Do a search on RCU for magic info, theres all youd ever want to know about mods, setting up, engine choices, etc. Theres even a guy who has one electrified and TR'n it. Our LHS K/C Hobbies (336.434.3482, scary thats on speeddial on my cell phone) has one in stock as of yesterday afternoon, and I'm pretty sure he wouldn't mind moving it along to a new home.

Some helpful hints on setting it up.

Do NOT put the battery under the tank. It can be slid under the front half of the radio tray to move the cg back.

Look at using a nylon wing bolt instead of rubber bands. More for asthetics than function.

Wires to strengthen the tail. This will give more rudder authority, and help reinforce the tail and elevator during those neat blender maneuvers.

Add a little triangle stock to reinforce the firewall inside the fuse.

Add a little bit of balsa or lite ply to reinforece the landing gear mounts.

Replace the wheel collars that come with the kit.

Depending on the motor size you go with, you may want to move a servo halfway back on the tail to offset the weight. I have a small 36 on mine, and a 4 oz tank instead of a 6. I also used a mini servo double sided taped to the fuse wall for my throttle, where the other 2 oz of fuel would be.

The lighter these planes are, the more fun they are. This plane would be a blast at 5.5 lbs (would fall into the stick type of plane then), but get it in the 3 3/4- 4 1/4 lb range, and the sky is yours. The landing gear will grow on you (I thought it was hideous at first), and I love it now. It allows the plane to stay out of ground effect, and will take off in a fuse length.

Steve

And no, I'm not a salesman for the Magic :-), just a very satisfied owner.

Steve

Thanks Steve, for all the Magic info - really sounds like an ARF I should own.

Jim

Most bang for the buck Jim. You'll love it, and if you dont, you can find a bunch of people who will gladly buy it off you. I've had at least 7 serious offers for my plane, and its not even for sale LOLOL. It taught me alot about thinking through the installation process before beginning in the installation process, to keep from adding any lead to balance it. I think I went through about 6 different installs in my mind before I mounted the first piece of gear. It needed less than 1/4 oz on the tail to put me at the rearward cg range. On really really windy days I just slide that weight off, and have better penetration for landings.

Good Luck with it and post pics.

Steve

I flew a buddy's Magic with an OS 32SX last Sunday and it was an absolute riot. The plane will literally loop within a length of itself, rolls are amazingly quick and the responsiveness of the huge rudder is amazing (can you say knife loop?). The 32 is a good setup, but he's getting another Magic and sticking a mid-sized 4 stroke (I think he's considering a Saito 56 or Enya 53) in it for some extra thrust. The plane hovers nicely with the 32 (at about 1/2-3/4 throttle), but just can't seem to pull out of it vertically, so I think the 4 stroke will help out quite a bit. It's definitely his favorite plane.

As for my hanger, I just finished building an Uproar (the kit equivalent of a GP Dazzler) to have as a beat around plane. It too is extremely light. Unlike the Magic, the Uproar and Dazzler has a much thicker, almost symmetrical airfoil which should aid in low speed aerobatics, but allow it to be flown with a little more authority. Unlike the Magic, the tail control surfaces are not quite as large, so it may not be the 3D trainer that I wanted to build (although I did end up enlarging the rudder some), but it should still be a good fun-fly type plane. The Dazzler does come with sticky backed covering (bad) and costs a bit more. I'd probably pick the Magic if I was limited to ARFs...

get a wm supersport 40

You can do some snappy stuff with a Magic, but for all around flying pleasure I would recommend the World Models Super Stunts .40. That plane , for one thing, has totally dominated fun fly events in our very large and active club during the past year. It is a good sized bird, a copy of the old original Ugly Stick, but with one major impr0vement. At 5.5 lbs it has a wingl oading of only 14 oz/sq.ft. You can float it around like a feather, and yet in all but the windiest days you can fly a respectable AMA pattern with it. All you need is a decent .40 on the nose, too.

The trouble with the Magics, for one thing, is that they'll nose over on landing in two inches of grass. It is, in ,my humble opinion,just another fun fly plane. Try a world models Super Stunts 40. Quantum sells it for under a hundred dollars and gives you free shipping. In my 26 years of RC flying, I've never enjoyed a plane more than my Super Stunts for all around use.

I routinely fly mine off of thick burmuda grass and never even thought about nosing over on landing. Heck if you land it right there is no roll out. If you actually saw that, it was called a crash. If the tail is high enough on landing to allow for a nose over your going way to fast. Even then I think the gear would fold up before it nosed over. Any other Magic owners had this happen?

My magic is on it's way. Quantum said I should have it monday. I ordered some Tower servos for it and they should be in on tuesday. I have an OS 32 I'm thinking of putting on it to keep the weight down but I may stick with the K&B 40. I just read that they are going to start making the 40 again. It was always a good dependable engine. I ordered the TS-35's which I think are actually the same as Hitec's 225's. I know the specs are the same and the arms are interchangable. I have them in my wasp and I've only had one of them have a problem. I considered some of the World Models planes but at 5.5lbs they are just too heavy for the way I want this plane to fly. I know the wing loading is down but if the magic comes in at under 4lbs it's loading will be even better plus the engine will be able to get me out of trouble when I do try horsing it around. An extra pound and a half would make a big difference when you're nose up, five foot high and zero airspeed. (been there, done that!). I may try one of WM's ARFs down the road. My LHS has several on order to try out.
Later,,,basmntdweller

Hangar-9 40 size Ultra Stick would be a good choice with a Saito 72 and ,or a World T-34 Mentor with a OS 46 FX.

