ORIGINAL: NorfolkSouthern
I will add that the Cessna is the most forgiving of scale models, that's what I've been informed at least.
The main problem with scale models is the tendancy to drop a wing when the airspeed is insufficient, without any prior warning.
NorfolkSouthern
Hmm...
I maidened a 12-13lb 1.40 sized scale Cessna 182 for a friend last weekend.
I would HARDLY call it forgiving.
A trainer is forgiving....
There was a steady 14 MPH wind that day.
After triming the plane out after it's maiden flight I took it off again, and handed the controls to the plane's owner.
He made a turn away from the wind, one wing stalled an the plane rolled upside down nose down into a dive.
Fortunately I grabbed the TX back quickly enough to loop the plane and right it again.
Even though the guy had plenty of experience, he was quite shaken by the plane's characteristics.
Just as you said it dropped a wing HARD, when it lost effective airspeed, by facing away from the wind in the turn.
I'll bet that some people confuse the gentle characteristics of say a Parkzone foam Cessna with a scale plane... these are two completely different beasts.
As Campy said a scale Cessna "is NOT a beginner's plane".
A foamy may be a different matter altogether.