track very well. But is was a lot of fun. I have only the U-Can-Do 46 left, and I plan to keep it as my main 3D plane. I also have a Phoenix Extra 330S, which is a very good pattern/3D plane if you can use a larger engine like a 60-90, but it is not as forgiving as the U-Can-Do 46.

zacharyR

My Feedback: (5)

all this typing dude and you could of been flying and already showing these FOG's that post on this sight up !!

get a foamy some glue and a gaser ..

and get er done !

hsukaria

no flying for me, lots of rain, extreme wind, and cold lately. So, indoors for me and my planes.[&o]

t-max97

My Feedback: (9)

I was looking at the phoenix 330s also, how does it fly and does it have a light wing loading? Thanks

t-max97

My Feedback: (9)

I don't already have an engine I would use, but I would get one with whatever plane I decided to get, the biggest plane Iv'e been looking at though is the pheonix extra 330s.



I don't understand this post at all [:-] lol

hsukaria

The Phoenix Extra 330S is one of the best planes I have ever flown!!! It is an incredible value also. It comes very complete, quite large and well built, with good hardware. It is also very light wing loading, assuming you don't put a 20cc gasser in it. I put a Fox 74 and it hauls, but not a 3D plane. It tracks perfectly, fast, turns tight.

The only negatives I experienced with the Phoenix Extra is the pilot figure is the wrong size (46-size) and looks like a French pimp or something. I might remove it someday. Another negative is the removable hatch rattles on mine, so I stuffed some foam under it to prevent the rattle. The fuse is so vast internally, that I had all kinds of space for locating the battery for CG balancing. Since the Fox 74 is fairly light, I had to put the battery right behing the fuel tank. It could go even further forward under the tank or behind the engine if needed.

Heck, the OS 55 AX would be enough power for the Phoenix Extra if you don't plan on doing wild 3D. It will still haul...Low weight, low drag.

If you want 3D, put a 90 in it with a big prop. A cheap ASP 90, or better yet, an SK 90 will be great. The SK 90 is reputed to spin very large props. My ASP 90 spins a 14x8 easily. The SK 90 will spin even bigger. Or you could go with a 4-stroke...

t-max97

My Feedback: (9)

haha that's pretty funny, this plane keeps looking better and better, might be a winner! Thanks for the info. Oh, what servo's do you have on yours?

hsukaria

Since the plane weighs a mere 7.5 lbs (same as the U-Can-Do 46), I put standard ball-bearing servos:
Hitec HS425 for each elevator
Hitec HS-475 for ailerons and rudder.

One note, this plane is not for beginners. The U-Can-Do is a lot easier to fly than the Phoenix Extra IMO. The Extra will tip stall. On landing approach, I have to make sure that I make my final turn wide and at good speed. The problem with that is that the plane will glide quite a long time before touchdown. Sometimes I over-run the landing area. So make sure you have a good sized field to fly.