ARF Help Please
 

Hi guys,

Well I am ready to dive into building my first ARF. I want to try and do this right the first time and make it a good experience and learn a lot from this. So I need some good help here.

The plane I want to build is here http://www.hobby-lobby.com/fw190.htm. I under stand they have everything you need below to build it and stuff, but I want a good radio that is programmable and will grow with me and be able to control other planes as well.

If you could help me understand better what servos are and stuff like that. Thanks. If you think a better ARF would be good for my first build please let me know.

RE: ARF Help Please
 

Hate to say it, but if this is your first plane, you should NOT get this one. From your post is sounds to me like you have no flight experience under your belt.
If that is the case you need:
A high winged trainer plane.
An instructor.
You CAN train yourself to fly but it is a very frustrating and EXPENSIVE process and there is absolutely NO way you will be able to train yourself with an FW190 or ANY warbird for that matter. Teaching yourself to fly with a trainer isnt any picnic either, believe me.
Been there, done that, almost had to give up the hobby before I got a chance to get started.
I realize this is not what you want to hear but it is the best advice you will hear.

RE: ARF Help Please
 

Electric or gas?

RE: ARF Help Please
 

I am with Fubar - get yourself an instructor regardless of whether you go glow or electirc. You'll save yourself a lot of misery. I also agree with Fubar about starting with a high wing trainer.

The FW190 you indicated in your post is an electric model, you might want to take a look at the [link=http://www.hobby-lobby.com/minipiper.htm]Mini Piper[/link], which is also an ARF. I think you will better off with something like this to start with and then move up to the FW190.

Since you are looking at electrics, you may not have need for a computer radio. I know little or nothing about electrics so see what others that are more experienced might have to offer.

Good luck,
Vance

RE: ARF Help Please
 

No No No, must I always post something that says I do have flying under my belt. Gosh I ask for ARF building help and everyone
assumes I don't know how to fly. Electric I am interested in. Check out that link and let me know what you think about the plane. thanks

RE: ARF Help Please
 

If you make a statement like "help me understand better what servos are and stuff like that" that would lend one to think you haven't any RC experience.

As for the plane..it looks like a winner to me.

RE: ARF Help Please
 

I must say, I agree with WCB on this one. When I read the post, I too believed it sounded much like a person just getting started. As far as always having to post how much experience you have had, by your post count it must have only been 5 times since this was your 6th post.

RE: ARF Help Please
 

Yep, three votes for that. mwichmann4, no offense but your attitude in post #3 isn't gonna get you much help. Your first post did sound as though you were a total newbie.

RE: ARF Help Please
 

But see that is what everyone thinks, I am just new to rc universe. I have been flying RTF planes for sometime now all 3 channel.
I kinda wanted get even better by learning how to build an ARF. Sorry about the attitude but I am very frusturated because I have been searching the Internet for a while trying to find a site that explains all of that. So I came here for some help.

But if you all hate me now lol I don't think that will be happening :(

RE: ARF Help Please
 

I don't think you'll have a problem with getting help here on RCU. In general, this is the greatest bunch of rc people you'll ever find and there is a wealth of useful/helpful information available to make your rc experience more enjoyable.

Since this is a medium for the FREE exchange of information, I would suggest that when asking a question you provide as much infomation as possible so that whoever tries to answer is not second guessing you. And most importantly when you get a response, keep in mind that someone has taken the time to read your post in the first place and is offering help as perceived. Getting an attitude will not further your cause. Like any reference source, it is only good if you learn to utilize it properly. Most everyone here is willing to help, but the quickest way to shoot yourself in the foot is to get pissy about the responses. I don't think that anyone who has responded to your original thread had any idea that you had some experience. Based on the little information you provided, you got typical responses.

Good luck,

RE: ARF Help Please
 

Nahhh, we don't hate you. [&:] Just sounds like you got off on the wrong foot.

I'd get a computer radio if you're going to have more than one plane. For example, Futaba has the 6EXA which has dual rates for the elevator & ailerons so you can make it mild or wild.

RE: ARF Help Please
 

Hi yes you are correct and I am sorry for my response. I do get a little defensive because I am proud of the fact that I taught myself how to fly within 1 months time. Once again sorry,but I did go and buy http://hobby-lobby.com/fw190.htm
the plane and the controler. Quick question though, with that controler, say down the road I but another ARF WW2 plane, can I just buy some more servos and receiver for the same controler and use the controler that I just bought? So that I just have one controler for all the planes? Thanks

RE: ARF Help Please
 

If you only fly with elevator rudder and throttle the TX will be fine but if you ever want a plane with ailerons you will need at least 4 channles and that radio won't work. Just spring for a good 4 channle radio and be done with it, it will also be easier to sell if you ever decide this hobby is not for you.

RE: ARF Help Please
 

Wellllllllll......... yes, you can use that radio for another plane, but it won't "remember" the first one with the trim settings and such. You CAN have one controller for all your planes, but the way I would do it is to buy a radio that has Model Memory in it, and at least 4 channels, because it sounds like you're going to stick with it. Buy a decent radio now so you won't have to buy another one later.

