Are the ESM products any good ?

Troybuilt Models is offering Pre-Order on 7 new ESM models.


[link=http://www.troybuiltmodels.com/items/ESMWILGA.html]ESM WILGA 89" Wingspan [/link]

[link=http://www.troybuiltmodels.com/items/ESMTIGERMOTH.html]ESM Tigermoth 88" [/link]

[link=http://www.troybuiltmodels.com/items/ESMSTINSON108.html]ESM STINSON 108 91" [/link]

[link=http://www.troybuiltmodels.com/items/ESMPA-25.html]ESM Piper PA-25 97" [/link]

[link=http://http://www.troybuiltmodels.com/items/ESMSR-9.html]ESM Stinson Reliant SR-9 100" [/link]

[link=http://www.troybuiltmodels.com/items/ESMCESSNA195.html]ESM CESSNA 195 107" [/link]

[link=http://www.troybuiltmodels.com/items/ESMBENDIXSPECIAL.html]ESM Bendix Special 57" [/link]

I have had 2 of there warbirds. While they have a little more that needs to be finished than say a Top Flite arf they are great flying planes! If you have put together other arfs with no problem they will be fine for you. Just the instructions are not the most detailed!!

To begin with I am stating I am a flyer and we are also ESM authorized dealers.
That out of the way the ESM line is a beautiful highly detailed line of planes. The optional retracts are a true piece of art and come with oleo struts that aree scale and aluminum hub rubber tires.They are one of the best values for your money in todays market.The packaging is the best I have seen and from a dealer point of view this means no transit claims. Not only do we sell this line but, we assemble them for customers who are short on time. As most will point out the instruction manuals are not as good as Toplflite or Great planes. For a builder who at least has buiwww.arfpromodelplanes.com/index.phplt an ARF or two they are a piece of cake.

Hello Virginia model airplane builders

Will you be stocking the same 7 new ESM Models? If so when are you expecting delivery?

Are KMP and ESM the same Models?

The quality of the ESM ARFs are good but no where near excellent. The overall scale appearence would be considered stand-off scale. The quality of the retracts they sell are poor. The wheel assemblies are sturdy but weight too much. I speak from the owners perspective not a retailer. I presently have an ESM Hawker Hurricane that is finished but not flown. I installed Sierra retracts and a scale cockpit with pilot. The plane weights about seventeen pounds and should fly well based upon the wing area. My previous and first ESM was a FW190 which weighted about the same as the Hurricane. The plane flew well but I lost it do to radio failure. These planes are not sport flying machines and should be avoided unless you have previous experience flying airframes with high wing loadings. The planes you seem to be interested in are more civilian scale but again if the wing loadings are too high they will bite you. Last but not least don't leave the airframe out in the sunshine for a long period of time. The fiberglass will start to soften and the fuselage may buckle.

WE WILL BE CARRYING THE PLANES YOU REFERENCED AND THEY SHOULD ARRIVE BY LATE AUGUST ORSEPT

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flycatch,

You mentioned that they may buckle in the sun after awhile. Is the fiberglass really that flimsy? I was kind of interested in a couple of those new civilian a/c. I would hate to see what the temp's here in the Tucson area would do to one if this is the case. Most of us at the field at least cover our windows and such while in the pits but, I've had it get hot enough to still warp them.

I have no reasopn to make up stories. I fly from a dry lake bed outside of Yermo, Ca. The surface temperature can reach over 120 degress F during the late morning hours. My FW190 felt like it was on fire to the touch after one hour in the sun. The aft portion of the fuselage felt soft to the touch. You have to remember once the wing is attached its interior becomes like an oven. The Hurricane I have now will act the same way if left out in direct sunlight. If you want an ARF well built and flies well go research BH Models sold by Hobby People. I have their large scale AT-6 and it flies like a trainer at twelve pounds. Wing loading is the key for success when flying any type of scale model. Don't pick a model because it looks pretty. Research the airfoils and moment lengths. Another model source is those sold by Great Planes or Aeroworks. ESM models look great but remember looks are deceiving. There models, ESM, are not weekend flyers because they are demanding to fly in a realisitic manner. I personnaly would stay away from there line of products.

No matter what the construction be it wood or fiberglass, once a plane has its wing bolted on it is like a sealed oven.If left to bake unprotected in the sun the fuse becomes an oven.Hot enough to cook your receiver .

Point well taken.

I pre-ordered the Pa-25 Pawnee yesterday.

I was told that the Pawnee will be a build up wood and solartex fuselage with fiberglass accessory .

TBM gave me an arrival date of 8 to 10 weeks .

Wish I could have gotten the tiger moth also. Maybe down the road.

The ESM planes are better than they use to be. They still need some work. MANY people have problems in building them and with there retracts. Building these planes take PAINS TAKING WEEKS!! These are NOT the ARF you get from others!! It takes time, patience, and knowledge! Don't except them to go together in a week. You will need to add fiberglass in some areas and/or build it up. I would say on the first production run to PASS..... Wait for the second or third even!! These to me are Advanced Builders ARF. Instructions are VERY poor!! So no Help there. I have had many of these models and ALL are the same!!!

I have built two and there retracts are junk. BH Models supplied retracts are also junk. ESM ARFs take no more time in assembly than other ARFs. I have built kits and ARFS from a variety of manufactures. I won't methion the best and worst but there out there. ESM has a nice looking ARF but they weight to much for the wing area provided. That's the reason I choose the Hurricane as my second ESM war bird. It has suffient wing area to support the overall weight of the airframe. These, ESM product line, are not advanced ARFs to assembly. I again would advise to stay away from them unless you have piloting skills to match their aerodynamics.

the esm beaver is a piece of junk. you would not believe what i had to go through to get were am at with plane. push rod tubes had to be replaced and push rods were the size you wood put in your park flyer. the wings tube they give you is to short eight inches. and they whont you to use rubber bands to hold the wings together to keep them from sliding off. it takes three pounds of lead in the nose with a dle-30 to balance the plane. the plane is poorly deisighned.if any body can build this plane by the instructions GOOD LUCK TO YOU?

the esm beaver is a piece of junk. you would not believe what i had to go through to get were am at with plane. push rod tubes had to be replaced and push rods were the size you wood put in your park flyer. the wings tube they give you is to short eight inches. and they whont you to use rubber bands to hold the wings together to keep them from sliding off. it takes three pounds of lead in the nose with a dle-30 to balance the plane. the plane is poorly deisighned.if any body can build this plane by the instructions GOOD LUCK TO YOU?

I really hate to get involved in these types of threads and while I agree they could be lightened up a bit, I think they are a nice arf. My fw-190 was a bit sloppy( the inside was a mess), but the overall finish was quite nice. My BF-110 is even a step above that. Very well put together, fit and finish was perfect. As for retracts, I've got two sets with out a single problem. When you receive them, take them apart and loccktite every single screw, chuck the valve and airlines and replace with something higher quality. Both sets of mine hold air for days and operate flawlessly.

I have the ESM Skyraider and am very happy with it. The fit and finish were very good. Granted the instruction we're the best but if you are putting one of these planes together you should have some experience and it shouldn't be an issue.
As for this quote "I again would advise to stay away from them unless you have piloting skills to match their aerodynamics. " That basically applies to any of the warbirds out there, no matter who the manufacturer is.
As far as the Beaver is concerned, I've built 3 different Beavers, none of them ESM, and they all need a lot of nose weight added. If you want the scale looks, which means a stubby nose, you're going to need to add quite a bit of weight up front regardless of if it's made by ESM or someone else.