Excuse me if this gets a little long winded.

I just purchased a Hangar 9 Sport Cap 232 .40-.58 from my LHS and would like to converse with someone who has also built one of these. After opening the box, I noticed right away that the covering had many sags and bubbles, This seemed acceptable to me becuase god only knows how long it sat on the shelf at the Hobby Shop, or what kind of atmospheric conditions it endured since it was built, and it was rather easy to tighten up and fix the wrinkles in the covering. However, my real issues with this kit is the wing saddle.

I found that the wing was about 1/8 inch too narrow to completely fill the wing saddle (front to back), and that the fit was rather sloppy. Maybe I'm just over reacting, but I made the following modifications.

1.) Added 3/32-1/8 inch of spruce sheeting to the LE of the wing where the "Retaining" block goes into its slot in the wing saddle.

Still not satisifed with the structure.

2.) Added 2 5/16" dowels to assist the stock block of wood in holding the wing in place.

Still not satisfied with the structure

3.) Added 2 3/32" peices of spruce about 1" square to the inside of each wing panel that extends past the wing saddle over the fuselage to ensure that there would be no "Side to Side" slop.

Still not satisfied with the structure!!!

The only thing left that I really dont like is how the wing gets bolted onto the fuse. Since the Cap wing has a little dihedral, and the block where the blind nut goes is recessed below the saddle walls about 1/4 inch, there is about ~ 1/2" of space between the wing and the block that it screws into. Does this sound right to you??


This is the first arf I've built in about 8 years (the "TRAINER" arfs). I guess I was expecting a little more from the H9 Kits that this.

Also, I dont like the idea of a single control rod that splits into 2 for each elevator half, I would also like to go pull pull on the rudder.



Am I just being dumb?

I have been flying my Hanger9 Cap for about 6 months now and I did nothave any problems with it. I have a 15 year old Supertiger 45 in it with standard JR ball bearing servos. I have noticed a little elevator flutter at higher speeds (as of last flight looked like it could be the entire stab fluttering) but I usually fly slower and just use full throttle to go up. I wish I would have change the elevator to a bell crank setup for a little more postive control. I am thinking of going to a pull pull on the rudder to prevent some of the blow back. I love flying mine and have even had offers to buy it but it is the only small airplane I have and it is so quick and easy to put together and fly I am going to keep it a while. I love coming down the runway about 18" off the deck inverted then pushing up to a vertical and then very quick outside snaps on the upline. I have even knife edge looped this plane but seems like it would need a little more power to to make it look real pretty.

Chris Puckett
Puckett Model Aviation

I was pleased with my H9 Cap. I had 10 flights on mine and we wrung it out pretty good. I had trouble with the elevators and slop. I ended up making a new pushrod with a carbon shaft and Sullivan hardware. I also shimmed the pushrod holes. It took care of some slop but on high rates and high G's the elevators would flex causing some weird gyrations. Unfortunately my buddy was flying it last night at the Club Picnic and totalled it. It went in hard for a flat spin that lasted a little too long. Plane is busted up but not as bad as it should have been. Oh well that's life!

Overall it was a nice plane. I was powering it with a Surpass II 70.