OK! I'm pulling the stuff out of my 60 size trainer. And I'm thinking seriously about a GP Shoestring.
Anybody got ant pros or cons on this ARF? Read an article on them in AMA, sounded pretty positive!!

RCDAVE

They fly very well, but I hope that you are far enough along in your training to deal with neutral stability. This means that they are not self stabilizing, and that once they are put into a turn, they will tend to stay in that turn. This is no high wing trainer. Make sure that you put the CG where indicated in the instructions. Don't use anything bigger then a .60 in it for your situation, and stay on your toes. They are fast, smooth and delightful to fly.

Jim

Mine has the OS61fx w/bisson pitts muffler. I takeoff with 1/4 throttle and fly it at 1/2 throttle. It moves!!! It is very light for the size. On high rate ailerons, it will roll so fast you cannot count the rolls. Loops are huge. I highly recommend it to good flyers...very stable but it could get away from you if you are not careful. I would estimate my speed as 75 mph at half throttle and over 100 mph at full tilt. Landing speed is brisk but manageable if you have enough runway. My engine is new and I don't have the idle as slow as it will go...and I have only flown it in zero wind or 90 degree crosswind conditions so it will slow down some more under a more favorable wind.

As far as quality goes...I don't think you will find a better built ARF. Monokote and paint on mine is perfect! The decals are thin so make sure you cover the red side stripe with some Cub Yellow where the number 16 goes or you will see the stripe through the decal. I count that as it's one flaw. Also, use a Goldberg spinner instead of the GP spinner that comes with it...the Goldberg spinner matches the paint on the cowl and the GP spinner doesn't. I guess that's two flaws.

If you want people to watch you fly, this is the ship...It's sooo cool taxiing out with it's fat fuse and stubby wings. And when it zips by at 100 mph there is no better sight.

You will love it. Believe it or not I am considering buying another one in case something happens to this one. This is the first plane I've thought of buying a spare for. Usually I just move on but I will miss this one when the inevitable happens.

Yak

I say go for one!! I liked it so much I chose it as my user name!!!

Get it if you can handle it.........but warning you'll fall in love!

I just received my shoestring last week and I am getting ready to install the motor. I will be putting an Enya 60 in it along with a pitts muffler. It is one of the best arfs I have seen as far as quality and easy to put together. Have not seen one fly but from what I have heard I think I will be happy with it.
Good luck
Doug

Anyone with the shoestring mount a larger 4 stroke like the ys 91 sideways or inverted looks like it would fit better inverted??? Have not the plane up yet so it is kind of harf to tell how wide cowl is any opinions welcomed

I have a Saito 100 mounted inverted and fits great, use a on board glow and that too works great. Great ARF and flies FAST and TURNS LEFT FAST!!!!!!!!!
RORO

OS 91 FX fits fine sideways with a pitts muffler and really hauls the mail with a 13x8 apc. I doubt you could get a 4 stroke to wind up as much or if you would even want to for that matter- Vertical? well You can fly it straight up till you cant see it- believe me- scary, wont do that again

Ok my mind is made up then i will mount my ys inverted it doesnt need on board glow to run well at idle but i was also wondering how this plane lands since it is such a speedster ???

Mine actualLY lands slower than I thought it would OR should, I should have said in earlier thread, FLIES FAST, TURN LEFT, LANDS SLOWWWWWW.
You will love the plane. Really do not need on board glow, but would recommend REMOTE GLOW so you are not reaching underneath to PUT ON/REMOVE IGNITOR

Check out the latest AMA Magazine. Model Aviation for May 2002. There is a review of one with a ys91.

My Shoestring went together pretty easily, although I would get a roll or trim sheet of cub yellow to go under the numbers and maybe around the canopy, because the back part of the canopy & the tape that they ask you to buy is a diffent shade of yellow than the fuselage. Also get some longer 2-56 bolts for the aileron horns ( or different horns ). I have a Magnum 61 with a Pitts in mine, but haven't had it in the air just yet.

