Is it just me or does anybody else think VMAR ARF's are pure garbage? I've built and flown a lot of ARF's by different manufacturers and none of them are perfect, but my VMAR CAP 232 is by far the worst. Its built out of some kind of low grade Chinese plywood and weighs a ton. The film covering is low temperature Vietnamese crap that fades out quickly, won't take heat without burning and Windex strips the color pigment out of the covering. The stuff also curls up on the edges over time and can't be ironed out. I threw out most of the hardware, the fiberglass cowl weighs about 4 pounds and the wheelpants are worthless. Whoever dreamed up the power module system should be taken out back and shot. The power module is the answer to the question that was never asked. It is heavy, unecessary and just plain dumb.There are now two firewalls and an extra set of engine mounting screws to vibrate loose. I don't get it. I just hope they have a patent on it so nobody else ever uses it! Mine came out incredibly overweight and tail heavy. This is a 60 size model and I still couldn't get it to balance with a Saito 91 up front. At 8 and 1/2 pounds without fuel the Saito will barely pull this heap through the air. It snaps out of turns even on low rates and tip stalls if you even think about slowing down. The worst part was the pre-installed hinges, that Vmar proudly proclaims in their advertising. They were so tight and bound up that my servos would stall just trying to move them. I had to cut the hinges out and replace them. If this airpane had cost $129 I wouldn't be so pissed off, but I shelled out $199 plus shipping to Richmond R/C for this flying boat anchor. My advice.... stay away from VMAR and save your money.

VMAR=JUNK, had one and it looked cool,but after a hard landing with dead stick Tower hobbies engine,it snapped in half!!

They are not the best ARTF's out there. I have the T34 - is heavy beast but does fly quite well. The covering is a joke and really does not stand up to everyday use. In cold weather you can easily shatter open panels. I understand that the are now using some balsa in them for the first time.

Well at least yours flys well Zippo. I've parked mine and am seriously contemplating removing the radio gear end engine and putting them in something I can enjoy flying! Seriously, you found some balsa in your T-34?? What a concept! I had a wing bay open on my Cap for repairs and it looks like the wing ribs are 1/32" plywood. This wing must weigh at least 3 lbs. As for the covering, I have been noticing lately that a lot of the lower echelon ARF's being impoted from the far east are cutting costs with low grade covering film. A friend recently bought the Creek Hobbies Sukhoi and it is light and decently built but the covering is low quality crap. Remember you always get what you pay for. Caveat Emptor!

Johnybravo[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]

I will pipe in and roger that! I have built 3 of them, and found that they were all of extremely poor quality. Materials, hardware and instructions were all substandard in my opinion. I have built many kits and ARF's, and so I have had enough experience to agree with others in this thread. I would recommend to readers that they stay away from these products.....why?
NONE OF MINE EVER LASTED MORE THAN ONE FLIGHT!! They all suffered major damage on the first landing on an ashphalt runway, with a very gentle landing!
My assessment...they may look real nice, but they are JUNK!![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img][b]
-Paul

Paul,
I have to ask cause sure everyone of the folks reading this thread will ask the same thing..........why didn't you stop after the first one? We had a guy show up and made a couple successful flights on his but not sure how long it has lasted or if it has.
Duke

I think folks get suckered in by their slick advertising and relatively low prices. I know thats what got me, fortunately I didn't repeat my mistake. Fool me once,shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Duke:
I was able to convince V-Mar (and they were able to convince me) that their models were of good quality and that I must have just received one the had "jungle rot" (they are manufactured in Vietnam). They sent me a replacement and it was just as bad. Both ended up in my club's trash bin!
The third one was a friend's who was afraid to fly his after he heard my story. On the first flight of his Stick, it snaped in half on landing. We stripped it down, reinforced the paperthin balsa with light ply on the fuse and empanage. It has since flown very well, but we avoid snaps and spins!
The GMS 60 that I purchased from them however has turned out to be a fabulous engine and in my H-9 Ultrastick 60 it rocks!
-Paul

The Math is simple ........... VMAR = Junk!! If these guys don't get on the ball soon I'm afraid their is going to be a lot of Vietnamese out of a job.

Johnybravo[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Paul,

Knew it must have been something like that.

Duke

I think its a plot, I think the Vietcong are getting payback for all the napalm and agent orange we dumped on their lovely country. Even as I am writing this, VMARs are probably crashing all over the U.S. doing untold millions in property damage. I think I'll take mine to the Vietnamese Consulate and burn it on their doorstep, maybe that way they'll get the message and quit shipping their junk over here!

P.S. How did we ever lose a war to these jokers?
Johnybravo
[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-frown.gif[/img]

NO,,, I tell you now, I live in alaska and I guarantee you things get broke so we know we'll have to beef it up due to repairs. remember its a arf if you you want somthing prefict build it yourself, one more thing if ya dont like sell it to me I'll fly the heck out of it and have a good time doing it. Ray Rusaw Juneau,Alaska [email protected] [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

A properly engineered ARF doesn't need to be beefed up. VMARs on the other hand..........

Johnybravo[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]