Too late.

I was thinking of adding a Magic to my stable (fleet?, squadron?) then read the following review:

http://www.rcfaq.com/REVIEWS/3d-Magic.htm

not very flattering

I have a Great Planes Big Stik 40. I got it a year ago for $90 from Tower. I would recommend the Monocote version for $130 though since the regular one has crappy stick on stuff. I've learned to fly on this plane and its very durable. Symmetrical wing and light loading make it very easy to fly and do mild aerobatics.

Thats one of the reviews I read that originally turned me off the magic but enough people thought enough of the flight qualities I decided to give it a try anyway.
,,,basmntdweller

As an owner of a Magic I'm biased, but I just read (quickly) through that article and I don't see how it was so bad?

He talked about a few negatives (wing dowel/ gas tank, space between covering, and bad instructions) but I think every plane made has some complaints. Especially instruction clarity.

Bas', I think you'll be happy with your Magic. Although, I'm a little jealous. When I bought mine, it was a two piece wing that I had to glue together. It looks like they are one piece now.

Have fun with it!

Mike

I honestly think that the Magic looks hokey... Just MHO... But after flying one last weekend (not mine), I'm a convert. Sign me up, as soon as I free up $100, I'm buying one. Best of all, it's an ARF, which means that it'll take a fraction of the time that I took to build my first (and last) kit, an Uproar 40. I think if you're looking to learn 3D, it may be the perfect entry point.

Your missing out on the Morris Knife. Watch and you'll see why I love it.
http://www.jimtgraham.com/rc/knifeweb.mov

I'm only missing out on the knife cause I don't have time to get it built. It's currently third in line behind a GP Tracer (about half done) and a GP Super Skybolt. I have a MVVS 40 with the full pipe for it as well. The waiting to build line is currently seven deep but after the Tracer is done I'm out of radio gear so I have to wait till I trash one that's currently flying before I start on the next kit.
Later,,,basmntdweller

I would suggest a .40 size stick. There are several ARF's out there made by several different companies. For the money a stick just cant be beat for all around price and its just a fun plane to fly. I have a .60 size Hangar 9 super stick and it has survived impact with a tree and a fence, " did require some minor and major repairs at times", and many hard years of dependable service. A person would be hard pressed to find a more affordable, more aerobatic, and just all around more fun plane to fly than a .40 size stick.

Thanks,
Johnny

i JUST BOUGHT THIS PLANE AND I GOT A 52 FS I WANT TO PUT ON IT IS THAT TO BIG YOU THINK

Yeah, the .52 will work just fine.

The Great Planes Easy Sport is a great knockaround plane

I have an OS .46 fx on mine running 30% heli fuel

It fits in my tahoe without removing the wing and the engine is open for easy fueling

I can do 10 slow roll rolling circles in a row... either direction

Its shoulderish/MID-wing

Ample wing area instills confidence and can be slowed down

My main knockaround plane for a year and lots of fun

People buy "better" aerobatic planes and can't do 1/2 the stuff I can do with my Easy Sport

$129.99 Tower

I've never flown a Easy Sport but I HAVE flown 7 World Models T-34 Mentors, useta race um with OS 46 FX and AX engines.

GREAT all around plane, available in red, yellow or blue.

Alright, that's it. I am done with ARF's.
After 2 months waiting for someone to build my ARF I took it today for her maiden flight.
I needed somenone to build it for me since I am all thumbs and for sure the thing will fly as graciously as a rock.
I choose an excellen test pilot from one of the clubs I go, I've seeing this man flying and there is nothing he cannot do, no problems he cant recover from so we should be safe.
My pride is a Mustang P51D Miss America, 65" wing span, even with retracts. She looks awesome. I married her with a Saito FS100, so I am all excited about today.
The appointment was at 8AM. I fueled her up and trying to be macho man spon the propeller with my fingers, they were as sharp as the blade I used to shave this morning. I got a nasty cut and there is blood all over me. As soon as I controlled the hemorrhage I started her with the electric starter.
He took it off beautyfully at half trottle. After the first turn the cannopy came off, after the second turn the engine shut off. Good thing that I choose a good test pilot, he landed her very smoothly but after a few seconds the left wheel gave up and the wing took the damage.
I went to look for the canopy but the brush was very thick in the area where it landed.
So at the end of the day I had a bruised finger, a new airplane cannopyless, a great engine that shut off after mere 3 mins, a bruise wing, and a landing gear that dont lock.
From now on I am buying lightly used but proven planes.

And your problem IS???

Ya got it back FLYABLE, right? It was a shake-down flight, ya shook something off.

Now ya know what sand paper is for, trailing edges on props especially on APC's.
Even on Master Airscrew props I scrape the edges with a #11 blade.

I usually use small screws painted the appropriate color to attach my canopies so I can remove or replace them if needed.

Get yourself a cheap ARF and build, how else ya guna know how to repair it?

I've been "building", modifying and flying ARF's for 35 years and today there are many more good ARF's than bad.

After ya build a couple you'll get the hang of them so GET WITH IT !!

And if you didn't all ready know, there's a butt load of info in the "ARF and READY TO FLY" forum at rcuniverse.com

"Takeoffs are optional, landings are mandatory"

My beat around plane is a 40 Seagull Spacewalker ll. I'm running a 46AX on it and it lots of fun. During the build up I added CA to everything I could reach.It's a tuff plane considering I used it to learn on and now after some bashing it's a single seater. I like that I can putit in my trunk with the wing onand drive away..lol Makes for a quick load up when dodging thunder storms..lol