*I consider my fleet of small and large planes to be very nice and expensive but I do not have anything I consider "expendable" for those days where too many idiots are flying at once or the winds are to strong. I just want to fly something to justify the trip out their if you know what I mean.
*Last week at a local and very large swap meet, I picked up this ready to fly thing called something like a Spaad or Spazz for $60. Only had a few flights on it from a person i know. I don't know what it is but it's made out of square pvc pipe and corro plastic type wing. Very durable thing. Has a 25fx up front and from what I understand most use them for combat. I have seen a few around and they are a hand launch type deal.
* I flew it yesterday for the first time and it is everything I have witnessed which is a flying piece of junk which makes it perfect for a bad weather day. It loops and rolls right on its own axis. Seems like everything it does is a stall. It does not turn. It does one of those slide and skid type turns you see on cartoons. Stall launch, stall turn, stall loop, stall roll, stall landing. You know it is probably in a stall when I start it!
*I set up for a landing. My mistake was setting up as I normally do. Now the wind was up which is why I had it out their to begin with. I came around the approach end and it stayed down their. It has the glide ratio of a cement block. Next time I'll make the approach in front of me. It was one of those "whoa baby" on the landing with no prop damage at all So overall this is a great thing to bring along for an emergencey when things get weak at the field

Bummer, sounds like you may have a dogfighter or something similar. I have/had one of these (see my post, Bye bye my little doggie in the SPAD forum. It has a wicked roll rate, turns on a dime and gives change, does 10ft loops with ease, and with my tt .46 on front it makes a nice venture into pylon racing (I can do well over 100 in a dive, est. 80mph straight and level (although some people swear I'm doing over a 100 as it comes screaming by)).

It will glide like a brick with a brick strapped to it. I have gotten used to it and can park it right at my feet if I want.

I love to fly mine (even raced them in 30mph winds). Now don't get me wrong....I'm not one of those people who think SPAD will rule the world but they do provide a nice alternative to regular wood planes (I like my foamies equally well).

They are fun but they will never replace balsa! They merely provide another avenue. If you do indeed have a dogfighter you may want to experiment with it (lighten it up or put a bigger engine on front).

Good Luck...

Cyclic,
Check out http://www.spadtothebone.com/ and you will probably find out the name of your design. I built about 15 Defenders which sound similar to what you have and we flew full contact combat with them. They were disposable and I had lot's of extra parts for field repairs to keep everyone flying.

From your description of the flight charecteristics it sounds like you might have the throws to extreme or a rearward CG. While these things are not the greatest flyers some of them do very well for what they are.

Part of the problem with 'SPADS', is the plans are out there for anyone and everyone to build them. As simple as they are, some people just don't know how to build airplanes, or they are building a SPAD as their first plane, etc. I have read many a thread, bashing SPADS, calling them 'ugly' or 'too heavy'. While your plane may be a flying brick, it is possible to build a light, great looking airplane with coroplast.

Deadeye, in the world of plastic, you are an artist. Great work. Joe

Yeh I think the throws were a bit much. On the original launch, I was porpoising around until I got use to it. I still may not have it "down" yet because I was flying it some very gusty winds. It did seem to have great vertical so I doubt I need a little larger engine.
I am running an 8/7 apc which I think is close.

I checked out the web page. it looks like the White one with the German cross on it. Did not see a name other than Plastic Concept plane

Well I 've busted two engine mounts on this thing from my smooth landings. Think I'll put some wires underneath to soften the blow.

You are landing deadstick, aren't you? Also make sure the prop is set to go horizontal right before compression so it doesn't hit the ground.

Oh yeh I have the prop set just right. When I kill the engine it just fans perfectly horizontal. Props have come out great. I had the engine too lean this morning and it farted and quit on the throw and the landing I thought was fair but a bit hard which probably did it. I need some sort of cushion up front. So I saw the crack said the heck with it and flew 3 more times. I'm going to get another mount tomorrow and install some wires.

You know one of the guys today has one. and he said the 25 was okay on it but the plane is on the heavy side. Actually now that I think of it i may hold off on the mount and check out a cheap GMS or Irvine thing around a .30 size. It sounds great up in the air but seems to struggle a bit.

You can figure the proper engine size by taking the wingspan then divide that by the amount of people at the field. Then spin around 3 times, bark like a dog and lay down.
Hope this helps!