I like large planes (not huge, 80" +/-), big and use gas engines. I love profiles planes such as the Morris Knife. I'm wondering which plane to go with. The 1.20 Morris Knife is $250, but their 1.20 Balso Nova is only $140 at Quantum Models. I wonder if the Nova flies just as good except for knife edge. I've also heard a little about the OhioModels 80" profile Edge, but I have a hard time getting on their site (It seems like a bargain at $175).

I'm not looking for an arf.

I want to put a gas engine on it, maybe an RCS 140 or 180.

What do you think is the best quality, best 3Der out there?

Thanks for the help.

I have limited knowledge of two of the three planes you mentioned.
The Balsa Nova 120 is an awsome flying plane, and it does excell at knife edge. It is not a funfly, but a multi role plane. It does aerobatics and 3D to some extend. No engine heavier than 2 - 2.5 lbs should be strapped to the nose of that plane, and a "shaker" engine should not be used. The fuse is all balsa, and quite narrow, so it does not have much torque rigiditi built in. A YS120, or 120 two stroke glow, or maybe MVVS1.60 would be good engines. Lastly, you do get a lot of wood for the price of the kit.
The Aeroworks 80" Extra300 Profile is a real funfly. I biult one and had an OS BGX-1 on it. I only got two flights on it, when the Rx batt. came loose (RIP). Some people have talked about strapping a ZDZ40 on it, but an RCS1.4 or 1.8, or MVVS1.6 or 2.1 or a 3W24 would probably be better choices. Mine came in at 14 lbs, where 4 lbs was engine. A couple of modifications need done when building the plane,
I like the Great Knife as well, but the kit is a bit pricey. It looks great and should be a good flyer.
I have plans to build a 100" funfly for my BGX-1 and Mac's pipe. I will use the Jerry's Spoiler airfoil (130% size), cut the wing in foam, lighten, sheet with 1/16" balsa and lighten again. The fuse will be from the Aeroworks Extra300 Profile plans, just lengthened a bit, and with more volume (width). I am hoping to keep the plane to 15 lbs or less, and it'll have 2,000+ sqinch wing area.
DKjens

Thanks DKjens. The Aeroworks Extra looks like it would be an excellent flyer. I also like the fact that it's from a company that has a good name. Yet I am very intrigued by the Ohio Models Edge. I haven't owned an Edge (funfly or otherwise) and would like to give it a try.

I think Ohio Models used to be Ohio RC. If so, they seemed to be pretty good except that they went under, changed their name, or whatever.

I looked up the BGX-1. It is rated at 46 ounces without muffler and 4.1 hp. You said yours was 4 lbs. The muffler must weigh in pretty strong or maybe OS is a little prejudice with their weight. Whatever the case, the RCS 180 seems close - 3.25lbs (including ignition) so plus muffler and ignition batter it's probably a little over 4lbs with 4.0 hp. Did you have more than enough of power with the lighter BGX and slighter higher hp?

Thanks for the insight DKjens.

aftcg,
I really didn't get to feel the BGX1 and the plane out. On the first flight it was really tail heavy, a large Rx battery in the tail to tail heavy. It was pitching around the sky, I was shaking like a newby, and was extremely happy to get it back on the ground. I moved the battery to the wing, and on the second flight it flew great. Loops and rolls, knife edge, uprigh flat spin, inverted flat spin, what the heck, I dont have it, nose dive in from 200' at 1/3 throttle, ouch, moosch, but engine OK. The engine seems to run quite well, other people have written about it in this forum, mostly good things. I have it now with a big Mac's pipe and header, swinging a PowerPoint20x8 at 8k, about 1k short from the response I get on RCU. I need to lower compression before doing more test runs.
I like the large Edge as well, and you can't beat the price.
I just picked up a 60cc OPS, do you know of any good 30% SU31 available, or 30% Katana S Woo Hoo.
DKjens

All my notes on building, powering and flying the big AEROWORKS profile are at http://www.devino.org/mark/airplanepics/aeroworks.htm . I know this is not the kit you asked about, but these are superb big profile planes. On the AW site, look close at the pics of this plane. Their product photo plane is sporting a BME 44.

http://www.devino.org/mark/airplanepics/aeroworks.htm

That's a neat site you have.
Nice plane as well. Pretty wild, it will actually take a BME 44 (AW site).
How many hours does it take to put together? This would be my first big kit. Does it take significantly more time than a .40 size?
Thanks again for your insight.

The kit is basically a box of wood and a few laser cut ribs. The directions have no illustrations so you end up thinking through alot of the steps. The plans are pretty good. It will take you longer than say a laser cut .40 size plane. They do not frame in your lap and there is alot more to cover.

My friend and I built these as a joint project. We absolutely RACED through these kits even though they were kind of a bite. He framed one over about four days and I covered in four. Then we did the second one. The kits arrived in February and we had them up & flying in March.

I would guess framing at 20 hours and covering about the same. Add four or five more to mount stuff and get it rigged.

-Cheech