When I opened the box and took this airplane out of the great packaging one word came to mind.

SWEET !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!


I hope to fly mine this weekend. This has to be the best built, best looking airplane I've ever owned.

Weight is going to be around 10.5 with nothing really done to make it light. I'm using nicads so this airplane could easily be 10-10 1/4 with some care. An AR80 mount from Hyde gives a 3/32 gap for the spinner so that works out fine, the firewall is already installed and drilled for a budd mount I believe. The nose has the nose ring already drilled but I don't know what ring they drilled it for so I used a Central nose ring and redrilled it. The nose has a carbon reinforcement and the firewall is carbon laminate. The wing hold down is also carbon. I used a 16 oz MK tank that fits nicely with some foam padding. A larger tank will fit easily. Only problem so far is finding a spinner that fits, it's 89mm or 3 5/8 which true turn doesn't make yet. I'm going to call them today to see if they'll make me one.

The hardware that comes with the kit is very little. Only the ail,elev,rudder horns and pull pull cables but whats there is nice. They do include a balsa push rod thats already made up but I'm not sure I want to use it. This is the last thing I have to install before final travel adjusts for flight. With the nicad at the rear of the wing saddle my balance point is at 170mm which is what the designer has for the proper location. This is with a YS1.60, hyde mount 821 muffler and the Hatori header. I used the raised Hatori header 822 but I think the 823 would be a better fit. Nothing wrong with the 822 but it puts the muffler a bit close to the belly pan.

The fit and alignment of this airplane is as good as I've ever seen. The wing to stab alignment was within 1/32", the stab is adjustable with a single screw in the bottom of the fuse. The wing fits the saddle perfectly. The stabs fit the fuse perfect with no gaps. The stab uses what appear to be around 3/8's carbon rods for the joiners, plenty stiff and light. The belly pan has the pins and the quick release already installed and works slick.

The finish is very good, Not perfect mind you there are a few minor places where you san see some very minor dimples. The canopy fits perfectly with ZERO trimming. The holes for the control horns on the rudder and elev are predrilled but the ailerons are not.

The hinges appear to be 100% of the span laid up in the mold. As you can see from Derek's pic's the servo tray is already installed and should be fine. The wing comes ready for the Futaba low profile aileron servo's and is already drilled. The servo lead tubes for the wing are in place. There is a crutch run the length of the fuse from the rear wing opening to the stab nice and stiff on the fuse sides. It would have been nice to use as a mount for the deps system but it's in the wrong place.

The plane comes with a complete set of covers for the fuse,wings and stab. The only thing I'm undecided on at this point is putting the servo's in the tail, using a single Y pushrod, trying my hand at the DEPS or running two carbon rods to a single servo in the stock location. Right now I'm leaning towards the two carbon rods and a single servo.

Is this a great looking airplane? Dang Skippy !!!!!!!!! Is it "perfect"?, no, to get perfect you'll have to spend a grand or more above this one, and that will only be a slightly (And I mean slighty) better finish, I'm talking the difference between a new car paint job and a Chip Foose painted car. I already have plans for a second one, I'm that pleased with it. There are only 4 "kits" in the country right now for testing. As soon as we've got ours flying and do the "Need to fix this or that" reports there will be an announcement on who what when and where to get them. So far there's nothing I see that needs to be fixed. Did I mention this thing is HUGE????

Stay tuned. Same Bat channel, Same Bat time.