I am looking for an ARF that I can fly at full throttle and not have to worry about flutter or a wing snapping off. After an accident with a u-can-do yesterday (got it too fast and the elevator exploded in flight due to flutter) I had a chance to really get to know myself as a pilot, as far as what type of flying suits my habits in the air. I like to do spins, hammerheads and high speeed passes, Loops, invereted manuvers etc., I am looking for an ARF that I can put a OS 46FX or 61FX (Both engines are sitting in boxes right now) onto and just have a lot of fun with. I have considered a .40 size Extra 300, or even the Great Planes Cessna 182. I have decided that I won't be exploring the world of 3D for a while after the loss of my UCD46 (had a YS.63 on the front...I lost the entire plane and really put a hurt on the engine too.) I feel like 3D planes just fly way too slow for my habits at this point. I am open to suggestions.

Check out the GP Shoestring... On sale at tower Hobbies for $189.00 Check out some of the threads .... It's a great plane... I use a TT61 in mine.

Would a OS61FX do well in this plane. I just put in my Extra today so i'm looking for something to put that engine in and I really like the looks of the Shoestring.

It would be great! Some guys are flying them with 91fx or big 4 strokes and getting what they claim to be 110- 130 mph, but have to re-enforce the wing by glassing the center and also do changes to the firewall to re-enforce. I use a 61thunder tiger and the 61 OS will be faster. Never clocked it, but it must be around 80mph and is perfect for what you want. Does everything you listed perfect... Only thing you have to do is renforce the landing gear area... Not hard to do. Just type in SHoestring and check out the threads... Or better yet start a thread GP Shoestring... What's your opinion? See what people think.... Everybody who owns a Shoestring loves it... I know you will love it too!

How aerobatic is it? I'm not a 3d guy, just loops, rolls, the odd snap roll, and some hammerheads.

CLTFLYER, I just put together a seagull extra 300S the cost was $139.00 and i think you would be impressed with the construction. I installed a os61fx with a pitts pipe. what a fast plane and it will do all the maneuver's you give it. I own a ucando46 those planes where not built for speed. heres a link to the seagull
http://www.*********.org/seagull-models3.htm

Here's some picks of mine http://www.midmad.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=7148

It's not a 3d plane... If you turn up the throws it will do everything you listed very well... and FAST...

Bull

How much runway does it need?

Thanks for the replies by the way.

The Shoestring is not at all fast. Look in the correct forum http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/forumid_104/tt.htm

The Shoestring is fast, I had one and flew it at half throttle most of the time.

I fly off a grass runway... 250 - 300 ft. Thats the east west runway and noth south is about 550ft. It stops fast on grass, just it lands hot... It comes in very smooth you just have to get it in your head to set it down and it stops like it has air brakes... Now if you land on Asphalt or concrete then I don't know how long it takes...

Flyhard not sure where you got your info from, but it is a fast plane... No, it's pobably not as fast as some of the midgit mustangs or other pylon racers... but the Shoestring doesn't really have any bad tendencies either like some of those planes... It doesn't tip stall at slower speeds ... flys like it's on rails... and for the money the quality is excellent. When it first came out it was over $300. There is a thread out there where a bunch of Shoestring owners talk about their planes... And all say the same thing... They love there planes... If something ever happens to mine I will buy another one right away.

Senza,


I took a look at that Extra & I think I may seriously consider it for purchase. As long as I can pour the coals on it, do aerobatics and not have to worry about flutter I will be a happy man. I guess the only thing I would be concerned about would be how prone to snapping is it ? I have eveything to get it in the air sitting on my work bench exept the muffler & it looks like a good value for the price. Thanks for the advice.

All planes will snap, even an Extra. My Shoestring would float in for landings.

