Hello Guys,

Here's a post from Europe. I bought a Big Stik 40 about 2 moths ago.
Hmmm...Nice plane, great sturdy looks and.... great expectations. Great Planes!
So far so good!

Two weeks ago I started preparing the Stik, the problems started immediately.

Ironing out and blowing the wrinkles out of wings, preparing the wings for building up etc... The red film Monokote came loose from the ribs with a 'ploink' at the edges of the white bands.... on one of the wings... after ironing and hot blowing.

Loose film? What's new?

Well... It just wouldn't properly stick at the ribs surface anymore. Parts where moving...
The balsa rib surfaces, balsa strips, were bend a bit on spots around the wing.
Was it my Ironing or my expensive Leister Hot Jet-S, or my mother in law phoning on the wrong moment?
All Temp settings were on Monokote spec! Huh?

Irreparable I decided to take of the white strips of Monokote to inspect what had happened underneath... and to recover....

To my great horror I saw the ribs and spars weren't glued properly, so I took of more and more.
The wing was a complete mess!
I had to re glue everything visible. What a GP-monday morning quality.

Had to checked the other wing halve to, but this wing was OK, in fact perfect.
80% of both wings are now recovered with Oracover, all visible ribs, spars checked and glued (Oracover works more easily as Monokote)

Then the motor mount and front landing gear!!!

Well... standard in package.... The leg is just to long to be able to level the plane exactly horizontal.... or the wound-sping of the leg touches the bulk head....
Then.... it even won't center, stuck in the motor mount, with an 46FX mounted.
The offset of the leg can't be compensated with the wheel, because the way the leg-spring is wound.
So the wheel gets even more off-centered.
Great Planes motor mount? Good grief! Who patented that thing!

So I puzzled for an elegant solution. I found one in a bike store. (maybe later on... some pictures)

In the mean time I wanted to reinforce the bulkhead and stiffening the nose.
Also to adapt this bulk head for a possible two legged Robbe nose gear... in case of...

In my opinion the bulkhead needs more thickness, strength... as used in the Jensen Ugly Stik and Midwest Sweet Stik.... or just a Kyosho Calmato... one of the best ARF... using proper woods... and my trainer plane. (it took quite a pounding at times)

So... I opened the nose. Took away the ply fire wall. Again weak glue joints up there... nothing straight... argghh...
So... again horror!

But something else strange happened.... The ply lamination came loose... seems to be glued with spit, yogurt or body lotion... but in no means with glue!
It has no structural rigidity!
Making this part... without my inspections.... a dangerous structural part!
I fear the rest of the used ply!

So is this Big Stik 40 a dangerous plane? What is hapening here?
A plane dangerous for people... and in the last place for my OS and radio gear? The thought...

I fear no long structural life for this plane in this condition!

I cant bring this plane back to the store... done to much thinking (thinking is dangerous)... and work!

Going to rebuild it... what else can I do.... rather bought it as a kit... less work!
And no more Great Planes.... junk!

Happy to read responses..
Greetings from The Netherlands.

WOW!! I guess you got the short straw.... We just put one together about 6 weeks ago and it was very well put togetherno problems with glue joints or fits. Have been flying it and have had no problems with covering coming loose or sagging at all. I guess they saved all the screw ups and gave them to you....... Sorry to hear that as GP is usually very good, although my Super Stearman looked like a red and white prune when I opened the box.... Cliff