that's the thing. vmar planes look AWSOME and are incredibly detailed but yet.......they aren't very good IMHO.
that's how it cought my eye

Davebart: Grandad1 is my dad, and 2slow is my brother. Looks like he logged in on dad's computer and answered your email in dad's login :hehe:

2slow and I both ordered a vmar plane at the same time. He got the stinger and I got the Vstik. The quality of the build is poor (wood is soft, covering "film" comes off and doesn't hold well, etc...) I don't like the way they have you putting in the linkages either. But the planes do fly well. My stick still flies today. I just gave it to my dad and he is going to "re-maiden" it tomorrow with all of his stuff in it. It's a great learning plane, but if I'm going to spend 100 dollars, I'm going to buy a better name brand ARF and get a better quality than VMAR.

Oh and BTW, great planes easy sport 40? Great plane! Simply put. Dad flew one until it went down and was not rebuildable. After a few months of dabbling, he rebuilt the entire thing from scratch and flew it again. You'll love this plane. set the rates up conservative until you are comfortable with them.

All I can say is don't get suckered into the 540 edge... I did by price and it was a flying brick!!! Came apart after a few flights... Go for a lighter 3d plane...

I bought an apache trainer from richmond rc and was impressed when they shipped it with two large balsa sheets to protect the box. I still use them to protect the table when I build.The covering was really loose and I spent a couple of hours shrinking it before doing any assembly.The hardware they shipped was all junk except for the adjustable servo tray.You wouldn't believe what the wheels looked like.Overall,I like the model.I just had to do alot of extra steps to get the model flight ready.The vmax .46 engine has had no problems whatsoever although, after each flight I disassemble and clean the engine.The initial money I saved I had to spend on hardware so over all I wouldn't buy from them again because I went down to the local hobby store and bought an avistar for a hundred bucks and had it ready to fly in six hours.Don't worry be happy[8D]

i have actually heard good things baout the apache. however, their planes are flying bricks. i dont know what wood they use but it ain't balsa, poplar of ply, but it's weak, heavy, and warps like crazy. probably some local vietnamese balsa substitute.

Thanks for all the input. I think I will pass on the saving money thing and put it into something more well known. I have experienced the foreign substitution of materials and low cost labor issues in other things. I do love these forums. ('[8D]'))

dAVE ... forums are fun! I am an addict now!!!

have hornet trainer plane it flies great compared to nexstar plane. had to take engine and elects. from nexstar to operate it. vmar engine locked up while on stand have had it replaced need to find correct fuel to break in. the engine starts and runs as good as os 46 but need to know more on breakin read report in one magazine on test but the factory tells me to use 5% nitro 20% castrol who makes this and what is name brand donot want to ruin 2nd engine. was running on 15% nitro from os46.

You're right I think they are made in vietnam or some equivelent low buck country.I haven't had any problem with the engine though.I wonder if some of the failures might be inadaquate technical experience.These engines are pretty low on the complexity scale.

Well, lets see, my brothers VMAX 46 came from the factory with a stuck throttle. No matter what, it wouldn't budge. Had to send it back--replaced carb. Mine ran for break in plus about 4 or 5 flights before the connecting rod broke. Sent it in--replaced broken parts. I don't think those two examples have anything to do with "inadequate technical experience". I'm sure others do not as well. Now, the 52 (broken con rod) is now running strong, and my dad has it on a vmar stick that he rebuilt because of the poor quality of the original build. Some of the engines are good, some are bad. I'm sure that's the way with OS, Saito, YS, or any other brand. It's just that VMAX has more of the bad ones than the name brand guys do.

if i am not mistaken, vmax engines are actually gms engines in disguise.

I read EACH post in this VMAR thread and to no avail.
I may be interested in the VMAR TOMAHAWK for a simple DIRECT PERSONAL reason
But there a NO reports
Maybe somebody out there who purchased and flew the TOMAHAWK
would care to offer an opinion ?

I've had my VMAR Tomahawk for some time now (since last Winter). The only complaint I have is that it is very light on the nose wheel so tracking until the rudder becomes effective is an issue. Cross winds become an issue on take off.

G'day mate,
Re.VMAX 46,I have one,have been running it for nearly a year on %5 nitro and 15% synthetic,never a problem.
It lives in a VMAR Extra 330L,the plane flys great,have had problems with the covering,have had to reshrink it a few times,now I find that the clear polyester top layer is coming off in sheets,apart from that it has been a good combo,if a little underpowered.
Good luck!
May all your landings have the wheels right way up.

I just wanted to give my 2 cents worth. I read a lot of these forums about the vmar stinger and am disapointed. I have had mine for almost a year now and love it. I also have the vmax 46 on it and love it also. I use Byron 15% and it runs great. I put this plane through the riggers and pull a lot of G's with it and so far it has preformed great. I was wondering for the people that are having all these problems with the stinger with the wings folding up have you built your own wing joiner? I did and so far so good. And do you give your aircraft a good preflight and postflight inspection. About halfway through the summer I noticed one of my ca joints on the vertical fin had come loose and that was about it. I contacted Richmond Rc about this and they were more than happy to send me a new vert fin which I declined because of the easy fix. So far so good. I would recomend to anyone looking for a trainer or just a fun plane to go and play with.