I kinda figured that I would have to go over it pretty good as I have done with other ARFs that I have built. But if I'm getting a plane that flies 90% as good at half the price, it might be worth a shot.

[Flame Suit] [Soap Box]
Sometimes I think that some of the big box manufactures charge what they do because they can. I realize that what you get with the big box manufacturers sometimes is better doc, hardware and maybe a better covering but the huge differences in prices make me wonder sometimes.

As an example, I play guitar and it is hard for me to fathom that someone could charge $3000-$5000 for an amplifer when all of them are pretty much made from the same "stuff". There's a guy in China selling kits to some of the classic and much sought after amplifiers for $300-$600. You get all of the parts to make the amp yourself. All of these high dollar amps have the same kind of components in them. I guess you are paying for the design time put into these amps. And even that argument doesn't hold water as most of the great amps of today are ripp offs of amps created by two manufacutures in the 60s and 70s. Almost every amp is based on these "old school" amplifiers.

Most of the large scale market are scale versions of the real thing - copies if you will.

I've also started to explore other engine options as well. I have an OS 46AX that runs strong and flawlessly but I also have a SuperTigre G-51 that I got at half the price that is equally impressive to me. My next purchase may be a Thunder Tiger or one of those Sig Aviastar .46 that people are raving about in the glow engine forums. Strong as mule piss and $49.

Regarding the 4-star or Tiger knock offs. Here is a nice example of a monokote covered Tiger 2 ARF copy at close to 40% off of what Carl Goldberg wants for their ARF. This model is made in China like the CG version.
[/Flame Suit] [/Soap Box]

Having said all of that.... The ARFs (Tiger 2 & Avistar) that I have purchased thus far have been from the Big Box'ers. But the economy has forced me to think of looking elsewhere especially when I can get close to the same thing for less than half the money. The big box guys will be forced to change or go out of business especially if this economy lingers for more than a couple of years.

These Chinese knock offs may be what I'm looking for but if I have to rip the covering off because it is junk or because the airframe will fall apart on the mainden flight, it isn't worth it. But short of that and having to do normal (or maybe a bit more than normal) ARF once over and building, I may be up for trying one. If I do, I'll do a thread on it with some high res pics.