VMAR Arrow Tiger
 

I got it !!!
A brand new Yellow VMAR arrow Tiger, and Here in France (sorry guys , I'm French, nobody is perfect) , it is quite difficult to get this kit.
After reading thousands of negative email on VMAR I had my doubt on the quality, but as I read also some very positive feedback on the VMAR HORNET in magazine and Forum, I decided to go for it.
And till now (I am in the construction phase) I don't regret it:

- The box arrived in a good shape, and all the parts were in the right position.
- The quality seems very good (Good wood, material...)
- The Plane is well equipped and pre installed .
- The look of the plane is just great
- The Polycote is well positionned (no bubble). I have ony question here : I took my Arrow in Yellow (not Red), and the POLYCOTE doesn't look like on the RICHMOND picture : As these pictures the POLYCOTE seems opaque (you cannot see the wood structure). On my model, the POLYCOTE is Yellow transparent, so you can see through it and you can see the wing structure. So I am curious to know if my model is special , or if the pictures don't reflect the reality (which in term of looking is not an issue for me)

Regarding the engine, I am planning to put an OS46AX in it. So if anybody has some suggestions on this it will be great.

First flight is planned in two weeks, when I will have received my engine (Towerhobbies, twice cheaper than in France)
I will post some new comments or questions during the construction phase

Olivier

RE: VMAR Arrow Tiger
 

No Comments from anybody????

RE: VMAR Arrow Tiger
 

Keep us updated. The guy in my town only keeps Vmar in stock and seemed pretty pissed that i was asking about Hangar-9 planes.

I see that the arrow tiger comes with that polycote ecs, is it any good?

RE: VMAR Arrow Tiger
 

The polycote ES seems quite good for the moment.
The plane already took the sun and no bubbles appear on it.
It is well put and the look is great.
I am currently building the plane, and so far no issue poped up.
All the material is good quality....
So it's seems VMAR did quite some improvement .... (Hornet and Arrow Tiger are very well finished)

RE: VMAR Arrow Tiger
 

I crashed my Arrow Tiger due to the aliron clevis failure. I would get rid of the ones that come with the kit. They seem to be low quality. Now I bought there 330L and am using a .61 ABC SuperTiger. I don't like it at all. The thing is a stall crazy machine and the SuperTiger is not making enough power for it. I sure hope it starts to make more power (put two tanks of fuel through it). I wish I got another Arrow Tiger. It flew really good and did great aerobatics. The 330L's stubby wings are no fun for me and with no power its a job just keeping it in the air. I stalled it yestarday when I ran out of fuel landed pretty hard and ripped the landing gear blocks out the plane. Now I have to fix it. Oh well.

Ski....

RE: VMAR Arrow Tiger
 

Harquin, Your English is very good, A lot of guys bad-mouth VMAR's but if you know anything about aircraft and how they should be put together,you wont have a bad plane. I've been flying the RV-4 of theirs and other than having to take a covering iron to the finish in a couple places I have nothing really bad to say about the plane. [ Although it's really an RV-3 ]. I must inform you, Im Italian, I know all about aircraft inside and out so I know what Im doing when corrections have to be made to either Vietnamese [North] or American products. This last remark ought to get the attention were looking for. Seeya, MM:D

RE: VMAR Arrow Tiger
 

Mormon you have to be kidding. I went through ALL the models that VMAR has advertised and a few more. The wood used is of low grade, low grade industrial ply and also furniture wood (some planes have the removeable firewall that is a piece of wood laminated with some fake wood grain veneer). You see glue smears here and there ... the clevice is of low quality injection molding. Need I say more?

What you are doing is paying USD160 for a plane that cost USD60 at the factory. What I wanna say is that compare VMAR with other ARFs out there of the same price or that cost just a little more, VMARs only look good but underneath that its not a well manufactured plane.

Some VMARs fly darn well like the CAP232 (40), that plane is fast and smooth but how long will it last?

RE: VMAR Arrow Tiger
 

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RE: VMAR Arrow Tiger
 

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RE: VMAR Arrow Tiger
 

TIANci, I sure can be a little "stinker ". Yes, I know about the VMAR quality, But for some reason I just like to stir-up a hornets nest now and then. It gets people to talk to me. Yes , the balsa they use is anything but good quality and their building techniques leave much to be desired. I just have the expirience to correct their design flaws and make the ARF a little more respectable. With a little extra time at the workbench, I made my VMAR RV-4 [3] quite an improvement over the standard production ARFs. One last item, No, I wont buy another VMAR. Of course, there's better stuff out there to buy. :D:D:D Seeya, MormonMike.

RE: VMAR Arrow Tiger
 

TIANCI, Did you really go through the Arrow tiger and the Hornet because I am quite surprise by your comments.
I know that VMAR was doing quite some crappy kits in the past but I can tell you they impove drastically the last couple of years.
If you get a chance to look at the review (in term of kit quality) of the Hornet in several magazine and web site you may change your mind, or at least admit that VMAR improved.
I must admit that some accessories (clevice...) seems quite cheap, but the wood quality and the polycote are very good.
On top I don't have a single glue smear on it.
Just a precision : I don't work for VMAR (neither have stocks from them) but I think it is fair to recognize improvements where they are some.
Olivier

RE: VMAR Arrow Tiger
 

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RE: VMAR Arrow Tiger
 

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RE: VMAR Arrow Tiger
 

Olivier ... I went through all. I am not saying that the glue job was totally messy and that we are just *****ing here and being super particular without taking into consideration the flyability. I saw the Hornet and I ended up buying the RCM trainer, the RCM had better quality wood, build and accessories. The RCM was also cheaper here.

