My buddy just finsihed his first RC plane (Eagle Two) and he loves it. I helped him a little with the building and enjoyed it very much. Now I feel its time to take my first step and purchase a trainer. My friend has told me somethings about why this has to be and things like that so I have looked around on the net (and I hope to get some magazines soon) and have came up with this selection for me:

• Sig Kadet LT-40
• Laser 4FM 4-HS300 Radio
• Tower Hobbies .61 BAll Bearing ABC Engine
• Top Flite 11x7 Power Point Propeller
• 3x Dove Grey Plastic Wrap
• 5 and 30 min epoxy + debonder
• O.S. #8 Glow Plug
• Tower Hobbies Tower Power 5% Fuel
• Great Planes Ultra Precision Fuel Filter
• Silicon Fuel Tubing
• Latex foam rubber (1/4")

Any advice on the choices I made would be appreciated. I also have some specific questions:

• Should I get a 4 or 6 channel radio?
• Should I get a 2 or 4 stroke engine?

Thanks a lot for the help!

A .61 is too big for a LT .40. A .46 size engine would be better.

Since as a newbiew you are at risk for crashes, cheaper 2 strokes would be better than a 4 stroke.

Check out www.spadtothebone.com and look up plans for the Debonair trainer which you can build for about 20 bucks in material and is much much more durable than balsa.

Sounds pretty good, but I agree with homebrewer. You won't need anything larger than a .46 2-stroke. Also, you will want to get an instructor, so try to get the same brand of radio as most of the guys at your flying field. That's so they will be able to connect a buddy box to your radio.

Also, if you can buy your fuel locally, it will probably be a little cheaper.

Good luck, and have fun!

Almost forgot. Get a 6 channel radio if you can afford it. It will be more useful in the future.

OK!

The LT-40 is an excellent choice. Like the others said, a good ball bearing .46 will be more than enough power. Get a 6 channel radio if you can afford it. Get two different colors of monokote, light for the top of the plane, dark for the bottom. Buy your fuel locally, and get a little higher nitro content, like 10 or 15 %. Lastly, find a club and/or an instructor, this is very important. Most of all, have fun!

While I am not in much of a position to give advise, I can say what I got for my first setup.

GP PT-40
Thunder Tiger pro 46
J.R. 632 radio (6 channel,3plane memory)

Second set up

CG Tiger 2
O.S. 46 FX
A second J.R. 632 (now I am buddy box self sufficient)

Good luck with your choices, and I would have to agree with the others, a 61 is WAYYYYY to big for that plane.

I've been flying for about a year.

I have an LT-40 ARF with an OS FX 46.

I have a JR 662. If I had it to do over, I'd have gotten the 421 (5 channel) since I'd like a second radio now and would prefer the 8 channel. Prefer, because I probably won't need an 8 channel for a few more years. (I'm currently building a 4*60).

I fly an 11X5, the LT-40 tends to float and a higher pitch prop makes it harder to land.

Covering still scares me. What I did was buy some bright orange trim strips at the LHS and stuck them on the underside of the wing. You'll want to do something like that if you cover in grey.

I'd swap out the 5 minute epoxy with CA. I've never used 5 minute, but most everyone says not to use anything less than 15. I'm assuming your using it for something requiring a quick set.

I fly Wildcat 10% (or maybe its 15%), I know its higher than 5%. As the guy at the LHS what he recommends. (Of course, its probably different for a .46 vs. a .61).

Finally, I find flying to be really fun, so what're you waiting for?

WOW, thanks a lot for the input! So I should get a 6 channel radio (if I can afford it) that is the same brand as the people a my local field and an engine around .46. Great thanks for your help!

Oh and two different colors of covering, bright on bottom, dark on top.

Good suggestions, but also look at the field you are flying and see what radios people are using. I would personally steer you to Futaba, but that is just because they are the best. Make sure you get a good radio that can buddy box with people at the field so they can teach you and you can teach later in life. The radio lasts a long time. Don't skimp on it.

Or dark on bottom, light on top.

But in either case, use light with dark trim and dark with light trim. This is very important. Here's why:

Let's say you pick white, or light blue for the top of your plane. when you bank the plane toward you, it will be very difficult to see against the sky, so a few BOLD stripes in a contrasting color is a very good thing to have.

By the same token, dark colors can be lost against a dark background such as a distant line of trees, or a mountain.

I have flown the PT40 and the LT 40.
The LT40 is a much better plane that the PT40. PT40 has too much dihedral in the wing. The LT40 is much alot more stable.
I have the PT 40 and just bought a LT 40 for my son to learn t fly.
That's how much I like the LT40 over the PT40.
Don

I'm still a little concerned about the engine. What makes would you reccomend? I looked at this one on towerhobbies and it looks good: SuperTigre GS-45 ABC or the O.S. .46 FX Non-Ringed

Hi Jeffman,

I have both of these engines and it is pretty much apples and oranges with the exception of one thing. On the Super Tigre .45, the needle valve is on the carburator and you have to be very careful about adjusting it so you don't take the skin off a knuckle. I think it is also slightly heavier, but don't hold me to it. They both run very well and are close in power output. If I had to choose a preference, I think I would go with the OS 46 FX due to the remote needle valve and it is slightly less sensitive to needle valve adjustments. Good luck and don't hesitate to ask questions.

Jeff

Jeffman12,

Where will you be flying? Why don't you come on out some weekend and introduce yourself... we've got buddy boxes for JR, Airtronics and Futaba... you can ask the instructors etc all the questions you can think of....

www.wcrcaf.com

I've got a "near retirement" LT40... flies well with an OS 46FX. The bright contrasting strips on the wings is a good idea.. I put fluorescent pink on my leading edges... looks ugly, but it sure shows up against those grey west coast skies!

I have not really thought of where I will be flying, but I would love to come out and watch some flying.

I agree that the .61 is way too big. Use a .40 or .46 and nothing more than a 5" pitch propeller. It will help keep the speed down, give you a better climb and make landing easier.

A 7" propeller is really inappropriate for any trainer.

PS. I would forego the ball bearing ABC engine for now. It's not necessary for a trainer and unless you learn extraordinarily fast it won't be in good shape by the time you're ready to put it into the kind of plane where it belongs. Stick to an entry level engine for your trainer and get the better engine for you second plane. An O.S. LA .40 or .46 will be plenty of power for your Kadet.

Do any of you know some good sites for learning how, or tips on building the planes, and covering them?

Funny you should ask that question, jeffman12.

http://www.airfieldmodels.com

What about a site for begineers, not custom building...

Just courious but why not an Eagle 2. You are familar with it and your buddy seems to have already given you a first hand product endorsment??????

The entire site is about building. There's one page about custom building out of 70+ pages on the site. Look at the information for modelers link.

Jeffman,

Part of your engine choice might be dictated by where you fly... I had an LA46 on my LT40... our field is surrounded by trees and you have to make a climbing turn right after take off. The LA46 made climb outs a little more exciting than was comfortable. Changing to a 46FX made take offs a little less exciting. If you fly out in Langley, you have a lot more wide open area to make much more gentle climbs (their club dues are a lot more than ours, but they have fewer trees!)

If the rain holds off over the weekend, why don't you come out and say hello... we usually fly from 8:00 until Noon or so before the Helis take over.

Here is the bottom of my LT 40 wing.
It is the self stick MonoKote trim sheet.

thanks CP140, I would love to come out... It won't be this weekend but next weekend might work. I'll probably be with my gimped buddy

As for covering, if you over lap when you are covering the plane, does it show, or does it just mold together? Thanks.