RE: ARF Help Please
 

Well you left yourself wide open here. If money is no option , than who cares. If it is, it costs as much to get set up in Electric as it does in gas. Its just an electric Focke Wulf but you will spend several hundred to get it flying with batteries, chargers, speed controllers and the whole enchilada

"Must I always post something." 8 times is not always but if you need more help , don't ask me for it.[sm=thumbdown.gif]

RE: ARF Help Please
 

Well, possibly, but it's not gonna be easy with that radio. Using this type of beginner radio can be a potential problem if used for more than one plane because the trim settings and possibly servo direction will undoubted be different for each plane. That means you'll have to somehow mark the exact location of the trim buttons and servo directions for each plane and then remember to change them when you switch planes. Very easy to get completely screwed up and crash a plane because of it. If you plan on staying in the hobby and progressing, get yourself a good 6 channel (or more) computer radio. It will have the ability to hold the programming for several different planes. All that is needed then is to simply change the model number on the radio that corresponds to the particular plane you are flying. The 3 channel radio you have is very limited for aircraft anyway, so think about purchasing a computer radio if you choose to progress.

RE: ARF Help Please
 

Dude, nobody hates you but quoting from your first post:If you could help me understand better what servos are and stuff like that.
If you didnt know what servos were and stuff like that, well, that would indicate you have NO experience of any kind with RC.[:o]
Your having never assembled an ARF would confirm, to me at least, your lack of experience with RC yet again. What were you flying?
We can only reply to what you write and our responses were genuine attempts to help you based on your post.
Sorry if you took it the wrong way. I was only trying to offer the help you requested.
I guess I wont make that mistake again...

RE: ARF Help Please
 

Like I said, I am sorry for snaping, lets call it cool and over with. I fly the Parkzone Striker 3 channel.
Ok I took your advice on the radio thingy. So lets say I buy a Futaba 6 channel or something like that. Clear me up on how this works now. They give you servos with that right? Then if I wanted to control all my planes with the same controler I would just programming the servo's number or something into my radio? If you guys know of any good web sites to point me to that would be cool too.

Thanks for all your help. I really love this hobby and want to get really good at it.

RE: ARF Help Please
 

Go here and check this radio out.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...I=LXCZR6**&P=0

Basic 6 channel computer radio, holds the programming for six different planes. Comes with 4 standard ball bearing servos, receiver, batteries, and switch, (not the stuff you need for most electric planes though). Any plane you put together afterward will need servos, battery, switch, receiver and crystal which you can buy as a flight pack. You'll also need an ESC if it's for an electric.

RE: ARF Help Please
 

mwichmann4:

I really like the Hobby Lobby small electric warbirds. They look really nice and have seen the Zero fly at my field which will probably fly similar to the FW190. They fly quite fast and can be a little tricky especially if you are not used to it and if your control throws are on high rates. My suggestion would be to set the throws at the minimum until you get used to it.

I think everybody wants to help you here, but just keep in mind that if you learned how to fly one plane it doesn't mean that you can fly anything. Every plane flies different and you usually don't get a second chance if you make a mistake or get dioriented.

RE: ARF Help Please
 

With a computer radio, you get a certain amount of memories. Each memory will hold whatever settings you set up for that particular plane. Some radios such as the Hitec Flash 5X, which holds 5 planes in memory, list each memory by number, 1 thru 5. You need to come up with a way to remember what number matches what plane you set up. In one case where I was flying a plane with a Futaba 6XAS (also only saves the memory by number) I just stuck a #5 on the top of the fuse of my Uproar so I would know that it was on memory 5.
I also wrote the numbers and planes along the shelf above my bench for quick reference at home. Not a good way to do it tho.
Best way would be to tape a list to the back of your transmitter.
Some other systems will allow you to enter an alphanumeric for each plane so you can actually put the plane's name on each memory. My Futaba 9C does this.
Now, you do not need a computer radio to use your transmitter on different planes but you will have to re-adjust the trims on the transmitter each time you fly a different plane!
Whether you use a computer or non-computer system, after the initial system purchase which will include transmitter, receiver, battery pack for both, switch harness for the plane, servos, wall charger, some hardware for the servos and so forth, for each plane after that you purchase what is called a Flight Pack. This will include all the radio equipment for the plane but no transmitter. Be sure to get the flight pack on the frequency of your original transmitter!
You can also buy every item in a flight back individually if you wish.
Whatever brand you decide on, I would advise you to purchase a system with at least 6 channels. A 4 channel system will work fine now, but when you move up to flaps, dual servo ailerons, etc, you will wish you had those other 2 channels.

RE: ARF Help Please
 

Thanks fubar, that info has helped clear most of my questions now. I do have one more though. Lets take for example the link I posted and you see all the parts under the plane they say that is needed to fly. Is that sort of what you mean by the flight pack?
Also, how do I know what frequncy it is at, by looking at the part on the web site? Thanks again

RE: ARF Help Please
 

http://www.towerhobbies.com/products/futaba/futk55.html

Is that futaba controller a good one. It is a FM 6 channel, that is all I really can afford for now. Let me know. Thanks

RE: ARF Help Please
 

That is the radio I gave you the link to in post #19. That will do fine. As I mentioned though, it will come with standard servos and receiver. You will most likely need mirco servos and a micro receiver for any small electric plane as well as an ESC.

No, a flight pack consists of servos, receiver, switch, battery, and possibly an ESC. You will also have to buy a receiver crystal with the same frequency as your transmitter.

RE: ARF Help Please
 

What is an ESC? So for that war bird I am getting that will need special micros. Basically I am confused on all the parts I need. I don't have to get something and have it not be the right stuff.