Hi, for anyone who's built this ARF, I have a few comments, and questions.

First, I've built many models, ARF's, kits, and from scratch. And this is without a doubt the worst model I have EVER come across. I'm less than half done, and I'm ready to send it back to Great Planes.

Here is what has happened.

1. The covering is SO wrinkled even with heat it doesn't tighten up, and in the spots that it does, within 5 minutes is wrinkled again.

2. On the stab fairing, where you cut out the top piece that bolts down, the covering literally fell off, and pulls away from the fuse. Worse yet, it will not stick back down. this is the case on the wing where I cut out the servo bays as well, I had to wipe some CA under the covering to keep it down.

3. This is the one that REALLY p*ssed me off. I was mounting the engine, tightening the mount bolts (not a death grip, just as tight as you'd normally go) and the firewall came out of the airplane (I took a pic of this and will post it tomorrow) and there was NO glue on anything but the triangle reinforcement stock. This would have come out with running the engine for sure.

Those are the main problems I've run across, other things I don't like are....

Use 90oz good servos, but they screw into 1/8" lite ply! When the firewall fell out, I noticed it too is 1/8" lite ply with a small 1/8" lite ply doubler.

When I glued the firewall back in, I made sure it went back EXACTLY where it was, I mean, it fit like a glove, and I clamped it in good and tight. I finally get the engine mounted, and it has 7 degrees LEFT thrust and 6 degrees of UP thrust. With shims I got it close to where I think it should be (about 3 degrees right and 2 degrees down) but regardless, whether it's shimmed to where I have it, or left to sit straight with the firewall, the cowling will not even come close to lining up.

This might be nitpicking now but, I was putting a Supertiger 90 on it, 14x6 is the standard prop for this engine, the supplied spinner won't accept the hub for a 14x6. APC, zinger wood, top flite wood, master airscrew, none will fit between the spinner bolt flanges.


So, my question is, does this airplane fly well enough to warrant bothering anymore? Or should I just pack it up and send it back, I'm so sick of looking at it right now I want nothing to do with it.

What has your experiences been?