Hello Everyone

I am brand spanking new to this forum and would like some advice.

I have built various gas planes but for some reason ( procrastination? ) never flew them. I have really enjoyed building though.

I just bought a Thunder Tiger Sparky, and am going to be building it soon. In the meantime, I thought I would buy more of an "Intermediate" type kit , build it, and then let it sit for when I am ready to try aerobatics.

I did a lot of research on Northeast Sailplanes, found their kits, and reviews in mags to be good, and was looking at the Aerophat and another type, I forget the Name. I called NES and asked a rep there some questions. She asked me what brand I bought to start on, and then advised me that the Thunder Tiger makes poorly built kits that don't fly well. That 70% of the brands out there are junk and are there just to fool a newbie like me. She also stated that since my kit is so inferior, I will not be ready for an aerobatic, intermeditae type kit as my next plane to fly. SHe basically told me I wasted my $$.

ANy truth to this? Should I not buy a plane with ailerons as my 2nd? The Sparky just has rudder, throttle and elev. I would like to have ailerons as my next plane? ANy suggestions what to get? I would also like something that looks like a plane.

Thanks,

Joel

P.s. Next post won't be so long

I do not know what you want help with. You like to build, now FLY! If you crash, you get to build again. Start with 2 or 3 channels, and when you are proficient, go on to 4, 5, or more channels. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] I too have BUILDITIS where I am building more than flying.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img] I think it is the weather. Here in this part of the U.S. winter has been colder, snowier, and windier than usual. It will change. You will Fly. You will enjoy it![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

I don't no anything about the kits you mentioned. In my expierience the biggest diff between a good kit
and a bad kit is the build time, the hardware, the instructions and blue prints, and the balsa and ply
quality. The guy putting it together determines how it flies. Give us an idea of what type of plane you want
to build the engine you want to use and what you have been flying, if anything. The guys here can
give you some real life suggestions. A sales rep on the phone always has some bias. later daveo

P.S. welcome aboard

I haven't seen the "Sparkey"... BUt... the Thunder Tiger ARF's I have seen were on par with or slightly better than average...

That rep who badmouthed the good name of Thunder Tiger... Just made it so I won't even bother looking at thier stuff.

The phone rep for Northeast Sailplanes should look for another job. They do have excellent products and are usually very helpful. Don't be put off by that one person on the phone. Other manufacturers also have excellent kits and ARFs. N.E. doesn't have a corner on the market. The best solution I can offer is to check with the people at your field or club. Those who have built and flown several aircraft can check your flying ability and your building skills and usually have good answers and recommendations.

I have had two (2) Thunder Tiger ARF's, a Trainer 40 and a Tiger Stick. After the covering got rough, I removed it so I could re-cover it with Sig Supercoat. I was surprised at how well the strutures were assembled. On the Stick, I found one rib on one wing that needed a little extra glue on the sheeting. That is about the extent of it. I had crashed the trainer causing minor fuselage damage and some wing damage to it was a little harder to judge it but it seemed to be just as well built.

With that said, I have to admit that neither of them a built as well as an individual builder would do. The primary fault in the construction is in the firewall. I was aware of this problem during the preliminary assembly so I corrected this problem by adding epoxy at the joint and a 3/8"x3/8" triangular strip all around. There are other minor things that can be done to improve the model but are really unncessary.

I have been very pleased with the performance of both of the models. I have a TT 42GP on the Trainer 40 and a TT Pro46 on the Stick. Both of the perform well with the combination. One of the guys in our club even flew the Stick in a low, knife-edge pass over the field. Needless to say, he is an exceptional pilot but we were all amazed that the Stick would even fly knife-edge.

I have been pleased with both of these models and would not hesitate to buy either one again if I had the need. I much prefer to build models myself but Thunder Tiger produces a decent line of ARFs for those inclined to go that direction.