ORIGINAL: GSK
Robart are coming out with a retract system to replace the stock unit ,
It will be available In a few weeks
In my opinion Horizon should help compensate us for the ones they supply In the kit , It is not suitable for use as intended .
I would have willingly paid more for the kit which would have been cheaper in the long run .
I could have done without the grief and expense the stock ones have caused me .
GSK,
While I agree completely with your comments about the gear, these arguments have been applied to virtually every H9 warbird build thread I've ever read.
The stock retracts and wire struts on my H9 "Marie" were so weak and wobbly I couldn't believe anyone at H9 had EVER watched that warbird taxi, and STILL shipped product with them. Total junk. Buy the ARF, toss the stock retracts in the scrap bin and move on.
That being said, considering H9's obvious minimum investment in Marie's stock gear, and their relative value to, say, a pair of Robart 609HDs ($30 at LHS) with which I replaced them even before my Marie's maiden, I wouldn't expect a big change in the price of the ARF were they to begin leaving them out! Heck, I see a $30 difference in price in the same H9 ARF just between our two LHS!
Leaving them out for credit is less of an issue to me than my desire to see them set the gear rails up at the factory to be ready for an aftermarket gear upgrade from someone like Robart. I've spent HOURS adapting my Marie's gear rails and wheel bays to accomodate Robart 551RS pneumatic retracts and offset Robostruts.
As H9 stock retracts go, Frankie's gear IS better. But, having already easily bent the retract flanges on Frankie's gear, I definitely plan on replacing the stock gear with something both more scale (offsets!), and substantial. But first, I want to finish upgrading my Marie's worn-out 609's with the Robart pneumatics before doing it all over again with Frankie!
Besides, I want to see the (drop in?) Robart replacements being released for this plane before I decide which Robarts (or Sierra's) to buy.
The above complaints being said, I own two H9 warbird ARFs, they fly terrific, and will undoubtedly own one or two more......ESPECIALLY if they ever come out with an 80", 1.50 size Corsair (but don't even TRY to provide stock, rotating retracts, please)!
Rip