The wood quality is totally off, this is the first time VMARs are seen in my country so I cannot say they have improved but with the latest batch it has far from impressed me. I would pay like USD100.00 for the Arrow Tiger, at that price I will say its value for money. Something like Phoenix Scanner costs only USD75 in my country, a WM Rambler 40 is about the same price as the Arrow Tiger here. A nice acrobatic Black Horse is only USD100.00 here. The Arrow Tiger is like USD150.00.

My comments were made on value for money, for the price of the plane sold here against other manufacturers' prices. I do not trust American magazine reviews, e.g. in RC cars we have seen the same publication house give good reviews on cars we know that are totaly NOT competitive. Its about advertisements and financial support, sorry to say. British magazines are not so bad, too bad I can't read French!!!

RE: VMAR Arrow Tiger
 

Hey guys ... read this thread ...

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/VMAR...1351053/tm.htm

RE: VMAR Arrow Tiger
 

So now its been a great season/summer with lots of weekend flying and I have to say that I am very happy with my arrow tiger. Everything has been outstanding. The covering is holding up real well. The plane has excellent flying characteristics. Only problem I had was that one of the metal rod clamps on the elevator cracked due to overtightening If you do a lot of flying things will naturally wear and break with any model. Just keep up with your maintenance and check everything before you fly!:D:D:D

Josh

RE: VMAR Arrow Tiger
 

If you really like a VMAR then you need to just change the clevises and perhaps the horns, its a little dodgy. The Arrow Tiger is decently fast ... maybe we for the next plane you should try the CAP 231, I think that is even better!

RE: VMAR Arrow Tiger
 

A few positive comments about VMAR.That's pretty good to hear.

I've had my Edge for four years and it's still going strong. I just decided to be my own judge and buy it. There was total flaming,cussing and that stuff about VMAR and maybe that's why I decided to buy one.Just to see for myself.I haven't been disappointed at all in four years.

I also ordered the Arrow Tiger and surprised me as to how much better the plane looked than on Richmond website.Its a good looker and gets attention.Or it did anyway. To answer your question.Don't know about the yellow but glad you posted the comment on the see/thru stuff.The red one was solid colored and you could not see thru it at all.I've never liked the tranparent coverings and have seen stylish planes that I would have bought if it weren't for the see thru stuff.It just ruins the looks of a plane and this is just my opinion.

The red one is a beauty and Yep,for the price you can't go wrong. I think I did have a minor wing warpage.It flew great but on landing it would stall to the rite.I raised both ailerons up two turns and that took care of that. It was fine from then on.I did dead stick and didn't know it till I took it out again and lost bout 8 inches of the wing tip and the rest was history.That was my fault.

I'm seriously thinking of ordering another and it will be Red since you said what you did about the see thru stuff.

If you haven't started it,Kelsey at Richmond will exchange it for you if you send it back.

Only problem I'm having is that I have a ST 90 spare engine and that may be too big for the Tiger.

I did use everything that came in the box on the Edge and the Tiger with no problems.No, the covering don't like the hot Texas sun but what covering does??

I'm satisfied with the VMAR line.Could be better but what on earth is perfect??Nothing.

Thanx and have fun
Walt

RE: VMAR Arrow Tiger
 

Just got back from the field with my VMAR arrow tiger in pieces[:@]. I let my friend fly it and he CRASHED it into the ground. He just lost his orientation OR radio problems, I think the former. Looking at the innards of the plane I see that the wood used and quality of craftsmanship are very good, so for $130.00 you really can't go wrong. She was a good plane that flew nice.

:D

RE: VMAR Arrow Tiger
 

Sorry about that. I felt kinda bad too when eight inches of the wing tip came off and there was nothing to do but watch the rest of it sprial to the ground.
I too inspected the remains.Looked pretty good as far as strength.Course I knew before the crash that there's no balsa in a VMAR whatsoever.No biggie,a little heavier but I still liked it.
For that price and if you like the plane,another mite be in order.

Sorry bout that.
Walt

RE: VMAR Arrow Tiger
 

I have recently finished another plane thats much bigger and I had the first flight today. It's an AKM Freedom 3d with a Y.S. 120 Fourstroke. All I can say is WOW. I love the power and manuverability!!!
Plus I have gotten back into Heli flying and that leaves no money for anything:D
Thanks and enjoy the rest of the fall season
Josh

RE: VMAR Arrow Tiger
 

Q Ball
I have just received my Arrow Tiger kit, the red covering is now see through, I understand it used to be solid. Quality seems to be as good as it gets for a ready to fly, mine has metal clevis's which seem good to me, I am going to seperate the elevator linkages and install Ailivators which I have been using on others, adds to the fun, will keep the thread posted on the build.
Mike

RE: VMAR Arrow Tiger
 

Q Ball sorry forgot to mention it cost £72 over here which at 1.75 exchange rate is $126 to me that is very resonable for a kit of this quality.
Mike

RE: VMAR Arrow Tiger
 

Q-Ball
I note your posts re the CofG position, in my new kit it says "The CG for your HORNET is located at 3-1/8 to 3-3/8 blah blah to the fuselage as per illustration 34A" I have not got a Hornet its an Arrow Tiger and my ilustrations only go to 33A, looks like a big discrepancy in the manual. Is your manual the same?
Mike

RE: VMAR Arrow Tiger
 

Flew the arrow Tiger at the week end what a nice handling plane this is, no trim adjustments required, just an increase in throws from that stated in the instructions, I do like them lively though. Alivators work a treat at low speed, no stall vices, slow rolls easy, loops as large as you wish, will prop hang for a while but needs a more rearward c of g to get this perfected, but not the point of this aircraft, will stay with the airobatic set up for the time being, Looking at the last posts they are all mine is no one else flying this caft anymore, or is it old news and does not need repeating.
MIke