Hello-

I bought a Hangar9 Alpha 40 Trainer and I had some fun and I'll train a bit more, but would would you recommened as a 2nd Plane?

Sig 4-star 60 - [link=http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXCHY3&P=0]Sig 4-star 60[/link]
Goldberg Tiger 60 - [link=http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXH756&P=0]the Tiger 60 [/link]
BTE Venture 60 - [link=http://www.btemodels.com/venture.html]Venture 60 [/link]
Great Planes Easy Sport 40 - [link=http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXDTM8&P=ML]Great Planes Easy Sport [/link]
Great Planes Super Sportster - [link=http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXAVR1&P=ML]Great Planes Super Sportster [/link]


More information is available here: [link]http://www.geistware.com/rcmodeling/second_plane.htm[/link]

Hope this helps

Ken

All those planes that RCKen said would be good choices. I've personally flew the Tiger 2 and I had a blast flying it. I'm now building a SIG Something Extra. From a building perspective this plane was made to definitely go together smoothly (all laser cut parts and good quality wood). I'll admit I chose it because of its looks, but after purchasing it I've listened to other people (those I knew and here on RCUniverse) and it sounds like I'm going to have a blast flying it. I've even read someone recommending it to someone as a first airplane. I'm not sure I would agree with that. The one thing I'm not sure I will enjoy is tat it will be a tail dragger. I've owned a couple in the past and they can be a bit difficult to control on the ground on a breezy day. Good luck!

Brett

Hello again-

I like both the SIG Something Extra and the Tiger 2 from their looks, but I think the Tiger 2 is better for the beginner (me)

What would you say?

I have a Tiger 60 and Tiger 2, they are both the straightest flying planes you can get. Once you get your hands on one, you will see. Not floaty, not too hot to handle, but definately hotter, especially when you get about 20 flights on it, and start increasing your control throws a little at a time. Every flight puts a grin back on your face....

I'm pretty sure you would enjoy either one. The Tiger 2 would give you a tricycle gear which would make ground handling easier. Which ever plane you decide to get I would recommend at least a .46 size engine if you go with the .40 size plane. You will enjoy the extra performance that the larger engine gives you and you can always pull back on the throttle if it is too much for you.

Brett

Cool sounds good, can I just buy the kit or should I as a Beginner chose the Arf?

I mean my building skills in such things are good

It depends on what you want out of this new plane. I enjoy building as much as flying. I have also invested a small amount of money in tools to help me do this. You will also need a large flat area to build your wing/fuselage. Reasons to buy an ARF can be that that you prefer to just get out and fly, do not have the time to build or as it is sometimes the case find it cheaper to by an ARF than a kit. This is only a decision that you can make. I always tell people that if you build the plane then you will more likely have the knowledge and tools to put it back together when you crash (It will happen, especially if you are new to the hobby []) If you fly with a club then there are usually plenty of people that are willing to help you out with the knowledge to get you started. There are even those that will let you build at there home providing you with the tools and a place you need to get the plane built while teaching you tips and tricks that make building easier. Allot of the times when you buy a kit the instructions give you a list of tools you will need to get you started. Have fun.

Brett

I enjoy building things a lot, and about the time thing, I don't mind that I have to inverst some time.

But (just bascially) what kind of tools do I need?
As I mentioned earlier I had a Trainer and it crashed and I fixed it, so I bascially know what to put where

Well for starters I recommend you have these items: an exacto knife with #11 blades, a razer saw, medium and thin CA (some people have been opting for aliphatic resin glue. Do a search for the various reasons), push pins (T-Pins) to help hold your plane to the board, sanding bars 11", 22" are some good lengths. I have about 4, but a short one and long bar would be fine. Get different grits of sandpaper, I get 80 grit, 220 and then if you are going for beautiful finish then 600 as well. A long straight edge, a light weight wood putty or Spackle to fill in all those mistake you didn't plan on making , wax paper or saran wrap to cover the plans before pinning the wood over them. An assortment of screw drivers (flat tip, cross tip and allen wrenches) for mounting all your hardware. A triangle or something that is small and will give you a 90 degree angle (this helps in making sure the parts you are gluing are straight and aligned) and a covering iron (I would also recommend a hot air gun but it is not necessary. It will make covering allot easier though). There are allot more things I could mention. They are not always necessary, but you will find they make things easier. Perhaps others will recommend different things, but these items I've listed will definitely get you going.

OK, thank you!
Sounds like a lot new toys for me !

