I would like to take this opportunity to give anyone wanting to purchase a Hobby People Model Tech Giles 202 a little advise before hand. I purchased the Giles several months ago. The instructional plans were pretty plain and straight forward. The plane was not hard at all to get together... But. The trim striping was already coming off. I thought it was no big deal to get the iron out and tack it back down. As I was doing that, the covering (the cheapest covering I've ever seen) developed a big hole. The covering just melted. My iron was on low when I started out so I couldn't go any lower with the temp. I went with the Monokote trim seal stuff and that seemed to work OK. Just don't ever apply heat to the covering. I put in one of their (Hobby People) Magnum XLS 91's and broke the engine in as per instructions. Even with this engine, I had to add almost 6 oz to the front to make it balance. During the setup period, I noticed one elevator was hanging lower than the other. After further inspection, I noticed that almost half of the elevator was broken. Being that I didn't want the hassel of returning it, especially because it was almost finished, I stripped the covering to find most of the balsa pieces broken. After repairing the broken elevator, I recovered it with Monokote. OK, maiden flight. It was a little jumpy but nothing that couldn't be adjusted. Everything went great. After, maybe a dozen flights or so, the nylon portion of the tail wheel bracket broke. Fixed that and finally, the last straw for this dog. I landed and the center portion of the fuse looked like it was squatting. Took her home and took the cowl off. The only thing holding the front motor box section was the cowl and screws. The glued surfaces holding the motor box to the fuse simply just came apart. Now that it was all apart, I could see how shoddy the glue and the workmanship was on this airplane. To make a long story short, I would advise anyone looking to buy one of these Hobby People Model Tech's Giles 202, to carefully look over the product before buying it. I don't really want to go through the hassle of returning it for a new one because after my experience with this Giles, I wouldn't want a new one. Good thing it held together in the air long enough so that my radio gear wasn't damaged!

I heard from many people here to put thin CA in any place you can reach to strengthen the model due to how bad the glue job is on some models (all brands). Also I added balsa to the inside of a fuse per people's advice here. But the problems you had were more than just adding CA to the fuse. I wonder if they are all like that or this one was an oddball? Hobby People sent you a follow up e-mail. I think you should respond to the e-mail and call them to see what they will do for you. They are a good vendor.

Joe

BTW my friend lost his Giles (Great Planes) when the stabilizer split in half. A little off topic, but a word of adisory. Atleast they are giving him the money*

See ya

Dan

Well, I've got one with a Saito 150 on it and have only added flying wires on the tail because of the 150. If youd like to see it fly, I do so at the north field Cap-Tain. By the way, had you had that many problems with the airplane we'd have at least exchanged it for something else as I work at the Hobby People at Sahara and North Decatur. If there is one thing I think we do much better than a lot of other places it's stand behind OUR products.

I saw Ron L.(manager at your Hobby People store) at the Rebel Squadron Xmas party and told him about what happened and he just laughed and didn't seem like he wanted to pursue it so I didn't either. I was just pulling the radio gear out today and noticed how shoddy this plane was constructed, so I felt I had to post an honest opinion of this plane. I didn't tell anyone not to buy it, I just gave them my prospective of what "I" saw and to check it out thoroughly before they purchased one. I've got pictures of the thing squatting and exactly how the motor box pulled out of the fuse if you'd like me to post them.

Didn't your first Giles break up in the air at the North field?[&o]

It didn't break up, it folded a stab, John. I'd almost expect that when you almost double the recommended engine size AND do full throttle snaps. Since putting flying wires on the new one it hasn't burped at all. Again, I'm sure you know who I am at this point and know you've seen how I fly. Structural failures have been my only cause for any crashes since getting off my trainer. To put it into perspective, I've put in an old Seagull Plasma P-51 .40 size with a .91 2-stroke on it, Horizontal stab failure. Modeltech Sukhoi SU-29 with an O.S. 50 SX diving snaps, broken stab,saved, strengthened and still flying. Modeltech Extra 300 had the 50 SX in it,diving full throttle pulled into a snap, stab failure into oblivion. And finally yes my last Giles did go in after getting it flying just how I liked, able to do PERFECTLY flat spins, but when you add some throttle with a Saito 150, a 16X8 prop, a 5 cell pack and Digital servos that will convince the flight control surfaces where they need to go, ANYTHING can happen. New one WITH the flying wires has held up in same instances.

Yeah, I've seen the way you fly! You need to buy flying wires by the gross.

My first Giles went in from a broken stab on the first flight. I called hobby people who asked me to send the part back, which I did. In four days there was a new kit at my door. The second was great. I always pin the firewall on every plane, andd re-glue what I can. ARF planes need tweeking. Hobby People have been great to work with. The quality of that kit was no worse than many others that cost a lot more.

Willia25, You sure have had better luck with Hobby People than I have. I returned a defective Schoolboy per their request & never ever heard from them. Wing folded in a shallow dive!! Pilot error??? No way!!