RE: Set Ups for 3D Buddies
Flown my Buddy CAP 232 a few times now. I to was disappointed with the weight, but considering these are basically the same planes as the Extreme Flight YAK 55SP-E, I wasn't surprised because that plane is advertised as being 14-16oz RTF.
The tail definitely needs some CF stiffening. If you grab the plane by the wing and shake it sideways, you can see the fuse flapping like a piece of rubber. The CAP has a lower wing placement than the other Buddys which makes mounting the battery under the wing almost impossible. I found that with a 1000mah Lipo (2.7oz) , it balanced at 3.5 inches with the battery stuck right behind the motor.
The manual calls for the CG range of 3.5 to 4 inches, but I can't imagine flying with the CG back any further than 3.5 inches. It feels quite twitchy there and has a sharp stall break (a surprise on my first landing). I think a 3 inch CG would tame it down a bit and make it fly better in some ways. I'd need a heavier battery to do that however, but I'm not about to do that since my AUW is already a hair over 15oz.
I got the combo power system - cheezy looking motor, but I must admit, it has plenty of power with the included 10x4.7 prop. You wouldn't want to fly it at full throttle for more than a few seconds cause it feels like it has about 2:1 thrust/weight.