I think i'm going to buy a tiger 2 and then build it myself as a kit, because I think as a modeler you should build your models yourself (Just my opinion)

How long do you build a model like the Tiger 2?
Thank you and bye

*clicks finger tips together* Excellent... another builder. As far as time, it really depends. Some ppl could do it in a few days, others it will take months. I would just like to add another tool to the list. A electric drill. You probably have one, but u will want it. And a straight edge (yard stick). Some clamps, and pliers too. Dremels really come in handy too but aren't really nessasary. I plan to get a razor bevel before I start my next build. It's not nessasary, but it looks like it will make beveling control surfaces far eaiser and cleaner. Ok, that's all I got.
-John

I can second the Tiger2. What wasn't mentioned is that the kit is set up so that you can start it off as a trike gear and switch it over to a tail dragger once you are used to it. I got one to see what the fuss was about and made a tail dragger straight away. Great flying plane and its pretty fast at full throttle. The Super Sportster is also a good choice but a smaller plane which makes it a bit harder to keep track of. The 4*s fly nice but are more floaty than most trainers. Makes it a pain to land if its breezy out! Chop the throttle on the Tiger or a Super Sportster and the plane comes down in a nice predictable glide. If a breeze hits them when landing they may slow down a bit but then keep coming down.

Might want a hinge slotting tool as well; and the heat gun makes a world of difference when covering rounded edges. For fun before you cover your new bird strip and recover your old trainer just for practice and fun. I sujest covering in bronze monocote kinda like some parents do to there kids baby shoes

"Dremels really come in handy too but aren't really nessasary"

Why do you need one?

A Dremel is probably the most useful tool you will ever own. I don't know how I ever got along without one. Cuts, shapes, sands. Once you use one you will know why it is good to have.
I think Lowes has them on sale this week?
Not mentioned is a building board. You want a base that is absolutely as flat as possible. I use a 6' by 2' hollow core, bi-fold door I got on closeout at my local hardware store. On top of your base you will need something that you can stick pins into to hold your parts in place. I use 1" Dowboard (sheet foam insulation, $13 for a 4'x8' sheet and can be used over and over) Some people use ceiling tiles but I never liked them to build on.

a Hobbico Avistar is a great second plane as well, it still has allot of basic trainer self correction features but also has the ability to 'cut up'. as mentioned the Tiger 2 , the 60 or even the new 120 sized are all good choices as well. the long tail on the tiger makes it a straight tracker but they do not ground handle well at all in wind even with them being trike, the long tail just won't let it turn around in a modest breeze. they do fly exceptionally well though none the less and are one of the few planks that i can 100% of the time land at full throttle and grease it on the deck, it's just that smooth of a flier.

kc

Which engine would you guys recommened for the tiger 2?

OS 46

kc

Os 46 LA or Os 46 AX?

Which Radio? ( Sorrry I have so much questions, but I'm just a newbie)

OS 46 AX.

Ken

Which radio?
You should be able to use the same radio you have with your Alpha 40 unless you want to upgrade to a 6 or more channel computer radio, if so the world is open to you.
If you like the radio you are using now you may want to stick with the same brand.

I've found that even though O.S. is a very good engine they tend to be a bit more pricey then the rest. Thunder Tiger is a knock off of the O.S. engine but the price is a little better (Tower Hobbies has an O.S. 46 AX for $110 and the TT Pro for $88). I don't believe the quality is any less either IMHO. There are other good engines as well. I've owned the same Supre Tiger 45 for 15 years and never had a single bit of trouble with it until I buried it into the ground just recently (Someday they'll make an engine that will survive a crash from 100+ ft ) Super Tigres tend to be on the bulky side though. All these of course are 2 strokes and they are ABC (Aluminum, Brass, Chrome) construction as apposed to a piston with rings (ABC construction gives you more power, but when they wear out you are unable to rebuild them as easily as a piston and ring set up) If you are interested in 4 strokes then that would be allot more money but gives you a very cool sound. I would recommend you stay with a 2 stroke.

either of the OS 46's are fine engines, the AX has a bit more power and the LA has better fuel economy but both fly great in the tiger 2.
as for the other name brands, i agree super tigre is a close second to the OS but the others, while great engines, do not hold up for the lifetime you'll have an OS if you take care of it. the thunder tigers only last about 5 or 6 yrs, super tigre 10-15 and OS till you or it one is buried.

on the radio choice, i only fly JR and recommend any of their 7+ channel setups.

kc

Ok I think as I do not plan on crashing this plane and also want it to hold some time, I'll buy the OS 46 AX.

And the radio:
I got a 4 Channel from my Alpha 40 and that's a good idea to use it, and maybe I do so, but still what radio would you guys say (I think 6 channel is pretty good for most models) also I want to have a radio that i can use for some more models.