I have a shoestring, and I will warn you that her belly is very VERY delicate. I've totally replaced the balsa spars underneath with basswood.. It is a really beautiful plane, and is a showstopper. She won't do all the tricks in the book, but really a fun fly. I put a .91 Saito in the nose, and it has unlimited vertical. I love the plane, but have to say that it's definatly not the plane for people that have a rough landing once in a while. The shoestring is not very forgiving. BTW Even with flaps I was suprised by the speed on landings. Much quicker than my SE and Decathalon.

Even with flaps I was suprised by the speed on landings. Much quicker than my SE and Decathalon. [/B][/QUOTE]

Ya know, I hope that quotes like this don't surprise too many people, we are dealing with a RACER here. The SHOESTRING is one of the few planes that you can expect to come out nose heavy. Stick a big .91 fourstroker in it, and it's going to be even more nose heavy. All of this means, that you are going to need to add more weight to the tail to make it balance !

Result - You made the little plane overly heavy, and it's going to result in SURPRISE, higher landing speeds. Put a lightweight 2 stroke .60 engine in. It will require no extra tail weight to balance, and it will land as slow as a butterfly with sore feet.

Jim,
If you read in the instructions, it will tell you that this plane will land quicker than most planes. And I know why now! With the popularity of the fun fly plane becomming mainstream, people are getting used to these huge wings with nice stall characteristics, and just floating these planes down at your feet. That is not the case with the Shoestring! I agree, it is a racer and you must treat it as such. I'm just warning people that you need a tad bit more skill to land this plane than most. In the air, it's a perfect fly, acts like it's on rails. She doesnt like the wind too much I'm afraid at slow speeds.

My shoestring floats easily, and lands easily, faster than a trainer of course but I was amazed at how slow it would fly. And I have flown mine in 12-15 mph cross winds and have no problem with landing it. You have to land it like a pattern airplane long and low, it doesnt slow down all that fast

Did someone put flaps on their Shoestring?

- Smallfly

" Mine actualLY lands slower than I thought it would OR should, I should have said in earlier thread, FLIES FAST, TURN LEFT, LANDS SLOWWWWWW. " Quote - RoRo


Thank you for your support Smallfly, and RoRo. I tried to indicate, that people are probably loading the little plane up too heavy, and increasing the wing loading too high, but they just don't seem to understand ? Ah jest luvs der way mine lands too.

( I think that I'll buy a spare ...... I luv dat plane ! )

Here is my SHOE.
Notice Saito 100 inverted, and yes I should have used yellow under the 16 in back. Would have been a nice touch. As far as flaps, I do land occasionly with flaperons, I think that does help to slow it down some.

I've been flying my Shoestring since August and its been a blast. It was the first plane i made the maiden flight on( I've been flying since Oct 2000) and it took off like a dream. I fly ot with the OS61 and at half throttle it's fast enough for me. It lands better then the Four Star 60 I had. Someday I may have build one 1/3 scale. Right now I'm Building the Dare Shoestring, its electric with a speed 400 hundred, hope it flies as well.

Love mine! I put a .91 saito twin in mine, used a plywood mount of my own making, and put the battery behind the servo tray and it worked out perfect! Love the sound of that 4 stroke twin when doing a low pass. It is a beautiful plane

Hi Shoestring lovers. Flew it again today and received many more compliments. Everybody loves this airplane! I finally have my idle slowed down and it does land slower and easier now. The thing does take a lot of time to slow down though because it is so aerodynamically clean. I also did some stalls at high altitude and they were cub like. Just mushing and then a slight drop of the nose and she was flying again. No tendency to drop a wing like one might think of a racer. If you have not bought a Shoestring yet you are missing out on a lot of fun...

Yak

Ok I'm at the stage of installing the control rods for the rudder and the elavators. No big deal but they don't slide easily in the guide tubes. I'm worried about binding. Anyone have any thoughts . That being said this is a great ARF.

They better slide easy in the guide tubes. I had no problem with mine. You may want to replace them with something better.

Jim