Magnum ARF. With the motor combo it will do approx. 180-190. Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go? The combo, plane, Weston (Webra 50) & pipe costs $379.00. See it at modellbau-usa.com. Also check out the diamond dust. Easy kit to build, $70.00 range, put a 46 on it with a pipe & go in the 140's to 150's. Check out Extreme speed prop planes forum.
Joe

If you are looking for fast, pure pleasure and a kwik build, try the WM T-34, many racing those. If you are looking for a little more scale, you can try the WM P-51. If you are looking for pure speed, you can try the WM Dago Red.

As you can see, I am sold on WM. I have had many of their ARFs and nothing matches the ease of assembly of these plane. You can easily put a SS40S together in an afternoon.

My 2 cents

Jack, what about the ARF Kaos from Tower very speedy, good for basic pattern and aerobatics, and a good deal too....

I'll put mine in for the Shoestring. The string is fast but it will also do what CTLflyer is requesting. It's fast as it is agile, thus allowing for aerobatics. I'm running the TH .75 in mine and it screams. I replaced the stock muffler with the pitts made for the OS 91FX, modified to fit the mount on the .75.

Other modifications I made for aerobatics,
Added right thrust and moved the CG more Aft then instructed by the manual.

Blackie

Shoestring, OS61FX on a Pitts. 112mph clocked flat run into a full-pull vertical climb to a super high hammerheadover into several snap rolls with a smooth pull out at the bottom with no worries of snapping a wing in half. Before my "dumb thumb" I was on fire every time I put this bird in the air. It has zero bad tendencies at any speed and was responsive at all attitudes and altitudes. Inverted was easy and light with great inverted climb ability, almost an instantaneous 90 degree inverted climb out from level flight. One thing I will say, due to the nature of this bird to maintain speed at landing, getting her on the ground was my only personal heart-attack time.

I'm flying a Kaos right now. I got nothing but praise for it. If you put that .46 on it I think it will have all the speed you want. It has done all the aerobatics that I know how to do and it flies like it is on rails. The only complaint I have is that the covering had some wrinkles when I got it. I few minutes with a iron took care of that though. And it is a good deal, I paid just over a hundred bucks for it and put it together in two evenings.

i would reccomend the weston magnum as already suggested,with the west 50 motor it is mental!!!,hand launch only though so you need somewhere soft to land.

It's all in what you call fast. I have flown the Shoestring with a FS .91 and it flew well but not overly fast. I have a Quickee 500 with a Jett .50 and it's sheer speed keeps you busy (but no aerobatics). Just give a Diamond Dust, Shrikes, Weston Magnum or a Whiplash, If you want speed. I am not crazy about really fast planes but they are fast and the Shoestring is just not one of the fast ones.

Second the motion for a WM T-34.. With a OS.46 they are hitting a little over 90 mph (radar) in the pylon races around here.... They are also great pattern planes and land like a trainer... Great flying plane... The WM 40 size P51's with a 60 in them have been clocked at over 100 mph (radar again) as pylon racers.... I have never seen the Dago Red race and am not sure of the speed on that one... I have one and it weighs a pound more then the regular P51's ... The fiberglass fusalage is a little bit heavier I guess... I have a Saito .72 in mine and it is fast but not as fast as the 60 2cyles in the regular Mustangs...

Evan,

I took a look at the Kaos and it seems that it would be a great fit for the .46, I have plenty of gear laying around now, so getting a plane like that up and flying would be nice and cheap.However, you know what I would rather be flying...(R.I.P Lancair)...but, I have to make the best out of whats available for now. and as far as the UCD goes......Its odd but I dont even miss it because it was just too darn slow. Anyway, thanks for your advice. See you when I get something back in the air.

-Jack

One other feather that the string has over the ones mentioned above is that its a 1/4 scale meaning it can mingle in the big bird events.

Blackie

Jack, I've had more than a few of the Kaos, it's a great airplane to have even if you have other airplanes, and since you have the radio and engine it would be a great airplane to get you in the air for now. Sorry about your recent problems. What are you going to do with the Lancaire? Repair it?